Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A13263
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The Athenian babler a sermon preached at St. Maries in Oxforde, the 9. of Iuly, 1626, being Act-Sunday / by Humphry Sydenham ...
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Sydenham, Humphrey, 1591-1650?
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1627
(1627)
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STC 23561; ESTC S530
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27,777
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47
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with the Athenian the Philosopher hath non-plust the Diuine and the Apostle bables Thus the wicked haue bent their bowe and shot their arrowes euen bitter words bitter words against the Church and her true members in all Ages The naturall man led on by the dull light of reason making Philosophie his Starre endeauours with those weake twinklings those lesser influences to obscure the glory of the greater light that of Diuine truth so it was in the first dawne and rising of the Church IANNES and IAMBRES the great Magitians of Aegipt withstood MOSES working miracles before PHARAOH But all the spels of Magicke with their blacke power neuer wrought so mischieuously against the Church as the subtle inchantments of the Philosopher Christianitie neuer felt such wounds as from the Schoole of the Athenian The Seminarie of the wrangling Artist the Epicure Stoicke Platonist they were Philosophers that 's enough they not onely strugled to oppose Fundamentals of Faith but to destroy them Euery age of the Church and almost euery place of it will giue vs a world of Instances one Alexandria affoords at Aetius and a Demophylus against CHRIST one Constantinople a Macedonius and an Eurox against the Holy Ghost One Ephesus an Anthemius and a Theodore against the Virgin MARY One Athens heere an Epicure and a Stoicke against PAVL Nay the sophistry of one peruerse but nimble Disputant hath cost more liues then are now breathing in the Christian world and opened such a sluce and Arch through the body of the Easterne Church which was not stopt againe almost in the current of 300. yeares when downe it blood ran swiftly from the butcheries of Valens Constantius and the limbes the thousand limbs of slaughtered Infants swam with the violence of the Torrent euen then when Christianity groaned vnder the mercilesse inuentions and various tortures of the Arrian Massacre and persecution Philosophers were the first Patriarchs of that Heresie and hence I suppose was that Edict of Constantine Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 5. that as a badge and character of their profession they should bee no more called Arrians but Porphirians the venemous brood of their cursed Master and one that then blew the coale to most combustions of the Primitiue Church For at the Councell of Nice the place and meanes ordayned by that good Emperour for the suppression of Arrius Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 17. Anno Christi 3.25 some if not of his name yet of his profession for they were Phylosophers trooped thither in droues and multitudes not onely to oppose the Bishops but to vpbraid them Odio imflammati quod superstitiosa Gentilium religio antiquari caeperat as Ruffinus lib. 1. cap. 3. And before that in the Apostles time about the yeare of CHRIST 75. they went about from Citie to Citie with this pretext onely to reforme publique misdemeanors and to that purpose had certayne Sermons to the people for rectifying their Conuersation in morrall cariages and so seemed industrious to reduce them to a better forme but the maine proiect was to confront the Apostles doctrine and establish them more immoueably in the former superstition of the Gentiles thus did Dyon Apollonius Euphrates Demétrius Musonius Epictetus Lucian and others as Baronius in his first Tome 777 pag. nay Ad Annū 75. the very dregs of them sayth the Antiquarie the Cynieke and the Epicure so violent heere against PAVL Hos prae caeteris infestos sensit Christiana religio These were the heathen Ianizaries the chiefe Souldiers and speare-men against the Christian Faith when at Rome the sides of that Religion were strucke through with their blasphemous Declamations Et petulantiū eorum calumnijs dicterijs miserè proscindebatur Baron Ad Annum 164. the same Baronius in his second Tome pag. 154. Thus all violent oppositions of Christian truth had their first conception in the wombe of Philosophie The Fathers which traffick't with the tumults of those times said in effect as much Omnes haereses subornauit Philosophia MARCION came out of the Schoole of our Stoicke CELSVS of the Epicure VALENTINVS of that of PLATO all heresies were the flourishings and trimmings of humaine Learning Inde Aeones formae nescio quae Trinitas hominis apud Valentinum Thence those Aeones I know not what Idaeas and that triple man in Valentinus hee was a Platonist Thence Marcions quiet God it came from the Stoickes And the Soule should be made subiect to Corruption is an obseruation of the Epicures and the deniall of the Resurrection the joynt opinion of their whole Schooles Lib. de Prascript aduers Haeres And when their Materia prima is matcht with God it is