〃The street is soon clean when every one sweeps before his own door。〃
〃Lying rides on debt's back： it is hard for an empty bag to stand
upright。〃 〃He that begins with prayer will end with praise〃 〃All is not
gold that glitters。〃 〃In religion； as in business； there are no gains
without pains。〃 〃In the Bible there are shallows where a lamb can wade；
and depths where an elephant must swim。〃 〃One thief on the cross was
saved； that none should despair； and only one； that none should
presume。〃
Proverbial； epigrammatic； and antithetical sayings of this kind give
wonderful perspicuousness and force to a sermon。 Labour to store your
minds with them。 Use them judiciously； and especially at the end of
paragraphs； and you will find them an immense help to the attainment of
a simple style of position。 But of long； involved； plicated
sentences always beware。
IV。 The fourth hint I will give is this： If you wish to preach simply；
use a direct style。 What do I mean by this？ I mean the practice and
custom of saying 〃I〃 and 〃you。〃 When a man takes up this style of
preaching； he is often told that he is conceited and egotistical。 The
result is that many preachers are never direct； and always think it
very humble and modest and being to say 〃we。〃 But I remember good
Bishop Villiers saying that 〃we〃 was a word kings and corporations
should use； and they alone； but that parish clergymen should always
talk of 〃I〃 and 〃you。〃 I endorse that saying with all my heart。 I
declare I never can understand what the famous pulpit 〃we〃 means。 Does
the preacher who all through his sermon keeps saying 〃we〃 mean himself
and the bishop？ or himself and the Church？ or himself and the
congregation？ or himself and the
Early Fathers？ or himself and the Reformers？ or himself and all the
wise men in the world？ or； after all； does he only mean myself； plain
〃John Smith〃 or 〃Thomas Jones〃？ If he only means himself； what earthly
reason can he give for using the plural number； and not saying simply
and plainly 〃I〃？ When he visits his parishioners； or sits by a
sick…bed； or catechises his school； or orders bread at the baker's； or
meat at the butcher's； he does not say 〃we；〃 but 〃I。〃 Why； then； I
should like to know； can he not say 〃I〃 in the pulpit？ What right has
he； as a modest man； to speak for any one but himself？ Why not stand up
on Sunday and say； 〃Reading in the Word of God； I have found a text
containing such things as these； and I e to set them before you〃？
Many people； I am sure； do not understand what the preacher's 〃we〃
means。 The expression leaves them in a kind of fog。 If you say； 〃 I；
your rector； I； your vicar； I； the curate of the parish；〃 e here to
talk of something that concerns your soul； something you should
believe； something you should doyou are at any rate understood。 But
if you begin to talk in the vague plural number of what〃 we〃 ought to
do； many of your hearers do not know what you are driving at； and
whether you are speaking to yourself or them。 I charge and entreat my
younger brethren in the ministry not to forget this point。 Do try to be
as direct as possible。 Never mind what people say of you。 In this
particular do not imitate Chalmers； or Melville； or certain other
living pulpit celebrities。 Never say 〃we〃 when you mean 〃I。〃 The more
you get into the habit of talking plainly to the people； in the first
person singular； as old Bishop Latimer did； the simpler will your
sermon be； and the more easily understood。 The glory of Whitefield's
sermons is their directness。 But unhappily they were so badly reported；
that we cannot now appreciate them。
V。 The fifth and last hint I wish to give you is this： If you would
attain simplicity in preaching； you must use plenty of anecdotes and
illustrations。 You must regard illustrations as windows through which
light is let in upon your subject。 Upon this point a great deal might
be said； but the limits of a small treatise oblige me to touch it very
briefly。 I need hardly remind you of the example of Him who 〃spake as
never man spake；〃 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ。 Study the four
Gospels attentively； and mark what a wealth of illustration His sermons
generally contain。 How often you find figure upon figure； parable upon
parable； in His discourses！ There was nothing under His eyes apparently
from which He did not draw lessons。 The birds of the air； and the fish
in the sea； the sheep； the goats； the。 cornfield； the vineyard； the
ploughman； the sower； the reaper； the fisherman； the shepherd； the
vinedresser； the woman kneading meal； the flowers； the grass； the bank；
the wedding feast； the sepulchre； mall were made vehicles for conveying
thoughts to the minds of hearers。 What are such parables as the
prodigal son； the good Samaritan； the ten virgins； the king who made a
marriage for his son； the rich man and Lazarus； the labourers of the
vineyard； and others；what are all these but stirring stories that our
Lord tells in order to convey some great truth to the souls of His
hearers？ Try to walk in His footsteps and follow His example。
If you pause in your sermon； and say； 〃Now I will tell you a story；〃 I
engage that all who are not too fast asleep will prick up their ears
and listen。 People like similes； illustrations； and well…told stories；
and will listen to them when they will attend to nothing else。 And from
what countless sources we can get illustrations！ Take all the book of
nature around us。 Look at the sky above and the world beneath。 Look at
history。 Look at all the branches of science； at geology； at botany； at
chemistry； at astronomy。 What is there in heaven above or earth below
from which you may not bring illustrations to throw light on the
message of the gospel？ Read Bishop Latimer's sermons； the most popular；
perhaps； that were ever preached。 Read the works of Brooks； and Watson；
and Swinnock； the Puritans。 How full they are of illustrations；
figures； metaphors； and stories！ Look at Mr。 Moody's sermons。 What is
one secret of his popularity？ He fills his sermons with pleasing
stories。 He is the best speaker； says an Arabian proverb； who can turn
the ear into an eye。
For my part； I not only try to tell stories； but in country parishes I
have sometimes put before people familiar illustrations which they can
see。 For instance …Do I want to show them that there must have been a
first great cause or Being who made this world？ I have sometimes taken
out my watch； and have said； 〃Look at this watch。 How well it is made！
Do any of you suppose for a moment that all the screws； all the。
wheels； all the pins of that watch came together by accident？ Would not
any one say there must have。 been a watchmaker？ And if so； it follows
most surely that there must have been a Maker of the world； whose
handiwork we see graven on the face of every one of those glorious
planets going their yearly rounds and keeping time to a single second。
Look at the world in which you live； and the wonderful things which it
contains。 Will you tell me that there is no God； and that creation is
the result of chance？〃 Or sometimes I have taken out a bunch of keys
and shaken them。 The whole congregation； when they hear the keys； look
up。 Then I say； 〃Would there be need of any keys if all men were
perfect and honest？ What does this bunch of keys show？ Why； they show
that the heart of man is deceitful above all things； and desperately
wicked。〃 Illustration； I confidently assert； is one of the best
receipts for making a sermon simple； clear； perspicuous； and easily
understood。 Lay yourselves out for it。 Pick up illustrations wherever
you can。 Keep your eyes open； and use them well。 Happy is that preacher
who has an eye for similitudes； and a memory stored with well…chosen
stories and illustrations。 If he is a real man of God； and knows how to
deliver a sermon； he will never preac