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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	call_v	scripture_n	word_n	7,223	5	4.6930	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57125	A treatise of the necessity of humane learning for a Gospel-preacher shewing the use of I. Languages, II. Rhetoric, III. Logic, IV. Natural philosophy, V. Moral philosophy, VI. History, VII. Chronology, VIII. Arithmetic, IX. Geometry, X. Astronomy, XI. Geography, and the benefits of learning in all ages : also this question is determined, whether grace be essential to a minister of the Gospel? / by Edward Reyner ...	Reyner, Edward, 1600-1668.; Reyner, J. (John), b. 1624.	1663 (1663)	Wing R1232; ESTC R22136	152,217	372

Church in his time He was called saith another orbis Terrarum oculus the eye of the world an eye as bright as any other in the world's orb in his time Gregory Nyssen a famous man as Suidas omnique doctrina exuberans abounding with all Learning and as excellent in Rhetoric as any of the Antients He was the light and ornament of the Nyssen Church a strenuous opposer of Eunomius his Heresie he was a diligent reverent studious reader of the holy Scriptures having a special eye to the proper and genuine sence of them Theodoret made such proficiency in Learning and piety by his own ingenuity and industry through God's blessing that he was made Bishop of Cyrus a Town in Syria while he was yet a young man One calls him Orthodoxae pietatis amantissimus propugnator haereticaeque pravitatis fortissimus oppugnator A most loving propagator of Orthodox piety and a couragious opposer of Heretical pravity He wrote much against the Heretics He of himself condemned Nestorius and put stop to his Heresie He reduced many in his Diocess to the truth with great labor and hazzard of life who were infested with the pest of Marcion He wrote a volume against all Heresies and an Ecclesiastical History which is very useful to the Church Bellarmine calls him virum plane doctissimum a very Learned man Another saith he had multifarium in omni disciplinarum genere scientiam manifold knowledge in all kind of Learnings Jerome was instructed at Rome then the only Nursery of Learning where he profited much in all sorts of Learning and afterwards travelled over the greatest part of Europe to encrease his knowledge by viewing several Libraries and conferring with the most Learned men He was a great Linguist hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent in Hebrew well skil'd in the Chaldee and Syriac His stile is elegant He was vir in saecularibus valde eruditus Trithemius well versed in secular Learnings Erasmus calls him facundissimum Ecclesiae doctorem the most Eloquent Doctor of the Church He was the boldest and most judicious censurer of the Ancients John Dailie and he happily improved a critical faculty upon them He wrote against the Pelagians and was an extirpator of Heretics and defender of the truth he read over all his Library and learned Scriptures to a word and translated the Bible out of the Original into Latine Chrysostome studied hard the liberal Sciences and Philosophy and afterwards Divinity and Piety Erasmus he was famous for Eloquence and zeal He was called os aureum mellitissimus Christi concionator praecoque indefatigabilis a most hony sweet unwearied Preacher of Christ for his eloquent wisdom and wise eloquence throughout his works Sanctity and Scholarship are joyned in one He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most copious writer of any of the Greek Fathers now extant A judicious man saith of him A man cannot easily take Chrysostome amiss any where especially in his Moral Discourses He was a zealous propagator of the Gospel to dark places and opposer of Idolatry and Heresie and Heretics as of the Marcionites and the Arrians He was bold in reproving sin and not fearing sufferings as appears by his speeches to Eudoxia the Empress Nil inli peccacatum tunco Theodoret styles him eximium orbis terrarum luminare The eminent light of the whole world He was so beloved and reverenced of all men that when he was like to be silenced the people cried out Satius est ut sol non luceat quam ut non doceat Chrysostomus We had better want the shining of the Sun then the preaching of Chrysostome Augustine was educated in Learning In the fifth Century Lossidius alias Possidonius to the weakning of his Parents estate He learned Grammar in his own city and Rhetoric at Carthage He was saecularibus literis eruditus apprime c. very learned in all the liberal Sciences he writ of the Arts as Grammar Rhetoric Logic Music Philosophy c. He defended the truth against the Arrians Manichees Pelagians Circumcellians Donatists Priscillianists and whatsoever error else prevailed in his time He had several sharp conflicts with them and confuted them by many Learned writings as also by word of mouth in Disputations as he did Fortunatus and Placentius both stiff Arrians and thereby he convinced and converted one Felix a Manichee