And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Ver. 4. With enticing words] Religion is not a matter of parts, words, or wit. The devil cares not for the sons of Sceva's adjurations. Abana and Pharphar may cleanse, but Jordan only can cure. God's holy things must be handled, Sancte magis quam scite, with fear and reverence, rather than with wit and dalliance. Let ministers set out the work of God as skilfully and adornedly as they can, but still aim at the winning of souls. Let not the window be so painted as to keep out the light. (The Saint's Everlast. Rest.) Some frothy discourses are like children's babies, that when you have taken away the dressing, you have taken away all; or like beautiful pictures, which have much cost bestowed on them to make them comely and desirable to the eye; but life, heat, and motion there is none. O pulchrum caput! sed sensus non inest, Oh beautiful head but no feeling there, said the ape in the fable. Prudentibus viris non placent phalerata, sed fortia, said Bishop Jewel, who ever loved a manlike eloquence, but not that which is effeminate. No more did Reverend Mr Samuel Crook, but ever shunned those more gay and lighter flourishes of a luxuriant wit, wherewith the emptiest cells affect to be most fraught, as they who for lack of wares in their shops set up painted blocks to fill up vacant shelves. (Clark's Lives; Life of Master Crook, by W. G.)
In demonstration of the spirit] With demonstrations fetched out of the very marrow of the Scriptures. It must be an elaborate speech that shall work upon the conscience. A man must enlighten with his own other men's understandings, and heat by his own other men's affections. Si vis me flere, &c. (Horat.) Bonaventure's words in preaching were non inflantia sed inflammantia, not high-swelling, but inflaming his hearers. (Mr Clark's Life of Bonav.)