Sylvanus Conant sermons, James 1:19, 1747 August 9

Middleboro_SR2_034-001.docx 1 Middle: Augt 9 1747 for the yr is a time to Speak as well as to keep Silence yet by reason of re maining darknss & an urgent prin ciple to do Something for Gd yr is need of utmost Case lest we get out of Gds way to Say Somthing for him wch is by no means praise worthy in ye Sight of Gd Iames I 19 for tis a Standing Maxim yt a good in tention will never justify a bad ac wherefore my beloved Brethren tion Let every man be Swift to hear; Slow to Speak; Slow to wrath ye words of ye text is a Conclusion drawn fr a noble premisis wch be gins at ye 17 vrs every good gift & are we desirous to obtain life every perfect gift is fr above & Cometh & an everlasting benedictn fr God? down fr ye father of lights - here ye Directn is given in one word is ye Source of all Spiritul benedic by ye prophet Isaih how we Shall tions ye father of lights Sels nothing pertake hereof Come: hear to Sinrs but gives all his gifts are good & your Soul Shall live & perfect 18 vrs of his own will begat him by ye word of truth yt are also ye blessing of everlasting life & ye Shd be a kind of first fruits of his creaturs favour of Gd is bound over to ye man as if ye apostle Shd Say yr was nothig yt hears & yields obedenc to wisdom in us yt Stird up moved excitd God voice & Since an obedient hearing to beget us again nothing but his is So necessary a means of a aquainting own Soverign will us wh & furthuring us in ye knowldg of Gd yrfore Shd our ear be continually yr is one Reason asignd why Gd re open to hear wt ye Lord has to say to us genratd ym viz yt yy might be a kind it is a most dangerous thing either of first fruits of corn wine & oyle used to Stop our ear wn Gd is Speaking or in old times to be offred & dedicatd to Speak wn we Shd be hearing to Gd So these yt are begotten of Gd are Consecratd & devotd to Gd yy but Sin has made Such a Sad revolu are Singld out fr all other to bare tion in our Souls yt we Scarcly know fruit to Gd no others are dedicatd wn to Speak & wn to keep Silence yea to Gd no others bare such fruit worse for by Reason of Sin we are yet ye are a Royal priesthood a holy na (if eloquent) to be Swift to Speak =tion a peculiar pple to Shew forth & Slow to hear yea further even ye praises of him &c after ye power of Sin is broken & our ear open to discipline we are in dan= these are ye premises & ye text ye ger of Speaking wn we Shd be Silent for Conclusion wrfore of Seing it is ye tongue is an unruly member & so &c an unruly priciple in ye [heart] is yet to Set it motion into an unruly ye appellatn is very endearing motion my beloved brethren who are Calld Sanctifd & a kind of first fruits of ye now ye apostle Iames being aquaintd creature wh ye deceitfulns of ye [heart] ye power of in Let every Man or every person dwelling Sin ye Strength of temptn among you & ye liablness of belr to be urged into an over forwardness in Some things -be Swift to hear tachus ye o wch wd tend rather to overthrow cx riginal word for Swift it Signifies intrest in yr own & others Souls yn to quick nimble yeer lively hasty build it up he gives a timely cau= attentive & intense an ear always tion as in ye text - young cxtians & ready to hear ie to hear obedient do indeed Love Gd in truth & Sincerity ly for ye word akouo is not only but ye most of ym Love Something else to hear but to obey ys in ye hearing besides Gd yy Love to hear yms: talk & for life & yt betokens life viz an obe ye apostles doubtless knew ys yt wn yr dient hearing hear & your Soul Shall [heart] was Set at liberty yr wd be hazard live ie hear obedintly of too Much liberty wh ye tongue