that he recanted his error and joyned to the Church as he did also one Firmus a rich Merchant and a Manichee by a digression in his Sermon when he was out and forgot the subject he thought to prosecute and fell upon a confutation of the Manichees this Firmus came afterwards to him with tears renouncing his error and promising reformation Augustine was called Malleus Haereticorum The Hammer of the Heretics Erasmus calls him acerrimum fidei Christianae propugnatorem the most sharp and valorous defender of the Christian Faith Another calls him The fairest flower of Antiquity He was an instrument in God's hands of gaining many Pagans to the knowledge of the truth Dr. Sibbs saith of him that he challenged the doctrine of Gods Predestination out of the hands of the enemies of Grace and flatterers of Nature as being a man fitted with grace learning and wit for such a conflict No Scriptures are more faithfully handled by him then those that were wrested by his opposites and such as made for the strengthning of his own cause in other writings he took more liberty His Scholars Prosper and others interessed themselves in the same quarrel Prosper retaining Augustine's Doctrine learnedly confuted the Pelagian Heresie Daniel Tossanus saith that the Palmary or Master-piece of Augustine was that he above all the other Fathers and almost alone being provoked by the Pelagians diligently discussed the Doctrine of Predestination and of Original Sin He onely of all the Ancients wrote Books of Retractations for as he professeth in his seventh Epistle he wrote by profiting and profited by writing He always kept Scholars in his house quoad victum amictum with food and raiment His usual Prayer was that when Christ came he might finde him aut precantem aut praedicantem either praying or preaching Cyril of Alexandria was famous for Piety and Learning he was President in the Council at Ephesus in which he condemned Nestorius and Pelagius with their Errors very learnedly and judiciously he spake many elegant Sentences he was so renowned that the Grecian Bishops as it is reported gat some of his Homilies by heart and rehearsed them to their people Fulgentius was Augustine's Scholar In the sixth Century and followed him foot by foot especially in ad Monimum ad Petrum the two best of his Works he had great knowledge in the Greek and Latine Tongues he contended earnestly against the Arrians whose Opinion then had overspred all Africa and other Heretics and he suffered much for defending the Orthodox Faith He was extremely persecuted by the Arrians yet would not seek revenge

Jer. 8.7 to read a Lecture to his people against disregard of God and non-observance of his dealings with them Christ sends his Disciples to school to the Birds of the air and to the Lilies of the field to be taught Reliance upon the Providence of God Mat. 6.26 c. Many other Lessons may be learn'd from the Creatures if we know their Natures and properties See instances hereof in the several sorts of Creatures in Alsted's Theologia Naturalis ☞ Therefore if God hath made other beings as Glasses as One saith to represent as his own excellency so our duty we may safely conclude he would have us look in them Where God teacheth we must learn and have an eye there where the finger of God pointeth to us scil in his works which because all men cannot study and search into it 's necessary some should namely Ministers that declare them to others as David did The Creatures will not read Ethics to him that hath no insight into Physics Skill in Naturals may help to make good Morals Reas 7. From Examples which shew God to be the Author of Philosophy and it to be of great use and excellency That David was well acquainted with the works of Nature as well as with that of Grace may be gathered from divers passages in the Psalms especially from Psalm 104. if that be his as it seems to be because it begins and ends as the former Psalm doth which is his How often do we finde him contemplating the works of God and admiring him in them Solomon was a great Philosopher 1 King 4.33 and full of humane as well as of divine Learning Therefore it is said he spake or discoursed of all kinds of Plants that grow out of the earth from the Cedar to the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of Beasts Fouls of creeping things and of Fishes Philosophy was part of that wisdom which God gave unto him and made him wiser then all men Solomon's wisdom excell'd the wisdom of all the children of the East Country Mat. 2.1 1 King 4.30 who were reputed the wisest in the world Dan. 2.2 Such were the Chaldeans and Arabian Philosophers and Astronomers and his wisdom excell'd all the wisdom of Egypt The Egyptians were famous for wisdom and knowledge in all Sciences Annot. Isa 19.11 12. Many famous Philosophers went to Egypt for increase of learning and wisdom The wisest among the Grecians professed they had their grounds of Philosophy from the Egyptians But some Authors conceive the Grecians Philosophy to have