Name of God mbearingbis W o R D. # 65 s. There mutt be a preparation of the foul, fo as when you come to hear, you may with all readinefs receive the Word : The foul mull be made ready, in Aff.17.1 r. there it is faid,Tbefe ) weremore noble than thofeof Theffalonica, in that they received _I the Word withal readinefi of mind : The word is, with al Ala- crity as wel as readinefs ; their minds were in a fit preparation to receive the Word : and the Text faith, They were more noble: The word that is tranflated more noble, it fignifies better bred ; for I do not take this Scripture as if it weremeant onlyof men that were Earls, or Lords, that did thus receive the Word with rea- dinefc, but they were of a more Noble difpofition, they were well bred men, fo the Greek word fignifies. A man forntimes preaching to acompany of rude People, that never had any good breeding, they wil behave themfelves rudely, they flight the Word, and like the Swine regard Acorns rather than Pearls : And theWord is feldom fo proliable to a company of rude people that have no breeding at all; but now, there is more. hopes to preach to men that have breeding : Men that are exercifed inArts andSciences, and have fome underflanding, and Tome ingenuity in them, theywil hearken to reafon. Now there is. a great deal of Spiritual Reafon in the Word, there is a great deal coconvince men that are but Rational Men : Let a man be but a Rational man, and willing to attend to the Word, I fay, there is a great deal of Reafon to convince him in it , and it is a fign of good breeding, of menof ingenuity, tobe willing to hear the Word ; Whoare thofe in a Parifh that fo difregard the Word, as not CO hear it, but the ruder fort ? There are many, I confefs, that are men of parts, perhaps the Word doth not fo prevail with their hearts as to convert them, yet if they have any good breeding at all, if theWord be preached in a convi.lcing way, fo that they fee there is a pains taken, and preached as the Word of God to them, they wil vouchfafe their pretence at leaf} ; but the rude multitude that know nothing at al, they had rather be in Ale- houfes drinkingand fwilling, they never care tohear the Word ; As in fuch a placeas this, There are very few of your miferable poor people that come to hear theWord : What place is there fuller of miferable poor people than this place is ? and yet what apoor appearance is there of cud] people at the hearing of the Word
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