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TH••t serious saying of St. Au∣gustine makes a deep impres∣sion in the minds of the Predesti∣nate; That they are guilty of no lesse a crime who negligently hear the Word of God, than those who thorow their carelesnesse suffer the body of Christ to fall unto the
ground. Wherefore we are not so much to regard in the Prea∣cher, who it is that speaks, as who it s that dictate a to him what he is to s••y; since he sayes nothing, but what he hath in charge to de∣li••er from A••mighty God him∣selfe. For my owne particular (sayes Saint Augustine) what am I but a sowers basket, into which he vouchsafed to poure the seeds, which I am but to scatter among you againe, and so you are not so much to consider the unworthi∣nesse of the basket as the wor••h of the seeds, and the sowers dig∣nity.
A good Christian gathers some∣what for his instruction out of every thing, and is alwayes ma∣king his profit out of it, and he may take this for a cleare signe of Predestination, if sitting with Mary Magdalen at the feet of our blessed Lord, he remaines so fast hanging on his words by the strong chaines of his attentio••, as no care of any domesticall busi∣ne••se, no sisters murmuration, nor no allurements of any friend can
possibly draw him thence. Yet neither to heare the Word of God onely, nor what is m••re, to remember it, is any such Signe of predestination, unlesse with∣all we proceed to put that which we have heard in execution For w••at availes it us to have eaten any thing, if as soon as we have swallowed it we cast it up again.
The Mother of God among other her rare vertues was par∣ticularly praysed for conserving all these words, and laying them up in h••r heart. And the royall Psalmist sayes, In corde meo ab∣scondi eloquia tua, ut non pe cem tibi. I have hid thy word in my heart, that I should not sinne against thee. Those who hearing of this word doe conserve it in a pure and pious heart, and bring forth fruit thereof in patience, are fitly compared to a fruitfull soyle; and like as to read and not to understand, even so to hear, and not to remember what they have heard, is as good as wholly to to have neglected it Th t pa n∣ter doth both lose his time and
labour, which drawes out upon a table some curious picture in light water colours, which presently with a spunge he doth deface again: And even as great a folly is it those Christians, who hearing do presently forget what they have heard. We are there∣fore to strive to remember i••, and that in such a manner, as it be no dead remembrance nei∣ther, but rather a quicke and active one, which may urge that on to performance which wee have heard. Si haec scitis, beati cri∣tis si feceritis ea: no man ever ar∣rived to heaven by knowing what was to be done, but by do∣ing it: and he is farre from acti∣on, who will not so much as give eare to what he is to do. The books of the holy Scriptures are of all others the purest fountain of knowledge, out of which though never so many draw, and that never so often, yet it is im∣possible for to draw it dry: for such is the nature of this rich veine, that the deeper you dive into it, the more it abounds with
divine sence, and can never bee exhaust. As the Ant makes pro∣vision of food in the summer, a∣gainst the winter season; so Chri∣stians, during the calme of their affaires, should store themselves with the Word of God against the stormes of future calamities. This is most certaine, that never any yet contemned to make his benefit in this kind, but they were at last so punished for it by Almighty God, that both them∣selves to their cost did feele it, and others evidently perceived the same, God hath so ordeined, that one man should learne of a∣nother, and submit himselfe to his direction; and so we see that King David although of him∣selfe he was most wise and pru∣dent, and had besides in many things, ever the helpe of the ho∣ly Ghost for his instruction, did not yet open his eyes to repent for his grievous sinnes of mur∣ther and adultery (although he could not but know that they were severely forbidden by the Law) untill the Prophet Nathan
had sharply reprehended him. Our Saviour did (as we may say) preach himself out of the Clouds unto S Paul, and yet he sent him to Ananias for his further instru∣ctions: Cornelius was certified by an Angel, that his prayer and almes-deeds were acceptable to Almighty God, and yet he inti∣m••ted unto him withall, that he was to repaire to St. Peter for his better information Queen Candace's Treasurer, whilst he read the Prophet Isaiah in his Coach, had no•• an Angel assigned him for his instructour, but Saint Philip the Apostle: And finally, Mose••, who in regard of his neare familiarity with Al∣mighty God, may well be stiled of his privy Counsell, was not∣withstanding instructed by his fathe•• in law, a forrainer, no otherwise than a little Child and taught, not without many b tter taunts how he should be∣have himself in poynt of gover∣ning the Children of Israel: ay, even Christ himselfe, the eter∣nall wisedome would sit among
the Doctors demanding their vice; so as t••ere are none of what sexe, of what estate or condition soever they be, that are exempted from hearing the word of God.
Plom. 26. in ••ib. 5.
Luke 2.
Iohn 13.