we find we are wandering: and without ftaying at all to dif cover what it was; that led us off, return without delay to the fubject before us. We must also make it a rule to recollect afterwards the principal things, that have been faid to us. For not only this will tie us down to mind them the more, when they are spoken; but minding them ever fo much just then, will fingly be of fmall benefit: we must think them over and over at home, till we digeft them into lafting nourishment; and, as the apostle directs, give fuch earneft heed to the things which we have beard, that we may not at any time, let them flip*. 2. But hearing God's word with attention will probably do us no good, unless, in the fecond place, we hear it, alfo without prejudice against it: for else we shall attend to it, only to find fault, invent objections, and fo lead ourselves into error; which may be worse than ignorance. Now unreasonable partiality is blame-worthy in all cafes: but extremely fo, when it operates to the disadvantage of religion. The doctrines of natural piety and morality are confeffedly of the plainest and greatest use to the prefent peace and comfort, as well as the future happiness, of mankind. And those which revelation hath added, illuftrate, confirm, and fupply the defects of the former, in the most perfect degree. Prepoffeffion therefore against either, is oppofition to our own chief good, to that of the world in general: and every worthy, every prudent man, who at all understands what chriftianity is, cannot but hearken to it with delight, and heartily wish to find it true; and when he is convinced it is, defire to have it conftantly inculcated on himfelf and his fellow-creatures, throughout the earth. To vain and vicious minds indeed hearing it faithfully preached must give uneafinefs. But ftill fuch preaching is the most real, the most seasonable and neceffary kindness, that can be done them. Unwelcome truths will be never the lefs truths, but much the more dreadful, for their studying to disbelieve them. And therefore the wicked, beyond all others, are concerned, to take notice of the threatenings of the gofpel, lay hold on its mercies, and examine their lives by its precepts; whenever they know, or but fufpect, they have acted wrong. Nay, fup pofe • Heb. ii, 1. pofe they have no fufpicion of that fort, yet unprejudiced attention to the preaching of it can do them no harm; and may do them more good, than they think of. We require no im. plicit fubmiffion to what we teach. We warn you against it. So far as our doctrine is difcerned by your reason, or felt by your confciences, to be true: or appears to ftand on the teftimony of God; fo far only believe us. We Speak as to wife men; judge ye what we fay*. All that we afk is, judge uprightly. For prepoffeffion hurries people to condemn what they will not have patience to understand: they imagine articles of faith to be unintelligible, and rules of life to be unrea fonable, without the leaft foundation; and alarm themselves and others with phantoms, the mere creatures of their own fancies. But though irreligious prejudices always prevail too much: yet there are times, when fafhion gives a more than ordinary countenance to them: when all, that would make a genteel figure, must throw afide the antiquated notions of learning their duty; and think, or feem to think, ill or meanly of thofe whe are to teach it. Now whether you have need to learn any thing which you did not know, or be reminded of any thing which you had forgotten, or be excited to any thing which you neglect, or diffuaded from any thing which you practife, I must leave to your own confciences. The word of God, the wifdom of all civilized nations, the judgement and experience of all wife men declare that every one hath need of these things. And as for us, whofe bufinefs is to teach: paying us too much regard, we acknowledge, is a dangerous temptation to us; and may do, and hath done, great harm to true religion, to virtue, to human fociety: but paying us too little, is full as likely to do harm. And we appeal to yourselves: which extreme are the people of this land at prefent moft inclined to? Certainly you ought to have your eyes open to our faults and imperfections: elfe they will encreafe: but you ought to confider at the fame time, how difficult it is for any fet of men, and for us in particular, to behave fo unblameably, as we fhould. And indeed while we difcharge our office with any good degree of faithfulness, the beneficial nature of it fhould methinks intitle us 1 Cor. x. 15. us to some peculiar fhare of the good-will and candour of mankind. At least, no one should, either defignedly or inconfiderately, make fuch harsh interpretations of what we fay or do, as would be univerfally thought unjust, or uncharitable, with respect to any other men. For fuch treatment will not only injure us, but make us in a great measure ufelefs to those under our care which is a matter of public concern. They, who are instructed or admonished by one, of whom they think amifs, let him lay before them ever fo important truths, very feldom take much notice of them. Yet this is one prejudice against which you ought to guard with your beft diligence. The Scribes and Pharifees were both ill men, and our Saviour's bittereft enemies: yet fince they fat in Mofes' feat, were the authorized instructors of the people, he commanded his difciples to obferve and do whatsoever duties they bade them. Ask your own hea ts then, are you thus difpofed in relation to every truth, which you hear from us; of whom, we hope, you have cause to entertain a somewhat better opini on, than of them? But they, who have no general prejudice against religious inftruction or the difpenfers of