Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 1 · Lecture 7
Lecture VII. On the Title of Psal. 51. November 30. 1625.
FOurthly, labour to heare with affection, and delight. It was the charge Moses gave to Gods people, Deut. 32.46. Set your hearts unto all the words, that I testifie among you this day; and he gives the reason, vers. 47. For it is not a vaine thing for you; because it is your life. It is said of Gods people in the primative Church that they received the Word gladly, Act. 2.41. And of Christs hearers, Mar. …2.37. The common people heard him gladly. 1. It is a great signe of grace to heare the Word with joy. Ps. 119.162. I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoile; to be cheerefull while we are in Gods house, Esa. 56.7. I will make them joyfull in my house of prayer. That that is said of almes, 2 Cor. 9.7. God loveth a cheerefull giver, may be said likewise of the hearer of Gods Word. 2. This will be a great helpe to your memory, and make you better able to keepe that you heare, when you heare it with delight, Psal. 119.16. I will delight my selfe in thy statutes, I will not forget thy word. 3. This will greatly encourage thy teacher, and add spirit, and life to him, to see thee heare chearefully. Even our blessed Saviour himselfe was much stirred up in his affections by beholding the zeale of his hearers, Mat. 5.1. Mar. 6.34. Ioh. 4.30—32. Mar. 3.20.
Know therefore this is one cause why most get so little good by their hearing,Applic. they heare without all delight, and affection. Their very countenances testifie that they say in their hearts, as Mal. 1.13. Behold what a wearinesse is it. And thereby 1. They dishearten, and grieve their teachers, which must needs be their owne disadvantage, Heb. 13.17. If they doe their worke with griefe, it will be unprofitable for you. 2. They provoke God to anger, 2 Thess. 2.10, 11. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie.
Fiftly, in the hearing of the Word we must take every thing as spoken to our selves. As 1 wee must desire to heare that chiefly that concernes our selves most, as Iohns hearers did, Luk. 3.12.14. So 2 must we strive to apply all that we heare to our selves, Iob 5.27. Heare this, and know it for thy selfe. For 1. There is no truth of God taught out of Gods Word, but it concernes every one of Gods people, and was intended by the Lord for his use. Whatsoever things were written afore-time, were written for our learning, Rom. 15.4. 2. There is no truth that can bee taught (be it never so wholesome or soveraigne) can doe us any good, if we doe not apply it; as the best food cannot nourish us, unlesse we take it, and eate it. And this comparison the Prophet applyeth to this purpose, Esa. 55.2. Hearken diligently unto me, and eate yee that which is good. 3. It is noted for a property of Gods Elect that they are apt, to apply Gods Word unto themselves; as there is in every member of our body to draw from the stomacke, and liver, and veines nourishment for it selfe, and to make it his owne; to which the Apostle alludeth, Eph. 4.16. This we shall finde in the elect Disciples, Mat. 26.22. And they were exceeding sorrowfull, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord is it I? The like you shall see in them when he spake of the dangerous state that rich men are in, Mat. 19.25—27. and yet one would have thought that Doctrine did little concerne them.
And certainely this is one cause why so many (though they heare us constantly) profit so little.Applic. Heb. 4.2. The Word preached did not profit them (saith the Apostle of the Iewes that perished in the wildernesse) not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. They are apt to put of from themselves to others, whatsoever is taught, like to those the Lord complaines of, Hos. 8.12. I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
And thus have I finished those duties that are to be performed by us during the time that we are in hearing the Word. Now follow those that are to be done after we have heard the Word, if we desire to reape fruit by it. And those also are principally five.
First, we must be carefull to keepe that which we have received both in our minde, and in our affections, Heb. 2.1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. And of the the blessed Virgin it is said, Luk. 2.51. But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. For 1 as the best seed must have a time to tarry in the ground, or it can never bring fruit; so is it with the Word, Luk. 8.15. The good ground are they which in an honest, and good heart, having heard the Word keepe it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 2. Our carelesnesse in laying up the Word, and hiding it that we may keepe it, gives great advantage to Satan to steale it from us; as the loose, and carelesse laying of our money or goods doth to a thiefe, yea makes many a child, and servant false that otherwise would have beere true. Marke this in the parable. Out of what hearers hearts did Satan steale the Word? Out of theirs that were like the high way that had no earth to hide or cover the seed, Luk 8.12. 3. This carelesnesse to keepe the good Word, is a high contempt done to it, which God must needs take vengeance of. Therefore the Apostle, Heb. 2. when he had said verse 1. We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip; he adds this for a reason, verse 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?
