“Preach the Word.”
2 Tim. 4:2
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
1 Cor. 1:21
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Subsections
Open-Air Preaching
Expositing the Scriptures as “Prophesying”
Should a Silenced Minister Preach?
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Order of Contents
Articles 7+
Books 2
Quotes 4
Latin 3
Uniquely Verbal
Office does Not Add to Efficacy
How to Preach
Advice
Experimental
Extemporary
Preaching through Biblical Books
Including Children in Preaching
Contra Lay-Preaching
. Rutherford’s Distinctions
Reading Sermons from Pulpit
Laymen: may Preach in Necessity
Preaching is an Act of Governing
Sermon Collections
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Articles
1300’s
Wyclif, John – pt. 4, ch. 21, ‘The Necessity of Preaching the Word’ in On the Truth of Holy Scripture tr. Ian C. Levy in TEAMS Commentary Series (1377-1378; Medieval Institute Publications, 2001), pp. 285-92
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1500’s
Beza, Theodore – 29. Another fruit of the preaching of the law, after the preaching of the gospel begins to work in A Brief & Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith made in Form of a Confession (London, 1562), ch. 4
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573), A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism
13th Dialogue: Of the Church & of the Ministry of the Same
How that the Ministry of the Word of God is perpetually necessary to the Church in this world
Of other Gifts of God which are not so necessary for the Church as the gift of preaching
14th Dialogue: Of the Preaching of the Gospel
Of the Principal parts of the ministry of the Church
Of the Administration of the Word, and of the principal points that therein are to be considered
Of the Points that are required to set forth purely the Word of God
Of Repentance by the which the preaching of the Gospel must be begun
How that True Repentance cannot be without faith
Of the True & False faith and repentance
Of the Forgiveness of Sins, and of the assurance of the conscience by the same
By what mean Men attain to eternal life, and of the benefits comprehended in the communion of saints
Of the Excellency of the ministry, and of the other two parts of the same
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1600’s
Askew, Egeon – ‘An Apology, of the Use of Fathers & Secular Learning in Sermons’ in Brotherly Reconcilement: Preached in Oxford for the Union of some, and now published with larger meditations for the unity of all in this Church and Commonwealth (London: 1605), pp. 257-353
Askew was a reformed Anglican.
Ames, William – ch. 35, ‘Ordinary Ministers & their Office in Preaching’ in The Marrow of Theology tr. John D. Eusden (1623; Baker, 1997), bk. 1, pp. 190-96
Ames (1576-1633) was an English, puritan, congregationalist, minister, philosopher and controversialist. He spent much time in the Netherlands, and is noted for his involvement in the controversy between the reformed and the Arminians. Voet highly commended Ames’s Marrow for learning theology.
Durham, James – A Commentary upon the Book of the Revelation (Edinburgh, 1658)
ch. 3, Lecture 3, ‘Some general observations concerning preaching, and especially application’, pp. 248-60
ch. 10, ‘Concerning a minister’s particular message to a particular auditory, and if it may be again and again insisted-on and repeated?’ [Yes], pp. 472-76
Vossius, Gerhard Johann – ‘On the Definition of Rhetoric & Its Three Types’ in Elementa Rhetorica (Cellis, 1662) tr. Michael Lynch
Vossius (1577-1649) was a Dutch classical scholar and Arminian.
van Mastricht, Peter – ‘The Best Method of Preaching’ in Theoretical-Practical Theology ed. Joel Beeke, tr: Todd Rester (RHB, 2018), vol. 1, Prolegomena, pp. 3-38
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Books
Medieval Church
Wenzel, Siegfried – The Art of Preaching: Five Medieval Texts & Translations (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2013)
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1600’s
Perkins, William – The Art of Prophesying, or a Treatise concerning the Sacred & Only True Manner & Method of Preaching (London: Kyngston, 1607) ToC
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Quotes
Order of
Baillie
Baxter
Owen
Fleming
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1600’s
Robert Baillie
A Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time, wherein the Tenets of the Principal Sects, Especially of the Independents, are Drawn Together in One Map (1645), ch. 6, p. 118
“In preaching they [the Independents] differ from the Brownists [Separatists] and us, and join with the Popish monks; they will not be tied to a text of Scripture for the ground of their discourse, but will be at liberty to run out on whatsoever matter they think most fit and expedient for their hearers.”
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Richard Baxter
The Cure of Church Divisions… (London, 1670), pt. 1, Direction 41, pp. 214-15
“It is pity that any wise and judicious minister should want [lack] that fervor and seriousness of speech which the weight of so great a business does require. And it is greater pity that any serious, affectionate minister should be ignorant and injudicious: And it is yet greater pity that in any good men, too much of their fervor should be merely affected and seem to be what it is not; or at least be raised by a selfish desire to advance ourselves in the hearers’ thoughts and to exercise our parts upon their affections.
But it is most pitiful that the Church has any hypocrites who have no other but such affected dissembled fervency. And it is not the least pity that so many good people, especially youths and women, should be so weak, as to value an affectionate tone of speech above a judicious opening of the Gospel.
