I. Show what it is to be a doer of the word.
II. What to be a hearer only. And,

III. Wherein those, of the latter sort, do so miserably deceive themselves.

I. We are to show what it is to be a doer of the word. The expression plainly imports a habit; according as we denominate every person that is of such or such a calling or trade, from the course and way of life which he follows. A doer of the word, (ochrns,) is not one that doth some single act, now and then, which the word enjoins or directs, but one whose wonted course, and the business of whose life, it is to obey the dictates of this word, and who governs his life and the tenor of his actions by it. Just as we find the phrase of a worker of iniquity is in the Old and New Testament, made use of to represent and hold forth to us the course of those persons who trade in sin. They are said to be sin-makers, as the expression KakoToLOUTES doth emphatically note: their business is to work sin; and they do often exert their strength and power that way. So we are to understand in general, a doer of the word of God; that is, one whose business of his life it is to do it in a continual course. And this supposes and includes in it many things, which I shall briefly hint to you.

1. It doth suppose a design, a formed fixed design, that this shall be my course. Accordingly we have the Psalmist speaking to this purpose; "I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments: I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end," Psal. cxix. 106, 112. As if he had said, "I purpose and intend so to do; and this is an intention I resolve to pursue, throughout my whole course, from which nothing shall divert me." So in like manner, when we attend upon the dispensation of the word, it should be with a settled design in our hearts, and a sincere purpose to learn somewhat in order to practice; to apply and accommodate to practice the truths we hear, and that are capable of being applied to this purpose.

2. It carries with it a very serious applying of our minds to understand what is the mind and will of God, which is held forth to us in his word: that we content not ourselves to have heard such and such things propounded to us; but that we distinctly apprehend the scope and drift of what we hear and what is the great thing aimed at in it. For we can never be doers of the word and will of God blindly, and in the dark. It is necessary that we understand and know it first. It is a way we are to walk in with open eyes. A good understanding (says the Psalmist) have all they that do his commandments, Ps. cxi. 10. He supposes a good understanding as necessary to the doing the commandments of God. We cannot do them, without having a right understanding of them. These words do also imply (which seems to be the particular sense of them) that a good understanding will certainly incline a man to keep his commandments; and that the keeping his commandments will argue him to have a good understanding. And indeed he is the wise man that understands this to be his interest, and accordingly makes it his business to know and practice the mind and will of God.

3. It implies the use of our judgment in hearing the word, in order to distinguish what is divine, and what is human. For God hath thought fit that it should be so dispensed in the world, by such hands and instruments as may too possibly admit somewhat that is human into the dispensation of it. It is so sometimes merely as to the manner of the dispensation. There is nothing of this treasure that is conveyed to us by such vessels, but it will, some way or other, taste of the vessel: and that which we are principally to attend and mind, is to close with that which is most substantial, as supposing it to be altogether divine. It is also true sometimes that there may be some error as to the matter, as well as the manner. And there our desire ought to be of the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby, even as new-born babes, 1 Pet. ii.

to us.

4. It requires a great deal of reverence to be used in hearing the word. So to hear it as that we may be doers, requires a very reverential attendance upon it; as considering, that this is a revelation that comes from heaven, some part of which is now to be held forth to us. It is a divine light, which, through such a medium, is to shine forth And there is certainly altogether a fault in this respect, among a great many professors of religion; that the reverence is wanting, which is due to those sacred records that go under the name of God's word, and which he claims and appropriates to himself, as his word. Ihave wondered, I confess, to see how among scholars, and learned men, there should be so great a veneration for some or other notable pieces of antiquity, any aged volume, any old record; and how high a price and value have been put upon them. Now there is no such piece of antiquity as this in all the world that we know of. The holy Scriptures, at least a great part, are the most ancient writings in all the world. And it should challenge a mighty reverence and veneration, to have a word brought down, and transmitted to us, through so many successive ages. But to consider it as a divine word, a revelation come from heaven, doth much more claim our reverence. How strange a veneration did those Ephesians express for that image, which they were made to believe fell from heaven! All Ephesus, as it is expressed, is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter; (Acts xix. 35.) as if all the city were of a piece, all heart and soul upon that one thing, which they believed to be of heavenly descent. Now this word we are sure is a divinebreathed thing; for all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, 2 Tim. iii. 16.

Then it is that the word is like to be done, when it is received with reverence, not as the word of man, but of God; when we in our own thoughts prefix that preface to every part of that truth, which he himself hath prefixed to many parts and portions of it; namely, "Thus saith the Lord," who is the Lord of heaven and earth. It is his word, who made and sustains all things by the word of his power. When therefore we look upon this word as carrying the stamp of the majesty of God upon it, then it is like to command the heart; but it will signify little till this is done.

