Unfruitful Hearers Detected and Warned, Title page – To the reader
Unfruitful HEARERS Detected & Warned: OR A Discourse Wherein the Danger of, and by, Unprofitable Hearing, is laid open and Cautioned against. As it was delivered, in the Course of his Ministry; By Mr. Nehemiah Walter, Pastor of the Church in Roxborough.
Published by some of the Hearers.
Ezek. 2.7.
And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will Hear, or whether they will forbear.
Luk 8.18
Take heed therefore how you hear.
Boston, Printed by B. Green, & J. Allen. Sold by Michael Perry, at his Shop under the West End of the Town House. 1696.
Christian READER,
AS it is the greatest, & most Distinguishing outward favour, that God bestows on any People, to give them his Word & Ordinances, Psal. 147. 19,20. So it must needs be the most Heinous Provocation offered to the God of Heaven, to slight or despise this Priviledge, & Consequently will procure for them that so do, the sorest Punishments, according to, Joh. 15 22. Math. 11. 21. &c. That all, who enjoy the best & clearest dispensation of the Gospel, do not Profit by it, is evident, both by the Parable of the Sower, Math. 13. begin. In which there are four sorts of hearers, & but one of them is the better by it; & by the frequent Observation of the Apostasy and Degeneracy of men, though the Ordinances continue in their Light & Purity among them, as it was with Ephesus, Rev. 2. begin. And no wonder, since there is an imbred Unbelief of, & Prejudice at the word of God, in all men naturally, which nothing but his mighty Grace can subdue. And it is observable, that this Unprofitableness is wont to steal upon men by degrees, and they are not aware of it, whiles they make a great noise, and flourishing show of a plausible Profession, having a name to live, any yet are dead, as Sardis, Rev. 3. 1. There is therefore great need for Gods faithful Servants, to be often by way of Caution, and frequently by way of Conviction, calling upon their Hearers, to see to themselves, and rouse them up from their sloth on this Account And doubtless, these Churches in N. E. have as much need as any in the World, of being closely … this Account. How rich a Price we have had … our Hands to get Wisdom, by Occasion of the free & faithful Preaching of the Word among us, must be Confessed, with admiration at the singular kindness of God in it: but if the frame of Spirit, and Conversation of this People be observed, it will too notoriously say, that we have too generally been those fools that have not an heart to it. And is it not time to rouse up to the Consideration of it, when God is walking through the Land in a course of Judgment, to the procuring of which this Sin hath had a great Share.
The Reverend Author of the ensuing Sermons, had this much upon his heart, & was accordingly stirred up by God, to do the part of a Faithful Watchman, in giving his Flock Solemn warning of it; which it pleased the Lord of the Harvest to follow so with his Blessing, as to affect the hearts of divers of his Hearers therewith, and to excite some of them to desire the Publication of them, for the more Common benefit of a People equally concerned; which they obtained, though not without reluctancy of Spirit in him, who entertained a Modest & Undervaluing Opinion of himself, & his own Labours. For my part, I must Profess, that I took upon it to be a Word in Season, & never more needed, than in this day of carnal security, & vain confidence in the Temple of the Lord, while men little regard how they live up to the Truths that are constantly urged on them; and do heartily bless God, that he raisieth up such Labourers in his Vineyard, & pray that he will still go on to bless us with such Plants, that may be for a Succession in the room of those whom he is Transplanting into his Heavenly Kingdom. And that the Following Discourse may he one help to recover us to our First Love & help us to Strengthen the things that are ready to dy, & accordingly be Words of Life to all that Read them, I commend both it & you to his Blessing, who Teacheth us to Profit, Who am, The least, & most Unworthy of Ministers,
S. WILLARD.