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any sort of persons fall under such fatal miscarriages in this great concern of souls, as those whose hearts are inordinately influenced by the love, business and cares of this world. For, besides that the matter of them, which being earthly, is diametrically opposite unto that of the word, which is heavenly, doth alienate and keep the mind at a distance from the propo sals and reasonings of it; there are so many secret colourable pretences, whereby these things will insinuate themselves into the thoughts and affections so disposed, as that there is no contending against them, where they are habitually fixed. Where fore, the Scripture doth not draw up so heavy a charge, against any one cause or occasion of unprofitable hearing, as it doth against these cares and love of the world. Where men are over diligent in and about these things, they do but certainly deceive themselves, if on any supposition they judge that they are not slothful in hearing. Either before, or under, or after this duty, they will discover themselves to have been predominant. "Covetousness," the apostle tells us, "is idolatry," Col. iii. 5. And the covetous hearts of men, do never worship the idol of this world with so much solemnity and devotion, as when they set it up in the ordinances of God, as under the preaching of the word; for then, they actually erect it in the room of God himself. Nay, they do it with a contempt of God, as flattering him with their outward appearance, which be despiseth, and giving up their inward affections to their endeared idol. And this is done, not only when the thoughts and affections of men are actually engaged and exercised about earthly things, during the dispensation of the word, but when their minds, through a love unto them and fulness of them, are previously indisposed unto that frame and temper, which the nature of this duty doth require. Unless, therefore, these cares and businesses of the world are effectually cast out, and our hearts be duly exonerated of them, we shall be ego tais axeœis, and fall under the guilt of the sin here reproved.

2. Antecedent unto hearing, and in way of preparation for it, there is required in us, a desire after the word, "that we may grow thereby," 1 Pet. ii. 2. The end which we propose unto ourselves in hearing, hath a great influence into the regu lation of the whole duty. Some hear, to satisfy their convic tions; some, their curiosity and inquiry after notions; some, to please themselves; some, out of custom; some for company; and many know not why, or for no end at all. It is no wonder if such persons be slothful in, and unprofitable under hearing. Wherefore, in order unto a right discharge of this duty, it is required of us, that we consider what is our condition or stature in Christ; how short we come of that measure in faith, knowledge, light and love, which we ought and bope to

attain unto. To supply us with this growth and increase, the preaching of the word is appointed of God, as food for our souls. And we shall never receive it aright, unless we desire it and long for it to this end and purpose. When we know our weakness, imbecillity and manifold defects, and come to the word to obtain supplies of strength suited unto our condition, we are in the way of thriving under it. And as for them who have not this desire and appetite, who understand not a suitableness between the word and their spiritual condition, answerable to that of food to his natural state who is hungry, and desires growth and strength, they will be dull in hearing, as to all the blessed and beneficial ends of it.

3. It is required of us to free our minds, what lies in us, from being prepossessed with such corrupt affections as are apt to repel the word, and deny it an entrance into our hearts. Intus existens prohibet alienum; when the mind is filled with things of another nature, there is no room whereinto the seed of the word may have admission. And these things are of two

sorts.

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First, Corrupt lusts or sins indulged. The ejection of these is enjoined us, James i. 21. "Lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word." If the one be not done, the other will not. If filthiness and a superfluity of naughtiness be not cast away and thrust from us, the word will not be received, at least not with meekness. We must put away acar juzagian, all filthiness;' juzagia, sordes, belongs first, to the body, as juos doth, 1 Pet. iii. 21. And from the años jus there mentioned, the doing away the filth of the body,' by the washing of water, is this mzodiμsvoi zatav junagar, which, as applied unto the mind, answers unto the spiritual part of baptism, in the cleansing of the soul from spiritual filth and corruption, see Isa. iv. 4. Kas g ay xaxias, and the superfluity of naughtiness.' It should seem that some naughtiness may remain, only the superfluity of it must be cast away: no, but all naughtiness in the mind is as a superfluous humour in the body, which corrupts and destroys it. It is the corrupting, depraving power and efficacy of prevailing Justs in the mind which is intended; and this is to be laid apart if we intend to receive Toy PUTO Xoyor, the ingrafted, implanted word; that is, the word of the gospel, which was not designed of God, to be written in tables of stone, but in the "fleshly tables of our hearts," 2 Cor. iii. 3. Hence is that great promise of taking away the heart of stone, figured by the tables of stone, wherein the law was written, and giving a heart of flesh, wherein the word of the gospel should be written and engrafted; see this text farther interpreted, 1 Pet. ii. 2. He therefore that comes with his mind filled and prepossessed

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with noisome lusts, as they are all, will be dull and slothful in hearing, seeing his heart will be sure to wander after its idols. For men's minds filled with their lusts, are like Ezekiel's cham bers of imagery, which were full of all manner of representations pourtrayed on the wall; which way soever they turned their eyes, they had idolatrous objects to entertain them, Heb. viii. 10. 12. Such pictures do the corrupt imaginations of seasual, earthly persons, fill their minds withal, that every thought has an object ready for its entertainment, effectually diverting the soul from the entertainment of the ingrafted word. Without this, we may receive it as a notional word, as a truth in our understandings, but we cannot receive it as an implanted word in our hearts to save our souls.

Secondly, Cares and businesses of the world having prepos sessed the mind, produce in it the same indisposition in hearing God himself giveth this reason why a professing people profited not by the dispensation of the word; namely, because their "hearts went after their covetousness," Ezek. xxxiii. 31. The prophet preached, and the people sat diligently before him as his hearers, but their minds being prepossessed with the love of the world, the word was unto them as wind, and of no use. Partly, it was kept out by the exercise of their minds about other things, and what was received was quickly choked, which is the proper effect of the cares of this world, Matt. xiii. 22.