5. To be a doer of the word supposes that we believe it, or that our hearing of it be mingled with faith. It profits not where it is not so; and signifies nothing, if there be not that mixture. The word of God, says the apostle, works effectually in them that believe, 1 Thess. ii. 13. But, as it is in another place, "The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it," Heb. iv. 2. And it is never likely that men should practise that word, which they regard no more than the word of a child. If any one, whose truth you suspect, tell you this or that, it will signify little to determine your practice, or to guide and influence any design you have in hand. Now to receive this word with faith, is to rely upon the authority of the speaker, or him from whom it originally comes. "This is the word of God. There is no more doubt to be made of it, than whether the things be, or exist, which I see with my own eyes." For it is faith that supplies the room of sight, in reference to things that fall not under our eye. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1. "God hath said this; and therefore it is as sure as if my own eyes saw it all." The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believes; (Rom. i. 16.)

6. It requires love; a great exercise of love that the heart may close with it. It is said of some, that they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, 2 Thess. ii. 10. They had pleasure in unrighteousness. They had so much love to wickedness, that they had none for truth. Therefore they were left under strong delusions to believe lies, that they might be damned. So you find things are connected there. The love that is required here is such as works out in sincere desire of the milk of the word, that so we may grow thereby, 1 Pet. ii. 2. Also in delight; for the soul hath a sweet and savoury relish in it. "O how I love thy law!" (Psal. cxix. 97.) says David: which was the name of that revelation of the mind and will of God then extant; and was sweeter to him than honey to his taste, ver. 103. Thy words (saith Jeremiah) were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart, Jer. xv. 16. The word of God is then like to be done, when there is so dear a love to it; and the soul so taketh complacency in it, and unites to it, that it becomes, as it were, consubstantiate with the soul itself. And again,

what we now actually are, but also of what we should be, both together. Looking into the word as into a glass, we have a representation made to us there of the new creature in all the lively lineaments of it; and so we see what we should be: and comparing ourselves therewith, we see what we are; and wherein there is a deflection and disagreement from our pattern. They that do only throw a trancient eye upon the glass, go away and forget what they see; the image vanisheth presently out of their thought. Therefore there must be a perpetual image kept up before our eyes, by a faithful and continual remembrance of what the word of God representeth to us; to wit, of the true complexion of a Christian, and wherein our own disagreeth; that so upon all occasions we may be able to correct thereby what is amiss; and to direct our way and course according thereunto. And then there must be in the Last place, an actual application of all such rules in the word, to present cases, as they occur. Thy word I have kept in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee, Psal. cxix. 11. It is laid up in that repository and treasury for this purpose, to be used as there is need and occasion Therefore so skilful ought we to be in the word of righte ousness, which hath enough in it to make the man of God perfect, and thoroughly furnished for every good work; that upon all occasions, and whatever work we go about we may have our rule still in readiness to apply, and actually may apply it to our case; so as neither on the one hand to walk dubiously, nor carelessly on the other. For those are extremes to be avoided. A continual scrupulosity is provided against by a continual acquaintance with the word, and having rules always in readiness to measure particular cases by as they occur; and, on the other hand, carelessness is inexcusable. For many walk without hav whether they are right or wrong. To have this word, as the measure of our lives, to apply to upon occasion, is necessary in order to avoid these exorbitances; the one whereof is so very uncomfortable, and the other so very dangerous and destructive. But then we are,

8. It requires a previous transformation of the heart by it, so as that the proper stamp and impress of it be upon the soul. For the word can never be done by the hearer, but from a vital principle; of which it is itself to be the productive means. So it is said to be in the eighteenth verse of this chapter, in which is my text; "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." If the new creature be not wrought by it in the soul, there will never be that doing of the word, which is expected and required. There must be an exemplar copied out from the word upon our hearts; and then we are to practise and do according to that exemplar; still comparing it with the first idea, to be seen in the rule or word itself. You obeyed (says the apostle) from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you, Rom. vi. 17. Or, as the words are capable of being read, into which ye were delivered. That is, you were cast into the very mould of the word; and have received the stamp and impress of it upon your souls, and so have obeyed it from the heart. Our Lord Jesus Christ in his kingdom (in that part of it which is more appropriate and peculiar) rules over a willing people, and is not a king of slaves. He is obeyed with an inward inclination and propensity of heart. His power hath made his subjects willing; that is, by writing his law in their hearts, which is the great promise of the evangelical covenant. When souls are made the epistle of Christ, having his mind transcribed and written out upon their hearts; then it is they obey, and do the word, and never till then. And then it requires also,

