Gods husbandry

And when you have bin drawn to this acknowledgement, then give your selves with all diligence,¹ to attend unto the Word of God, both read and preached; be attentive (I say) to the Scriptures, both in reading and hearing them: for this is that good seed, which if it be not received, no fruit can grow; if it be, there is a possibility of being fruitful. Remember that the Lord hath appointed, to derive the graces of his Spirit into your hearts, by means of his Word; and that he hath appointed men (as instruments and fellow-labourers) to make you, of evil, good, and of good, better; and therefore you must submit your selves unto the will of God, and give your minds to an heedful attendance upon ⟨p. 141⟩his ordinance. But remember, that we do not require your bare bodily presence at the Church, and in the ordinances of God: a man may be present in body, and absent in mind; & this his presence shall but provoke God against him, because it is but a direct mocking of God. Yea, you must bring your souls to the Church, as well as your bodies; and mark, & hearken, and observe, and consider what is spoken to you in Gods name. A man must come to the Word of God, as to the Word of God; knowing it to be Gods power to his salvation, and a means that God hath appointed by the commandments, reproofs, exhortations, comforts thereof, to plant and water all graces in him, to beat down his sins, to build up his new man, and to translate him into the image of Jesus Christ. Most people that come to the Word, for want of esteeming it as an institution of God for so happy a purpose, have no care at all of themselves in hearing, never look to their thoughts, never incline their ears, never listen, never heed what is spoken. They sit there (it may be) quietly and stilly for their position of body, but are shaken up and down in their souls, with a world of idle or evil imaginations, which stop out all that, that should be conveyed into their minds to do them good: so they give Satan leave to fill up their minds with vanity, that there may be no room for the grace of God. To such hearers we can promise no blessing:

And when you haue bin drawne to this acknowledgement, then giue your selues with all diligēce,¹ to attend vnto the Word of God, both read and preached; be attentiue (I say) to the Scriptures, both in reading and hearing them: for this is that good seed, which if it be not receiued, no fruit can grow; if it be, there is a possibility of being fruitful. Remember that the Lord hath appointed, to deriue the graces of his Spirit into your hearts, by meanes of his Word; and that he hath appoynted men (as instruments and fellow-labourers) to make you, of euill, good, and of good, better; and therefore you must submir your selues vnto the will of God, and giue your mindes to an heedefull attendance vpon