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In order to hear the Word aright, let the following things be attended to:

[1] Lay aside those dispositions which may render the preached Word ineffectual.

(1) Lay aside curiosity. Some go to hear the Word preached, not so much to get grace, as to enrich themselves with notions: having "itching ears." 2 Tim 4:3. Augustine confesses that, before his conversion, he went to hear Ambrose for his eloquence rather than for the spirituality of the matter. "You are unto them as a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument." Ezek 33:32. Many go to the Word to feast their ears only; they like the melody of the voice, the mellifluous sweetness of the expression, and the novelty of the opinions. Acts 17:21. This is to love the garnishing of the dish, more than the food; it is to desire to be pleased, rather than edified. Like a woman that paints her face—but neglects her health—they paint and adorn themselves with curious speculations—but neglect their soul's health. This hearing neither sanctifies the heart, nor the Sabbath.

(2) Lay aside prejudice. Prejudice is sometimes against the truths preached. The Sadducees were prejudiced against the doctrine of the resurrection. Luke 20:27. Sometimes prejudice is against the person preaching. "There is one Micaiah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord—but I hate him." 1 Kings 22:8. This hinders the power of the Word. If a patient has a bad opinion of his physician, he will not take any of his medicines, however good they may be. Prejudice in the mind is like an obstruction in the stomach, which hinders the nutritive virtue of the food. It poisons the Word, and causes it to lose its efficacy.

(3) Lay aside covetousness. Covetousness is not only getting worldly gain unjustly—but loving it inordinately. This is a great hindrance to the preached Word. The seed which fell among thorns was choked, Matt 13:22; a fit emblem of the Word when preached to a covetous hearer. The covetous man is thinking on the world when he is hearing; his heart is in his shop. "They sit before you as my people, and they hear your words—but their heart goes after their covetousness." Ezek 33:31. A covetous hearer derides the Word. "The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they derided him." Luke 16:14.

(4) Lay aside partiality. Partiality in hearing is, when we like to hear some truths preached—but not all. We love to hear of heaven—but not of self-denial. We love to hear of reigning with Christ—but not of suffering with him. We love to hear of the more facile duties of religion—but not those which are more knotty and difficult; as mortification, laying the axe to the root, and hewing down our beloved sin. "Speak smooth things" (Isa 30:10), such as may not grate upon the conscience. Many like to hear of the love of Christ—but not of loving their enemies; they like the comforts of the word—but not its reproofs. Herod heard John the Baptist gladly; he liked many truths—but not when he spoke against his incest.

(5) Lay aside censoriousness. Some, instead of judging themselves for sin, sit as judges upon the preacher; his sermon had either too much gall in it, or it was too long. They would sooner censure a sermon, than practice it. God will judge the judger. Matt 7:1.

(6) Lay aside disobedience. "All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient people." Rom 10:21. It is said of the Jews that God stretched out his hands in the preaching of the word—but they rejected Christ. Let there be none among you, who willfully refuse the counsels of the Word. It is sad to have an adder's ear and an adamant heart. Zech 7:11, 12. If, when God speaks to us in his Word—we are deaf; when we speak to him in prayer—he will be dumb.

[2] If you would hear the Word aright, have good ends in hearing. "Come to the Word to be made better." Some have no other end in hearing but because it is in fashion, or to gain repute, or stop the mouth of conscience; but come to the Word to be made more holy. There is a great difference between one who goes to a garden for flowers to wear in her bosom, and another that goes for flowers to make syrups and medicines. We should go to the Word for medicine to cure us; as Naaman the Syrian went to Jordan to be healed of his leprosy. "Desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." 1 Pet 2:2. Go to the Word to be changed into its similitude. As the seal leaves its print upon the wax, so labor that the Word preached may leave the print of its own holiness upon your heart.

Labor that the "Word" may have such a virtue in you—that it may kill your sins, and make your souls fruitful in grace. Numb 5:27.

[3] If you would hear the Word aright, go to it with delight. The Word preached is a feast of fat things! With what delight do men go to a feast! The Word preached anoints the blind eye; mollifies the rocky heart; it beats off our fetters, and turns us from the "power of Satan unto God." Acts 26:18. The Word is the seed of regeneration, and the engine of salvation. James 1:18. Hear the Word with delight and joy. "Your words were found, and I did eat them; and your Word was the joy and rejoicing of my heart." Jer 15:16. "How sweet are your words unto my taste! yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth." Psalm 119:103. Love the Word that comes most home to the conscience; bless God when your corruptions have been met with, when the sword of the Spirit has divided between you and your sins. Who cares for the medicine which will not work?

[4] If you would hear the Word aright, mix it with faith. Believe the truth of the Word preached, that it is the Word by which you must be judged. Not only give credence to the Word preached—but apply it to your own souls. Faith digests the Word, and turns it into spiritual nourishment. Many hear the word—but it may be said of them, as in Psalm 106:24 "They believed not his Word." If we do not mix faith with the Word, it is like leaving out the chief ingredient in a medicine, which makes it ineffectual.Unbelief hardens men's hearts against the Word. "Some were hardened, and believed not." Acts 19:9. Men hear many truths delivered concerning the preciousness of Christ, the beauty of holiness, and the felicity of a glorified estate; but, if through unbelief and atheism, they question these truths, we may as well speak to stones—as to them. That Word which is not believed, can never be practiced. "When belief is unstable, conduct also wavers." Jerome.

