22
The HISTORY of
And yet I should not doubt, (if it were not somewhat improper to the present Discourse) to prove, that even in Divinity it self, they are not so necessary, as they are reputed to be: and that all, or most of our Religious Controversies, may be as well decided, by plain Reason, and by Considerations, which may be fetch'd from the Religion of Mankind, the Nature of Government, and human Society, and Scripture it self, as by the Multitudes of Authorities, and Subtleties of Disputes, which have been heretofore in Use.
Sect. X. The Restoration of Learning.And now I am come to the Time within our View and to the third great Age of the flourishing of Learning. Whether this Recovery of Knowledge did happen by the benefit of Printing, invented about that Time, which shew'd a very easy Way of communicating Men's Thoughts one to another; or whether it came from the Hatred, which was then generally conceiv'd against the Blindness, and Stupidity, of the Roman Fryars; or from the Reformation, which put Men upon a stricter Inquiry into the Truth of things; whatever the Cause was, I will not take much Pains to determine: but I will rather observe, what Kinds of Knowledge have most flourish'd upon it. If we compare this Age of Learning, with the two former; we shall find, that this does far exceed both the other in its Extent: there being a much larger Plat of Ground, sown with Arts and Civility at this time, than either when the Grecian or Roman Empires prevail'd. For then (especially under the Romans) so many Nations being united under one Dominion, and reduc'd into the Form of Provinces: that Knowledge which they had was chiefly confin'dto
