Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

Ministers advised in the method of Profi∣table Preaching. [ 1358]

AS the Physitian himself gives not health,* 1.1 but onely gives some helps to bring the body into a fit temperament and disposition, so far as to help and strengthen Nature; So the Preacher cannot be said to give knowledg, but the helps and motives by which natural light being excited and helped, may get knowledg: And as he is the best Physitian, that doth not oppresse nature with a multitude of medicines, but pleasantly with a few doth help it for the re∣covery of health. So he is the best Preacher,* 1.2 not that knoweth how to heap up many mediums and Arguments to force the understanding, rather then to en∣tice it by the sweetnesse of light; but he that by the easy and gratefull Medi∣ums, which are within reach, or fitted to our light, doth lead Men as by the

hand unto the Truth; in the beholding, or sight of which Truth onely, know∣ledg doth consist and not in use of Arguments;* 1.3 hence is it that Arguments are called Reasons by a name of relation to Truth; And why so? but be∣cause they are a means for finding out of Truth, and discovery of Er∣rour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  R. Bax••er Saints Eternal R••st.
• * 1.2

  Gibieuf. in Praefat. lib. 2. de libert. citat. ex Aquin••te p. 1. q. 117.
• * 1.3

  Non tam ele∣ganter dicentes quam utilia docentes sunt audiendi. Zeno.