The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

Reader, if the fault be not thine own, thou mayest gain much (nay I must say) most good by plain preaching. Those that dwell by the Sea side gather up those precious commodities (bequeathed to the Sea, at the death or wrack of the ship) when the Sea is lowest, which they cannot do when the waters are highest: I do not here plead for vain repetitions, and tedious circumlocutions; nor for them that dress their meat so slovenly that their Guests loath it. I know its below the Majesty of a King, when he is delivering his mind by his Ambassador, to play the Orator; but it is not below him to speak sense and reason. Wise men love a neat, compact discourse, but it must be more full of matter then words, convincing the judgement, and working upon the affections. Plain, solid Sermons, are most acceptable to pious and serious souls: There is a vast difference between washing the face of a Discourse clean, and painting it; the former is lawful and commendable, the latter sinful and abominable. Ministers must mind the capacities of their Auditories, and not put that meat into their mouths which their teeth cannot chew, nor their stomachs concoct: Their Sermons of quiddities, haecceities, and School niceties, may (in the opinion of giddy men) tend to their own praise, but never to their hearers profit: Such men when their children ask bread, give them stones which may choke them, but will not cherish them. It is pity he should ever teach School, that will ⟨p. 210⟩not speak to his Scholars, so as they may understand him.

Reader, if the fault be not thine own, thou mayest gain much (nay I must say) most good by plain preaching. Those that dwell by the Sea side gather up those precious commodities (bequeathed to the Sea, at the death or wrack of the ship) when the Sea is lowest, which they cannot do when the waters are highest: I do not here plead for vain repetitions, and tedious circumlocutions; nor for them that dress their meat so slovenly that their Guests loath it. I know its below the Majestie of a King, when he is delivering his minde by his Ambassador, to play the Orator; but it is not below him to speak sense and reason. Wise men love a neat, compact discourse, but it must be more full of matter then words, convincing the judgement, and working upon the affections. Plain, solid Sermons, are most acceptable to pious and serious souls: There is a vast difference between washing the face of a Discourse clean, and painting it; the former is lawful and commendable, the latter sinful and abominable. Ministers must minde the capacities of their Auditories, and not put that meat into their mouthes which their teeth cannot chew, nor their stomachs concoct: Their Sermons of quiddities, haeccieties, and School nicities, may (in the opinion of giddy men) tend to their own praise, but never to their hearers profit: Such men when their children ask bread, give them stones which may choak them, but will not cherish them. It is pity he should ever teach School, that will