been but the Jews Cabala with a new Name and that other Nations derived their Philosophical knowledge from the Hebrews especially the Phenicians Phoenicia is sometimes put for Canaan who were their Neighbors and with whom Abraham sojourned from whom Learning was by Cadmus carried to the Grecians and received from them by the Latines and so spread into these Western parts of the world Yea it is probable that by means of Solomon's wisdom and knowledge Philosophy was improved and Physiology flourished even in Egypt Arabia Chaldea For it is said 1 King 4.34 that there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon from all Kings of the earth which had heard of it especially from Egypt because of his alliance with that King having married his daughter and from Arabia because the Queen of Sheba came thence who brought her hard Questions to him and carried away his Resolutions Thus must his knowledge needs be spread in those Countries where being cherished it raised their fame and invited those Grecians who after proved the most eminent Philosophers to undertake long journeys in pursuit of Learning Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Acts. 7.22 that is in Philosophy and in all the ingenuous and liberal Arts of the Egyptians Job who is stiled the greatest of the sons of the East Job 1.3 and his friends were eminent for profound knowledge Their discourse evinced their acquaintance with Philosophical as well as Theological knowledge God gave Daniel Dan. 1.17 and his three Associates knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom that is as Calvin saith in the liberal Arts not in Magical Arts and in natural knowledge Nebuchadnezzar commanded they should be taught the learning and the Tongue ver 4. of the Chaldeans that is as some expound it the knowledge of Natural Moral and Rational things They were trained up through God's providence by their Chaldean Instructers in commendable learning scil of Arts and Sciences wherein they attained unto a greater perfection then any in so short a time as the space of three years and they were preserved from the corrupt and unlawful Arts the Chaldeans used as Magic Inchanting Judiciary Astrology and such like As they would not defile themselves with the King's meat so they would not be corrupted with the vain Arts of the Chaldeans or the superstitious precepts of their Teachers Daniel was the Master or superintendent of the wise men in Babylon Dan. 2.48 with 4.9 SECT II. Objections refuted Obj. 1. DOth not Paul condemn Philosophy when he cautioneth the Colossians against it Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy that is rob you of your souls or your souls of Christ or his Truth and Grace Ans The Apostle meaneth not all Philosophy but that which is vain and deceitful an imposture or seducement therefore said to be vain deceit by way of Explication or as a restraint as Calvin Zanchy Davenant and many others interpret the words Philosophy may be taken in a triple sense The first sense For the knowledge of the Natures and properties of the Creatures and the Rules concerning the same as also of Moral Vertues This is the most true proper and genuine signification thereof This Philosophy is lawful and useful for two Reasons Reas 1. It is the birth of right Reason or as one cals it the child of rectified reason it is the knowledge of Truth invented by the light of natural Reason which is put into man's mind by God himself Res Dei Ratio saith Tertullian True Philosophy is the Truth of God or a branch plucked from the eternal verity as some phrase it It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is to be known of God much of whom may be seen in the Creature Rom. 1.19 Psal 19.1 Acts 14.17 The book of Job is full of Arguments from things Natural to dictate and manifest the infinite wisdom and power of God Doth not the Word of God send us sometimes to the teachings of Nature and of natural things Reas 2. The knowledge of the Creatures or of natural things and of Moral Vertues may help in the knowledge of things spiritual and heavenly as a spectacle wherewith they may be better discerned and serve as a step to ascend to the clearer discovery thereof True Philosophy helps grace saith one better to apprehend Bains in Col. 2.8 and more fitly

