out this means of quick'ning our hearts, they remain dead and fenOeffe, and the VVord becomes utterly unprofitable. 4· A confideration ofthc nat~·re of the VVord, which ever requires and call> for fuitable hearts and affeCl:ions; it isa purc_Wurd, a~d thereP[.d.Jig. r 4o; fore we nmrl:cleanfc and punfie our hearts for the receiving of 1t; 1t IS fpmt~tal and R>m. 7 , 14• heavenly, an'd therefore we murl: labour for fpiritual and heavenly_ mindes to enter- 'fmneq. 11 • tain it. it is a word of power and authority, the very voice of Chnrl:, and therefore Our he~rts muft rubmit and ftoop to receive it With meeLnelj and trembling of heart: It "'-.: 1~ ~ ] 4me/ K. 2 r.,i is aJHre word, 2 Pet 1. 19. A faithfld w>rd, Tit. r. 9· A vifion that will not lye, Heo. I[a. 66 • •· 2 . 3 . and therefore we murl: embrace it with faithful and believing hearts, without which.the VVordcant\ot profit us at all, H tb. 4.2. 7 . That above all other affeCtions, we make fure _to delight in the VVord, it i~ f~id of Chrifts heafers, that they heard him gladly, and 1t IS noted l:ly fome for an efpec1al Ma:i(, "· 37· figne ofGrace to hearthe VVord with delight : I rejoy,·ed at thy Word (faid l.Javid) <IS one that ftndeth grc..t fpo•les. . . , But whether may not unregenerate men have a de!.ght m ·Gods Ordinances? I anf1vcr, 1. Moft of them have no delight at all in Gods Ordinances: To wbom Jha!IIfpMk..and give warning, that they may hear ? _behold, their e.<r is 1mcircumcife4, and they cannot heark_tn; behold, the Wora ofthe Lord" tiJ thema,repruach, they have no de. light in it; and if this be our cafe, if we can hear-fweet Gofpel-preachmg, the free of. fer of Jefus Chrift, with all his glories and excellencies to poor Goners, '«:~ vile, loft, undone fouls, and ate no-whit taken therewith, woe to our fouls ; can we fleep awa~ fuch a Sermon? can we Oight ornegleCl: fuch Gofpel-offcrs? nay, do we attenCi them coldly? .have we not heart-rifings? no ll:irrings and workings? no longings and defires? and thus we pafs Sermon after Sermon, and Sabbath after Sabbath? 0 then we are wholly dead unto the life of grace, Jefus Chrifl as yet liath not given us his true light, no work of Converfion doth at all appear in. us: The' end which 'J efus Chrifi: had in fending out Preachers, was to difcover his love to poor perifhing !inners, that fo they might be affeCl:ed with him, and long after him; and if we have no fuch relifh, our condition is fad. : Ff•!. 119.16• f2!::efl. I. .Anji~. r. ]u. 6, ICl · z., Some unregenerate men may have fortle delight in the word : Theyjeek._me di!ilj If•- 5 • G. 2 , (faid God)and'delight to.k!tow my wa'yes, '"a nation that did righteoufneffe, ~nd forfook._ not the Ordinances oftheir God: th<y ask_ofme th< Ordinances ofJuflice, they tak! delight in approaching to God. .'{heJecondground rf<eived the word with joy; And Herod he~trd Mat. Il· : o. John Baptijl gladly. Ungodly men may delight in Gods VVord, as in theft'! ea- Mark, 6. zo. fes:-- . • 1. VVhert the Ordinances are a leading way unto fome end that fuits '.'.'ith corrupt nature: Thus John/hev:ed abundance ofzeal in deftroying the houfe of Ahab-, and the· Idolatry of Baal, that thereby he might eftablifh t)le kingdom to his pofterity, and get himfdf a gre1t name; Come with me, and fu my 7..e.ol fo•· the Lord: he was •Kin& Io. ' "· lo full of vain glory, that 'he could not hold in, but was forced to burll: out. 2. VVheh the ~anncr of difpenfation of the Ordinances doth fuit their difpofltion: An underftanding judicious man may love preaching, that is judicious& underftanding; a man of meekneff: may delig~t in a Sermon of Peace, pet~ce; a temperate man may . ltke a Sermon that 1s tart and bitter againft drunkenneffe, uncleanneffe · the liberal man may deli~ht in ~evere preaching againfi: covetoufnefs; as a man mufic;lly affeCl:ed, may d~l!ght m: fi_ngmg of Pfalmes, becaufe thefe things fuit wiLh their difpofitions: The gifts ofMm1fters ln3y have a~ affecring pleafingneffc; they may exprefs their nlinds in fuch fit tearmcs, or fo pathetically, or they may have fuch a grace in utterance; as may E{ei(, H 3' affeCl:: Lo, thou art unto them as a very love~Jong, ofone that bath a pleafant voyc., andcan play well on •m irfjlru"!ent, for they hear thj words, but do them lliJt. . 3· VVhen there isacommon W<?rk of the Spirit of God upon them for a time : 7hey "!ay tajle ofth< heavenlygifts, 11nd be made partak,.'Ys ofthe holy Ghoft; they may tafte the 11 'b.6. 4.s. good word•ofGod, and the poweruf the world·to come, andjet fall away; but t\tis work i9 rather a*work..upon them, than in them; a forced work, not naturaf; rather a flafh, than • The s,irivf , . _ . ~· _,.:. . Gqdmarworl(,on th:mift~s 11n j,"t~Ar~·tfficrtnt CtJu{e,bre~thi,g upon tb~m,rh~ugh !Je ~o not dwelli~ tlum,becawfe t!JeY ~re· nor members of rbe bcdJ of ~ rt ' or; e. ~;~u of~od may wor.l:_m rhein,ut in Organo. AS tn an irtftrumer.t,-w!Jiob he ufnb jrJr rhe gr/(Jd of his Church, bMr !llot a.s an OUliCllo,ru '"an houfe rh:~r he inbabitcs and dtJ~flfs iflltJ r;Jefaving of rhe fiutl. Burge:!! of grae:c_. .t, afire
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