Truly the want of this, is one main cause why ⟨p. 225⟩the Word of God doth so little good. The Devil is very diligent at duties: he is every Lords Day the first at Church: The Children of God never gather together, but Satan is amongst them. His great design is, to render this Engine of the Word fruitless, whereby the Strong-holds of his Kingdom have been battered and broken down. Therefore as a Jailer will sometimes let his prisoners have their hands and feet at liberty, so long as the doors of the Prison are barred and bolted, that they cannot run away; So he will let thee have thy hand at liberty for some acts of charity, and thy feet at liberty to walk in some path of civility, so long as he can but have the doors of thine ear and heart locked fast, that thou canst not get from him: He knoweth Christ waiteth at the outward door of the ear, that he might thereby come to the inward door of thy heart, and deliver thee a poor Captive out of his hands: For this cause, if it be possible, he will keep the street door shut, he will hinder thee from hearing as in Gods presence, he will find thee other work to do then to hear; it may be he will get thee to play and toy, as he doth many great ones; or if not, to be talking to thy pew-fellows, or to be reading (possibly somewhat sinful, at least somewhat unseasonable) or to have thy heart in thine own house, whilst thy body is in Gods house; or as a child, though thou art at thy book, he will make thee look off, if but a Butter-fly come by; he will set thee about some business or other, unless thou art serious as in Gods sight, that thou shalt never have so ⟨p. 226⟩much leisure as to hear, even when thou art in the Church.
Truly the want of this, is one main cause why ⟨p. 225⟩the Word of God doth so little good. The Devil is very diligent at duties: he is every Lords Day the first at Church: The Children of God never gather together, but Satan is amongst them. His great design is, to render this Engine of the Word fruitless, whereby the Strong-holds of his Kingdom have been battered and broken down. Therefore as a Jaylor will sometimes let his prisoners have their hands and feet at liberty, so long as the doors of the Prison are barred and bolted, that they cannot run away; So he will let thee have thy hand at liberty for some acts of charity, and thy feet at liberty to walk in some path of civility, so long as he can but have the doors of thine ear and heart lockt fast, that thou canst not get from him: He knoweth Christ waiteth at the outward door of the ear, that he might thereby come to the inward door of thy heart, and deliver thee a poor Captive out of his hands: For this cause, if it be possible, he will keep the street door shut, he will hinder thee from hearing as in Gods presence, he will finde thee other work to do then to hear; it may be he will get thee to play and toy, as he doth many great ones; or if not, to be talking to thy pew-fellows, or to be reading (possibly somewhat finful, at least somewhat unseasonable) or to have thy heart in thine own house, whilest thy body is in Gods house; or as a childe, though thou art at thy book, he will make thee look off, if but a Butter-fly come by; he will set thee about some business or other, unless thou art serious as in Gods sight, that thou shalt never have so ⟨p. 226⟩much leisure as to hear, even when thou art in the Church.
