The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 7
Sermon VII.
Canticles 1. 2.
Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth.
4. THere is yet another Reaſon to be aſſigned, and added to what you have already heard, why an underſtanding pious Soul cannot be ſatisfied with a bare external Communion with God in his Word. That is the danger which it apprehends from ſuch a performance, when the Soul reſteth in it, and takes up with it, Heb. 4. 12. The Apoſtle telleth us, The word of God is quick and powerful. Whatſoever means are uſed in order to an end, if it be of a quick and operative Nature, if it reacheth not the end, it certainly doth harm. Pbyſick that is quick and operative, if it conduceth not to the healing of the Body, uſually impairs it, and doth it harm. The hearing and reading of the word are means in order to the Salvation of our Souls, by the working of Faith in us, changing our hearts, and transforming us into its own likeneſs, if they profit not in order to that end they certainly prejudice the Soul. Iſa. 55. 10. As the rain cometh down from Heaven, and the Snow, and returneth not thither but watereth the Earth—So ſhall my word be that goeth out of my Mouth. The Apoſtle lets us know, that Miniſters in preaching the Goſpel, are unto God a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt in them that are ſavea, and in them that periſh. V. 16. To the one they are the ſavour of death unto death, and to the other, the ſavour of life unto life. We read in the Goſpel of two effects of the Word Preached by Chriſt and the Apoſtles; ſome believed, others were hardened. This muſt neceſſarily make a pious thinking Soul, that conſidereth reading and hearing the Word, as they indeed are, not as ends, but as means in order to a more noble end, that it cannot but long after this ſpiritual inward communion with God in theſe Inſtitutions. There's nothing more to be dreaded than an hardened heart; and without this inward Teaching of the Spirit of God in and by the Word, the Soul certainly hardeneth, and groweth worſe by and under it. I ſhall now come to make ſome Application of this diſcourſe.
Uſe 1.From it you may learn, That there is a more internal communion with God in his Word, than the moſt of common hearers are aware of. God's ſpeaking to our Eyes and Ears, our common ſenſe and underſtanding is one thing, his ſpeaking to our hearts, to our will and affections is another thing. It is one thing for a man or woman to give God his bodily preſence, his Eyes, and his Ears in an Ordinance; another thing for the Soul to give up his will in it to comply with the will of God in what he ſhall reveal unto it. I am afraid this is a notion is little either underſtood, or attended to. Men and women think they have done their work, and fulfilled their duty, if they have but read a little in their Bibles, and come to Church to hear a Sermon, never regarding what inward communion they have had with God either in the one or the other; and look at no further Communication of God unto them, than to let them know his will; nor at any further communicating themſelves unto God, than in lending him the preſence of their outward man, and the more out-parts and powers of their Souls. This apprehenſion of men makes them ſtand amazed at God's Peoples being ſo fond of Sermons, and running after them. Indeed, were this all that good men and women expected, they might poſſibly not be ſo exceedingly thirſty after them, though even a notional knowledge of the will of God, is no contemptible thing; but they have further expectations upon Ordinances than this amounteth to. They ſaid, Iſa. 2. 3. Come you, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his waies, and we will walk in his paths. They know that God promiſed of old, That whereſoever he recorded his name to dwell, there he would meet his people and bleſs them. And that the ſame Promiſe extendeth to the New Teſtament, and that there the Lord hath promiſed, where two or three are gathered together in his Name, he will be in the midſt amongſt them; which Promiſe being not of his Eſſential preſence, (for ſo he is never abſent from us) but concerning the preſence of his grace, it is a promiſe of bleſſing, ſo as they are not ſatisfied without ſome token of God's favour and bleſſing.
