the Heathen Gods unto the Sunne which very likely was the first object of Idolatry Now amongst the attributes of the Sunne he findeth in Orpheus the name JAH put into a Greek termination which otherwise is one of the names whereby God is expressed in Scripture Psal lxviii 4. Praise him in his name in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his name JAH And Hallelujah in Scripture is no other then Praise the Jah or the Lord. Whereby it is manifest that they shuffled in the true God amongst the false ones For certainly a full ignorance of a more superlative Deitie then the other false Gods were of is scarce conceiveable amongst the wiser of the Gentiles Arnobius therefore in the beginning of his second book bringeth in the Heathens again speaking for themselves or rather in behalf of their Gods Sed non idcirco Dii vobis infesti sunt c. Our Gods are not therefore your enemies O ye Christians because ye worship an omnipotent God but because ye maintein a man born and also crucified which onely is for base persons to be a God and believe him yet to be alive and do also worship him in your dayly invocations If we would analyse this place we might make out of it a full demonstration to our purpose Here is a confession of an omnipotent God Here is an implicit assertion that this God is to be worshipped Here is a denying of Divine worship to man therefore they say Christ is not to be worshipped because man Could they then determine their adorations upon their Gods whom some of them knew to be men nay some of the Heathen were ancienter then their Gods Varro therefore propounded to himself this method in writing First to write of things humane then of things divine A strange order one would think but his reason is good and witty Quia civitates Diis quos ipsae instituerant ut pictor tabellâ priores sunt Because as the painter is before the picture so the cities are before the Gods whom the cities created Amongst the sorts of Gods also which they made namely three Poeticall Civil Philosophicall the Philosophicall Gods which one would imagine to be the best were not accounted by the Philosophers to be true Gods onely the common people might not know so much as an Authour hath it But come we now to an authority out of Scripture for the establishment of our point No place so pregnant as where Saint Paul discusseth the knowledge of the Gentiles in the first chapter to the Romanes from the eighteenth to the twenty fourth verse Especially to our purpose he speaketh in the twenty first and twenty second verses In the twenty first verse Because that when they knew God They the Gentiles they knew God two wayes by the book of the Creature in the twentith verse by naturall light in the nineteenth verse That which may be known of God is manifest in them Or if you please naturall knowledge was able to collect a Divinitie out of the book of the Creature So God manifested what may be known of him to them as in the nineteenth God expressed himself to them in the vast ample volume of the world To return unto our twenty first verse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Glorifie him then they did but not in the right manner not in the right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not immediately not distinctly not onely not so well as they knew him but as in the three and twentieth verse they changed the glory that is relatively and quoad nos for absolutely and in it self Gods glory cannot suffer any alteration they changed the glory of the incorruptible God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the similitude or by the similitude of the image of corruptible man that is as Calvine expoundeth it They made man to represent God Whence it is evident then that they did worship ultimately the true God through those true men false Gods As for the adoring of the Images of their Gods that the learneder of them disclaimed as the Reverend Primate of Ireland quoteth them speaking in the sixth of Arnobius Deos per simulacra veneramur and through or by those false Gods they aimed at the true The knowledge of a God was so evident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it was so firmly grounded it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them in respect of the principles they had of God and in respect of an abilitie of understanding to inferre a Divinity out of the creation that unlesse they would deny what they saw they could not disacknowledge a God and if so then it would follow to them that he is to be worshipped That there is a God is principled in nature and from hence resulteth naturally by a most strict and necessary connexion That this God is to be served honoured worshipped For the apprehension of a Divine nature cannot but conceive in it a right unto this homage by a double relation of it unto the creature of sovereigne Power and of Goodnesse The former requireth a reverent fear the other an affectionate love which will exercise themselves in outward worship And let us now suppose this for a principium secundo-primum as they term it namely That God is to be worshipped from hence also by consequent will ensue That an Idole is not to be worshipped for an Idole is not God That rationall light that seeth a God is able to see one God onely that light that seeth one God onely must reject an Idole Now since in a Divine essence there is considered so much majesty and glory that they might think it an impudent presumption to make an immediate addresse unto this great God therefore they might think they should do God service in shewing their honour of him by the doing honour unto his glorious creatures the Sunne the Moon and the like and in making great men after death as mediatours betwixt him and them as the Papists upon the like plea make Angels and Saints their intercessours which in processe of time by mens ignorance and the devils deceit came to be esteemed of the common sort as complete Gods not so of the more intelligent of them as we have shewed these did not terminate their adorations in the Heathen Gods but looked further at God the Ancient of dayes whom Thales one of the Seven of Greece called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most ancient of all things as Laertius saith of him in his Life So that the difference of the worship of these from the worship of true Christiaus is this True Christians worship God through Christ God-man they worshipped God by men supposed Gods So Aratus through Jupiter meaneth GOD So Saint Paul understandeth him Neverthelesse this worshipping of God by mediation and image whether of man or beast God accounteth a false worship So he esteemed the Israelites worshipping him by a calf Man doth indeed but God doth not make such a
