" and caft up the grafs they swallowed, to fhew SERM.

"how much they had eaten.

66

Grafs it came in, "and grafs it goes out again. The fhepherd does not expect this, but expects that of the grafs they had eaten that day, there fhould "come milk and wool from the concoction, and "digestion of what they had eaten." It is much that we have need to learn fuch documents as thefe from an Heathen. What! because all we hear comes to us in words, fhould it all come out in words again? No, the end is furely that it fhould be fo digefted, and concocted, as to yield work and fruit, agreeable to what we hear. And then there are again,

10. THE cenforious and critical hearers; who come on purpose, not as doers of the law, but as judges. They come to fee what they may carp at, and fo to pafs their verdict. « Were "fuch and fuch things rightly methodized? fuch

and fuch words well placed? was there an "exact concinnity in what was faid?" and the like. This now is all the defign they have in hearing the word. And then there is another fort too, and we have fome experience, I am afraid, of too many fuch, in the age and day wherein we now live, and that is,

LASTLY, Malicious hearers; that come on purpose to seek an advantage against thofe, they come to hear, particularly from what they preach. By this fort, you know, our Saviour was often pestered: who came to hear him, and to put queftions to him; and fo gave him occafions to

fpeak,

XIV.

II.

VOL. fpeak, only to intrap and infnare him. To which may be added your raging exafperated hearers, fuch as Stephen's were at his laft fermon; who gnafhed upon him with their teeth, and could not forbear violence to his precious life, upon their hearing him. Thus you fee the characters of thofe that are hearers only, which are various and manifold. I fhall only touch upon the

I THING, namely, to

deception of fuch perfons.

speak to the self

And here I fhall

fhew, wherein fuch are deceived, and the groffnefs of the deception it felf.

1. WHEREIN fuch are deceived. And they are certainly fo,

(1) IN their work. For they commonly think they have done well; and they find no fault with themfelves, that they have been hearers only. And then

(2.) As to their reward they are also deceived. They get nothing by it all this time. That, and their labour is all loft. Whofo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, be being not a forgetful bearer but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed. But they never go away with a bleffing; most certainly they mifs of it, who are hearers only.

2. FOR the groffnefs of this deception, it will appear to be very great, if we confider, (1.) THAT they are deceived in fo plain a cafe. For it is the plaineft thing in the world, that

the

Jam. 1. 25.

the Gospel is fent in order to practice. Now SER M. how strange is it, that men fhould be deceived XIV. in a thing fo plain! What can the Gospel be fent for but only in order to practice? What other aim, or end, can it poffibly have? As might be fhewn in many particulars, if time gave leave. And,

(2.) IT is felf-deception; for they are faid to deceive themselves; which is a far other thing, than when the matter is wont to be expreffed paffively only, and in fofter terms.. As to fay to a perfon, "Sir, you are mistaken; you are "deceived and impofed upon." This, I fay, is much gentler, than to fay of a man, that he deceiveth and impofeth upon himself. For this carries in it an intimation, that men do use fome industry in the matter; that they industriously deceive themselves, as indeed it must be fo in this cafe. For if men did not use fome art or contrivance, they could never have hid thefe things from their own eyes; particularly, that this word is fent to be the guide of men's practice. And to overlook fuch a thing as this all their days, (as thofe men must be supposed to do who are hearers only) is miserable deception. It is their trade, and a poor trade the Lord knows! And they must be fuppofed to have used a great deal of artifice with themselves, to veil so plain a cafe as this from their own eyes and view; fo as not to understand, that the Gospel is fent to be their rule of practice, in order to their attain

ment

VOL. ment of an happy ftate at laft. And now, to fhut up all with a little application, we may learn hence,

II.

I. THAT perfons are apt to overlook the main of their duty, and to take up with fome leffer parts.

II. THAT in the very business of hearing the word, there is great danger of felf-deception, if perfons do not carefully watch against it. And again,

III. We may learn, that the whole business of the Gospel hath a defigned reference unto practice. Be not hearers only, but doers of the word. As if he had faid, Do not fatisfy your felves with merely hearing the word of God, as if there was nothing in it conducing, or referable to practice, as generally the things contained in it manifeftly have; for this alone is not fufficient to answer the end and defign of the Gofpel.. *Again

IV. WE may learn, that it is a duty of very great concernment to attend upon the word preached, or to be an hearer of it; for the whole business of our practice is to be confequent thereupon. It is then of great confequence to be a hearer of the word; and as much as this duty is neglected by many, the whole ftrefs lies upon of the defign and end, for which the Gospel comes into the world. The Gospel fignifies nothing unless it be believed, and this faith cometh by bearing. There are many perfons that hu

4 Rom. 1. 17.

it

mour

mour and please themselves in talking against so SER M. much hearing, and fo much preaching; and XIV. think it a vain, and needless thing. But that is certainly because they have little confidered what hearing, and preaching is for. If it was only for the minister to teach, and the hearers to learn some new thing not known before, truly all neceffary truth, by attentive diligent inquirers, might be learnt in a little while. But it is rather to urge and inculcate things, which were known before. Therefore when the Apostle had faid, that it is by the word of truth that we are begotten of Go D, to be a kind of firft fruits of his creatures, he prefently adds, Be fwift to hear. As if he had faid, these things ought to be often urged, and inculcated upon you; that so the product thereof, to wit, the new creature may be fure in you. If this is not done at one time, it may at another; fome time or other it may be effected. Therefore be swift to hear, your life it. But then,

lies upon

V. AND laftly, You fee of what confequence it is to add doing, to the hearing the word. And for that I need to give no other encouragement than that of our Lord at the clofe of his fermon on the mount. Whosoever heareth thefe fayings of mine, and doth them; I will liken him unto a wife man which built his house upon a rock: and the rain defcended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell