Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	king_n	prophet_n	samuel_n	2,676	5	9.8228	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66039	Ecclesiastes, or, A discourse concerning the gift of preaching as it fals under the rules of art shewing the most proper rules and directions, for method, invention, books, expression, whereby a minister may be furnished with such abilities as may make him a workman that needs not to be ashamed : very seasonable for these times, wherein the harvest is great, and the skilful labourers but few / by John Wilkins ...	Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2190; ESTC R22913	45,078	144

doubtful difficult expressions In the unfolding of which we must observe that if the natural most obvious signification of the words do manifestly disagree with other perspicuous Scriptures then we are to seek for some other meaning which must always be consonant with the words and other circumstances of the place In the finding out of this we are not so much to consult with our own fancies for no prophesie in Scripture is of any private interpretation but with the Holy Ghost himself who best understands his own meaning All difficult expressions should first be examined according to their original and most authentick translations which will give much light to the true meaning of them Though it will be needlesse to mention any various readings translations or interpretations of Scripture to a vulgar auditory because it is apt to stagger them and to raise doubts rather then to confirm and settle them But we should pitch upon that which upon serious consultation we conceive in our own judgments to be most congruous and pertinent The circumstances of the place will help much to illustrate any difficulty of it The Rabbies have a saying Nulla est objectio in Lege quae non habet solutionem in latere that is there is not any doubt in the Law but may be resolved by the context We must be careful that all our interpretations be agreeable with the Analogy of faith and other parallel Scriptures The consulting of these will be a good means to preserve us from perverting the Word of God by any dangerous heretical imposition Beware of that vain affectation of finding something new and strange in every text though never so plain It will not so much shew our parts which such men aim at as our pride and wantonnesse of wit These new projectors in Divinity are the fittest matter out of which to shape first a Sceptick after that a Heretick and then an Atheist There are divers Texts that have a double sense Historical and Literal Typical Allegorical So those places concerning the Brasen Serpent Numb. 21. 9. Iohn 3. 14. Ionah in the Whales belly Ionah 1. 17. Matth. 12. 40. Abraham two wives and sonnes Sarah and Isaac Hagar and Ishmael Gen. 21. Galat. 4. 22. The Law concerning the muzeling the Oxe that treads out the corne Deut. 25. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 9. In all which there is some typical allusion primarily intended Allegorical interpretations may lawfully be used also when there is no such natural reference but meerly a fitnesse by way of similitude to illustrate any doctrine Saint Paul gives example for this 2 Cor. 3. 13 15. Ephes. 4. 32. But here we must observe these three qualifications there must be Raritas Concinnit as Utilitas 1. We must use them sparingly and soberly 2. They must be short and pertinent not forced and farre-fetcht 3. They must be usefull not for aery and unprofitable notions being more proper for illustration then for proof It will be a great help for the understanding of the books of Scripture to know their several times references and order The five books of Moses are as the first bases by which the whole frame of Scripture may be more easily apprehended The other Historical books that follow will explain themselves The Psalms do most of them in their occasions and historical grounds referre to the books of Samuel The Prophets are ordinarily divided into three ranks 1 Those that prophesied before the captivity who referre to the history in the books of Kings and Chronicles especially the second book 2 Those that prophesied in the captivity concerning whose times there is but very little mention in the Historical parts of Canonical Scripture 3 Those that prophesied after the captivity unto whom the History of Ezra and Nehemiah hath some reference And so in the New Testament the Epistles do many of them referre unto the story of the Acts of the Apostles As for the ranking and succession of the books in Scripture they were not writ in the same order as they are placed But they are set down rather according to their bulk and largenesse then their true order 1. Those that were before the captivity are to be reckoned according to this succession Obadiah in the reign of Ahab 1 Kings 18. 3. Ionah   Ieroboam 2 Kings 14. 25. Amos in the dayes of Uzziah Isaiah   Iotham Hosea   Ahaz Micah   Hezekiah Nahum     Ioel about the time of Manasseb Habakkuk   Iosiah Zephaniah   Iehoiakim Ieremiah     2. In the captivity there prophesied Ezekiel   Daniel 3. From the return out of captivity till our Saviours coming is reckoned 559 yeers About the 18 yeer of this began Haggai and Ze●hariah and not long after Malachi And so in the New Testament though the larger Epistles are placed first yet they were not written so 'T is probable that they were composed according to this order 1 Thess.   Romans 1 Corinth 1 Tim. 2 Corinth Titus   2 Thess. Philip Coloss. Galat. Ephes. Hebr. Philemon   2 Tim.   So for the Canonical Epistles that of Iames is thought to be written first then those of Peter then Iude and lastly Iohn Thus likewise for other particular books that of the Psalms some conceive that the 108. should be first where David doth stirre up and prepare himself to this work of making Psalms O God my heart is ready I will sing and give praise And the 72. Psalm the last because it concludes with this passage The prayers of David are ended The ordering of them is not jure divino though it be of very great antiquity for Saint Paul doth expresly quote the second Psalm Act. 13. 13. The right apprehension of these general notions concerning the proper times and order of several Books may be one good help to the true interpretation of Scripture Next to the unfolding of any abstruse and difficult sense we are to consider likewise the very words and phrases amongst which if there be any ambiguous they must be distinguished and applied according to their proper signification in the text Tropes and figures being explained in their natural meaning As for the division of the text it will be needlesse unlesse either the explication of Terms or the deduction of Doctrines from the several parts do require it That common practice of dissecting the words into minute parts and inlarging upon them severally is a great occasion of impertinency and roving from the chief sense The text having been thus unfolded the next thing to be done is the inferring of Observations from it which should always follow from the words by a strong Logical consequence The wresting of Scripture unto improper truths may easily occasion the applying of them unto grosse falsehoods These Observations may be of several kinds either Mediate and more remote Immediate and principal Of the first kind are such as are