A GREEK IN THE TEMPLE Some Common-places delivered in Trinity Colledge Chapell in Cambridge upon ACTS xvii part of the 28. verse By JOHN SHERMAN Bachelour in Divinity and Fellow of the same Colledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BASIL in Homilia Ad Juvenes quomodo è Graecis utilitatem caperent Alma Mater HINC LVCEM ET POCVLA SACRA Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge 1641. To the Right Honourable Right Reverend Right Worshipfull the Governours of the Free-School in the CHARTER HOVSE MUch is spoken which should not be thought and written which should not be spoken and printed which should not be written Such may this discourse be or such accounted I am contented Yet I go on with an ingenuous boldnesse in this small bundle of Common-places as we call our morning Exercises to represent next unto God unto you my thankfulnesse for my education in that House whereof you are the Worthy Governours If I thus discharge this debt the adventure of my credit will be lesse dangerous the losse more easie since we are not bound so to a perfection of learning as we are bound to a perfection of Duty The Stork is said to leave one of her young ones where she hatcheth as it were out of some instinct of gratitude and I to return an acknowledgement of my breeding present you with this little offspring of my mind penned indeed rather then plumed They are next unto the first Common-places which I ever made Since much time and years have run wherein I might have added much varied somewhat polished all but I desire to serve them up in their first and naturall dresse and not to deceive you with my first Common-places last made The Poet calleth his books his children This of mine is but a daughter slight slender impertinent unprofitable Yet the raritie of the subject comforteth the Authour that what cannot satisfie because not so usefull may please because so unusuall Few such texts there are this to my knowledge not touched before In the way of the discourse Hagar waiteth diligently upon Sarah Humane learning carrieth the candle to Divinity now the candle may be set down and the servant may go out Be pleased to signifie the height of your Greatnesse in a condescent of acceptance The Presse hath delivered it into this legible fashion in respect to your Qualitie But I mean not that the world shall see it either because I would save my modesty or serve you more peculiarly Do it the justice of favour to think of it better then it deserveth and me the honour to vouchsafe me to be Your most obliged and humble servant JOHN SHERMAN Ad virum optimum integerrimum Mr JOHANNEM SHERMANNUM de eruditissimo hoc suo pientissimóque tractatu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Psal 89.35 36. IN coelo testes sunt Sol Luna fideles Major émque probant lumina magna Deum Quando igitur verus fuerit de numine Testis * Ovid. Cum Sole Luna semper Aratus erit Tu quoque qui Cilicis narr asti verba poetae Et tua cum coelo famaperennis erit Nè temne augurium nam nos quoque numen habemus Crede mihi vates enthea turbasumus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Lectorem in laudem Operis Autoris LEctor in hoc certant Pietas Doctrina libello Nescio num primas illa vel illa ferat Hoc scio quod punctum qui tam bene sacra profanis Ethnica divinis miscuit omne tulit Scintillam veri dum Sanctus Apostolus ist◠Ex * Allusio ad patriam urbem nomen poetae cujus hemistichium enarrat autor Cilice excudit porrigit ille facem Sacrum Gentili de stercore colligit aurum Dum vertit Graeci jugera multa * Allusio ad patriam urbem nomen poetae cujus hemistichium enarrat autor Soli Eruit gemmas veterum dum ruspat in agris Paucis ingenii tam bene * Allusio ad patriam urbem nomen poetae cujus hemistichium enarrat autor Aratus ager In Poetam à S. Paulo citatum CRetes Cilices inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sunt duo quos testes paginasacra vocat Nec puduit Paulum Graecos citare laudare poetas Hic vel Cretensis sit licèt ille Cilix Sic Deus è tenebris educit lumen amaris Sic vos ex herbis mellificatis apes Inscriptis hominum sit quodvis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ast in divinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scilicet hîc nulli narrant mendacia Cretes Neve Soloecismos ipse Solensis habet JACO DUPORT S.T.B. Coll. Trin. Cantab. Socius Graecae Lingua Professor ACTS XVII 28. As certain also of your own Poets have said For we are also his offspring IT is a principle Contra negantem principia non est disputandum Against him that denieth principles we must not dispute But the sense and importment of it is not to be taken otherwise then by way of specification That upon those principles which are denied we cannot make a convenient discourse Argue with the Jews who believe not in Christ out of the Old Testament as our Saviour did and S. Paul in the second verse of this chapter The Cerdonians denie the Old Testament dispute with them out of the New with orthodox Christians out of