Thomas Brooks
[1.] Jesus Christ must be preached plainly and clearly, so that the least educated may understand what ministers say about 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 than ten thousand words to work admiration in ignorant people. So, he said, “My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s 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” (1 Cor 2:4,5). As if he should say, Such preach with little power who come with excellency of speech or with the enticing words of man’s wisdom. Ah, there are many (I speak it with grief, and to their shame) that delight to soar aloft in obscure discourses, to express themselves in new-minted words and phrases, and to show flashes of wit – and all to work admiration in the ignorant.
Such preachers are as clouds and painted-glass windows that hinder the light from shining in upon souls, that hinder the Sun of righteousness from breaking forth in His beauty and glory on 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 were to make dark things plain, and they have made plain things dark and obscure, that we might rather wonder at them than in any way profit by them.
Aaron’s bells were of pure gold. Our whole preaching must be consistent with Scripture, or we and our works must burn together. The profoundest prophets accommodated themselves to their hearers’ capacities. Holy Moses covered his glistening face with a veil when he was to speak to the people. Yes, it is noticeable that the Gospel-writers used common language many times for their hearers’ sake. But above all, it is most noticeable that, when God the Father spoke from heaven, who is the great Master of speech, He made use of three different texts of Scripture in one breath: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him” (Mt 17:5); you have the scriptures: “This is My beloved Son” (Ps 2:7); “In whom I am well pleased” (Is 42:1); “Hear Him” (Deut 18:15).
All of these may direct them to blush who disdain the stately plainness of the Scriptures! O how unlike God such preachers are that think they may correct the divine wisdom and eloquence with their own immaturity, vanity,
1Taken, with editing, from Brooks’ The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, in Works, vol. 3. He gives 11 rules in all; they are spread over three articles.
novelty and sophistry! Jesus Christ Himself, the great Teacher of the Church, teaches this lesson: “With many such parables spake He the word unto them, as they were able to hear it” (Mark 4:33), not as He was able to have spoken. He could have expressed Himself at a higher rate than all mortals can! He could have been in the clouds. He knew how to knit such knots that they could never untie, but He would not. He delights to speak to His hearers’ shallow capacities. So: “I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (Jn 16:12). He that does not speak to the hearers’ capacities is as a barbarian to them and they to him.
“He is the best teacher,” says Luther, “that preaches . . . most plainly.” He is not the best preacher that tickles the ear or that works on the fancy, but he that breaks the heart and awakens the conscience. It is sad to consider how many preachers in these days make plain truths difficult and easy truths hard! They darken “counsel by words without knowledge” (Job 38:2). But how unlike they are to Christ, to the prophets and the apostles, I will leave you to judge. Nor would I have, for all the world, their accounts to make up; I will leave them to stand or fall to their own Master. God loves, owns and crowns plain preaching. Though some account it foolishness, yet to them that are saved it is “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:20-30). I have stayed longer on this first direction because of its great usefulness in these deluding days.
[2.] As they must preach Christ plainly, so they must preach Christ faithfully (Prov 13:17; 25:13; Job 33:23). Ministers are stewards (1 Cor 4:2), and you know it is the duty of a steward to be faithful in his stewardship, to give to every man the portion that is due to him – cheering up those hearts that God would have cheered, and weakening those wicked hands that God would have weakened, and strengthening those feeble knees that God would have strengthened. Ministers are ambassadors, and you know it is the great business of ambassadors to be very faithful in transmitting their master’s messages. God looks more to, and is affected more with, a minister’s faithfulness than anything else. A great voice, an affected tone, studied ideas and silken expressions may attract and captivate poor weak souls; but it is only the faithfulness of a minister in his ministerial work that has influence with God: “Well done, good and faithful servant . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Mt 25:23).
This is a joy too big to enter into you, therefore you must enter into it. This was Paul’s glory, that he had not shunned to declare unto them “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Neither fear nor favour swayed him one way or another, but he was faithful in his Master’s work. And usually God crowns him and his labours most, and sends most fish into his net, that
is most faithful though he be less skilful – that has more of the heart in the work, though he has less of the brain.
Plutarch2 tells of a maid who was about to be sold in the market. A merchant asked her: “Will you be faithful if I buy you?” “Yes,” said she, “that I will even if you do not buy me.” So ministers must be faithful, even if God should not buy them, even if He should not encourage them in their work in a particular way. Their very feet are beautiful who are faithful, and their message most comforting to those that sigh and mourn, that labour and languish, under the sense of sin and fear of wrath (Is 52:7).
[3.] They must preach Christ humbly as well as faithfully. We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor 4:5). Paul does not compliment as the men of the world do, “Your servants, sir,” but he spoke as it was, for there are no greater servants than those that are servants to the souls of men for Jesus’ sake. So John the Baptist was very humble in exercising his ministry: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).
Luther used to say that a minister must take heed of bringing three dogs into the pulpit: pride, covetousness and envy. The friends of the Bridegroom must not woo and sue for themselves but for the Bridegroom. Dispensers of the gospel are the Bridegroom’s friends, and they must not speak one word for the Bridegroom and two for themselves, as has been the trade of many weak and worthless men. It is the greatest glory of a minister in this world to be high in spiritual work and humble in heart. Vain glory is a pleasant thief; it is the sweet spoiler of spiritual excellencies. Paul was very humble in the exercise of his ministry: none so high in worth as he, and none so humble in heart as he. Though he was the greatest among the apostles, yet he accounts himself less than the least of all saints. Indeed he counted it not only his duty but his glory to be a servant to the weakest saints: “To the weak became I as weak”. “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?” (1 Cor 9:22, 2 Cor 11:29).