A65285:2235
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. If you do not hear the Word aright, you lose all your Labour. How many a weary Step have you taken? Your Body hath been crowded, your Spirit faint; if you are not bettered by hearing, if you are as proud, as vain, as earthly as ever, all your hearing is lost. You would be loth to Trade in vain; and why not as well to hear Sermons in vain? Job 9.29. Why then labour I in vain? Put this Question to thy own Soul, Why labour I in vain? Why do I take all this Pains to hear, yet have not the Grace to practise? I am as bad as ever, why then labour I in vain?
1. If you do not hear the Word aright, you lose all your Labour. How many a weary Step have you taken? Your Body hath been crowded, your Spirit faint; if you are not bettered by hearing, if you are as proud, as vain, as earthly as ever, all your hearing is lost. You would be loth to Trade in vain; and why not as well to hear Sermons in vain? Iob 9.29. Why then labour I in vain? Put this Question to thy own Soul, Why labour I in vain? Why do I take all this Pains to hear, yet have not the Grace to practise? I am as bad as ever, why then labour I in vain?
2. If you hear the Word, and are not bettered by it, you are like the Salamander in the Fire, not hotter; your hearing will increase your Condemnation. Luke 12.47. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and did it not, shall be beaten with many Stripe•. We pity such as know not where to hear; it will be worse with such as care not how they hear. To graceless disobedient Hearers every Sermon will be a Faggot to heat Hell. It's sad to go loaden to Hell with Ordinances. O beg the Spirit to make the Word Preached effectual. Ministers can but speak to the Ear, the Spirit speaks to the Heart.