Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	church_n	interpretation_n	4,397	5	10.0901	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67135	Reflections upon ancient and modern learning by William Wotton ...	Wotton, William, 1666-1727.	1694 (1694)	Wing W3658; ESTC R32928	155,991	392

i_o do_v not_o desire_v that_o any_o disputable_a thing_n shall_v ever_o be_v bring_v under_o debate_n one_o qualification_n indeed_o and_o that_o the_o great_a of_o all_o i_o have_v omit_v but_o that_o relate_v not_o to_o the_o present_a controversy_n since_o we_o be_v not_o now_o inquire_v who_o be_v the_o holy_a man_n but_o who_o have_v be_v the_o great_a master_n of_o their_o profession_n the_o ancient_a father_n or_o the_o modern_a divine_n the_o first_o thing_n require_v be_v a_o exact_a knowledge_n of_o the_o text_n of_o the_o old_a testament_n herein_o even_o the_o lxx_o interpreter_n themselves_o have_v often_o fail_v as_o have_v be_v abundant_o prove_v by_o modern_a critic_n the_o copy_n they_o use_v be_v sometime_o faulty_a and_o since_o they_o do_v not_o mend_v those_o fault_n it_o be_v very_o probable_a they_o do_v not_o see_v they_o it_o have_v be_v observe_v already_o that_o scarce_o any_o of_o the_o father_n understand_v hebrew_n beside_o origen_n and_o st._n hierom_n who_o therefore_o be_v follow_v as_o oracle_n by_o many_o of_o their_o successor_n even_o that_o alone_o will_v not_o suffice_v because_o there_o be_v no_o other_o book_n write_v in_o that_o language_n for_o which_o reason_n syriac_n chaldee_n samaritan_n and_o arabic_n have_v be_v study_v by_o modern_a critic_n not_o to_o mention_v the_o write_n of_o the_o rabbin_n and_o the_o talmudist_n to_o which_o the_o ancient_n be_v utter_a stranger_n if_o we_o come_v to_o particular_n who_o of_o the_o ancient_n ever_o unravel_v the_o chronology_n of_o the_o old_a testament_n like_o archbishop_n usher_n and_o sir_n john_n marsham_n though_o eusebius_n chronicon_fw-la be_v a_o stand_a evidence_n how_o much_o he_o and_o julius_n africanus_n before_o he_o endeavour_v to_o clear_v that_o matter_n which_o be_v of_o so_o great_a use_n to_o confound_v the_o vain_a pretence_n to_o antiquity_n of_o those_o other_o nation_n that_o be_v so_o very_o unwilling_a to_o yield_v to_o the_o jew_n in_o this_o particular_a who_o have_v ever_o give_v so_o rational_a and_o so_o intelligible_a a_o account_n of_o the_o design_n and_o intent_n of_o the_o several_a part_n of_o the_o ceremonial_a law_n as_o dr._n spencer_n who_o have_v acquaint_v the_o world_n with_o the_o geography_n of_o genesis_n or_o the_o natural_a history_n of_o the_o bible_n like_o mounseur_fw-fr bochart_n these_o be_v much_o hard_a thing_n than_o the_o lengthen_v of_o a_o finespun_a allegory_n or_o than_o a_o few_o moral_a reflection_n which_o constitute_v the_o great_a part_n of_o the_o ancient_a comment_n but_o the_o new_a testament_n you_o will_v say_v be_v write_v in_o a_o time_n that_o be_v near_o at_o hand_n and_o so_o be_v certain_o better_a understand_v without_o doubt_v it_o be_v by_o the_o first_o father_n for_o which_o reason_n their_o interpretation_n irenaeus_n and_o their_o reason_n if_o we_o can_v have_v recover_v many_o of_o they_o will_v have_v be_v of_o infinite_a value_n but_o when_o once_o the_o synagogue_n and_o the_o church_n break_v off_o all_o their_o correspondence_n when_o once_o the_o immediate_a reason_n of_o the_o first_o establishment_n of_o many_o part_n of_o the_o christian_a discipline_n and_o of_o great_a number_n of_o allusion_n to_o jewish_a custom_n and_o tradition_n which_o be_v to_o be_v find_v in_o the_o new_a testament_n can_v only_o be_v know_v by_o study_n and_o read_n all_o which_o the_o first_o christian_n know_v without_o study_n as_o we_o do_v the_o manner_n and_o fashion_n of_o our_o own_o age_n and_o country_n than_o the_o ancient_a interpretation_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n begin_v to_o fail_v and_o though_o some_o of_o they_o s._n chrysostom_n and_o theodoret_n especial_o be_v in_o themselves_o set_v antiquity_n aside_o true_o valuable_a yet_o for_o want_v of_o such_o a_o diffuse_a knowledge_n of_o eastern_a antiquity_n as_o be_v necessary_a and_o which_o only_o can_v be_v have_v by_o a_o long_a conversation_n with_o the_o book_n that_o be_v write_v in_o those_o language_n these_o admirable_a commentator_n seem_v in_o several_a place_n not_o to_o have_v find_v out_o the_o true_a original_a of_o many_o thing_n in_o the_o new_a testament_n which_o have_v be_v discover_v since_o to_o the_o next_o thing_n which_o be_v skill_n in_o ecclesiastical_a antiquity_n i_o have_v speak_v already_o the_o three_o and_o the_o four_o which_o relate_v to_o a_o divine_a as_o a_o casuist_n or_o as_o a_o preacher_n may_v be_v consider_v of_o together_o wherein_o we_o of_o the_o present_a age_n may_v without_o vanity_n boast_v of_o have_v the_o best_a book_n and_o of_o they_o too_o the_o great_a number_n upon_o these_o subject_n write_v in_o our_o own_o language_n and_o by_o our_o own_o countryman_n of_o any_o people_n in_o the_o world_n the_o excellency_n of_o a_o casuist_n be_v to_o give_v such_o resolution_n of_o doubt_n and_o question_n propose_v to_o he_o as_o may_v both_o suit_n with_o the_o particular_a circumstance_n of_o the_o person_n who_o desire_v satisfaction_n and_o also_o may_v be_v perfect_o agreeable_a to_o the_o law_n of_o god_n a_o preacher_n than_o seem_v to_o perform_v his_o office_n best_o when_o he_o can_v at_o once_o instruct_v and_o move_v his_o auditor_n can_v raise_v their_o passion_n and_o inform_v their_o judgement_n that_o so_o every_o sermon_n upon_o a_o doctrinal_a head_n may_v contain_v the_o solution_n of_o a_o case_n of_o conscience_n for_o the_o first_o of_o these_o it_o be_v certain_a that_o many_o of_o the_o able_a of_o the_o ancient_a father_n be_v very_o excellent_a casuist_n as_o indeed_o every_o man_n who_o have_v a_o right_a judgement_n a_o honest_a mind_n and_o a_o thorough_a acquaintance_n with_o the_o design_n of_o our_o bless_a saviour_n reveal_v in_o the_o gospel_n must_v of_o necessity_n be_v and_o if_o at_o this_o distance_n many_o of_o their_o decision_n seem_v over-severe_a there_o be_v as_o great_a at_o least_o if_o not_o great_a reason_n to_o suspect_v that_o the_o complaint_n nowadays_o raise_v against_o they_o may_v arise_v from_o our_o degeneracy_n as_o from_o their_o unwarrantable_a strictness_n but_o for_o the_o ancient_a way_n of_o preach_v there_o be_v much_o more_o to_o be_v say_v the_o great_a handle_n by_o which_o a_o hearer_n be_v enable_v to_o carry_v along_o with_o he_o a_o preacher_n argument_n be_v method_n and_o order_n herein_o the_o ancient_a homilist_n be_v very_o defective_a flight_n of_o rhetoric_n which_o be_v more_o or_o less_o judicious_o apply_v according_a to_o the_o ability_n of_o the_o several_a preacher_n make_v up_o the_o great_a part_n of_o their_o discourse_n and_o after_o origen_n most_o man_n busy_v themselves_o in_o give_v the_o people_n allegorical_a interpretation_n of_o passage_n of_o scripture_n which_o be_v infinite_a according_a to_o the_o fancy_n of_o those_o that_o use_v they_o st._n chrysostom_n indeed_o reform_v this_o custom_n in_o the_o greek_a church_n his_o authority_n go_v very_o far_o and_o his_o interpretation_n be_v almost_o always_o literal_a and_o suitable_o to_o his_o vast_a genius_n very_o judicious_a but_o he_o that_o consider_v preach_v as_o a_o art_n capable_a of_o rule_n and_o improvement_n will_v find_v a_o mighty_a difference_n between_o a_o just_a methodical_a discourse_n build_v upon_o a_o proper_a text_n of_o scripture_n wherein_o after_o the_o text_n be_v careful_o explain_v some_o one_o duty_n or_o doctrine_n of_o religion_n thence_o arise_v be_v plain_o prove_v by_o just_a and_o solid_a argument_n from_o which_o such_o topic_n of_o persuasion_n be_v draw_v at_o last_o as_o be_v the_o most_o likely_a to_o raise_v such_o a_o affection_n and_o engage_v those_o passion_n in_o the_o mind_n of_o all_o the_o auditor_n as_o will_v please_v and_o move_v good_a man_n and_o silence_n at_o least_o if_o not_o persuade_v the_o bad_a and_o between_o a_o loose_a paraphrastical_a explication_n of_o a_o large_a portion_n of_o scripture_n which_o end_v at_o last_o in_o a_o general_a ethical_a harangue_n which_o be_v the_o usual_a method_n of_o most_o of_o st._n chrysostom_n homily_n whereas_o by_o the_o former_a method_n strict_o follow_v very_o many_o of_o our_o english_a sermon_n especial_o those_o of_o the_o great_a man_n of_o our_o own_o church_n since_o the_o restauration_n be_v solution_n of_o the_o most_o difficult_a question_n in_o divinity_n and_o just_a discourse_n upon_o the_o several_a duty_n of_o the_o christian_a life_n and_o this_o with_o so_o much_o smoothness_n so_o great_a beauty_n of_o language_n and_o such_o a_o just_a application_n of_o the_o great_a ornament_n of_o true_a and_o masculine_a eloquence_n to_o thing_n at_o first_o view_v very_o often_o the_o most_o opposite_a that_o the_o hearer_n take_v a_o pleasure_n to_o think_v that_o then_o he_o be_v most_o instruct_v when_o he_o be_v best_o please_v the_o want_n of_o this_o method_n in_o the_o ancient_a homilist_n be_v the_o great_a reason_n why_o they_o be_v so_o little_o read_v