The Christian in Complete Armour

Secondly, Thou must be an attentive hearer. He that is awake, but wanders with his eye or heart, what doth he but sleep with his eyes open? It were as good the servants should be asleep in his bed, as when up, not to mind his Masters business. When God intends a soul good by the Word, he draws such a one to listen and hearken heedfully to what is delivered; as we see in Lydia, who ('tis said) attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And those, Luke 1948. The people were attentive to hear him. They did hang on him as you shall see Bees on some sweet flower, or as young birds on the bills of their ⟨p. 248⟩dams as they feed them; that is, the soul which shall get light and life by the Word. Hear ye children, and attend to know understanding, Prov. 4.1. Labour therefore in hearing the Word to fix thy quicksilver-mind, and set thy self to hear, as 'tis said Jehoshaphat did to pray; and that thou mayest, before thou goest, get thy heart into some deep sense of thy spiritual wants, especially of thy ignorance of the things of God, and thy deplored condition by reason of it; till the heart be touched, the mind will not be sixth. Therefore you may observe, 'tis said, God opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended, Acts 16.14. The Mind goes of the Wills errand; we spend our thoughts upon what our hearts propose. If the heart hath no sense of its ignorance, or no desires after God, no wonder such a one listens not what the Preacher saith; his heart sends his mind another way. They sit before thee as my people (saith God) but their heart goeth after their covetousness; They do not come out of such an intent or desire to hear for any good to their souls, then they would apply themselves wholly to the work; no, it is their covetousness hath their hearts; and therefore as some idle servant, when he hath waited on his Master; brought him to his pew, then he goes out to his good fellows at the Alehouse, and comes no more till Sermon be almost done: so do the thoughts of most when they go to the Ordinance, they slip out in the street, market or shop, you may find them any where but about the duty before them, and all because these have their hearts more then God and his Word.

Secondly, Thou must be an attentive hearer. He that is awake, but wanders with his eye or heart, what doth he but sleep with his eyes open? It were as good the servants should be asleep in his bed, as when up, not to minde his Masters businesse. When God intends a soul good by the Word, he drawes such a one to listen and hearken heedfully to what is delivered; as we see in Lydia, who ('tis said) attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And those, Luke 1948. The people were attentive to heare him. They did hang on him as you shall see Bees on some sweet flower, or as young birds on the bills of their