2. Plainly and Faithfully
Thomas Brooks
Ephesians 3:8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Many weak spirits in these days think that it is as easy to preach as to play, and so they hop from one thing to another. There are those that are not fit for the lowest employment, yet judge themselves fit enough for the greatest and weightiest employment in the world. However, this work would certainly break the backs, not only of the best and strongest men, but even of the angels, if God will not put His “everlasting arms” under them. There is no labour to that of the mind, no travail to that of the soul; and those that are faithful in the Lord’s vineyard find it so. Luther was wont to say that if he were again to choose his calling, he would dig or do anything, rather than take upon him the office of a minister. And many other eminent lights have been of the same opinion with him.
Taken, with editing, from Brooks’ Works, vol 3. Last month’s article explained “why it is the great duty of ministers to preach Christ to the people”.
“Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor 2:16). Almost every upstart in these days thinks himself sufficient. “Who am I?” says Moses.
But what rules is every preacher to observe in preaching Christ to the people? I answer, These eleven:
1. Jesus Christ must be preached plainly and clearly.
So that the one with the lowest capacity may understand what is said 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 than 10 000 words to work admiration in ignorant people. So Paul: “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, They preach with little power who come with excellency of speech, or with the enticing words of man’s wisdom. 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.
Preaching is not a matter of parts, words, or wit; it is Scripture demonstration that works upon the conscience and that God owns and crowns.
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 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 than any way profit by them. Aaron’s bells were of pure gold. Our whole preaching must have Scripture proof, or we and our works must burn together.
It was a saying of Luther: “From a vain-glorious scholar, from a contentious pastor, and from unprofitable questions, good Lord deliver His Church!”
The profoundest prophets accommodated themselves to their hearers’ capacities. Holy Moses covers his glittering face with a veil when he was to speak to the people. It is most noticeable that when God the Father, the great Master of speech, speaks from heaven, He makes use of three texts of Scripture in one breath: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear Him” (Mt 17:5). “This is My beloved Son”; you have that scripture in Psalm 2:7; “In whom I am well pleased”; you have this in Isaiah 42:1; “Hear Him”; you have this in Deuteronomy 18:15.
All of these may direct them to blush who, through a strange wisdom, disdain the stately plainness of the Scripture! How unlike to God are the preachers that think they may correct God’s wisdom and eloquence with their own childishness, vanity, novelty and sophistry! Indeed 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” (Mk 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 tie such knots that they could never untie, but He would not. He delights to speak to His hearers’ shallow capacities. So: “I have yet 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 in ordinary language, that preaches most plainly.” He is not the best preacher that tickles the ear, or that works upon the fancy, but he that breaks the heart and awakens the conscience. It is sad to consider how many preachers in these days are like Heraclitus, who was called “the dark doctor” because he spoke in a difficult way. How many in these days use unusual phrases, making plain truths difficult and easy truths hard! They darken “counsel by words without knowledge” (Job 38:2). But I will leave you to judge how unlike these dark teachers are to Christ, the prophets and the apostles. Nor would I have their accounts to make up for all the world; 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 “which are saved, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:18). I have stayed the longer upon 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 wants to be cheered, and weakening those wicked hands that God wants to be weakened, and strengthening those feeble knees that God wants to be strengthened.
Ministers are ambassadors; and you know it is the great responsibility of ambassadors to be very faithful in their master’s messages. God looks more to a minister’s faithfulness than to anything else, and is affected more with it. A great voice, an affected tone, studied ideas and silken expressions may affect poor, weak souls; but it is only the faithfulness of a minister in his ministerial work that God notices: “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Mt 25:21-23) – a joy too big to enter into thee, and therefore thou 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 God usually crowns him and his labours most, and sends most fish into his net, that is most faithful, though he is less skillful – that has more of the heart in the work, though he has less of the brain.
The office of a minister is the highest office; and if his office be the highest, his faithfulness must correspond, or he will be doubly miserable.
Plutarch writes about a maid that was to be sold in the market: a trader asked her, “Will you be faithful if I buy you?” “Ay,” said she, “that I will even if you do not buy me.” So ministers must be faithful (Is 52:7), though God should not buy them, though he should not in particular ways encourage them in their work. 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.
A Greek writer and philosopher of the late first century and early second century AD.