exhort one another whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Brotherly exhortation is a remedy against Apostasie of heart for though a man cannot convince another yet he may exhort him and 't is to be done in season whiles it 's called to day with due respect and taking notice of what good there is with much wisdome and a spirit of humility or else thou spoilest all thou medlest withall putting your selves in their estate and with hearty unfeigned prayer that the Lord would accompany the same with his blessing Heb. 10. 24. Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Look over the Congregation and consider such a Brothers or Sisters estate one is poor and low another falling another very much altered Now in some cases a private Brother may do more than a Minister the Lord help us and stir us up to this work Now when this is neglected many soules are hardned 4. Instructing and teaching one another as occasion serves Rom. 15. 14. And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that you also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another They were able for to instruct and teach one another Isa. 54. 13. They shall be all taught of God What God teacheth thee that do thou teach others what thou gainest by hearing or by praying or meditation by putting questions to others sometimes to teach and sometimes to be taught and this do if possible in all occasionall meetings and worldly discourses mix with it some sweet truth that God hath taught thee But now on the other side when Christians shall meet and a 〈◊〉 is the worse for their fruitlesse discourse no savoâ—â— of any thing of God Let them meet never so long or oâ—â—en walking or sitting this is sad 5. In Comforting those that be sad Thes. 5. 14. and 4. ult Comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak wherefore comfort one another with these woâ—â—s There are many sad hearts in Gods Church and sad things are as wounds to a mans limbs that make him halt or fall Oh brethren be much in this work 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That a soul may say such a one came to me and spake some few words to me but they were as seasonable as though the Lord had sent an Angel from heaven to speak to me and of more worth than if he had given me â—any pounds But now when this also is neglected that one Christian hath not a word of encouragement to another but dry and savourless discourse this the Lord takes very ill at the hands of his people that have received comfort from himself in the day of their sorrow and distresse 6. Restoring a Brother fallen with a spirit of meekness Gal. 6. 1 2. Brethren of any be overtaken with a fault ye which are sprituall restore such a one with a spirit of meeknesse Oh how will a poor soul blesse the for such a Brothers prayers admonitions and exhortations when the Lord shall have brought his heart back again to himself although before he did most of all disesteem and vilâ—fie him Now when these are not used or not with a spirit of meeknesse improved that a man never blesseth God for these the Lord Jesus is pulled down from his throne when not done according to the ability time and place that the Lord affords And this I wish the Churches mourn not for another day For my own part I do adjudge my self before God and men as most guilty of this that I enjoy many sweet Ordinances and we improve them not and hence the glory of the Lord fils not his Tabernacle abides not on his Churches either to draw others to them or to make others abundantly blesse God for them Now here I will shew you the causes of this 1. Not gaining much in private duties in Prayer Meditation Reading and daily Examination of a mans own heart And hence they cannot do good because they receive none or very little themselves they have not a treasure within hence they can spend little have no heart or ability to exhort instruct comfort He that keeps not his shop his shop will never keep him As Psal 41. 6. His heart gathereth iniquity to it self when he goeth abroad he telleth it 2. A low spirit which makes a man to have low thoughts and endeavours I mean not an humble but a narrow spirit not inlarged to hold much or to do much hence it doth little As take a plain Countrey-man he neither seeks or regards the affaires of the State in publick because his spirit and condition is low but Princes do mind and attend to the affaires of the Kingdome to advance it because their condition is high and they know it Moses he suffered reproach with the people of God losse of all the honour and pleasure of Pharaâ—hs out feared not Pharaoh nor losse of life for their sakes For he saw that God which is invisible like Saul when once a Ringdome comes to be in his eye he leaves off to seek the Asses 3. Sloth There are Thornes Prov. 15. 19. and Lions Prov. 26. 13. in a sluggards way There be many difficulties businesses occasions and objections when as if once he were resolved to break thorough them then the work would go on Like a man when he is in his warm bed he is loth to rise but when he is up he would not be in his bed again if he might be hired again to put off his clothes I shall get no good saith one nor do none saith another and when these businesses are past and occasions over and at another time I will seek God and go about Gods work and thus a slothfull spirit hinders 4. Want of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. We believe and hence we speak Faith empties us most and hence fils us with Spirit and Life of Christ Jesus hence Steven full of faith and the holy Ghost A lively Christian when he comes in another Christians company it may be he knows not what to speak but he looks up to Christ and sayes Now Lord here is an opportunity in doing or receiving some good and therefore now Lord help 5. Want of fear of God and consolation of the spirit of God from the sense of Gods love Acts 9. 31. They walâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the fear of the Lord and consolations of thâ— Holy Ghost the Church was edified by the consolations of the Holy Ghost A man that 's wounded keeps within and stirs not but when he is in health and strength now hard work is his meat he cannot live except he work 1 Cor. 15. ult 6. Not considering the shortnesse of our time of sowing Heb. 10. 25. Whereas if men were on their death-bed they would wish Oh that I had walked more
