state, when the heart retains not the word of God. The Royal Prophet knew this truth very well, when he said, " I have hid thy words in the bottom of my heart, to the end I may not sin against thee." (Ps. cxix. 11.) And in effect how often does it happen, that we are tempted, and are in danger of yielding to the temptation, and that then remembering only some passage of Scripture, or some holy maxim we heard in a sermon, we regain new strength, and derive from it very powerful assistance? And we know that by three passages of Scripture, our Saviour overcame the three temptations, wherewith the enemy assaulted him.
By all that has been said, it is easy to comprehend, in how great an error these are, and what prejudice they do themselves, who go to sermons and exhortations for fashion sake; or suffer themselves to be overcome with sleep and distractions during the sermon. " The devil," says our Saviour in the gospel, " comes and snatches the word of God out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." (Luke, viii. 12.) And it is in this manner, that unhappily is verified in them the parable of the grain which was eaten by the birds as soon as it was sown. Perhaps one word which you lost when you were asleep or distracted, would have contributed very much to your spiritual advancement; and for that reason the devil, who nourishes a mortal envy and hatred against you, endeavours by all means possible to prevent this good seed from taking root in your heart. St. Austin says, " That the word of God is like a fish-hook which never takes, but when it is taken; and as the fish remains a prize to the hook, so we remain a prize to the word of God, when we take and receive it." And for this reason the devil exerts all his powers to hinder us from receiving it, lest our heart should thereby be engaged, and we should never be able to get loose or free ourselves. Let us endeavour therefore to go to sermons and exhortations with so requisite a disposition as this is; and to hear the word of God in such sort, that it take root in our heart, and produce the fruit of justice. " Practise it," says St. James, " and be not content to hear it only, thereby deceiving yourself; for he who hears the word of God, and practises it not, is like a man that considers his face in a glass: he views himself, and goes his way, and soon forgets what kind of man he was." (James, i. 22.) u Those who hear the law," says St. Paul, " are not just before God, but those who practise it shall be justified." (Rom. ii. 13.)
