A Christians Walk and Work on Earth, Chapter 5

A Christians Walk and Work on Earth · Chapter 5

p. 103Of Hearing the Word. CHAP. V.

1. THe third Religious duty wherein you muſt ſerve God, is the Hearing and Reading of his Word; that you have the word of God to Read and Hear, you muſt prize as a precious priviledg, and praiſe the Lord for it, with your heart, lips, and life: God hath depoſited a Rich Treaſure with you in lending you his Word and Goſpel. You might have been begging drops of mercy in Hell at this time, when behold God offers you Oceans of grace on Earth in his Word and Goſpel. O what would the damned give (even ten thouſand Worlds if they had them) to enjoy ſuch means of grace (yea but one day thereof) and ſuch days of Salvation as are beſtowed upon you; God hath not dealt ſo with many Nations, nor with many perſons, as he hath dealt with you and the Land of your Nativity, Pſal. 147. 19, 20. 'twas a Special favour and vouchſafement to Iſrael, that God committed to them the lively (and life-giving) Oracles, Rom. 3. 2. there is a (chiefly) ſet upon it; p. 104being a matter of great truſt, to know your Maſters Will is a choice Talent. There is (much) in that of Luke 12. 48. (as there was (chiefely in the other) the word [foreign] Signifies to depoſit or lay up, as a matter of great worth: The poor Pagan World lay under a long night of darkneſs (having only the twinkling Star light of the fallen nature) wherein they wander wofully, yet not ſo wide as to miſs of Hell. Their Star-light indeed leaves them [foreign] inexcuſable, Rom. 1. 20. but cannot lead them to the Star of Jacob, the bright and Morning Star, nor to life and Salvation, Act. 4. 12.

2. God hath Magnified above all things his name by his Word, Pſal. 138. 2. To the words (there) may be Read: or as our Reading is, thou haſt Magnified thy word above all thy Name. If God Magnifie his word above all, how ſhould you Magnifie it accordingly while you have the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. The word muſt be admired and highly eſteemed before it have a through work upon your heart, Act. 13. 48. & 2 Theſ. 3. 1, 2. You muſt eſteem it (as Job did) not only above your dainties and ſuperfluities, but even above your neceſſary food (without which you cannot Subſiſt,) Job. 23. 12. 'Tis better to want your daily bread (that periſheth with uſing then this bread of life, Joh. 6. 27. I had rather want meat, drink, ſleep, ſight, light, any thing, p. 105every thing, ſaid Selneccer, then want the word of God; and Luthers Rapture was, I had rather live in Hell with it, then in Heaven without it. O then what a bleſſing do you enjoy in hearing the Word, 'tis [Epiſtola Creatoris ad Creaturam] Gods letter from Heaven to Man, the very Reading whereof hath a bleſſedneſs annexed to it, Revel. 1. 3. So it be but Read both with affection and application.

3. More particularly, there is a three fould duty to be obſerved in this Religious exerciſe, as in the former; 1 Something before. 2 Something in, and 3 Something after. In all theſe the heart of Man is apt to miſcarry, as Chriſt intimates in two Cautions he gives you, Mark 4. 24. take heed [what] you hear, and Luke 8. 18. take heed [how] you hear. In the former he Cautions you about the matter of your hearing, and in the latter, about the manner of it. As to the firſt of thoſe, you muſt be like the careful Husbandman who is very choice in his ſeed, very Curious and Critical, he will not commit corrupt ſeed to his fruitful Soil; ſo neither muſt you lend your ear to the Devil or to any of his Chaplains: Sin came into the World, firſt by the door of the ear, your great grand-Mother Eve liſtned more to Satans lies then to Gods truth; and though the Devil be not ever (Mendax) a lyar, yet is he (Semper-fallax) p. 106always decitful, ſpeaking truth only with a purpoſe to deceive. 2 Cor. 11. 3. a cozener.

4. The Devil did only Equivocate to our firſt Parents, yet is he called a down-right lyar, Joh. 8. 44, &c. He began his Kingdom by a lie, and he upholds it by lies to this preſent day. O how ſhameful then or rather ſhameleſs are thoſe Popiſh Doctors that Preach up Equivocation, as a comfortable Doctrin to afflicted Catholicks; calling back (as it were) that peſt from Hell, and from that old Equivocator: that ſubtle Serpent when he was but young, out-witted your firſt Parents, now that he is old, and ye young Children, Eph. 4. 14. take heed he doth not cozen you either by himſelf, or by any of his Chaplains, with their finely ſpun Threds of Popery. Chriſt ſaith, my ſheep hear them not, for they know not the voice of ſtrangers Joh. 10. 5, 8. for they have their Senſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Hebr. 5. 14. yea they have a Spirit of diſcerning, 1 Cor. 12. 10. to diſcerne the mind of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2. 16. Bread from Stones, and fiſh from Serpents, and what the Chaff is to the Wheat, Jer. 23-28. they hate eueryevery falſe way, Pſal. 119. 104. and 'tis Impoſſible for them to be fully and finally deceiued, Matth. 24. 24. you may know thoſe Impoſters by their lightneſs, as well as by their lies, Jer. 23. 32. they ſhall not profit this people at all ſaith the Lord, and yet they may much hurt them, Lam. 2. 14. p. 107looſe and lewd courſes as well as loud and lying diſcourſes are the brand, God puts upon Satans Spelman: by their fruits you ſhall know them, Matth. 7. 15, 16. the evil communication of ſuch (as are Trumpe and Triumphant in this day) do corrupt good manners, 1 Cor. 15. 33.