plainly evinceth that it is not so easie a matter as many imagine to be well accomplish'd for the Ministerial Profession No small variety no inconsiderable proportion of knowledge will serve the turn He must listen to the Tongues be skill'd in the Arts advise with the several Sciences and be more then superficially conversant in all who would fully penetrate into the meaning of sacred Writ and be true to those intentions which consign him to that excellent function The Languages especially declare their own requisitness while they tell us all that we can know of the secrets of Heaven and the concernments of Religion These are the Vessels in which divine Truths set sail from Heaven with the breathings of the Spirit and since arrived at us from those forreign Parts for which they were first bound and are not to be unladed of their rich fraught but by such as are well accustomed to them It renders the study of words necessary that they are the representatives of things the conveyances of Conceptions the instruments of Communication by which we may be let into the breast of another and partake of his secret thoughts Which is most true of those Words in which the Scriptures were originally dictated Hebrew Chaldee Greek because they present the onely authentic Manifesto and the sincerest Express of the pleasure of God no other so securely admitting us to a participation of divine Counsels seeing those terms must needs give the most certain aspect of the Authors minde in which he himself hath chosen to exhibite it and therefore are most industriously to be consulted by all those who desire a through insight into it themselves and undertake the Explication of it to others lest they either misconstrue it or else apprehend not the full importance of it which those that ever adhere to a Translation without giving themselves the trouble of a further search are liable to For there are many times so great elegancies and such significant force in the Text as must be in vain expected from the most exquisite attempts of any Translation Which though it should receive no disadvantage from the Renderers a priviledge which few enjoy yet it might through an infelicity of expression chargeable onely upon the Language in which it is framed be unable to deliver that pregnancy of conception which is conspicuous in the Original the nearest way to give an intimation of it being to go about by a larger circuit of words then is permitted to the brevity of a Version For Tongues have their differing genius and one can breathe as much in an accent or two as will serve another to run with to a full stop and crouds such efficacy into a single clause as when poured forth into another kinde of Speech may replenish the large receit of an intire Period and yet happily remain inexhausted Thus it fares with those Languages in which the Will of God was primitively delivered which in divers places are so compendiously copious as to disclose that in a few words which will give an Interpreter a sufficient task to represent in many and sometimes display so rich a Sense as other Languages are scarce able to tell the value of or sum up without the omission of several items in their account The searching out of which might deliver that pleasure and satisfaction to the minde which would be a sufficient price and compensation of the pains bestow'd thereon The milk of the Word is then most sincere when drawn immediately from those full breasts the Hebrew and Greek Texts whereas it becomes more dilute by being siled through a Translation where part of the cream sticking in the passage it loseth somewhat of its delicious and genuine relish This water of life when carried away from its fountain by derivation into other Tongues doth not always retain its high gust and generous Spirit but sometimes is more flat and savors of the veins through which it pass'd exchanging an unimitable sweetness for some austere quality And here not to make particular mention of any of those neatnesses and beauties those illuminations and graces of Speech which are the proper embellishments of that fashion of Language wherewith the Will of God was cloathed when it came first abroad into the VVorld which must of necessity be put off together with it I shall onely take notice of some abatements sacred Writ hath sustained by Versions in its substantial import whether as to its comprehensiveness its energy or its direct and true intention And that because Interpreters who were not as the sacred Pen-men secured from all mistakes by an infallible guidance did either extend their pains to too great a Sphere to manifest an equal exactness in every point or not sufficiently attend to the scope and a Through disregard of the Time when those words were spoken Acts 2.13 viz. at the Feast of Pentecost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ill rendred new win● for there could be none of that then the Spring not being past See He●●● and Beza in loc and Vander Landen's Exerc. 10. vini pleni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is rather sweet wine the ●●est and mo●t sprightly circumstances of some places or pitch upon a less convenient pointing or reading whence the LXX are thought often to vary from the Hebrew Verity or they were not aware of the rise 〈◊〉 pedigree of some words as those many Arabic ones which occur in the Old Testament especially in Job who was an Arabian or of the adopted significations of others as of those many Greek words in the New which present either a Hebraism or a Syrism or of the particular references of a third sort to a certain custom Historical passage or Geographical consideration To which in the last place may be added their not distinguishing rightly between appellatives and proper Names so the LXX mistake those appellatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 planicies Jer. 32.