2. Br.From this diſcourſe alſo may be concluded, in what communion with God through the Spirit lieth. Some would have it to lie in meer Enthuſiaſtical raptures, impreſſions and revelations, and that the way to enjoy it, is to caſt off all Forms, all Duties and Ordinances; theſe are the things they make to be the things that are above, mentioned in Col. 3. 1. Certainly there is a form of ſound Doctrine, which the Apoſtle Paul commendeth the Romans for yielding obedience to, Rom. 6. 17. A form of ſound words, which he commandeth Timothy to hold faſt, 2 Tim. 1. 13. Theſe are not that form of Godlineſs in men that deny the power of it, which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of in that Epiſtle. There are Duties and Ordinances, to be above which, is to be above the Rule which God hath given us. Our Souls communion with God through the Spirit, is not out of Ordinances, but in and by them. The Teaching of the Letter is not oppoſed, but ſubordinated to the Teaching of the Spirit. There is room enough for the Teaching of the holy Spirit, after the Miniſter hath done what he can to teach us; nor is it to be blaſphemed by ill tongued men, becauſe themſelves do not underſtand what it means; they only ſpeak evil of the things they know not. The Power of God upon the heart faſtening the words we read and hear, upon our hearts and conſciences, as a Nail in a ſure place, is a thing only known unto the Souls that have had experience of it.
3. Br.But the great thing I deſire you might be inſtructed in from this diſcourſe, is, The difference betwixt a prophane perſon, and hypocrites, and the true Children of God, which may be diſcerned from their affections to the Word of God. The prophane perſon wholly deſpiſeth and ſlighteth the Word of God, both the written Word, and the Word Preached; it ſerveth him for nothing but a ſubject to exerciſe his prophane wit upon. The Hypocrite driving another deſign glorying in ſhew and appearance; he muſt have ſome pretended reſpect at leaſt to the Word of God; but he reſts meerly in reading or in hearing, and regardeth not either how far God in the Word communicates himſelf to him, nor yet how far he communicates his Soul unto God in the Ordinance. Let an Hypocrite go with a multitude, and hear a Sermon, he hath enough if he can but ſay, I have been at the Ordinance, whether his Soul hath been at all inſtructed or affected; whether any Word of God hath come nigh to his heart, laid any hold upon his conſcience yea or no; he hath no true thirſt after any communion with God in the Ordinance; if he hath been but ſeen in the Lord's Courts, or at moſt be furniſhed with matter of diſcourſe to talk of amongſt Chriſtians, ſo as they may take him to be a Diſciple, his ends are ſatisfied. But it is otherwiſe with a Child of God; he is troubled when he cometh from an Ordinance, if he doth not find he hath had ſome communion with God in the Ordinance. That God hath either more ſealed, and further confirmed ſome Truth to his Soul, or convinced him of ſome ſin, or comforted him with ſome Promiſe; ſome way or other ſpoken unto his heart. Methinks the difference betwixt an Hypocrite and a Child of God in this caſe may be reſembled, by the going of a Child with another companion (who is no Child) to a Father's houſe, where they find themſelves ſplendidly entertained; but the Child ſeeth not his Father's face; the Child's companion is pleaſed, and comes home talking, and boaſting of his entertainment; but the Child's heart is ſad; the end of the Child's Journey was to ſee his Father's face, and to have his Father's bleſſing; without this the good chear doth him no good. The formal Hypocrite comes home from Ordinances, pleaſing himſelf that he hath been at Church, that he hath heard a quaint learned diſcourſe, and his tongue may run great deſcants upon ſuch things as theſe. The Child of God is ſatisfied with none of theſe things; he went to his Father's houſe, that he might ſee his Father's face; if he can find no evidence of that, his Soul is diſcontented and unſatisfied; he cries, I have laboured in vain, I have loſt another day of grace, and opportunity of ſalvation; I have been ſeeking the Lord in vain, and waiting upon him for nothing. And this is the very reaſon why a pious Soul cannot hear every body, nor take up with all Sermons or diſcourſes; he doth not go to Church to hear the voice of a man, but the Word of God, and goeth with an expectation to meet with a bleſſing from God; and therefore he will hear where the Word of God is ſo opened, ſo applied, as he can expect God's bleſſing upon it. He cannot expect that God's bleſſing ſhould go along with any to whom he hath ſaid, Pſal. 50. 16, 17. What haſt thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou ſhouldſt take my Covenant in thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt inſtruction, and caſteſt my words behind thee? He will not therefore ſit under the Miniſtry of one that is openly prophane and wicked, and of a ſcandalous life: Nor one that teacheth other Doctrine, than what is according to ſound Doctrine and godlineſs, and the form of ſound words delivered in the Word of God; or him that giveth heed to Fables, and endleſs Genealogies, which miniſter Queſtions rather than godly Edifying which is in Faith, 1 Tim. 1. 4. When he goes …o an Ordinance, he goeth not to hear the words of men puffed up, but the words of God, and expecteth that God ſhould meet him, and bleſs him; and therefore governs himſelf accordingly in hearing, ſo as he may probably meet with a bleſſing from God, which he cannot expect from one who ſo diſchargeth his work, as he proclaimeth to all, that God never ſent him, though he runs.
