Bored at True Preaching?
Jeremiah Burroughs: "... when men of
understanding and parts come to hear, this temptation is ready to come
upon them, that unless they hear some new thing that they did not
understand before, why should they come? I am able to understand as much
in such a point as can be said, and when I have come and heard many
times, I have only heard that which I knew before. Upon that they think
there is no use in coming to hear. Now this is a great mistake. When you
come to hear the Word, you do not always come to hear what you did not
know. It may be sometimes God may dart something that you did not think
of before or so fully understand. But suppose it is not so. You are to
come to it as an ordinance of God for the conveyance of spiritual good
to your souls" (Gospel Worship, p. 201).
Chrysostom: "Every day, you say, one
hears the same things [in sermons]. Tell me, then, do you not hear the
same things in the theaters? Do you not see the same things in the
race-course? Are not all things the same? Is it not always the same sun
that rises? Is it not the same food that we use?" (Commentary on
II Thessalonians 2:5).