glory which shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. But the carnall Gospeller he thinkes it is good sleeping in a whole skin he lookes for a Gospel of ease for a soft and silken service of God for a Church as one speakes all of Velvet And therefore rather than he will suffer any losse or worsing any diminution or disparagement in his outward estate in his reputation wealth and worldly happinesse he will make shipwracke of a good Conscience he will yeeld to the corruptions of the Times and with the greater part rest and repose himselfe peaceably and pleasantly upon his Bed of ease and carnall securitie never considering that the Crosse is the Christians triumph that Christ himselfe was crowned with Thornes and that wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Act. 14. 22. A fourth marke may be gathered out of the fourth Verse The prayers and praysings of God in the mouth of Gods Child are frequent free and fervent but with the carnall Gospeller they are very rare cold and formall The Reason is Gods Child is very sensible of his corruptions and wants hee still longs and gaspes for more grace with a spirituall taste he sweetly relisheth Gods great mercie and goodnesse unto him he hath the love of God and the spirit of prayer shed into his heart by the Spirit of Adoption and therefore his heart is as full as the Moone of godly motions and meditations which like a continuall Spring sends out groanes and sighes unutterable many zealous and faithfull prayers and thanksgivings unto his gracious God with a free and feeling affection But the carnall Gospeller because his understanding was never enlightened his heart never truly humbled his affections never sanctified because he hath no sence of his wretched estate nor present feeling of grace nor sound hope and assurance of happinesse in Heaven why therefore he hath no great mind or heart or list to prayer hee hath no great delight or exercise in this holy businesse and if he doe pray which is but seldome and coldly it is but lip-labour and lost labour because it is without faith and feeling for fashion custome or company because he was so taught in his youth or that he superstitiously thinkes the very worke wrought and a number of prayers solemnely said over will sanctifie him A fifth marke may be gathered out of the sixt and seventh Verses The Child of God doth not onely passe through with patience for the profession of Gods truth and sinceritie lesse and inferiour miseries as losse of goods losse of friends and reputation with the World slanders disgraces and wrongs but hee also holds his soule as it were continually in his hand as David here sayes of himselfe readie if need be and the times so require even to shed his bloud vnder the Sword of Persecution or to lay downe his life in the flames rather than to dishonour so mercifull a God to betray his holy Truth or by his backsliding and falling away to hazard that Crowne of Glory which by the eye of faith he hath alreadie in sight But the carnall Gospeller in time of peace and plentie while he lives quietly and at ease without crosse or trouble in faire and Sun-shine dayes may perhaps be a stout and peremptorie Professor but hee ever shrinkes in the wetting he pulls in the head in the fierie triall ever when trouble or persecution commeth because of the word by and by he is offended The sixt marke is gathered out of the two last Verses The Child of God holds his Word farre more deare than any precious Treasure than the richest Inheritance than great Spoyles than thousands of Gold and Silver It is the joy of his heart and therefore it inclines and inflames his affections with love and zeale to doe Gods will and fulfill all his Commandements And no marvell though the true Christian find most sound and unconceivable delight in the Word of God the Doctrine of Heaven For by it he is borne anew and made heire of Heaven by the Light of it he sees his Name written in the Booke of Life never to be raced out by man or Devill all the sweet and gracious promises of salvation and comfort revealed in it are sure his owne So that thence he knowes and is perswaded undoubtedly that after a few and evill dayes spent in this miserable life he shall remaine and reigne eternally in the glory of God of Christ Iesus the blessed Spirit and the holy Angels But it is otherwise with the carnall Gospeller for whatsoever shew or protestation he makes to the contrary yet indeed in his heart affections and practice hee preferres his pleasures riches and profit before hearing of Gods Word sanctifying his Sabbaths and obedience to his Commandements And no marvell for because hee yet never lived the life of faith but is a meere stranger to the mysterie of godlinesse hee hath no true interest nor sound assurance in the joyes of another World and therefore feeds onely and fills himselfe with transitorie and earthly contentments Now I beseech you beloved in Christ Iesus let every one with singlenesse of heart and sinceritie examine his owne Soule and the spirituall state of his Conscience by these signes and marks which I have now delivered to you out of the example and precedencie of the Christian affections and holy disposition of David a sanctified man and a principall patterne of pietie and zeale for all faithfull ones Know you not saith the Apostle that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates So undoubtedly if Iesus Christ be in you if you be of Davids stampe and temper that is alreadie possessed of the state of