"Take heed what ye hear . ." (Mark 4:24).

     Not the cunningly-devised fables, and illusory dreams men are to be attended to, and heard; but the word of God; between which there is as much difference as between chaff and wheat (see Jer. 23:28). That Word which comes from God, relates His mind and will especially concerning salvation by Christ, is to be hearkened unto; and whatsoever is delivered by the ministers of the gospel, agreeable to the Word of God, which is fetched out of it, and confirmed by it, is to be heard and received, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the Word of God: not lies, spoken in hypocrisy, as all false doctrines are; for no lie is of the truth; not these, but the word of truth, is to be heard and embraced, which comes from the God of truth; the substance of which is Christ, the truth, and which the Spirit of truth leads into the knowledge of, and contains in it nothing but truth: not the law, as in the hands of Moses; that voice of words, which they that heard, intreated they might hear no more, they were so terrible; but the gospel of salvation, which brings the good news and glad tidings of salvation by Christ. When Moses and Elias were with Christ on the mount, the voice there from the excellent glory directed to hear, not Moses and Elias, but the beloved Son of God, saying, "Hear ye Him". The sheep of Christ will not hear the voice of a stranger, which they know not, but the voice of Christ, the great and good Shepherd, in the gospel and in His ministers; which is a voice of love, grace, and mercy; a voice of peace, pardon, righteousness, life, and salvation by Christ; a soul-quickening voice, a very powerful one, a soul-charming, a soul-alluring voice; a comforting and rejoicing one, and therefore very desirable to be heard, and very useful and profitable to attend unto; BLESSED ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HEAR AND KNOW THIS JOYFUL SOUND.