I confess there is something in an affectionate expression, which will move the wisest: And as light and judgment tend to generate judgment, so heat of affection tends to beget affection. And I never loved a senseless delivery of matters of eternal consequence, as if we were asleep ourselves, or would make the hearers to be so: or would have them think by our cold expressions that we believe not ourselves, when we set forth the great inestimable things of the life to come.
But yet it grieves my very soul to think what pitiful, raw and ignorant kind of preaching is crowded most after in many places for the mere affectionate manner of expression and loudness of the preacher’s voice! How oft have I known the ablest preachers undervalued and an ignorant man by crowds applauded, when I that have been acquainted with the preacher ab incunabulis [from infancy], have known him to be unable well to answer most questions in the common catechism. And I durst not tell them of his great insufficiency and ignorance for fear of hindering the success of his labors and being thought envious at other men’s acceptance.”
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John Owen
Works, vol. 16, p. 76
“A man preaches that sermon only well unto others which preaches itself in his own soul. And he that does not feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food which he provides for others will scarce make it savoury unto them; yea, he knows not but the food he has provided may be poison, unless he have really tasted of it Himself. If the Word do not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.”
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Robert Fleming, Sr.
The Church Wounded & Rent by a Spirit of Division… (1681), §4, pp. 38–39
“…the great aim and concern of the most serious [Scottish, indulged] non-conformed ministers… under constraint of duty… has been… to show the indispensable need of embracing that blessed offer of reconciliation by Christ: as also to press holiness and give warning of any snare when it is evident the people might be in hazard thereby.”
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Latin Articles
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert
‘On shameful acts not-to-be-named [e.g. in preaching]’ in Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht, 1667), vol. 4, 50. ‘A Syllabus of Questions on the Whole Decalogue’, p. 807
Ecclesiastical Politics (Amsterdam: Waesberge, 1663)
vol. 1, pt. 1, bk. 2, tract 2
section 2, ‘On the public administration of the Word of God’ 598
vol. 3, pt. 2, bk.4, tract 3, Of Ecclesiastical Assistants0
3. Of the Preacher, Disputator, Catechizer and Ecclesiastical Scholar 923
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On Preaching as an Uniquely Verbal Act
Quote
George Gillespie
English-Popish Ceremonies (1637), pt. 3, ch. 5, pp. 83-84
“…the purpose of Christ while he said to the Pharisees, ‘The Law and the prophets were until John: from that time the Kingdom of God is preached.’ [Lk. 16:16] He had in the parable of the unjust steward, and in the application of the same, spoken somewhat contemptibly of riches: Which when the Pharisees heard, they derided him, and that for this pretended reason (as is evident from the answer which is returned unto them) because the Law promises the world’s goods, as rewards and blessings to the people of God, that by the temporal things, which are set forth for types and shadows of eternal things, they might be instructed, helped and lead as it were by the hand, to the contemplation, desire and expectation of those heavenly and eternal things, which are not seen.
Now, Christ did not only rip up the hypocrisy of their hearts, verse 15, but also gave a formal answer to their pretended reason, by showing them how the Law is by Him perfected, verse 16, yet not destroyed, Verse 17. Then, will we observe how He teaches that the Law and the prophets are perfected, and so our point shall be plain.
The Law and the prophets were until John. i.e. they did typify and prophesy concerning the things of the Kingdom of God until John, for before that time the faithful only saw those things afar off, and by types, shadows and figures, and the rudiments of the world were taught to know them; But from that time the Kingdom of God is preached. i.e. the people of God are no longer to be instructed concerning the things of the Kingdom of God by outward signs or visible shadows and figure, but only by the plain Word of the Gospel, for now the Kingdome of God [Greek], is not typified as before, but plainly preached, as a thing exhibited to us and present with us. Thus we see, that to us in the days of the Gospel the Word only is appointed to teach the things belonging to the Kingdom of God.”
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Article
Fentiman, Travis – section in Drama article
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The Minister’s Office does Not Add to the Efficacy of the Word, but He is Called, Sent & Authorized with the Function to Preach the Word & hence is thus an Ordinary Means Ordained & Used by God by which Sinners are Ordinarily Saved
Quote
Wilhelm Apollonius
A Consideration of Certain Controversies at this Time Agitated in the Kingdom of England, Concerning the Government of the Church of God (London: G.M., 1645), ch. 5, ‘Of the Ecclesiastical Ministry, and the Exercise thereof’, pp. 67-70
““We grant in this Question:
1. That private Christians from the common duty of charity, making use of those spiritual gifts which they have received from God for men’s edification, do sometimes convert to the faith those souls which went astray; and bring those who live in the world, out of the Church, unto the body of the Church of Christ. See Jn. 4:29, etc. 1 Cor. 7:16.
2. We do not think that the office of him who preaches the Word, as sent of God and the Church, do confer any efficacy to the Word preached by him; or has any influence upon the soul of him that is converted. For the power of God only, and the Spirit which accompanies the Word preached, does give to the Word preached a virtue and saving efficacy for the conversion and salvation of souls, 1 Cor. 12:11 and 15:10. But we affirm that the Word preached by him who is ordained to an ecclesiastical office, and does by his ecclesiastical office authoritatively preach the Word, is the ordinary means to which God does by the efficacy of his Spirit give assistance for the conversion of those who live in sin out of Church-communion. So that pastors, as pastors, by virtue of their pastoral office are the ordinary means of the conversion of those men who live in the world.
