Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	doctrine_n	scripture_n	1,775	5	5.5475	4	false

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

furnish a man for this calling And that is the inquiry which is aimed at and attempted in this following discourse This service of preaching may be considered under a double notion as a Duty Gift It is here insisted upon only in the second sense and may be thus described 'T is such an expertnesse and facility in the right handling and dividing the Word of Truth as may approve us to be Workmen that need not to be ashamed It does require both Spiritual abilities   Artificial   1. Such spiritual abilities as must be infused from above whereby our judgment and affections shall be made experimentally acquainted with all those sacred Truths that we are to deliver unto others The onely way for the attaining of these is by Prayer an humble heart and a holy life 2. Such artificial abilities as are to be acquired by our own industry And these are either more general as skill in all those Arts and Languages which are required as predispositions Or more particular and immediate for the act of Preaching or making Sermons to which the chief helps are these three Method Matter Expression Each of these do contribute mutual assistance unto one another A good method will direct to proper matter and fitting matter will enable for good expression By Method I understand an Art of contriving our discourses in such a regular frame wherein every part may have its due place and dependence which will be a great advantage both to Our selves Our hearers 1. To our selves and that both for Invention and Memory A man may more easily finde out things when in stead of seeking for them at randome he can have direct recourse unto all those places and heads from whence they may be most naturally collected And more easily retain them when they are linked together and not scattered Method being as a chain in which if a man should let slip any one part he may easily recover it again by that relation and dependence which it hath with the whole 2. And so for benefit of the hearers likewise who may understand and retain a Sermon with greater ●ase and profit when they are before-hand acquainted with the general heads of matter that are discoursed of 'T is but a bad rule in Alsteà where he advises to conceal alter the method for variety sake Crypsis dispositionis tollit fastidium auditoris This may be true of itching curious hearers but not of such as regard their own profit and edification An immethodical discourse though the materials of it may be precious is but as a ●eap full of confusion and deformity the other as a Fabrick or building much more excellent both for beauty and use There might be divers kinds of Methods prescribed according as mens own fancies and the variety of subjects and occasions shall require But that which our gravest Divines by long experience have found most useful is this of Doctrine and Use This in the nature of it is very easie and therefore most natural being generally applyable unto any subject In the true latitude of it 't is as full and comprehensive as any other taking in all such notions as are any way useful or proper In the branches and gradations of it 't is very Logical putting homogeneous things together handling generals first and particulars after The principal scope of a divine Orator should be to Teach clearly Convince strongly Perswade powerfully Sutable to these the chief parts of a Sermon are these three Explication Confirmation Application Each of these may be farther subdivided and branched out according to this following Analysis 1. Explication is either of the Text by Unfolding difficulties in the sense for which we are to con●ider The phrase it self according to the Originall Translations The cirumstances of the place Persons Who to whom Occasion Time Place Scope or end Context The Analogy of Faith Other parallel or like Scriptures Distinguishing ambiguous Words Phrases Dividing of the Text which must not be Needlesse Obscure Doctrines deduced from it by Clearing their inference Shewing the latitude of every Truth According to their severall Branches Duty   Degrees 2. Confirmation by Positive proofs from Scripture in Notionall truths by direct Affirmation Negation evident consequence Practicall truths by precepts examples Reason to convince in Doctrinall points from the nine Topicks Cause Effect Subject Adjunct Dissentan Comparats Name Distribution Definitions Practicall truths from the two generall heads of Necessity Equity Solution of such doubts and Quaeries as are most obvious and materiall 3. Application which is either Doctrinall for our information More generall in some truth to be acknowledged Didacticall instruction Elencticall confutation More particular of our own estates to be examined by Marks which are commonly either Effects Properties Practicall Reproof which hath two parts Disswasive from The aggravation of the sin Threats denounced Judgments executed Directive wherein concerning Impediments that hinder Means to promote more Remote Immediate Consolation by Promises Experience Removing of scruples Exhortation to be amplified by Motives to excite the affections from Profit Danger Means to direct the actions Generall Speciall Besides those more essential parts recited in this Scheme which belong to the very nature and substance of a Sermon there are other lesse principal parts also not to be neglected which concerne the external form of it Such as these Preface Transitions Conclusion The first thing to be entred upon in this Fabrick or Method is the Porch or Preface which is not always necessary in every common structure but only when some extraordinary occasion does require it or by reason of some special reference which the Text may have to that particular time and auditory And then it should be clear and p●rtinent short as being a thing on the by and such as may quicken attention unto the following discourse The most general and effectual matter for a Preface is that which was so commonly used by the Prophets of old to perswade the hearers that it is The Word of God which is spoken to them which concerns their everlasting happinesse and is able to save their souls That the Ministers do but stand in Christs stead That our receiving or despising of them shall be reckoned as done unto Christ himself Which being beleeved and considered will be a strong engagement upon the hearers unto those three qualifications which are the chief ends of prefacing namely to make them Favourable Teachable Attentive The next thing to be done is the opening of the Text according to its proper sense and meaning To which purpose we may give some brief Analytical explication of the Chapter or at least so much of it as may serve to clear the Text and shew the dependence of it on the coherent words All Scriptures are either manifest or Cryptical and obscure Matters that are absolutely necessary to salvation are exprest in the first of these Other truths whether Historical Doctrinal or Practical may be sometimes involved in

