A Body of Practical Divinity

VI. If you would hear the Word aright, hear it with meek Spirits, Jam. 1.21. Receive the Word in mansuetudine, with meekness. Meekness is a submissive Frame of Heart to the Word. Contrary to this Meekness is Fierceness of Spirit, when Men rise up in a Rage against the Word. As if the Patient should be angry with the Physician when he gives him a Receipt to purge out his bad Humours. Acts 7.54. When they heard this they were cut to the Heart, and gnashed on Stephen with their Teeth. 2 Chron. 16.10. Asa was wroth with the Seer, and put him in a Prison-House. Pride and Guilt make Men •ret at the Word. What made Asa storm so but Pride? He was a King, and thought he was too good to be told of his Sin. What made Cain so angry, when God said to him, Where is Abel thy Brother? Saith he, Am I my Brothers Keeper? What made him so touchy, but Guilt? He had embrued his Hands in his Brothers Blood. If you would hear the Word aright, lay down your Passions, Receive the Word with Meekness; get humble Hearts to submit to the Truths delivered. God takes the meek Person to be his Scholar. Psal. 25.9. The Meek will he teach his way. Meekness makes the Word Preached to be [Greek or Hebrew], an engrafted Word, Jam. 1.21. A good Scion grafted into a Bad Stock, changeth the Nature of it, and makes it bear sweet and generous Fruit. So when the Word Preached is grafted into Man's Heart, it sanctifies them, and makes them bring forth the sweet Fruits of Righteousness. By Meekness it becomes an engrafted Word.

VI. If you would hear the Word aright, hear it with meek Spirits, Iam. 1.21. Receive the Word in mansuetudine, with meekness. Meekness is a submissive Frame of Heart to the Word. Contrary to this Meekness is Fierceness of Spirit, when Men rise up in a Rage against the Word. As if the Patient should be angry with the Physician when he gives him a Receipt to purge out his bad Humours.