Zeno's Discipline and when God is said to bee a fiery Substance Heraclitus hath a finger in it Comment in Nahū ad cap. 3. thus Tertullian S. Hierome keepes on the Catalogue inde Eunomins prefert Thence Eunomius drew his poyson against the Eternitie of the Sonne of God For whatsoeuer is begotten and borne before it was begotten was not Thence Nouatus blockes vp all hope of pardon for offences on Gods part that hee might take away repentance and all suite for it on ours Thence Manichaeus double God and Sabellius single person and to be short De illis fontibus vniuersa dogmata argumentationum suarum riuulos trahunt Menandrians Saturnians Johan Baptist. Chrispus de Ethnic Philos Caute Legend Quinar 1. Basilidians Ammonians Proclians Iulians and the residue of that cursed Rabble had from thence their conception birth nourishment continuance Hereupon the great Doctor of the Gentiles writing purposely of their Wisedome alledgeth no other reason why they were not wise vnto Saluation but the wisedome of this World The world through Wisedome knew not God 1. Cor. cap. 1. vers 20. And therefore hee prescribes the Collossians a Cauete nè vos seducat Colos 2.4 Take heed least any man spoyle you through Philosophie and vaine deceit Fuerat Athenis De Praescript aduers Haeres S. PAVL had bin at Athens sayth Tertullian and knew by his often encounter there how desperately secular and prophane Knowledge wounded Diuine truth Insomuch that the Father is of opinion Vnâ hac sententiâ omnes haereses damnari in his 5. Booke against Marcion 19. Chapter But whilest wee goe about to vindicate our Apostle let vs not bee too iniurious to the Philosopher The Epicure and the Stoicke had their Drosse and rubbish yet they had their Siluer too which had past the fornace tryed and purified enough for the practice of a Christian Though they had Huskes and Acornes for their Swine yet they had Bread for Men. It was not their Philosophie was so pestilent but the vse of it our Apostle reprehends not the true but the vaine no doubt there is that which is Sanctified as well as the Adulterate otherwise the Fathers would neuer haue stiled Diuinitie Philosophie That is a glorious ray sent downe from Heauen by the Father of Light This but strange Fire
Tongue and the subduing of our manisold rebellion in the mortification of the Looke there were no sanctitie but here But the heate of this mans zeale is like that of Glasse which will bee blowne into any forme according to the fancy of him that blowes it sometimes into that of a Serpent sometimes of a Doue but more often of a Serpent then of a Doue not for the wisedome of it but the venome Euery word is a sting against the Church her Discipline truth of Gouernment Hee Babbles shrewdly against each Institution of it State Ceremonies makes them adulterate the dresses of the Great whore and sets all without the walls of reformation which Wheele and Role not with the giddinesse of his tenents The Golden-mouthed Homilist in his fourth vpon the Acts Chrysost speaking of that miraculous way of the Holy Ghosts descent vpon the Apostles in the day of Penticost obserues nimbly thus There came a sound from Heauen As it were of a Rushing and mightie winde and there appeared to them Clouen tongues As it were of Fire Rectè vbique additum est Velut nequid sensibile de Spiritu suspicareris sayes the Father And indeed in those phanaticke Spirits though the Tongues bee fiery and the voyce as the Windes rushing yet in themselues there is nothing sensible For as those which appeared to the Apostles were but Velut igncae Chrysost Homil. 4. 〈◊〉 Act. and Velut flatus so this orall vehemency is but Velut Zelus and Velut Indignatio False fire or at best but some hot exhalation in the braine set on fire by continuall motion and agitation of the Tongue and there it burnes sometimes to the madnesse of the Professour most times of the Disciple Againe these Tongues are said to sit vpon the Apostles Sedendi verbum stabilitatem ac mansionem denotat the same Father sitting presupposes Stabilitie and Mansion but most of these haue neyther eyther in their opinion or course of life but as the contribution ebbes or flowes so they hoyse or strike sayle eyther way sometimes for the wide mayne sometimes for the next harbour Againe the Apostles are sayd there to bee filled with the Holy Ghost Rectè repleti non enim vulgaritèr acciperunt gratiam Spiritus sed eosque vt implerentur the Father still Where the Spirit powres out it leaues no part emptie it doth fill fill vp euen to the brim giues power of speaking roundly and fully where it doth giue power no Rhumaticke Enthusiasmes no languishing ejaculations but such as the Spirit indeed haue dictated such as flow from lippes immediately touched with the true Cherubin and a Tongue swolne with inspiration Againe the Tongues which sate vpon the Apostles were clouen Tongues Vide Geneua Notes in 2. chap. Acts. other tongues Vers 4. and S. Marke calls them new Tongues They were not confined then to a single dialect to Babling meerely in our Mother tongue but the Text sayes they had diuers Tongues of the Parthian and Mede and Elamite Phrygian and Pamphilian and of those of Lybia which is beside Cyreue And in those and other Tongues too they spake the sonderfull workes of God Act. 2.11 