both with Heathens out of neither Reason is the naturall and common ground of argumentation And those that either never read a verse in sacred page or deride what they have read unlesse they will in a peevish humour do that which for religion they will not do namely denie themselves must be ruled by reason Natures light is a subcelestiall starre in the orb of the microcosme Gods voice mans usher in the school of the world As truths supernaturall are not contradicted by reason so neither surely is that contradicted by Scripture what is dictated by right reason The Doctour of the Gentiles therefore in his encounter with the Epicureans and Stoicks as in the eighteenth verse of this chapter leaving those principles of Scripture the object whereof Christ was so strange unto them yea and the point of Resurrection also which naturall knowledge hath some glimpse of disputeth with them out of their own principles of rationall light which being the fountain of naturall Divinitie and this naturall Divinitie consisting partly in artificiall discourse partly in inartificiall authority the Apostle useth both the first in the next verse the second in this Here he produceth a testimonie in the next verse he maketh an inference out of it Thus he confuteth the Heathens with an Heathen the Philosophers with the Poet Aratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words are little else then an indefinite Quotation and a rationall Aphorisme An indefinite Quotation As certain also of your own Poets have said A rationall Aphorisme We are also his offspring In the quotation we may observe 1.
the Quoter S. Paul 2. the Quoted certain of your own Poets 3. the Form of quotation as they have said In the Quoted we have again 1. the Manner of speech touching them certain 2. the Profession of them Poets 3. the Appropriation of them your own Poets As certain also of your own Poets Certain there is the manner of speech concerning the quoted And in this we have subincluded three considerations First it soundeth plurality certain not one onely Secondly it importeth restriction certain not all certain not many Thirdly it representeth a kind of disrespectivenesse an overly speaking not so much as honouring them with their naming certain of your own Poets This is the division of the first part of the text the indefinite Quotation Concerning the second part the rationall Aphorisme we shall first propound an Exposition and then raise three Propositions An exposition first of the HIS in the text who this HE is whose offspring we are secondly of the particles FOR and ALSO which seem to be of no use since the sense of the Aphorisme is entire without them The propositions do issue out of the severall respects wherein we may be said to be his off-spring his that is Gods as we shall hereafter declare The three respects make the three propositions We are Gods offspring in respect of our bodies We are Gods offspring in respect of our souls We are Gods offspring in respect of both together First now of the first particular of the first part of the text the Quoter S. Paul I have formerly spoken of him upon another text but he deserveth second and third thoughts Surely never can be said enough of so devout so seraphicall so industrious so eloquent so learned an Apostle Learned I say and eloquent these qualities are considerable in our present purpose As Moses the promulger of the Law unto the Jews was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians so S. Paul the Preacher of the Gospel unto the Gentiles was learned in all the learning of the Heathens Neither could he well otherwise confute them As one saith somewhat quaintly of Logick that we cannot prove it to be unnecessary but by it semblably neither could the Gentiles be refuted in their idolatry but by the knowledge of them and the use of their knowledge It is very remarkable what is said of Apollos in the next chapter and the 24 verse that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eloquent man and potent in the Scriptures as we reade it And an effect and successe proportionable to this his abilitie we have in the last verse he mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ How did he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mightily confute them but by his potencie in the Scriptures how was he potent in the Scriptures but in that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the notion of the term may import two things skill in the words that he could expound well and facultie of speech that he could expresse well his exposition Matter and Form do all in nature matter and form do all in art our Apostle was furnished with them both and abundantly so that he who was to teach the Gentiles Christ might have taught them humane knowledge might have taught them also Rhetorick Scholarship we see is not out of date neither in the times of the Law for Moses had it nor in the times of the Gospel for S. Paul expresseth it here Though in respect of the glorious and fun-like light of the holy Scriptures it be but as straminea candela as one saith a rush-candle a mean light a small light and soon out yet some light it giveth S. Paul useth the mention of the Poets And thus briefly we passe from the Quoter to the Quoted And in the quoted we have first the manner of speech concerning them certain And in the manner we observed three branches of discourse First as it soundeth plurality certain not one onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bernardus non videt omnia Two are better then one saith the Preacher Multitude of witnesses maketh an evidence more probable Alas Master what shall we do saith Elisha's servant when the host of the Syrians environed the city Elisha soon resolveth the question Fear not for those that be with us are more then those that be with them 2. Kings vi 15 16. Exemplatrahunt Many draw