[1.] Before the text be divided, a Preface is to be made.

And it is a great chance if, first of all, the Minister does not make his text to be like something or other.

For example.  One, he tells you, “And now, methinks, my Text, like an ingenious [clever] Picture, looks upon all here present:  in which, both nobles and people, may behold their sin and danger represented.”  This was a text out of Hosea.  Now, had it been out of any other place of the Bible; the gentleman was sufficiently resolved to make it like “an ingenious Picture.”

Another taking, perhaps, the very same words, says, “I might compare my Text to the mountains of Bether, where the LORD disports Himself like a young hart or a pleasant roe among the spices.”

Another man’s Text is “like the rod of MOSES, to divide the waves of sorrow”; or “like the mantle of ELIJAH, to restrain the swelling floods of grief.”

Another gets to his Text thus, “As SOLOMON went up six steps to come to the great Throne of Ivory, so must I ascend six degrees to come to the high top-meaning of my Text.”

Another thus, “As DEBORAH arose, and went with BARAK to Kadesh; so, if you will go with him, and call in the third verse of the chapters he will shew you the meaning of his Text.”

Another, he fancies his Text to be extraordinarily like to “an orchard of pomegranates;” or like “St. MATTHEW sitting at the receipt of custom;” or like “the dove that NOAH sent out of the Ark.”

I believe there are above forty places of Scripture, that have been “like RACHEL and LEAH”:  and there is one in Genesis, as I well remember, that is “like a pair of compasses stradling.”  And, if I be not much mistaken, there is one, somewhere else, that is “like a man going to Jericho.”

Now, Sir, having thus made the way to the Text as smooth and plain as anything, with a Preface, perhaps from ADAM, though his business lie at the other end of the Bible:  in the next place; [2] he comes to divide the Text.

                       Hic labor, hoc opus
    Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum,
    Silvestrem tenui.

Now, come off the gloves! and the hands being well chafed [rubbed together]; he shrinks up his shoulders, and stretches forth himself as if he were going to cleave a bullock’s head, or rive the body of an oak!

But we must observe, that there is a great difference of Texts.  For all Texts come not asunder alike!  For sometimes the words naturally fall asunder! sometimes they drop asunder! sometimes they melt! sometimes they untwist! and there be some words so willing to be parted that they divide themselves! to the great ease and rejoicing of the Minister.

But if they will not easily come to pieces, then he falls to hacking and hewing! as if he would make all fly into shivers!  The truth of it is, I have known, now and then, some knotty Texts, that have been divided seven or eight times over! before they could make them split handsomely, according to their mind.