it, have notwithstanding too often very blameable antipathies to particular subjects. Some are highly pleased, when we enlarge on points of faith but hate to hear those of practice much enforced. Others are for practical difcourfes only and forget, that faith is the neceffary foundation of them; and if it were not, that God hath the fame right to our believing what he teaches as to our doing what he requires. Some would have preaching confit wholly of moral doctrines; and hold piety in contempt, as an ufelefs enthufiaftical thing though both reafon and scripture say, it is the firft and great commandmentt. Others defpife morality, as an inferior heathenish attainment: and think only the fublimer parts of religion fhould be taught: though the apoftle faith exprefsly, I will that thou affirm conftantly that they, who have believed in God, be careful to maintain good works: thefe things are good and profitable unto men‡. Many will pay great attention to the gracious promifes of the gospel: but Matth. xxiii. 2, 3. Matth. xxii. 38. Tit. iii. 8. but little or none to its laws and threatnings. Or, if they are willing we fhould dwell on fome precepts, which not they, but their neighbours, tranfgrefs; ftill they turn a deaf ear to all that can be faid on others: and one would except his unjust gains, a fecond his vicious pleasures, a third his vain amusements, a fourth his ill humour, a fifth his caufelefs feparation, from being any proper matter of our animadverfion. In fhort, with most hearers, fome points are in fuch favour, that they can hardly be repeated too often, or carried too far: and others fo unwelcome, that the very mention of them gives offence. They have not patience enough to difcern the true state of the queftion: much less to obferve the force of the arguments for it; or confider the answers to their objections against it: but reject immediately with anger, whatever thwarts their inclination, or preconceived opinion: unmindful of the prophets reproof to the Jews of old: This is a rebellious people, that will not hear the law of the Lord; which fay to the feers, fee not: and to the prophets, prophefy not unto us right things, Speak unto us fmooth things, prophefy deceits*. But however apt we are to think otherwise, both our business and our interest is, not to fhut our eyes against inftruction, but make use of the light it offers; not to fence against conviction, but lay open our hearts to the impreffion of truth, be it ever so painful; and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to fave our foulst. For thofe duties, which we the least like to hear of, may be, and often are, the most needful to be inculcated upon us of all others. Those doctrines, of which we are the moft firmly perfuaded, may, for aught we know, unless we have examined them well, be great mistakes. And even fuppofing them true, yet attending only to one part of the truth, may lead us into error. 3. The third difpofition, requifite in attending on the word of God, is ferioufnefs of heart. There are many, who have no pofitive prejudices, founded on feeming arguments against it, but fo thoughtless and giddy, that they flight it most furprifingly. At best, they look on what is delivered from hence, as fomething of courfe to be faid, and not to be minded. But in in their livelier moods they can divert themselves extremely with the most folemn exhortations; and their gaiety is apt to rife the higher, the more earnestly their duty is preffed upon them. Now undoubtedly the exertion of a cheerful temper, when regulated by good fenfe and propriety, is very innocent, as well as agreeable. But to feek for matter of drollery in every thing; and dress up fubjects of the utmost importance in ludicrous disguises, to delight ourselves and others with laughing at them, is the fillieft affectation of wit, and the most dangerous kind of folly. Remember then what your Maker enjoins, what your eternal happiness or mifery depends on, is worthy of the most awful attention, even of the most sprightly mind befides that the fame levity, which inclines men to play thus with religious truths, ufually difpofes them to treat the weightiest affairs of common life with the fame fort of sportful indifcretion, till at length the end of that mirth is heaviness*, even in this world. Sometimes indeed want of ferious regard to what we hear, may not feem altogether inexcufable. Subjects of the greatest moment may be handled fo improperly, as to difguft even the well-meaning; and poffibly raise contemptuous, inftead of devout reflections: But as it must be a very wrong heart, that takes occafion to be thus moved, where none is given fo if much be given, which furely is not frequently the case, it cannot be a right heart, which dwells on fuch things only, or chiefly. Confider: here you come, in obedience to the appointment of God, to learn or recollect the doctrines and the precepts, that lead to falvation. One or more of them are accordingly laid before you and recommended to you: but unhappily with fome peculiarity, it may be, of phrafe or manner; some arguments not of the strongest, fome irregularity of method, or want of liveliness or prudence: in fhort, fome mixture or other of human infirmity. Ought these defects, be they ever fo real, though poffibly after all they are but imaginary, to change the important bufinefs you are upon, into an ill-natured amusement: and turn you afide, from the improvement of your own fouls, to an idle criticifth upon another man's performance? Or is it the concern of every one of us, to profit by all we can, fupply what is wanting, add ftrength to what is weak; and pafs lightly over the imperfections of our inftructors, remembering our own? VOL. II. S But Prov. xiv. 13. |