I 90 The right manner ofSanElibing the in the word, we mutt hide the word in, our hearts, we mull not Onlybear theword, but keep ic, .preferve it, and then we do declare that we account the word of God to be worth fame- : For, what is it to faatifie God (as we haveope- ned before in the General ) but fuch a behavior towards him, as may teflifie the Excellency of the NameofGad, fo the beha- - vior of the foul in hearing the word, muff be fuch as muff give a teftimony to the Excellency of the Word, and manifeft the high efteem 1 have of it. Now if I received a thing that is of great value, if I flight it, and let any body take it fromme, 1 do not give a teftimony of the excellency of that thing ;, buts if I take it and lock it up, and keep it under lockand key, I do there- ' by give a teflimony of the efteem that I have ofthe excellency of that thing. So now, when I come to hear the word 2 and Meet with Truths that 1 have gotten into my Soul, I clofe with them, and amrefolved within my heart as I am hearing of them, Well, This Truth I willkeep through Gods Grace, thisconcerns me, and I will make much of it, and although I forget other things, yet,I hope I fhal remember this, To fandifie Gods Name in hearing of the word : ifa, 42. 23. 'Hear ( faith the holy Ghoff (here)for the time to come. When we come to the word, we muff not only hearken for the prefent, as many of .us while we are hearing, our hearts are ftirr'd for the .present ; Oh that we couldbut have that affettion' of heart alwaies, as we have when we are hearing of the word ! How many of you have laid when you have been hearing fuch a Sermon , Ohl then me thought I could have gone through fire aidwater for God ? I, but mark it, you muff hear for afterwards. At,d in Tfa1.119. II. there the Prophet cl3a,vid profeff, That he did hide the word in hr heart, the word was tweet unto him ; Thy Word (faith he) have I bid in my heart, that 1 might notfin againfl thee. You that come and hear chafe Truths upon the Lords Day, if you wouldhide them thus in your hearts, and keep them al theweek, they would help you againft the many temptations that you meet withal ; you go abroad on the week dales into company, and there you meet with ac temptation, and it overcomes you, and you compli6), Alas, I am weak, I have met with a temptation and it hash koil'd me : But had you hid the word that you heatd *
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