Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	apostle_n	church_n	doctrine_n	4,033	5	6.2595	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45496	Archaioskopia, or, A view of antiquity presented in a short but sufficient account of some of the fathers, men famous in their generations who lived within, or near the first three hundred years after Christ : serving as a light to the studious, that they may peruse with better judgment and improve to greater advantage the venerable monuments of those eminent worthies / by J.H.	Hanmer, Jonathan, 1606-1687.; Howe, John, 1630-1705.; Howell, James, 1594?-1666.	1677 (1677)	Wing H652; ESTC R25408	262,013	452

rhetorical flourish and because the Treatise it self is justly suspected not to belong unto Athanasiùs I shall forbear to set it down as being unworthy to be ascribed unto so grave and found an Author 3. He seems to assert the worshipping or adoration of the Saints thus If saith he thou adore the man Christ because there dwelleth the Word of God upon the same ground adore the Saints also because God hath his habitation in them It is strange say the Centurists that so great a Doctor should so write but they do erre saith Scultetus not considering that he there speaks upon the suppositition of Samosatenus who thought that Christ as man was to be adored because of the Word dwelling in him which is the thing that Athanasius denyeth convincing Samosatenus of falshood from an absurdity that would follow For seeing the Word dwelleth also in the Saints it would thence follow that they are to be worshipped which Athanasius in the same place affirmeth to be extreme impiety And indeed he expresly elsewhere saith that adoration belongeth unto God only § 7. As touching his death it was very remarkable in this regard that in the midst of a most vehement storm and tempest the cruel persecution under the Emperour Valens he should so quietly arrive at the haven For being forc'd to hide himself as hath been said in his Fathers monument about the space of four months the people that greatly loved him and had him in very high esteem grew so impatient of his absence from them that they began to be tumultuous threatning to burn the ships and publick edifices unless Athanasius were permitted to return unto them again The Emperour hereupon fearing what the issue might be gave way to their fury being a hot and hasty kind of people and suffered him to enjoy his Bishoprick again from that time tempering himself from troubling Alexandria and the Country of Aegypt By this means it came to pass that after so long labour and sweat for Christ so many encounters for the Orthodox faith so frequent and famous flights and banishments having given many things in charge unto Peter his successor he did at Alexandria in peace and a good old age pass from this vale of trouble unto the rest above after he had governed that Church by the space though not without intermissions of forty and six years in the seventh year of the Emperour Valens and of Christ about 371. Hilarius Pictaviensis § 1. HE was born in France and yet not Gallus as himself answered Leo Bishop of Rome in a certain Council asking him at his entrance in a proud insulting manner Tune es Hilarius Gallus At ille Non sum inquit Gallus sed de Galliâ ac si diceret non sum natione Gallus sed de Galliâ praesul Erat enim gente Aquitanicus pontificali autem dignitate praeminebat Gallis for he was Bishop of Po●ctiers the chief City of the Celtae or Galli For France of old was divided into three parts or Provinces viz. Belgicam Aquitanicam bodie Guienne vocatur Celticam Now the inhabitants of this later were properly those called Galli ipsorum linguâ Celtae nostrâ inquit Caesar Galli appellantur So doth Sulpitius Severus distinguish his Country men into these three sorts Aquitanes Galli and Brittaines the two former are so far differing the one from the other saith Strabo both in habit and Language that the Aquitanes are more like unto the Spaniards then unto the Galli It is reported of him that in his younger years applying himself unto study and not profiting as he desired which made him to doubt whether he should ever attain unto that which he aimed at he left the Schools purposing to fall upon some other course and passing along by a certain well in the way walled up with great stone he observed that those stones were much worn and hollowed in some places by the often rubbing of the Rope upon them wherewith they used to draw the water Hereupon he fell into this consideration with himself if this Cord that is much softer hath by frequency of fretting made this hard stone hollow then surely may I also by continuance of time both profit and perfect or accomplish my desire Accordingly he betook him again unto the Schools where by assiduity and constancy in study he at length became a most Learned and accurate Scholar He seems to have been at first an Ethnick at what time perceiving and considering with himself how vain the opinions and conceits were which the Philosophers had of the gods musing much hereupon he at length light upon the books of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles by the diligent