Section I, Book 2: Of true and false wisdom and philosophy

The Second Book of this Treatise, touching Philosophy in generall.

BEfore we dive into the bottomlesse abysse of the essentiall Philosophy, whose main foundation is the true wisdom, (the which is a thing so difficil to be put in execution, that nothing but the swift and nimble-winged soul, or spirit of man, is able to bring to effect) it will but concur with reason, that we should in the first place consider and observe, the Etymology of the name or word, whose naked essence we hunt after, that thereby we may in the second rank descend more securely, and with a better understanding, unto the definition or description thereof, and so proceed with a surer confidence, unto the division or differences of the main subject we have in hand, to the intent we may directly point at the truth, and distinguish it from falshood. Seeing therefore that Philosophia or Philosophy, is the main scope or businesse of this our Treatise, it is meant commonly, and understood in a generality, for Sapientia, or Wisdom; but by a more proper and peculiar signification, it is interpreted Amor, or, Amicus sapientiae, The love, or friend, of wisdom: For the word is composed of [non-Latin script], that is, Amicus, or a Friend; and [non-Latin script], that is, Sapientia, or Wisdome. And it is so termed of the Greeks, because that in the word at large is contained, the love of wisdom; or because that by teaching of wisdom, men are incited or stirred up to love it. In antique Ages it was called [non-Latin script], or Sapientia onely, and at last [non-Latin script] was added unto it by the notable Philosopher Pythagoras, who would rather be called Philosophus, that is, Sapientiae-amator, a lover of wisdom, then arrogantly to assume unto himself the name or title of [non-Latin script], sapiens, or a wise man. From the Etymology of this word, Philosophia, or Philosophy, we may derive his definition, and describe it to be, An earnest study of wisdome, or, a fervent application of our minds unto it; being that the word importeth, that it is the affectionate love of sapience. It appeareth therefore, that the main subject of Philosophy is Wisdom, the perfect knowledge whereof is that summum bonum, or highest goodnesse of this mortall life, which was the mark whereat the wise men of all ages did ever levell and aime. But as from all beginnings, there was a distinction, or opposite difference, between light and darknesse, good and evill, righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse; and, to conclude, between the reall things of God, and the prestigious and imaginary inventions of man: So also is there a main contrariety to be observed, between the true wisdom which is of God, and that false and onely-seeming one, which is of this world; and consequently, there must be an endlesse jar and antipathy, betwixt the essentiall and true-bred Philosophy, and that which is bastard and spurious. All which we find to be sufficiently warranted, by the testimony of holy Writ, for the Apostle saith in one place, Non in sapientia carnali, sed in gratia Dei versati sumus in hoc mundo; We are conversant in this world, not in carnall wisdom, but in the grace of God. And again, Prudentia carnis mors est, quoniam sapientia carnis est inimica Dei: prudentia Spiritus, est vita & pax: The prudency of the flesh is death, because the wisdom of the flesh is destruction; but the prudency of the Spirit is life and peace. Again, in another place, thus more plainly, Praedicatio mea non est in persuasionibus et humanae sapientiae v[…]rbis, sed in ostensione spiritus et veritatis. Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos, sapientiam autem non hujus mundi, sed loquimur Dei sapientiam in mysterio, quae abscondita est, quam Deus revelavit electis per Spiritum suum. My preaching (saith he) is not in the perswasions and words of human wisdom, but in the shewing forth of the Spirit and verity. We speak and utter forth wisdom among the perfect, not the wisdom of this world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery, which is hidden and secret, the which God hath revealed unto the Elect by his Spirit. In these words we are taught, first, that the smooth perswasions of the wise-appearing Oratours, or lip-learned Sophisters, and selfconceited Philosophers of this world, are vain; being they bring along with them nothing else, but an empty wind, without any materiall or substantiall fruit, and are in effect but a meer shadow, in regard of a reall matter or subject, forasmuch as they prestigiously appear something, but are indeed nothing; when contrariwise, the words of the true and perfect Philosopher, are essentiall, and therefore accompanied with vertue and power.

Secondly, that what the true and powerfull Philosopher utters, is the flourishing and fruitfull wisdom, even the eternall sapience of the Almighty, and not the sterill wisdom of this world, which when it is brought unto the touchstone, will be found counterfeit, as being unable to endure the tryall.

