The Holy Arbor, Chapter 1 · Section 5
§. 5. The Word Heard.
AS the contempt of the Word is an abridgement of all ſin gathered together in one; ſo the practical embracement thereof, is the powerfulleſt Antidote againſt the poyſon of any ſin: Practice muſt be ever joyned with knowledge of the word, for not the hearers of the Law, but the doers thereof ſhall be juſtified before God, Rom. 2.12. And ſuch as are hearers onelyonly, and not doers of the Word, deceive but their own ſouls, James 1.22. Yea, when in admiration at Chriſts Doctrine, ſhe that bare him was pronounced Bleſſed, he replies, Nay, rather bleſſed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it, Luke 11.27, 28. So that it is not (as our lives ſeem to maintain) the ſitting and hearing, and after repeating of the Sermon, which God onelyonly requires; for to hear as God would have us hear, is another thing: It is like the Leſſons in Muſick, which we have never learnt till we be able to practice. To underſtand what Faith is, what Love is, what Patience is, is nothing; but to have Faith, to have Love, to have Patience, is the true hearing. Since then it is our duty to live in the practice of that we hear, be it our duty alſo to pray to God the Father in the name of Chriſt, That he would vouchſafe his Spirit unto us, whereby our hearts may be enclined, diſpoſed and bent to an unfained love and obedience of his Precepts delivered in his Word; yea, our prayers muſt be for the performance of ſuch obedience in our life, as that our Conſciences may not onelyonly not accuſe us, but alſo excuſe us before God in regard thereof, or at leaſt in regard of our true endeavor and deſire to obey. But diſobedience to the Word (which in its kinde God hateth as the ſin of Witchcraft) is the common ſin of this Age; men content themſelves with the bare action of hearing, like the Papiſts, who think God is well ſerved with the work done: but the work is not indeed done, till we conſcionably practice what we hear. Thus the principal thing we omit, which is the treaſuring up of Gods Word in our hearts, that upon juſt occaſion we might practice the ſame; yea, which is yet more deplorable, we are ſo far from yielding conſcionable obedience to the Word, that the endeavor thereunto is commonly judged Superfluous niceneſs, and over-curious preciſeneſs: Which moſt damnable Cenſure, together with this ſin of hearing and not doing, will continue (as it hath brought already) many fearful Judgements upon us, unleſs by timely true Repentance it be cut off; yea, this very Word which God hath graciouſly ordained as the ordinary means of our Salvation, if now heard unpractiſed, will one day prove the ſavor of death to our eternal Condemnation. Conſider this therefore, thou that centreſt Religion in Formality; conſider it ſeriouſly, as thou expecteſt Heaven or feareſt Hell; for being now premoniſhed, this very ſubject thou now readeſt ſtands on Record againſt thee to the great and terrible Day of Judgement.
To the profitable hearing of Gods word, three things are required:
1. A preparation before we hear, which conſiſts
1. In removing all impediments.
2. In uſing all good helps and means to further us.
2. A right diſpoſition in hearing.
3. The duties to be practiſed after hearing.
Rules of direction to be obſerved in preparation before hearing:
1. We muſt be ſwift to hear, James 1.19. by disburthening our ſelves of all impediments.
2. We muſt lift up our hearts to God in Prayer, that he would give us the hearing ear.
3. The hearer muſt in hearing ſet himſelf as in the preſence of God.
The lets and impediments hindring the effectual hearing of the Word, which are to be removed and avoided before we come to the hearing of the ſame:
1. Preſumption, when the hearer preſumes of his own parts, able to teach his Teachers: And in this may be included Prejudication, for we muſt take heed of all ſiniſter affection to the Miniſters perſon, Luke 10.16.
2. Troubled affections, ſpecially raſh anger, either againſt his Teacher or others; for we muſt take ſpecial heed of corrupt affections, as envy, hatred, malice, guile, anger, and the like, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2.
3. The immoderate deſire of riches and all worldly cares, Mat. 13.22.
4. Overcharging our ſelves with too much eating and drinking.
5. Itching ears, 2 Tim. 4.3. See the place.
6. We muſt put off our ſhoes from off our feet, that is, the dirty and filthy affections of our ſouls, Exod. 3.5.
7. We muſt ſhake off the ſin of Unblelief, being fully perſwaded that it is the Word of Truth.
8. All careleſneſs and carnal ſecurity, and come with thirſting ſouls, 1 Pet. 2.2.
9. We muſt take heed of diſſentions, and diverſity of opinions about the Truth, 1 Cor. 11.17, 18.
10. Hardneſs of heart, whereby the word is made as a dead letter, effectual onelyonly to our condemnation: This is a fearful ſin.