much It was a very strange speech of him that said Malo errare cum Origene quà m cum aliis vera sentire Extraordinary partiality to hold with one against many with one erring against many having truth on their side Plato speaketh well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So truth is truth say it you or say it you not be we more or be we fewer that affirm it And the reason is Bëcause truth is fundamentally in the thing not in the words Neverthelesse an assertion confirmed by many voices sooner taketh off suspension of consent sooner perswadeth the belief of it Multiplication of testimonies doth not increase the truth yet it increaseth assent The Church of Rome understandeth the virtue of this plurality too well It is none of the least of her flourishes wherein she so bravingly vaunteth that she hath ever had a world of authoritie for her religion multitudes of Professours and that little petty England thrust up into a corner of the world enterteineth a religion which now hath not so great a number of followers one century ago and a little more had scarce enough to conserve the species Seculis omnino quindecim non oppidum non villam non domum ullam reperiunt suâ doctrinâ imbutam But we shall have a restriction for Campian by and by Before we leave this point of plurality it is not unworthy of some disquisition why our Doctour intimating more suffragants then one yet produceth the testimony onely of Aratus There is none here that bringeth glory to God but this Aratus I can scarce imagine I dare not pronounce but that our Apostle knew there were more of the Poets of the same mind He could have produced a long list of those authours all agreeing in the same position and sentence as Homers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Hesiods authoritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another also calleth God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best Artist either in generall in respect of the frame of the world or specially of mans body So * Hymno cui titulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orpheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he would make confession of his faith O glorious and immortall Jupiter this testimony and expiatory supplication we present unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O King by thy wisdome were all things easily produced the Earth the sacred mother and the high-topped mountains the sea and whatsoever is comprehended
and the like but such also as are against reason as Intemperance Adultery and the like Whence Cyrill of Hierusalem mocketh the Heathens for calling Jupiter an adulterer a God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he be an adulterer let him not be called a God Plato now seeing the ingagement unto vice by these examples as the fellow in Terence Ego verò feci lubens He braggeth what he had done in imitation of Jupiter was provoked for this cause to remove them Secondly because it was not meet that such obscene borborologie and filthy speeches as they used should proceed out of the mouth of man The words are good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not to be thought fit that the tongue the instrument of Gods praise and of conference with good men should be soiled and polluted with such speeches Neverthelesse he doth not absolutely condemne them For in the beginning of the eighth of his Laws he prescribeth what kind of poemes are to be used in a solemnity the qualification of the Poets and himself now and then useth their sayings Our Apostle S. Paul Tit. i. 12. where he quoteth Epimenides his saying calleth the Poets Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he seemeth to expresse the nature of the profession in a way of resemblance and that may be two wayes either ratione personae or ratione officii First Ratione personae in two respects either as accounted by common esteem as Prophets or by great ones honoured like them As Jeremiah xxxix 11. was honoured by the king of Babylon so were Poets respected by kings and were familiar unto them as Pausanias writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Polycrates Anacreon with Antigonus our Aratus Secondly there is a resemblance of Poets with Prophets ratione officii and that three wayes either 1. in regard of dictation of their poemes so that as the Prophets were inspired by God for the penning of their prophecies so the Poets were accounted to have been inspired in their poetries Whence Plato saith of them in the third of his Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The generation of the Poets is a divine and inspired generation Or 2. in regard of their style The Prophets of God spake in a high style and strain hyperbolically obscurely as Ezekiel and therefore the Jews forbad Ezekiel to be read before the thirtieth yeare whence that is called annus sacerdotalis the Priests yeare besides other reasons so also did the Poets as might be shown 3. In regard of their end The Prophets as they are taken largely were rebukers of sinne and exhorters unto godlinesse although ut sic the proper denomination is from Prediction foretelling This also was the peculiar office and scope of the Satyrists amongst the Poets and the very worst of them now and then gave virtue a commendation and vice a censure But now out of S. Pauls use and expression of them what deduction what inference what corollary shall we raise That they promiscuously are to be read or if the choice ones much or if sparingly at times with immoderate delight Nay shall we at all reade them Shall Plato banish them Christians use them I would Christians did not use some things which Heathens forbid Aristotle in the fourth of his Ethicks the first chapter and in one page condemneth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the usurer and the dicer and yet some Christians