In the next place, this will give us another advantage to try our ſtate with reference to God's favour; An earneſt deſire after an inward ſpiritual communion with God in any Ordinance or Duty, and the diſſatisfaction of a Soul without it, will very much argue a man or woman to be a Chriſtian indeed; whereas a bare going to an Ordinance, a bare fancy or deſire to hear, or a meer hearing, will ſpeak a man no more than a nominal titular Chriſtian, and be an evidence, that the Soul reſteth in a meer bodily labour and exerciſe, which profiteth nothing. This is a great point; the being in the Sanctuary, will ſatisfie an Hypocrite; nothing but the ſeeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary, will ſatisfie David the man according to God's own heart. But it is hard for us to keep a medium in any thing almoſt. As in the heart of a Formaliſt, there is nothing of this deſire, nothing of this diſſatisfaction; ſo many times in the heart of a good Chriſtian, there may be too much of this diſſatisfaction, and a diſcontent and diſſatisfaction founded in ſome miſtake; let me therefore a little enlarge upon this ſo uſeful a Subject.
1.1. A ſatisfaction with a bare reading or hearing the Word, ſpeaks nothing above formality, nothing above what an Hypocrite may arrive at. It is ſaid, that Herod heard John Baptiſt gladly, yet he was not got up to the Hypocrite's Form. There was a people in Ezekiel's time, of whom God complained, Ezek 33. v. 30, 31, 32. that talked againſt the Prophet, by the walls, and in the doors of their houſes, yet ſpake every one to his Brother, ſaying, Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And came as the people came, and ſate before the Prophet as the Lord's people, and heard his words, but would not do them; with their mouths the… ſhewed much love, but their hearts went after their covetouſneſs. And v. 32. the Prophet was to them as a very lovely Song, of one that had a pleaſant voice, and could play well on an Inſtrument; they heard his words, but they did not do them. And in the time of the Propher Iſaiah, there was a generation that ſought the Lord daily, and delighted to know the Lord's waies, as a Nation that forſook not the Ordinances of God—and took delight in approaching to God, Iſa. 58. 2. yet the Lord ſent his Prophet, to cry aloud againſt them, not to ſpare to lift up his voice like a Trumpet, to ſhew them their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins: And doubtleſs there is ſuch a generation ſtill, as a generation of prophane perſons, that deſpiſe the Word and Ordinances of God, and blaſpheme God, and his Word; ſo another generation, that muſt read, and muſt go and hear, and may take ſome delight in it: They may delight in the ſtile, and phraſe, and wit of the Preacher, or in the Learning that is mixed up with the diſcourſe; or in the Notion of the Sermon, and deſire to hear, eſpecially (ſome kind of Preachers) upon theſe accounts; or to furniſh their minds with ſome notional knowledge of the things of God, that may ſerve them as to their credit and reputation in the world; or furniſh their tongues with diſcourſe in religious company; all this will ſpeak nothing to prove a man a Chriſtian indeed; one whoſe heart is changed and transformed into the likeneſs of the Word. All this may be without any deſire after the kiſſes of Chriſt's mouth, but a deſire after the feeling the power of the Word upon our hearts, and a diſſatisfaction of ſpirit, until a man findeth ſomething of this upon his Soul, this will ſpeak a man or woman not to reſt in a form of godlineſs without the power of it; yet even this diſſatisfaction may be too much, and this happeneth, when it proceedeth from ſome miſtake and miſapprehenſion of Religious Souls. This principally happeneth in two caſes.