that now had the Lord Jesus the honours of the world attending on them then they could make much of them but because they come with poverty therefore they can plot and speak against them and in time come to cast off the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus It is certain the Lord hath bondage for such soules and you will certainly find this true one day Mal. 3. 14 15. The people they say What profit is it that we have served the Lord and that we have walked mournfully before him and hence they forsook the Lord Hence Chap. â— 1. the Lord threatens that He will burn them up both root and branch The Lord hath consuming fire for such one day The Ordinances of the Lord were too costly for you Mark 12. 9. 8. The Lord hath his Vine-yard he lets it out to husbandmen and he sends for the fruit and at last the Son bimself comes to call for fruit Now say they Here is the son let us kill him Why what is the matter out of gain that is the businesse That the inheritance may be ours Here is this gain to be without them and therefore to cast off Christ What will the Lord do to these husband-men he will take away his Vine-yard frrom them c. It is the speech of Luthâ—r Venter in omni religione potentissiâ—um Idolum When the Belly is served Christ must be destroyed Men may have this quiet life without these Ordinances and hence men bear a privy grudge against the Ordinances of the Lord because the belly is not served Look as it was with the â—ews they looked for a glorious King to come to them and Christ câ—me and though they were told of it before when he came he had nothing but his Crâ—sse and he tels them If they will be his Disciples they must take his Crosse. But now because he came not with pomp but only with his crosse this is the great reason why to this day the Jeâ—es do set themselves against the Lord Jesus Chrâ—â—â— the Crosse came with Christ that 's the cause of it So when men shall look for great things from the Ordinances of Christ and when they come to enjoy them they meet with nothing else but Christ and his Crâ—sse and disappointments and desertions when they meet with this then Christ is cast off and they professe he is no King and Cesar is our King and if we take this man to be our King the Romanes will ruine us I know it is a hard trial for a man to be put to such a strait for the Lord to advance the price of his Ordinances at that high rate that all must be parted with for the enjoyment of them But yet notwithstanding he is for ever unworthy to have the Lord Jesus to rule him that shall therefore make him a King as they did Iohn 6. He was their Cook therefore they made him King Therefore this I say take heed of disputing against or denying or nullifying not only outwardly but in thy very heart secretly any of Gods Ordinances for that the Lord complains of his people that their hearts went after their wickednesse Oh take heed of doing thus against any one of Gods Ordinances because straits do attend on them It was the speech of David Ps. 119. Thy law is pure therefore thy servant loveth it Suppose thou shouldest never get any good by any of Gods Ordinances yet thy law is pure the fault is in thy own heart and certainly the Lord he will remember as there he speaketh Ierem. â— 2. I remember the love of thine espousals when thou didst follow me in a land of barrennesse in a land where there was no water Thy life shall be precious to the Lord that shall follow the Lord in all afflictions yet thy heatt doth cleave to the Lord and follow the Lord in all his Ordinances therefore this is that I would say there are many wants now in the countrey But yet notwithstanding let the people of God get neer to Christ speak often one to another and find out wayes and means to pay your debts and lye down at the feet of the Lord Jesus and be content if the Lord will have it so to be nothing be content thus and though thou dost not find any benefit from the Ordinance of the Lord as yet yet notwithstanding loath thy own heart but love them yet seek after the Lord and look to the Lord in them And this is certain the Lord hath blessings for his people not only in this life but as he there speaketh to his Disciples when they say to him Lord what shall we have saith the Lord to them You that have followed me you shall sit on thrones But take heed of this if once ye come to slight Ordinances and cast off Ordinances because of these straits and wants and so forth And what are your Ordinances c and a generation of men risen up I think Christians should send forth their gronings to the Lord that the terrour of the Lord may fall upon them they deny all the Ordinances of the Lord and the Spirit must teach us only 'T is true the Spirit must do it but will ye therefore take away the means and hence the very Scripture is made an Alphabet for children and so they do destroy the Ordinances of the Lord. Beloved if it be from this principle take heed of it for if it be ye will certainly find bondage 4. When men do not thus pull down