A Greek in the Temple, Title page – Encomia
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.
foreign. 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 HOƲSE.
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, foreign.
*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.
foreign.—
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 foreign
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 foreign,
Aſt in divinis foreign.
Scilicet hîc nulli narrant mendacia Cretes,
Neve Soloeciſmos ipſe Solenſis habet.
JACO. DUPORT, S.T.B. Coll. Trin. Cantab. Socius, Graecae Lingua Profeſſor.