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agri 2 Kings 23.4 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fortitudo validus Psal 74.5 expressing them by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Vulgar Latine Interpreter with others in Acts 27.13 put Asson for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propè But that mistake is more general whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 6.3 4. is rendred in Gibeah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX whereas it signifies there in the hill viz. at Kirjath-jearim called also Kirjath-Baal or Baalah 2 Chron. 13.6 where Abinadab dwelt 1 Sam. 7.1 2. which was a different place from Gibeah as appears from Josh 15.57 60. Sometimes on the contrary proper Names are taken for common Thus to say nothing of Gad rendred a troop Meni ●…mber Isai 65.11 Achad One chap●●● 17. and Amon a multitude Jerem. 46.25 all being proper names of Idols Phaleg 1.2 c. 22. Bochartus conceives that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Chro. 4.41 should not be translated habitations but Meunims or Maonites as it is 2 Chr. 26.7 and Judg. 10.12 and in this very

Works of sundry Learned men stirred up by God to fetch the Arts back out of banishment Pag. 716 and 717. Mr. Trap names divers of them After that Humane Learning began thus to reflourish and lift up the head Divinity also that had been shamefully obscured and slurried with needless and endless Doubts and Disputes was vindicated and illustrated by the knowledge of Latine Greek and Hebrew In this fourteenth Age as also in the fifteenth and sixteenth Ages God raised up divers Worthies who by their Confessions Writings and Martyrdom gave a great and glorious Testimony to the Gospel of Christ and the Truths thereof as Wickliff Huss Hierom of Prague after them Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius and many others Then grew up that golden Age of gracious and excellent Divines famous and matchless for depth of Learning and heighth of Holiness If the Times of greatest Ignorance Neglect and Contempt of humane Learning were the Times wherein Errors most prevailed Superstition and Idolatry was advanced and Truth suppressed and Popery did not fall till Learning did rise and if Religion flourished and was best defended when Learning most abounded then Learning is useful and needful for the Ministers of the Gospel SECT IV. Learning qualifies for all public Employments HUmane Learning qualifies Argum. 3. and is needful for all Persons in publick Places and Imployments as Kings Counsellors Judges Magistrates Lawyers Physicians for who would not take advice of Learned Lawyers about their Estates and of Learned Physicians for their Bodies and indeed for every ingenuous Imployment Henry the First King of England was bred up in Learning and such a Prizer of it as he used to say ☞ That An unlearned King was but a crowned Ass Then Learning is most needful for a Minister to fit and furnish him throughly for the work of the Ministery considering that no calling requires more abilities or acquired parts then the Ministry which work I. Is most Important Weighty and Worthy for it is the Minister's office to be conversant in the Matters of God and of Souls of Heaven and of Eternity which are of the greatest Interest and highest Concernment and of the largest and longest Consequence II. Is most comprehensive and manifold As 1. To give the Sense clear the Difficulties reconcile the Differences and seeming Repugnancies of the Scriptures 2. To handle positively all Points of Religion and to discuss and determine Controversies and Doubts about them 3. To resolve and satisfie Cases of Conscience and Scruples 4. Eph. 4.24 Gal. 5.1 To detect false Teachers and discover the many Evils Artifices Cheats Fallacies and Sophistries of Seducers and Impostors and of Satan in them whereby many poor simple Souls are deluded Therefore saith Paul Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.6 Do not they call for the best accomplishments SECT V. Satan makes use of Learning to oppose the Truth LEarning is necessary to the Ministers of the Gospel Argum. 