perusal whereof he came to the knowledge of the truth and to embrace the Christian Religion being now well stricken in years yet in a short time did he so much profit in the Doctrine of Christianity that he was deservedly esteemed a chief Doctor and pillar of the Catholick Church His Country men coming to understand of his great worth soon advanced him unto a high degree of dignity though a married man he being by them chosen to be Bishop of Poictiers chief City of the Province of Poictou About this time the persecution under the Emperor Constantius grew very hot in so much that many eminent Bishops for holding fast and sticking close unto the Catholick Faith were exiled and driven into banishment Hereupon Hilary with divers other Gallicane Bishops convening together with mutual consent did by a Decree separate Saturninus Valens and Vrsatius who were violent Arians from their Communion adding withal that if any being admonished to shun their society did not herein obey the sentence of the Catholick Bishops they should be excommunicated Saturninus who was Bishop of Arles a factious and mischievous man took this very grievously that he should be Anathematized and excluded from Communion with the rest of the Bishops yet after this was he sor heinous crimes cast out of the Church wherefore by the favor of Constantius he procured Synods to be congregatted at Byterris and at Arles Cities of France unto which the Catholick Bishops should be forced to come Hilary being one of those who were present in these Synods fearing least by the subtilty of the Arians as was their manner the Orthodox through simplicity might be circumvented offereth a libel to be read wherein the close conveyances crafty fetches and blasphemous Heresies of the Arians were laid open and discovered unto all But the adversaries withstanding the Reading thereof prevailed so far that Hilary refusing to subscribe unto their ambiguous and captious contessions and decrees for he was very circumspect and quick sighted to discern and avoid their cunning devices and impostures was banished into Phrygia in the East where he continued for the space of three whole years and upward In the fourth year of his banishment the Emperor commands a Synod of the

which contain in them variety of matter because Carpets and Garments of this compounded of divers colours and Histories were so interwoven The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eras●●ns is taken from pictured Carpets or Tapestry Also Sixtus Senensis thus a Rapsody which some call Stroma or a stromatical exposition is an exposition made up of a composition out of divers Authors And in very deed such are Clemens his Commentaries or Stromes which contain so great and innumerable riches of all kind of Learning saith Gentian Heroet that there is no one who is endued with any Arts and Sciences but may receive from him exceeding great profit Yea saith the learned Daille what can you name more mixed and fuller of variety than Clemens his Stromata as he calls them and his other works which are throughout interlaced with Historical Allusions Opinions Sentences and Proverbs out of all sorts of Writers both sacred and profane being here heightened with rich lightsome colours there shaded with darkness in such sort as that it is a vain thing for an ignorant person to hope ever to reach his meaning For which cause Casaubon quoting a passage of these Books doth it after this manner Sic ait Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 centonum which we may well call varias lectiones The excellency and usefulness of all three is thus fully and at large set forth by Gentian Heroet who among others translated them into Latine Of how great utility saith he this ancient Father may be doth from hence evidently appear Are there some that are delighted with the most ancient Histories Let them read Clement who retained them all so exactly that none of these things which were done throughout the world seem to have escaped his knowledge Are there who reverence the Verses of the old Poets and certain divine answers of the Oracles These must needs have Clement in very high esteem who citeth the testimonies of very many Poets whose works are at this day utterly lost and perished Are there who would fain know and acquaint themselves with the ancient Rites and Ceremonies observed in or about the sacrifices of the Gods Let such betake them unto Clement who so unfolds all those abominable mysteries that if any one among Christians do yet praise and admire those old Heathenish Ordinances and Customs and would to God there were none that did so he will forthwith unless he be more stupid than a stone upon the reading of Clement cast away every fond opinion of those false Gods and must needs be ashamed of the madness of those who aforetime did worship them Would any know the decrees or opinions of the old Philosophers Let them view Clement who so delivers and describes the original of all Philosophy together with the several Sects Successions and Maxims of all Philosophers that seeing a man so singularly learned hath preferred Christian Philosophy or Religion before all other they will be forced though