5. As hitherto of the matter, ſo now of the manner of hearing. Herein Obſerve thoſe Directions, 1 Before hearing, 2 In it, and 3 after it. Firſt before, you muſt prepare to meet your God in this duty alſo, as well as in the two former, to which I refer you: Moreover, your heart muſt be prepared for this duty more eſpecially. Firſt Direct. by laying aſide all filthineſs and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. when you come to the ſincere Milk of the Word, your fallow ground muſt be plowed up that you ſow not among Thorns. Jer. 4. 3, 4. If your ſtomach be ſoul and clogged with bad humours, you firſt purge it, before you feed and fill it, otherwiſe what-ever you Eat, will but nouriſh thoſe corrupt and morbifick Humours: ſo will it be with your Soul when 'tis clogged with Sin. Chriſts Market is then fore-ſtalled, and your heart ſo fraught with falſe Lovers, and like the Inn at Bethlehem, ſo full of other Gueſts, that there will be no Room for Chriſt, Luke 2. 7. There is much unſuitableneſs betwixt a filthy Spirit and the pure word of God, and p. 108therefore muſt you put away all filthineſs (both of fleſh and Spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1.) never to have any more to do with your idols, Eſa. 30. 22. pull up every weed and caſt it away to prepare for the ſeed; the Houſe muſt be ſwept clean for Entertaining the King of glory.

6. The ſecond Direct. about preparation is, you muſt lay aſide not only all filthy Sins, but alſo all worldly thoughts and cares of this life, which will choak the ſeed of the Word, Mat. 13. 22. Eſpecially when thoſe Thorns overtop the Corn, which naturally they will do: 'tis good ground (indeed) 'tis a good heart, wherein grace over-tops corruption and not corruption grace. Wherefore lay Gods charge upon Worldly cares, that they ſtay at Churchdoor (with Bernard) and at the foot of the hill of God (with Abraham) as above; but they muſt not go up, or in with you, if they preſume to preſs in with you, drive them away, as Abraham did the Fowls that diſturbed, if not defiled his Sacrifice, Gen. 15. 11. The Rabbies ſay, that in the Temple though there was much fleſh for Sacrifice uſed in it, yet not ſo much as one Flie was ſeen ſtirring there. So not a wandring thought ſhould appear ſtirring in your worſhip, eſpecially conſidering you are the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, ſo ſhould not think your own thoughts, Iſa. 58. 13. in Gods Temple have more of Sabbath p. 109thoughts on week-day, then week-day thoughts, will leſs trouble you on Sabbathday.

7. The third Direction for preparing your heart to this Religious duty is, beware of a prejudiced Spirit, either againſt the perſon Teaching or againſt the Doctrin Taught. 1. You may not have a prejudicate opinion againſt the Teacher, if once you diſtaſt his perſon, you can never reliſh his Doctrin: the beſt of Miniſters are expoſed to prejudice, even Chriſt himſelf (that Palmoni Hamadabber Dan. 8. 13. or Prince of Preachers) was perſonally cavilled at, viz. Is not this the Carpenter? And can any good thing come out of Nazareth? &c. If this did befal that green Tree, what can the dry expect, Mark. 6. 3. Joh. 1. 46. Luk. 23. 31. Hence Paul admoniſhed Timothy, ſo to behave himſelf in the Church of God that none might deſpiſe his youth, 1 Tim. 4. 12. this is a great Impediment to a proſpering and profitting Goſpel: the Heathen could ſay (Inter ſenum deliria & Juvenum praejudicia cadit Reſpublica) 'twixt the dotage of old men and the prejudice of young men the Common-wealth falleth. O that we had not cauſe to ſay, that betwixt thoſe two (cadit Religio) the common Salvation falleth: the plaineſt Preachers are exploded by ſuch, as if they ſtood not in need to be put in Remembrance of thoſe things they know, 2 Pet. 1. 12. p. 110The end of Preaching is not only to inform the Judgment, but alſo to reform the affections, not only to teach Men what they know not, but alſo to ſtir them up to Practiſe what they know. 'Tis ordain'd for this as well as that.