Unbelief makes the Word preached of no effect. "The Word preached did not profit, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." Heb 4:2. The Word to an unbeliever is like a cordial put into a dead man's mouth, which loses all its virtue. If there are any unbelievers in our congregations, what shall ministers say of them to God at the last day? "Lord, we have preached to the people you sent us to, we have showed them our commission, we have declared unto them your whole counsel—but they have not believed a Word we spoke. We told them what would be the fruit of sin—but they would not heed. They would drink their sugared draught, though there was death in the cup. Lord, we are free from their blood!" God forbid that ministers should ever have to make this report to him of their people. But this they will be forced to do, if their hearers live and die in unbelief. Would you sanctify a Sabbath by hearing the Word aright? Hear it with faith. The apostle puts the two together, "belief and salvation." "We are of those whobelieve to the saving of the soul." Heb 10:39.

[5] If you would hear the Word aright, hear it with humility. James 1:21. Receive the Word "with humility". Humility is a submissive frame of heart, to the Word. Contrary to this meekness is fierceness of spirit, when men rise up in rage against the Word; as if the patient should be angry with the physician when he gives him a medicine to purge out his bad humours. "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and gnashed on him [Stephen] with their teeth." Acts 7:54. "Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison." 2 Chron 16:10. Pride and guilt make men fret at the Word. What made Asa enraged, but pride? He was a king, and thought he was too good to be told of his sin. What made Cain angry when God said to him, "Where is Abel, your brother?" He replied, "Am I my brother's keeper?" What made him so touchy, but guilt? He had imbrued his hands in his brother's blood.

If you would hear the Word aright, lay aside your passions. "Receive the Word with meekness;" get humble hearts to submit to the truths delivered. God takes the meek person for his scholar. "The meek will he teach his way." Psalm 25:9. Meekness makes the Word preached to be an "ingrafted Word." James 1:21. A good scion grafted in a bad stock changes the nature of it, and makes it bear good and generous fruit; so, when the Word preached is grafted into men's hearts, it sanctifies them and makes them bring forth the sweet fruits of righteousness. By meekness it becomes an ingrafted Word.

[6] If you would hear the Word aright, be not only attentive—but retentive. Lay it up in your memories and hearts. The seed "on the good ground are they, which, having heard the Word, keep it." Luke 8:15. The Greek word for "to keep," signifies to hold the Word fast, that it does not run from us. If the seed is not kept in the ground—but is presently washed away, it is sown to little purpose; so if the Word preached be not kept in your memories and hearts, it is preached in vain. Many people have memories like leaky vessels. If the Word goes out as fast as it comes in! How can it profit? If a treasure be put in a chest and the chest be not locked, it may easily be taken out; so a bad memory is a chest without a lock, out of which the devil can easily take all the treasure. "Then comes the devil and takes away the Word out of their hearts." Luke 8:12. Labor to keep in memory the truths you hear. The things we esteem and love—are not easily forgotten. "Does a young woman forget her jewelry? Does a bride hide her wedding dress? No!" Jer 2:32. Did we prize the Word more, we would not forget it so soon. If food does not stay in the stomach—but is vomited as fast as we eat it, it cannot nourish; so, if the Word stays not in the memory—but is presently gone, it can do the soul but little good.

[7] If you would hear aright, practice what you hear. Practice is the life of all. "Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life." Rev 22:14. Hearing alone, will be no plea at the day of judgment—merely to say, "Lord, I have heard many sermons." God will say, "What fruits of obedience have you brought forth?" The Word preached is not only to inform you, but reform you; not only to mend your sight—but to mend your pace in the way to heaven. A good hearer opens and shuts to God—as the flowers opens and shuts to the sun.

(1) If you do not hear the Word to practice it, you lose all your labor. How many useless steps have you taken—if you are not bettered by hearing! If you are as proud, as vain, and as earthly as ever—all your hearing is lost. You would be loath to trade in vain, and why not to hear sermons in vain? "Why then, do I labor I in vain?" Job 9:29. Put this question to your own soul: "Why do I labor in vain? Why do I take all these pains to hear, and yet have not grace to practice it? I am as bad as ever! Why then, do I labor in vain?"

(2) If you hear the Word, and are not bettered by it, your hearing will increase your condemnation. "That servant which knew his lord's will, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." Luke 12:47. We pity such as know not where to hear; it will be worse with such as care not how they hear. To graceless disobedient hearers, every sermon will be a faggot to heat hell. It is sad to go loaded to hell with ordinances. Oh, beg the Spirit to make the Word preached effectual! Ministers can but speak to the ear; the Spirit speaks to the heart. "While Peter spoke, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the Word." Acts 10:44.

[8] Having heard the Word in a holy and spiritual manner, for the further sanctification of the Sabbath, confer with the Word. We are forbidden on this day to speak our own words—but we must speak of God's Word. Isa 58:13. Speak of the sermons as you sit together; which is one part of sanctifying the Sabbath. Holy discourse brings holy truths into our memories, and fastens them upon our hearts. "Then those who feared the Lord, spoke often one to another." Mal 3:16. There is great power and efficacy in holy discourse. "How forcible are right words!" Job 6:25. By holy conference on a Sabbath, one Christian helps to warm another when he is frozen, and to strengthen another when he is weak. Latimer confessed he was much furthered in piety, by having conference with Mr. Bilney the martyr. "My tongue shall speak of your Word." Psalm 119:172. One reason why preaching the Word on a Sabbath does no more good, is because there is so little holy conference. Few speak of the Word they have heard, as if sermons were such secrets that they must not be spoken of again, or as if it were a shame to speak of that which will save us.

[9] Close the Sabbath evening with repetition, reading, singing Psalms, and prayer. Ask that God would bless the Word you have heard. Could we but thus spend a Sabbath, we might be "in the Spirit on the Lord's-day," our souls would be nourished and comforted; and the Sabbaths we now keep, would be pledges of the everlasting Sabbaths which we shall celebrate in heaven.

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