SER M. an Inftrument to a Song: But yet for all this, X. his Prophecies were at laft, no more than a Song; they funk not into their Hearts, but as foon as the Mufick of them was over, the Words were forgot: For, fo it goes on, they bear thy Words, but they do them not. And now who is there, that heareth this Defcription of the Prophet Ezekiel, but must apply it to many of our own Generation? There is no need therefore of any Application of mine: I fhall only defire that together with the foregoing, you would take the remaining Words into Confideration. And when this cometh (lo, it will come) then shall they know that a Prophet has been amongst them. Such a Prophet, as their own Hearts had wished for, and therefore fuch as left them no Excufe for not obeying his Warnings. So that it is not, you fee, the Perfection of the Preacher that makes his Difcourfes available; but unless his Hearers alfo are rightly difpofed, his Preaching is in vain. And this Difpofition GoD only can give: It is he alone that can prepare Men's Hearts for the Reception of the Word, which the best qualified Preacher can only utter and make known to them. A PAUL may plant, and an APOLLOS may water; but it is GOD only that can give the Encreafe, 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. Neither X. Neither one, nor the other, fignifies any thing, SER M. unless the Bleffing of GOD attend it: To his meer Grace and Favour it is owing, that the Word, by whomfoever preached, has any Effect. And that Favour and Grace none fure can expect, who affemble at Sermons, as the People, I have mentioned, did to Ezekiel's Prophecies, not for the Sake of profiting by what they hear, but for a little Amusement perhaps, for Custom or Fashion, for seeing or meeting their Neighbours and Friends, or upon fome Call or other as infignificant and trifling, and fometimes in fhort only for the Sake of looking into a Church, which they happen to pafs by. Where these are the Motives that draw Men to Church; where they are toffed in, I may fay, by fuch Accidents as these; no Wonder if they return as empty as they came: It is poffible indeed that something they hear may happen to strike them, and just for the Time give a Turn to their Thoughts: But what can be expected from Impreffions fo accidentally received, but that they should prove like the Seed in the Parable, which was fown by the Way-fide, and which therefore was immediately trodden down and devoured, Luk. viii. 5, &c. As foon as they are gone, their old Thoughts return; X. SER M. return; and their Carelesness of their Salvation, makes them forget what they heard, and in as little Time perhaps as they were hearing it It being no difficult Matter for Satan immediately to snatch that away, which they got fo cafually and held fo flightly. Neither do I deny that fome may proceed a good deal further than this; that they may come to Church purpofely to hear the Word of GOD; that when they hear it, they may receive it with Pleasure, and refolve to practife as well as hear: But with these again it often fares as it did with the Seed which happened to fall upon the ftony Ground, where it immediately prang up, because it had not much Earth; but when the Sun was up, it was Scorched, and because it had no Root it wither'd away. For the Men we are speaking of, being affected for the present with the Doctrine delivered, refolve often upon the Spot, (but without confidering the Difficulties they are undertaking) to reform their Lives, and to enter upon a Course of Piety and Devotion. And this Refolution they hold for a small Time; during which they embrace all Opportunities of being informed in their Duty. But when they find that Self-denial, Abftinence andMortification are Parts of Religion, they pause and X. and are at a Stand; and their Refolution not SER M. having Root enough in them to bear up under these, they forget it by Degrees, and relapfe into their old Indulgences and Eafe. Though there are fome again who will proceed thus far; and undertake even the severest Duties of Religion at convenient Seasons, provided they may now and then be allowed to indulge their Appetites when they are warm and craving. But are not these again the Perfons whom our Lord; means by those who receive the Word among Thorns, and with whom the Cares of the World, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, and the Lufts of other things, entring in, choke the Word and it becometh unfruitful? And thus it appears, I think too evidently and glaring, that neither the Graciousness of the Inftitution, nor the Authority of the Preachers is fufficient to render the Ministry, in fuch Manner as it ought to be, effectual. But I think what I have faid, makes it equally clear that the Hindrances lie at the Hearers Door: And therefore a proper Application to those on whom it lies to hear, is the best Use I can make of the prefent Head. If then you are perfuaded of the Truth of what I have said, and you are convinced it is X. SER M. in your Power to make our Ministry more effectual; you will not, I hope, want Arguments to fhew that it is your Duty to do so. Confider that it is your Intereft which we pursue, and that consequently if you obstruct or slight our Endeavours, it will end at last in your own Lofs. Whenever therefore you come to attend our Ministry, let the Defire of Edification be the Motive that draws you, and refolve to practife as well as hear. Do not look upon our Sermons as tranfitory Entertainments for half an Hour; but receive them as the Instructions of those who speak with Authority, requiring your Obedience for your whole Lives afterwards. And though our Discourses fometimes fhould have nothing in them new; nothing but what you have heard before, perhaps more than once; you may yet return home with as much Advantage, as if you had learned fomething you never knew before. For the End of Preaching is not only to infruct you in Things, in which you are ignorant, but also to prefs you to the Practice of what you already know ; not barely to make you wife, but to make you good too. And therefore when you hear the fame Doctrines |