blush at neither Plutarch passeth a determination upon Poetrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And surely plus aloes quà m mellis habet There is picking work enough Yet as Virgil being asked what he meant when he read Ennius replied that he did è coeno colligere margaritas so if a Christian did reade Virgil he might being asked the same question answer in the same manner Or if from this hint of Poets we should rise to a generall discourse of humane authours as the fellow that was asked whether light was pleasant said It was a blind mans question so if it should be asked Whether humane knowledge were usefull it might be answered It is an illiterate question Certainly there is some good to be gotten in the study of Greek authours or else Julian the Apostate would never have interdicted to the Christian youth the use of them Nicephorus in his tenth book of Ecclesiasticall history bringeth in Julians reason why he forbad the use of Greek authours Nè linguis eorum acumine perpolitis facilè disputatoribus nostris resistere sacra quidem sua amplificare religionem autem nostram refellere facilè queant I might now tell you Nicephorus his arguments for the point and that Basil hath wrote a book to this purpose and I might tell you what S. Augustine saith concerning this in the end of his second De doctrina Christiana and what others and how learned the Fathers were and that S. Paul after conversion did not burn his books nor parchments But it is an errour to bring this into question in an Universitie In lieu of all arguments this may serve that in this dispute of S. Paul where he useth both Philosophy and Poets a woman Damaris and many others likely not of the learned nation were converted From hence also the Teacher of the Gentiles instructeth us Christians not to disembrace goodnesse in any nor truth in any Plato's rule is good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not consider so much who saith as what is said who doeth as what is done Let not the authority of the teacher tempt thee to erre as Vincentius Lirinensis saith the errours of the Fathers were temptations to the Church nor let the badnesse or meannesse of the preacher spoil thy attention Learn not badnesse of the best but learn goodnesse of the worst Lastly me thinketh from hence we may raise a meditation upon an embleme of the strangenesse of the happinesse of the Gentiles being received into grace As unlikely as Poets sayings were to be made canonicall were Gentiles to be made divine As unlikely as an Heathens saying to be put in the book of truth was an Heathens name to be wrote in the book of life The Heathen are come into thine inheritance O God may be sung now with joy as it was sometimes by David with complaint And so much of the Profession of the Quoted Poets Nextly followeth the Appropriation of them YOUR OVVN Poets As certain also of YOUR OVVN Poets have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Paul maketh use of their writings but rejecteth them he approveth what they say but he owneth not them YOUR OVVN Poets They bring their gift unto the altar and then go their way One or two reade it vestratium in reference unto their countrey But that is very disputable in two respects of the thing and of the phrase For the first though we know not what countreymen they were whom S. Paul includeth in the CERTAIN and therefore cannot judge whether they were conterraneous unto
as we may speak Few and evil have been the dayes of my pilgrimage Matth. vii 14. Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod saith the like of Virtue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a little before to Vice it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little way to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It dwelleth hard by Our Saviour John xix 27. to his beloved disciple S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold thy mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I give thee this woman for thy mother was the speech of the Samians when to the richer of the citizens the mothers of those who died in the warres were given to be mainteined by them And did not our Saviour die for S. John 1. Tim. v. 6. S. Paul speaking of a widow which liveth in pleasure saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth Talis vita nunquid vita erat Domine but that is S. Augustines speaking of a licentious life Lord what a life was that But Terence in Hecyra cometh nearer Sanè hercle homo voluptati obsequens Fuit dum vixit Pamphilus speaketh it there of a woman too S. Pauls Greek cannot well be rendred but by Terence's Latine and Terences Latine cannot be put wel into other Greek Aristotle Rhet. ii c. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—se that looked not well to other mens horses by Thâ—â—dectes his law were not to have their own given them Like unto this may that of our Saviour seem Luke xvi 12. And if ye have not been faithfull in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your own AEsop being asked by Chilo one of the seven wisemen of Greece what God was doing answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Psalm cxlvii 6. The Lord setteth up the meek and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if one place had been taken from the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chilo to his brother who took it ill that he was not chosen to be one of the Judges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Paul I know how to be abased One of Chilo's precepts as appeareth in the Life of Chilo by Diogenes Laertius was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To rule ones own house well S. Paul 1. Tim. v. 4. hath the same precept in effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but more patly chap. iii. vers 12. where he speaketh of the qualification of Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruling their children and their own houses well Moses Exod. iii. when he was to be sent to the children of Israel by God desired to know Gods name that he might tell them who sent him and God expressed himself by I AM Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you vers 14. So Plato calleth God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is indeed as if nothing had any reall existence but God Plato in his dialogue Of Death calleth mans body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tabernacle so doth S. Paul 2. Cor. v. 1. Plato in the eighth of his Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The communion of the soul with the bodie is not better then the dissolution as I would say if I were to speak in earnest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Paul Phil. i. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is farre better To be with Christ farre better being farre better saying We heare no more of the Heathens when we speak of Christ As the Oracles are said to have ceased at Christs nativity so the Heathens are silent concerning Christ Yet there is a sort of writers behind which go thus farre namely the Sibylls and Trismegist and if there be any more such Nothing spoken of Christ with more dilucidation then by the Sibylls By one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the Sonne of God the Saviour the initiall and beginning letters of which prophesie being put in order together make up the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Fish whence Tertullian calleth our Saviour Piscem And one of these Sibylls Virgil in one of his Eclogues is supposed with good probability to have imitated namely in the fourth eclogue Te Duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetua solvent formidine terras meaning by Te Duce Christ according to the Sibyll And Christ is called Heb. ii 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Captain of our salvation Many other passages also there are in the same eclogue to the same purpose And as for Trismegist who is quoted so much by great Authours onely for rationall knowledge as if he had no other light to direct him in his writings besides the light of nature in the second page of his Poemander he speaketh of the Trinity as if he had been in heaven therefore for his opinion of the Trinity he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thrice-great or Greatest as Suidas saith In that second page of the Treatise we have his authority against the Arian heresie And the very term which Arius would not subscribe unto we have there namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that he is COESSENTIALL with the Father And concerning the creation he speaketh as if he had read Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should say that God presently after the creation spoke to man Encrease and multiply and replenish the earth as it is Gen.i. Our Saviour saith there is none good but God Trismegist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the onely Good and how as if he commented on Scripture before it was written not good onely as by an honorary term but the Good by essence And in the thirteenth chapter of his Poemander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour of regeneration is the Sonne of God a man by the will of God But it is objected or may be that these passages out of Trismegist and the Sibylls are not to our purpose seeing as the opinion is of some these Treatises were made by Ecclesiastick writers and then ascribed unto Gentiles to make by an holy kind of deceit the doctrine of the Gospel more passable amongst the Heathen For answer Cicero may refute this tenet who in his De natura Deorum maketh mention of the Sibylls and produceth somewhat of theirs And as for Trismegist he was an Egyptian Doctour as Reuchlinus and Suidas and lived before Pharaoh as Suidas saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That then there were such Heathens and they authours of these sayings which we spoke of is more then probable But whether their divine speeches proceeded merely out of the principles of nature or whether they sprang from some other light either of Divine revelation or Diabolicall as Augustine thinketh De Civit. Dei
viii 13. concerning Trismegist I know not how to determine I leave it in medio Concerning the other kind of Gentile writers which we named before it may also be said that some of them had read the five books of Moses as likely S. Paul had read some or many of them But whether so or not whether some of them had borrowed their expressions from Scripture and whether again S. Paul borrowed some of his other expressions from some of them without mentioning any way such Authours as he maketh use of Menanders sentence 1. Cor. xv 33. without any notice from whence he had it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evil words corrupt good manners I referre to better judgements Onely this I may say that Zanchy indeed thinketh that Pythagoras and Trismegist and Plato had read some part of Scripture and peradventure had learned some notions from the Jews but he nameth none else in that place And one of the passages we mentioned out of Plato beareth a similitude unto such another in the Epistle of S. Paul to the Philippians Now that could not be taken from S. Paul And as for Trismegist he speaketh more clearly concerning the mystery of the Trinitie then any place of the Old Testament But suppose we now that all these places quoted out of them were absolutely theirs and not deduced from any higher doctrine and not revealed by a supernaturall way and suppose we a great many more of such divine passages in them what then Happily it is expected now that from this little survey of their knowledge some conclusion should arise towards the eternall state