The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Rules that order vsus about hearing of the Word.
THus of the rules that wee must obserue in all publike seruice of God. Now there bee certaine speciall rules which must bee particularly heeded in each part of Gods worship by it selfe. And first I will begin with Rules that order vsus in hearing the Word of God.those rules, which wee must more specially obserue in hearing the Word of God, and these are of three sorts.
1. Some bind vsus to the good behauiour, before wee come to heare.
2. Some at the time of hearing.
3. Some after we hauehave heard.
1. Before we come to heare, wee must bring with vsus two 1 Before we comethings.
1. A resolution to deny our owne wits, reasons, opinions, and conceits, and emptie our heads of all perswasion of our owne skill, to iudge in the things of the kingdome of God, being ready to beleeue and thinke in all things, as God shall teach vsus out of his Word. Wee must be fooles, that we may be wise, 1 Cor. 3. 18. humbling our selues at his very feete to receiue his Law, Deut. 33. 3.
2. Wee must bring with vsus a meeke and quiet spirit, a minde quieted from passions, lusts, and perturbations, and at rest from the turmoyling cares of this world. The Word is able to doe great things in our hearts, if we receiue it with meeknesse, Iames 1. 21.
Secondly, at the time of hearing, 1. In the time of hearing.wee must looke to two rules.
First, we must hearken without distraction: we must heare, as if it were for our liues, wee must incline our eares, and shake off all impediments arising from our owne drowsinesse, preiudice, or vaine thoughts, or distracting obiects, Esay 55. 3. Psal. 116. 113.
Secondly, wee must proue all things, and keepe that which is good. We must heare with iudgement, & hearken for our selues, hauing speciall care to looke to that doctrin which in particular concerns vsus, to lay it vp in our hearts, and apply it effectually. This is a rule of singular thrift in godlines. If we did marke what sin in vsus the Lord reproues, or what comfort is speedily fitted to our hearts: or what direction doth specially concerne vsus: He No….hath an honest memory that will bee sure to keepe these things, though he forget all the rest; and hee hath a wretched memory, and heart too, that forgets these things, though he could repeate all the Sermon verbatim.
Thirdly, after we hauehave heard, two things also must be further 3. After we hauehave hearddone.
First, we must by meditation labour to make those things wee hauehave heard, which concerne vsus, fast, that they runne not out of our mindes, and we must take heed that neither the diuell steale away the good seed, nor our owne heart through negligence forget it. Neither is this a worke for an houre after, to keepe these things till we may repeate them to others, but ought to be our daily worke, especially the weeke after to thinke so often of them, till there be a sure impression of the Word in our hearts, Hebr. 2. 1, 2.
Secondly, wee must yet further see to it, that we be doers of the Word, yea we must obserue to doe, as the phrase of the holy Ghost is. It is the wisedome of God so to dispose of his ordinances, that we receiue our directions by parcels, and there is a time of interim betweene Sabbath and Sabbath, Sermon and Sermon, that we might in that space learne to frame our selues to the obedience of the truths receiued, that so we might be ready to receiue new lessons from the Lord. The surest way for the husband man to keepe his seede, is not to lay it vp in his ba…, but to cast it into the ground: for what is sowed, he may receiue againe with aduantage; or if he might faile of an haruest from his seede in nature, yet godly men shall neuer faile to receiue what they sow by practice, with increase. So much of the truth, as is put into practice, is sure for euer; the rest may be lost: and it is a singular helpe to a Christian, if he set vponupon his obedience while the doctrine is yet fresh in his minde; for delay will compasse him about with many difficulties, and he will want those inward incitations, that might stirre vp his heart with power and strength to obey.