8. Neither 2ly. muſt you have prejudice againſt the truth taught; as thoſe of Itching ears, 2 Tim. 4. 3. not abiding ſound Doctrin, as fore eyes not enduring the Sun-ſhine, the fault is not in the Sun, but in the eyes: ſo 'tis not in the Doctrin, but in them which ſavours no Doctrine, ſave that which ſuites with their Itching tempers, being not willing to frame the heart to the Word, but rather deſirous to have the Word framed to the heart. Thus Carnal men deſpiſe Prophecying, 1 Theſ. 4. 12, 20. and plain Preaching is fooliſhneſs to them. 1 Cor. 1. 21. though it be under the bleſſing of a Divine Inſtitution in that phraſe (It pleaſed God) which is not ſo Solemnly ſet upon bare Reading the Word: you may (indeed) and muſt try the Spirits, 1 Joh. 4. 1. and prove all things in Order to the holding faſt of that which is good, 1 Theſ. 5. 21. as thoſe well bred Bereans did, Act. 17. 11. and if you find the grain good, never quarrel with the ſeeds-man: Elias's food was acceptable to him, though unclean Ravens were his Servitours, and Currant Coin is not to be refuſed though from a Leprous hand, yet 'tis ever beſt from a Barnabas, Act. 11. 24. of all others.

p. 1119. The fourth Direct. herein is, beware of preſumption as well as prejudice, that you come not to the word with an heart reſolved (before hand) what to do, let God and his Miniſters ſay what they pleaſe, Jer. 2. 25. ſo as to take your own way and to follow your own courſe, Jer. 44. 16, 17. as if you ſcorn'd to bend to truth; this is proud obſtinacy or ſtubborn pride which you muſt abandon. Say not, you know enough already, for you know nothing yet as you ought to know, 1 Cor. 8. 2. you muſt become a fool for Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2. 18. and ſit down at the very foot of God, Eſa. 41. 2. to receive his Law. Deut. 3. 33. Thus Mary ſate at Jeſus feet and heard his Word, Luk. 10. 39. great Naaman will learn good from a little Maid. 2 King. 5. 2, 3, 4. &c. Bring along with you a bored ear, Pſal. 40 6. and a bowing heart, as Samuel, ſpeake Lord for thy Servant heareth, 1 Sam. 3. 10. as Saul ſaid Lord what wilt thou have me to do, Act. 9. 6. In a Word pray to God, that all this may be done that he would bleſs the Word, both for the killing of Sin, and the quickening of grace, &c. Do you beg a bleſſing on the food of your body and not of your Soul, Prov. 2. 3, 5. cry after it, this is your life, Matth. 4. 4. Eſa. 38. 16. Joh. 6. 63.

10. The ſecond thing you are to mind is, concomitant, as the firſt things preparation, the ſecond is performance, to wit, w… is required p. 112of you in this Religious duty, and 'tis threefold. 1 Attention. 2 Intention, and 3 Retention. 1 Attention of the ear. 2 Intention of the heart. and 3 Retention of the Memory. 1 of the firſt of theſe, to wit, Attention of the ear. The ear is the ſenſe of Faith, as the eye is the ſenſe of love; Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10. 17. God makes the ear to be the Organ of our Salvation (in working Faith by hearing the word) as it was the Inſtrument of our deſtruction, when our firſt parents lent their ear in liſtening unto Satans lies: the Milk of the word is not to go in at the mouth, but at the ear, the ear is the Inſtrument to take in God by, and not the eye, Exod. 33. 19. Moſes deſires to ſee Gods glory, Ver. 18. no (ſaith God) I will proclaim it, and accordingly he doth ſo, Exod. 34. 6, 7. and thus likewiſe God doth teſtify to Elias in a ſtill ſmall voice, (not in viſible things as fire and Earth-quake, but in a voice which is Audible) 1 Kin. 19. 11, 12. both thoſe Inſtances teaches you, that teaching by a voice ſhould be the principal means, to bring your soul to the ſaving knowledge of God, Moſes thought that his ſeeing of God would much confirm him, (as Papiſts thinks of their ſeeing of Pictures and Crucifixes) but God Rectifies Moſes errour and proclaims himſelf, the Lord; Rectify the Popiſh miſtake alſo.

11. Hearing prevail not, neither will p. 113Seeing, no not your ſeeing a man from the dead, Luke 16. 27, 31. the Jews were ſo far from believing when they ſaw Lazarus raiſed from the dead, that they would have kill'd him, for no other fault, but becauſe he who had been dead, was alive again, Joh. 12. 10. their ſeeing of ſuch an one was ſo far from working Faith in them, that it Tranſported them into fury; and into ſuch ſublime malice and madneſs, as to make them take up Arms againſt Heaven it ſelf, as ſeeking to kill a man, only becauſe God had made him alive. They liſtened as little to him whom they ſaw, as to Chriſt whom they heard, but ſought to kill [him] alſo, as well as Chriſt: Indeed who can believe the Teſtimony of a mere Creature, that will not believe the Teſtimony of the Creator himſelf. So that Hell is to be eſcaped by hearing, Luke 16. 29. Eſay. 55. 3. Hear and live.

