VI. 12.] ‘THE FIRST BOOK. 49 
12. Neither did the dispensation of God vary in the 
times after our Saviour came into the world; for our 
Saviour himself did first show his power to subdue 
ignorance, by his conference with the priests and doctors ‘4 
of the law, before he showed his power to subdue nature 
by his miracles. And the coming of the Holy Spirit was 
chiefly figured and expressed in the similitude and gift ey 
tongues, which are but vehicula scientie. 
/ 13. So in the election of those instruments, which it 
/ pleased God to use for the plantation of the faith, not- 
withstanding that at the first he did employ persons 
altogether unlearned, otherwise than by inspiration, more 
evidently to declare his immediate working, and to abase 
all human wisdom or knowledge; yet nevertheless that 
counsel of his was no sooner performed, but in the next 
vicissitude and succession he did send his divine truth into 
the world, waited on with other learnings, as with servants 
or handmaids; for so we see. Saint..Paul,.who. was_only 
learned amongst the Apostles, had his-pen most used in 
the scriptures of the New Testament. 
14. So again we find that many of the ancient bishops 
and fathers of the Church were excellently read and 
studied in all the learning of the heathen; insomuch 
that the edict of the Emperor Julianus (whereby it was 
interdicted unto Christians to be admitted into schools, 
lectures, or exercises of learning) was esteemed and ac- 
counted a more pernicious engine and machination 
against the Christian Faith, than were all the sanguinary 
prosecutions of his predecessors; neither could the 
emulation and jealousy of Gregory the first of that name, 
bishop of Rome, ever obtain the opinion of piety or de- 
votion; but contrariwise received the censure of humour, 
malignity and pusillanimity, even amongst holy men; in 
E 