1. The Soul's judging it ſelf from its ſenſible experiences, not from its direct motions toward God and its deſires. The motions of our Souls towards God, muſt be warily diſtinguiſhed from the ſenſible returns of God upon our Soul. The firſt will ſpeak the Soul beloved: The latter ſpeaks it highly favoured, foreign much graced by God. A pious Soul is not to judge it ſelf ſo much from God's returns to it in this particular, as from God's workings in it, kindling in it thoſe holy deſires which move it after what it may be it doth not yet ſeem meet to the wiſdom of God, that it ſhould attain. I have not told you that the Spouſe of Chriſt doth at all times find, that Chriſt hath kiſſed it with the kiſſes of his mouth; but that ſuch a Soul's deſires will be ſteady and conſtant after ſuch a thing, and will not be ſatisfied with a meer bodily labour, and external performance of a duty.
2.The 2d miſtake may be, from the Soul's not conſidering the variety of thoſe kiſſes by which our bleſſed Lord may kiſs the Souls of Believers in and by the Word, but keeping its Eye upon ſome particular influence of grace which it paſſionately deſireth; and not finding that God ſatisfieth it as to that, it concludeth, it hath had no influence from God at all: As now, ſuppoſing a Soul ſad and troubled, it is exceedingly deſirous of comfort and ſatisfaction, and ſaith, Lord, when wilt thou comfort me? In expectation of meeting God in this way, it goeth out to hear the Word, and not meeting with that peace and comfort which it wanted, it is ready to conclude, that it hath met with nothing, and hath had no near, inward, ſpiritual communion with God. As to this, the Soul muſt rectifie its miſtake; the profit of the Word is not limited to one thing; it is (ſaith the Apoſtle) profitable for reproof, and correction, and inſtruction in righteouſneſs.
There is a kiſs of inſtruction in righteouſneſs. It may be thou canſt not find that God by the Word which thou haſt heard, hath ſpoken, or ſealed peace to thy Soul, but thou art ſtill full of troubles, and fears, doubts and dejections; well, but if thou findeſt that God hath more ſealed and confirmed ſome Truth to thee, that he hath made thee to ſee further into the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God, to ſee ſome Truths of concernment to thy Soul in a clearer and fuller light; do not ſay that thou haſt not met with God in the Ordinance. The opening of the Eyes, eſpecially to diſcern the Myſteries of the Goſpel, is one of the kiſſes of Chriſt's mouth. If thy love be not (ſo far as thou canſt ſee) further influenced; yet if thy Faith be promoved, this is a great thing. It may be thou cameſt to hear, hoping for ſtrength againſt the temptation; God poſſibly hath met thee, and hath given thee a further light to diſcern the temptation, the methods, and depth of Satan's ſubtilties in it; this is a kiſs.
There is an inſtruction in Duty (as well as Doctrine) which deſerveth this name. Thou comeſt to the Word, hoping God will ſpeak peace to thee, and take the thorn out of thy fleſh that buffeteth thee. It ſeems not good to God to do this; but thou goeſt home from hearing, more ſubmitting to the Will of God, more reſolved to wait upon God, more convinced that it is thy duty to lie at the foot of God, and to wait his will and good pleaſure. This alſo is a kiſs of his mouth.
There is a kiſs of Reproof and Correction. When God by his Word reproves and corrects a Soul; when he reproves the Soul, and the Soul is reproved (as is ſaid of Abraham, when the Pagan King reproved him) this is a kiſs of his mouth: Reproof and correction are things, for which God hath told us, that his Word is profitable for, and a Soul ought to look upon it ſelf as having had a communion with God in his Word, when a wiſe reproof hath met with an obedient Ear. In ſhort, if a Soul after hearing, though it hath not the deſired mercy, yet findeth it ſelf more prepared to want it, more quieted in the preſent want of it, more patient under the afflicting hand of God, that the grace of God is more ſufficient for it than it was; this is an excellent kiſs of Chriſt's mouth, a certain token that God in the Word communicated himſelf to the Soul (though it may be) it hath not been juſt in that way and method, and particular diſpenſation that the Soul expected.