12. The deafneſs of mans ear to hear the word of God, cauſeth Chriſt to ſigh, Mark. 7. 34. [foreign] he ſighed, as if himſelf felt and fainted under the burden of mans deafneſs. Until Chriſt ſay [Ephphatha] be opened, and boar the ear, Pſal. 40. 6. God may ſpeak once and twice, and man not perceive it. Job. 33. 14, 16. There be three vices in hearing which Chriſt muſt cure you of, before you can be attentive to the Word of God. (1.) There is a Carnoſity on the Tympanum Auris; p. 114A fleſhie excreſcence upon the drum of the ear, this muſt be removed to recover natural hearing; ſo Carnal affections to the World will make you Spiritually deaf to the Word, until you be Circumciſed in ear, as well as heart by Chriſt. Act. 7. 51. Jer. 6. 10. Thus Herods carnality (with Herodias) made him deaf to Divine Doctrine, Mark. 6. 17, 18. (2.) There is abundance of bad humours in the brain, that make a noiſe within, ſo that a voice cannot be heard without. Intus exiſtens prohibet Alienum. The head muſt be purged of thoſe Vapours before hearing can be quick, thus the heart muſt be purged of Pride, paſſion, or prejudice, &c. Thoſe bad humours that deafs man to God: the Jews ears were waxen fat herewith, that they could not hear Chriſts voice, Matth. 13. 15. (3.) The Organ is ſometimes hurt by a fall: this is certainly done to the Inner-man, by the fall of the firſt man, our hearing is wounded till Chriſt caſt out the deaf Spirit.

13. Your heart thus purged by Chriſt (for Ʋnguentum pretioſum Vaſi faetido non committitur, pretious Ointment may not be put into an unclean Veſſel) when Chriſt hath wakened, Eſa. 50. 4. and opened your Ear, Pſal. 40. 6. then attend the word with your ear, not as the Word of Man, but as the word of God, 1 Theſ. 2. 13. with all due reverence and true affection looking beyond the inſtrument (which p. 115yet God uſeth) at the Authority and inſtitution; how the treaſure is precious though in an earthen Veſſel, 2 Cor. 4. 7. [foreign] in Oyſter-ſhells, a bright Pearl may be found therein (though contemptible in themſelves) by a Divine appointment; that it ſhould be ſo, (pleaſeth God) as before. Therefore ſet your ſelf Solemnly in Gods preſence, as Cornelius and his friends did, Act. 10. 33. we are all here preſent before God, to hear all things commanded thee of God: and as the Corinthian Convert ſaw God in the Ordinance, 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. when he found that it told him (as once to the Samaritan Woman, Joh. 4. 29.) all that ever he did, 'tis a curious Critick, Hebr. 4. 12. It finds and ferrets out ſecret Sins.

14. Hereupon muſt you, (1.) Give your beſt attention to it; your plus and your prius, Firſt and moſt, as to a Divine Inſtitution, whereof God (himſelf) is the Author. Chriſt (himſelf) the matter and Salvation (it ſelf) of your precious and immortal Soul, 'its end; look well then to your foot, Eccleſ. 5. 1. as one that expects ſome bleſſed News from Heaven, and concerning matters of greateſt Importance; Expecting that God will Magniſy his Word above all his name, Pſal. 138. 2. and longing for a word in Seaſon, which will be to you, as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver, Prov. 25. 11, 20. yea looking upon the p. 116word as a part of Chriſts purchaſe, and every Syllable thereof (as it were) written with his precious blood, and therefore deſiring not only to hear it, but alſo to feel it and to taſte of it; that your heart (as well as your hand) may handle of the Word of life, 1 Joh. 1. 1.

15. And (2.) you muſt attend it often, as often as you can redeem time from your other Employments, to embrace ſuch a bleſſed and golden opportunity: the Reaſon is, you will never find your heart in the ſame frame (at the next opportunity) that the Word left it in at your laſt audience of it. This is the diſadvantage of the Miniſtry above all other callings in the World: a Miniſter of Chriſt never finds his work as he leaves it, the Carpenter, the Goldſmith, the Potter, (and men of all callings) find their work next morning as they leave it over-night; but a Miniſter of the Goſpel, doth not find the hearts of his hearers the following Sabbath, in the ſame frame as he left them in the foregoing: he ſent them away with warm hearts, but they return to him again with cold hearts; So that he hath a new fire to Kindle, his Iron to heat again before it will be Malleable to the hammer of the word, Jer. 23. 29. his wax (that is now grown hard by lying in the cold) to mollify again, before it will take the Impreſſion of the Divine Seal, Rom. 6. 17. therefore doth he pray for this before he Preach: you will aſſuredly and by woſul experience p. 117find your heart not as the materials in other callings, abiding in the ſame frame and tenure as they are left, but rather as the fleſh of the Peacock, which (Naturaliſts ſay) though Roſted over night, will be Raw in the next morning; pray then with David, keep this frame for ever on me, 1 Chron. 29. 18. when you are warm'd with the word, and lay your Soul often under the droppings of the Sanctuary, for reforming your affection, as well as for Informing your Judgment, Iſa. 28. 10.