grace and marked out by the Spirit of sanctification for the glory that shall be revealed you doe find in some good measure these markes and signes of an holy man in your selves 1 That you are enlightened and guided by the Word of God in all your wayes 2 That you have not onely good motions and purposes for a zealous and constant service of God but doe faithfully with sinceritie and integritie of heart performe the same 3 That you suffer joyfully and patiently afflictions and disgrace in the World for the testimonie of Gods Truth and profession of sinceritie 4 That you freely and faithfully with much feeling and fervencie of spirit offer dayly prayers and prayses unto the Lord. 5 That you had rather part with the dearest and most precious things in this life nay life it selfe than leave the service of God and the testimonie of a good Conscience 6 That you have more comfort and delight in hearing reading meditating conferring of and applying unto your owne soules the holy Word of God than in the treasures and glory of the whole Earth Such markes as these you must finde in your selves if you ever meane or hope to finde true contentment in this life or
theirs which indeed is the right direct and desperate downe-fall into the Pit of Hell So that millions of soules live no lesse without Scriptures than if there were none and wofully walke in this World through darkenesse of sinne shadow of death and ignorance both of God and his Word unto endlesse and utter darkenesse in the World to come The Prophet David tells us in Psal 19. That the Law of the Lord is perfect and giveth wisedome unto the simple The Commandements of the Lord is pure and giveth light to the eyes In this place hee tells us That the Word was a Lampe unto his feet and a Light unto his paths Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 39. bids us Search the Scriptures even all without exception so many as looke for eternall life Not lightly and at leisure to reade them but with diligence to dive into them for so the word signifies in the Originall To seeke for the right knowledge and true sense of them as for Silver and to search for it as for Treasures The Noblemen of Berea Act. 17. 11. searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so that were preached unto them Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. calls the Word of the Prophets a Light which shineth in a darke place to which wee should take heed But the Pope and his Factors teach other Lessons The Catholike Church saith one of their chiefe Champions out of the Councell of Trent forbids the reading of Scriptures by all without choise or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar Tongues The wise will not here regard say the Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men And soone after they resemble the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Knives and Swords which are indeed needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men And this is indeed one of their principall reasons Many abuse the Scriptures by ignorance infirmitie or malice to Errors Heresies Schismes and their owne destruction therefore they are not to be read of all without choise I answer they might as well reason thus Many men abuse Meat and Drinke by surfetting and excesse to the destruction both of their soules and bodies therefore men are to be deprived of Meat and Drinke Some men are infected with the Pestilence by drawing in corrupted and empoysoned aire therefore the aire is to be taken away and removed But as those men which are deprived of Meat and Drinke presently languish and pine away and die a temporall death and those that enjoy not the benefit of the aire are presently stifled for want of breath even so all those that want the spirituall Food of their soules out of the Word of God and the holy inspirations of his good Spirit builded thereupon howsoever they be fat and flourishing in their outward estates yet they are full leane and lanke in their soules and if they so continue must needes die an eternall death and perish everlastingly Let us then learne to detest and hate the bloudie Policie of the Synagogue of Rome which cruelly keepes from many thousand Soules that blessed Light of Gods Word which should lead them to eternall life They indeed pretend other Reasons But the truth is if the Word of Truth should be permitted and published to all there would be old running out of Babylon all their Pompe and Policie would downe their shamefull Iuglings and Cousenages their strong Delusions and Impostures would be laid open in the sight of the Sunne The Princes of the Earth that have so long beene drunken with the wrath of her empoysoned Wine would no longer commit Fornication with her The Merchants would buy no more her Wares but would stand afarre off from her for feare of her torment weeping and wailing No marvell then though the Papists labour might and maine and to this end maintaine a bloudie Inquisition to suppresse this Light of Gods Word lest it should discover their darknesse and hasten their destruction A second Vse is for terror feare and amazement to all them that doe not live and delight in the Light of Gods holy Word but yet are walking in the darkenesse of ignorance and in the shadow of death The whole World and every man in particular lyes in darkenesse that is in ignorance under sinne and so subject and lyable to damnation and eternall death There is no way to come out of this state of Darknesse Damnation and Death but by the Knowledge Light and Ministerie of the Word Hence it is that Act. 26. 