the Ordinances the throne of Christ but drive the Lord Jesus away out of his Ordinances though they have his Ordinances with them by their secret defilings pollutions spiritual pollutions of the glorious Ordinances of Christ this the Lord frequently complaineth of in Ierem. and Ezek. The very great reason why the Lord did leave his Temple where their fathers did praise the Lord they had polluted and defiled it that was the reason of it They had driven the Lord away from his throne and this doth pull down the princely power of the Lord in his Churches I know there be many sins and defilements and the sons of men have hidden wayes of polluting the Ordinances of the Lord that a man shall sit undet all the Ordinances of the Lord and as it is said of Mount Gilboah not any dew fall upon him never see good when good comes the Lord is not dear that is the reason of it Oh thy secret defilements of the Ordinances of the Lord have driven the Lord far from you There are many I shall only name three principally that there may be a little heed taken of them First When there is a secret contempt grown upon a mans spirit of the Ordinances of Christ attended with a secret wearinesse of them this doth now pollute the Ordinances of the Lord and this doth drive the Lord from his Ordinances Mal. 1. 7. Ye have offered polluted bread wherein have we done it say they this was the cause of
shal grace reign unto eternall life Rom. 5. 21. He will bestow on you the sure mercies of David by an everlasting Covenant Isa. 55. 5. Quest. But wherein should I submit to the Lord Answ. None have power to rule conscience but Christ give him therefore this glory that wherein he bindes conscience conscience not out of fear but love may indeed submit I have instanced the particulars formerly yet more distinctly There be two great commands or charges of Christ that lye upon all mens consciences to whom the Gospell comes and therein lyes our service of him generally Which two I name because there we think we are free or do not know our liberty First The command of Christ is that every one to whom the Gospell comes and is preached do believe i. e. receive Christ Jesus in all his fulnesse in the Gospel Iohn 1. 12. For that is to believe in which command lies Gods offer 1 Iohn 5. 23. This is his commandment that ye believe John 6. 25 37 38. This is the work of God that ye believe Now here men think they are free 1. They say they are unworthy and hence they say Depart from me Lord I am a sinfull man as if Gods grace was built on mans worthinesse 2. Because unhumbled whereas Gods grace calls in men unhumbled Rev. 8. 17 18. For Gods call and offer is generall though none but the humble will hearken to it But there are none but it may be said to them If they can believe let them 3. Because Christ is not theirs are they bound to believe he is Whereas the first act of faith is not to believe Christ is mine then men were bound to believe a lie But to receive Christ as a woman her husband that he may be mine by saith and so a man may know and say he is mine The Gospell doth no where say to any man Christ is thine but if thou receive him he is thine and consequently the Spirit speaks so also 4. Because they cannot believe unlesse they should presume as if the Gospell bound the conscience of none to believe but them that were able to believe it and receive Christ in it yet 't is otherwise for it binds all to receive Christ Jesus to go up and possesse him to feed eat 〈◊〉 and live for ever And I will leave this one 〈◊〉 argument If men are liable to eternall conâ—â—â—mation at the great and last day and to bear the 〈◊〉 wrath of God and Christ also for disobeying the Gospell for refusing Christ and the offer of his grace therein Then those mens consciences are bound to obey the Gospell i. e. to believe and receive Christ now in this life But all that have the Gospell preached to them are liable to eternall condemnation for disobedience to it Iohn 3. 18 19. Psal. 2. 12. Kisse the Son lest he be angâ—y So. 2 Thes. 2. 8 9. He comes to render vengeance on them that obey not the Gospell Rom. â— 10. The Lord shall judge the secrets of all hearts by my Gospell That is where ever the Gospell comes for they that have no law having no law shall not by judged by it But men that have had the Gospell shall be judged by it and therefore are bound to obedience thereunto The serious consideration of which one truth is enough to draw all 〈…〉 from the power of unbelief especially they that say I cannot or ought not believe For the reason why meâ— do not come is 1. They think the Gospell concerns not them what doth the Lord say to me come so vile and sinfull yes that he doth if there was no such law there could be no transgression or condemnation 2. They think they shall presume No if conscience be bound to it 't is no prefumption to keep a Sabbath aright or to receive Christ as God offers him Oh this quiets conscience 3. The Lord layes his chain on the most tender place of conscience as it will answer it at the great day or will have any peace take heed you refuse not so great salvation 4. 