This assertion is proved:
1. Because faith is given and first attained by the Word preached, by those who by an ecclesiastical call are sent of God, to the pastoral Office, and by virtue of mission and function preach the Word, whereby faith is wrought in man. See Rom. 10:14-15; 1 Cor. 3:19; Gal. 3:2.
2. Because pastors of Churches by reason of the office they bear, are fathers, who do first beget their children to Christ in the Church; and by the spiritual seed of God, do give spirit and life to those that are dead in sins: See 1 Cor. 4:15; Gal. 4:19; 2 Cor. 2:16.
3. Pastors are enjoined, as an office peculiarly belonging to them, to preach the Word of God with all meekness, mildness, and patience, if perhaps God will give repentance to those who are held captives in the snares of the Devil, 2 Tim. 2:24-26, to open the eyes of those who sit in darkness, and to bring them to the light of the Gospel and of grace, Acts 26:18, to seek lost sheep for the Lord, Eze. 34:4-5, and to bring into captivity to the obedience of Christ those who with high minds exalt themselves against the Word of God, 2 Cor. 10:4-5.
We reject therefore the opposite positions of those:
1. Who affirm that the conversion of wicked men is not an effect intended that it should be produced by virtue of the ecclesiastical ministry as a means appointed to that end; and therefore that never any are converted by the pastors of the Church by virtue of any ecclesiastical office but by accident, as they are gifted Christians: affirming that ordinarily the conversion of such as go astray is by such Christians endued with gifts of prophesy. But it is certain from the holy Scripture that the ecclesiastical ministry is appointed by God for this end, as the ordinary means whereby such as are strangers and enemies to God may be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5:20, and brought to Christ, 2 Cor. 11:2-4.
2. Of those who affirm that sincere conversion of men is a certain argument that those by whose preaching the Word they are converted are sent of God, according to that Rom. 10:14-15; Jer. 23:32. But we judge that the sending which the apostle speaks of, Rom. 10:14-15, is a sending to an office in a due order, whether extraordinary or ordinary, ecclesiastically performed; and that it consists not only in conferring gifts, whereby a man is made fit for the ministery, or prophecy, but in conferring authority and conveying ministerial authority; as the Protestants prove by manifest arguments against the Socinians. And although private Christians in the duty of charity, and by reason of gifts wherein they are subservient to God, do convert some from their sins; yet it follows not that they are thus sent, as that they have authority as the ambassadours of Christ in his Name to preach the Word of God authoritatively; because they want [lack] the authoritative mission by the Church of Christ, whereby that ministry in the Church is conferred wherein men as the ambassadors of Christ preach the Word of reconciliation, 1 Tim. 4:14; Tit. 1:5, 9-10; 2 Cor. 5:20.
Hence also our Belgic Reformed Churches acknowledge that preaching of the Word by ministers ecclesiastically called, is the ordinary means of men’s repentance and first reconciliation to God: as appears by the ecclesiastical Form of establishing pastors in the ministry of the Church through the whole Netherlands.”
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How to Preach
Booklet
Beeke, Joel – How to Evaluate Sermons Buy 48 pp.
This is the best guide for evaluating sermons that this webmaster has come across. It is filled with practical, experimental and spiritual religion. As such it will be a great help in assessing the characteristics of a finished sermon, and hence also, to some extent, how to prepare them, and what to be looking for in preparing them.
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Books
1600’s
Wilkins, John – On Books of the Bible in Ecclesiastes, or, A Discourse Concerning the Gift of Preaching as it Falls under the Rules of Art, showing the Most Proper Rules & Directions for Method, Invention, Books [&] Expression, whereby a Minister may be Furnished with such Abilities as may make him a Workman that Needs not to be Ashamed: Very Seasonable for these Times… 3rd ed. (London, 1651)
Wilkins (1614-1672) was an Anglican clergyman, natural philosopher and author, and was one of the founders of the Royal Society. He was Bishop of Chester from 1668 until his death.
This work was a standard English reference in its own day; it also contains excellent theological bibliographies on many of the main and particular loci in theology, interpretation, Church history, etc.
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1800’s
Dabney, Robert – Sacred Rhetoric: A Course of Lectures on Preaching Buy (1870) 361 pp. Southern presbyterian
A classic textbook on preaching, specifically on how to prepare, build and deliver sermons.
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1900’s
ed. Macleod, Donald –Here is my Method: the Art of Sermon Construction (Revell, 1952) 185 pp. ToC
This Macleod was a professor of homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary in the mid-1900’s (liberal). 13 preachers describe their method for constructing a sermon, and then the sermon follows.
