Theological Rules to Guide Us in the Understanding and Practice of Scripture, Title page 1 – To the reader 1
Theologicall Rules, TO GVIDE VSUS IN THE VNDERSTANDING and practise of holy Scriptures:
Two Centuries: Drawne partly out of Scriptures themselues: Partly out of Ecclesiasticall writers old and new.
ALSO AEnigmata Sacra, Holy Riddles; Or Misticall Cases and Secrets of Diuinitie, with their Resolutions.
Foure Centuries: The vnfolding whereof layeth open that Truth that concerneth Saluation.
By T. W. Preacher of the word.
LONDON Printed by Edw. Griffin for Fran. Burton, and are to be solde in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the greene Dragon. 1615.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
IT is not the words of holy Scriptures onelyonly, but the sense and meaning, (Beloued in Christ) which is carefully to be searched after of all those who desire the knowledge of that Truth which bringeth to saluation such as endeuour to liue thereafter. This appeareth well by that worthy sentence of a Greeke Father, affirming,Basill. That Pietie consisteth not in the sound of the Ayre, but in the force of things signified, whereunto accordeth that of Hierom the Latin Father.Hierom. The Gospell consisteth in the inward marrow of the sense, and not in the outward sound of words; not in the leaues of letters, but in the root of reason. To this purpose as I hauehave heretofore trauelled to lay forth the signification of words in Scripture by a short and easie Dictionarie already by me published to the world, in the kinde acceptance whereof and other my labours, I hauehave tasted of thy curtesie, to my great encouragement: So hauehave I now therevnto added Two Centuries and more, of Theologicall Rules, and aboue Fower Centuries of Mysticall Cases and Secrets of Diuinitie with their Resolutions, as good helps and means to bring to light the hidden vnderstanding of the Scripture. For, certaine it is, as humane Arts and Sciences, bee they Grammar, Logick, or the rest, so neither Diuinitie, which is the Arte of Arts, and Queene of Sciences, can either bee taught or learned without Precepts and Rules; And as it cannot be practised, so can it not bee vnderstood without speciall fit Rules to guide vsus in the Interpretation. For the most of these Rules, especially such as bee deriued from ancient writers, I am beholden to Flaccius Illiricus; the rest I either collected out of later moderne writers, or by my owne obseruation. I hauehave also added an Explication of all the Rules which bee drawne immediately out of the Scriptures: To the other, which be collected out of Ecelesiasticall Authors, I hauehave (for the most part) ioyned both Reasons and Examples, to explane them the better. Some of these Rules doe further our vnderstanding in the Old: some in the New Testament: and some in both. Some of them will steed vsus in the Doctrines, some in the words and formes of speeches vsed in the Scriptures: and some serue to gouerne vsus in the studie and practise of the word. Whatsoeuer vse or worth they bee of, (which I verily hope will be much and manifold,) I dedicate them, to all the Faithfull whersoeuer throughout this land, dispersed.
If any either Ioshua or other young man, shall out of enuy or iealousie obiect, that by this meanes not only Eldad and Medad, but (as Chrysostome speakes) the Shepherd and the Husbandman, and the Spinster, will bee able to prophesie and know as much as some Preachers do. An answer is framed to my hand by Moses the man of God: I would to God that all the Lords people could prophesie, and that the Spirit of the Lord were put vponupon them. And by Paul, Let the worde of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdome. Col. 3. 16. If this satisfie not, The next answer is, that if they who finde fault will labour to doe as much, or much more seruice to the Church by their painfull endeuours, they shall doe it I assure them without enuy on my part. As for you beloued in the Lord, take in good worth, I beseech you, both these my Two Centuries of Theologicall Rules, and also my Power Centuries of AEnigmata Sacra, or Mysticall Cases and Secrets of Diuinitie, annexed, (of whose vse see their proper Preface) and improoue them to your greatest spirituall gaine in Christ. To whose Grace I commend and commit you to bee guided and comforted by it for euer. Farewell, from my house in Canterbury. 1615.
Yours to his vttermost T. W.