. i ' --\" Ji!eattng of tbe naorn. >~mination is, 1. The general frame and temper of our hearts, whether they be in a better or worfe temper than formerly 2. The fpecial occafions, for which our fouls at fuch or fuch a time de/ire to meet God : It is the complaint of fome, 1am weak_ m k_nowiedge; of others, I wantj~tch andJ'tch grao-es : ofothers, I am Ltk! to enco,.ntc/ foci? andJuch temptations: of all thefe we are to .examme our felve_s that we may according– ly receive fupply. 3· Our fins, that we mtght have them flam by the fwordof the ~pt· rit in the Minill:ery of the Word. +· Our graces, that we may have them fhength"ned and nourilhed by the Spiritual food of our fouls. But the handling ofthefe at large, I fha!lleave to the Receiving ofthe Lords Supper. 4 . In the purging or c/eanjmg of our hearts: I. From fin; Lay apart allfilthinefs and J'tperjlu.ity ofnaughtinefl, and receive with meek_nefs the mgraftet;/ tvord, which is able to fave yourfonls: with whic~ agrees that parallel place,. Wherefore ptttting aivfly ,11malice, M ne~~ born babes dcfire theJincerCinllk ofthe word; as tt IS Wtth the body, when the lto– mack is foul and clogged with bad humours: we fhould firfl: .purge it, before we feed it otherwife ·.l'hatfoever we eat, will but nourilh and cncreafe the corrupt humours :· f; when the foul is ltuffed or clogged with fin, whatfoever is hea:d in the Minitl:ery of the word, will but be abufed by 1t, and wre!ted to the de!lrudton of tt. 2 From worldly cares and thoughts, which may draw away the heart: The cares ofthe.world (faith Chri!l)l do ch011k_ thefeed of the Word. When .Abrahamwent up to the Mount to facrifice, he left his fervants in the valley ; and when we go up to the Mount where God appears, we fhould leave all our fcrvile affections, and worldly thoughts in the valley; or if any enter, we fhould do by them as Abr~ham did_by the birds that would .have eaten up his facrifice, chafe them away. Jr. IS fatd, that m the Temp!~, t~ough there was much flelh for facnfice, yet there vn~ not ?ne fl1e appeared lttrring. 0 that it might be fo with m, that not one thought tn1ght artfe upon our hearts, unfuitable to the place or work at hand: But this is the mifery, we have not Spiritual hearts in temporal imployments,and therefore we have carnal hearts in fpiritual imployments; the lefs of the Sabbath in the week, the more of the week we find in the Sab– bath. 5· Inaright difpojition ofhearts: We mull: have hearts feafoned, I. With fofmefs, for if the hea~t be not foft im~ lle¥ible, the pow~r·of the \Vord,wi~l not make any prtnt of deep tmpreffion upon 1t; all holy admontttons, reproofs and mltruL'tions will be but as arrows !hot againtl: a !lone wall. 2. \Vith humility, Fw them that be merk_ will heg~tide in judgement, and teach the humble his '""JS: The proud heart is fo fwetled with the wind of vanity and vain-glory, of felf-love and over-weening conceit, that there is left no roonr in it for the preciouS' treafures of faving Grace to enter. 3 . With hon~/ly, For honeft hearts arethe profitable andfruitfitl he"rers, refembled by the good ground, hearts rhat have no manner of purpofc to live and continue in any one known' fin; h~arts ready and refolved to ferve and pleafe God in all the ways of his Command– ments, and that fincerely and continually. 4-- With faith, for this makes the work fink and foa~ into the foul with power and profiL The old Jews heardthe Word, but it profit· , ed them not, beca!if~tt was riot mtxed with fatth m them that heard": Faith animates and infpires the promifes of the Gofpel, with fuch a foveraign fweetnefs, that they arc able to ratfe us from the depth o~ fears,. yea, to put us t_nto a Parad1fe pf fpiritual pleafurcs, and potfcilion of HeaveM,as tt were already. 5. Wtth teachablcnefs: Sacrifice and hHrnt– ojfmngs tho1t wouldft nor (faith David) but mine ears haft thott prepared; q.d. Thou hall: boare~ new cars in my heart that I can now reverently ~ttend unto, rightly conceive, and Wtth an holy greedinefs devour(as it were) the my!leries of ~race. 6. \Vith opcn– nefs, or readmefs to recetve every tmth that Godjhall teach us: It IS fatd of the Bereans, That_theY_ rece<Ved the Word with allreadinefs of minde: When there is fuch an· holy dif– pofitwn tn us as to receive both in judgment and practice whatfoever God !hall reveal to us out ofhis holy Word, this is a precious difpofition. . Thus much ofpreparation, before we hear: 1vhatfollows, but that we open our IJearts and hands? Surely the windows •f heaven will beJet wide open, that all mtlnner of Spiriwal comfwts,. allthe bleffings ofpeace and happinefs, may in.abundance be jhowred down upon us, the rtth trcafury ofeverlajhng glory and immcrtaltty jhall be now unlock!d ro u<, ,znd .we may r~wl and tumble our fd'!Jes amidft the mountfl<>IS of IJeavmly pearls, and goldm plea(Hres, JOYS that 116 heart Can C6111£reh.end, _but that which is I WC:l>Jed from al/ !VOYldfy pleajims, and Jit ~part, a.udfanffijicd for ~tll holy fervsces and •ujil~<fs of Heaven. SECT. Jama r. 21o 1 Pet, 2 . r,2. !lfa·~ q.. 2:l. L;d~· ii. IS· Pjal. 40.6.
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