All those, of whom we read such Hyperbolicall elogiums; as of Aristotle, that he was wisdom it self in the abstract, a Miracle of nature, breathing libraries, as Eunapius of Longinus, lights of nature, gyants for wit, quintessence of wit, divine spirits, eagles in the clouds, faln from heaven, gods, spirits, lamps of the world, dictators, Nulla ferant talem secla futura virum: Monarchs, miracles, superintendents of wit and learning, Oceanus, Phœnix, Atlas, Monstrum, portentum hominis, orbis universi musæum, ultimus humanæ naturæ conatus, naturæ maritus, ———merito cui doctior orbis Submissis defert fascibus imperium.

As Ælian writ of Protagoras and Gorgias, we may say of them all, tantum à sapientibus abfuerunt, quantum à viris pueri, they were children in respect, infants, not eagles but kites; novices, illiterate, Eunuchi sapientiæ. And although they were the wisest, and most admired in their ages, as he censured Alexander, I do them, there were 10000 in his army as worthy Captains (had they been in place of command) as valiant as himself; there were Myriades of men wiser in those dayes, & yet all short of what they ought to be.

Lactantius in his book of wisdom, proves them to be dizards, fools, asses, mad-men, so full of absurd and ridiculous tenents, and brain-sick positions, that to his thinking never any old woman or sick person doted worse. Democritus took all from Leucippus, and left, saith he, the inheritance of his folly to Epicurus, insanienti dum sapientiæ, &c. The like he holds of Plato, Aristippus, and the rest, making no difference betwixt them and beasts, saving that they could speak.

Theodoret in his tract De cur. græc. affect. manifestly evinces as much of Socrates, whom though that Oracle of Apollo confirmed to be the wisest man then living, and saved him from the plague, whom 2000 years have admired, of whom some will as soon speak evil as of Christ, yet re vera he was an illiterate idiot, as Aristophanes cals him, irrisor & ambitiosus, as his Master Aristotle terms him, scurra Atticus, as Zeno, an enemy to all arts & sciences, as Atheneus, to Philosophers & Travellers, an opinative asse, a caviller, a kinde of Pedant; for his manners, as Theod. Cyrensis describes him, a Sodomite, an Athiest, (so convict by Anytus) iracundus & ebrius, dicax, &c. a pot-companion, by *Plato’s own confession, a sturdy drinker; and that of all others he was most sottish, a very mad-man in his actions and opinions.

Pythagoras was part philosopher, part magician, or part witch. If you desire to hear more of Apollonius a great wise man, sometime parallel’d by Julian the apostate to Christ, I refer you to that learned tract of Eusebius against Hyerocles, and for them all to Lucians Piscator, Icaromenippus, Necyomantia: their actions, opinions in general were so prodigious, absurd, ridiculous, which they broached and maintained, their books and elaborate Treatises were full of dotage, which Tully ad Atticum, long since observed, delirant plerumque scriptores in libris suis, their lives being opposite to their words, they commended poverty to others, and were most covetous themselves, extolled love and peace, and yet persecuted one another with virulent hate and malice.

They could give precepts for verse and prose, but not a man of them (as Seneca tels them home) could moderate his affections. Their musick did shew us flebiles modos, &c. how to rise and fall, but they could not so contain themselves as in adversity not to make a lamentable tone. They will measure ground by Geometrie, set down limits, divide and subdivide, but cannot yet prescribe quantum homini satis, or keep within compasse of reason and discretion. They can square circles, but understand not the state of their own souls, describe right lines, and crooked, &c. but know not what is right in this life, quid in vita rectum sit, ignorant; so that as he said, Nescio an Anticyram ratio illis destinet omnem. I think all the Anticyræ will not restore them to their wits;

if these men now, that held Xenodotus heart, Crates liver, Epictetus lanthorn, were so sottish, and had no more brains then so many beetles, what shall we think of the commonalty? what of the rest?

Yea, but will you infer, that is true of heathens, if they be conferred with Christians, 1 Cor. 3. 19. The wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God, earthly and devillish, as James cals it, 3. 15. They were vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was full of darknesse, Rom. 1. 21, 22. When they professed themselves wise, became fools. Their witty works are admired here on earth, whilest their souls are tormented in hell fire.