2. Hearing. One institution must not jostle out another. It is not enough to read at home, but you must also hear and attend upon pub- lic preaching : Eom. x. 14, ' How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? ' It is God's ordinance. Seldom is grace got by reading. We have our confirmation by reading, but usually con- version is by hearing ; therefore do not reason against this duty, and say. You can provide yourselves with books. Tou are not wiser than God ; his will should be reason enough, though the institution should be never so mean and despicable : 1 Cor. i. 21, ' It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.' All God's institu- tions are full of wisdom and full of reason. There is some help cer- tainly in hearing, there is a ministerial excitation which is of some use. Look, as warmed milk is fitter to nourish than that which is cold, so the word of God delivered by a lively voice hath a greater congruity and suitableness to the work of grace. As the ear was the door by which death got into the soul, by hearkening to the temptation, so God would have the ear to be the sense of grace, and the door of life and peace. In the church hearing is exercised, as in heaven, seeing. Our happiness in heaven is expressed by vision and sight ; but in the church hearing is our duty, and our benefits and advantages come in by attending upon the word ; therefore it is good to take all occasions, and to 'be swift to hear,' James i. 19. Though we know a great deal alrendy,and have never so great parts, yet we need a monitor to represent the things of God to us, and to awaken our consideration, and lay them
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before our ej^es ; and though we know many things, we are forgetful, and do not think of them. It is good to come to this duty, that we may be put in remembrance.
3. Meditation, a neglected thing ; but it falleth under the care of godliness as well as others. It is not enough to exercise the eyes and the ears, but the thoughts. God deserves the best use, and the flower and strength of our reason ; and the things of God deserve considera- tion, being so diflicult and so excellent. Especially should we medi- tate upon the word we hear, for then there is matter to work upon, and somewhat whereby to fix the thought : Ps. Ixii. 10, ' God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this.' That which God speaks we should go over again and again in our thoughts ; as when a man hath been hearing of bells, the sound hovereth in the brain when the bells cease. Thus and thus hath God spoken to-day, and what shall I say to these things ? This is like grinding of the corn ; it prepares and makes it fit nourishment for the souk So meditate upon what you read : Josh. i. 8, ' The book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.' And this I suppose is that meditation which is required of the simpler sort of christians. Certainly it is every one's duty to meditate, but every one hath not riches of invention, and cannot command their thoughts; they are slow of conception : what then ? Shall they continually live in the neglect of a necessary duty ? No ; here is a help ; read, and ponder what thou readest ; urge thy soul ; do as the clean beasts, chew the cud ; go over and over it again. You have often seen the beasts, when they have done feeding, chew over their food again, and so prepare it for the stomach ; thus may the meanest christians do, they may urge their hearts with what they read ; whereas their thoughts are not like a ball struck against a wall, that cometh to hand again, but as a ball struck into the open air, that returneth not. Certainly meditation is one of the exercises of godliness ; and they that delight in the law of God will be meditating, pressing and fixing it on their hearts : Ps. i. 2, 'His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he medi- tate day and night ; ' for we muse upon what we love.
4. Prayer, that is another exercise of godliness. Here we have our constant commerce with God. If there wej-e no other use of prayer but only to appear before God to do our homage, to profess our service and dependence upon him, it were enough ; but it is a means of spiri- tual acquaintance ; by these private soliloquies God and the soul grow intimate, and we unbosom ourselves to God, as intimate friends are often together speaking one to another. Prayer is such a necessary duty and a part of godliness, that it is often put for the whole worship of God : Acts ii. 21, ' Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved ; ' it is only expressed by that. On the other side, athe- ism is expressed by not calling on God's name : Ps. xiv. 4, ' Who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.' There is not a swine but is better regarded than God ; they are tended morn- ing and evening, but God is forgotten. Oh ! what honour is put upon dust and ashes to speak to the great God ! Prayer is to be reckoned among our privileges. If we had such freedom of access to an earthly prince, we would not reckon it a burden. It is a part of our liberty by Christ, that was purchased at a dear rate ; therefore let us often call