9. A faithful remembrance of it; that is, of its rules accommodable to particular occasions as they occur. The apostle subjoins here in the words following my text a representation of a man that hears, without a design of doing, the word; who, says he, is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was, Jam. i. 23, 24. If we apply the apostle's similitude fully unto the purpose for which he brings it, it must not only have reference to such an idea, as we

II. To speak to the other thing a little; namely, what is it to be a hearer only? By being a hearer only, we must not understand every thing to be excluded, besides the bare external act of hearing; as if no more were intended by it, than the outward act common to man with the brute creatures: for, undoubtedly, there may be included in it many acts of the understanding, and of the outward man. So to be a hearer only, is in the general to hear without any design of doing at all. For when it is required that we should be doers, the meaning of it is, not that we must be doers of all that is bidden and directed by the word, just while we are hearing. Therefore that which is required over and besides hearing, is a design to be doing the word; while to be hearers only, is to hear without any previous design of acting according to what they do hear. Some other motives and considerations there are, which bring persons to hear; but as for the business of practice they intend it not. It never came into their minds to look upon that as the true and proper end of hearing, that they should do and practise what they hear.

Now truth is but one, error is manifold. If there be but one right end, that end is to be aimed at, which is practice. And that we may be capable of this, but one entire frame and right disposition of soul is required. But various are the ends, and many are the ill principles and dispositions, which may have place in the spirit of a man in reference to this matter. It is, therefore, a manifold character, which I might give if the time would allow, of the hearer only. For as there is a manifold end; and many indispositions, in the spirit of a man, to the true end; so manifold are the characters of such as are hearers only. Therefore we are not to suppose, that they all belong to one and the same person; but some to one, and some to another. There is,

1. The unattentive hearer; that taketh very little heed to what he heareth. We ought (says the apostle to the Hebrews) to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip, Heb. ii. 1. And set your hearts (says Moses) unto all the words which I testify among you this day, Deut. xxxii.

46. He that never intends to be a doer of what he hears, will very probably little regard what he hears.

2. There is the inconsiderate hearer; that never ponders what he hears, nor compares one thing with another. I can but name particulars to you, which might well be enlarged upon. There is again,

from the concoction and digession of what they had eaten." It is much that we have need to learn such documents as these from a heathen. What! because all we hear comes to us in words, should it all come out in words again? No, the end is surely that it should be so digested and concocted, as to yield work and fruit, agreeable to what we hear. And then there are again,

10. The censorious and critical hearers; who come on

4. The unapprehensive hearer; who hears all his days, but is never the wiser. Ever learning, but never comes to the knowledge of the truth. No light comes in to him, and he remains as ignorant after twenty years living under the Gospel, as he was at the first.

5. The stupid, unaffected hearer; that is as a rock and a stone under the word. Nothing ever enters or gets within the stony ground. Things are heard sometimes that would even rend all hearts to pieces, if rightly disposed; things full of terror, amazement, astonishment, and of dread; but they are heard by these without any trembling. Rocks and mountains may shake and shiver sooner than they. Again,

6. There are your prejudiced, disaffected hearers; who hear with dislike, especially those things which relate to practice: and with the greater dislike it may be, by how much the more what they hear relates to the proper end of hearing. They cannot endure such things as aim at the heart, and concern the business and work of religion. And there are again,

7. Your fantastical, voluptuous hearers; that hear only to please their fancy or imaginations. So they come on purpose to try if they can hear a pretty sentence, any fine jingle, some flashes of wit. For it may be they have found some, who have to do with this sacred word, that will allow themselves to be so vain, as to gratify them in such things, when they come with such an expectation. Of which temper I remember an ancient saying, Dissoluti est pectoris in rebus seriis quærere voluptatem: It is a dismal token upon a person to seek for the gratification of his fancy in serious matters. As if one would bring music to another, that lay under the torture of a broken leg; how very incongruous would this be! And such we are to consider is the state of souls, all shattered, broken, diseased, and maimed. This is the common case of those we have to do with. There are again,