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Advice on Preaching
Order of
Livingstone
Whyte
Ortlund
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1600’s
John Livingstone 1603-1672
‘Remarks on Preaching and Praying in Public by John Livingstone’, in Scottish Puritans: Select Biographies, vol. 1
p. 287
“It is most probable that no gift, no pains a man takes to fit himself for preaching, shall ever do good to the people or himself, except a man labor to have and keep his heart in a spiritual condition before God, depending on Him always for furniture and the blessing. Earnest faith and prayer, a single aim at the glory of God, and good of people, a sanctified heart and carriage, shall avail much for right preaching. There is sometime somewhat in preaching that cannot be ascribed either to the matter or expression, and cannot be described what it is, or from whence it comes, but with a sweet violence, it pierces into the heart and affections, and comes immediately from the Lord. But if there be any way to attain to any such thing, it is by a heavenly disposition of the speaker.”
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p. 288
“The light of nature, which is a spark of the will of God, has taught many useful rules even to pagans, anent the right way of making solemn speeches before others, the most of which are to be applied to preaching with due discretion; so that what is thought unseemly in the one is to be avoided in the other. But the best rules are taken from the preachings of Christ, of the apostles and prophets.”
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1900’s
Alexander Whyte †1921
Bunyan Characters (Third Series), Ch. 19, Mr. Wet-Eyes, pp. 157-58 HT: Andrew Myers
“Spiritual preaching; real face to face, inward, verifiable, experimental, spiritual preaching; preaching to a heart in the agony of its sanctification; preaching to men whose whole life is given over to making them a new heart — that kind of preaching is scarcely ever heard in our day.
There is great intellectual ability in the pulpit of our day, great scholarship, great eloquence, and great earnestness, but spiritual preaching, preaching to the spirit — ‘wet-eyed’ preaching — is a lost art.”
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2000’s
Dane Ortlund
39 Preaching Rules for every Sermon
“1. Jesus preached peace (Eph. 2:17); don’t be a better preacher than Jesus.
2. Preach first to yourself.
3. Preach from your heart, not only to their heart.
4. Leverage your own distress.
5. How much do you have to hate the people to try to impress them rather than help them?
6. A pervasive tone of encouragement.
7. Vivid imagery. Visceral, sensory. Littered with analogues.
8. They’re more distressed than they’re revealing.
9. The power is in the Word, not your cleverness.
10. The Spirit works with your weakness and need, not our strength and sufficiency.
11. Think yourself full, pray yourself aglow.
12. Be concrete, not abstract.
13. Specificity communicates universality.
14. Be clear. Lewis: sheep. If you given them a route to misunderstand, they’ll take it.
15. Be simple but not simplistic.
16. Ruthlessly cut everything extraneous.
17. Smile. And mean it. Preaching is an act of pastoral love.
18. Doctrine is not enough; but, people do want to know doctrine.
19. Regularly reveal something of your own weakness.
20. Let them know of exegetical discoveries new to you.
21. Don’t ask adjectives to do the work verbs should be doing.
22. Make the gospel clear at some point.
23. Both unbelievers and believers are present.
24. Both eager and stagnant belieers are present.
25. Remember, and speak directly to, the kids.
26. Speak in your natural everyday voice; resist every form of ‘the preacher’s voice’.
27. Handle objections.
28. When on the fence, shorter is better.
29. Quit preaching while you still have them.
30. You don’t look as happy as you are; so stretch for joy.
31. If they feel loved by you (Phil. 4:1), they will feel hurt with you (Phil. 4:14).
32. ‘We will hear you again about this’ (Acts 17:32). Intrigue them with Jesus, even if they haven’t collapsed into his arms yet.
33. Don’t let your main points be transposable onto any other text in the Bible.
34. Slow down to notice every actual word of the text–what it says, and doesn’t say.
35. Calm down and be yourself.
36. Be a farmer, not a penny stock trader. Crock pot, not microwave.
37. They don’t need eloquence; they need radiance.
38. T.F. Tenney: ‘Preach every sermon like your son is sitting on the last row and giving church one last chance.’
39. Tincture. Give them a taste of what Jesus himself is like. Rutherford.”
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On Experimental Preaching
See also ‘Experiential Sermons’ and ‘Experiential Religion: Pastoral Ministry’.
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Articles
1700’s
Jennings, John – Two Discourses: the First, Of Preaching Christ; the Second, Of Particular & Experimental Preaching TCP (d. 1723) 80 pp.
Jennings (c.1687-1723) was a reformed, English, Independent/presbyterian, dissenting minister. His most well-known student was Philip Doddridge.
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2000’s
Denton, Ryan – ‘Expository Preaching—The New Golden Calf’, pt. 1, 2 (2025) at Reformation21
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Book
1900’s
Whyte, Alexander – Thomas Shepard: Pilgrim Father & Founder of Harvard: his Spiritual Experience & Experimental Preaching Buy (1909) 252 pp. ToC
“When I first read Alexander Whyte’s book on Thomas Shepard some thirty years ago, I was frequently moved to tears. Whyte selects a number of individual experiential statements from Shepard’s writings and meditates on them in a most moving manner, persuading the reader of the heinousness of sin, the depravity of our heart, and the richness and glory of Christ Jesus.
