1z4. Doke sj. nKjngs a. ,etas 17. Curious bea- rers reproued. Sermons fhouldbe feafond morewith Salt,than Sugar. Miracles vfually defired onely for curiofity. Vpon the VVednefday after broughtto ferue him,but for toentertaine themfelues. A royalIMerchant wil vnpacke all his wares,& open whatfoeuer he hath in his fhop,to himthat comes tobuy ; but to him that (hall come only out ofcuriofitie, hewill fend himaway packing, andnottroublehimfelfewith him. HeroddidexpeúYiderelignum goodabeefieri,Tofeefamejigne wrought byhim. And though our Sauiour might hauefreed himfelfe by anyone miracle whatfoeuer, froma thoufandcalumnies and affronts ; yet would he notbeftowfomuch asa few words vponhim, for he knew it wouldhauebeene but acaftingof Pearles amongft Swine. The Phili.. ftines did much delire toknow,whither or no the God of Iff aeli were the Au- thor oftheir miferies ; and by the aduice and councell of their Soothfayers, theymade a new Cart , andtakingtwo milch Kyne, on whom therehadne- uer come anyyoke, tyingthe Kyneto the Care,and fetting the ArkeoftheTe- ftament thereupon,they faid, If they go fore-right,vp by thewayof it's owne coaft,toBethfhemifh,it is hethat didvs thisgreat euill ; but ifnot and that they fhall turnebacke theirheads atthe lowingof their Calfes, wee (hall know then thatit was not his handthat fmotevs , but itwas a chance that hapnedvnto vs. The Gouernours of the Philiftines followed after them , they beheld with their owne eyes all thefigues and tokens that they coulddeliire; theywereafro- Milledthereat, yet for all this did theynot forfake theirDagon; for theydefired thofefignes more tofee,thantobeleeue. Saint Paul preaching in Athens , of our Sauiors DeathandRefurreétion;thofe that were the belt Difputants in their Schooles,and thecurioufeft Schollers amongft them , came vino himand told him , Weemuch defire toheareand know this newDoctrine which thou prea- cheft : And it is noted in the Text,That Admhilaliudvacabant, nifi aut ddcere,aut audire aliquidnoui That theygauethemfclues tonothingelfe, buteither to tellortoheare lime newer ;defiring (as it fhouldfeeme)toheare andknow them, but not tobe- leeue them. Of this ftampe arethofe who onelycome to Sermons for curiof- tie ; tomegapingfor fharpeandwittie conceits; others,forelegancie ofwords ; others forthe flowerand creme (asit were) of theScripture phrafe,Tand it's prettieallufions and allegories ; thisis that which their caresitch after ; nothing will down with them but quelques-chofes, madeditties, and pleating faucesfor the Palate, refuting that wholefome food of Gods Word,and thofefubftantiall morcells of found Doctrine, which fhould feed their foules to euerlafting life. Averitate guidonaudition auertent. Saint Auftenmakes a comparifon ofagolden Keywhich opens ill,andofone ofwood whichopens well : Now to himthat hathno otherpretenfionbut to open,it weremeerefollie inhim, to feeke after thegoldenone , when that ofwoodwill doe it better. And in another place, faith this facredDoEtor,That as Pharaohcommanded the male childrenofGods People to be killed,but fpared the females,that hemight therebyweakenthem, andbring themvnder; fo thofe Preachers which beftow all their paines in the neat dre(fngofwords, ornamentsofwit,and fluentneffeof fUie, (not regarding ftrong arguments andfound reafons) doe weaken the force of the truth, and bring their Dottrine at lait into contempt. Salt inaPreacher is morenecefl'ary' than Sugar ; thatwhich fhallfeafonour Soules,iather than that which fhal Twee_ ten ouePalates . that which fhall itrikehome toour hearts,than that which thalI onely tickle our eares. And inanother place,wherehe that treatethonelyofcu- riofitie inDoCirine,he auowes him tobein danger ofloofing theFaith; becaufe Curioffrieis theMother ofHerefe. And likewife in anotherplace flee faith, That thatthe curious man is likethe fcripulousman ; and that theAccefforie is thePrincipal],and the Principali the Accefforie; Coriolis earegudret, quanihil ad.
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