I ſhall finiſh my Diſcourſe upon this Propoſition with a Word of Exhortation.
3 Uſe.If this be the frame of one that is the Spouſe of Chriſt, let us labour to find our hearts in this frame. I remember the words of Abſolom; What (ſaith he) do I at Hieruſalem, if I may not ſee the King's face? Hieruſalem is called the City of Solemnities, thither the Tribes went up, the Tribes to the Teſtimony of Iſrael. Hieruſalem was as pleaſant a place as any was at that time in the world, and Abſolom being the King's Son, had undoubtedly accommodations, as good as the City could afford: But Abſolom had diſpleaſed his Father, and was ſenſible he was under his frown; and it was not for the pleaſantneſs of the City, that he deſired a liberty to return, but that he might ſee the reconciled face of his Father; and therefore he ſaith, What ſhould I do at Hieruſalem, if I may not ſee the King's face? Without that, Hieruſalem was to him but as another place; nay in this worſe than another place, becauſe it was a place where others enjoyed that which he wanted. Every Courtier, every ordinary Servant of David's Family, ſaw his face; Abſolom might not: I do only allude to it. In or near Hieruſalem was Mount Zion, called the Mountain of the Houſe of the Lord, becauſe the Temple ſtood nigh to it. It was propheſied, Iſa. 2. 2. That in the laſt d…ies the Mountain of the Lord's Houſe ſhould be eſtabliſhed in the top of the Mountains, and ſhould be exalted above the Hills, and all Nations ſhould flow unto it. And many people ſhould go, and ſay, Come you, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, and to the Houſe of the God of Jacob, and he ſhall teach us of his waies, and we will walk in his paths. 'Tis not the going up to the Mountain that pleaſeth a gracious Soul, unleſs it finds it ſelf, when there, taught ſomething of God's waies, and inabled to walk in the Lord's paths. I ſhall prets this Exhortation by ſome Arguments, and offer you ſomething of Advice in this caſe.
Firſt, For Arguments, what I gave you for Reaſons may ſerve. Thus you ſhall ſhew your ſelves to be Chriſtians indeed. The Wiſe muſt ſee the face of an Husband, though a little Child may be pleaſed with the Picture. Take an Ordinance, of it ſelf it hath ſomething of the impreſſion of God upon it: God is there as a man in a Picture; but this can never ſatisfie a truly thirſty Soul after God; he thirſts after God himſelf; My Soul (ſaith David) thirſteth for thee. David muſt ſee the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary. An Hypocrite may have a fancy to go to Ordinances, to hear Sermons, &c. that's common to perſons that ſhall periſh with ſuch as ſhall be ſaved: There may be many ends which Hypocrites may have, which that may ſerve well enough: But herein as to this point ſtands a good Chriſtian diſtinguiſhed from all Hypocrites and Formaliſts in the world as to this particular.
Secondly, Till your hearts be brought to this, Duties will be nothing elſe but a continual task and a burden to your ſouls. There will be no great pleaſure ariſing to any Soul from a bare reading or hearing the Word of the Lord. The Formaliſts among the Jews, that lookt at nothing but the bodily labour, quickly came to prophane the Table of the Lord, and to account the meat there contemptible, and to ſay, Behold what a wearineſs is it! Mal. 1. 13. Amos tell us, chap. 8. 5. that they ſaid, When will the New Moon be gone, that we may ſell Corn, and the Sabbath that we may ſet forth VVheat. Nothing will deliver the Soul from the burden of religious duties, I mean, the looking upon them as ſuch, but ſome Sweetneſs diſcerned in them, or ſome Profit, which it diſcerneth ariſing from them, neither of which will be diſcerned by any Soul, which taſteth nothing of God in them, nor hath any Communion with him by, and through them; but theſe things I before touched upon, as alſo the danger of a meer bodily labour in this religious Duty; I ſhall therefore rather ſpend the Remainder of my time in directing you what to do, that you may not only hear the words of Chriſts Mouth, but be kiſſed with the Kiſſes of his Mouth.