16. Thirdly, you muſt attend the word without drowſineſs: if you ſleep at the word, the envious one will be ſure to ſow his tares while you do ſo; Matth. 13. 25. Remember Eutichus, Act. 20 9. you may get a worſe fall then he did; you may fall from the high pinacle of profeſſion to the low Pit of prophaneneſs, from the third Heaven, to the loweſt Hell, where you ſhall have no Paul to take you up and recover you: did you ever ſee a Man ſleep at his Markets, and ſo goe home empty, neglecting to buy the Proviſions (for himſelf and his Family) that he came thither for? Your errand to Gods Market for your Soul is (or ought to be) to buy the truth, Prov. 23. 23. O go not home empty-handed, emptyhearted; did you ever ſee a man fall aſleep in taking and telling of Money's, ſuch an one cannot tell whether he take right Money, or p. 118wrong, and is eaſily Cheated. Yet alas, how many by ſo doing put an everlaſting Cheat upon their own Souls, falling not only into a natural, but alſo into a Spiritual ſlumber while they are talking and telling of Divine truth, which is the only Currant Coin in the Court of Heaven.

17. Alas poor Soul, if you do ſo, I cannot ſay of you; as Chriſt once ſaid of Lazarus, (Joh. 11. 12. If he ſleep, he ſhall do well) but the contrary, if you ſleep in an Ordinance, you both do, and will do, very ill; you can neither take nor tell [even] ſaving truth when it is told out to your hand and to your heart. As the Apoſtle faith, what! have you not Houſes to eat and to drink in, 1 Cor. 11. 22. So I ſay, what! Have you not Houſes to ſleep in? But you will ſhame your ſelf, and deſpiſe the Church of God. Shall I praiſe you in this? I praiſe you not, O little do you know what drops of the Divine unction (that flows from the two bleſſed Olive-Trees (Chriſt and his Spirit) Zech. 4. 2, 3, 12, 14) Runs by your Veſſel, while you ſhut the mouth of it, by your falling aſleep. Spare-diet on that day is a good Antidote againſt that evil, and ſure I am, a truly thirſting Soul, that followeth hand after Chriſt, Pſal. 63. 1, 2, 8. hath the right Spiritual Antidote (as ſpare-diet is the natural) againſt it. Such as wake much in Taverns and Ale-houſes, will be ſure to ſleep much in the p. 119Ordinances, and they that dare do ſo, and can be pleaſed with themſelves in ſo doing, may juſtly ſuſpect their own ſtate and ſtanding Godward. Such as ſleep to God, God will ſleep to them; and 'tis juſt (ſaith Mr. Robert Bolton) that ſuch be plagued with ſome ſudden vengeance from Heaven, for neglecting ſo great Salvation, Hebr. 2. 3. to become Examples to others: 'Tis Gods great mercy, Gods plagues are ſuſpended. God will (ſooner or later) ſend out his Summons for ſleepers.

18. Fourthly, you muſt attend the word without wearineſs, as well as without drowſineſs, thoſe two very often go together. If Nero were ſo angry with Veſpaſian for being weary of, and falling aſleep at his Muſick; O what will the great God be, if you both be weary of, and fall aſleep at his ſacred Ordinance: you muſt ſhake your ſelf from ſluggiſhneſs as Sampſon did, Judg. 16. 20. and not cry out, O what a wearineſs is it! Mal. 1. 13. and when will the Sabbath be over, Amos 8. 5. as if in the ſtocks all the while you ſit there; but conſider how Chriſt ſtandeth and knocketh at the door of your heart (and this he hath done many days and weeks and mongths and years) yet is not weary, Revel. 3. 20. although the poſture of ſtanding be a weariſom poſture, and the action of knocking a weariſom action: yet his leggs ake not with ſtanding, nor his hands wearied with knocking, Eſa. 59. 1. ſhall p. 120the Maſter wait and wait (long) upon the ſervant without wearineſs, and dare the ſervant be weary with waiting [a while] upon his Lord and Maſter? Such as have maintenance from the Kings palace, or are ſalted with the Kings Salt [in their Salaries,] as, Ezr. 4. 14. Muſt not be weary with waiting in his Service: 'tis the brand of the Child of Perdition, to have eaten of his Maſters bread, and yet lift up his heel againſt him. Pſal. 41. 9. Matth. 26. 23.

