A09449:133
The Art of Prophesying
The art of prophesying, or, A treatise concerning the sacred and only true manner and method of preaching first written in Latin by Master William Perkins ; and now faithfully translated into English (for that it containeth many worthy things fit for the knowledge of men of all degrees) by Thomas Tuke.The arte of prophecying, or, A treatise concerning the sacred and onely true manner and methode of preaching first written in Latine by Master William Perkins ; and now faithfully translated into English (for that it containeth many worthie things fit for the knowledge of men of all degrees) by Thomas Tuke.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for E.E., 1607
THE ART OF PROPHESYING. › Chapter 4THE ARTE OF PROPHECYING. › Chapter 4
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Concerning the study of Divinity take this advice. First, diligently imprint both in thy mind and memory the substance of Divinity described with definitions, divisions, and explications of the properties. Secondly, proceed to the reading of the Scriptures in this order. Using a grammatical, rhetorical, and logical *analysis, and the help of the rest of the arts, read first the Epistle of Paul to the Rom. after that the Gospel of John (as being indeed the keys of the new Testament) and then the other books of the new Testament. will be more easy when they are read. When all this is done, learn first the dogmatical ⟨p. 27⟩books of the old Testament, especially the Psalms: then the Prophetical, especially Isaiah: Lastly the historical, but chiefly Genesis. For it is likely that the Apostles and Evangelists read Isaiah and the Psalms very much. For there are no books of the old Testament, out of which we can read more testimonies to be cited, then out of these. There are about threescore places alleged out of Isaiah: and threescore and four out of the Psalms. Thirdly, out of *orthodoxall writings, we must get aid not only from the latter, but also from the more ancient Church. Because Satan hath raised up from the dead the old Heretics, that he might hinder the restoration of the Church, which is begun to be made in our time. For the Antitrinitaries have newly varnished that opinion of Arius and Sabellius. The Anabaptists renew the doctrines or sects of the Essees, Catharists, Enthusiasts, and Donatists. The Schwenkfeldians revive the opinions of the Eutychians, Enthusiasts, &c. Menon followeth Ebion: and the Papists resemble the Pharisees, Encratites, Tatians, Pelagians. The Libertines ⟨p. 28⟩renew the opinions of the Gnostics and Carpocratians. Seruetus hath revived the heresies of Samosatenus, Arrius, Eutyches, Marcion, and Apollinaris. Lastly, the Schismatics, that separate themselves from evangelical Churches, receive the opinions, facts, and fashions of Pup•anus in Cyprian, of the Audians, and Donatists. Therefore in like manner, we must not so much seek for new repealings and confutations of these heresies, as we are for our use to fetch those ancient ones out of Councils and Fathers, and to account them as approved and firm.