Introduction of borrow'd words, which when they are once brought into common use, they may be spoken without blame of affectation; yea, there is sometimes vanity and affectation in avoiding them. You know a great instance of this in a late Writer, who, to shun the Latinisms of 5 immensity, eternity, penetrability, &c., useth these-all-placeness, all-timeness, thorow-fareness, and abundance such like. This English is far more unintelligible than that Latin which custom of speech hath made easie and familiar. I therefore blame not all forreign words, provided common 10 usage hath made them free of our language, and when we have not native ones that do as well express what we would say; but to affect outlandish words that have not yet receiv'd the publick stamp, and especially to do it when the ordinary English will represent the thing as well,— 15 These are the hard words I condemn, and this is a vanity I think extreamly reprehensible in a Preacher. Besides which, I note by way of further limitation, and for more clearness, that I blame not all words that are not understood by the meer vulgar: every Art, every Profession, every 20 Subject hath proper terms which are of hard and harsh sound to those that understand not those matters respectively, but are easie and familiar to such as know them. And in Divinity there are frequent occasions of using reasons and illustrations taken from the Philosophy and 25 nature of things, as particularly in the discourses concerning the Being and Attributes of God, the Immortality of the Soul, and a future life, about Enthusiasm and Fanatical pretences to the Spirit. These and divers other main subjects of Religion, that are fit and necessary to be spoken 30 to, sometimes, especially among hearers of more advanced understandings, cannot be treated of without using words which the meer common sort cannot comprehend; and yet as long as they are such as are known and frequently used in those subjects, 'twere humour and ignorance to interdict 35 them. But then I would caution here that the Preacher should not employ more terms of art than need: Yea, he should always avoid them when they are not necessary, that is, when more generally known expressions will explain 5 the thing as well. And this further I would advise, that you deal not much on such arguments among common hearers. These are strong meat; babes must have milk and simpler diet. IO To this head of hard words I may refer another vanity, which is an affected use of scraps of Greek and Latin, things of no Service to the vulgar, by whom they are not understood; and by the wise they are now generally despised. I suppose I need not caution you, in more words, against this antiquated pedantry, which is worn out 15 every where, except in some remote and dark corners, where mean spirits seek the admiration of the ignorant by such low and little devices. Indeed, in solemn assemblies of knowing and learn'd men, the Authority of the ancients may properly be cited in their own words, when they serve 20 to confirm or illustrate some doubted truth; but to do it frequently in common and vulgar matters, among ordinary hearers, is affected folly, that signifieth nothing but the weakness and vanity of him that doth it. 2. Preaching should be plain, in opposition to deep and 25 mysterious notions. We should not trouble our pulpits with Hypotheses of Philosophy or the heights of speculative Theology. The generality are not capable of much Theory; those are matters fit for the schools of learning and the thoughts of deep, considering men. Much mischief 30 is faln on Religion by reason of the transgression of this Rule; mysterious, notional preaching hath put many conceited people upon medling with what they can never well understand, and so hath fill'd them with air and vanity, and made them proud, phantastical, and troublesome, dis35 obedient to their Governours and contemptuous to their betters. True knowledge indeed humbleth; but the conceited image of it, knowledge falsly so call'd, puffeth up, and is an instrument of mischief. 5 3. Plainness may be opposed to affected Rhetorick; and in this sense, too, Preaching should be plain: Not in the inticing words of mans wisdome or excellency of speech (as the Apostle speaks), viz. not like the Orators and Rhetoricians of those times, who coveted the glory of being accounted eloquent, and when they were praised they had their reward; but our ends are far greater and nobler, and 10 so we should speak, not as pleasing men, but God, with that seriousness and gravity as becomes those that design to persuade men in the matters that relate to the glory of God and their own present and future well-being; for which purposes a manly unaffectedness and simplicity of speech 15 is most proper. There is a bastard kind of eloquence that is crept into the Pulpit, which consists in affectations of wit and finery, flourishes, metaphors, and cadencies. This may be pardon'd to young men in their first Essays of Preaching, but is by no means to be used by an exercised 20 and constant Preacher, for the meer common sort heed not those things and the wise despise them, so that all the praise that is aim'd at is lost, except it be among some phantastical and unjudicious hearers, and on those they have usually no other effect but that they entertain and tickle 25 their phancies for the present, without making any impression upon their minds or affections: And this is a very low End for a Minister of God, who is to beseech men in Christ's stead. If we would acquit our selves as such, we must not debase our great and important message by those vanities 30 of conceited speech: plainness is for ever the best eloquence, and 'tis the most forcible; so that our study should be to represent what we have to deliver in proper and easie expressions, neglecting and despising all starchedness of set and affected speaking. 35 1 4. Plainness of preaching implies also the avoiding of phantastical phrases. There are some that place the power and spirituality of Preaching in these, and reckon that there is something of extraordinary grace and force in 5 them; so that if a man represents the truths of the Gospel in simplicity and plainness, that shall go for dull morality; but the same things set off by conceited, fashionable phrases shall be most rare and spiritual Divinity. Thus if you teach men to believe Christ's Doctrines, to obey his Laws, Io to trust to his promises, and to conform to his Example, these shall be counted dull, dry, and unedifying things that no-ways affect or move; but if you tell the people that they must roll upon Christ, close with Christ, get into Christ, get a saving interest in the Lord Christ, O, this is savoury, 15 this precious, this is spiritual teaching indeed; whereas if any thing more be meant by those phrases than what the other plain expressions intend, it is either falshood or nonsense. If therefore you would be a taking popular Preacher, here is your way; but if you would (as I hope you design) 20 be a solid and honest one, you must avoid such odd and foolish affectations. For by the use and delight in such, ignorant people are blown up into an apprehension of their extraordinary knowledge and acquaintedness with the mysteries of the Gospel, when as indeed they know 25 nothing; and when they hear such phrases, they are pleased with their sound, but have no meaning or knowledge of any thing convey'd by them; and though this be vulgarly accounted plain preaching, yet in truth it is the most difficult, and for the most part neither teachers 30 nor hearers understand it. Thus I have described to you the first Rule and Character of Preaching: it should be PLAIN. SAMUEL BUTLER UPON CRITICS WHO JUDGE OF MODERN PLAYS 1678? 'HO ever wil Regard Poetique Fury, When it is once found Idiot by a Jury; And evry Peart & Arbitrary Fool Can all Poetique Licence over-Rule ; Assume a Barbrous Tyranny to Handle 5 The Muses worse then Ostro-goth or vandal; And stand or Fall to th' orders of a Court? That forges old Records & Ordinances More False & Nice then weighing of the weather And make em henceforth keep the beaten Roades According to the tru & antient way, That not an Actor shal Presume to Squeek ΙΟ 15 20 |