an Italian Romanze much to the fame purpose. But if it be agreed we shall be try'd by vifions, there is a vifion recorded by Eufebius far ancienter then this. tale of Ferom to the Nun Euftochium, and befides has nothing of a feavor in it. Dionyfius Alexandrinus was about the year 240, a person of great name in the Church for picty and learning, who had wont to avail himself much against hereticks by being converfant in their Books; untill a certain Prefbyter laid it fcrupuloufly: to his confcience, how he durft venture himfelfe among thofe defiling volumes. The worthy man loath to give offence fell into a new debate with himfelfe what was to be thought; when fuddenly a vifion fent from God, it S 2

is

is his own Epiftle that fo averrs it, confirm'd him in thefe words: Read any books what ever come to thy hands, for thou art fufficient both to judge aright, and to examine each matter. To this revelation he affented the fooner, as he confeffes, because it was anfwerable to that of the Apoftle to the Theffalonians, Prove all things, hold faft that which is good. And he might have added another remarkable faying of the fame Author; To the pure all things are, pure, not only meats and drinks, but all kinde of knowledge whether of good or evill; the knowledge cannot defile, nor confequently the books, if the will and confcience be not defil'd. For books are

་

as meats and viands are; fome of good,

.fome

fome of evill fubftance; and yet God, in that unapocryphall vifion, faid without exception, Rife Peter, kill and eat, leav

ing the choice to each mans difcretion. Wholesome meats to a vitiated ftomach differ little or nothing from unwholefome; and best books to a naughty mind are not unappliable to occafions of evill. Bad meats will scarce breed good nourifhment in the healthiest concoction; but herein the difference is of bad books, that they to a difcreet and judicious. Reader ferve in many refpects to difcover, to confute, to forewarn, and to illuftrate. Wherof what better witness can ye expect I fhould produce, then one of your own now fitting in Parlament, the chief of learned men reputed S 3

in

in this Land, Mr. Selden, whofe volume of naturall & national laws proves, not only by great authorities brought together, but by exquifite reafons and theorems almoft mathematically demonftrative, that all opinions, yea errors, known, read, and collated, are of main fervice and affiftance towards the fpeedy attainment of what is trueft. I conceive therefore, that when God did enlarge the univerfall diet of mans body, faving ever the rules of temperance, he then alfo, as before, left arbitrary the dyeting and repafting of our minds; as wherein every mature man might have to exercise his owne leading capacity. How great a vertue is temperance, how much of moment through the whole life

of

of man! yet GoD commits the managing fo great a truft, without particular Law or prescription, wholly to the demeanour of every grown man. And therefore when he himfelf tabl'd the Jews from heaven, that Omer which was every mans daily portion of manna, is computed to have bin more then might have well fuffic'd the heartieft feeder thrice as many meals. For thofe actions which enter into a man, rather then iffue out of him, and therefore defile not, GOD uses not to captivat under a perpetuall childhood of prefcription, but trufts him with the gift of reafon to be his own choofer; there were but little work left for preaching, if law and compulfion fhould grow fo faft upon S 4 thofe