If ever wee meane to doe any good,
wee must exhort and reproove, with all vehemency and authority; lifting
upp our voyce as a trumpet, as the sonnes of thunder; pearcing their
eares, witnessing, striving and contending, according to our gift
whatsoever it bee, to manifest our affections, that wee may worke upon
the people; which all the Art in the world will not teach us to doe:
onely zeale at the heart will naturally produce it, without straining or
affecting. If God require the heart as well as the head; why should wee
not labour to moove the affections, as well as enforme the judgement;
There is a doctrinall, and as some tearme it, a Doctorly kinde of
preaching, which is admired of some that understand it not; of others
that could be content with the Masse againe, because it was gentle, and
had no teeth in it. And such Sermons I have sometimes heard, for matter
voyd of exception, but so delivered, as if one were acting a part, or
saying a lesson by heart. It hath called to minde a song which sometimes
I have met withall, excellently composed, full of sweet ayre, surely and
truely sung; but with flat and dead voyces without spirit, which hath
marred the musique: Of such a Sermon and Preacher, the Countreymans
verdict did well, that said, this man may bee a great scholler, but hee
wants beetle and wedges to heaw our knotted timber withall, our greene
wood will not burn unlesse it be better blown; you shall sometimes see
an excellent horse of shape and colour, having many of those markes _Du
Bartes_ describes in _Caines_ supposed horse; which yet wanting mettle
hath beene of little worth, and lesse use.
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