Secondly, In the act or duty of hearing itself, there are sundry things required of them who would not incur the guilt of the crime reproved. As,

First, A due reverence of the word for its own sake. Spiri tual reverence is our humble religious respect of any thing, ou the account of its authority and holiness. So is it due unte every thing that God hath put his name upon, and to nothing else. Whereas, therefore, God hath magnified his word above all his name, Psal. cxxxviii. 2. or every other ordinance whereby he reveals himself to us, reverence is due to his word, in an espe cial manner. So is this duty expressed, in the instance of the Thessalonians, 1 Thess. ii. 13. "When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe." The apostle commendeth their receiving of the word when preached unto them, from the manner of their attention unto it, with that respect and reverence which was due unto its relation to God, which also had a great influence into its efficacy on them. Ye have received Moyor axons map nμwr, Ots, verbum auditus. 727, the word of hearing; because preaching and hearing, was the constant way that God had appointed for the communication and recei ving of the gospel, the word itself was so denominated. To

despise them, therefore, is formally to despise the gospel. And this word they are said to receive a μ, of us; that is, as instruments of its promulgation and declaration. On this account he sometimes calls it," our word," and "our gospel;" that word and gospel of God which we have preached; as it is added Ow, ' of God; not concerning God, but whereof God is the author, and which he hath appointed to be so preached and dispensed in his own name, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. This, therefore, they attended unto, not as the word of men, but according to the truth, as the word of God. The opposition may be either to the original of the word, or unto the dispensation of it. If unto the original, then the sense is, not as unto a word that was devised or invented by men; as Peter declares, that in the preaching of the gospel, they did "not follow cunningly devised fables," 2 Pet. i. 16. Yet, this seems not here to be intended, though it may be included. But the opposition is unto the administrators or preachers of it. As if he had said, in your attention to the word, you did not consider it merely as dispensed by us, but ascended in your minds to him whose word originally it is, by whom it was appointed, and in whose name it was preached unto you. And this gives us the just nature of that reverence which is required of us in hearing; namely, a humble respect unto the authority and holiness of the word, impressed upon it by him whose word it is.

It may be objected, that this reverence is due only to the word as written, which is purely and wholly the word of God, but not unto it as preached by men, wherein there is, and must needs be, a mixture of human infirmities. Hence, some have been charged with arrogancy, for expressing those words of the apostles in their prayers, that "the word preached by them might be received, not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of God." Answ. First, It is true, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of men," 2 Cor. iv. 7. The ministry whereby the word is conveyed unto us, is but a vessel, and ministers are but earthen vessels, frail, weak, brittle, and it may be, sometimes defiled. But still, in and by them, the word of God is a treasure, a heavenly treasure, enriching our souls. Secondly, We may consider how far the word, as preached, is the pure word of God; and so having his name upon it, is the object of our reverence. And, 1. It is his originally, it proceeds from him, and not from the invention of men, as was shewed before. 2. It is his word materially. The same things are preached that are declared in the Scripture, only they are explained and accommodated unto our understanding and use, which is needful for us. 3. The preaching of it is the prdinance of God which his name is upon, in the same kind as

on his word, and therein an especial reverence and respect unto the name and authority of God is due thereunto. 4. By virtue of this institution of God, the word preached, which is in itself only materially the word of God, becomes formally so; for it is the application of the word of God unto our souls, by virtue of his command and appointment. Wherefore, there is the same reverence due to God in the word as preached, as in the word as written; and a peculiar advantage attends it, beyond reading of the word, because God hath himself ordained it for our benefit.

It may be farther objected, that we find by experience, that the preachers of it will sometimes intermix their own infirmi ties, and it may be, mistakes in judgment, with their preaching of the word. And this must needs abate of the regard which is proposed as our duty. Answ. First, God hath been pleased to ordain, that the word should be dispensed unto us, by weak, sinful men like ourselves, whence it unavoidably follows, that they may, and probably sometimes will, mix some of their infirmi ties with their work. To except, therefore, against this disposition of things, is to except against the wisdom of God, and that especial order which he hath designed unto his own glory, 2 Cor. iv. 7. Secondly, In a pipe which conveys water into a house, there may be such a flaw as will sometimes give an entrance unto some dust or earth to intermix itself with the water: will you therefore reject the water itself, and say, that if you may not have it, just as it riseth out of the fountain, you will not regard it, when you live far from the fountain itself, and can have no water but such as is conveyed in pipes, liable to such flaws and defects. Your business is to separate the defilement, and use the water, unless you intend to perish with thirst. Thirdly, That such a thing may fall out, and that it doth ever so, gives us an opportunity of exercising sundry graces, and the performance of sundry duties whereby it turns to our advantage. For, 1. Here lies the proper exercise of our spiritual understanding in the gospel, whereby we are enabled to try all things, and hold fast that which is good. To this end, our apostle requires that we should have senses exercised to try and discern both good and evil. Hereby, according to our duty, we separate the chaff from the wheat; and no small exercise of grace and spiritual light to the great improvement of them, doth consist herein. 2. Tenderness towards men in the infirmities which we discern in their work, proceeding either from weakness or temptation. 3. The consideration hereof, ought to keep us in a constant dependance on, and prayer unto, the Lord Christ, for the communication of his Spirit unto us, to lead us according to his promise into all truth; which is the great reserve he hath given us in this matAnd hence follows,

ter.

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