The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

Before thou goest to hear, labour to affect thine heart with the necessity, excellency and efficacy of the word. There was half an hours silence in Heaven before the seventh Trumpet sounded; thy duty is to weigh the nature and end of the word, before thou goest to hear that Trumpet sounded by one of the Angels of the Churches. Consider its necessity; Mary minded the one thing necessary (indeed she gave the word her heart, but the way to it was this, she gave it her ear) She sat at Christs feet and heard his word. The custom even in those days, was for the Teacher to Preach either out of a Desk or Pulpit, or some place above the people; hence their hearers sitting below them, are said to sit at their feet. Urge thy soul with this, The word which I am going to hear, in regard of the ordination of God, is absolutely necessary to my spiritual and eternal good. I am dead, and it is the word that must enliven me; I am blind, & it is the word that must enlighten me. It is absolutely necessary that I know my sins and misery; now the word must do this, and is therefore called a glass, Jam. 1. It is absolutely necessary that I know my Saviour, and the way of my recovery; now the word must do this, and is therefore called faith and life, Joh. 6. Rom. 3. It is necessary ⟨p. 213⟩to open mine eyes to see Christ, to open my heart to receive Christ, and that Heaven hereafter may be open to my poor soul. My soul is sinful, and its the word that must sanctify it; My soul is sick, it is the word that must heal it; My soul is hungry, and its the word must feed it, or I shall starve; My soul is thirsty, and its the word that must satisfy it, or I shall die for thirst; whatsoever conditions of misery I am in, it is the word that must give suitable consolations to support me; whatsoever relations of life I stand in, it is the word that must give suitable exhortations to direct me; whatsoever service I am called to, whether of doing or suffering, it is the word which must relieve me with suitable supply. O, of what concernment is this word to my well being, in this and the other World! I must be sanctified, or I can never be saved; I must turn to God, or burn in hell; and the word must do this for me, or it will never be done; good Lord how should I hear! Men are careless about things which are indifferent, but they are careful about things that are absolutely necessary;