Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

First, As the Minister must not mingle any thing in his preaching, but that which is sound, so hearers must be careful not only that they do not here gross points of heresy: but if there be any tincture of error in the points they hear, they must not maintain them: As one that hath an Antipathy with a thing, (as with a serpent) will not only be afraid of it whilst it is alive, but he is loth to handle the skin of it, though it be stuffed with hay: So hearers should be afraid of the tincture of the skin of heresy. A man cannot be too curious of infectious things: for as he will not come into the house where they are, so he will not touch the cloth of those that have them: For we ought to hate the garment spotted with the flesh.

First, As the Minister must not mingle any thing in his preaching, but that which is sound, so hearers must be careful not onely that they do not here gross points of heresie: but if there be any tincture of error in the points they hear, they must not maintain them: As one that hath an Antipathy with a thing, (as with a serpent) will not onely be affraid of it whilest it is alive, but he is loth to handle the skin of it, though it be stuft with hay: So hearers should be afraid of the tincture of the skin of heresie. A man cannot be too curicus of infectious things: for as he will not come into the house where they are, so he will not touch the cloth of those that have them: For we ought to hate the garment spotted with the flesh.

First, Hearers must be rightly disposed to receive that which is wholesome, and therefore three duties in scripture are commanded to hearers.

1. To be able to discern that which is wholesome, & that which is not, 1 Thes. 5. 21. prove all things,