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327 it) those that most storm at a reproof, are usually those that most deferve it.

3. The earthy obdurate fpirit. Let the Minister fay what he will, he is Sermon-proof: He is refolved to hold his own: Indeed his fins may well be call'd his own. 'Tis a fad word that is fpoken of the Pharifees and Lawyers, Luke 7.30. They rejected the counsel of God against themselves. And that of the fewes, Acts 13.46. Te put it a from you (namely the Word of God) andjudge your felves unworthy of eternal life; Lowe turn to the Gentiles.

But now a meek pirit is a teacheable and tractable fpirit: A tender heart is apt to receive im preffions, as you may obferve in perfons whofe hearts are foftned by afflictions; How do Sermons work on fuch? Labour therefore to come with fuch a frame of spirit to hear the Word, as thofe did in Acts 10.33. Wee are all here prefent before the Lord to hear the things that are commanded thee of God.

6. Come with an appetite, with a longing defire to the Word. Nothing makes wholfome food more favoury and fweet, than appetite. Some people come to Church, as fickly people do to a Feast, they fic down for company, though they have no ftomack: 'Tis in vain to come to a Sermon, without a fpiritual appetite. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousneß, for they shall be farefied: 'Tis our Saviours own promife,

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promife, Mat.5.6. O that people were fuch to their Minifters, as thofe Fob fpeaks of, C. 29.23. Who waited for him, as for rain; gasping after the Word, as the chapt earth for showers! O that there were fome fuch Divine affections in us, as were in holy David! that we could truly fay, My foul is athir ft for God, even for the living God: My foul pants after Chrift, after his pardoning Mercy, and fanctifying Grace, as the Hart panteth after the water brooks! We fhould then fee Sermons work other effects, than now we do: But when people come either with no appetite, no defire and love to the Word, (but fit down in the Congregation meerly for ffhion or company fake) or when they come with distempered pallats, with prejudices and prepoffeffions against the fimplicity of the Gospel, the moft Evangelicall Truths are to them but as a banquet of fweet meats unto fwine; they had rather have husks. They can relish (may be) fome witry jingling dif course, but the preaching of Chrift and him crucified, (which Paul thought forichly of) is too ftale a Doctrine, and too flat a note for their

eares.

7. Having fought to the Lord, and taken pains to bring thy heart into right frame; come with expectation to profit. 'Tis often faid in the Gof. pel, Be it unto thee according to thy Faith. And truly, ufually people profit by Sermons according to their expectations, But take here this Can

329 tion. Do not ground thy expectation on the parts or gifts of the Minister, but on Gods premife; looking for his bleffing to accompany his own Ordinance. Usually people speed according to their aim and expectation. They that come to hear mans voice do hear it. 'Tis faid of Pauls companions, Acts 9.7. That they heard a voice. Acts 22.9. 'Tis faid, they that were with him, heard not the voice. They heard a found, but heard it not diftinctly, as Chrifts voice. Some only hear an outward found, the voice of man, buc not the voice of God in the Word.

ing.

Thus much of preparation before Hear

Secondly, I come now to give fome Directions how thou shouldft carry thy felf in time of Hearing.

I. Hear with the most fixed attention thou poffibly canft. Attend with reverence and feriousness. Many weighty Truths are lost by negligent hearing. Though it cannot be expected, that we should be totally free from wandring thoughts ; yet we ought to be watchful, and not to allow our felves in them. And when we perceive our hearts gone, we thould fpeedily recall them, Da vid (aies of Idols, they have eares, and hear not, Pfal.115 6. We have too many fuck Idols in our Congregations.

There are three forts of eares, that are not the hearing cares: I mean, that hear aright.

1. The dull ear. When people allow them

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Chap.6. felves in drowfineffe, and carelesseneß. What impreffions, is it poffible the Word fhould make on a man that is afleep? What knoweft thou, o fleeper, but whilft thou haft flept, those truths have been delivered, which (hadft thou duly minded) might have tended to thy everlasting falvation? If fuch a Fudgment befel him that flept in the night, and that at an exceeding long Sermon, Acts 20.9,10.What shall we fay of thofe that fleep in the day at a Sermon of an hour long.

2. The stopp'd ear, Some are refolved finners. They stop their eares like the Adder, against the voice of the Charmer, Charm he never so wifely, Pfal. 58.4. We read of fome Zach.7.12. That made their heart as Adamant stone, that they might not hear. 'Tis a fad complaint the Prophet makes (And yet many Ministers may in thefe dates make the fame) I have fretched ont my bands all the day long to a difobedient and gainJaying people, Ila.65.2. Rom. 10.21.

3. The itching ear, 2 Tim.4. 3,4. The Apoftle fpeaks of fome, who having itching cares, did turn away their eares from the Truth unto Fables. When men affect only new things, and another Gofpel, as Paul (peaks, Gal.1. They are half gone into Herefie: Plain Doctrines that tend to the conviction of fin,that discover the neceffity of converfion, that thew mans loft and undone condition by nature, & his only remedy by Christ, the neceffity of Holineffe and new obedience: there ferious

Serious truths are too ftale for many curious eares. But remember, they were carnal people who com plained, they had nothing but the old burden, Jer. 23.33,34.

II. Apply what thou heareft to thy felf, Job 5. ult. Hear thou this, and know it for thy felf. Do not ward off the blowes of the Word from thy felf: Do not fay within thy felf, this reproof concerns fuch an one, &c. The fewes being pricked in their hearts, Acts 2.23. faid, what fhall we do? not what shall others do to be faved. No plaifter can do us good, except it be applyed. III. Lift up thy heart in frequent, mental, ejacuLatory prayers unto the Lord, to fet the truths thou heareft, home upon thy foul: Lord belp me to remember and practife this leffen. Lord help me to -forfake this fin; Lord ftrengthen my Faith in the belief of this Truth. As the Difciples, when Chrift told them how oft they should forgive an offending brother, Luke 17.5. they instantly pray, Lord increase our Faith.

IV. Mix Faith with the Word. Heb.4.2. The Apostle tels of fome that the Word profited not, because they did not mix it with Faith. O curfed infidelity! How many thousand fouls haft thou de Stroyed? How many thousand Sermons haft thou made unfucceffeful? St. Fames tels us The Devils believe and tremble. That is more than many a wicked man does.

Thus much of thy behaviour in time of hear
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Thirdly,

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