18. it is Pauls charge and hee is sent to this purpose to open the eyes of men that they might turne from Darknesse to Light And Paul himselfe Eph. 5. 8. speakes thus unto the Ephesians Yee were once Darkenesse but now yee are Light in the Lord walke as Children of the Light Out of 1 Pet. 2. 9. it appeares that all Gods Children are called out of Darkenesse into marvellous Light Why then fearefull and most wretched is the state of all those who by the Light and knowledge of Gods Word are not translated and guided out of this Darkenesse For as in Darkenesse 1 There is much feare horror and discomfort a man cannot enjoy the lightsomenesse of Heaven the comfort of the creatures the companie of men Even so ignorant men not enlightened with saving knowledge are utterly without all hope of Heaven they have no sight or taste of the endlesse joyes thereof they have no companie or conference in heavenly matters with true Christians they have no comfort or interest in the Covenant of Grace or Promises of Salvation But Feare Horror and Despaire are most justly treasured up for them against the Day of Wrath and of the declaration of the just Iudgement of God 2 He that walketh in the Darkenesse saith Iohn knoweth not whither he goeth He cannot discerne his way he seeth not what is behind or before him he cannot descry or discover the dangers which are round about him But especially if the wayes through which he passeth be slipperie steepe and rockie full of pits and holes he is in danger at every step by some grievous fall to crush his body bruise his bones or breake his necke It is just so with every one that lives in ignorance of Gods Word and Truth he cannot possibly discerne the way to Heaven amongst the many by-paths of iniquitie he cannot judge in spirituall matters betwixt right and wrong good and evill Light and Darkenesse Christ and Belial prophanenesse and sinceritie though there be behind him a Life spent in much wickednesse lewdnesse and ignorance before him Despaire Hell and eternall Damnation about him the World with a thousand baites and pleasures to intice and intangle him in sinne Sathan like a roaring Lyon readie every houre to seize upon his
But notwithstanding the prophanenesse of the Preacher is no priviledge to the hearer either of negligence or disobedience He that turnes his eare from hearing of the Law truly preached though by a Pharise even his prayer is abominable Prov. 28. 9. Hee that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 13. Hee that obeyeth not the Sonne in his Ministers lawfully sent though not sanctified themselves shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Christ himselfe in the Gospel bids his followers to observe and doe whatsoever they were bid by the Scribes and Pharises which sate in Moses Chaire but not to doe after their works for they said and did not Every Minister is to be heard received and followed so farre as he followes and delivers to the Church the Truth of God and Doctrine of the Apostles For therein he is an Angel of the Lord of Hosts and Embassadour in the stead of Christ. And all the parts of the Ministerie in his hand he following the Word shall as certainely be accomplished as if an Angel or Christ from Heaven should presently and potently execute them If hee denounce Iudgements against sinne it is as if the voice of God himselfe should be heard from Heaven as if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah should roare If he poure the Oyle of comfort into a wounded and distressed Conscience it is as sure and certaine as soft and sweet to the beleeving soule as if the Angels should comfort him as they did Christ in his Agonie or as if Christ himselfe should mercifully reach out his glorious hand through the Clouds and binde up his broken heart and bruised Conscience with a Plaister of his owne precious Bloud If hee instruct admonish reprove exhort perswade from ground and warrant out of the Word it is all one as if Christ himselfe should doe it who hath said He that heareth you heareth me Let men therefore pretend what they will if they will not heare beleeve and obey the Lord speaking in the Ministerie of the Word though the meanes and Messengers be never so base and vile fraile weake and sinfull Let an Angel come from Heaven a Devill from Hell or a man from the dead yet would they not beleeve For if a man were truly humbled hee would tremble at Gods Word of whomsoever hee heard it If hee had a spirituall taste hee would relish the heavenly food whosoever ministred it If hee had Gods holy Spirit hee would know and acknowledge his Sword which is the Word of God in whose hand soever he saw it And untill he have this spirit a spirituall taste and an humble heart hee will not beleeve especially with effect fruit and practice let him pretend whatsoever he will neither Angels nor men dead nor living Moses nor the Prophets Peter nor Paul not Christ nor God himselfe if the one were living againe upon Earth or the other would be pleased or it were possible to speake immediately to him For conclusion of this Point let us know That the Ministerie of the Word is Gods Ordinance which dependeth not upon the worthinesse of him who delivereth it neither is it made void and uneffectuall by his weakenesse and wickednesse but it hath it vertue force and power from the blessing of God and from the inward operation of his Spirit who applyeth it to the hearts and consciences of men and thereby