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Take heed therefore how yee Hear.
VVHat ought to be every mans chiefeſt care!
A. To ſanctifie the name of the Lord; i. e. in the heart to love, fear, and obey God, becauſe he is holy; and in the life and converſation to hold forth the glorious holineſs of God.
Q. By whom will God be Sanctified?
A. By all thoſe that come nigh him, Levit. 10. 3. i. e. that have to deal with God in the duties of his worſhip, which are eſpecially theſe three,
Q. How may a Chriſtian come duly to worſhip God in the hearing of the Word?
A. He muſt take heed how he hears, Luk. 8. 18. take ſuch heed as to become a profitable hearer: to which end he muſt beware of ſome things, and practice others.
1. An unprepared ruſhing into the preſence of God at this holy Ordinance, not firſt ſeeking to him by prayer, who hath the preparations of the heart: Pro. 16. 1.
2. Having the heart like the high-way ſide, or like the rockie and thorny ground, Luk. 8. 12, 13, 14.
3. Having of Ears indiſpoſed for hearing, i. e. when they are unboared, uncircumciſed, viz. not brought unto a ſtrict and punctuall obedience to the voice of God in his word, but remains ſtill ignorant and diſobedient: or when they are Itching Ears, i. e. ſuch as cannot endure the truth and ſound Doctrine, but turn aſide to fables, and deTim. 4. 3, 4. Act. 17. 21.
4. Hardneſs of heart, Exod. 7. 13. Pſal. 95. 7. A hard heart is a heart not willing to believe, and cleave to the command of God, but is loath to hear the Law and the words of the Lord of Hoſts, Zech 7. 11, 12.
5. Framing excuſes, and ſhifting off the Word from the heart and conſcience, as in Luke 14. 18, 24. Heb. 12. 25.
6. Want of Faith, Heb. 4. 2. the word being not mixed, i. e. joyned, accompanied with, or received by faith, doth not profit them that hear it.
7. Forgetfulneſs, being forgetfull hearers, Letting the word ſlip, Jam. 12. 5. Heb. 2. 1.
8. Long abſence from the word preached; the ſound of it being long from the ear, a Chriſtian is too apt to forget what ſhould be the behaviour of his ſoul in hearing.
1. Being placed under a godly and painful Miniſter, which is very requiſite, Rom. 10. 14. then propoſe to your ſelves good ends of your coming to hear, viz. to wait on God in this his Ordinance, for the conveying the gra
2. Lay apart all Filthineſs and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs. Jam. 1. 21. i. e. all manner of ſin, ſo called, from the polluPſal. 26. 6.
3. Prepare your hearts to the Lord, earneſtly beſeechi. e. luſts and corruptions which naturally grow in the heart, as deep as thorns in the ground. 2. By Ploughing of the fallow ground of the heart, Jer. 4. 3. Which is by a ſoul-humiliation, for all ignorance of God, and ſinfulneſs of the heart. 3. By making the heart to behigh-way ſide, rockie and thorny ground, Luk. 8. 12, 13, 14. allowing of nothing that ſtands in oppoſition to the Word, but ſeeks meerly the Glory of God. Pray before you come to hear, knowing that it is God onely that can make the deaf to hear, Mar ▪
7. 37. Exod. 4. 11. He onely can tell how to awaken the Ear, Iſa. 50. 4, 5. i. e. to inure the ſoul to obedience to do his work, and fulfill his will in all things.
4. As you are going to the Congregation, remember, 1. To keep your hearts from the world, minding no earthPſal. 42. 1, 2.
5. Be ſure to make your timely appearance to joyn with the Congregation in ſeeking God by prayer for a bleſſing on your hearing; be preſent & ready to hear, as Act. 10. 33.
1. Hear Reverently, receive it as the Word of God, and not as the word of men, 1 Theſ. 2. 13.
2. Underſtandingly, i. e. with the ear of the mind, beMat. 13. 19. & ver. 9. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Act. 17. 11.
3. Diligently and heedfully, i. e. giving good heed both to the matter and method of the Sermon, Iſa. 55. 2.
4. Chearfully, readily, ſwiftly, gladly, Jam. 1. 19. Act. 2. 41. Deſiring the ſincere milk of the Word, 1 Pet. 2. 2. coming to the Word preached with a better ſtomack then to daily food, Job 23. 12.
5. Tremblingly, with a godly fear, Deut. 13. 11. Iſa. 66. 5. and need there is thus to hear, becauſe there is more of God to be ſeen in his Word, then in all his works beſides, Pſal. 138. 2.
6. Meekly, Receive the Word with Meekneſs, Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 2. be like little Infants for meekneſs, with quietneſs of Spirit attending on the Word, and like good Joſias, 2 Kings 22. 19. with a tender heart.
7. Believingly, 1 Theſ. 2. 13. Believe both the promi
8. Repentingly, i. e. hear ſo, as to repent and turn by hearing, Jer. 26. 3. & 44. 5. & 25. 5. Repentance is the veMat. 3. 1, 2, 3.
9. Obediently, lovingly, pleaſingly, Iſa. 50. 5. cloAmen to them, 1 Cor. 14. 16. Coloſ. 1. 16. 2 Theſ. 2. 10.
10. Reſolvedly, with a ſtrong reſolution, to hear uniJoſh. 1. 16. Job 34. 32. Act. 3. 22.
11. Applyingly, not onely applying the minde in a diPro. 2. 2. & 22. 17. but alſo making a parCor. 14. 24, 25.
12. Independently, not reſting on the bare hearing of the word, but in this Ordinance onely waiting on God for the conveyance of ſome ſpirituall good to the ſoul.