1.Go out to hear the word of God as the word of God. The Apoſtle bleſſeth God on the behalf of his Theſſalonians, 1 Theſ. 2. 13. That when they received the word of God,—they received it not as the word of men, but (as it was in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh in them that believe. I am afraid this is one thing which is much wanting in many Preachers, & more hearers; the former do not go out to preach the word, as the word of God: The other do not go out to hear it under that notion, as the word of God. It is a Phraſe hath a great deal in it, and is comprehenſive of all that previous preparation which is our duty with reference to an Inſtitution of God, and that to ſo great an End as the Salvation of the Soul is. If I remember right, Plutarch doth ſomwhere complain of the Heathen, that they went to the Temples of the Gods foreign, not as men do to a place, to which they ſet out upon deſign and due deliberation, conſidering whither they are going, and what their buſineſs was there; but as men who ſtep in by the by into a place: Whereas he ſaith they ſhould come foreign, prepared out of their Houſes: What wonder is it if God ſhould not meet them in his Ordinance, who come not out of any fixed deſign to meet him. Your Friend hardly thanks you for making his Houſe your Inn, ſtepping out of your Road to ſee him, when your main deſign is at anothers Journeys end: But he thanks you that that is the main deſign of your Journey.
1. That man goeth to hear the word of God as the word of God, that aright fixeth his end before he goeth to hear. Our Saviour ſeemeth to reflect upon the want of this in thoſe that went to hear John the Baptiſt. Matth. 11. 7. VVhat went ye out into the wilderneſs to ſee? A Reed ſhaken with the wi…d: But what went ye out for to ſee? A man cloathed in ſoft Raiment: Behold they that wear ſoft Raiment are in Kings houſes. But what went ye out for to ſee? A Prophet: yea, I ſay unto you, and more than a Prophet. I would have every Man and Woman before he or ſhe goes out to hear the word of God, ſay to himſelf, My Soul, whom am I going to hear? A man that ſhall ſpeak to me ſmooth things, and deliver himſelf in words that are proper to expreſs what he ſaith: But whom am I going to hear? One that hath a pleaſant Voice, like one that ſingeth to, or playeth well upon an Inſtrument, ſuch a one I may hear in the Schools of Rhetorick and Oratory: But whom do I go out for to hear? One that can diſcourſe rationally upon an Argument; I may hear ſuch a one in the Schools of Ariſtotle and Plato: Whom then do I go to Church for to hear? A Prophet: One that diſcourſeth of the things of God; yea, and more than a Prophet: I am going to hear God and Chriſt himſelf ſpeaking to me him, of whom God hath ſaid, This is my well beloved Son, hear ye him. For though it be a man that ſpeaketh, yet it is a man ſent of God, cloathed with the Authority of Jeſus Chriſt, and ſpeaking to me his Words, and in his Name; nor am I to regard any thing I hear, but what agreeth with what he hath ſpoken, or his holy Prophets and Apoſtles, who were immediately inſpired by him. The ſetting right of a Perſons firſt end, deſign, and intention, gives a mighty conduct to his Actions. And (as I before ſaid) it is very unreaſonable to expect Gods preſence, and Bleſſing with, and upon us, where the Heart is not ſet right with reference to its Intention and Deſign. It is true as to the firſt Grace, God is found of thoſe that ſeek him not, and of thoſe who do not enquire after him. No Soul would ever be converted, and brought home to God, if God did not meet it in his Word, before it had thus rightly fixed its deſign and intention in coming to hear the word of God, but what God may do and ſometimes doth out of his abounding and preventing Grace, is one thing, what a Soul may expect from God upon the account of any promiſe is another thing, the Archer may poſſibly hit the mark, though he hath never by his Eye levelled his Arrow at it, but he cannot promiſe himſelf that good hap. No Soul that ſetteth not his heart aright to ſeek God in any Ordinance, particularly this of hearing his word, who doth not before he go, ſet his Face towards Jeruſalem, ſet this as a mark in his Eye, as the thing which he propoſeth to himſelf.
