Obj. How can faith be necessary to make the word effectual, since itself Cometh by hearing, and is ordinarily wrought by the word : Eom, X, 17, ' So then faith cometli by hearing, and hearing bv the word of God'?
Ans At first God by his preventing grace taketh hold of the heart, and maketh it to believe ; as at the first creation light was made before the sun ; and the first man was made out of the dust of the ground, afterwards he propagateth and bringeth forth after his kind ; so that the first work might be exempted from the common rule, yet not the subsequent works.
2. Even then there is a faitli wrought in and by the hearing, as the gospel doth piopound and make known to the understanding the object of saving faith ; the Lord doth at the same time work the grace of faith in the hearts of the elect : Acts xvi. 14, ' And a certain woman named Lydia. a seller of jiurple, which worshipped God, heard us, whose lieart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things spoken by Paul.' Without this the word would not profit.
3. One faith maketh way for another, the dogmatical faith for the saving faith, and common and general grace for a particular and saving work of God's Spirit ; as the priming of the post maketh it receptive of other colours.
Use 1, Is information, to show the reason why there is so little profiting under so much means ; thereis no faith, the cause is from ourselves or in ourselves, Alas! we may complain: Isa. liii. 1, 'Who
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bath believed our report?' Most men bave not tbat general faith so as to incline their hearts and ears to take notice of what God i>aith.
Use 2. Is reproof of divers sorts.
1. Some do not hear ; they neglect the seasons of grace, and refuse to come there where the sound of the gospel may be heard ; whereas we are commanded * to be swift to hear,' James i. 19. Others sleep while the word is preaching ; as Eutychus fell asleep — ' While Paid was long preacbing, be sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead," Acts xx. 9. It was a sin, and (rod punished him, though be was a youth, and the sermon was after supper, and of great length, even till midnight ; it was an infirmity, but infirmities are punished by God. Others talk, or suft'er their minds to be diverted by every trifle: Ezek. xxxiii. 31, ' And they come unto tliee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they bear thy words, but they will not do them ; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness ; ' as a child's eye is off his book if a butterfly do but come by. The devil findeth them other work ; how often do we mingle sulphur witli our incense ! Those that hear in jest will find hell hot in good earnest. Well then, Rev. ii, 7, 'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.'
2. Some do not understand what is outwardly heard by the ears of the body : Mat. xiii. 19, 'When anyone heareth the word of the king- dom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcbeth away that which was sown in his heart;' and Jer. v. 21, ' Hear now this, 0 foolish people, and without understanding ! which have eyes and see not, which bave ears and hear not.'
3. Some do not lielieve what they understand ; that is the great requisite. Acts, xv, 7. ' Tbat the gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and belie ve."
4. Some do not obey what they seem to believe : Eom. x. 16, ' But they have not all obeyed the gospel ; for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report ? ' and Mat. vii. 26, 27, ' And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened unto 'a foolish man that built his house upon the sand ; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'
5. Some do not persevere in what they undertake to obey : Dent. r. 27-29, 'Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God sball say, and sj)eak thou imto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, and we will bear it, and do it. And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me ; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee ; they bave well said all tliat they have spoken. Oh tliat there were such an heart in them that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children for ever.'
Use 3. Is to press and excite you—