19. How many lift up their heels, to go away from Chriſt in the Ordinance, if they do not lift up their heels to war againſt him; know you not (ſaith the Apoſtle) that the Saints ſhall Judg the world? 1 Cor. 6. 2. but alas the very Ox and Aſs doth Judg ſuch perſons by their knowing and waiting on their Maſters Crib, better then they, Eſa. 1. 4. Some cannot ſit above an hour, as if all ſpoke after were unſanctified matter, and born out of due time. Surely 'tis eaſier to hear with the ear then to cry with the voice, there is ſtraining and ſtretching of both lungs and ſides in this, but none in that; yet the Worſhippers of the Idol [Diana] could cry out (with an extended voice) for the ſpace of two hours, (great is Diana of the Epheſians) Act. 19. 34. yet ſome cannot hear with the ear above one hour. O Conſider, your Lords Heaven and Happineſs (for which you are hearing and which is p. 121prepared for all that hear aright) is more then of an hour long; and ſhall man make the Ephah of his makers Worſhip ſo ſmall, Amos 8. 5. when his Maker hath made the Omer of his Wages ſo great. Our work is not the tenth part of our Wages, Exod. 16. 36. Shall the Cedar of Lebanon, woo and ſuit the Thiſtle in Lebanon for a Marriage, as 2 King. 14. 9. And can the poor Thiſtle be weary of ſuch beſeechings?

20. Fifthly, you muſt attend the word without wandrings as well as without wearineſs: you muſt ſerve the Lord without diſtraction, 1 Cor. 7. 35. as before. David loved the word of God ſo much, that he hated all vain thoughts, that would have diſtracted him in it. Pſal. 119. 113. he (as it were) ſhrinks out of himſelf into his God, when the wicked one touched his heart with wandring thoughts: alas the Plaque of Flies is upon the fal'n nature of Man, (as it was upon the land of Egypt) from Beelzebub the God of Flies, pray the Lord ſo to expel them, as not one may be remaining. Exod. 8. 31. & 10 19. Thoſe flocks may not feed before the Mount of God. Exod. 3. 4, 3. and thoſe Fowls may not reſt on your heart, as 2 Sam 21. 10. that (as Haman) would raviſh the Queen (the Soul) even in the Kings preſence, Eſth. 7. 8. hang them, Ver. 10. Gen. 15. 11.

p. 12221. The ſecond duty in the Act of hearing is, Intention, (as before Attention) there muſt be Intention of the heart, as well as Attention of the ear firſt, Luke 19. 48. [foreign] (pendebat ab ore ejus) the people (there) were ſo intent and earneſt in hearing the word of Chriſt, that they did (as it were) hang their ears at Chriſts mouth, and tied them to his very Tongue. Thus you ſhould hear as for your life, and as for your laſt; juſt as Priſoners hear their Prince that Judgeth them at the Bar, when every word he ſpeaks to them is either life, or death: Or as Benhadads ſervants did hear the King of Iſrael (whom they expected to find a merciful King) 1 King. 20. 31, 32, 33. How did they watch every Word, and how did they catch at the word, [brother] you muſt hang on God in his Miniſters) as the Babe doth upon the breaſt, and as the Bee doth upon the flower. (2.) Open your hearts, Acts 16. 14. God bids you open your mouth wide, and he will fill it, Pſal. 81. 10. This [foreign] your narrow Soul, and your narrow Faith will ſpoile you in this Ordinance; you ſhould bring large Sacks and ſuch as will open wide, when you come for the Corn of Heaven to the Lord of Heaven and Earth, as the Patriarks did when they went (in a Famine) for Corn to the Lord of the land of Egypt. Gen. 42. 2, 3, 6, 25. Your Joſeph your Jeſus (I dare aſſure you) will be kinder p. 123to you (if you ſo come unto him) then ever that Joſeph was to his Brethren, whoſe rough words were (indeed) ſomewhat diſcouraging, but his ſmooth deeds were wonderfully encouraging; he ſent them laden home not only with Corn but with their Money too. Gen. 42. 7, 27. & 44. 1. Food as much as they could carry.

22. Thirdly, bring Enlarged hearts; The greater your Veſſel is, and the wider mouth it hath, 'tis not only the ſooner filled, but you carry ſo much the more water home from the Conduit alſo. Joh. 4. 7, 28. Chriſts Miniſters (that beſeech you in Chriſts ſtead. 2 Cor. 5. 20. are compared to Clouds, Jude. 12. Upon a three-fold account. 1. As they are driven to and fro. 2. As ſuſtained (like Clouds full of water) by the mighty power of God. 3. As dropping down refreſhing rain upon the droughty Earth; now as the dry ground gapes for Rain, ſo ſhould you for the word. Hebr. 6. 7. Deut. 32. 2. Ezek. 21. 2 They waited for Job as for the Rain, Job 29. 23. Which in thoſe hot Countrys was heartily longed for and highly prized: and they opened their mouth wide (to him) as for the latter Rain. That is, they liſtened as for life, and gaped as if they would have eaten his words. Such a Divine thirſt Davids Soul abounded with, in his dry and thirſty land, Pſal. 63. 1. & 42, 1. 2. & 119. 20, 81, And the Spouſe, Cant. 2. 4. p. 124Crying ſtay me with flagons, 'tis not a drop, or a ſpoonful, or a little Cup full that will quench her thirſt, but ſhe muſt have whole Flagons. You ſhould come to an Ordinance, juſt as Behemoth came to Jordan in his thirſt, Job 40. 23. The Elephant is ſuch a thirſty Creature, that he ſwalloweth abundance of water at one of his Mighty draughts; he fancies (when he comes to drink) he can drink up a River, and draw up great Jordan at one draught into his mouth; and ſo great is his thirſt, that he is ſaid to take the whole River with his Eye. Ver. 24. his belly is better fill'd (it ſeems) then his Eye. O that you could come with ſuch an intent Soul to the Ordinance, as if you could ſwallow up the whole bleſſing of the Ordinance your Self, and drink it all up at one draught. Suppoſe you could thus Monopolize and appropriate the bleſſing, yet this would be no damnifying of others; there is no envy in Spiritual things, which may be divided (in Solidum) in the whole, each Soul may have a whole bleſſing, without wronging one another; 'tis otherwiſe in Temporals, the World admits not of Rivals, as being conſcious of 'its own ſcantneſs, and not having enough for all.

