The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

The next thing in order is, The manner of Declaration and Publication of it in the Scripture. And here we shall find worldly wisdom to be a great adversary: But I shall instance in one thing only about that, and that is, The simplicity and plainness of the style. That whereas there are two things that are exceeding apt to take with the world; The one with Rational men; The other with Affectionate men. The Scripture seemeth to be furnished with neither. For with rational men, strong demonstrations and scientifical probations prevail exceedingly; they lay, they are slaves to reason; bring a rational argument, and this is such a cord, that the strongest Samson cannot break. Now many times men of strong reason are no ways Rhetorical: As the earth, where mines of gold are, is barren of grass and flowers. It's as absurd (saith Aristotle) to expect moral discourses from a Mathematician, as mathematical demonstrations from a Moralist. So then, some men are presently conquered by acute, metaphysical argumentations. This the Scripture hath not; for that dictateth, not argueth, which is indeed most suitable to the divine Scripture. Bradwardine, who is called, The profound Doctor, professed of himself, while he was a Christian, yet not throughly sanctified by grace, that he was weary of hearing Pauls Epistles read in the Church: And why? Because Paul had not metaphysicum ixgenium. Some then look for learned demonstrations; Others are ravished with the sweet music of humane Rhetoric And Austin confesseth this great vanity in himself, That he could not delight in the Scripture, because of the want of that, as he thought: He looked for Tully's flowers there, and the Scripture simplicity he disdained. It was the saying of an Atheistical Critic, That he esteemed one of Pindar's Od•s before all David's Psalms. Thus you see, as it was with Christ himself, many looked for an outward stately pompous Messiah; and because he came in that outward way, he was a slumbling block to many. Christ crucified, was foolishness to the learned Gentiles. In the like manner it is with the Scripture, because it hath not the Aristot•lical demonstrations, or the Ciceronian persuasions; Therefore the Scripture is to them, as Jobs white of the egg without any taste. But to remove this carnal prejudice.

The next thing in order is, The manner of Declaration and Publication of it in the Scripture. And here we shall find worldly wisdome to be a great adversary: But I shall instance in one thing only about that, and that is, The simplicity and plainnesse of the style. That whereas there are two things that are exceeding apt to take with the world; The one with Rational men; The other with Affectionate men. The Scripture seemeth to be furnished with neither. For with rational men, strong demonstrations and scientifical probations prevail exceedingly; they lay, they are slaves to reason; bring a rational argument, and this is such a cord, that the strongest Samson cannot break. Now many times men of strong reason are no wayes Rhetorical: As the earth, where mines of gold are, is barren of grasse and flowers. It's as absurd (saith Aristotle) to expect moral discourses from a Mathematician, as mathematical demonstrations from a Moralist. So then, some men are presently conquered by acute, metaphysical argumentations. This the Scripture hath not; for that dictateth, not argueth, which is indeed most sutable to the divine Scripture. Bradwardine, who is called, The profound Doctor, professed of himself, while he was a Christian, yet not throughly sanctified by grace, that he was weary of hearing Pauls Epistles read in the Church: And why? Because Paul had not metaphysicum ixgenium. Some then look for learned demonstrations; Others are ravished with the sweet musick of humane Rhetoque And Austin confesseth this great vanity in himself, That he could not delight in the Scripture, because of the want of that, as he thought: He looked for Tully's flowers there, and the Scripture simplicity he disdained. It was the saying of an Atheistical Critick, That he esteemed one of Pindar's Ods before all David's Psalms. Thus you see, as it was with Christ himself, many looked for an outward stately pompous Messias; and because he came in that outward way, he was a slumbling block to many. Christ crucified, was foolishnesse to the learned Gentiles. In the like manner it is with the Scripture, because it hath not the Aristotlical demonstrations, or the Ciceronian perswasions; Therefore the Scripture is to them, as Jobs white of the egge without any taste. But to remove this carnal prejudice.