Thirdly, that this heavenly wisdom is onely mystically revealed unto mankind, as being reserved in the power of God, and solely discovered or opened unto the Saints, and elect, and therefore unknown unto the Pagans; or Ethnick wise-men who are the composers of our Christian Philosophers wisdome, and therefore it is a vaine fallacy or sophisticate philosophy; forasmuch as it is framed (as the Apostle saith), through the traditions of men; according unto the Elements of this world, and not after Christ, who is the true wisdome, for in him dwelleth all the plenitude of divinity, bodily. And for this reason, the same Apostle saith in another place, Nos non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus sed spiritum qui ex Deo est, et quae à Deo donata sunt nobis loquimur, non in doctis humanae Sapientiae verbis, sed in doctrina spiritus, spiritualibus spiritualia comparantes. Animalis enim homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei; stultitia enim est illi & non potest intelligere. We have not received the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God; and we speak those things which are given us from God, not in the learned words of humane wisdome, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spirituall things with spirituall things. For the animal man doth not perceive the things which are of the spirit of God; unto him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it; Again he saith, Sap[…]entia hujus mund[…] stuititia est apud Deum, Deus enim novit cogitationes sapienium quod stultae sunt. The wisdome of the world is foolishness with God, for God knoweth that the cogitations of the worldly wise are foolish. Whereby we may also discerne that there is a wisdome falsely so called, which is cleane contrary in effect, unto the true sapience, and therefore it is termed of the Apostle foolishness, and consequently the conceipts of such wisemen as are the Ethnick philosophers and their adherents, (though they think passing well of themselves,) are indeed foolish and sottish before God. Of the which kind of philosophers, the prophet uttereth these words, Wo unto them that speak good of evil and evil of good which put darkness for light and light for darkness, wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Doth not St. James also, and that in open and plain terms, assigne a most palpable difference, betwixt these two kinds of wisdomes where he sayeth, Sapientia contradicens veritati non est de sursum descendens à patre luminum, sed terrena, animalis, diabolica: sapientia vero de sursum, est à Deo, That wisdome which contradicteth the truth, is not from above, descending down from the father of lights, but is earthly, animal, diabolicall: contrariewise the wisdome which descendeth from above is of God. By this therefore it is made evident that as by the whole harmony of holy Writ, sapience or wisdome is taken after a two-fold manner, namely for a worldly and counterfeit one which is earthly, mundane, and humane, that is to say which is of mans invention being framed out after the rudiments or elements of this world, so also there is a true essentiall, and perfect wisdome which hath his root or beginning in Christ, who is God according to that of the wiseman, Verbum dei altissimi est sapientiae sons, The word of God most high is the fountain of wisdome. Which being so, we ought not to imbrace with such fervency that false and bastard philosophy which hath her originall from pagan mens inventions, and neglect that which is true and essentiall, even that (I say) which is from God the main foundation whereof, is the corner stone Jesus Christ, which, as St. Paul telleth us, doth fill and vivify all things; for in so doing we shall imitate the besotted Israelites, of whom the prophet Baruch saith, Sapientiae fontem Israel reliquit, Israel hath forsaken the fountain of wisdome. And this he said, because they forsook or neglected the true wisdom, and did search after Arts, sciences and understanding in forreine and gentile nations; as did the Agarens, and they that were in Theman, which never attained unto the knowledg or perfection of the true wisdome, because they did not acknowledg the fountaine or giver thereof, which is God only; Shall we not (I say) in so doing transgresse the precept of the wise prophet, who sayeth Vias gentium nolite discere, quia leges populorum vanae sunt, Learne not after the manner of the heathen, for their wayes are vaine, The Apostle doth in another place sufficiently and that in these few words, signifie unto us the variety and dissonancy of these two severall sorts of wisdome, and withall seemeth to expresse a kind of by-forkedness or two fold difference, in that which is the worldly branch; Sapientiam Graeci quaerebant, Judaei signa, no[…] Christum crucifixum praedicamus, The Greeks (saith he) seek wisdome, the Jewes desire signes, but we preach Christ crucified, whereby he argueth the humane contemplative philosophy of the Graecians, such as that of the Peripateticks, Stoicks, and Epicures were, the practicall philosophy and the ocular demonstrations which the Jewes did affect: and lastly he seemeth to expresse the true and essentiall philosophy or study of wisdome which consisteth in Jesus Christ crucified, which philosophy is only therefore of God, because the essentiall wisdome thereof did issue from the mouth of the Almighty, being that the fountain thereof is the word of God, Ab ore Altissimi prodii (saith wisdome) I came out of the mouth of the most highest, and therefore the Apostle shewing a difference between the Greekish philosophy, which was spurious, and this which was truly essentiall, giveth this caveat unto the elect, Ut cons[…]lentur corda ipsorum, instructi in charitate et in omnes divitias plenitudinis intellectus in a gnition[…] mysterii dei patris Jesu Christi, in quo sunt omnes The sauri sapientiae et scientiae absconditi Hoc dico ut nemo vos decipiat in sublimitate sermonum: sicut ergo accepistis Jesum Christum dominum nostrum in ipso ambulate, radicati & abundantes in gratiarum actione. Videte ne quis vos decipiat per Philosophiam & inanem fallaciam secundum traditionem hominum, secundum elementa mundi, & non secundum Christum; quia in ipso inhabitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis corporaliter. Et estis in illo repleti, qui est caput omnis principatûs & potestatis. That their hearts might be comforted, being instructed or guided through charity, into all the riches of fulnesse of understanding, in the acknowledgment of the mystery of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and science. This I speak unto you, that none may deceive you by subtlety, or perswasive speeches. As therefore you have received our Lord Jesus Christ, so walk in him radicatedly, abounding in thanksgiving. See that no man deceive you by Philosophy; and vain fallaci[…]s or sophistications, framed through the tradition of men, according unto the elements of this world, and not by Christ, forasmuch as in him dwells the plenitude or fulnesse of the Godhead corporally. And ye are full in him, who is the head of all principalities and potestates, &c. Out of which words, there are these notable things to be selected or gathered.