This is one of the most spiritual books I have ever read. It is convicting, humbling, uplifting, and enlarging all at once, moving the soul near to God through Word-centered, Spirit-empowered truth. Read one chapter an evening. Meditate on it; pray over it. Let it penetrate your inmost being.” – Joel Beeke
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Historical
On the Scottish Reformation
Article
Todd, Margo – pp. 54-55 in The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland (Yale University Press, 2002)
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Extemporary Preaching
Article
Batzig, Nick – ‘Extemporaneous Preaching’ (2015) 14 paragraphs at Feeding on Christ, with 6 points
This is a how-to article on preaching extemporaneously.
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Historical
Scottish Reformation
Todd, Margo – p. 49 in The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland (Yale University Press, 2002)
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Preaching Through Books
Historical
Scottish Reformation
Todd, Margo – pp. 49 & 69 in The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland (Yale University Press, 2002)
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How to Include the Children in Your Preaching
Martin Luther
“When I preach, I sink myself deep down. I regard neither doctors nor magistrates, of whom are here in this church above forty; but I have an eye to the multitude of young people, children, and servants, of whom are more than two thousand.
I preach to those, directing myself to them that have need thereof. Will not the rest hear me? The door stands open unto them; they may be gone.”
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Preface to The Child’s Preacher: a Series of Addresses to the Young (1857)
“One important object of the present volume is to furnish practical hints, which may serve to encourage young ministers, and others who imagine it a difficult thing to preach to children, to make the attempt more frequently. It will be found that the variety of texts and subjects which may be adapted to children’s capacities is almost endless.
The great requisites, in order to interest children, are [1] plainness of speech and [2] fertility of illustration.
When these are employed, low and silly expressions are worse than useless, and trifling thoughts and foolish imaginations are a positive offense. It is perfectly practicable to adapt every essential, or strictly important religious topic, not only to the capacity, but even to the tastes of children; yea, to interest them deeply in such subjects, and at the same time to preserve dignity of expression and purity of thought.
How vastly important, therefore, is it for every minister to qualify himself for, and to habituate himself to, preaching the Gospel to children.”
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L. Barrington, Preface to The Child’s Preacher, or the Gospel Taught to Children in Very Simple Language (1850)
“To speak to them [the young] in language that requires a strained attention soon wearies; to excite attention, and give them an interest in what they already know, is not difficult, when we adapt our language to their capacity. To do this was the author’s object, that they might enter the house of God with joy and quit it with regret, rather than run from it as from a prison.
…the elementary truths of the Gospel are within the grasp of very young minds; the histories of the Bible are full of interest to them: why should we fail of arresting their attention?…”
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Contra Lay Preaching in Ordinary Circumstances, Apart from Necessity
Order of
Quotes 2
Articles 2
Latin 1
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Quotes
Order of
English Puritans
Rutherford
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1600’s
English Puritans
A Refutation of the Errors of Separatists (1604; RBO, 2025), pt. 2, pp. 242-43
“…many have been converted by private conference and reading and by domestical preaching and exhortations without a public Church calling: we answer that though the Lord has been often wont heretofore, and is able still to convert souls by private means and such as are extraordinary, yet cannot it be proved that any have been converted usually or that public congregations have been gathered and built up by any private interpretations and application of the Scriptures, but by such only as has been used by a lawful ministry. (Eph. 4:11–12; Rom. 10:14–15)
…
Secondly, that he [a Separatist] affirms [if his argument be good] only that true doctrine without a true ministry does ordinarily convert men, but proves it not, nor indeed was able to prove it…”
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Samuel Rutherford
A Peaceable & Temperate Plea… (London, 1642), ch. 20, Whether or not the government of the Church of Scotland can be proved by God’s Word to be lawful?
“Article 13, Private Worship
None may preach the Word with us but pastors and the sons of the prophets, and such of their sort who aim at the holy ministry, and that authority Ecclesiastical must warrant them is clear by our Law and practice, as it was in the Jewish Church, 1 Sam. 10:5; 2 Kings 2:7; 2 Kings 4:1; 1 Kings 20:35.
…
Our Assembly also commands godly conference at all occasional meetings, or as God’s providence shall dispose, as the Word of God commands, Heb. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:11,12; Lev. 19:17; Zech. 8:21; Mal. 3:16; Col. 3:16, providing none invade the pastor’s office to preach the word who are not called thereunto by God and his Church, Heb. 5:4,5; Rom. 10:14-15; 1 Cor. 12:28,29.”
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Articles
1600’s
English Puritans – pp. 299-301 in A Refutation of the Errors of Separatists (1604; 1644; RBO, 2025), Conclusion, Answer 2
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1800’s
Dabney, Robert
‘Lay Preaching’ (1876) 19 pp.
Lay persons are those who are not ordained ministers. This article is largely a critique of the popular Dwight L. Moody’s advocation of, and arguments for, lay-preaching, with its attendant man-centered methods.
