A good discourse is that from which one can take nothing without taking the life.—Fénelon.
We must judge religious movements, not by the men who make them, but by the men they make.—Joseph Cook.
The world looks at ministers out of the pulpit to know what they mean when in it.—Cecil.
I preached as never sure to preach again,
And as a dying man to dying men.
—Baxter.
Let all your preaching be in the most simple and plainest manner; look not to the prince, but to the plain, simple, gross, unlearned people, of which cloth the prince also himself is made. If I, in my preaching, should have regard to Philip Melancthon and other learned doctors, then should I do but little good. I preach in the simplest manner to the unskillful, and that giveth content to all. Hebrew, Greek and Latin I spare until we learned ones come together.—Luther.
It requires as much reflection and wisdom to know what is not to be put into a sermon as what is.—Cecil.
To endeavor to move by the same discourse hearers who differ in age, sex, position and education is to attempt to open all locks with the same key.—J. Petit-Senn.
Men of God have always, from time to time, walked among men, and made their commission felt in the heart and soul of the commonest hearer.—Emerson.
I would not have preachers torment their hearers, and detain them with long and tedious preaching.—Luther.
I love a serious preacher, who speaks for my sake and not for his own; who seeks my salvation, and not his own vainglory. He best deserves to be heard who uses speech only to clothe his thoughts, and his thoughts only to promote truth and virtue.—Massillon.