SERMON VIII.

PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE IN THE

JAMES I. 21.

CHRISTIAN LIFE.

-"Receive with meekness the engrafted

word, which is able to save your souls."

How is it that the word of God is read for weeks and months together with so little profit? How is it that it is often

preached with great ability, and with much earnestness, and yet it never gets beyond the outward ear of some who sit and listen to it? The truth is, there are many hearts, which the word of God has never yet effectually reached. A man may hear sermons with much attention-he may thoroughly understand what he hears-and store it up in his memory-but if God's word goes no

farther than this, it will not be a saving word to his soul. If the Holy Spirit does not apply it to his conscience, very little good will be done.

Now St. James, speaking of the Gospel, calls it in our text, "the engrafted word." He uses this striking expression to shew that it must not only be preached to us-it must not only be sounded in our ears-it must not only be listened to with gladness— but it must work its way into our hearts. "Receive" he says, "the engrafted word." "Receive it," as you would a friend who is welcome to your house. You would not bid him stand at the door without. would let him in, and give him a choice place by your hearth. "Receive it," as you would some remedy which was able to save your life. Surely you would not place the bottle by your bedside, and merely gaze upon it. You would eagerly drink its contents as that which was likely to cure you.

You

"The engrafted word!" What is the process with a graft? It is not enough to

take the slip and fasten it on the tree; but we must let it into the tree, or else it will take no effect. Just so, must the word of God enter in; it must get and touch the very heart.

below the surface,

Thus David says,

"The entrance of thy words giveth wisdom :" and again, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart." And St. Paul thus exhorts us, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly"-let it not only float in your fancy, but enter your heart, and lodge deep in your soul.

But this expression seems to teach us something further. It teaches us that God's word has a life-giving power-it must live within us. Should we be content to see the graft fixed ever so firmly in the tree? No, it must live and grow there, and produce a better and more abundant crop of fruit. And so too must it be with God's word. It It must

must be a living word within us. work a mighty change there.

must be felt within.

Its power

Have you thus received the word? You have heard it again and again. It may be,

come.

you have listened to it with deep attention. You have been struck by it. Perhaps the Preacher's words have made you thoughtful for the moment. You have gone home with deep searchings of heart. You have had a glimpse, as it were, of the world to You have been forced to look into your own heart. You have seen it to be very sinful, and you have felt your pressing need of a Saviour. But have you received the Word? Have you heartily welcomed it to your soul? If it be indeed grafted by the Master's hand, you will know it by this token-it will be fruitful; it will spring

up.

It does indeed make one sad to think, on how few hearts the Word of God takes real and saving effect! How many listen and listen, and yet come short of being converted! Some seed falls by the way-side; and it is soon snatched away. Some falls, as we fancy, into welcome ears; but it takes no root. And some too is quickly choked by the stifling business, and cares, and

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worry of the world. Thank God, it does sometimes light upon a better soil; and there it sinks in, and grows, and brings forth fruits unto life eternal.

Dear brethren, take heed how you hear. It is not a light matter to listen to a sermon. That sermon may be for the saving, or the condemning, of your soul. Every sermon you hear is for eternity. And just as the stroke of the blacksmith's hammer, either makes the iron harder, or breaks it in pieces-so it is with the preached gospel. Be sure, it never leaves a man as it finds him. It either makes his heart tender, or it leaves him more hardened than before. It is either" the savour of life unto life," or "the savour of death," to his soul.

But let us inquire, how we should receive the word. There is something that we must leave behind, and something that we must bring with us, to the hearing of God's word.

We must leave behind our Pride. The man who comes to church with a proud