Applic.Let men then impute the small good they get by their hearing unto this profane carelesnesse of keeping that which they have received. 1. They are like sives that while they are in the water seeme to be full, and to have a great quantity of water in them, but take them out, and there is not a jot left in them. They forget presently what they heare and it never troubleth them. Every one would count it a great judgement, and be sensible of it in his temporall estate, to get much, and to put it into a bottomlesse purse, not to bee able to keepe it, because God blowes upon it, as Hag. 1.6.9. And if a thiefe had taken your purse or broken into your house, and robd you, what outcries would you make? But in his spirituall estate no man regards this. 2. Nay they have no care nor desire to keepe, and remember what they have heard, for this indeed is the cause why mens memories are so bad, they take no delight in the Word, Ier. 2.32. Can a maid forget her ornaments; or a bride her attire? 3. The good affections, and desires wrought by the Word they nourish not, but they are presently choked with worldly businesse, and pleasure, Luk. 8.14.
Secondly, wee must meditate, and seriously thinke of that which we have heard. It is a duty injoyned us to thinke of good things: Phil. 4.8. thinke of these things. It is not enough to heare Gods Word but we must consider of it in our hearts. Deut. 4.39. Know therefore this day (saith Moses) and consider it in thine heart. David was much given to this, Psal. 119.15. I will meditate in thy precepts. The blessed Virgin is commended for this, Luk. 2.19. All the things she heard concerning Christ she kept them, and pondered them in her …eart. This is enjoyned as a duty most necessary to this purpose. Esa 46.8. Bring it againe to minde O ye transgressors. For 1. This would argue a love to that we heare and a delight in it, Psal. 1.2. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in that law doth he meditate day and night: and 119.97. O how love I thy law? it is my meditation all the day. 2. This would greatly increase our comfort in the Word, and cause us to feele more sweetnesse in it, as the chawing of our meate makes us tast more sweetnesse in it, Psal. 119.15, 16. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy waies: I will delight my selfe in thy statutes. 3. This would greatly increase and confirme our knowledge, Psal. 119.99. I have more understanding then all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation. 4. This would cause the Word to have more power in our hearts to draw us to practise, and to nourish and increase the life of godlinesse in us. As meat (though it be never so good, never so well dressed) nourisheth us not, but is rather a burden then benefit unto us, if our stomack cannot concoct, and digest it; so it is with the food of our soules, Iosh. 1.8. Thou shalt meditate in the law day and night, that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein.
Applic.How then should the Word you heare doe you good, when you never thinke of it after you have once heard it? It is noted of the Disciples that though they had seene Christs mighty power in the miracles of the loaves, yet their faith was never the stronger, but upon every new tentation and occasion of feare, they were extreamely troubled; and that this was the cause of it, Mar. 6.52. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves for their heart was hardned. They had seene that miracle, and it may be also remembred it, but they had not considered, and meditated of it, and therefore they were never the better for it.
Thirdly, you must conferre of that which you have heard, and repeate it among your selves. 1. It is often spoken of in Scripture as a duty wee owe to God and his Word, to speake of it unto others, Psal. 119.172. My tongue shall speake of thy Word; for all thy commandements are righteousnesse. Yea this is noted as a speciall use we should make of our reading and hearing of the Word, to speake of it unto others, it must not be in our heart onelyonly but in our mouth too, Iosh. 1.8. This booke of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth. And that which is said of the Priest, Mal. 2.7. that his lips should keepe knowledge; is said likewise of every one that truly feares God, Pro. 5.2. My son attend unto my wisdome, and bow thine eare unto mine understanding—that thy lips may keepe knowledge. 2. You that go home together from the Sermon should make this use of your company, to conferre together of that which you have heard; as they did, Luk. 24.14. 3. Yea you should all count it a benefit to have a companion you may conferre with about that which you have heard. Christs Disciples used it much. When Christ had taught how hard it was for rich men to be saved it is said Mar. 10.26. They were astonished out of measure, and said among themselves, who then can be saved? The like you shall find spoken of their conferring among themselves of another Sermon of our Saviours, Ioh. 16.17, 18. Yea it is reported of other of his hearers too besides his Disciples that they did use to conferre among themselves of that which he had taught, Ioh. 7 35, 36. 4. But chiefly this is required of you that have families, that you repeate unto them, examine them, conferre with them about that which they have heard. For this we have a plaine commandment, Deut. 11.18, 19. Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart-and yee shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house, &c. Yea it is said to be a chiefe thing, that the Lord had respect unto in giving us his Word, and vouchsafing to us the knowledge of it, that we might instruct our families in it, Deut. 4.10. Gather me the people together, and I will make them to …eare my words that they may learne to feare me, and that they may teach their children. According to that proverbe, Mat. 5.15. Men do not light a candle, to put it under a bushell, but on a candle-sticke, and it giveth light to all that are in the house. For this we have an example which (above all others) we should desire to follow, even the practise of our blessed Saviour himselfe; who (though he spent himselfe so much in his publique labours, yet) did use to conferre with his family of the Sermons hee had made, to examine them, and make all things plainer to them, Mat. 13.51. Have ye understood all these things? And Mar. 4.34. When they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples. This repeating, and conferring of that wee have heard would certainely greatly further our profiting by the Word. In this that proverbe will be found true as much as in any other thing, Eccl. 4.9. Two are better then one. We may all in this kinde receive helpe one from another, even he that is stronger in knowledge and grace, from another that is weaker then himselfe is. Yea God is so pleased with it that a blessing may be expected from God in the use of it. It is said of the two Disciples that went toward Emmaus, Luke 24.…5. That wh…le they communed together, and reasoned, Iesus himselfe drew neare and went with them. And againe that when they went to relate to the Apostles that they had seene him, and what he had said to them, and the Apostles, and they were conferring of this matter, it is said Luk. 24.36. That as they spake, Iesus himselfe stood in the midst of them.
Foure speciall benefits certainely you might reape by it. First, It would make your children, and servants to marke better then they do what they heare, if they knew they should be examined when they came home. The Disciples of our Saviour were so diligent, and watchfull in hearing that hee commends them for it Mat. …3.16. Blessed are your eares for they heare. And what made them so attentive? Surely this was one cause, that they knew their master was wont to examine them as you heard, Mat. 13.…1. Secondly, It would much helpe, and confirme both your families, and your selves also in the understanding, and beleeving of that which hath beene taught you, if you would thus repeate it, and confer of it, and examine the proofes that have beene delivered for the confirmation of it. See a notable example of this in those noble, and worthy Christians of Berea, Acts 17 11, 12. They received the Word with all readinesse of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so; therefore many of them beleeved. You would beleeve, and be better stablished and setled in the knowledge and perswasion of that which we teach you, you would receive, and embrace it with more readinesse of mind then you do, if you would take paines to examine how it is proved, and confirmed, and grounded upon the Scripture. Thirdly, it would much helpe your memories, and make you better able to retaine that which you heare, if you would thus repeate it in your families, Deut. 4.9. Take heed to thy selfe, and keepe thy soule diligently lest thou forget—but teach them thy sons, and thy sons sons. As if he should say, That is an excellent meane to keepe thee from forgetting them. Fourthly, it would also much helpe you in your affections, and worke in you a feeling of that which you have heard, if you would thus conferre of it afterward, it would cause the Word to be sweeter to to you, and to have more life and power in your soules. This you shall finde in that charge God gives to his people, Deut. 6.6, 7. These words that I command thee this day, shall be in thine h…art, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children▪ and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thine house. But that which yee read in your booke, thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children; the margent of your Bibles saith is read thus in the Hebrew, thou shalt whet or sharpen them upon thy children; noting that this repeating, and conferring with our family of the Word, will whet, and sharpen it, and make it fitter to worke upon our hearts. I thinke it meet (saith the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1.13.) to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance▪ This bringing the Word to remembrance againe, is a meane to stirre up our affections unto it.
Applic.I pray you therefore take notice of your great sinne in this as another chiefe cause why you profit no more by your hearing. 1. Few can bee found that have any heart to speake of that which they have heard. Let us heare any newes, let a tale be told us, (though it be of matters that are of no moment, that nothing concerne us) we cannot hold but the next we meet with we must needs utter it unto; only that that we heare at a sermon, though it be never so profitable; though at the hearing of it we seemed to be much affected with it, yet have we no minde to speake of it againe. Surely we have all great cause to be humbled for this corruption, and to strive against it. For 1 this argueth Gods Word is not in our heart, Psal. 37.30, 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdome, and his tongue talketh of judgement; For the law of his God is in his heart. 2. This silence of ours proceeds from this, that we are ashamed to speake of Gods Word, Ier. 6.10. Behold the Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach, and ô how great a sin is that? David was of another minde, Ps. 119.46. I will speake of thy testimonies before Kings, and will not be ashamed. 2. For repeating of Sermons in your families it is generally neglected. You are all in your families like Martha to whom our Saviour said, Luk. 10.41, 42. Martha, Martha, thou art carefull and art troubled about many things, but one thing is needfull. You can spare no time for that one thing, no not one houre of a weeke in these long winter nights, no not on the Lords day. And what hope is there that our labour here in the Church should doe you any good when you will do nothing at home; which (as you have heard) you have as expresse a commandment for as we have for the paines we take heere at Church. Or what comfort can you have in your profession of religion, that have so little care of your families? whereas the Christians that Gods spirit gives testimony unto in his Word, are ever discribed thus, Ioh. 4.53. himselfe beleeved and his whole house. Acts 10.2. One that feared God, and all his house.
