Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Chapter 41
CAP. XLI.
Of the meanes of Working and encreaſing faith & 1. of Hearing the word of God.
THere is a threefold uſe and benefit of the means of grace, viz. 1. To worke faith and converſion. 2. To encreaſe graces begunne. 3. To ſeale up the aſſurance of all to our hearts.
Q What be thoſe means which God hath ſanctified and ſet apart for the begeting & encreaſing of his ſaving graces in us?
A. Three: Firſt, the exerciſe of the a word Read and Preached. Secondly, prayer b publick and private. Thirdly, and the uſe c of the Sacraments. a Rom. 10.13.14. Act. 8.31, 35. Act. 13.15.27. Act. 15.21. b Luk. 11.9, 13. John 16.23. Act. 16.13. c Luk. 7.30. 1 Cor. 10.16, 1 Cor. 11.17. Mat. 3.6.7. Mark 1.4.
1. Of hearing the word of God.
Q. How may I heare the word of God to my comfort and ſalvation?
A. Some things are required, 1. Before we come to Heare. 2. Some things in Hearing. 3. And ſome things after we have Heard.
Q. What is required before we come?
A. Before I come, I muſt ſet my heart and minde in frame by due preparation. Exod. 19.10, 11. 1 Sam. 6.20. Acts 10.33. Luc. 8.18.
Q. VVherein Stands this preparation to right hearing,Of preparation before Hearing. or reading the word of God?
A. In three things: Firſt, the heart muſt be emptied of all ſtumbling blocks of iniquity, I muſt receave it in an honeſt heart, (that is) with a teachable & tractable heart, reſolving to practice whatſoever is taught me out of Gods word [I muſt not ſet up any imaginations, reaſonings, or purpoſes, which may make me to be offended, and ſtumble at the Word, being diſobedient: but I muſt ſubmit every oppoſite deſire to the obedience of Jeſus Chriſt.] Ezek. 14.7. Ezek. 33.32. Mat. 19.22. Ioh. 5.44. Ier. 4.3. Act. 10.33. Luk. 8.15. Rom: 6.17. Iam. 1.21. 1 Pet. 2.1, 2, 8. Lord here I am before thee as they clay, faſhion me to thine owne mind and will.
Q. Wherein, ſecondy, ſtands right preparation?
A. We muſt not come heavily, and for formes ſake, but with an hungring and thirſting after the good knowledge of God, deſirous to grow by it in grace and goodneſſe. Eſa. 2.3. Luk. 1.53. 1 Pet. 2.2. Iob. 23.12. Pſal 19.10, 11.
Q. Wherein, thirdly, ſtands this preparation?
A. We muſt pray for the Spirit, and bleſſing of God, to accompany the outward Ordinances, without which they are uneffectuall. [Many men know theſe directions: but didſt thou ever put them in practice? Didſt ever ſet thy ſelfe by hearing to get wiſedome, and be healed?] Prov. 20.12. Luk. 24, 45. Eſa. 48.17. Pſal. 119.18.
Q. 2. In hearing, What muſt we doe?
A. The Word muſt be heard with reverence, and attention, and mingled with faith, that is, I muſt believe that it is true, and true to me. [As if I heare a promiſe, or a duty, or a marke of grace, I muſt take it to my ſelfe, as true and good to me.] Heb: 4, 2.3. Luk. 4.20. Act. 13.46.
Q. What help have you thus to prepare and diſpoſe your heart?
A. I muſt conſider, that it is not the will a and word of man, but of God, by which alſo I ſhall be judged; and therefore if I b reſiſt it, I ſtand not out againſt man, but againſt God. [Untill I give Gods Word a divine authority over my heart, I am but an hypocrite, I can never believe, &c.] a 1 Theſ. 1.4, 5. with 1 Theſ. 2.13 b Zach. 7.12. Act. 7.51. 2 Chr. 34.19, 21. Ezra 9.4. [This conſideration would free the heart of impatiency, and contempt of the Preacher, of pride of our own hearts, and other carnall affections, which make the Word unfruitfull unto us.
Q 3. What muſt me doe after we have heard?
A. Two things: Firſt, we muſt meditate and conferre of it, and examine it, (as the Bereans did) that ſo the rules of Gods Word may be rooted in our underſtanding, memories and affections. Acts 17.11, 12. Luke 2.51. 1 Cor: 14.35.
Q. What ſecondly?
A. We muſt be carefull to turne hearing into practice, for not the hearer, but the doer of the word is bleſſed. Matth: 7.24, 26. Jam. 1.22, 23.25. Pſal: 119.105. Prov. 9.21, 22. Luke 11.28.