A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…

Augustin confesseth, that the delight which he took before his conversion in Saint Ambroses Sermons, was more for the eloquence of the words, than the substance of the matter. Hypocrites are taken more with the wit, eloquence of speech, action, quickness of fancy, smoothness of stile, neatness of expression, and rareness of notion, than they are with the spirituality, purity and holiness of the Word, which they either hear or read. These hypocrites are like those children, who are more taken with the fine flowers that are strewed about the dish, than they are with the meat that is in the dish, and that are more taken with the red weeds and blew bottles that grow in the field, than they are with the good corn that grows there. But now, look as the prudent Farmer is taken more with a few handfuls of sound corn, than he is with all the gay weeds that be in the field; so a sincere Christian is more taken with a few sound truths in a Sermon, than he is taken with all the strong lines, and high strains and flourishes of wit; or than he is taken with some new coined phrases, or some quaint expressions, or some seraphical notions, with which a Sermon may be decked or dressed up. Some are taken with the Word as the profession of it brings in customers into their Shops, and keeps up their credits in the world; others are taken with the Word, as it seems to tickle their ears and please their fancies: Some are affected with Sermons, because of the elegance of the stile, delicacy of the words, smoothness of the language, and gracefulness of the delivery. And these deal by Sermons as many do by their Nosegays that are made up of many picked (sweet) flowers, who after they have smelt to them a while, cast them into a corner, and never mind ⟨p. 329⟩them more; so these after they have commended a Sermon, after they have highly applauded a Sermon, they cast away the Sermon, they smell to the Sermon (if I may so speak) and say it is sweet, it is sweet, and presently they throw it by as a Nosegay that is withered, and of no further use. But now a sincere heart savours the Word, and relishes the Word, and is affected and taken with the Word, as it is a holy Word, a spiritual Word, a pure Word, which the most refined hypocrite under heaven never was affected or taken with, nor can be, whilst hypocrisy keeps the throne in his soul. But,

Augustin confesseth, that the delight which he took before his conversion in Saint Ambroses Sermons, was more for the eloquence of the words, than the substance of the matter. Hypocrites are taken more with the wit, eloquence of speech, action, quickness of fancy, smoothness of stile, neatness of expression, and rareness of notion, than they are with the spirituality, purity and holiness of the Word, which they either hear or read. These hypocrites are like those children, who are more taken with the fine flowers that are strewed about the dish, than they are with the meat that is in the dish, and that are more taken with the red weeds and blew bottles that grow in the field, than they are with the good corn that grows there. But now, look as the prudent Farmer is taken more with a few handfuls of sound corn, than he is with all the gay weeds that be in the field; so a sincere Christian is more taken with a few sound truths in a Sermon, than he is taken with all the strong lines, and high strains and flourishes of wit; or than he is taken with some new coyned phrases, or some quaint expressions, or some seraphical notions, with which a Sermon may be deckt or drest up. Some are taken with the Word as the profession of it brings in customers into their Shops, and keeps up their credits in the world; others are taken with the Word, as it seems to tickle their ears and please their fancies: Some are affected with Sermons, because of the elegancy of the stile, delicacy of the words, smoothness of the language, and gracefulness of the delivery. And these deal by Sermons as many do by their Nosegays that are made up of many pickt (sweet) flowers, who after they have smelt to them a while, cast them into a corner, and never mind