1. Direct.

If thou wouldst hear with Profit, re∣solve then to break through all the difficulties, and oppositions that lye in thy way; for doubtless there will be many snares laid for thee, and thou wilt find many hinderances to this duty; many Ene∣mies will appear, and without a strong Resoluti∣on to go through, what ever danger lyes in the way, thou wilt hardly hold out. I do not mean that the cursory hearing of the Word is thus op∣posed, but the practising of it when heard. The Devil is a sworn Enemy, and therefore expect he Page  47 will do his worst. Thou shalt find, that if he can have his will, there shall never Godly Minister be setled: Do you not see what oppositon is rais'd, what contention breaks out, before a faithful Pa∣stor can be setled; what Instruments doth he use to hinder the work? Who will neither spare Cost nor pains in the business. Or, if they be setled, how oft doth he raise one or other to worry them, and make them weary of their places, if not of their Lives? For he knows such as these Discover his wiles, and hinder his Trade; and if he can but stop their Mouths, and drive them out into the Wilderness, he may Rule without controul. It be not the Drunken, Debauched Clergy that he fears, these bring Fish to his Net. If this will not prevail, he endeavours then to work such a preju∣dice in the Hearers Hearts, to their Ministers, that they seldom profit by them: if they can have no∣thing against them, but concerning the Law of their God, yet he perswades them they are Pha∣naticks, because more serious in Religion than some others are; and so diverts what he can from hearing them, and then he thinks himself sure of them. Sometimes he sets them about their World∣ly business, or to go to Fairs, &c. He knows there is no danger to him in that; or perswades them to drouse, or sleep out their time, or sit idly at home, or spend the Sermon time at Dice, or Cards, or other unlawful Games: For others, he hath a Companion at the Ale-house door to call them; he knows there they are secure. If thou break through these difficulties, he will endeavour to lull thee asleep in the Congregation; or if a∣wake, to distract thy thoughts with Worldly bu∣siness, that when thy Body is in the Congregation, Page  48 thy mind shall be in the shop or Fields; or, per∣haps, he may let thy Eyes wander upon this Beau∣ty, or that new Fashion, and thus divert thy mind from thy Duty. And those that would be very attentive at a Stage-Play, are very heartless at a Sermon, as if it did not so much concern them; or, if thou dost hear attentively, yet he will make thee a forgetful Hearer, and pick up the Seed as fast as 'tis sown, Mat. 13.4.19. How often do men leave all behind them at the Church door? and that man cannot give an Account of one passage in a whole Sermon, that can give you a large ac∣count of a Stage-Play, or idle Tale, or Story; or, if any thing be remembred, it must be some mis∣expression, or something that must render the Preacher contemptible, and so bring him into Que∣stion: And if they remember any thing that is good, the Devil perswades them they shall never practice it; or, at least, defer it till hereafter: or if they practice any, it must be the light, and cheap, and easie part of Duty, and so as good never a whit, as never the better. These, and a thousand such, are the wiles of the Devil to keep thy Soul in bondage, which if he do, thou art un∣done for ever. He hath Instruments also which he sets on work, wicked men; some to draw, and some to drive; some by one means, some by ano∣ther, to hinder thee. Oh! take heed what you do, says one, you will run your self upon the pike of danger; you'l make your self contempti∣ble to the World, saith another; you'l hazard your Estate, or Liberty, crys a third; our Fore-Fathers, saith another, were honest men, yet ne∣ver followed these Courses. Others, on the other hand, will load you with scoffs, and scorns; and Page  49 if this serve not, with down-right Persecution: and, which is most dangerous, thy own deceitful heart will side with Satan, and help to betray thee; Carnal reason is ready to suggest, what need so much ado, there was never good World since there was so much Preaching? when, alas! the cause is not in the much Preaching, but in the little practice. Now, having so many Enemies, you must come with a full Resolution to break through, or never begin.