3. Lay aside coA'ctousness. Covetousness is not onlv <rettinir the world uniustlv, but h)ving it inordinately ; this is a great hin- deranee to the word ])reaclied. The seed which fell auuuig tiiorns was choked. Mat. xiii. 22. : an emblem of the word bei!i{i
preached to a covetous hearer. The cove- tous man is thinking on the world when lie is hearing ; his heart is in his shop, Ezek. xxxiii. 31., " They sit before thee as ray people, and they hear thy words, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." A covetous hearer derides the word, Luke xvi. 14.J " The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things, and thcv derided him."
4. Lay aside partiality. Partiality in hearing is, when we like to hear some truths preached, but not all. We love to hear of lieaven, but not of self-denial ; of reigning with Christ, but not of suffering ; of the more facile duties of religion, but not them which are more knotty and difficult, — as mortification, — laying the axe to the root, and hewing dov/n their beloved sin : Isa. x\x. 10., " Proj)hesy smooth things," — such as may not grate upon our conscience. Manv like to hear of the love of Christ, but. not of loving their enemies ; they like the comforts of the word, but not the reproofs. Ilcrod h.eard Jolin Dajttist gladly; he liked niajiy truths, but not when he spake against his incest. Lay aside partiality.
5. Lay aside censoriousness. Some, in- stead of judging themselves for sin, sit as judges upon the preacher ; either his sermon had too much gall in it, or it was too long. These will sooner censure a .sermon than practise it. God will judge the judger, Mat. vii. 1.
(). Lay aside disobedience. Ronu x. 21., " All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient peoj)le." 'Tis sj)oken of the Jews : (lod stretched out his hands in the preaching of the word, but they rejected Christ. Let there be none among von that williillv refuse the counsels of the word : it is sad to have an adder's ear, an ad.tujaiit heart, Zech. vii. 11, 12. If, when (iod s|;eaks to us in his word, we are deaf; when we si)eak to him in prayer, he will be dumb.
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290
OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
Sd. If you would hear the word aright, have good ends in hearing; " come to the word to be made better." Some haA^e no other end in hearing, but because it is in fasliion, or to gain repute, or stop the mouth of conscience ; but come to the word to be made more holy. There's a great deal of difference between one that goes to a garden ' for flowers to wear in her bosom, and another , that goes for flowers to make syrups and ■ medicines of. We should go to the word for a medicine to cure us, as Naaman the | Syrian went to Jordan to be healed of his leprosy : 2 Pet. ii. 2., " Desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow there- by." Come to the word to be changed into the similitude of it; as the seal leaves its print upon the wax, so labour that the word preached may leave the print of its own ho- liness upon your heart ; labour that tlie " word" may have such a virtue upon you, as the water of jealousy, to kill and make fruitful, Numb. v. 27. That it may kill your sins, and make your souls fruitful in grace.
4fh. If you would hear the word a- riglit, come to it with delight. The word preached is a feast of fat things : with what dclial'.t do men come to a feast ? The word preached anoints tlie blind eye ; mollifies the rocky heart ; it beats oft" our fetters, and tnr!is us from the " power of satan to God," Acts xxvi. 18. The word is the seed of re- generation, James i. 18., the engine of sal- vatitin. Hear the Avord with delight and complacency, Jer. xv. 16., " Thy Avords were found, and I did eat them. Thy AA'ord was unto me the rejoicing of my heart." Ps. cxix. 103., " How sAveet are thy words unto my taste ! yea, SAveeter than honey to my month." Yea, loA'e that Avord which comes most home to the conscience ; bless God when your corruptions haA'e been met with, Avlien the sword of the Spirit hath di- vided between you and your sins. Who rarcs for that physic Avhich Avill not work.
5th. If you Avould hoar the Avord aright, mix it Avith faith. Believe the verity of the word ])rcached, that it is that Avoi'dby Avhich you must be judged ; not only give evidence to the word preached, but learn to apply it to your OAA'n souls; faith concocts the Avord, and turns it into spiritual nourishment. Many hear the Avord, but it may be said of