raised from the occasion coherence manner circumstances order denomination of the text As whether it be a precept exhortation threat promise petition deprecation similitude c. All which may afford several hints of instruction and are not to be passed over without notice Though these points should be only touched at briefly on the by and those only insisted upon largely which we conceive to be most agreeable unto the principal immediate scope of the Holy Ghost in that Scripture And these observations must be laid down in the most easie perspicuous phrase that may be not obscured by any rhetorical or affected expressions for if the hearers mistake in that all that follows will be to little purpose The Doctrine being mentioned if there be any necessity we may briefly clear the inference of it by shewing its necessary dependence on the text Then if the matter be capable of it we may farther inlarge it in its several branches and degrees by shewing the full latitude and extent of every truth or duty The Text and the Doctrine being thus opened we should in the next place descend to the confirmation of it Remembring always to connect these several parts by some plain and brief transition that so the method may be the more perspicuous Now here are two sorts of proofs {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}   {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Quod sit and Cur sit that 't is so and why it is so The first is properly from Testimony either Divine Humane Divine Testimony is either from some Scripture Precept   Example 1. For Precepts it will be needlesse to heap up many proofs But 't is enough to suggest two or three of the most pertinent places with some brief explication of them 2. For Examples it is a rule exempla magis movent imparia There may be much advantage in the inequality of examples Lillies Sparrowes Pismires Heathens Testimonies of Fathers Decrees of Councels consent of Churches Confession of adversaries may all be of good use if they are sutable to the matter and auditory Testimonies of Heathen men may be proper to shew a truth agreeable unto natural light Though Scripture can best inform us what is true and false yet humane Records can tell us what is new and what is ancient But here we must be carefull that we do not let Hagar the handmaid out-brave her Mistresse Sarah that we do not preferre bleer-eyed Leah before beautifull Rachel To stuffe a Sermon with citations of Authors and the witty sayings of others is to make a feast of vinegar and pepper which may be very delightfull being used moderately as sauces but must needs be very improper and offensive to be fed upon as dyet The Reasons of the Doctrine should be such as may convince the judgment concerning the reasonablenesse of any truth or duty which are herein distinguishable from the Motives belonging to the Application because these refer properly to the convincing of the judgment those to the exciting of the affections In practicall matters the generall heads from whence the reasons are deducible are these two Necessity   Equity which are capable of very many subordinate branches In other notionall doctrinall points the 9 Topicks to which we are directed in Logick and Rhetorick may be good helps for the invention of proper arguments When we have confirmed the Proposition by positive proofs the next thing to be done is the removing of such doubts and queries either from carnall reason or ambiguous Scriptures as are most naturally emergent and proper Not that any evident position or consequence from Scripture does need all this proof in it self but the better to instruct us in the agreement and harmony of sacred Writ and the more powerfully to convince the judgment which in some cases will be apt to find out shifts and evasions whereby to delude it self and escape conviction whereas we shall embrace any doctrine with a stronger assent and rest upon it with the whole bent of the affections when it comes in upon us with a full stream of evidence But here we are to remember that the too long insisting on a confessed truth is apt to nauseat and flat the attention Having thus passed over the doctrinall part in the explication and confirmation of the words we are in the next place to descend unto the application of them which is the life and soul of a Sermon whereby these sacred truths are brought home to a mans particular conscience and occasions and the affections ingaged unto any truth or duty The Application is frequently mentioned by severall Authors according to a double acception sometimes it is taken more strictly as it is distinguished from the Uses and refers onely to those particular passages of them which do more especially concerne the present time and auditory Sometimes it is taken more largely as it comprebends all the Uses that are inferred from the doctrine And so I understand it in this place In the inlarging of this we are to observe this caution That the several heads or Uses we are to insist upon must not here be handled in a generall notionall way as in the doctrinall parts but in such a home and applicatory manner as may have some peculiar reference unto the hearers The cheif Rules or Canons that concerne this part are these two 1. Every Scripture does affirm command threaten not only that which is expressed in it but likewise all that which is rightly deducible from it though by mediate consequences 2. An example hath the force of a rule All of them being written for our learning But then we must be carefull to examine and discern whether the example be extraordinary or ordinary according to which the application must be properly made The Apostle tels us that the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from God and is profitable {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for Doctrine {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for redargution {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for correction {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect being perfectly instructed in every good worke 2 Tim. 3. 16. In that place all the Uses to which Scripture may be applied are briefly set down Application is either Doctrinall   Practicall Doctrinal application is for our information in some truth to be known or beleeved which must follow from the doctrine before delivered and confirmed by a natural Logical consequence as that doctrine does from the text And this is of two kinds Didactical   Elenctical 1. Didacticall in some positive truth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is commonly stiled a Use of Information and should consist of such pertinent doctrinall truths as will most properly follow from the Observation In the deducing of these it would be an endlesse businesse to take in all those inferences that are remote or collaterall But

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