Sin, the Plague of Plagues

As to the stile, I have not minded any curiosity, for I am still of my former opinion, that that eloquence doth injury to things, which draws us to observe it, seeing words are only for the matters sake, and should not hinder but help its promotion; fine expressions (according to what's said by a Learned and Eloquent person) fine expressions are but like the gaudy and gilded frame of a Looking-glass, which acquaints us not with our faces and features, The genuine use of a Looking-glass: yea many times the richness of the frame, doth so much amuse and dazzle the eyes of some childish persons, that they are regardless of any thing else: The Rhetoric diverts men from attending the more concerning, the instructive part of a discourse; yea, many that pretend to be Critics, make little other use of Sermons and good Books, then to censure or to applaud ⟨image 6⟩the contrivance, and the phrase, without minding the Doctrine, or caring to rectify what hath been discovered to them to be amiss: 'Tis no commend to a Preacher to be more solicitous to make his expressions, then to make his Hearers good: There must be no flattering of sinners; we must rather endeavour they may condemn themselves, then applaud us; and 'twill be more joy to a good Divine, to hear the peoples sighs for their sins, then to hear their praises of his Sermon, and that they follow his counsel, then that they admire his language: We must not speak against sin, to show an art of declaiming, a skill of speaking Oratoriously, but to exercise our own, and to provoke others to exert their hatred against it; and 'tis to be feared, that when the best of men have done their best and utmost, there will yet be too many that read pious books with less reverence and concern then a Romance, or a Play, being more for the Rhetoric then Divinity, for the wit then worth (which is to say) the shadow then substance of discourses; and (as the forementioned excellent person significantly ⟨image 7⟩expresseth it) If a devout book have not good store of witty passages, some Readers will not mind it at all; and if it have, they will mind nothing else. And this experience confirms. But whatever Readers this Book meet with, I have endeavoured that it may profit (and so far please) them, that I hope they will find nothing worthy of their displeasure, but the thing I write against.

As to the stile, I have not minded any curiosity, for I am still of my former opinion, that that eloquence doth injury to things, which draws us to observe it, seeing words are only for the matters sake, and should not hinder but help its promotion; fine expressions (according to what's said by a Learned and Eloquent person) fine expressions are but like the gawdy and guilded frame of a Looking-glass, which acquaints us not with our faces and features, The genuine use of a Looking-glass: yea many times the richness of the frame, doth so much amuse and dazle the eyes of some childish persons, that they are regardless of any thing else: The Rhetorick diverts men from attending the more concerning, the instructive part of a discourse; yea, many that pretend to be Criticks, make little other use of Sermons and good Books, then to censure or to applaud