case upon unwilling ears: for you come to hear it. It is not rejected because you hate it. Nevertheless, we have somewhat against many of you of Ezekiel’s complaint, respecting your treatment of the read or preached Word of GOD. We have to complain, brethren, that many of you are under the mistaken notion that you have almost a right to select the preacher’s theme, at least to dictate its mode of treatment; and that if your right is disregarded, then you are justified in excusing yourselves for not profiting or heeding. Bear with me, beloved. Is it not the case, that you sometimes find fault with the subject of the sermon? You do not want to hear so much about man’s depravity: you do not like the preacher to make such a point of observing religious ordinances: what a high standard of morality he sets up; how strict is the holiness he describes; why will he discourse of the horrors of hell? So, again, of the manner of treatment. You do not care for argument; you cannot enter upon theories; you are weary of quotations of historical illustrations; the style is too florid, or too bald: it is poetical; or it is commonplace; or somehow it is not what you like; and therefore—I would not say you turn away from it, but you do not try, as much as you ought, to heed it; and you excuse yourselves for not improving under it by blaming the preacher. The fact is, there is too often a great forgetfulness of the fact, that when the preacher speaks to you it is your part to be as listeners and learners of GOD. It is not for you to choose the subjects, nor to dictate the method of teaching. It is true, perhaps, that your taste and aptitude are greater for some subjects than others: it is true that you are more easily enlightened, and impressed, and influenced in some ways than in others. It is natural, and I would not say it is wrong, for you to prefer those subjects and ways; but be sure nevertheless, that it is the very contrary of wisdom and humility, of reverence for GOD, of regard for duty and interest, not to give the most earnest heed to whatever GOD says to you through His servant, to dare to treat it lightly, because either of the topic or the way of handling it. When a message comes to you from GOD, surely it is no reason for not receiving it, that you would prefer a message about something else! And if the diction in which that message is clothed is hard or distasteful to you, while you may lament it, may ask for an explanation, may solicit consideration for your taste, or help in overcoming your distaste, you may not on any account disregard what has been said. The word gone forth shall not return. Where the seed has been sown, increase shall be expected. The day is coming, when all your opportunities and means of knowing GOD’S will, and all your incentives to serve Him, shall be taken account of by Him Who has afforded them, and then shall the worst preacher, the most apparently