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I. WHAT IS FAITH?

1. An historical (James 2:19).

2. A dogmatical (Acts 8:13, 33; Luke 4:41).

3. A temporary (Luke 8:13; John 5:35).

4. A faith of miracles (Luke 17:6; 1 Corinthians 13:2).

5. A saving faith (Romans 10:10; Acts 16:31; 1 Peter 2:6).

II. WHAT IS THE WORN BY THE HEARING WHEREOF FAITH COMES?

1. Not the word of men.

2. Not of angels (Galatians 1:8).

3. But of God.

III. WHAT IS MEANT BY HEARING THIS WORD? Hearing it —

1. Read.

2. Expounded.

3. Preached.

IV. HOW IS FAITH WROUGHT BY THE WORD? Not as by the principal, but only instrumental cause. Thus —

1. The minister commissioned by God speaks it to the ear, sometimes of God's mercy, sometimes of man's duty (2 Timothy 4:2).

2. The ears of the hearer take in what the preacher speaks, and convey it to the understanding. But that cannot receive it (1 Corinthians 2:14), therefore —

3. The Spirit goes along with the word, and enables the understanding to receive it.

4. The Spirit having done so inclines the heart to embrace it (Philippians 2:13; Romans 7:15; Hebrews 4:12).

V. USE OF REPREHENSION.

1. To those who think themselves above ordinances.

2. To those who will not come up to them. This doctrine meets, as the angel did Balaam, with a drawn sword —

(1)  Such as will not so much as.come to hear.

(2)  Such as will come, but not to hear, but out of custom, or to stop the mouth of a brawling conscience.

(3)  Such as will come to hear, but will not hear when they are come (Ezekiel 33:31). They come and bring their ears too, but they are either stopped (Psalm 58:4, 5), dull (Matthew 13:15), or itching (2 Timothy 4:3, 4).

(4)  Such as will hear when they come, but do not mind or understand what they hear (Ezekiel 33:32; Acts 9:7; cf. 22:9).

(5)  Such as mind what they hear, but will not believe what they mind.

(6)  Such as do believe what they mind, but will not resolve to practise what they believe (Ezekiel 33.).

(7)  Such as will resolve to practise what they believe, but will never practise what they resolve (James 1:23, 24).

VI. MOTIVES. Consider —

1. Whose word it is.

2. What a word it is (Psalm 19:7; Romans 1:16; James 1:21).

3. What thou mayest get by coming to it; what thou mayest lose by staying from it.

4. The time will come when thou wilt curse thyself for every opportunity lost, or bless God for everyone embraced (Matthew 23:39).

VII. DIRECTIONS.

1. Before hearing —

(1)  Consider what thou art going about and whom thou art going before.

(2)  Set aside all worldly thoughts, as Abraham his servants, and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 13:19,20), especially sins (James 1:21).

(3)  If thou wouldst have God pour forth His blessings upon thee in preaching, do thou pour out thy spirit before Him in prayer (Psalm 10:17; Psalm 65:2).

(a)  For the minister (Romans 15:20).

(b)  For yourselves, that God would assist the word (Isaiah 8:11).

(4) Come —

(a)  with an appetite (Matthew 5:6; Job 29:23).

(b)  With large expectations.

(c)  With strong resolutions to practise.

2. In hearing. Hear —

(1)  Reverently.

(2)  Diligently, with hearts as well as ears.

(3)  Meekly (James 1:21).

(4)  With faith (Hebrews 4:2).

(5)  With self-application (Job 5:27).

3. After hearing —

(1)  Meditate (1 Timothy 4:15).

(2)  Confer with others.

(3)  Square thyself according to it, that thy life may be a comment on the sermon (James 1:22; Matthew 7:24, 25).

(Bp. Beveridge.)

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KJV: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

WEB: So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.