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. If there were no other
Preachers then these, which hold themselves the onely profound and
learned Preachers, I muse what should become of conversion of soules,
which they that covet; must come with the spirit of _Elias_, to turne
the hearts of the fathers to their children, I may in truth, and I hope
with modesty speake with the Preacher, that in observing I have
observed, and have found, that divers great Clarkes have had but little
fruit of their ministery; but hardly any truely zealous man of God
(though of lesser gifts) but have had much comfort of their labours, in
their owne and bordering parishes, being in this likened by _Gregorie_,
to the yron on the Smiths anvile sparkling round about. And if for this
any bordering neighbours, whose cold labours worke not the like
successe, shall accuse them of some kinde (I know not what) of policie