unwilling to confess that this is plainly divine and in very deed inspired and published from God Have any a mind to understand what were the Doctrines of those Hereticks who in its infancy and first rise disquieted the Church of God They may hear them by Clement explicated and confuted Are any willing to have evil and corrupt manners corrected and amended There is none that inveighs against vice more sharply none that better exhorts unto vertue none that shews the way how men should order and lead their lives more exactly then Clement doth An encomium large enough to invite the most curious Reader seeing there is such choice fare and variety of dishes for his entertainment There is observable in these works of his fore-named an admirable order and method purposely intended by himself which shews the mutual aspect and close connexion of the one unto the other So that even herein he is mysterious and Pythagorical For 1. In the first he sets forth the vanity of Heathenish Idolatry by arguments drawn from the original and matter of their gods and the judgement of the more sound Ethnicks who though unwillingly yet acknowledged their errour Also from the vanity of their Temples and Images and in the end exhorteth unto the profession of Christianity and Worship of the one only God which may not unfitly be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a purgation of such as would become Christians from Heathenish superstitions 2. In the second viz. his Paedagogus he teacheth that the Son of God is our Schoolmaster and what the manners of Christians ought to be This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the initiation or catechising of the new Convert to Christianity wherein he omits no part of a Christian life which he doth not adorn with wonderful Wisdom and Learning 3. In the third viz. his Stromes there is great variety and plenty of matter fetched both from the sacred Scriptures and prophane Authors for the more perfect instruction of those who had been initiated as setting strong meat before such as were of perfect or riper age and had their senses exercised to discern both good and evil And it may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad sacra maxima supremam dei notionem aeternam contemplationem admissio an admission unto the high and hidden Mysteries of Christianity Concerning this last take a hint of these two things 1. That herein he tyeth not himself unto any exact method or order but is somewhat confused and abstruse for so he himself confesseth rendring the Reason why he did so viz. he therefore dispersed the Doctrines that excite unto true knowledge here and there that they might not easily be found out by any that are not initiated into these mysteries therefore saith he neque ordinem neque dictionem spectant libri Stromaton the Books of Stromes respect neither order nor words So that here it seems he was curious in neither Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Books being as a body composed of variety of Learning will artificially conceal the seeds of knowledge Wherein things as they occasionally offered themselves and came into his mind are scattered up and down as a Meadow is variously deckt and adorned And this seems to have been the manner of the Ancients in so doing saith Peter Halliox Clemens imitated Dyonisius Areopagita viz. in that he voluntarily and on purpose wrote his Books somewhat obscurely and would hide the seeds of knowledge and sometimes makes use of new words to the end that as in hunting the truth being found with much pains might be the more sweet and acceptable as also that it might be the more remote and secure from the scorn and cavils of petulant men who apprehend not holy things Yea saith Origen using such obscurity he did herein as the Prophets were wont to do To which let me only add the account which he

therefore despise as sordid the plain and common language of the Scripture saith he Cannot God the former of the heart speech and tongue speak eloquently Yea but in his most wise providence he would have those things to want varnish which are Divine that all might understand the things which he spake unto all 2. Again to the same purpose the Sacred Scriptures saith he deliver things briefly and nakedly neither indeed was it meet to be otherwise as if when God would speak to men he should assert his words with arguments as if he were not to be believed but as it became him he spake as God himself as the great judge of all things for whom 't is not to argue but to pronounce what is true 3. Of the mighty force and efficacy of the Scriptures and Christian Religion beyond all the Rules of Moral Philosophy to expel vice and plant in men all kind of vertue he thus speaks Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus Give me saith he a man that is wrathful foulmouthed unruly with a few words of Gods book I will make him as gentle as a Lamb Give me one that is close fisted covetous greedy of money I will send him back unto thee liberal bountifully distributing his money with his own hands Give me one that is fearful of torment and death He shall soon despise crosses and fires and Phalaris his Bull. Give