2.Secondly, It doth not only comprehend the end of Intention and Deſign, but alſo the manner, and certainly none can pretend to hear the word as the word of God, but he muſt go to it without any levity, and with all manner of Seriouſneſs, and compoſure of Spirit. No Reverence, and Submiſſion of Spirit can be imagined too much for the great Majeſty of Heaven. We ought not to go to hear the word as if we were going to hear an Oration, much leſs as if we were going to a Play.
3.Thirdly, We cannot be thought to hear it as the word of God, without ſome previous lookings up to God for a Bleſſing upon it. We go for the Teachings of the Spirit. Our Saviour tells us, Luk. 11. 14. He gives his holy Spirit to them that ask him. Chriſt firſt begg'd the Spirit for us, John 14. 16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall ſend you another Comforter. That comforting Spirit is the Teaching Spirit, v. 26. The Comforter which the Father ſhall ſend in my Name ſhall teach you all things. As Chriſt at firſt prayed to the Father to ſend the Comforter, the Spirit that ſhould teach us all things: So he expecteth that we ſhould pray for him for our ſelves. The holy Spirit is given to thoſe that ask him; this is a piece of our Houſhold Preparation.
2.Attend particularly to thoſe Impulſes which at ſome times thou mayeſt have to hear. A Chriſtian ſhall ſometimes find ſome particular impulſes upon him to hear. I would not be hear. I would not be here miſtaken, I know there is a dangerous Opinion imbibed, and promoved by ſome Enthuſiaſts, that Chriſtians ſhould never go to perform a Duty, whether praying or hearing, but upon ſome particular Impulſe or Motion. I call this a dangerous Principle, becauſe it is the firſt ſtep to caſting off all Duties and Ordinances. But yet let no Chriſtian neglect ſuch ſpecial Impulſes. Impulſes to Actions that are contrary to our Duty in the revealed Will of God, ought to be rejected, contemned, and abhorred; they muſt come from the boilings of corruption in our own hearts, or from the evil Spirit. Impulſes to Actions which are not expreſly commanded, nor yet forbidden, muſt be conſidered, and we ought to obey or not obey them, as Circumſtances, pro hic & nunc, at this or that time, may determine it lawful or not lawful, expedient or not expedient, with Reference to the General rules which God in his word hath given us to guide all our Actions by. Impulſes to the Performance of our Duty under due Circumſtances ought never to be neglected. It may be well preſumed, that God hath ſomething to ſay to the Soul in particular at ſuch a time, when he gives it a ſpecial item and monition to go to hear.
Thirdly, be ſure thou goeſt to hear with an humble Heart, and with as much of a poor, broken, and contrite Spirit as thou canſt. There is a Promiſe, Pſal. 25. 9. The humble he will teach, and another Iſa. 57. v. 15. Thus ſaith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, and whoſe name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble Spirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite ones. And Iſa. 66. v. 2. To the man will I look even to him that is of a poor, and contrite Spirit, and that trembleth at my word. God ſendeth the proud Soul empty away; take heed of going to hear with a proud Heart, ſelf-opinionated as to Knowledge, or ſelf-conceited. God teacheth the humble, dwelleth with the humble, looketh upon the humble. The Rain that daſheth off, and runneth down the Mountains, reſteth in the Valleys; the Inſtructions, Reproofs, Convictions of the word which fall upon Men of proud and high Conceits and Opinions of themſelves, reſt, and are drunk in by low, and humble Souls. The broken and contrite Heart is like the plowed ground, which is in itſelf more apt to receive, and drink in the word, than that ground where the ſurface is not at all broken, but there is beſides particular Promiſes made to Broken Hearts. The word you know is compared to Seed in the Parable of the Sower, Matth. 13. and in ſeveral other Texts, the Husbandman uſeth not to ſow his Seed in the whole, but in the broken ground.