13. Reteiningly, as it comes in, lay it up in the heart Luk. 1. 66. & 2. 51. & 8. 15. Pſal. 119. 11.
1. Be ſure not to depart the Congregation before the bleſſing; bleſſing of God by Prayer, and hearing the bleſſing pronounced by the Miniſter, Numb. 6. 23, 27.
2. As you are going to your houſes, if in company, diſPſal. 71, 24. & 77. 12. Pſal. 105. 2.
3. When you are come home ſit down a little and me
4. If Parents or Maſters, &c. call on your relations, help them, putting them in mind of ſome moſt ſeaſonable truth delivered, Gen. 18. 19. Joſh 24. 15.
5 Put all into practice, hold forth the word of life in your lives all your days, Phil. 2 16.
1. They hear profitably, who have Ears to hear, Revel. 2. 7. i. e. ſuch as have ſpirituall ears of the mind, ſuch as God by his ſpirit hath opened to hear what he ſaith, Iſa. 50. 4
2 Such as come to Chriſt, Joh 6. 45. i. e. ſuch as have true faith, and draw neer in a full aſſurance, Heb. 10. 22. he that hath heard believingly, and can find that faith is wrought in the heart by hearing, Joh 5. 24 Rom. 10. 17.
3. Such as hear the word gladly, and receive it with reaAct. 2. 41. & 17. 11. ſuch a gladneſs which proceeds not from the apprehenſion of any carnal excelPſa. 119. 140.
4. Such as have their hearts burning within them, Luke 24. 32. i. e. whileſt they are hearing, are inwardly moved by a divine fervour of Gods Holy Spirit, ſo as to believe and ſhew an awfull reſpect to the Word preached.
5. Such as are pricked at the heart, Acts 2. 37. i. e. who in hearing the word inviting to repentance, promiſing grace to the penitent, do by this means come to have a broken, rent and bleeding heart, bleeding at a right vein, and at a right time, Act. 16. 14 Joel 2. 13.
6. Such as are courteous and hoſpitable to the faithfull preachers of the Goſpel; this was the good effect of the opening Lydia's heart, profitably to attend to the word preached by Paul. Act. 16. 14. 15.
7. Such as ſtand faſt in ſhaking times, either from the world or Devill, Mat. 7. 24. Coloſ. 1. 23. and are not carriJoh. 10. 5. 27.
8. Such as have honeſt and good hearts, Luk. 8. 15. i e. hearts dealing fairly with God in all things, at all times, and willing to receive what God reveals.
9. Such as have devoted themſelves to ſerve the Lord for ever, that have (as the ſervant under the Law) Ears boared; i. e. brought unto a punctuall obedience to their Maſter Chriſts Commands, Exod. 21. 6.
Arguments to perſwade people to take ſuch heed to to their hearing, as to become good and profitable hea
1. Some more generall.
2. Some drawn from the great gain and advantage there is by a profitable hearing.
3. From the great danger there is in heedleſs hearing.
1. God commands it, he longs for it, it was Chriſts councel, and the Miniſters beſpeak it, Deut. 32. 46. Pſa. 81. 8. 13. Luk. 8. 18.
2. This is the practice of the Church. Act. 8. 6.
3. The Lord complains of thoſe that do not, Iſa. 1. 2. Joh. 8. 37.
4. God is ready to bow, incline, open his Ear, and cauſe it to hear, Pſal. 10. 17. & 40. 1. & 116. 2.
5. The number of profitable hearers is but very ſmall, Iſa. 53. 1. Joh. 5. 43. 1 Cor. 1. 23.
6 It is Chriſt that ſpeaks in the preaching of the word, Heb. 1. 1, 2, 3. Mat. 10. 20.
7. Conſider the weightineſs of the matter, and how much it doth concern you, Jam. 1. 21. Deut. 32. 46, 47.
8. Profitable hearing is the glory of Miniſters here, and it will glad them at the laſt day, 1 Theſ. 2. 19, 20. Phil. 2. 16.
1. A profitable hearing, &c. is recorded as a thing well pleaſing to God, & commended as wel-doing, 2 Pet. 18, 19.
2. The word will ſmell ſweet to ſuch. 2 Cor. 2. 16.
3. They ſhall underſtand the fear of the Lord, and be truly wiſe, Pro. 2. 1, 2, 5.
4. They ſhall be bleſſed, Luk 11. 28. Jam. 1. 25. Rev. 1 3.
5. It will to the comfort of the ſoul manifeſt theſe ſeven things, viz. that he is,
1. Heedleſs hearers deceive their own ſouls, Jam. 1. 22.
2. They cannot expect ſupport in time of trouble, Pſal. 119 92.
3. Shall never taſt the ſweetneſs of the word, Luk. 14. 24.
4. The Lord will blaſt thoſe parts and abilities they have, Lu. 8. 18. Their bleſſing will be tuMal. 2. 2.
5. They ſhall not eſcape, Heb. 12. 25. & 2. 3.
6. God will come in flaming fire againſt ſuch, 2 Theſ. 1. 8.
7. The word they reject ſhall judge them, Joh. 12. 48.
8. Their puniſhment ſhall be greater then theirs who did never hear the word, Mat. 11. 22.
9. A Negligent hearing will, to the terror of a poor ſoul, plainly manifeſt five things
1. That he is but a fool, Mat. 7. 26. 2. That he is under the judgements of God, Deut. 29. 4. 3. That he is in a loſt condition, 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. That the Lord hath a purpoſe to deſtroy him, 2 Chron. 25. 16. 5. That he is nigh to curſing, Heb. 4. 12. The word will make quick work.
Imprimatur,
London, Printed by Robert White, and are to be ſold at his Houſe upon Adling-hill.