exercises of religion in what better way the time, allotted for these exercises, is generally employed by those, who frequent them not; and what harm could possibly follow, if, from obedience to the command of God, from a respect to public authority, from concern for public welfare, from tenderness for their own private reputation, and (may we not add?) from hope of possibly receiving some little improvement too, they should prevail on themselves to spend at church, every week, a few of those hours, which they do not seem, on other occasions, to reckon so very precious. Doing this, and requiring those who depend on you to do it also, you cannot have occasion to regret very bitterly omitting it, whatever you think now, perhaps you may, certainly you will, repent: God grant the time may come, before it is too late. Let us therefore now make this, amongst others, one trial of our spiritual state, whether we have loved the habitation of God's house, the place where his honour dwelleth*: whether we receive the word with all readiness of mind†, and desire the sincere milk of it, as St. Peter expresses himself, that we may grow thereby. If not, let us stir up ourselves to the more constant and zealous practice of a duty, which the Apostle to the Hebrews enjoins as an indispensable one even in the midst of severe persecutions; with whose words I conclude. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, and provoke one another unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another : and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching §. * Ps. xxvi. 8. VOL. I. N + Acts xvii. 11. SERMON XII. LUKE VIII. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear. EVERY advantage, bestowed on us by Providence, is a trust, of which we must hereafter give account. The advantages, which tend more immediately to our improvement in piety and virtue, are a trust of the most important kind: and religious instruction holds a principal rank amongst these. Its nature is excellently fitted to do men good: the grace of God is ever ready to accompany it: and yet very frequently it fails of its end. Doubtless too often this is our fault, who are employed to dispense it. We do not preach, we do not live, as we should: may God be merciful to us and amend us: for heavy will be our condemnation, if we wilfully transgress, or supinely neglect, either part of our duty. But the word of God, even when delivered by unskilful and wicked hands, hath power enough to produce its effect, if received as it ought: and though delivered by the ablest and best, too commonly, for want of being so received, produces none. Preachers of righteousness, from the days of Noah* to this, have found their warnings in a great measure fruitless. Prophets, expressly commissioned from heaven, have been rejected or disregarded, by those, to whom they were sent. Nay, the Son of God himself, as indeed his whole history, but especially his parable in this chapter shews, met with many, in whose hearts his doctrine * 2 Pet. ii. 5. either gained no reception, or soon withered away, or was choked with thorns; for a few, who brought forth good fruit, in a greater degree or a less. And if it was needful for him, who spake as never man did*, who confirmed his discourses by miracles, and adorned both by a life of perfect holiness, to bid his Apostles themselves take heed, how they heard: much more ought his ministers now to give his people the same caution, and they to observe it. You think, and very truly, that a great deal is incumbent on us: but do you not consider, what is incumbent on yourselves? Our reasons to desire that our preaching may be successful, are very strong: but yours are yet stronger. If we fail of converting you, provided we endeavour it faithfully, we have delivered our own souls: but if you fail of being converted, you die in your iniquity †. The Gospel is the savour of life or of death, to all that hear it. Those, who are careful to improve by it, God will bless with further improvements, those who are not, he will leave in his just judgment to grow worse and worse: or, to speak the language of our Saviour just after the text: Whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. Being therefore so deeply concerned in the matter, let us all consider, with what disposition of heart we ought to receive religious instruction. 1. And, in the first place, that we should hearken to it with attention, is exceedingly plain: for else both speaking and hearing are lost labour. And yet how many are there, who vouchsafe not even so much regard to the doctrine of salvation? Decency perhaps brings us hither: and a failure of making † Ezek. iii. 19. 2 Cor. ii. 16. John vii. 46. our appearance might be remarked to our disadvantage but whether our minds are absent, cannot be so easily observed: and therefore about that, we are very indifferent. Or we come of course, without reflecting, what end is designed to be served by it: and, though our consciences would not let us stay away, yet we have never bethought ourselves, that being here without any care to become the wiser for it, amounts very nearly to the same thing. Most however have surely some general intention of minding what they are about: but in so weak a degree, that every suggestion of every kind overpowers it. Some set their hearts on the affairs, and some on the pleasures of life so intirely, that these objects croud in at the most improper times, and drive out all others. Too many have indulged an indolent thoughtlessness, till applying their minds in earnest to any thing is become extremely difficult and painful to them. Not a few are engaged so deeply in observation of what they see at church, that they have no room left for taking notice of what they hear. There are persons too, who have so much to say one to another that they lose, and make those around them lose, much of what the preacher hath to say to them all. And frequent mutual informations, it seems, are of such importance and necessity to be communicated immediately, that even the duties of hearkening to God's word in the lessons, and singing his praises in the psalms, must give way to them. But indeed the best disposed, and most considerate, are not so happy always, as to command their own thoughts. Our imaginations, however carefully checked, are too apt, on every occasion, to present us with a multiplicity of fancies and notions, quite foreign to the business we are upon: : but never more so, than in the midst of our religious exercises. And when once our minds are got loose; an effect, which the least accident will produce; then on they run from one thing to another, hanging together by some kind of whimsical connection, till we are carried we know not whither : and if we try to recover ourselves, are often lost a second time in the very endeavour. Some degree of this is merely the weakness of our fallen condition : and some have by nature more of it than others: for which they have indeed cause to be sorry, yet not to think despondingly of their spiritual condition. But still, too much of it is commonly our own fault. We have taught ourselves to be so unsettled as we are, by indulging a languid indifference to the most interesting of all our concerns; and perhaps too, by delighting in the vain amusement, which these roving ideas give us, at the most improper seasons. The cure of this bad habit is very difficult: and therefore our watchfulness against its growing upon us ought to be the greater; and our attempts to root it out, more closely followed. We must beg of God pardon for our past neglects, and assistance for the time to come. We must imprint on our minds, beforehand, as deeply as ever we can, the importance of instruction in our duty and come to it, with the most deliberate and firmest purpose of strict attention. We must call ourselves back immediately, when we find we are wandering : and, without staying at all to discover what it was, that led us off, return without delay to the subject before us. We must also make it a rule to recollect afterwards the principal things, that have been said to us. For not only this will tie us down to mind them the more, when they are spoken; but minding them ever so much just then, will singly be of small benefit: we must think of them over and over at home, till we digest them into lasting nourish |