Fourthly, Be ſure you go to hear with unprejudiſed Hearts, willing and deſirous to learn. Prejudice naturally barreth the Ear to Inſtruction: Ahab's prejudice againſt Micajah ſtopt his Ears againſt the word of the Lord to him, and proved his fatal Ruine and Deſtruction. I ſhould never adviſe Chriſtians to ſit under the Miniſtry of any perſon they are prejudiſed againſt, it much contributeth to a prejudice againſt the word of the Lord ſpoken by them; if therefore in that caſe I could not remove my Prejudice, I would chuſe another Preacher; but I further added, that you ſhould go with Hearts willing and deſirous to know the Will of God: It is the chapt, thirſty ground that moſt drinks in the Rain, and is made moſt fruitful by it; it is the Soul that hungers, and thirſteth after the word that profiteth by it, and hath a communion with God in it; though the Word be Gods, and he breatheth upon the Soul according to his own good pleaſure, yet he breatheth upon, he teacheth no Souls but thoſe Souls that are willing, and deſirous to learn and to be inſtructed. It is true, it is he who firſt maketh them willing, who firſt enclineth their Ears to hear; but he firſt prepareth the Heart, and then cauſeth his Ear to hear, as to Prayer; ſo in hearing, he firſt circumciſeth the Ear of a man, and enclineth him to hear his Statutes, and then he teacheth them: He dealeth not with us as with Stocks, and Stones, but as with rational Creatures in a rational way.
5.Attend unto the word which thou goeſt to hear. No teaching, no good is to be expected from any teaching, where the perſon only lends an Ear, but ſuffers his Mind extravagantly to wander here and there. The Schoolmaſter hath no Patience for ſuch a Scholar, I am ſure God hath no Bleſſing for ſuch a Soul as in hearing doth not hear, nor encline his Ear to Underſtanding. The Scholar gets little by his Maſter or Tutors reading upon an Author, if the Scholar attendeth not to the Text of the Author. The Spirits teaching is but a Commentary upon the word, it bringeth to remembrance the things which we have heard from God. The Soul that attends not to the word which he reads, or heareth, can expect nothing of the Spirits teaching; the word is not like to dwell in that Soul, that will not ſuffer it to come ſo much as over the Threſhold into it, I mean into its memory or notion.
6.Take heed of Vexing the Spirit in its Teachings. It was laid to the charge of the Iſraelites, Iſa. 53. 10. that they vexed his holy Spirit. They vexed the Spirit by an afterwork, rebelling againſt his word, not being obedient to what they were taught. But men may in hearing vex the Spirit in its Teaching, either by Non-Attendency, ſuffering their hearts to be wandring elſewhere, when God in his word is teaching the Soul; this vexeth any Father, or Maſter in teaching a Child; but of this I ſpake before. And not only ſo, but by not giving a ſpecial regard to its ſpecial Inſtructions: Scarce any of us but in hearing ſhall find ſome notions of truth, ſome particular paſſages that God ſets more particularly home, and do in a ſpecial manner affect the Soul. The not obſerving them, or quick forgetting of them is a ſpecial vexing of the holy Spirit in its Teachings of our Souls.
Work together with the Spirit, in calling to remembrance: what you have heard. Talk of the Law of the Lord when thou lieſt down, and when thou riſeſt up, when thou ſitteſt by the walls of thy Houſe, when thou goeſt out, and when thou comeſt in. The Jews had Phylacteries. Rolls of the Law faſtened to their Garments, to keep the Law in their mind perpetually. Our Saviour blamed them for their broad Phylacteries and narrow Practice; but he blamed not the means to keep the Law of God in their minds, only they uſed them to a wrong and falſe …n…, & uſed them not to the end for which they made them.
8.Follow the word with Prayer. Do not only pray for the Spirit before thou heareſt, but pray for the abidings of… it after thou haſt heard, to bring to thy remembrance what thou haſt heard from God.
9.Labour to practiſe what thou heareſt. The Maſter or Tutor is weary of teaching the Scholar, to whom he hath read Lecture after Lecture, but yet he will do nothing; but on the contrary, how chearfully doth an ingenuous Maſter teach that Scholar, that to his utmoſt p…tteth in practice what he hath read to him, and then cometh to his Tat…r begging to be further taught and inſtructed. The Spirit of God will give over that Soul, that pretends to be ever learning, and yet never comes to any practical Knowledge of the Truth. He that is not a meer hearer, but a doer of the Word alſo, 2.is the man that ſhall be bleſſed indeed.