Lastly this Vision they saw when they were in the Temple not in a Cloyster a Barne a Wood a Conuenticle and they were in the Temple with one accord too with one Office one Spirit one Minde one Faith not heere a Separatist there a Brownist yonder a Familist neere him an Anabaptist but as their Faith was one so was their life and if brought to the test their death too That was not Religion with them which was deuided â—lin lib 18. cap. 2. nor that not vnity of opinion which they would not burne for Some Heathens haue shewed such resolution and truth euen in their false Religion such were those Aruales Sacerdotes of olde amongst the Romaines Caesar lib. 3. Galli the Solduni amongst the Aquitans the Aegiptians also had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called because promiscuously enioying each others benefites as in one Religion so in one Loue they would dye together such were the Hunnes Hyberi Cantabri and others Alex. ab Alex. Lib. 1. Cap. 26. Cap. 12. lib. 3. which were joynt-sharers of each others miseries and fortunes and if one by disaster or disease met with Calamitie or Fate the other sought it Placidamque petunt pro vulnera mortem If in matters therefore as well Morrall as Diuine there was such reciprocation of old and not onely in Religions which were tainted and smelt not of the true GOD but in that too which hath beene touched and influenced by the Spirit of the Almightie there was such punctuall correspondence then why such combustion now Why those dayly scarres and wounds both by the Tongue and Penne Why so much gall in our Pulpit such wormewood at the Presse Why those Ciuill-warres in our owne tenents Such stabbings in particular opinions Such heart-burnings in our Brethren to the great disquiet of our Mother Church and her Sonne they so labour to disinherit the Protestant the wounded Protestant who hath beene now so long Crucified betweene the non Conformist and the Romanist that at length hee is inforced to flye to Caesar for sanctuary and in the very rescue and Appeale like the poore man betweene Jerusalem and Jerico hee falls into the hands of Thieues two desperate cut-throates and enemies to the Truth and him the Pelagian and the Arminian But no more beloued of those Daggers and Stillettoes to our owne brests by the cruelty of our owne Tribe Know dissention is the very gate of ruine and the breach at which destruction enters Ciuill-warres are as dangerous in matters of Religion as State and proue the Earth-quakes both of Church and Common-wealth The story of the Romanes shafts is both old and troden but very pertinent in the Bundle they neuer felt injury of hand one by one were the conquest of a finger and Tacitus speakes of Apronius Souldiers Satis validi si simul c. as long as they marched in their combined rankes they stood aloofe all danger but these deuided they grew the prey and slaughter of the Aduersary and thus Dùm singuli pugnunt vniuersi vincuntur A mutiny or rent in an Army is the Souldiers passing-bell Death followes or dispaire of victory when those which are knit-vp in one heart of courage and affection trample on distrust as if they had already worne the palme and glory of their Tryumph And it speeds no better in a deuided Church where Scismes and Factions like so many rents and breaches haue hewed-out a way to her ouerthrow and ruine No more struglings then by vnnaturall twinnes in the wombe of our Rebecca No more warre in her members no more Bablings in their tongue no more venome in their Penne to the great aduantage of the Aduersary whose artillery is ready his bow bent the arrow on the string and malice leuelling at the very bosome of the Church I pray God not of the State too and waites onely opportunity to loosen it But let vs with all humblenesse of mind meekenesse Ephes 4. ver 2.3.4.5.6 long suffering supperting one another through loue endeauour to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace knowing there is one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one GOD and Father of all who is aboue all through all and in you all And now PAVL hath bin at Athens past his bickerings with the Epicure and the Stoicke had their censure Hee is a Babler He is now rigged for Corinth and by this time arriued there where I leaue him Jn earnest Disputation with the Graecians in the Synagogue Act. 19.5 The Stoicke is returned to his Porch too the Epicure to his Garden But heere is an Athens too though no PAVL or at least no such Paul and yonder sits a Stoicke and hee whispers to his Epicure What will this Babler say He sayes Glory to GOD on high in Earth peace goodwill towards men Hee sayes hearty and true Allegeance to his Soueraigne wishes the budding and continuance of a temporall Crowne heere and the assurance of an immortall one hereafter Hee sayes florishing to his Church his Common-wealth his People swift and fierce destruction to his Enemies foraigne and if hee haue any such domestique Hee sayes courage to his Nobility vnity to his Clergie loue to his Gentry loyaltie to his Commonalty In fine Hee sayes prosperity to Athens heere vnanimity true brotherhood happie successe to your studies to your designes and The grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you all and with you all Amen Gloria in excelsis Deo FINIS