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Latin Articles
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – Ecclesiastical Politics (Amsterdam: Waesberge, 1663), vol. 4, pt. 3, bk. 3, Of the Government of the Church with Respect to a State of Turbulence
Section 2, Of the Liberty of Prophesying
1. A Description of the Liberty of Prophesying 679
2. The Principal Question of the Postulates and Presupposition of the Liberty of Prophesying is Ventilated 686
3. Some Particular Problems and Questions about the Liberty of Prophesying 690
Appendices
Appendix to the Preceding Tract on the Liberty of Prophesying 719
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Rutherford’s Distinctions regarding Lay-Preaching
The Due Right of Presbyteries… (London, 1644), pt. 2, ch. 5, section 1 & 2, pp. 272-73
“1st Distinction. There is one power of public preaching in a Church not constitute[d], and another in a Church constitute[d]; gifted persons in extraordinary cases, where a Church is not planted, may publicly preach, but the case is otherwise in a Church constituted.
2. Pastors, not only as gifted men, but as pastors, are called of God for the conversion of souls, and the visible Church is Christ’s visible kingdom and visible society to make persons members of the invisible Church of the firstborn.
3. Public preaching, as it is the ordinary mean of saving such as believe, is proper and peculiar to the Church, both subjectively, as being only in the Church, and objectively as being only exercised on the Church members, per se, but upon pagans by accident.
4. There is a call to an habitual and ordinary prophesying; here is required not only a calling by gifts, but also a collation of authority to the office, either immediately by God, or mediately by the Church; and there is a call to some particular or occasional acts of exhorting, as the martyrs and Stephen are called to give consession of their faith, and a king in battle, to exhort his army, or a prince his subjects to piety; and to this latter there is no other call required but the place and profession of the exhorter, though he be not by office a pastor.
5. There is a formal calling of the Church, as the laying on of the hands of the elders, and a virtual and interpretative calling, or tacit approbation of the Church, when learned men of eminent gifts, not in office, do write commentaries, sermons on canonic Scriptures, and tractates refuting heresies; to this the tacit approbation of the Church is required, but these have not ordinary pastoral care, nor are they the ordinary converters of souls to Christ, as the pretended prophets of Separatists are.
6. Gifted Christians may occasionally admonish, warn, rebuke and exhort one another:
1. privately, 2. without any pastoral care of souls as they are a Church, but only as they occasionally converse with them; 3. Excommuni officio charitatis [to an excommunicated person by the office of charity], by the Law of nature, charity tying one member to help another, 4. Not authoritatively by special office; but all authority here is from the Word occasionally spoken.
The pastor is to preach:
1. publicly; 2. to the Church as the Church. 3. with a pastoral obligation to all alike, whether he converse daily with them or not. 4. Not only by the tie of common charity, but by a virtue of a special office. 5. With authority both objective from the Word and official from his charge. 6. And is obliged to separate himself for this charge allanerly, as a watchman who must give an account in a special manner to Jesus Christ.”
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On Persons Reading Sermons from the Pulpit when there is No Minister
Quotes
Order of
Cartwright
English Puritans
Sprint
Baxter
.
1500’s
Thomas Cartwright
‘A Letter of T. C. To Richard Harrison Concerning Separation’ (1584), p. 12 in The Judgment of Mr. Cartwright & Mr. Baxter Concerning Separation & the Ceremonies (1673) Note that EEBO lists the author as Cartwright (1634-1689), which is untrue. This same work is in Cartwrightiana, pp. 48-58.
“We have another example of reverence given to such rulers, even in things that were done by them wrongfully. For Jeremiah, being for a time suspended from coming into the Temple, being at liberty, would not (lest, as it seems, he should make a tumult) enter the Temple; and therefore (having written that which he had to say) sent Baruch to read his sermon in the Temple.”
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1600’s
English Puritans
A Refutation of the Errors of Separatists (1604; 1644; RBO, 2025)
p. 226
“3. Concerning homilies, this answer we give: That though we think it is not simply unlawful to read in our assemblies such homilies as are for the matter sound and good: yet in regard of the dangerous inconveniences that may come by using them by so many ministers and congregations in the land, we do utterly dislike all public use of them, so that we wonder that these [opposing Separatist] men are not ashamed to use this as a reason of their separation from the whole Church.
But what if all this were granted, that the use of our stinted prayers, catechisms and homilies were idolatrous (which yet we have proved to be otherwise), will it from thence follow that we are not that true Church? Is this a greater corruption in the worship of God than the retaining of high places, against which there is so express a commandment (Dt. 12:2; 1 Kn. 11:8–9; 2 Kn. 13:6), or than the burning of incense to the brazen serpent? (2 Kn. 18:4) And yet it is evident that the one of these was retained in the days of Asa (1 Kn. 15:14) and Azariah (2 Kn. 15:4) kings of Judah, and the other even till Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kn. 18:1–4): in which time notwithstanding it is manifest there was a true Church in Judah.”
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p. 249
“Their [Separatists’] fifth reason against our [Anglican] office is: That we are called to read homilies and injunctions, whereunto we answer:
First, that neither do the most of our ministers read homilies; neither does any law of the land require that preachers should read them.
Secondly, if law did enjoin them to all, and all did read them, yet are they not enjoined in our ordination, nor accounted by law as substantial parts of our office. Neither is there any doubt made in our land (no not by them that do press the precise observation of law in this point) whether he be a lawful minister who does not read either homilies or injunctions.”
