And thus, as it is manifest, what religion founded the universities; so it is as manifest what religion will, in the appointed time, destroy these foundations, if they be not truly and thoroughly reformed. For surely as they are, if the work of Christ go forward in the world, as it necessarily must do, notwithstanding the present defection, in the appointed time, they can no more be held up, than the house built on the sand, in the time of tempest. For the true spiritual "church is built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" and so it is firmly founded upon a rock, and can never fall. But the universities are built on the philosophers and heathens, Plato and Aristotle being the chief corner stones; and so they are built upon the sand. And neither can their own hands uphold them, nor the secular arm establish them, in that day, wherein the Lord alone shall be exalted. But it is not men of moral and civil religion and righteousness, who will do this work, and execute this vengeance; for the inchantments of the universities are too strong and mighty for all human spirits; but the called, chosen, and faithful ones of Christ, when he shall summon them, and call them to his foot, they shall not stand on compliments, formalities, and niceties; nor regard friendship or enmity; but through the power of faith, shall break through all that can be said and objected by the wisdom, policy, prudence, and religion of man, and shall execute the righteous judgments of the Lord on these mothers of harlots, and fornicators of the nations.

And whereas he saith, their destruction will never be, but of themselves: I do verily believe that: For seeing their root is rottenness, their fruit must needs be destruction. Yea, the Lord will raise up his word in the midst of them, to destroy them: For the more the word of the Lord shall blow upon the university the more shall this grass wither, and the flower thereof, that is, human

learning, fade away, till it be at last quite dried up. And this is the university, whose day is coming, when iniquity shall have an end.

And thus have I done with these things: There were many other things in that sermon, as contrary to the gospel, which, for brevity's sake, I have omitted.

Now, what a sad thing is it, that such poisonous doctrine should be poured forth into a university congrega. tion, and that, by the ministry of such a man? And if the ceremonies of the law were in use under the gospel, how ought we to rend our garments at the hearing of these things?

The conclusion. And now, O blessed Lord Jesus, who wast crucified, dead, and buried, but yet art risen from the dead by the eternal Spirit, and art ascended on high to fill all things, have mercy on thy poor church, which is so grievously rent and torn this day, by wolves in sheep's clothing; and is thus hurt and consumed by poi> sonous doctrines of men, who seek themselves, and their own things, to the harm and ruin of thy poor people! O thou Son of the living God, who art the way, the truth, and the life, how shall the kingdom of antichrist be brought down, when the hands of such men, who seem pillars in the church, are stretched forth so strongly to hold it up? And how shall the days of antichrist be shortened, when his kingdom is coming forth again, in the greatest deceivableness of unrighteousness, that hath ever yet appeared in the world to delude the nations? O Lord, remember all thy promises, and make haste to destroy Babylon the great, with all its mysteries of righteousness and unrighteousness, and let it sink as a millstone in the sea, without any hope or possibility of a resurrection. And seeing there is no hand of man stretched out for this work, but all hands are against it; do thou destroy it, O Lord, without hand, even with the Spirit of thy mouth, and the brightness of thy coming, accord

ing to the truth of thy promises, and the unutterable sighs and groans of thy Spirit, occasioned thereby, in the hearts of all thy faithful and elect. Even so, Lord, And let thy kingdom come, and make no long tarrying. Amen.

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Testimony from the Word against Divinity-Degrees in the University, or any Academical Degrees made use of for the Ministry of the Gospel.

THE universities, whose very soul and life do lie in human learning and school divinity, that they might gain the greater profit to themselves, and glory to their children, have, after the example of the heathen, given their children degrees in divinity, as they in arts, and the glorious titles of BATCHELORS, MASTERS, and DocTORS in divinity, as so many crowns of gold upon their heads, to win them honour and reputation with all people who have been under the delusion of antichrist.

And in the confirming of these graduations or degrees, which also is done for a sum of money, they give the graduates license and power to preach, and to expound the scriptures, and that by the sole authority of the university.

For the VICE-CHANCELLOR, admitting a batchelor in divinity to his degree, useth these words in the name of the university, "We admit you to declare all the apos"tolical epistles, in the name of the Father, Son, and "Holy Ghost. And so the batchelor in divinity bath power, acccording to his degree, only to deal with the "apostolical epistles, but must go no farther." And admitting a doctor to his degree, the vice-chancellor saith thus, "We admit you to interpret and profess all the

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"holy scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament, ❝in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost*.”

And thus doth the university, through power received from antichrist, give men, chiefly for money, divinity degrees; and through those degrees, it gives authority and privilege to batchelors in divinity to expound part of the scriptures, and to doctors to expound and profess all the scriptures; and they that gain these degrees to themselves, are (as there is good reason) the great men in account with the university, and also with the carnal people of antichrist, how destitute soever they be of the faith and Spirit of the gospel.

Wherefore I cannot choose, but give in my testimony against this glorious and gainful privilege of the universities, to wit, their conferring upon their children degrees in divinity, and creating them masters in that mystery which none can teach but God himself; and which none can learn but true believers, who are born of God, and are his true disciples.

And so I do openly affirm, that degrees in divinity, for I meddle with none else, giyen by the universities to their children, are plainly and grossly antichristian, being most manifestly contrary to the word of the gospel, and the light that shines in the New Testament.

For first, In the gospel of God our Saviour, we learn, that only a new and heavenly birth, makes men to be of the true church; and that the pouring forth of the Spirit on these children of God, according to the measure of the gift of God, makes christians of several degrees in this church, and not academical graduations.

Procancellarius bacchalaureum theologiæ admittens, his verbis utitur; admittimus te ad enarrandum omnes apostolicas epistolas in nomine Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Doctorem admittens ita dicit, admittimus te ad interpretandum universam sacram scripturam, tam Veteris quam Novi Testamenti, in nomine Patris, Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Cap. 20. De ceremoniis in gradibus conferendis.