A Box of precious Oixtment : Or, Were not at all taken or delighted with the fpirituality,purityl and holinefs of the Word, as is evident in vv.-. 31. rind; they come unto thee as the pelple cometh, and they fit before thee ad my people, and they hear thy words) but they will not do them ; forl with their mouth they Thew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetoufnefs. It was a very fmart reproof of Chryfoflom to his Hearers ; This is that (faith he)which is like to undo your fouls, you hear your Minifters as fo many minflrels to pleafe the ear, not to pierce the confcience. Ampftin confeffeth, that the delight which he took before his converfion in Saint /irnbrojex Sermons, was more for the eloquence of the words,, than the fubflance of the matter. Hypocrites are taken more with the wit, eloquence of fpeech, aolion,quicknefs of fancy, fmoothnefs of {Tile, neatnefs of expreffion, and rarenefs of notion, than they are with the fpirituality, purity and holi- nefs of the Word, which they either hear or read. There hypocrites are like thofe children, who are More taken with the fine flowers that are ftrewed about the difh, than they are with the meat that is in the difh, and that are more taken with the red weeds and blew bottles that grow in the field, than they are with the good corn that grows there. But now, look as the prudent Farmer is taken more with a few hand- fuls of found corn, than he is with all the gay weeds that be in the field ; fo a fincere Chriflian is more taken with a few found truths in a. Sermon, than he is taken with all the ftrong lines, and :high strains and flouriflies of wit ; or than he is taken with force new coyned phrafes, or fome quaint expref- lions, or fome feraphical notions, with which a Sermon may be deckt or dreft up. -Some are taken with the Word as the profeffion of it brings in cuftomers into their Shops, and keeps up their credits-in the world ; others are taken with the Word, as it feems to tickle their ears and pleafe their fancies : Some are affeoled with Sermons, becaufe of the elegancy of the Rile, delicacy of words, fmoothnefs of the language, and gracefulnefs of the delivery. And thefe deal by Sermons as many do by their Nofegays that are made up of many pickt (fweet) flowers, who after they have frnelt to them a while, call them into a corner, and never mind them
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