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John Sprint
Cassander Anglicanus, showing the Necessity of Conformity to the Prescribed Ceremonies of our Church in Case of Deprivation (London: Bill, 1623), ‘Reformed Practices’, p. 157
“Reading of Homilies: Albeit that all learned and godly teachers do with one consent condemn an ignorant, unlearned slothful minister, and by all means do persuade to their uttermost endeavor in the furtherance and planting of a godly, learned and painful [characterized by taking many pains] ministry, as Calvin, Epist. 127, fol. 124 & Epistle 87, fol. 164-65; Bucer, Censura, ch. 2, fol. 458 & ch. 7, fol. 465 & Epistle to Cranmer, fol. 683; Idem, On the Reign of Christ, bk. 1, ch. 15, fol. 52, 62; Beza, Epistle 12, fol. 95-96 & Epistle 8, fol. 79; Hyperius, De Scriptur. lect., bk. 1, fol. 122-36 & Tome 2, fol. 675-78; Peter Martyr, loc. inter Epist. fol. 1085; Danaeus, Isag., pt. 3, bk. 3, ch. 45, fol. 373; Zanchi, Obseruat. ad Confes., ch. 25, fol. 66-67; Whittaker, in Epistle Dedicatory contra Paraeus, with diverse others.
Yet in a case of necessity, Bucer says that it is better that godly and learned homilies made by others should be rehearsed or read unto the people so long as preachers are wanting, which may holily and wholesomely teach and exhort them; Censura, ch. 7, fol. 465. Also in another place he commands the order used both in the primitive times among the Fathers, as also in England in his time of appointing readers in the Church, with condition, si idonei, if they be fit: if they read gravely, religiously, clearly, and to the people’s edification: if they be de singulari pietate commendati, of singular piety: Else he concludes Illos non esse Ministros Christi, that they are not the ministers of Christ which chop and mumble up their reading, as they cannot be understood with edification by the people: I script. Anglican. de vi et vsu ministerij, fol. 564-65. This Zanchi also cites and approves out of Bucer: Obseruat. ad confess., ch. 25, §10-11, fol. 65-67.”
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Richard Baxter
The Cure of Church Divisions… (London, 1670), pt. 1, Direction 32, p. 182
“As a minister who has tolerable gifts for preaching may yet need the writings of other men before hand, and may bring both their matter and method into the pulpit, yea and oft times their words; so that though he have gifts, yet being weak, he may use the gifts of others.
I have been counseled since I was silenced [in 1662] to compose sermons myself and give them in writing to some weak minister that has an excellent voice and utterance and to let him preach them. And really if I had not known that such have good books enough at hand for such a use, I think I should have done it: And who can prove that this had been his sin? And yet this was a using of another man’s gifts instead of his own.
And I have heard men that are much against parish churches and liturgies wish that some unlearned men of good utterance might read some excellent sermon books to the people in ignorant places that can get no better: And who can prove the reading of a homily unlawful?” – p. 182
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The Nonconformists’ Plea for Peace, or an Account of their Judgment in Certain Things in which they are Misunderstood… (London, 1679), sect. 6, p. 106
“Yet we know that reading [homilies from the pulpit] is a sort of preaching…”
[The word ‘preaching,’ in Greek, means ‘declaring,’ and a message can be declared through reading out loud.]
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Richard Baxter on Worship & Catholicity against Separatism & John Owen (RBO, 2024), p. 50
“I have heard Mr. Philip Nye wish that some men were sent into Wales and other such places with an injunction to read good sermon books to the people, such as Dr. Preston’s, Sibbes’s, etc. Was this spoken to defeat the Spirit, or to serve Him?”
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Teachers, Elders, Deacons & Laymen may Publicly Preach in Necessity
See also, ‘On an Extraordinary Calling’.
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“But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren, the Levites [who did not have that function by office], did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. And also the burnt offerings were in abundance… So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order.”
2 Chron. 29:34-35
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Quotes
Order of
Ames
Rutherford
Baxter
.
1600’s
Wiliam Ames
A Second Manuduction for Mr. [John] Robinson. Or a confirmation of the former in an answer to his manumission (Amsterdam, 1615), p. 14
“But it seems he [John Robinson] does not esteem preaching any proper work of a pastor’s office because apostles and others may do it. As if… one man may not be tied by office unto a work which another also has liberty by occasion to do without such a special office. As if it were not a deacon’s office to distribute unto the poor because others may do so.”
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Samuel Rutherford
The Due Right of Presbyteries (1644), pt. 1, pp. 454-55
“2. There is no such moral necessity of the sacraments as there is of the ministry of the Word, and consequently of some use of the keys where a scandalous person may infect the Lord’s flock.
For where vision ceases the people perish, but it is never said, where baptism ceases the people perish; and therefore uncalled ministers in case of necessity, without ordination or calling from a presbytery, may preach and take on them the holy ministry and exercise power of jurisdiction, because the necessity of the souls of a congregation in a remote island requires so, but I hope no necessity in any [of] the most extraordinary case requires that a midwife may baptize, or that a private man remaining a private man may celebrate the Lord’s Supper to the Church without any calling from the Church.”
