Preach Plainly

Let ns be plain in our speech, that every capacity, even of the weakest in the congregation, that hath an eternal soul, that must be damned or saved for ever, may understand, in things necessary to salvation, what we mean and aim and drive at.

It hath made me tremble to hear some soar aloft, that knowing men might know their parts, while the meaner sort are kept from the knowledge of Christ; and put their matter in such a dress of words, in such a style, so composed, that the most stand looking the preacher in the face, and hear a sound, but know not what he saith: and while he doth pretend to feed them, he indeed doth starve them; and while he doth pretend to teach them, keepeth them in ignorance.

Would a man of any bowels of compassion go from a prince to a condemned man, and tell him, in such language that he should not understand, the conditions upon which the prince would pardon him; and the poor man lose his life, because the proud and haughty messenger must show his knack in delivering his message in fine English, which the condemned man could not understand? But this is coarse dealing with a man in such circumstances that call for pity and compassion.

Paul had more parts and learning, but more self-denial, than any of these, when he said, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." (1 Cor. ii, 4.) "Seeing then that we lave such hope, we use great plainness of speech : and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could^not stcdfastly look to the end of that which is abolished." (2 Cor. iii. 12, 13.)

Some put a veil upon their words, that people of mean education, that yet have souls that must be damned or saved, cannot look into those truths that shall never be "abolished." But what is this, but a cursed preferring their own parts and praise before the salvation of eternal souls; and the preaching themselves, and not Christ? which will not be their praise, but shame, at the eternal judgment; when some shall plead that they stand there condemned, because the learned preacher would not stoop to speak to them of eternal matters in language that they might have understood.—Doolittle