First, Jesus Christ must be Preached Plainly, Perspicuously, so as the meanest capacity may understand what they ⟨p. 297⟩say concerning Christ; they must Preach Christ for edification, and not to work admiration, as too many do in these days. Paul was excellent at this kind of Preaching, 1 Cor. 14. 18, 19. he had rather speak five words to edification, 1then ten thousand words to work admiration in ignorant people. So in 1 Cor. 2. 4, 5. And my speech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. As if he should say, Such Preach with little power, who come with the excellency of speech, or with the enticing words of mans wisdom. Ah! many there are (I speak it with grief, and to their shame) that delight to soar aloft in obscure discourses, and to express themselves in new-minted words and phrases, and to show high strains, and flashes of wit, and all to work admiration in the ignorant. Such kind of Preachers are as clouds, and painted glass-windows, that hinder the 2light from shining in upon souls, that hinder the Sun of righteousness from breaking forth in his beauty and glory upon the spirits of poor Creatures. Woe unto these men in the day when such souls shall plead against them, when they shall say, Lord here are the persons whose Office and work was to make dark things plain, and they have made plain things dark and obscure, that we might rather wonder at them, then any ways profit by them. Aaron's Bells were of pure gold; our whole Preaching must be Scripture-proof, or we and our works must burn together. The profoundest Prophets accommodated themselves to their hearers capacities. Holy Moses covers his glistering face with a Veil, when he was to speak to the people. Yea, 'tis very observable, that the Evangelists spake vulgarly many times for their hearers sake, even to a manifest incongruity, as you may see in John 17. 2. Rev. 1. 4. But above all, it is most observable concerning God the father, who is the great Master of speech, when he spake from Heaven, he makes use of three several Texts of Scripture, in one breath, Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved 3Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him. This is my beloved Son; that Scripture you have in Psal. 2. 7. In whom I ⟨p. 298⟩am well pleased;
FIrst, Jesus Christ must be Preached Plainly, Perspicuously, so as the meanest capacity may understand what they ⟨p. 297⟩say concerning Christ; they must Preach Christ for edification, and not to work admiration, as too many doe in these dayes. Paul was excellent at this kind of Preaching, 1 Cor. 14. 18, 19. he had rather speak five words to edification, 1then ten thousand words to work admiration in ignorant people. So in 1 Cor. 2. 4, 5. And my speech, and my preaching was not with intising words of mans wisedome, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men, but in the power of God. As if he should say, Such Preach with little power, who come with the excellency of speech, or with the intising words of mans wisedome. Ah! many there are (I speak it with grief, and to their shame) that delight to soare aloft in obscure discourses, and to expresse themselves in new-minted words and phrases, and to shew high straines, and flashes of wit, and all to work admiration in the ignorant. Such kind of Preachers are as clouds, and painted glasse-windowes, that hinder the 2light from shining in upon soules, that hinder the Sun of righteousnesse from breaking forth in his beauty and glory upon the spirits of poore Creatures. Woe unto these men in the day when such soules shall plead against them, when they shall say, Lord here are the persons whose Office and worke was to make darke things plaine, and they have made plaine things darke and obscure, that we might rather wonder at them, then any wayes profit by them. Aarons Bels were of pure gold; our whole Preaching must be Scripture-proof, or we and our works must burne together. The profoundest Prophets accommodated themselves to their hearers capacities. Holy Moses covers his glistering face with a Vaile, when he was to speak to the people. Yea, 'tis very observeable, that the Evangelists spake vulgarly many times for their hearers sake, even to a manifest incongruity, as you may see in John 17. 2. Rev. 1. 4. But above all, it is most observeable concerning God the father, who is the great Master of speech, when he spake from Heaven, he makes use of three severall Texts of Scripture, in one breath,
- 1Preaching is not a matter of parts, words, or wit, 'tis Scripture demonstration that works upon the conscience, and that God owns and crowns.Preaching is not a matter of parts, words, or wit, 'tis Scripture demonstration that works upon the conscience, and that God ownes and crownes.
- 2It was a saying of Luther, From a vainglorious Doctor, from a c•n••ntious Pastor, and from unprofitable Questions, good Lord deliver his ChurchIt was a saying of Luther, From a vaineglorious Doctour, from a c•n••ntious Pastour, and from unprofitable Questions, good Lord deliver his Church
- 3Si vis fieri bonus concionatur