4. for defence of the Truth because Satan makes much use of Learning to oppose the Truth and fight against Religion to maintain his Cause uphold and promote his Kingdom and Satan makes choice and use of Learned men to be his Agents and Champions Advocates for Error and Adversaries to the Truth of God To this end 1. Satan stirred up Heathens who were endued with Learning to write books against the Christian Religion as Porphyry who was one of Julians bosom-birds Celsus Symmachus and others 2. Then Satan raised up Heretics within the Church men of corrupt minds destitute of the Truth but of Parts and Learning to devise defend and spread Errors Heresies and Blasphemies and resist the Truth of God with all their might as Arrius Nestorius Macedonius Donatus Pelagius and many others 3. How many learned Men hath Satan imployed and ingaged since in later times to be defenders of Popery or Romish-Idolatry as Jesuits and many others of Arminianism Socinianism Antinomianism Anabaptism Familism Libertinism and of several old Heresies newly raked up and revived It hath been the Jesuits brag that Imperium literarum est penes Jesuitas the Empire of Learning is within their Dominion and that we have not a Scholar Protestant 4. How hath Satan excited the Papists those friends of Antichrist and builders of Babylon to be at great pains cost and charges to advance Learning with them that they may the better overthrow the Truth of God with us Hence it is that they have errected so many Universities in Spain France Italy How are the Colledges of the Jesuits throughout the Pope's Dominions promoted so as to allure even foreiners thereunto Then do not the Protestant Reformed Churches stand in great need of Men eminently Learned to be able Defenders of the Faith and strenuous maintainers of the Truths of Christ against all Heathenish Heretical and Schismatical Adversaries thereof whether secret underminers or open opposers to convince and confute Learned Subtile Witty Adversaries as Heretics Jesuits and divers others May not Learning being well used be as great a help or advantage to the Truth and Cause of God as Learning abused is an hinderance to it an Engine or Bulwark for Errors Learning as one saith is part of the defensive Arms of true Religion Did not the Israelites need Smiths to make them Weapons to defend themselves against the Philistines as the Philistines did to offend Israel It is very observable how God accomplished some of his servants in all ages with excellent Gifts Graces and Learning to refute silence and non-plus the most acute and learned Adversaries of God's Truth and Grace which those times produced as Moses to withstand the learned Egyptians Athanasius to confute Arrius and Austin that learned Father to oppose Pelagius Jewel Whitaker Rainolds Cartwright Fulk Perkins men of great Learning to refute the Jesuits Moulin Ames Twiss to confute Arminius Yea the Devil can and doth sometime make use of Learning himself to serve his turn as he did in his speaking out of the possessed man See Mr. Rich. Rothwel's life in Mr Clark's Book of Lives John Fox in Nottinghamshire to Mr. Richard Rothwel he quoted many Scriptures out of the Old and New Testament both in Hebrew and Greek he cavilled and played the Critic and backed his Allegations with Sayings out of the Fathers and Poets in their own languages which he readily quoted So that the Company trembled to hear such things from the Man who understood not Learning nor moved either tongue or lip or rather from the Devil in the Man But Mr. Rothwel being not onely a gracious Man but a great Scholar was enabled by God to detect the Devil's Sophistry Was not his Humane Learning then of use to him SECT VI. Satan seeks by obstructing Learning to undermine Religion THe Necessity and Utility of Learning doth further appear by another Design of Satan Argum. 5. which is to undermine Religion by the obstructing of Learning and discouraging thereof This he hath practised by his Instruments

he was at first a Platonist and learned became both a Christian and a Martyr He labored and suffered much for the Religion of Christ He writ a book against all Heresies and famous Volumes against Marcion the Heretic he writ also Apologies for the Christians He was renowned in all ancient Histories for his great knowledge both in Religion and Philosophy Irenaeus was educated from his childhood in Philosophy and Arts. He was admired of all for his excellent learning and skill in humane and in divine things Tertullian calls him Omnium doctrinarum curiosum exploratorem an exquisite searcher out of all learning He was an exact resuter of Heresie He confuted the Valentinians and Gnostics who were the inventers as one saith of the most Chymical Divinity that ever came into the fancy of man He was laborious and prosperous in his Ministery and converted almost the whole city of Lyons in France from Paganism Clemens Alexandrinus Jerom saith of him Meo judicio fuit omnium eruditissimus quid in illius libris indoctum c. That in his opinion he was the most learned Daniel Heinsius saith In the Dedication of Clemens his Works to Gustavus Adolphus He was second to few in Antiquity to none in Learning and that he labored to be an healer of the superstition of the Greeks which at that time invaded the world Cui primo omnium errori vir sanctissimus gravissimo volumine medetur His writings contain a treasure of divine and humane learning and are full of eloquence He excell'd in History and in confutation of heresie Tertullian was skill'd in all kind of learning Lactantius and of chiefest esteem amongst the Latine Authors Jerom saith that his books against the Gentiles contain cunctam saeculi doctrinam all the learning of