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Richard Baxter
Church Concord, containing: I. A Dissuasive from Unnecessary Division & Separation, & the Real Concord of the Moderate Independents with the Presbyterians, instanced in Ten seeming Differences… (1655 / 1667; London: 1691), ch. 10, difference 8, pp. 38-39
“The presbyterians deny not but private men may preach in some cases. None that fear God do desire any to bury their talent, nor would hinder men from doing the work of God. But they would have bona bene [good things done well], God’s work done in God’s order. On these conditions we [congregationalists of Baxter’s stripe] allow private men to preach.
1. If they do it but ex charitate [out of charity], and pretend not to the ministerial office.
2. And if they do it occasionally, and not as men separated to that work as their calling (for then they become ministers indeed while they disclaim it in name).
3. If they do it not needlessly, to a proud ostentation of their parts, but only when abler men, or ministers, are not to be had or else [are] on some urgent weighty cause.
4. If they make not themselves the judges of their own fitness, but expect the approbation of the judicious, faithful, concordant ministers that know them.
5. If they undertake no more than they can perform, and suppose not themselves fitter than they are, and so run not beyond their knowledge, nor dishonor not the work of God.
6. If they thrust not themselves into any church to preach without a call, nor ordinarily without the pastor’s consent.
7. If they do it not unseasonably when by offending they are likely to do more hurt than good.
8. If in the manner, season and continuance they submit to the guidance of the pastors of the Church (if it be more than ordinary teaching, and not such as every able master of a family may there do).
With these cautions we grant that private men may preach; many episcopal divines grant it: and the presbyterians ordinarily permit it in their expectants that are trained up for the ministry… And, says Dr. Fulke, Demetrius himself does seem to allow that when no bishop was present, a layman might preach: Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, bk. 6, ch. 19 [sect. 15-18].
But that every proud unworthy man and every seducing heretick should preach, yea and thrust himself into other men’s charges, or that any should preach besides the forementioned rules, this we deny, and take it for a dangerous usurpation.
But are we not agreed [with the presbyterians] in this? Hear and judge: Mr. [John] Cotton so downright denies ordinary private men to prophesy, interpreting 1 Cor. 14:31 of extraordinarily gifted prophets (of which see his Keys, pp. 20-21) that Mr. [Thomas] Goodwin and Mr. [Philip] Nye thought meet to signify some dissent, ‘Preface’, p. 6. And yet they grant, that this must be performed by private men:
1. Only occasionally, not in an ordinary course.
2. By men of such abilities as are fit for office.
3. And not assuming this of themselves, but judged such by those that have the power, and so allowed and designed to it. And,
4. So as their doctrine be subjected (for the judging of it) in an especial manner to the teaching elders of that church.
And I think that this is enough to signify that here we shall have no cause of a breach with them [presbyterians]. Mr. [John] Norton speaks to the same purpose, pp. 123-25, and joins with Mr. Cotton in denying prophesy to private men and expounding 1 Cor. 14 of extraordinarily gifted prophets only: In this therefore doctrinally we agree [with the presbyterians].”
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That Preaching is an Act of Governing
Quotes
Samuel Rutherford
A Peaceable & Temperate Plea… (London, 1642), ch. 19, p. 285
“4. By this wild interpretation [of 1 Tim. 5:17 by prelates] men may be [Greek] well-governing pastors, who labor not in the Word and doctrine, and so the dumb [non-preaching] prelates, who hold it all one to be damned to a pulpit, and to a man-mill, shall be pastors worthy of double honor.
Now Paul will not say this of a right bishop, 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:9, because good governing in a pastor includes laboring in the Word and doctrine, as the whole includes the part: For preaching is a special act of overseeing and well-governing of souls, Jer. 1:10; 2 Tim: 4:2. Because the Word is the instrument of pastoral governing, how can pastors rule well by using aright the Word of God, except they labor in the Word, which is the shepherd’s staff: of right governing and painful preaching, Heb. 13:17; Acts 20:28-31.”
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Robert Baillie
“Neither are they [Independents] cleared from the blot of schism by their countenancing the English [Church] assemblies, by their preaching and praying therein: for beside that they do no more in this than Mr. [John] Robinson has taught them;
They should remember they teach their scholars that preaching, prayer, psalms, and all things they do in the English congregation, are no acts of Church fellowship: that none of them does import any Church membership, nor any ecclesiastic communion: but are such which without scruple they can dispense to very pagans.”
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Sermon Collections: Learn from the Classics
ed. Johnson, Charles – ‘Reformed Sermon Collections’ (2024) at Refomed Theology Delatinized
“I suspect that our sermons could be greatly improved if we read more of the best preachers of the past and took notes on how they handled the word. To that end, as well as edification, I have put together this list of preachers and sermons. The vast majority are Reformed, but some Church Fathers and Calvinistic Baptists are included. Most are commended by Princeton Professor J. W. Alexander (1804-1859) in his Thoughts on Preaching…”
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“But an inch of time remains, and then eternal ages roll on for ever — but an inch on which we can stand and preach the way of salvation to a perishing world.”
Robert M. M’Cheyne
“You think we are too earnest with you to leave your sins and accept of Christ; but when you come to die you will see the meaning of it. We see death at your backs.”
Matthew Henry
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