The Light of Faith, Part 2 · Section 8
§. VIII. The firſt, the hearing of the word read and preached.
THe Precepts that guide vsusOf hearing the word. herein, reſpect vsus, before, in, after hearing.
Before hearing.
1 Wee muſt lay aſide theſe ſinnes, malice, guile, or deceit in our dealings with men, hypocriſies or guile of ſpirit in our dueties to God, enuy and euil-ſpeakings, as backebiting, iudging, grudging, complaining, ſlandering, with all bitterneſſe of ſpeech: yea, all maliciouſneſſe and all guile, as the Apoſtle Peter exhorteth. 1. Pet.foreign. 2. 1. and the Apoſtle Iames more generally, All filthineſſe and ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe. Iam. 1. 21. Theſe corruptions of heart and life muſt bee mortified, if euer we would thriue by the word, and all of them: for a little leauen will ſowre the whole lumpe, a ſmall roote of them will much infect.
2 Wee muſt ſeeke meekeneſſe and lowlineſſe, meekeneſſe to calme our hearts from waiwardneſſe, paſſions, and perturbations; and humility, that wee be not wiſe in our owne eyes, and conceited of our gifts or abilities, but ſet our ſelues down like ſchollers, at the feet of God, to receiue of his words, Iam. 1. 21. Deut. 33. 3. 1 Cor. 3. 18.
3 Wee muſt be like children in our affections to the word, to louelove it, and long for it, delight in it, and hauehave our hearts ſet on i… as affectionately, as children doe naturally thirſt after the Breſt, 1 Pet. 2. 2. eſteeming it as our appointed food, as the honey, or the honey combe, Pſal. 19. 10. Iob 23. 12. renuing daily theſe our affections, ſo ſhall we grow by it, as by ſincere milke.
4 Prayer is required for our ſelues, looking to the Lord that teacheth to profit, Pſa. 25. 1 Cor. 3. 6. 7. Eſ… ▪ 48. 17. and for the Miniſter, Col 4. 3.
5 Knowledge of the Catechiſme, that we vnderſtand the doctrine of the beginnings of Chriſt, without which we ſhall be euer but dull of hearing, Heb. 5. 11. 12. with 6. 1.
6 Reſolution to obey in all things that are ſpoken to vsus of God, Act. 10. 33. To heare all his words, not putting any of his ſtatutes from vsus▪ though contrary to our reaſon, profit, credit, and the like. The contrary was found in Iohanan and his confederates, who promiſed all this to Ieremy, but ſecretly reſolued to try what the will of God was, and to obey no further then it agreed to their wils, Ier. 42 & 43.
In hearing, there is required;
1 Attention of the ea…e. bowed and inclined to heare, Eſa. 55. 3.
Of the eye, if it may helpe affection, as it doth, Luk. 4. 28.
Of the whole body, as Mary▪ Luk. 10. 39. Conſtantine the great, would ſtand and heare, though he were admoniſhed of his Nobles, not to doe it.
Such a compoſure or poſture of body, as may free from diſtraction, expreſſe reuerence, and helpe affection, is required: which will eaſily be framed, …f duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page we marke the rules following; namely,
2 To heare as in Gods preſence, Act. 10. 33.
3 To heare as the word of the liuing God, not as the word of a mortall man: it then worketh effectually, when it is thus mixed with faith, 1 Theſ. 2. 13. Hab. 4. 2.
4 Prayer, Oh thou that dwelleſt in the gardens, the Companions heare thy voyce, cauſe mee to heare it, Cant. 8. 13.
5 Intention of the minde, the thoughts not rouing, and the vnderſtanding buſied.
6 Retention of the memory, obſeruing that rule, to be wiſe for himſelfe, Pro. 9. 12. & 23. 19. He that ſo doth, hath a good, if not a great memory.
After hearing.
1 Meditation and rumination, in which worke, three things are eſſentiall, that we try the ſpirits, prouing all things, and holding faſt that which is good, 1 Ioh. 4 1. 1 Theſ. 5. 21. And that wee compare it and our ſelues together, Pſal. 119. 59. I hauehave conſidered my waies, and turned my ſelfe vntounto thy teſtimonies; and laſtly, that we obſerue how gracious the Lord is in his ordinances, what word ſoeuer he is pleaſed to ſweeten to vsus with the taſt of his ſpeciall goodneſſe, to note that chiefly, 1 Pet. 2. 3. Pſal. 34. 6. 8.
2 The treaſuring it vp for practiſe vponupon all occaſions, Pſal. 119. 1…. Thou muſt preſently ſet vponupon the doing of what thou haſt heard, and retaine it not for that day, but for euer. Which is eaſily done, if wee turne it into action, as Mat. 7. 24. elſe we deceiue our ſelues, Iam. 1. 22.