his age or all sorts of learning Pamelius in vita Tertulliam He was diligently conversant in the Mathematics and in Histories Scult Medull He opposed in those times with great zeal the Heretics as Marcion the Valentinians Praxeas Hermogenes as also the Jews He wrote a learned Apology in behalf of the Christians who were then falsly accused and persecuted and he demonstrated to the very Heathen the verity of Christian Religion and the innocency of Christians Origen was as is reported of him from In the third Century his infancy throughly grounded in all Learning and he was accounted a Mirror of Piety and Learning of all sorts Humane and Divine He had a great acuteness in confuting the Philosophers and those Arabians who would have Souls to die with their Bodies and Berillus the Heretic who denied the Eternity of Christ whom at length he reduced to the Truth as he did Ambrose from the error of the Marcionites He was a great honorer of Martyrdom a comforter of Martyrs His whole life was a continual study he would read at his Meals Cyprian was first a Rhetorician after a Learned godly Bishop and at length a glorious Martyr of Christ He confuted Novatus the Heretic whom he stiles in his Epistles an importunate Innovator a murtherer of Penitence Lactantius excelled all the Writers of the Church in Elegance In the fourth Century and lustre of Language Jerom saith of him that he was as it were a flood of Tullian Eloquence He wrote many Treatises which may be read with profit and pleasure Athanasius was educated in all sorts of learning He was a vigorous Opposer of the Arrians therefore he was called The Hammer of the Arrian Heretics by whom he was extreamly hated because they perceived the acuteness of his wit Learning and industry in confuting of Heresies in the Nicene Council therefore he was exposed to great trouble Theodoret calls him The Bulwark of Truth Naziazen stiles him The great Trumpet and pillar of the Church He was great for his Learning labors sufferings and constancy and courage even when not onely Bishops but Emperors Kingdoms Armies and Nations were set against him yet the Emperor Constantine gave this character of him Virum plane divinum existimo I hold him to be indeed a divine man Hilary was a man of excellent parts In his Epistle presixed to his works Erasmus saith that he was Ob vitae sanctimoniam insignem eruditionem Eloquentiam admirabilem aevi sui Lumen the light of his Age for sanctity of life eminent Learning and admirable Eloquence quanto stomacho saevit in Arrianos c. He was a great Antagonist to the Arrians whom he called Devils Antichrists blasphemers pests he writ several books against them Jerom calls him The Trumpet of the Latine Tongue perhaps because he was the first that confuted the Arrians in Latine and the Confessor of our time Cyril of Jerusalem a man of great Learning Prudence and Piety Ecclesiastical Writers testifie of him that he was Fortissimus Christi Athleta Orthodoxae fidei assertor constantissimus A most valiant champion of Christ and most constant defender of the Orthodox faith He suffered many persecutions through the rage of the Arrians Basil called Magnus Greg. Nazianz in vita Bahlii he was great every way as in wit and Learning in omni doctrinae genere summus saith Suidas skilful in all the liberal Sciences and in all the Mathematics Summus in cunctis apparuit he was so excellent in every one as if he had studied that onely one Great in eloquence Erasmus calls him the Christian Demosthenes great in contending for and in defending the truth in confuting and convincing Heretics Gregory Nazianzene was Learned in Grammar Vita Greg. Nazianz a Greg. Presbytero conscripta Rhetoric Philosophy both Natural and Moral Poetry Arithmetic Geometry Astronomy in all the Liberal Arts in the study of which he spent many years He was a man of great Authority and use in the Greek Churches that who so opposed his testimony was suspected of Heresie He is called A living Library of Philosophy and Divinity Epiphanius had great knowledge in the Hebrew being educated by one Tryphon a Jew He was a learned pious Divine Cornarius Medicus saith Cornarius who translated him out of Greek into Latine which work he undertook propter Authoris praes●ntiam operis raritatem for the excellency of the Author and rarity of the work He was a man saith one of a very good honest John Daille and plain nature He was semper Haereticorum acerrimus oppugnator alway a sharp opposer of Heresies He wrote a Learned book against 80 Heresies which contains variety of story in it He purged all Cyprus from Heresies and having obtained an Edict from Theodosius the Emperor he cast all the Heretics out of the Island Ambrose was Learned in the Liberal Arts and excellent in Eloquence He was very couragious for the truth He denied the Emperor Theodosius entrance into the Church until he had publickly confesed his fault scil that miserable slaughter caused by him at Thessalonica Daille saith he was one of the most firm Pillars of the