that the Meffage delivered is from the King of all the World; that through the great Uncertainty of Life, it is doubtful whether we fhall enjoy fuch another Opportunity of being inftructed in our Duty; that if we trifle away the prefent Seafon of God's gracious Invita tion, we may in vain lament the Lofs of it to all Eternity. These Confiderations should difcharge our Minds of all vain and wandering Thoughts; we fhould not be careless or negligent when Matters of fuch great Importance are laid before us; for what can be able to provoke us to ferious Attention, if Things that relate to our eternal Happiness or Mifery, have not Power to prevail upon us to liften to them?

II. Beg the Afifiance of God's Grace to make the Word preached effectual to you. All Ordinances for our fpiritual Improvement, receive their Power and Efficacy from the Co-operation of God's Holy Spirit; we may hear the Words, and comprehend the Senfe of the Arguments; but it is the Grace of God that touches our Minds with the Weight and Moment of them. But we have no Reason to expect this fupernatural Influence, if we neglect to defire it; and it is no Wonder Men hear Sermons fo frequently, to very little or no Purpofe, when they miscarry in this preparative Work; when they go out in their own Strength, and apprehend no Want of that Affiftance which is neceffary for their Illumination,

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Illumination. Say therefore with David, the Royal Prophet, Lord, open thou mine Eyes, that I may fee the wondrous Things of thy Law; make me to understand the Way of thy Precepts.

III. Endeavour to remember what you hear. It is not to be imagined that all People have Memories good enough to carry away the entire Difcourfe that is made; but if they hear attentively, it is impoffible but that fomething that is delivered will ftick with them, especially if they endeavour to carry fomething away with them. It is not enough that we are affected with the Sermon, our greateft Duty is ftill behind, which is, to put those good Inftructions into practice. Now, how is it poffible to perform any Thing, if we remember nothing? Our Care therefore muft be, to store our Memory, at least, with the great End and Defign of the Difcourfe; and we muft carry away with us what the Preacher chiefly aimed at: Something will affect us, and that we must make our own. therefore follow St. Paul's Advice. To give the more earnest Heed to thofe Things that are spoken, left at any Time we should let them flip.

Let us

IV. Apply what you hear to your own Soul. If we do not think ourselves particularly concerned in what is delivered by the Minifter, we fhall neither attend nor remember what may redound to our Profit and Advantage; and except we apply Inftructions to our L 6

Own

own Cafe, we fhall advance but flowly in any Spiritual Improvement. The Seed brings forth no increase in the Granary, it must be thrown into the Ground before it will fructify; if the Nature of any Duty is explained, we must confider whether we truly understand it; if feveral Inftances of it are laid down before us, we must confider how far we come up to them in our Practice. If Directions are prescribed to get the Mastery of any Vice, we muft confider how far we comply with them; and where we are defective, we must refolve to take those new Meafures that are offered. If the Deformity and Ingratitude of Sin is expofed, we must fhun it as the greatest Evil. If the Advantages and Pleafures of Virtue are defcribed, we must fecure them to ourfelves by an unwearied Continuance in Welldoing. This Method put in Practice, will certainly intitle us to the greatest Profit imaginable from Preaching.

V. Hear without Prejudice. It were to be wished that all the Priefts of the Lord were circumfpect in their Lives, and blameless in their Converfation; but fince they are Men, clothed with Flesh and Blood, and liable to the fame Temptations that others are expofed to, their Perfonal Infirmities fhould not fo far poffefs People's Minds, as to deprive them of the Advantage of their good Inftruction. So far as the Minifters of God fall fhort of their Duty, they will themselves

anfwer

anfwer for the Neglect of it; but still the People muft give an Account for not improvə ing under their frequent Calls to Repentance and Amendment of Life. Let not therefore any particular difadvantageous Character fo far infinuate itself into you, as to rob you of the Profit and Advantage of a good Difcourfe: Confider what is faid, more than any Report that may diminish the Preacher's Reputation; which very often may be false, and yet, if true, may be really no Hindrance to your own Improvement, if you make a right Ufe of the Sermon.

VI. Refolve to practise what you hear. If Men come only to a Sermon, to gratify their Curiofity with the Beauties and Ornaments of a Difcourfe; if they only aim at increafing their Knowledge, that they may be the better able to talk concerning the Myfteries of the Gofpel; it is no Wonder that their Lives continue unreformed. The great Advantage of the Chriftian Inftitution is, that it offers to the World a better Method, and a more exact Rule for the Conduct of Life, than was ever known before; and if you really defign any Profit to yourfelf by understanding it, you muft immediately put it in Practice. Judge not therefore of your Improvement by thofe good Defires that may be ftirred up in your Mind, but by the Influence the Inftructions have upon your Practice. You hear a Dif courfe on Humility to fome Purpose, when

from

from the Senfe of Conviction, you fubmit to the lowest and meaneft Offices for promoting the Welfare of your Fellow-Chriftians. You profit by a Sermon upon the Duty of Family Prayer, if, having hitherto neglected it, you immediately establish it in your Families : The like Inftances might be made in any other Virtue, or in any other Divine Inftitution. The great End of Hearing is not fulfilled when we are affected with a Sermon, the main Matter is ftill behind, which is, the putting useful Inftructions into Practice; nay, the Convictions we receive of the Neceffity of performing our Duty, will increase our Condemnation at the great Day, if we do not govern our Lives by them.

VII. In your Retirement reflect upon what you heard. This is the concluding Means of making the Preaching of the Minister profitable and advantageous to you; it is like Digeftion to our Victuals, it turns out into true Nourishment. The Pleafures and Diverfion of the World are apt to blot out those serious Thoughts which were impreffed upon our Minds in the Church; the Cares and Business of the World are apt to choke the Word, fo that it brings no Fruit to Perfection. To remedy thefe Hindrances of our spiritual Edification, we must take a convenient Oppor tunity to retire from Bufinefs and Pleafure; and furely on the Lord's Day nothing should prevent it; and when we are by ourselves,

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