23. Fourthly, Be Reverent as to God. The over-grown Heathen (though a King) Eglon ſhames and condemns many hearers in our day; no ſooner doth he hear Ehud ſay, p. 125I have a Meſſage from God unto thee O King, but preſently he aroſe from off his ſeat to receive it with Reverence though it proved a ſad Meſſage, Judg. 3. 20. Yet the worſhippers of the true God do not now raiſe up themſelves, nor raiſe up their hearts to receive a Meſſage from God to them, though it be not a Meſſage of death and deſtruction (as that to Eglon was) but a Meſſage of Life and Salvation. Fiſthly, be earneſt, you muſt hear the word of God earneſtly, as bleſſed Baruch is ſaid to repair the Wall of Jeruſalem earneſtly, Neh. 3. 20. That is, with all his heart, Soul and ſtrength, being vexed with himſelf that he had begun no ſooner. The Hebrew word (Hicherah, hence the Latin Ira for Anger) ſignifies there (he burſt out into an heat) as being angry at himſelf, that he had done no more and at others alſo that they had done ſo little: Hereupon in an holy ſume and fervency he finiſhes two parts (and that quickly) while others were buſy but about one piece: a ready heart makes riddance of Gods work, and will kindle 'its own heat from other Mens coldneſs, and quicken it ſelf from others ſlothfulneſs: what you do, you muſt (ſaith Solomon) do with all your might, Eccleſ. 9. 10. If every Civil work, much more this Spiritual (which is of greateſt Importance) the ſtrength of your affections muſt be here as well as in Prayer.

p. 12624. In a word, Sixthly, to hear with Intention, is to have your heart affected with that you hear, ſo as it may not only burn in your heart as theirs did, Luke 24. 32. but alſo melt kindly under it, as Joſiahs tender heart did at the hearing of the Law. 2 Chron. 34. 27. yea and rejoyce greatly when you are made to underſtand it, as the people did, Neh. 8. 12. your heart leaping within you at it, as the Babe ſprang in Elizabeths womb when (not the Lord himſelf, but, The Mother of our Lord ſpake to her, Luke 1. 41. not only hear, but feel Gods voice, 1 Joh. 1. 1. (1.) You muſt deſire earneſtly to hear Gods voice as well as hear Mans; God ſaith in this Ordinance to his Angels of the Churches, as he ſaid at the Creation (as ſome ſenſe it) to the Angels (that left not their firſt ſtate and habitation, Jude Ver. 6.) let us make Man, Gen. 1. 26. So here, let us both join together to make Sinners Saints, Miniſters of God are [foreign] fellow-labourers with God. 1 Cor. 3. 9. and who would not but labour heartily with ſo ſweet a companion; he joins his Spirit to their word, and makes them Preach all ſorts of Sinners into another (even the Divine) Nature, you may not then be ſatisfied, till you feel God ſpeak as well as hear man ſpeak, till God ſpeak to your heart, with a ſtrong hand as he did to the Prophet, Iſa. 8. 11. till he Single you out from others, and ſpeak to you with efficacy. p. 127Many hear a Noiſe of Chriſt that do not hear (the) voice of Chriſt, Act. 9. 7. with 22. 9. Eightly mix Faith with the word, be ſure you mingle the Word with Faith, thoſe two meeting together makes a precious Confection, a bleſſed mixture, Heb. 4. 2.

25. The third particular is, retention of memory, the Word. 1. It muſt be laid up in the head; you hear muſt not be like breath upon ſteel, that is ſoon on, and as ſoon off again: nor as day flies (call'd Ephemerae) that are bred at noon and dead at night. Nor as the morning-dew that ſoon goeth away, Hoſ. 6. 4. The Sun ariſing ſoon licks it up from off the Earth: In the hearing of the Word a bleſſed dew falls from the drops of it, Deut. 32. 2. but it ſhould not go away as the dew. If you cannot ſtay it, but it will go away; then pray, that however ſome Manna may ſtill remain, as Exod. 16. 14, 15. the Manna did come down with the dew. Ver. 13. Chriſt (that bread of life, Job. 6. 32.) comes down in the Miniſtry of the word, Pſal. 110. 3. the dew covered the Manna, hence is that promiſe of hidden Manna, Revel. 2 17. when the dew was gone the Manna remained for the people to gather, O get an Omer full of this Angels food, put it into the Golden Pot of a Sanctifyed memory, and lay it up before the Lord. Ver. 33. 34. Heb. 9. 4.