illuminates their understandings begetteth faith in them and all sanctifying and saving graces I but will some say it is a very wearisome tyring and tedious thing to be tyed to the hearing of so many Sermons to meditate of them conferre of them with our neighbours teach them our families and practise them which are urged upon us as necessarie Christian duties It is a strange thing and sore case that some men will not be perswaded to take halfe so much paines to goe to Heaven and eternall Rest as many thousands to goe to Hell and everlasting torment How many tyre and torture themselves with carke and care with much toyle and travell to heape up those riches which in the meane time are matter of much vexation unto them and hereafter will be witnesses against them and eate their flesh as it were fire as Iames speakes How many spend their wits their spirits their time that they may become some-body in the World and climbe by indirect and unlawfull meanes and steps unto those high places from whence hereafter they must be hurled with greater confusion and a more fearefull downe-fall into the Pit of Hell How many waste their wealth weaken their strength consume their marrow fill their bones with rottennesse and their bodies with diseases with lust and uncleannesse with following the Whorish woman whose paths lead unto the dead with tarrying long at the Wine and pouring in of strong Drinke for which at length they shall be sure to be filled with drunkennesse and with sorrow even with the Cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the dregges How unwearied have Idolaters ever beene in the wicked worship of their false gods And many Heretikes in the false worship of the true God In thrusting towards Hell they neither spared cost nor charge losse nor labour They have beene prodigall both of lives and living of bloud and children You know amongst the Iewes some mingled the rufull cryes of their dearest children with Musicke and melodie lest they should be moved to compassion while they were cast into the fire to be burned up in sacrifice unto the Idoll Moloch Scribes and Pharises compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Baals Priests lanced and cut their flesh before their Idoll untill the bloud gushed out The blinded Papists at this day whip themselves waste their goods and consume their bodies with wearisome Pilgrimages to see some counterfeit Reliques and rotten Bones or to visit accursed Idols and Popish Saints Nay some of them transported with a more bloudie rage and furious spirit of Antichrist suffer as it were with senselesnesse with desperate and damned boldnesse most horrible and exquisite torments for butchering of Kings for which they hope to merit Heaven and to sayle through a Sea of Royall bloud to the Haven of endlesse rest though indeed and truth they justly light short and sinke before they are aware into the deepest Lake of the hottest fire and most consuming flame of Hell Now I pray you shall these services of Sathan be followed and pursued with such heat and eagernesse with such paines and patiencie of all miseries and vexations and shall not the Lords owne Ordinances and the true worship of the true God have power to make us step out of our doores with patience and pleasure to heare the Lords will revealed unto us to receive salvation to our soules and a Crowne of immortalitie to our heads Can some be
and companie and never pleased untill they bring them back againe unto talke of worldly matters and prophane discourses If this yet will not serve the turne but that the Word gets within a man and workes upon his understanding so that by his diligent hearing of it meditation and conference he furnishes himselfe with competent knowledge in the Booke of God and Divine Truth why then Sathan casts about another way which is to make him to content himselfe with a bare fruitlesse knowledge without practising the power of it in his life and actions to rest contented with an abilitie to talke and discourse onely upon points of Religion and places of Scripture without inward sanctification and subduing the will and affections to new obedience and sincere exercise of Christianitie So that for all his knowledge he neither meddles with Conversion nor mends in his Conversation He labours here first to hinder his Conversion by planting in his heart a prejudice and disconceit against 1 Preaching the Law 2 Distinguishing severall estates of unregenerate men Math. 13. the three Reprobate Grounds 3 The differencing the Children of God and the Children of the Devill by speciall markes and notes Math. 5. Psal 15. c. 4 Pressing the Doctrine of Christ of pressing in at the strait Gate Luke 13. 24. 4. 