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without fome extraordinary Affiftance of the Grace of God, we are not able fo much as to Comprehend any Thing of these kind of Inftructions as we ought to do. But to bring a willing and ready Difpofition of Mind to receive the Word; to become fuch an Auditor, as not only fpeculatively to learn the great Truths of Chriftianity, but to refolve effectually to put them in Practice too; this muft certainly be the Work of God upon our Hearts, and 'tis his Grace alone that can both enlighten our Underftandings, and incline our Wills.

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And here therefore we may fee at once, both the neceffity of this laft Difpofition, our Prayer to God for his Grace; and in that the true Caufe why fomany make no better an Advantage by their Hearing. They come to the Church as if they were going into a Theatre, where they had nothing to do but attend to what is fpoken, to render them every way competent Auditors of it.

But alas! The Divine Truths that are here dedelivered, are above the Difcernment 1 Cor. xi. 14. of the Carnal Mind: Spiritual Things must be Spiritually Underflood: Such 'Auditors as thefe, like the Scribes and Pharifees among the Jews, may hear our Words as they did our Bleffed Saviour's; but they will not be at all the better for them. God muft Acts xvi. 14. open their Hearts, as he did that of Lydia; and then our Addreffes will find a fuitable Admittance, and not pafs without a due and careful Confideration. And our Prayers to God muft obtain this, Who will not Luke xi. 13. fail to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him.

And now, How fhall we wonder, if the Seed, though never fo carefully Sown, produce yet but a very mean Increase, when, God knows, for the

moft

moft part the Ground is fo utterly unprepared to receive it? This certainly is a Confideration that ought to engage every good Chriftian seriously to fearch and examine himself, how he is difpofed to become a fitting Hearer of the Gospel of Chrift.

If you have therefore hitherto come to our Affemblies, without fuch a due Preparation as you fee is thus neceffary to qualify your Minds to receive that Benefit you ought from thefe Inftructions, let me now earnestly befeech you no longer to deceive your own Souls, but to prepare them in fuch a manner that our Preaching may not be in vain to you. Let not any little, unworthy defigns Accompany you to thefe Holy Exercifes; But come as befits Chriftians, with Charity, with Humility, with an Honeft and Upright Heart; fincerely defirous of Understanding your Duty, how mean foever the Perfon be that is to deliver it unto you.

But above all, come with a firm Refolution of Practifing what you Hear. Remember, that 'tis this Chriftianity defigns in all its Inftructions; And however our Zeal in thefe latter Days feems unhappily engaged, more in the Purfuit of Divine Truth, than in what I could rather with we did chiefly aim at, the Practice of a Divine Life; yet let us be careful fo to maintain the One, as not to prejudice or overthrow the other.

And if we thus fincerely direct all our Hearing to the Glory of God, and our own Everlasting Salvation, we fhall not fail to Hear as we ought to do. God will open our Ears, and illuminate our Underftandings, and difpofe our Wills. The Seed that is Sown upon Juch Grouud, thall not fail to Spring up into a Blefjed Increafe; And produce

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thofe

thofe Fruits of Holiness in this Life, which fhall finally bring us to the Everlasting Foys and Glories of the next.

Which God of his Infinite Mercy vouchsafe unto us, through the Merits of his Son Jesus Chrift our Lord. To whom, &c.

SER

(25)

SERMON II.

Of the Benefit and Practice of Confideration.

Preached at White-Hall, before the Princess of Denmark, February 26. 1687-8.

DEUT. XXXII. 29.

O that they were Wife, that they understood this, that they would confider their latter End!

HE Words are part of that great Song

which Mofes fpake unto

all the Congregation of

See Chap.

Ifrael immediately be- xxxi. 19, 30. fore his Death, and by

God's exprefs Command left with them, as his laft

and beft Legacy to them and their Pofterity for ever.

A Song

A Song both in its felf fo confiderable, and fo highly esteem'd by them, that they thought no Words could be fufficient to fet forth its Excellency: Infomuch, that we find it at this Day. characterised by the Jews of our own Times, ast the Foundation and Summary of the whole Law.

P

In the Verfes before the Text, we have a fad and terrible Declaration of those Fudgments that should hereafter befal them for their Impenitence. And it is not to be question'd, but that this great Prophet, from whom God never concealed any Thing that concern'd that People, had hereby fo much a more particular Profpect of thofe Evils that were afterwards to come upon them, as he was now the nearer to be taken from them. And that 'tis from these therefore, that we muft derive at once both the Occafion and Importance of that paffionate Wish into which the Holy Man here breaks out, in Confideration both of their Danger, and of their Infenfibility of it:

O that they were Wife, that they underflood this, that they would confider their latter End!

Whether by their latter End we are to understand that great and terrible Destruction which finally befel both themselves and their Country, in the lofs of Jerufalem: Or, Whether with fome, we fhall interpret it of God's rejecting of them from his Covenant, from being what they were once, his own peculiar Inheritance: Or, Whether Laftly, the more to heighten the Idea, we fhall join them both

Set Munter and Fagius, on עיקר כלו כל התורת +

V, 1, of this Chapter. Crit. M. Vol. I.

toge

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