26. You muſt (with Mary, Luke 25. 51.) p. 128lay up all Chriſts ſayings in your heart, though there be but a little diſtance betwixt the head and the heart yet 'tis a long time ere the Word get down from the former to the latter: yet this muſt be done, Luke 9. 44. let my ſayings (ſaith Chriſt) not only Sink down into your ears and heads, but alſo into your hearts, the Word ſhould be hid there, Pſal. 119. 11. If you deſire a preſervative from Sin. You muſt treaſure it up there, till it be kindly wrought upon your heart and become an Engrafted Word, Jam. 1. 21. till you have an Inclination to it, and a delight in it, when it Incorporates and becomes one with you and you with it. Thus the Word muſt Sink as well as Swim, 'tis not enough that it Swim in the head but it muſt alſo Sink down into the heart: God promiſeth to give an heart to know him, Jer. 24. 7. in that New Covenant, 'tis not head to know him, though the head be the ſeat of notional knowledg, yet the heart is the ſeat of that which is practical and experimental. The ſeed of the word abideth, 1 Job. 3. 9. only in honeſt and good hearts, Luke 8. 15. there be three bad ſorts of hearers to one good; how oft doth Satan (that Prince fowle of the Air) pick up that ſeed, which is ſown on the highway of the head, and not in the heart.

27. None ever (that was wiſe) went to the Well, for a Pitcher of Water to ſpill it by the way; Jewels are to be lock'd up carefully, p. 129and not caſt at our heels, for fear of Theeves; no wonder if the grand Thief (Satan) ſteal away that word you are careleſs of your ſelf, he is to blame for robbing you of your beſt Riches, but who is blame-worthy that leaves ope the door? The Samaritan Woman went to the Well for water to carry it home, Joh. 4. 7. and Ruth gleaned in Boazs field to carry home to her aged Mother at Home, Ruth 2. 19. Is the Lord kinder to you then Boaz was to Ruth, who let her glean among the ſheaves, and bid his ſervants let fall handfulls on purpoſe that ſhe might gather them. Ver. 15. 16. be ſure you beat out what you gather of the Corn of Heaven, and carry it home with you, and Scatter it not by the way, our Memory muſt not be as the Sieve or broken Veſſel, that lets all the liquor of life run out: if it be ſo naturally and in Worldly things as well as Heavenly; yet know for your Comfort, the oftner that the Veſſel hath water in it (though all the water run out) yet it leaves the Veſſel cleaner then it found it. A retentive faculty is neceſſary to an healthful body, until there be a due ſegregation, and no leſs is it neceſſary to an healthful Soul: yet muſt not your memory be as the Spunge to ſuck up puddle-water as well as pureſt Wine; but rather like the Fan that blows away the chaff, while the ſolid Wheat abideth; and like thoſe in Mat. 13. 48. you muſt gather the good fiſh into this Veſſel (of p. 130a Sanctified memory) and caſt the bad away, as Moſes, ſlay the Egyptian (when you meet him) but ſave the Iſraelite alive: wiſe Virgins diſtinguiſh 'twixt meat of Gods ſending, and that of the Devils cooking.

28. The conſequent duties after hearing, be, (1.) What concerns your ſelf keep in everlaſting remembrance. Prov. 4. 20, 21, 22. as you muſt not be like the hour-glaſs that runs out one way as it comes in the other way; or as the Hogshead that lets go the Wine but retains the dregs: So you muſt be like thoſe Veſſels that let go the bran, but retain the pure Wheat; 'tis your Spiritual health and life. Ver. 21. 22. (2.) Meditate upon what you thus remember. 1 Tim. 4. 15, which is as the bellows of the Soul that kindles holy affections, if you chew the Cud, you are a clean Sacrifice. (3.) Repeat it, the whole Book of Deuteronomy is but a Repetition of Moſes former Sermons in his foregoing Books: as a man that comes into a Garden of Flowers and Spices, is not content with the preſent fragrancy thereof, but carries home ſome of them in a Noſe-gay for his future Refreſhment; when you have been in the Garden of Spices, and felt the Savour of Chriſts ointments carry ſome home, and pound them for uſe; Repeating (yea and Conferring) is as the pounding of thoſe Spices, this makes them ſmell ſweeter indeed. (4.) Turn all into Prayer, that you p. 131may not only repeat it in your lips, but eſpecially in your life. Luke 11. 28. Ezek. 33. 32. Jam. 1. 23. The beſt Repetition of Sermons is in the life; Sermons ſhould be felt and lived as well as heard; then is the root of the matter (or word Hebr.) indeed in you, Job. 19. 28. when it brings forth fruit. Col. 1. 6. and the ſtalk of wickedneſs. Ezek. 7. 11. Will be out, grown.