28. And gathering from Scripture those which shall be saved into a short summe 5 And by making him make GOD all of Mercie And mending in his Conversation by motives unto presumption If this will not prevaile but that a man endeavours to draw his knowledge into practise and fettles himselfe with care and conscience to reforme his former wayes and courses of iniquitie why then Sathan plots and practiseth with all the cunning and policie he hath to make him rest in a slight superficiall and partiall reformation to content himselfe with an unsound or unsaving conversion For by the way I must tell you there may be many conversions changes and alterations in a man from worse to better and yet he not truly sanctified not become a new creature nor possessed of the state of grace and glorious comforts of true Christians 1 He may be changed from a notorious sinner to a civill honest man whereas he hath beene before furious and desperate in lewd courses hee may grow more sober and moderate in his carriage And yet for all this continue in his ignorance and a meere stranger to the wayes of godlinesse 2 From civill honestie he may passe on to a formall Christianitie and become an outward Professor and outwardly doe and performe religious services and yet lye in his sinnes and want the power of inward sanctification 3 Yet further by a generall power of the Word and inferior working of the Spirit he may in some sort be outwardly reformed and in some measure inwardly enlightened hee may have understanding and joy by the Ministerie of the Word and may doe many things after it and for sake many sinnes Herod is said Mark 6. to have reverenced Iohn to have heard him gladly and to have done many things And yet for all this hee may come short of a sound conversion if hee suffer some maine corruption some one sweet sinne or other to reigne in him which hee still feedes upon with delight and sensuall sweetnesse if hee doe not wholly and entirely resigne and give up himselfe his spirit soule and body to the Lords service and to please him in all things and with repentance and resolution forsake all his knowne sinnes For this is a certaine Rule and Principle with Divines That true turning unto God and the advised and willing remaining in the practice of any one evill which is discovered to a mans Conscience by the Light of Gods Word to be a sinne cannot stand together These changes a man may have and thus many passages from worse to better and yet the great and glorious worke of regeneration not wrought upon him For where there is a sound conversion and through-reformation there a man is wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfull corruption of his naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in his whole man both body foule and spirit He shakes hands with all sinnes he sells all for the precious Iewell of the Gospel he regards not sinne in his heart but hath a regard to all Gods Commandements Now sith Sathan that old Serpent knowes full well that it will never serve the turne for a man to part but with part of his sinnes that his case is fearefull enough whatsoever good or good deeds seeme to be in him if he yeeld not to the worke of the Holy-Ghost for the leaving but of any one knowne sinne which â—ighteth against the peace of his Conscience he knowes that he hath haunt and hold enough in a mans Conscience and affections that hee hath sufficient interest and claime to his damnation if he can but keepe his sweet sinne in heart and alive in him And therefore when any by the Ministerie of the Word is moved to settle and addresse himselfe to a reformation of his wayes and to redresse his former wicked life he puts in might and maine to preserve in his vigour and soveraigntie one secret delightfull sinne or other at least in the heart and affection of him that goes about to reforme himselfe He singles out one corruption or other to which hee findes a man most addicted and this he conceales and fenceth with all the policie that he hath that if by any meanes it may escape unrepented of unmortified and unmedled with Thus he dealt with Herod Herod by the preaching of Iohn reformed himselfe in many things but Sathan made sure to keepe him his owne by that one sinne of Incest Naaman the Syrian no doubt beleeved and followed the Prophet in many things but he desired onely that the Lord would be mercifull unto him when he went into the house of Rimmon The young man in the Gospel in his outward carriage was unreprovable but that one secret sinne of worldlinesse banished him out of the presence and Kingdome of Christ In this point Sathan labours to perswade men to deale with God in the forsaking of their sinnes as Ananias dealt with the Apostle in parting with his Money It was a custome you know in the Primitive Church because of the necessitie of the Times that many out of a zealous and extraordinarie love unto the Gospel sold their Lands and brought the price and laid it downe at the Apostles feet Ananias amongst the rest would needes seeme as forward zealous in this glorious worke of Charitie as any other He sold his Lands indeed and brought in the Money and tender'd it at the Apostles feâ—t but yet secretly suspecting Gods providence and doubting lest himselfe perhaps at length should be brought into want hee kept backe one part of the price of his Possession making
a great signe of grace to heare the Word gladly Psal 119. 162. I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoyles David had beene a souldier and ye know that they that have lyen at the siege of a Citie a long time and at the last take it will rejoyce exceedingly in the spoyle of it therefore he rejoyces in the Word as they that doe divide the spoyles And truly whereas common people complaine of the badnesse of their memories this would be a marvellous helpe to their memories if they would heare with delight therefore David sayth Psal 119. 16. I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word This delight he meanes will strengthen our memories Now contrarie to this are a great number that heare without all delight and account it a great wearinesse Mal. 1. 13. and those the dullest houres that they spend in hearing Well the Lord hath threatned that the Word shall never doe us good unlesse that wee attend to it with love and delight 2 Thess 2. 10 11. Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to beleeve Lyes A fearefull threatning much to be considered in these dayes For this is the reason that Popish trumperies and hellish delusions have such entertainment because God in his just judgement gives up those to such strong delusions that love not the strict Truth of the Word of God 5 You must heare the Word with application of it to your owne hearts and lives apply every truth to your selves for your owne use and comfort and terror and instruction as it is Iob 5. last Heare this and know it for thy selfe carry this truth home to thine owne heart And First there is no truth of God taught out of his Word but it concernes every one of Gods people and was intended for our use Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever is written is written for our learning Secondly there is no truth can be taught to doe us good unlesse that wee apply it as no Plaister can doe the Patient good unlesse it be applyed no meat is able to doe us any good be it dressed never so curiously unlesse it be eaten and digested This comparison is applyed by the Prophet to this purpose Isa 55. 2. Hearken diligently unto me and eate ye that which is good unlesse we eate it it will doe us no good Thirdly the faithfull have been wont to apply all to themselves as every member of the body drawes nourishment from the stomacke to make it his owne to which the Apostle alludes Eph. 4. 16. So the Disciples of our Saviour did Math. 26. 21 22. When our Saviour had said that one of them should betray him they were exceeding sorrowfull and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I And surely the want of this application is one great cause that the Word profits not because they beleeve it not nor apply the Word unto themselves Heb. 4. 2. The Word preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Now one principall worke of faith is to apply those things that are delivered in the Word But this the most hearers doe exceedingly faile in either not applying or mis-applying of the truth shifting off all upon others and taking little or nothing to themselves As wee have a notable example of this Rom. 1. ult compared with Rom. 2. 1. In the former place the Apostle speakes of some that knowing the judgement of God That those that doe such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe such things but take pleasure in those that doe them yet in the beginning of the next Chapter you find the same men judging and condemning of others yet thinking and perswading themselves that they being guiltie of the same sinnes shall escape the judgement of God Why but because they apply not to themselves but mis-apply to others the things they heare Many such hearers there are in these dayes which are very cunning in shifting off the threatnings of God against their owne Drunkennesse and Whoredome and Swearing c. yet very apt to pinne the same Word upon others Well these are not wise for themselves and all their hearing shall doe them no good Thus much of the duties required in hearing Now follow those duties that are required after hearing And these are chiefely thus 1 Wee must be very carefull to remember and keepe that which wee have heard Prov. 4. 4. My sonne let thine heart retaine my words and Vers 21. Keepe them in the midst of thine heart As a man that hath a Iewell will be carefull to locke it up in the safest Chest hee hath lest it should be stolne away Which is the very comparison of the Wise-man Prov. 6. 20 21. So Mary Luke 2. 51. kept all the sayings in her heart and David Psal 119. 11. hid the Commandements in his heart and hee gives the reason That hee might not sinne against the Lord. And the truth is that as meat that is eaten if it remaines not in the stomacke it will never doe us good so the best spirituall food that can be except it be retained by us will not profit us Luke 8. 15. The good Ground are they which with an honest and good heart having heard the Word keepe it c. Many there are that are very carelesse of this dutie They thinke they have discharged themselves abundantly if they heare the whole Sermon attentively as though there were nothing more required at their hands Like our Saviours hearers Math. 22. 22. When they heard him they marvelled and left him and went their way but wee never heare more of them So many heare desirously and with open and greedie eares but as wee say it goes in at one eare and out at another it stayes not for any after-use but a little present admiration Others heare and the Word smites them a little on their Consciences and wounds and one would thinke some good thing would be wrought upon them but they goe away and the motion dyes They are as men that are Sea-sicke whilest the Word humbles them and makes their Consciences to wamble within them but they are as whole as a Fish when as they are once landed at the Church doore Or like unto Mettals which are soft and plyable whilest they are in the fire so these are in the hearing but shortly they loose all the efficacie of the Word and become harder than before Well let us in the feare of God hearken diligently to the words of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 2. 1. That wee ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that wee have heard lest at any time wee should let them slip or runne out like riven Vessels Why what is the danger How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great Salvation 2 Wee must meditate and seriously thinke of that that wee have