cus upon the devil's errand, that Christ and salvation were so near them. Some have come to deride the messengers and truths of God; others to gratify their curiosity; and many not knowing where else, with peace or reputation, to spend that hour. But God's thoughts were not theirs; the time of mercy was now come, and whatever sinful ends brought them thither, the Lord's design was then and there to manifest himself to them. It is with such souls, in some respects, as it was with the spouse, Sol. Song, 6:12: “Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Ammi-nadib." I went to the congregation for company; I was sitting under the word with a careless wandering heart, as at other times; when lo, an arrow of conviction was suddenly shot into my conscience, which so wounded and disquieted it, that it is now beyond the power of any but Christ to settle and satisfy it.

5. This spiritual internal voice of Christ is energetical ; mighty in power, piercing the heart, cleaving, as it were, the very reins; full of efficacy to the soul that hears it. The power of God comes along with his voice. "The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow." Heb. 4: 12.

Now this efficacy is not inherent in the word itself, or all would feel this power who come within the sound of it. No, this comes from the Spirit of Christ, speaking in it to the sinner's conscience; when it is the administration of the Spirit, it becomes efficacious. You read, in Psalm 29:4-9, of the wonderful efficacy of God's voice: The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty; it breaketh the cedars, divideth the flames of fire, shaketh the wilderness, maketh the hinds to calve. This the providential voice of God, in the winds, thunders, and lightnings, can do; but what is this to the efficacy of his spiritual voice? What is the breaking of the cedars of

Lebanon to the breaking of the heart of a sinner? What is the shaking of the trees in the wilderness to the fears of wrath to come, which shake the souls of convinced sinners, and make their hearts tremble? Acts 16:29. What is the dividing of flames of fire, to the dividing a soul from its beloved lusts? "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:4, 5. Here are the glorious effects of this voice, which plainly show from whom it comes. The voice of God is no less to be admired in its effects in the new creation, than in the first creation, with which the apostle compares it. "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts." 2 Cor. 4: 6. It was marvellous to see, at the word of Christ, Lazarus, who was dead in his grave, come forth bound in his grave-clothes, John 11:44; and no less to see a soul dead in sin, at a word of Christ, come forth with spiritual life. "The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." John 5: 25.

6. This spiritual voice of Christ is convictive to the conscience of a sinner, so that it puts a final end to all evasions. While man only spoke, the soul had a thousand means to evade what was spoken; but now all debates are at an end—no more subterfuges and cunning evasions now. The Spirit, when he cometh, shall convince the world of sin. John 16:8. The word signifies to convince by demonstration, and to show that a thing cannot possibly be otherwise than we represent it to be. Formerly, when the terrors of God were threatened against sin, the heart was wont to say, This concerns me no more than another; if it go ill with me, it will go ill with thousands as well as It is true, this is my evil; and who is without sin? I

me.

have some evils in me, but I have some good too. But no sooner does the Spirit speak conviction to the conscience, than all these pleas are dismissed. It may be, the state of the sinner's soul was doubtful to him before; but it is not so now. It had some fears of hell, but they were balanced with some vain hopes of heaven; but now the great question is determined. Whatever I am or have, whatever duties I have done, and whatever sins I have avoided, I see I am not regenerated, I am in my natural, Christless state; and except I am changed, I must be lost. This was the effect of Christ's voice to Paul: I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Rom. 7:9. He had read the law many a time, and had the literal knowledge of it; but his vain hopes lived and flourished, until the spiritual sense of the law came home to his heart by the voice of the Spirit, and then his vain hopes died, and his guilt stared in the face of his conscience.

7. The voice of Christ is generally conveyed to the souls of men through the word preached, which is the chosen instrument of its conveyance. We cannot affirm that Christ always speaks to men in this way; but certainly this is his ordinary course: "Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost." 1 Thess. 1:5. Our gospel, because preached by us; but had that been all, it had come to you in word only, as it does to many thousands of others, who feel nothing in it more than what is human. But unto you it came in power and in the Holy Ghost; that is, our words were the vehicle through which the vital power of the Spirit was conveyed into your souls. Providences have their voice as well as the word; and sometimes the voice of Christ has accompanied the voice of providence, to the conversion of men's souls; but this is unusual. The established way of Christ's speaking to the hearts of sinby the word, and especially the word preached, which

is

on that account is called "the power of God unto salvation." Rom. 1:16. This instrument the Lord generally honors for the conveyance of spiritual life into the souls of men, though it is despised and contemned in the world. "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God," 1 Cor. 1:18; that is, the instrument by which the saving power of God communicates itself to the souls of men. And although God may exert his saving power through providences, we seldom find he does so where the word may be had, but is neglected. Herein God consults our peace and satisfaction; for if he should make use of another medium, as a voice from heaven, and after calling, which is an usual case, the called soul should question, How do I know but all this may be a delusion? may not Satan impose upon mortals, and this voice be a counterfeit? my eternal estate depends upon it, and I need to be sure it was the voice of God himself: in such a case, it would be hard to give such distinguishing characters as might be to the satisfaction of the soul. But when God makes the word his instrument in this matter, it yields abundantly more satisfaction. We have a more sure word of prophecy, surer than a voice from heaven. 2 Pet. 1:19. And though Paul was converted by a voice from heaven, yet the Lord sends him to Ananias, who should preach the gospel to him. Acts 9:17. The Lord will honor his word. Providence may prepare the heart, but the word is the instrument by which the Lord ordinarily puts forth his power to salvation.

8. The voice of Christ leaves abiding effects on the soul that hears it. The words of men are scattered to the wind, but the effects of Christ's voice are durable: "I will never forget thy precepts; for with them thou hast quickened me." Psa. 119: 93. How many hundred sermons have we heard, and all vanished away as a dream! Oh, but if ever thou heardst Christ speaking to thy heart in any ser

mon or prayer, that will remain with thee for ever. His words are sealed upon the soul for ever; they are written in the heart. Jer. 31:33. What Job wished concerning his word, is really performed in the words of Christ: “They are written as in the rock for ever." Job 19: 23. We have slippery memories, but the weakest memory must retain the words of Christ, spoken to the heart by his Spirit; for "He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction." Job 33: 16.

IV. I shall next speak of THE PERSON TO WHOM CHRIST ORDINARILY DIRECTS his efficacious and saving voice. And though it be true that the Spirit of Christ is a free agent, and calls whom he will, according to John 3: 8, "The wind bloweth where it listeth ;" and it is true, in fact, that Christ has made some of all ranks of men to hear his voice; it is seldom that he directs this saving voice to the great and wise of this world: "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called." 1 Cor. 1:26. He saith not any, but many. Christ does call some, "lest," as one says, "the world should think that Christians were deceived through their simplicity and weakness." One rich Joseph of Arimathea; one honorable Nicodemus, but not many. Men of the greatest renown in the world have been the fiercest enemies against Christ: Galen, the chief physician; Porphyry, the chief Aristotelian; Plotinus, the chief Platonist; Libanius and Lucian, the chief orators, were all professed enemies of Christ. Two things make a man great in the eyes of the world: the external endowments of Providence, heaping riches and honors upon him; and endowments of the mind, as strong reason, sharpness of wit, etc. When both these meet in the same person, they make him great in the eyes of the world, and usually in his own; yea, too great to stoop to the simplicity of the gospel, and its humbling, self-denying terms. These the Lord usually