and condition of those Heathens and a conclusion also very favourable and charitable as if by the small posie we have gathered and made up of the best flowers in Natures garden we might collect that their knowledge and goodnesse and virtues and education were means likely able to put them not onely into a saveable estate but also into a hopefull condition For this I answer I am not engaged any way by the text to speak at all much lesse definitively touching the finall end of the Gentiles But he that thinketh too well of them understandeth not sufficiently the priviledge of the Gospel And God who is best able to judge accounted the times of Paganisme before Christ for all their knowledge even times of ignorance and accordingly he respected them as our Apostle in the second verse unto our text And the times of this ignorance God winked at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall which we may expound of a neglect as if God looked over or beyond those times and had respect onely unto the times of Christianity And they have left Christians to do in the rights what they have said And if we should take a note of what they have not said we should rather pitie their blindnesse then admire their knowledge God Creatour they might know per species Creaturarum as they speak either in way of Negation or Causalitie or Eminence but God Redeemer is not so perceiveable by light of nature For nature is not able to see the need of a Saviour it being ignorant of the lapse of mankind of which there appeareth not a word not a syllable in a direct expression not in any of their massie volumes And where find we any mention of Faith in a Christian notion Insomuch that what we even now demurred of from whence Trismegists the Sibylls speaking of Christ should flow we may here resolve negatively That they spake not so of Christ by the virtue onely of rationall knowledge For first they could not by the light of humane reason see the use of any Saviour Secondly they could not moreover foresee a Saviour by light of nature if we account them to have been Prophets And if some of them were as Christians amongst Heathens yet Heathens they are amongst Christians We might use somewhat of their science they needed some of our Scripture For in a particle of the Poets saying there lyeth a grand errour of idolatry There is a Jupiter in the HIS in the ΤΟ through whom yet S. Paul discerneth the true God better understood then spoken So we may passe here from the Form of quoting to the Sentence quoted For we are also his generation But because of dependance with our former discourse we will consider the words in way of exposition according to the order in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the little particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we said is couched a little God one Jupiter and yet Saint Paul interpreteth the Poet as speaking of the true God That the Poet seemed to speak it of Jupiter appeareth by his beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us beginne from Jupiter or with Jupiter And that Saint Paul interpreteth him of the true God appeareth by the context For having in the twenty fourth verse of this chapter described the onely true God by his effects of Creation and Sovereignty of governance in the twenty fifth verse by his All-sufficiency in himself in the two next verses by the manner of creation of man and end of that creation and in the former part of this verse whereof our text is a part epitomizing all by three expressions wherein we are referred unto God In him we live we move we have our being he superaddeth to refute their false tenets against the one true God by the testimony of their Aratus although the intention of the Poet at the first sight appeareth to be otherwise directed So that what these Philosophers said to our Apostle preaching Jesus and the resurrection He seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very well be retorted on their Poet He seemeth to be a setter-forth of a strange God telling us of one Jupiter What shall we say then The Heathen speaketh of the Heathen God the Apostle understandeth him of the true What doth our Apostle mingle seeds Is there any fellowship betwixt God and Belial Can the Ark and Dagon stand together Shall that sonne of Saturn Jupiter be as the Sonne of God Christ God-man God forbid But as our Saviour answered the Jews thoughts oftentimes not the outward tenour and drift of their words whereby he manifested his Divinity so S. Paul by a Divine Spirit searcheth the Poets intimate or ultimate intendment and giveth not the sense according to the strict importance of the terms The reason and ground of this exposition we are now briefly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discourse of The Scholiast upon the Poet saith it may be interpreted of the Aire S. Paul otherwise The ground and lawfulnesse of S. Pauls exposition dependeth upon the discussion of this question Whether the Gentiles did absolutely and ultimately determine their adorations and worships in those false those made Gods or whether they did not through them aim at a true Deitie Towards the determining of this Probleme I may premise a proposition or two first That
