HEARING WELL

We have often noticed amongst the Lord’s professing people that it is a very common observation of theirs after having heard a sermon, to express their approval of the same by saying, “I have heard well.’ Now to our mind there is a great deal couched in this sentence when we come to connect it with godly and spiritual matters, and in such connection we greatly fear whether it is not often used without its true meaning being apprehended. It is simply this consideration that the question has been forced upon our mind, what it is to hear well. And from what cause does hearing well arise? What feeling does hearing well produce? It is the farthest thing from our thoughts to think of discouraging the Lord’s little ones, the tender lambs and sheep of the fold of Christ, or to throw a drop of cold water upon the smallest manifestations of His blessed Spirit; but may not our natural animal passions often be wrought upon in hearing, and may not the natural emotions of the mind thus produced be substituted for’ hearing well? We verily think so, and fear many are the cases it is done.

For instance, a minister is listened to whose very manner it may be is affecting and who has a peculiar and sensational way of putting things to touch his audience; a striking incident is related, a remarkable tale with most touching features is repeated, somebody’s strange conversion, deep trouble, heavy bereavement, and so on, is stated and described with all the pathos at the minister’s command; a sure result of which is the passions are wrought upon; a strange sensation creeps over one, the water comes involuntarily to the eyes, and the tears flow thick and fast, not, mark you, because the Spirit of God has touched the soul, but because the preacher’s native ingenuity of putting things has touched the natural mind. Now that this is so we are certain. It is just the self-same thing as may be witnessed when many a dramatic piece is put upon the stage, when any beautiful voices are heard singing, or when touching incidents of everyday life come to our knowledge.

The same thing will not move all persons; but all persons’ creature passions may be wrought upon by something or other, and this being wrought upon may be done in and under the name of religion, whereas at the same time it has nothing to do with godliness. This is to be lamented, because thereby many deceive themselves, and many others are deceived. And to produce anything like a remedy of this evil, we certainly believe it would be well for those who profess to be servants of Christ in their preaching to remember that touching anecdotes are not the gospel; that sensational preaching, and a lot of talk about creature circumstance, creature conditions, and the like, is not preaching Christ, that the gospel is a plain matter of fact, and to be proclaimed as such in all its sublime simplicity, which needs not to be murdered with the hateful affectations and nauseous sentimentality of the creature. We know a display of these things produces feeling, but the feeling is carnal, and the hearing well under such circumstances is nothing but carnal excitement. Yet how very much hearing there is of this sort, and more often than not it is taken to be genuine.

But let us ocnsider what it is to really hear a sermon well. Why, surely it is to hear with the heart; to have the word preached accompanied with the power of the Holy Ghost to the soul, to be made under the ministry of the gospel spiritually to feed upon Christ. Nothing can make you hear well but this divine power and if your soul is under the sweet influence of God’s blessed Spirit in listening to the poyful sound, this is just what you will be looking for — Christ in the word revealed to your soul. Not all of the remarkable anecdotes and touching incidents in the world will satisfy you; not all the creatures rubbish, affections, sentimentality, woeful tales about the filthiness and depravity of your nature will feed you; nay, nothing that the creature can say will make you rejoice, except it be God-inspired, and by God Himself conveyed to your soul. Now friend, have you ever heard the gospel like this? We charge you to take no notice of the various times when you have shed a tear of sympathy as the trials of others have been related — did you ever shed a tear of soul-felt sympathy over the suffering of Jesus? Nature can make you do the first, but nature cannot bring you into fellowship with the sufferings of the Son of God. Again, take no account here as to the various times at which your heart has been moved by creature effort; but say if it has ever been made to leap within you at the sound of the name of Jesus?

Has the word, when preached, come to your heart, entered your very soul, dispersed your darkness, brought you into light, led you forth from the valley, set your feet upon the rock, strengthened your weak hands, comforted your feeble faith, made you to sing for joy of heart, and helped you to go on your way rejoicing? Have you in hearing the word, lost sight of everything, yourself, everybody else, and felt your soul entirely taken up with Christ? Have you under the ministry gone empty and come away full, gone miserably and come away comforted? Gone weak and come away strengthened, gone cast down and come away lifted up, and gone full of fear and come away full of confidence, and that not because the ministry has been sensational, but because he has been faithful in knowing nothing amongst men save Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and because the sweet unction of God the Holy Ghost has rested upon the word? This is hearing well, hearing to the purpose, hearing to the soul’s benefit and to the honor of God; and we are persuaded that there is no hearing well short of this; and if you have never heard like this, you have never yet heard the gospel well. You may hear to admire the preacher’s talent, to be deeply taken with his manner, to be spellbound with his earnestness, and moved to tears with his pathos; but truly hearing you will lose sight of all this. The servant is lost sight of because the presence of the Master is felt; and you admire Christ in the minister because you feel His divine power in your heart. The Holy Ghost accompanies the truth with power and applies it for Christ’s sake.

“He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Rev. 3:22. Amen.

From Old Faith Contender

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