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

1. It is more powerful without it, it cuts deeper. The Word is a two edged sword, the more naked the sword is, the deeper it cuts, but when we clothe it with humane sayings, it is put into a scabbard; so the purer the Word is, the more effectual it is. Therefore Paul said, I delivered it not in eloquence of words, least Christs Cross should be in vain.

1. It is more powerful without it, it cuts deeper. The Word is a two edged sword, the more naked the sword is, the deeper it cuts, but when we clothe it with humane sayings, it is put into a scabbard; so the purer the Word is, the more effectual it is. Therefore Paul said, I delivered it not in eloquence of words, least Christs Crosse should be in vain.

2. It is never the whit more beautiful, for add mixture of heathen beauty with it, but more beautiful without it, as they say of a Diamond, quicquid absconditur perditur, so much as is hidden is lost, though it be in gold, because it is better all might be seen; so to have the Word purely delivered, is better then if it be covered in golden sayings, and so much as is buried is lost, because it is more excellent. Gold is not covered because it is better then iron; and when the Word which is Gold is mixed with humane ⟨p. 316⟩sayings, why say we that it is adorned?

2. It is never the whit more beautiful, for add mixture of heathen beauty with it, but more beautiful without it, as they say of a Diamond, quicquid absconditur perditur, so much as is hidden is lost, though it be in gold, because it is better all might be seen; so to have the Word purely delivered, is better then if it be covered in golden sayings, and so much as is buried is lost, because it is more excellent. Gold is not covered because it is better then iron; and when the Word which is Gold is mixt with humane ⟨p. 316⟩sayings, why say we that it is adorned?