The Art of Prophesying, Title page – Analysis of contents
THE ARTE OF PROPHECYING: Or A TREATISE CONCERNING the sacred and onelyonly 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.
Nehem. 8. 4. 5. 6. And Ezra the Scribe stood vponupon 1a pulpit of wood, which hee had made for the preaching. And Ezra opened the booke before all the people: for he was aboue all the people: and when hee opened it, all the people stood vp. Moreouer, Ezra praised the Lord the great 2God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen,—vers. 7. In like manner Ieshua and Bani 3&c. vers. 8. And they read in the booke of the law of God distinctly: and gaue the sense, and 4caused them to vnderstand the reading.
Imprinted at London by Felix Kyngston for E. E. and are to be sold in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Swan. 1607.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR WILLIAM ARMIN Knight.
SIR, many and excellent benefites hath the Lord in mercy vouchsafed to vsus these eight and fortie by-past yeeres together: of which this is not the least, if not the greatest, that hee hath dispelled the duskie clowdes of Popish darknesse as palpable as that of Egypt, and hath caused the Sunlight Exo. 10. 21.of the Gospell to shine cleerely in all our coasts. Hee sheweth his word vntounto vsus, as he did vntounto Iaacob, Psa. 147. 19his statutes and his iudgements, as he did sometimes to Israel. He hath giuen vsus his Prophets and Embassadours, which doe serue like that cloude and pillar of fire to direct vsus Exo. 13. 22in our pilgrimage through the wildernesse of this wicked world into celestiall Canaan. Hee hath thrust forth many faithfull and industrious labourers into his Vineyard to prune and to dresse the vines of our soules, that we may bring foorth the grapes of pietie and the clusters of iustice; (vnlesse we will needs be like to the Cypresse, which, as Plinie saith, can indure no husbanding, but maketh that her maladie, which is a medicine to other trees) Amongst whom the Author of this learned Tractate did shew himselfe with the formost; carrying alwaies with him a Light of learning, and a Lampe of godly liuing. And, qualis vita, finis ita; As he was a Lampe whiles he liued, so like a Lampe, alijs inseruiens seipsum consumpsit. His whole life was labour, seribenda dicens & legenda scribens. One whereof was this present discourse and platforme concerning the true vnderstanding and vsing of the Scriptures, written in his yonger yeeres: which I am bold to present and dedicate to your Worship in this plight you see; partly because it is a Thesaurus and store-house of excellent precepts, (as Domitius Piso saith that bookes should bee such) hauing in it foreign, sufficient furniture to further perfection in that sacred science: and partly to demonstrate my gratitude, and deuoted affection to you, who hauehave alwaies bin a constant patrone (etiam minitante Fortuna) to my neerest and dearest friends.
Thus I take my humble leaue, desiring your kinde acceptance, and so commend your Worship with your whole progenie to the protection of the Lord. London, Ian. 1. 1606.
Your Worships in all dutie Thomas Tuke.
TO THE FAITHFVLL MINISTERS OF THE GOSPELL: AND to all that are desirous of, and doe labour for the knowledge of Holy learning.
THat common place of diuinitie, which concerneth the framing of Sermons, is both weightie and difficult, if there be any other throughout all that sacred science. For the matter, which it is to explicate and treate on, is Prophecie; an excellent gift indeede, whether we consider it in respect of dignitie, or of vse. The dignitie thereof appeareth, in that like a Ladie it is highly mounted and carried a loft in a Chariot: whereas all other gifts, both of tongues and arts, attend on this like handmaides a loofe off. Answerable to this dignitie there is also a two folde vse: one, in that it serueth to collect the Church, and to accomplish the number of the Elect: the other, for that it driueth away the Woolues from the foldes of the Lord. For this is indeede that Flexanima, that allurer of the Soule, whereby mens froward mindes are mitigated and moued from an vngodly and barbarous life vntounto Christian faith and repentance. This also is that Engine, which as it hath shaken (the foundation of) auncient heresies, so it hath in these few by-past yeares, cut asunder the sinews of that great Antichrist. Wherefore if it be demaunded which is the most excellent gift of all, doubtlesse the praise must be giuen to Prophecying. Now by how much the more excellent eueryevery thing is, by so much the more diligently it ought to be adorned with varietie and plentie of precepts. Therefore, when I saw this common place so handled of many, as that it would remaine naked and poore, if all other arts should call for those things, which are their owne: I perused the writings of Diuines, and hauing gathered some rules out of them, I hauehave couched them in that methode, which I hauehave deemed most commodious: that they might be better for vse, and fitter for the memorie. I doe also publish them, that they might be approoued, if they bring with them that which is good: if any euill, that they may receiue their deserued punishment. And whosoeuer thou art that pleasest to reade them, where thou art perswaded of this order of Preaching, which here I handle, walke on with me: where thou standest at a stay, inquire with me: *or when.where thou perceiuest thine owne errors, returne to me: where thou seest mine, call me back to thee. For that, which now liketh me, shall dislike me, if it like not gadlie and moderate minded men. But if any man shall carpe at this my trauaile, though very small, let him know, that my onelyonly meaning is to benefite the Church of God: and that the conscience of my fact is a sufficient mu…ment against all calumnies. I doe now betake you to God, and this (tractate of the) art of Prophecying, both to you and to God. Anno 1592. Decemb. 12.
WILLIAM PERKINS.
The Analysis of the whole booke.
The Arte of Prophecying. The parts thereof are two,
1. Preaching: in which consider
1. The obiect, which is the word of God: in it note,
1. The excellencie thereof.
2. The parts, which are the two Testaments,
1. The Old, whose bookes are,
Historicall.
Dogmaticall.
Propheticall.
2. The New.
2. The parts, which are
1. The preparatiō or prouision of the Sermon, cō sisting of
Interpretation of the Text
Analogicall and plaine. or,
Crypticall and darke.
The cutting or diuiding of it aright, consisting of
The resoluing or vntwisting of it.
The applying of it
7. Waies of applying it.
The parts, which concerne
The vnderstanding by
Doctrine.
Redargution, or improouing.
The Practise by
Instructing.
Correcting.
2. The vttering of the Sermon
The hiding of humane wisdome.
The demōstration of the spirit, in
The speech, which must be
Spirituall.
Gracious: grace is of,
1. The person, to wit, holinesse,
1. An inward feeling.
2. A good conscience.
3. The feare of God.
4. A louelove of the people.
2. Of the Ministerie,
Authoritie.
Zeale.
The gesture and action of
The voyce.
The bodie.
2. Conceiuing of publique Prayer: in which note
1. The matter.
2. The forme.
3. The parts,
Meditation.
Ordering.
Vttering.
THE ARTE OF PROPHECYING.
CHAP. 1.
THe Arte or facultie of Prophecying is a sacred doctrine of exercising Prophecie rightly.
Prophecie (or Prophecying) is a publique and solemne speech of the Prophet, pertaining to the worship of God, and to the saluation of our neighbour. 1. Cor. 14. 3. But he that prophecieth speaketh vntounto men to edification, to exhortation and to consolation. Verse 24. But if all prophecie, and there come in one that beleeueth not, or one vnlearned, he is rebuked of all men, and is *foreign.iudged of all men, Rom. 1. 9. God is my witnes, whom I serue (or worship foreign) in my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne.