Of the Vanity of the Arts and Sciences

…the great art which they profess is but a gallimaufry of depraved and barbarous words; by nice and froward cavilling, perverting the use of speech, offering violence to the poor tongue that is scarce able to manage them—the glory whereof consists only in noise and reproach; the professors themselves coveting combat rather than victory, and seeking all occasions rather of contest than to find out the truth.

So that he is the best man among them who is most impudent, and fullest of clamour… and therefore, like the Parthians, they exercise a flying fight; and, darting their volatile words up into the air, may be said to commit their sails to the wind.

These are they who, as Quintilian says, are extraordinary subtle in disputing; but take them from their impertinent cavilling, and they are no more able to endure the blows of right reason than little bugs, that, secure in chinks and crevices, are easily trod upon in the plain field.

…they dare presume to aver that sacred theology is not able to subsist without logic—that is to say, without wrangling and jangling, without contention and sophistry.

I deny not but that logic may be useful in scholastic exercises; but how it may assist or uphold theological contemplation, I cannot apprehend—whose chiefest logic consists in prayer.

For truly that promise of Christ was not made in vain: 'Pray, and ye shall receive.' Through which means the faithful of Christ shall obtain from the matter of truth all necessary knowledge of the truth, long before they shall be able to compass the height of their logical skill.

Furthermore, sophistry—with all her quirks and devices—could never soar higher than philosophy; but through the path of prayer lies the certain and straight way to the highest knowledge of divine and human things.