The helps and means to be uſed before the hearing of the Word:
1. Godly meditation; ſeriouſly to conſider as we go, and to meditate whither we are going.
2. To meditate of the Corruptions we are moſt addicted to, and of the Graces we moſt want.
3. To conſider to what end we go to hear to the word of God.
4. Before we go we muſt reſolve to ſuffer our ſelves to be reproved, as well as inſtructed.
5. We muſt uſe earneſt and fervent Prayer,
1. For the Miniſter, that God would give him the door of utterance.
2. For our ſelves, that God would bleſs his word unto us.
3. For others, that God would bleſs his word unto them alſo.
Rules of direction to a right diſpoſition, & the ſeveral duties required in the time of hearing:
1. When the Word of God is in delivering, every hearer muſt hear with judgement; that is,
His own private judgement.
The judgment of the Miniſter.
The judgement of the Holy Ghoſt.
2. Every hearer muſt have care that the Word of God be rooted and grounded in his heart, like good ſeed in good ground.
3. We muſt ſet our ſelves as in the ſight and preſence of God, who ſeeth our very thoughts, 1 Chron. 28.9.
4. To hear with fear and trembling, becauſe it is not the word of any mortal man, but of the ever-living God.
5. With reverence, not looking ſo much on the perſon of the Miniſter, as on God ſpeaking in him.
6. With alacrity, chearfulneſs and willingneſs, 1 Chron. 28.9. Mat. 13.
7. With meekneſs and ſubmiſſion to whatſoever is delivered, Jam. 1.21.
8. With attention, reſtraining our hearts from wandring from the delivered word, Luke 19.48.
9. We muſt fit and accommodate our ſelves to every part of the Sermon, properly applying the ſame to our ſelves.
10. We muſt hear with faith, believing the word preached to be the truth of God himſelf, Heb. 4.2.
11. With conſtancy, without tediouſneſs, not thinking the time long.
For the rooting of the word of God in our hearts, there are four things ſpecially required:
1. A true and right underſtanding thereof.
2. It muſt be mingled with faith, Heb. 4.1. that is,
General, to believe it.
Special, to apply it.
3. We muſt labor to be affected with the word, 2 Chron. 34.27.
4. The word of God muſt dwell plenteouſly in us, Col. 3.16.
The means to remove hardheartedneſs in hearing of the Word:
1. They muſt labor to be touched in heart with the ſenſe and feeling of their Spiritual poverty, and want of Gods favor in the pardon of their ſins.
2. To hear the word of God with an honeſt heart, joyned with a conſtant purpoſe of not ſinning.
3. To be as careful to bring good affections as a good underſtanding.
The frequent and moſt common impediments that hinder the effectual and ſaving hearing of the word:
1. Straying and wandring thoughts, thereby making our ſelves but Idolhearers.
2. Undecent and unſavory geſtures, as a wandring eye, gazing and gaping after every occurrent and occaſion that offereth it ſelf.
3. Removing of the body, not onelyonly ſhifting and ſtirring it up and down, but ariſing out of our places, and removing to place other, or beckening with our hands, or nodding with our heads.
4. Unreverent talking and uncivil laughing, as if the place of Gods publike Worſhip, were a Theatre for Sights, or a place of Mart and Exchange, where every one might ſingle out Companions.
5. A ſecure and ſenſleſs ſleeping, when we have drowſie ears and hearts.
6. A careleſs coming, and a ſhameleſs departing out of the Church, and a ſeperating of our ſelves from the Congregation, before it be diſmiſſed and diſſolved.
The duties required after hearing the word:
1. It muſt be treaſured up in our hearts, and practiſed in our lives, Pſal. 119.11.
2. Serious meditation, examination and application of what we have heard; we muſt meditate on the Word with lifting up of the heart unto God.
3. We muſt have experience of the Word of God in our ſelves, Pſal 34.8.
4. Beſide our Self-examination after we have heard the Word, Pſal. 119.59. we muſt be obedient unto it, and teſtifie our obedience, Jam. 1.22.
5. Godly conference touching the particulars of the Sermon: This confirms the memory, and helps very much to further knowledge and edification.
6. We muſt uſe prayer unto Almighty God, as well private as publike, for a bleſſing on what we have heard.
7. Above all, we muſt conſtantly endeavor to practice what we have heard, for onelyonly they receive the bleſſing, Luke 11.28.
The cauſes of not profiting after hearing the word, are chiefly of theſe two ſorts:
1. The ſins of the hearers, which principally are
Hardneſs of heart.
Worldly cares.
