A practical exposition of the X. Commandments with a resolution of several momentous questions…A practical exposition of the X. Commandements with a resolution of several momentous questions…

And whereas a few of their words rightly disposed, might sufficien •ly serve to bring us to the very outmost border and boundary of their conceptions, and also to make suitable impressions of them (all the end of words) yet ere we can come that length, we must needs wear away our time, and weary our s •lves in wandering through the wast Wilderness of the unn •c •ssary and superfluous remainder of them: And this doth usher in, or rather is ushered in, by an other piece of neighbour - vanity, whereby men wearing of wonted and long-worn words, though sufficiently significant, grow fond upon novel, new-coined and never before heard of ones, stretching their wit (if superfluity of words, though both new and neat, be worthy to be placed amongst the productions of wit; for thereby we are made never a whit the wiser, nor more knowing) and putting their invention on the Tenters to find out (no new matter but) new words, whereby often old, plain and obvious matters are intricated and obscured, at least to more ordinary Readers and Hearers, a notable perversion of the end of words, for which the institut •r of them will call to an account; neither are they satisfied with such curiosity in coarser and more come •n matters; but this Alien and Foreign, yea even Romantic and wanton stile of language is introduced into, and male-partly obtruded upon Theologicks and most sublimely spiritual purposes, whether discou used by vive voice, or committed to writing; (which ought I grant to be spoke as becometh the Oracles of God, with a grave appositeness of phrase, keeping some proportion with the Majesty of the matter, that they may not be exposed to contempt by any unbecoming incongruity or baseness) by which it cometh to pass to the inspeakable prejudice and obstruction of Edification, that many in their niceness, nauseating the form of simple and sound words, ⟨image 9⟩are ready to hiss and how • off the Theatre of the Church the most precious and profitable points of Truth, though abundantly beautiful, Majestic and powerful in their own native spiritual simplicity, as un •it to act their part, and as being but dull and blunt things, if not altogether unworthy to be owned and received as truths;