But Paul doth not only encounter ⟨p. 4⟩with Philosophers, he is brought to Areopagus, that famous place with Heathen Writers, where he makes a grave and admirable Oration, of which my Text is part. In which we may consider the place where, the general is Athens, the bright luminary of the world for Learning, Linguata Civitas, as Tertullian calleth it, a City of the tongue, whose manners are said to be exercised in enquiring after, [Greek or Hebrew], a dise3se many times in the Christian Church, many being weary of solid and known Doctrines, desiring of that which is unheard and unknown, and loving ⟨p. 5⟩to be in the Terrâ incognitâ, or uninhabitable part of Divinity: The proper place is Areopagus, Mars-hill, called so, either because Mars was here accused for his impiety, or else because it was a severe Court of Justice against all unjust, violent, murderous actions. This Areopagite Judicature is famous, they did excel so much in Authority, that Kings laid down their Crowns when they came to sit with them; they were of such integrity that they kept their Court, and gave Judgement in the night, and in the dark, that they might not behold the persons who did ⟨p. 6⟩speak, lest they should be moved thereby, they only did hear what was said; here it was that the pleader must not use any Proemium, nor make any rhetorical expression to move the affections; Hence it was that they did bear as much reverence to the Sentences and Decrees promulged there, as they did to their sacred Oracles, and here Paul is placed. Grotius thinks not, as to the Court there, in a juridical manner, but others judge contrary; however Paul is undaunted, and being an earthly Angel, as Chrysostom calleth him, feareth not the power of man.
But Paul doth not only encounter ⟨p. 4⟩with Philosophers, he is brought to Areopagus, that famous place with Heathen Writers, where he makes a grave and admirable Oration, of which my Text is part. In which we may consider the place where, the general is Athens, the bright luminary of the world for Learning, Linguata Civitas, as Tertullian calleth it, a City of the tongue, whose manners are said to be exercised in enquiring after, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a dise3se many times in the Christian Church, many being weary of solid and known Doctrines, desiring of that which is unheard and unknown, and loving ⟨p. 5⟩to be in the Terrâ incognitâ, or uninhabitable part of Divinity: The proper place is Areopagus, Mars-hill, called so, either because Mars was here accused for his impiety, or else because it was a severe Court of Justice against all unjust, violent, murderous actions. This Areopagite Judicature is famous, they did excel so much in Authority, that Kings laid down their Crowns when they came to sit with them; they were of such integrity that they kept their Court, and gave Judgement in the night, and in the dark, that they might not behold the persons who did ⟨p. 6⟩speak, lest they should be moved thereby, they only did hear what was said; here it was that the pleader must not use any Proemium, nor make any rhetorical expression to move the affections; Hence it was that they did bear as much reverence to the Sentences and Decrees promulged there, as they did to their sacred Oracles, and here Paul is placed. Grotius thinks not, as to the Court there, in a juridical manner, but others judge contrary; however Paul is undaunted, and being an earthly Angel, as Chrysostom calleth him, feareth not the power of man.