A fourth thing you ought to do after the hearing of the Word is this, that if you doubt of any thing you have heard, (and cannot by your private meditation, and conference resolve your selves in it) you should resort to the Minister, and seeke resolution from him. We should use more to move questions about that we reade. The noble Eunuch when he could not understand what he read, and God had given him the oportunity of a Minister, he made this use of him, Acts 8.34. I pray thee (saith he) of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe, or of some other man? But specially we should do so when we doubt of, and cannot tell how to understand what we have heard in a Sermon. So did our Saviours best hearers use to do, Mat. 13.36. His Disciples came to him, saying, declare to us the parable of the field? So did they againe, Mar. 7.17. So did they also at sundry other times come unto him to be resolved in their doubts that rose in their minds at the hearing of him, Mat. 17.10. and 19.10. For Mal. ….7. as the Priests lips should keepe knowledge; so the people of God in their doubts should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
This duty also the hearers of the Word do much neglect.Applic. 1. Sometimes indeed through the fault of some Ministers, who count it a great indignity, and take it in foule scorne that their hearers should make a question of any thing they teach; and not count every thing an oracle that comes out of their mouth. But such Ministers should hearken to that which Christ saith, Matth. 11.29. Learne of me for I am meeke, and lowly in heart. He alwaies shewed himselfe most ready to declare the meaning of any thing he taught, to them that did demand it; and to resolve them in any doubts, that did rise in their minds from his doctrine. Yea he was wont to offer himselfe unto them this way, and to prevent them when he saw them purposed to aske him such questions as Ioh. 16.19. Iesus knew that they were desirous to aske him, and said unto them doe ye enquire among your selves of that I said? and thereupon he tooke occasion to satisfie them fully in that they doubted of. But 2. The neglect of this duty proceeds principally from the people themselves, who as they are apt oft times to mistake and misunderstand the preacher, so are they as ready to goe away with it, and slaunderously to report most absurd, and improbable things which they conceive he did teach; and all because they will not vouchsafe to come to the Minister himselfe, and to desire him to resolve them in the things they doubted of. Such hearers Paul himselfe had, Rom. 3.8. We are slanderously reported of, and some affirme that wee say, let us doe evill that good may come, whose damnation is just.
The fift, and last duty that you are to performe after the hearing of the Word, if you would profit by it, is this, that you presently set upon the practise of that, that you have heard. 1. The end of all our hearing is that wee may practise what we heare, Deut. 5.1. Heare ô Israel the statutes, and the judgements which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them, and keepe, and doe them. 2. That that we heare is not blessed to us, we receive no good nor comfort by it, till we practise it, Iam. 1.25. Who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 3. It is a great advantage to us to set presently upon the practise of that we have heard, when God hath by his Word convinced our consciences, and stirred up in us, good desires and purposes; as it was for them that lay at the poole of Bethesda, to step into it presently after that the Angel had stirred the water, Ioh. 5.4. For delay will make the practise of any good duty a great deale more difficult. Which made Abraham goe presently about the circumcising of his family, Gen. 17.23. and the offering up of his son Isaac, Genes. 2….3. so soone as ever he had received the commandement from God to do it. This also made David to use such speed in this case, as we shall find Psal. 119.60. I made hast, and delayed not to keepe thy command…ments.
Alas then, how can the most of our hearers thrive in grace, or be the better for that they heare? 1. Few practise any thing they heare, …eave any sinne, do any good duty ever a whit the more, for any thing they heare, and therefore must needs prove like the house built upon the sand, when the time of tryall shall come, Mat. 7.26, 27. 2. Many, that when they are hearing, have good motions, and purposes, yet through delay they vanish, and come to nothing; of whom (in respect of their spirituall poverty) that may be said which Solomon speaketh, Prov. 24.3…, 34. Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleepe; so shall thy poverty come, as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.