2. Ordinary and uſual defects of natural gifts, as want of capacity, memory, and the like.
They that ſubmit themſelves to hear Gods Word, are ſundry ways bound to perform obedience:
1. By the Law of Creation, as they are Gods Creatures.
2. By the Law of Redemption, as they are Chriſts ſervants, bought by his precious Blood, ranſomed from death to life.
3. In regard of their Adoption, as they are, or at leaſt hold themſelves to be his children in Chriſt.
4. In regard of his merciful providence, whereof we have daily experience.
The Word of God heard muſt be obeyed, for theſe Reaſons:
1. To encline our hearts to walk in his ways that we have learned, is an infallible ſign that we truly fear God, Gen. 22.13.
2. Obedience is always joyned with Recompence, God rewarding it to the full, who is a moſt rich Pay-maſter, no man ſhall ſerve him for nought, Pſal. 19.11.
3. If we hearken unto him, he will hearken unto us; if we be not backward to ſerve him, he will not be behinde hand to ſerve us, Iſa. 58.9.
4. They are to be obeyed that have no abſolute Authority, but are themſelves under the Authority of others; much more ought the Lord himſelf to be obeyed, who is above all, and all under him. Thus from the leſs to the greater did the Centurion reaſon, Matth. 8.8, 9.
5. The Rechabites obeyed Jonadab their father, and received a bleſſing for their obedience, Jer. 35.8, 13, 14. ſhall we make leſs account of God? if we have given reverence to the fathers of our fleſh, ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? Heb. 12.9.
6. There is a ſpecial relation between God and his people; the Subject oweth obedience to his Prince, the Servant to his Maſter, the Childe to his Father; God is all in all, he is our King, we his Subjects; he is our Maſter, we his Servants; he is our Father, we his Children, Mal. 1.6.
Reaſons to enforce us to be careful how we hear; viz.
1. Becauſe it is the word of God himſelf, and not of any mortal man, 1 Theſſ. 2.13.
2. Becauſe not one jot or tittle of this word ſhall go unfulfilled, Mat. 5.18.
3. It becometh the ſavor of life unto life, or of death unto deeper condemnation, 2 Cor. 2.16.
4. The word is the ordinary means of our Salvation, which God doth uſe to ſave thoſe that be his, Rom. 1.16.
5. Becauſe it is four to one whether we hear as we ought: For
1. Some hear but underſtand not.
2. Some hear and underſtand, but affect it not.
3. Others hear, underſtand and affect the word, yet practice not.
4. And of many hearers, but few good, Luke 8. Mat. 13.
6. Becauſe without profitable hearing when we may and ought, we are damned, Heb. 2.1, 2, 3. & 12.25.
7. Without this we neither love God nor know him; without both which we cannot be ſaved, Joh. 14.23. & 1 Joh. 4.6.
8. Becauſe this word preached, leaveth us without excuſe at the day of Judgement, Joh. 15.22.
9. If we hear as we ought, God accepts of us, and preferreth us above all other people, Exod. 19.5.
10. Without careful and profitable hearing, we can never attain to ſaving Faith, whereby we are ſaved, Rom. 10.
Take heed how you hear, was often in the mouth of our Savior, and muſt be always in the ears of ſuch as will hear well: This caution doth the wiſe-man give, Eccl. 5.1. Take heed unto thy feet when thou entreſt into the houſe of the Lord, and be readier to hear, then to offer the ſacrifice of fools; that we may therefore come prepared to the hearing of the word, it is neceſſary that we be humbled for our ſins, that we purge our hearts of ſinful affections, pray for a right diſpoſition, and meditate upon the excellency of the word, and our own need thereof; for we are naturally blinde, the word is a light ſent from Heaven to enlighten us in our darkneſs; we are aſſaulted by many potent enemies, the word is a ſword to defend us; we are in poverty and want of Spiritual Graces, it is a precious treaſure to enrich us; if we decay in holineſs, it is food to nouriſh us; we are become filthy and polluted by reaſon of our ſins, it is a ſweet ſavor to perfume us, ſalt to ſeaſon us: it is the power of God unto Salvation.
Who ſcorn this Pearl, ſo preciouſly divine,
Have loſt the name of Men, Chriſt calls them Swine.Mat. 7.6.
Some bolt their ears, and will not hear God's Call;
Others will hear, but practice nought at all:
The one incur the guilt of Self-excluſion;
Th'other liſten to their own Confuſion.
Wouldst thou be ſav'd? loſt man! Lo here's that Word
That kills or cures, a Balſam or a Sword;
'Tis as thou doſt apply't: Believe, it ſaith,
And live; it is the inſtrument of Faith.