VOL. · II. III. WHEREIN thofe, of the latter fort, do fo miferably deceive themselves. I. WE are to fhew what it is to be a doer of the word. The expreffion plainly imports an habit; according as we denominate every person that is of fuch or fuch a calling, or trade, from the courfe and way of life which he follows. A doer of the word, is not one that doth fome fingle act, now and then, which the word injoins or directs; but one whose wonted' course, and the business of whofe life it is to obey the dictates of this word, and who governs his life and the tenor of his actions by it. Just as we find the phrase of a worker of iniquity, is in the Old and New Testament made use of, to reprefent and hold forth to us the course of those per. fons, who trade in fin. They are faid to be finmakers, as the expreffion † doth emphatically note: their bufinefs is to work fin; and they do often exert their strength, and power, that way. So we are to understand in general, a doer of the word of God; that is, one whose business of his life it is to do it in a continual courfe. And this fuppofes, and includes in it many things, which I fhall briefly hint to you. 4 1. Ir doth fuppofe a defign, a formed fixed defign, that this fhall be my courfe. Accordingly we have the Pfalmift fpeaking to this purpofe; I have fworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments: I have in * ποιήτης. + κακοποιόντες. clined clined mine heart to perform thy ftatutes alway, SER M. even unto the end. As if he had faid, I XIV. purpofe and intend fo to do; and this is an intention I refolve to purfue, throughout my whole course, from which nothing fhall divert me. So in like manner when we attend upon the dispensation of the word, it should be with a fettled design in our hearts, and a fincere purpose to learn fomewhat in order to practice; to apply and accommodate to practice the truths we hear, and that are capable of being applied to this purpose. 2. Ir carries with it a very ferious applying of our minds to underftand what is the mind and will of GOD, which is held forth to us in his word. That we content not our felves to have heard fuch and fuch things propounded to us; but that we distinctly apprehend the scope and drift of what we hear, and what is the great thing aimed at in it. For we can never be doers of the word and will of GoD blindly, and in the dark. It is neceffary that we understand and know it firft. It is a way we are to walk in with open eyes. A good understanding (fays the Pfal mift) have all they, that do his commandments! He fuppofes a good understanding as neceffary to the doing the commandments of God. We cannot do them, without having a right under! ftanding of them. Thefe words do alfo imply (which feems to be the particular fenfe of them) that a good understanding will certainly incline a man to keep his commandments; and that the keeping VOL. keeping his commandments will argue him to II. have a good understanding. And indeed he is the wife man that understands this to be his intereft, and accordingly makes it his business to know, and practice the mind and will of God. 3. IT implies the ufe of our judgment in hearing the word, in order to diftinguish what is divine, and what is human. For God hath thought fit that it fhould be fo difpenfed in the world, by fuch hands and inftruments, as may too poffibly admit somewhat that is human into the difpenfation of it. It is fo fometimes merely as to the manner of the difpenfation. There is nothing of this treasure that is conveyed to us by fuch veffels, but it will, fome way or other, tafte of the veffel. And that which we are prin cipally to attend and mind, is to close with that which is moft fubftantial, as fuppofing it to be altogether divine. It is alfo true fometimes that there may be fome error as to the matter, as well as the manner. And there our defire ought to be of the fincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby, even as new-born babes ". Newborn babes have a kind of difcerning if the milk be pure, or if there be any thing ill-tafted or unfavoury in it. And there is a certain kind of taste and relish, which belongs to the new creature, Cannot my tafte (fays Job) difcern perverse things? And this was the great commendation of the Bereans, That they fearched the Scriptures in order to know, whether the things fpoken to them XIII. them by the Apoftles, were of GOD or no, SER M. And it was noted to be a piece of generosity in them. They were more noble than they of Thef falonica, upon this account. ufe of our judgment: as the We are to make the Philippians, that they might abound in judg ment and all sense, spiritual fenfe, that fo they might difcern the things that differ, or approve thofe, which are more excellent ". 4. IT requires a great deal of reverence to be ufed in hearing the word. So to hear it as that we may be doers, requires a very reverential attendance upon it; as confidering that this is a revelation that comes from heaven, fome part of which is now to be held forth to us. It is a divine light, which, through fuch a medium, is to fhine forth to us. And there is certainly altogether a fault in this refpect, among a great many profeffors of religion; that the reverence is wanting, which is due to thofe facred records that go under the name of God's word, and which he claims and appropriates to himself, as his word. I have wondered,, I confefs, to fee how among scholars, and learned men, there should be fo great a veneration for fome or other notable pieces of antiquity, any aged volume, any old record; and how high a price and value have been put upon them. Now there is no fuch piece of antiquity as this in all the world that we know of. The holy Scriptures,- at least a great part, are the most ancient writings in all Phil 19, 13, the VOL. the world. And it fhould challenge á mighty II. reverence and veneration, to have a word brought down, and tranfmitted to us, through fo many fucceffive ages. But to confider it as a divine word, a revelation come from heaven, doth much more claim our reverence. How strange a véneration did thofe Ephefians exprefs for that image, which, they were made to believe, fell from heaven! All Ephefus, as it is expreffed, is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter": as if all the city were of a piece, all heart and foul upon that one thing, which they believed to be of heavenly defcent. Now this word we are fure is a divine-breathed thing; for all Scripture is given by the infpiration of GoD i. THEN it is that the word is like to be done, when it is received with reverence, not as the word of man, but of GOD. When we in our own thoughts prefix that preface to every part of that truth, which he himself hath prefixed to many parts and portions of it; namely, Thus faith the Lord, who is the Lord of heaven and earth. It is his word, who made and fuftains all things by the word of his power. When therefore we look upon this word as carrying the stamp of the Majefty of God upon it, then it is like to command the heart; but it will fignify little, till this is done. 5. To be a doer of the word fuppofes that we believe it, or that our hearing of it be mingled |