N01304:52
Grata brevitas. An essay made in a few words, to demonstrate that a few…
Grata brevitas. An essay made in a few words, to demonstrate that a few words may have much comprised in them. With the most weighty matters of religion, offered in several abridgements, as particular demonstrations of it. : A winter-sermon preached at Boston lecture 27.d. 9.m. 1712. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. ; [One line of quotation]Grata brevitas. An essay made in a few words, to demonstrate that a few words may have much comprised in them. With the most weighty matters of religion, offered in several abridgments, as particular demonstrations of it. : A winter-sermon preached at Boston lecture 27.d. 9.m. 1712. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. ; [One line of quotation]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Gerrish, 1712
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Tis only a Scriptural Demonstration, which I have hitherto given you, That much may be said in a Few Words. And such is the most Suitable Demonstration; for a Preacher who would Seek out Acceptable Words. But then, for a more General Demonstration, I need only refer you to the Rules of Implication One Thing will Imply many Things. A Few Words will have many, many Things in them, if the Rules of Implication be duly attended unto; And Wise Men will use to attend unto them. The words of Wise Men have sometimes been called.Golden Words. In Gold, much lies in a Little Room. Gold may be so drawn out, that on Gilded Wire of Silver the hundred thousandth part of a Grain of it, shall be visible to the Naked Eye. Such Golden Words may be Spoken, that when they ⟨p. 13⟩are drawn out by the Rules of Implications, they may reach further than could have been imagined. There was a sort of Sentences, that of old were called Laconisms. The Wise men of the Time and Place chose to Speak Laconically. They were very Sententious. They gave a Demonstration, That much may be Spoken in a Few Words. I do not know, why this may not be Practised among other People, as well as the Lacedaemonians. You Know, Vir Sapit; A Wise man will Speak Little; but still much more Wise he that will Speak much in a Little.
Tis only a Scriptural Demonstration, which I have hitherto given you, That much may be said in a Few Words. And such is the most Suitable Demonstration; for a Preacher who would Seek out Acceptable Words. But then, for a more General Demonstration, I need only refer you to the Rules of Implication One Thing will Imply many Things. A Few Words will have many, many Things in them, if the Rules of Implication be duely attended unto; And Wise Men will use to attend unto them. The words of Wise Men have sometimes been called.Golden Words. In Gold, much lies in a Little Room. Gold may be so drawn out, that on Guilded Wire of Silver the hundred thousandth part of a Grain of it, shall be visible to the Naked Eye. Such Golden Words may be Spoken, that when they ⟨p. 13⟩are drawn out by the Rules of Implications, they may reach further than could have been imagined. There was a sort of Sentences, that of old were called Laconisms. The Wise men of the Time and Place chose to Speak Laconically. They were very Sententious. They gave a Demonstration, That much may be Spoken in a Few Words. I do not know, why this may not be Practised among other People, as well as the Lacedaemonians. You Know, Vir Sapit; A Wise man will Speak Little; but still much more Wise he that will Speak much in a Little.