say of the Legs the pillars of the house or rather of the Hands the agents What not of the Mouth the doore into which mortall things enter out of which immortull things proceed as Philo the Jew But the Teeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calleth them barracadoe the Tongue lest it should wander too much and be too talkative O admirable creature in that we see of thee the Body though more admirable in that we see not the Soul Keep this piece this brave piece handsome and clean let it not be sordid untrim It is the temple of the holy Ghost bestow on it a decent ornament not gaudy It is the servant to the soul give it food sufficient and so tune the instrument the organ Make not thy body as it were a trough by drunkennesse that thy soul should be as salt as he said to keep thy body from rotting Make not thy belly thy God nor thy head thy Idole They are Gods creatures God doth not use to make Gods Pride not thy self in the ampleness◠or majestie or proport of thy body God could have made thy body a great deal bigger God hath given thee the lesse body that thou shouldest be the lesse proud So Theodoret in the exposition of that place in Genesis There were then giants upon the earth giveth the reason why God doth not make our bodies of that vastnesse as he could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if in those small bulks they swelled in pride not onely against one another but also against God himself what would they not have done if they had had more tall and mighty bodies But because thy body is not so great happily therefore more neat and thou hast vires ingenuas as the Poet expresseth it and so thou wilt glory in the feature of it Nay rather give glory to God in expressing the humilitie and subjection of thy spirit unto God by bodily worship The service of the body who will deny God unlesse those who will deny God to be the authour of it Nay the Manichees who denied God to be the authour of the body did not for they fasted on Sundayes as it is storied of them and in fasting they exercised an humiliation of the body This shall be left for Schwenckfeildians onely who as Zanchy of them took away all externall service As Christs Divinity was manifested in the flesh so should our spiritualnesse be manifested by the body Man consisteth of body and soul the service of man therefore is the service of both Both are to be glorified both are to glorifie Both are from God both are for God Some give God the soul not the body these are few such Schwenckfeeldians Some give God the body not the soul and many do so such are hypocrits Some give God neither Atheists Some give God both men Christians As Tertullian therefore of the old Christians so we Illuc suspicientes manibus expansis quia innocuis capite nudo quia non erubescimus oramus Looking up thither unto heaven with our hands stretched out because innocent with our head bare because we are not ashamed we pray And this service of the body is indeed a small and easie matter to perform as lying in the power of freedome of will and yet this is very requisite And we may erre in the service of the outward man yet hereby is not taken away the duenesse and right of a rectified outward worship S. Paul discoursing of the Christians complete armature Ephes 6. biddeth us to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace We may tread this Gospel awry and we may tread it too much outward and the sect before mentioned treadeth it too much inward Remember that good counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that of the Satyrist Persius pone in pectore dextram Passe we now to our second proposition We are the off-spring of God in respect of our Souls That God is the Authour of our bodies mediately by our parents and that he was the Authour of the bodies of Adam and Eve immediately in regard of the Efficient we have determined And is he the Authour of our materiated bodies not of our immateriall souls The efficiency of these we are come now by order to discourse of which deserveth indeed rather a volume then some circumscribed treatise and hasty disquisition The knowledge and science of it is very noble as Aristotle beginneth in his book of it and none more difficult as it may seem by Dicearchus who doubted whether there were such a thing in rerum natura as Tully of him in his Tusculane Questions Yet if he would have examined his doubting he might have found by it an evidence of its being He could not have doubted of it without it But the beginning and originall of it hath ever been matter of dispute in a threefold respect 1. of the Efficient from whom it proceedeth 2. of the Matter out of which it should be made whether out of nothing terminativè or out of some preexistent subject 3. of the Time when produced whether from eternall or in time and if in time whether before the body be composed or whether in the very instant of the finishing of it Learned Zanchy who stateth these heads of controversie concerning the soul lib. 2. part 13. cap. 5. doth there reduce all the varieties of opinions concerning the soul unto these eight I. The first opinion is of those who held that the soul is of God but that it is made by God of the soul of the world namely the substance of the heavens that it is like the starres therefore incorruptible immortall that there is a certain number of them without increase or diminution and that their mansion is in heaven from whence they descend into particular bodies as they are framed This was the tenet of Pythagoras and Plato and of the Academicks as Zanchy saith and also this was not much different from the opinion of the Egyptian Doctour This opinion was the ground of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transanimation Which some of the Jews may be thought to have inclined unto some of them saying that Christ was Elias some that he was John Baptist as if either of their souls had lived in Christs body although others are of another mind that they deemed that one of them were raised from the dead as Barradius noteth This was Herods phansie of Christ Matth. xiv 2. This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him II. Others with Origen held that the souls were made in time of nothing by God but all at once and they held those to be kept in thesaure Dei to be sent afterwards into their particular bodies III. Some held not onely that they were made at once but also of the substance of God So the Stoicks after them the Manichees In this opinion the souls are ex Deo and de