me a le●her an adulterer a haunter of brothel-houses you shall see him sober continent Give me one that is cruelly disposed and blood-thirsty that fury of his shall be changed into true clemency Give me one who is unjust unwise a sinner he quickly shall be just wise upright So great is the power of Divine Wisdom that being infused into the brest of a man doth at one assault expel folly the mother of vices Hath any one of the Philosophers either performed these things or can he if he will Who when they have worn out all their time in the study of Philosophy can make neither any other nor themselves better if nature a little withstand Therefore their wisdom when it hath done its utmost doth not abolish but hide vices Whereas a● few precepts of God do change the whole man and the old being put off do make him new that you cannot know him to be the same 4. Of the Church thus The Church saith he is the true Temple of God which consisteth not in walls but in the hearts and faith of men who believe on him and are called faithful or believers 5. Again That only is the Catholick Church which retains the true Worship of God This is the fountain of verity this is houshold of faith this is the temple of God into which who so shall not enter or from which who so shall depart he is an alien from the hope of eternal life and salvation And because every company of Hereticks do think that they chiefly are Christians and theirs to be the Catholick Church we are to know that that is the true wherein is Religion Confession and Repentance which wholsomly cures the sins and wounds unto which the frailty of the flesh is subject 6. Of Repentance thus He that repents of his deed understands his former error wherefore the Greeks do better and more significantly call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then we Latines can call it Resipiscentiam For he repents and as it were recovers his mind from madness who grieveth for his error and corrects himself for his folly and confirms his mind to live more uprightly being most wary of this that he be not again drawn into the same snares 7. Again The conscience of sin and fear of punishment makes a man the more Religious and always faith is by much more firm which repentance resettles or puts again in its place 8. He sets down the sum of the Law referring it unto two heads after this manner The first head or chief point of the Law is to know God and to obey and worship him alone Or the first duty or point of righteousness is to be in conjunction or communion with God the second with man the former is called Religion the other is named mercy or humanity Wherefore the principal bond of men among themselves is humanity the which whosoever shall break asunder is to be accounted a wretch and a parricide For if we all have our Original from one man whom God formed surely we are of kin and of the same blood and therefore is it the greatest crime to hate a man even an enemy for which cause God hath commanded that we should never bear enmity toward any but always take it away to wit that we should pacifie those who are enemies unto us by admonishing them of the alliance that is between us 9. God saith he is not to be worshipped with offerings and much blood but with a pure mind and honest purpose Temples are not to be builded unto him with stones heaped together on high but to be hallowed by every one in his own brest If any one think that garments and gems and other things which are had in esteem are dear to God he plainly knows not what God is who thinks that he takes pleasure in those things which if even a man contemn he shall be justly praised What therefore is pure what worthy of God but that which he himself in his Divine Law requireth Two things there are which ought to be offered a gift and a sacrifice the gift is integrity of mind the sacrifice praise and thanksgiving 10. There is no man so rude and of such barbarous manners but when he lifts up his eyes unto heaven albeit he know not by the providence of what God this universe which he beholds is governed yet doth he understand that there is one by the very vastness motion order constancy utility beauty and temperament of thing and that it cannot be but that that which consisteth in such an admirable manner is guided by some greater Counsel §6 These and many other the like useful passages are to be found in his writings though yet for the chief points of Religion he handles them but very slenderly and not so plainly as he should for there is not a clear sentence concerning faith the benefits of the Son of God or of any other necessary part of the Doctrine of Christianity to be met with in Lactantius throughout he being for the most part imployed in refuting the false opinions of the Gentiles which is the ground of that speech of Chemnitius that Lactantius cannot much advantage his Reader Many points of Religion he but toucheth only and the most he understood not so likewise speaks Chytraeus of him Doctrinam Evangelii propriam de beneficiis Christi de fide parùm intellexit Whence it comes to pass that his errors were neither few nor small speaking of the weightiest doctrines very unfitly and improperly