8. Your notional hearers; that are of somewhat a higher form and sect than the others; who do not aim merely to have their fancies and imaginations gratified by something light and flashy, but their understandings also. But it must be by some fine notion, which they have not met with before. And so they always come to learn some kind of novelty; and if they cannot meet with some new thing, which they have not met with before, they go away with a great deal of dislike, and distaste, at those they hear. With these (and they are for the most part of the same sort, and therefore we may join them together) you may put, 9. Those talkative persons; who only come to hear that they may furnish themselves with notions for the sake of discourse; or that, when they come into company, they may have something just to talk of afterwards. Upon which a heathen moralist reflects with a great deal of ingenuity. "That is, (saith he,) when they hear such moral precepts as the philosophers use to deliver, and press in the schools; as all came into them in words, so, with them, all go out in words. Which is just the same thing, as if the sheep, when they have been grazing all day, should come at night to the sheepherd, and cast up the grass they swallowed, to show how much they had eaten. Grass it came in, and grass it goes out again. The shepherd does not expect this, but expects that of the grass they had eaten that day, there should come milk and wool

a The word here, akpoaraι, hearers only, may remind one (says the author) of an ancient word that is of affinity with it, namely, axpoauara; of which this is the sense. It was the name of certain songs and sonnets, joined with vocal and instrumental music, which were wont to be used in the conclusion of stage-plays, wherewith the hearers were entertained at their going out of the theatres. They were also very frequently used in the close of banquets. Why! the word of God is looked upon as such an axpoana, and the things contained

to see what they may carp at, and so to pass their verdict. "Were such and such things rightly methodized? such and such words well placed? was there an exact concinnity in what was said ?" and the like. This now is all the design they have in hearing the word. And then there is another sort too, and we have some experience, I am afraid, of too many such, in the age and day wherein we now live, and that is,

Lastly, Malicious hearers; that come on purpose to seek an advantage against those they come to hear, particularly from what they preach. By this sort, you know, our Saviour was often pestered; who came to hear him, and to put questions to him, and so gave him occasion to speak, only to entrap and insnare him. To which may be added your raging exasperated hearers, such as Stephen's were at his last sermon; who gnashed upon him with their teeth, and could not forbear violence to his precious life, upon their hearing him. Thus you see the characters of those that are hearers only, which are various and manifold. I shall only touch upon the

III. Thing, namely, to speak to the self-deception of such persons. And here I shall show, wherein such are deceived; and the grossness of the deception itself.

1. Wherein such are deceived. And they are certainly so, (1.) In their work. For they commonly think they have done well; and they find no fault with themselves, that they have been hearers only. And then,

(2.) As to their reward they are also deceived. They get nothing by it all this time. That and their labour are lost. "Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed," Jam. i. 25. But they never go away with a blessing; most certainly they miss of it, who are hearers only.

2. For the grossness of this deception, it will appear to be very great, if we consider,

(1.) That they are deceived in so plain a case. For it is the plainest thing in the world, that the Gospel is sent in order to practice. Now how strange is it, that men should be deceived in a thing so plain! What can the Gospel be sent for but only in order to practice? What other aim, or end, can it possibly have? As might be shown in many particulars, if time gave leave. And, (2.) It is self-deception; for they are said to deceive themselves; which is a far other thing, than when the matter is wont to be expressed passively only, and in softer terms. As to say to a person, "Sir, you are mistaken; you are deceived and imposed upon." This, I say, is much gentler, than to say of a man, that he deceiveth and imposeth upon himself. For this carries in it an intimation, that men do use some industry in the matter; that they industriously deceive themselves, as indeed it must be so in this case. For if men did not use some art or contrivance, they could never have hid these things from their own eyes; particularly, that this word is sent to be the guide of men's practice. And to overlook such a thing as this all their days, (as those men must be supposed to do who are hearers only,) is miserable deception. It is their trade, and a poor trade the Lord knows! And they must be supposed to have used a great deal of artifice with themselves, to veil so plain a case as this from their own eyes and view; so as not to understand, that the Gospel is sent to be their rule of practice, in order to their attainment of a happy state at last. And now, to shut up all with a little application, we may learn hence,

in it as axpoapara, to these [axpoarai] kind of hearers. "Thou art" (says the Almighty to the prophet Ezekiel) unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words but do them not," Ezek. xxxiii. 32. Such hearers there are who come only to have their imaginations and fancies gratified with somewhat, that may be delicious to them; and that is all that they aim at. These sure are hearers only!

III. There was importunity in the one case, and there is importunity in the other. Why then should not success be hoped to correspond in this case, as well as that? This widow was so urgent, that the judge was sensible of a grievance in it; and found a necessity upon himself to do her right, lest he should be wearied by her importunity. The elect too are represented as crying night and day; that is, the loud voice of their prayers is not by fits, only now and then, but is continued, and incessant; as night and day take in the whole complex of time. And do you think then, saith our Saviour, that God will not hear their cry? Besides,

IV. There is an obligation by office to do right, both in the one case, and in the other. The person, to whom this woman applied herself, was a judge in the city. Now it is known, that in several of the more eminent cities of Israel, there were constituted stated judges, to whom all persons might have recourse, and bring their grievances, in order to their being redressed. So that this woman doth not come to a person unconcerned. She does not request that an occasional kindness might be done her; as one might request such a thing of any one, when in necessity; but she comes to an appointed person, to one who by his office was obliged to right her. And God hath been pleased to take upon himself such an office, and to make himself known by the name of the Judge of all the earth; that all might know whither to apply, and to whom they may appeal and address themselves. And why is not right to be expected in this case, as well as in the other? So far this parable gives us ground to argue from a parity of reason. But.

SECONDLY, It gives us ground also for arguing from a superiority of reason too, in sundry respects. As,-I. In respect of the supplicants in the one case, and the other; in respect-II. Of the persons supplicated in the one case, and the other; and-III. In respect of the supplication itself in the former case, and the latter compared."

I. There is very prevailing and much stronger reason in the latter case, than in the former; if we consider the supplicants in both, and compare them. In the former case you have a poor woman; and here we are to consider,

1. That she was a single woman, only one person, who comes to make her complaint to this judge; but in the other case you have a community, the whole body of the elect. How vast is the disproportion here! This great body joining in one cry, surely that must needs be unspeakably more prevailing! And,

1. In the former case it was a wicked profane person, to whom the address was made; one that did neither fear God, nor regard man; good to no one, neither to God nor man; a vile wretched creature, wrapt up within himself; who studied and consulted nothing but his own ease, and peace; having no fear of God before his eyes, nor any regard to man. But in the other case, you have the holy God addressed to; whose natural, essential holiness, is a perpetual law and obligation to him to do always that which is best. His essential rectitude cannot but do such things, as have an agreeable rectitude in them to his own very nature.

2. In the one case it was a merciless man, that was applied to; in the other, a merciful God. How much stronger is the reason! This judge was a man who had no mercy, no pity to any one, but to himself. He took some pity of himself indeed, that he might not be wearied out with continual clamours and cries; otherwise, it seems, his heart knew no pity, there were no bowels of compassion rolling, or working in him. But in the other case, it is the Father of mercies who is addressed, and appealed to. It is he with whom there is so abundant pity, and kindness; so strong a propension and inclination to do good to the necessitous and miserable, only because his will inclines and leads him thereunto; the Spring and Fountain of all that pity and mercy, that is any where to be found, diffused among his creatures. If parents pity their children: if there be bowels gathering in any towards the afflicted and distressed; from what spring, from what fountain did all this proceed? All must come from some original or other; and they can be derived from no higher, neither are they to be derived from any lower, than this great Father of mercies. And what! shall not he hear his elect? And again,'

3. It was, in the former case, an unjust man that was supplicated; here it is the just and righteous God. As his holiness doth oblige him in general to do that, which is right and fit to be done; his justice, as a particular attribute in his general character, inclines him in this case to administer and execute justice. As he hath been pleased mercifully himself to lay down a rule and law of mercy, in reference to those that are his; (though it be impossible that God can injure a man in any thing, yet it is possible that men can injure one another; and very certain also that those are the worst used by the world, who have such a near relation to him, and whom he hath chosen and gathered out of the world;) so here in this case, when there is a proper object of vindictive justice, shall not the Judge of all the earth do right, to whom righteousness belongs as part of his peculiar glory? And then again,

III. There is, in respect of the supplication on the one

3. The supplicant was unrelated to him, to whom she makes her supplication. We do not find, that she pretended to any relation to him at all; only comes to him as the judge of her city. But in the other case, the supplicants are God's elect; his own peculiar people that he

prevalency of reason. For, in the former case, consider, 1. The matter of the petition of this widow; and that was only a private good, that she sought for herself: and consider also the petition of the elect of God. They have all one common concernment, wherein the interest of God is involved with theirs. So that whatsoever they supplicate for, as the elect of God, must needs be a matter that is so far public; that is, wherein they all agree, and in which their hearts and desire do meet and concur. It is one thing for a particular person to desire to be gratified in some particular, private concernments; and another thing to insist upon such matters as are common to us with all the elect of God. And this it is to be supposed is the matter of the supplications of the elect unto God in this case. It is that, wherein all the elect do concentre, and wherein all their desires do meet.

2. Look to the manner and style of the supplication; on the one part, and on the other. This woman comes in her