First, That all the plenitude of understanding, consisteth in the revelation and knowledge of the mystery of God, and his Son Jesus Christ; because in Christ onely, is all the treasure of wisdom and science hid. And therefore it is but a folly to seek true and essentiall science, understanding, and wisdom, from them who had them not.

Secondly, That the smooth-tongu'd Oratours, deceitfull Sophisters, and vain Philosophers of this world, are to be eschewed, and no way for the most part to be believed; forasmuch as they are but onely superficiall, and scarce probable, being that, in essence and verity, they are nothing else, in regard of their ground-work, but fiction, or meer imagination.

Thirdly, That there is a Philosophy, and by consequence a Wisdom, which is derived from the invention and tradition of men, and according unto the elements of this world, and not according unto Christ: which spurious wisdom ought therefore to be forsaken, or at least-wise not so exactly to be observed, by such as are followers of Christ.

Fourthly, That there is a true Philosophy, and therefore a wisdom, which is according unto Christ, forasmuch as in him one[…]y consisteth all the treasures of perfect science, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, which is framed out, not according unto the traditions of men, and the elements of this world, which is terrene, animal, diabolicall, and contradicteth the verity; but according to that which descendeth from God the Father of lights, as St. James telleth us. Upon the foundation therefore of this human or mundan wisdom, was the Philosophy of the Grecians erected; and it appeareth, first, because that the Apostle denieth it to be the true Philosophy, being that it is not grounded on the corner-stone Jesus Christ, as it appeareth by his behaviour and speech, which he made unto the Philosophers of Athens; for when the sect of the Epicures and Stoicks did discourse with him, after that by the reasons of divine Philosophy, he had exhorted them from their idolatry, and worshipping of false and unknown gods, and had preached unto them the true wisdom, which was Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of the dead, and consequently instructed them in the foundation of the true and reall Philosophy; Some of them replyed, What will this verball babler say? and others exclaiming against him, did averre, that he was a proclaimer of new daemons or devills. The said divine Philosopher and holy Apostle, replyed thus, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious: for I found an altar, wherein was written, Unto the unknown God; whom ye then ignorantly worship, him show I unto you, &c. Note by the way, that he argueth by this speech, that they knew not the true grounds of Philosophy, being ignorant of the true God, which is the fountain of the essentiall wisdom. Then he proceedeth thus, God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, &c, I would have you to mark the excellency of the true wise man, namely, how he speaketh unto the mundan Philosophers of Athens, the divine wisdom, and therefore the solid and essentiall Philosophy; for he expresseth in the foresaid Text, that the Spirit of God or Christ, which is God, dwelleth not in artificiall Temples, but maketh every naturall thing his Sanctuary, and above all creatures, and by super-excellency, he pointeth at Man, (as you shall see hereafter). And therefore he affirmeth, that the same divine spirit of wisdom giveth to every creature (for his words are, He giveth to all) life, breath, and all things; and therefore if to all things, then there is not any thing that is naturated by it, but liveth and breatheth, or hath his existence from, and in, this wisdom; the which is therefore rightly tearmed the Corner-stone, forasmuch as on him all creatures rely and exist. And therefore it is he onely, who is that light of the world, in whom is that life which doth vivifie all things, as in another place the Apostle doth teach us; and who is all, and in all, as we have it in another place; where also it is said, that in him is all things, and he in every thing, as well visible as invisible. And in conclusion, He filleth all things, and worketh all, and in all. Doth not Solomon seem to assent unto all this, where he saith, that Gods Spirit is in all things. Then the said Apostle proceedeth thus, And he made of one blood all mankind, to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath assigned the seasons which were ordained before, and the bounds of their habitations, that they should seek the Lord, if so be they might have groped after him, and found him, though doubtlesse he be not far from every one of us; for in him we live, we move, and have our being. For we are also his generation, &c.

Lo here the infinite and admirable vertue of this divine Corner-stone which is Jesus Christ, who is the essentiall subject and ground work of the true philosophy I meane, that sacred wisdome which is so extolled and magnified by the old and new Testament. And therefore the same Apostle said rightly in the foresaid place, In Christo sunt omnes The sauri scientiaeet sapientiae absconditi, In Christ are all the Treasures of Knowledge and Sapience hidden, whereby in the first place it is made evident, that there is no true philosophy which hath not this spirituall foundation, namely Christ Jesus, in whom is the plenitude of all divinity corporally, and who is the head as well of the Angelicall nature, as of all inferiour things else of what soever condition, all which being so, we may see how farre the Greekish philosophy doth differ from the truth, and therefore me thinks it should not be so seriously followed, being that the Scriptures have delineated unto us a more compleat and perfect path way unto wisdome.

Againe it appeareth evidently that the Greekish philosophers and consequently that kind of humane or mundane wisdome whereon it is built or established is-terrene, animal, and diabolical, because it contradicteth the true wisdome or philosophy, and therefore it is proved to be false, as shall more at large be expressed unto you in the chapters following.