'T is a chain not of bondage but of liberty and mercy and love Come and receive not a Kingdome but Christ Peace pardon and grace freely which may draw the heart as it will at the great and last day Come ye blessed take a Kingdome take a Christ prepared for you from before the foundation of the world Oh that this might sound in your eares This is the first and chiefest without this all your obedience is hypocrisie and abominable but this will please and then all poor obedience shall please Secondly Love unto the whole will of Christ especially to that part of it to love those that be the members of Christ. Some Christians they believe and feeling a heart so crosse to Christ and the will of God think they are from under the government of God and Christ so from under the grace of Christ and the argument is strong if true but why not under his government because they find daily a spirit so crosse to the will of Christ and hence under continuall fears of condemnation Oh but consider hast thou no love to the will of Christ and law of God for if any believe this is found in him if so then under Christs Government Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the spirit of life hath made me free What is that Law See Chap. 7. 23 24. Spirit of delight in the Law in the inner man and mourning for contrary captivity Know therefore though you cannot do all yet love the whole will of God and mourn where you do not and then say Now no condemnation Do not say 'T is impossible Oh here is mens wo and tryall of subjection to Christs will How do you love it love his Sabbaths and Ordinances because of his love to you How do's this constrain you In particular Love the people of God that is his speciall commandment 1 Iohn 3. 23. Iohn 13. 34. But now the want hereof or the contrary hereto As when a man shall become 1. A Distaster 2. A Contemner 3. A Censurer and whisperer 4. A Sooffer 5. If met on a Bridge an opposer of the Truths or servants of God This is that which kindles wrath and wherein the inward venome of hypocrisie appears There 's many duties neglected and not that spirit of prayer and holy conferences amongst Christians yet do you keep love to them that what you cannot do your selves yet you love others that can do it and account it your blessednesse to be like them and daily mourn under your neglects that in every thing the Gospel is not adorned by you on the other side although you have many duties Sabbaths and good acts yet if not love all is vile I fear 't is not mens joy sweetnesse delight to hear the least good word that falls from a good mans lips but rather the truths and things of God despised if so then look for
wo. And for 〈…〉 Christ their lives not desired their deaths not lamented but you know how to contend and are carelesse though the Gospell and God be slandered you 〈◊〉 of the Lords yoke It was one mans speech that the great sin of this Countrey will be hatred of the Saints a scornful contempt of them It will come by degrees first distaste and then censure and contemne Oâ— but if herein you submit herein Christ is honoured and Gospell glorified in love and amiablenesse Not in a rigorous austerity of spirit and diabolicall censoriousnesse but in word and deed countenance and gesture comforting and encouraging one another When David would know what to do Truly saith he my goodnesse extends not to thee but to the Saints in whom is all my delight Oh therefore submit here this conscience calls for and Christ must have To conclude with a word for help here Means 1. Look to Gods Ordinances not as they be in themselves but as appointed of God to communicate an almighty power of spirit to them that wait on the Lord in them An almighty power must overcome and go on Conquering and to Conquer How shall we have this by Gods Ordinances Some more principall as Word and Sacraments some lesse How shall we partake of this power in them Look not on them in themselves but as appointed and sanctified and so as glorious And there pray and wait and look for the power nay believe you shall receive this power As the 〈◊〉 of Iordan to Naâ—man How did they cleanse Whe◠〈◊〉 lookt upon them without the command and 〈◊〉 he despised theâ— and so found not the benefit of them but afterwards hee found the benefit of them when he washed seven times in attendance to the appointment of God Brethren it is but go and wash here 1 Cor. 10. 5. Means 2. Know your disobedience the breadth of it Some things Christians see and pray against them and then all is well but see the breadth of evill in your disobedience There is something that doth oppose God in every lawfull thing in whole or in part for flesh is in it or else you are blinded if you see it not Oh therefore feel the breadth of evill in it that being sensible of and humbled under and striving against your continuall disobedience every thought may be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ. OF INEFFECTVALL HEARING JOHN 5. 37. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape FRom the 31. Vers. to the end of this Chapter Our Saviour proves that he was the Messiah to come from four testimonies 1. From the testimony of Iohn the first yet the least yet very strong and full vers 32 33. 2. From the testimony of his works greater than that of Iohn vers 36. 3. From the testimony of the Father by his voice from heaven vers 37. 4. From the voice of the Scriptures the highest of all and surer than a voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. vers 39 46. Now these words are annexed to the third testimony which I told you is the voyce of God from heaven set down Mat. 3. 17. For this Testimony of the Father â—s not the inward testimony of the Spirit only Because Christ speaks of publick and evident testimonies in this place noâ— is it meant of the testimony of the Father in the Scripture for that is a distinct testimony and â—â—ough the Father doth testifie of Christ in the Scriptures yet 't is not as his testimony no more than the testimony of Iohn and of his works whereby the Father did testifie also Nor is it probable that our Saviour would at this time omit that famous testimony of the Father at his Baptism which if it be not here is no where in this Chapter Beside how is this testimony the Fathers more than the Spirits but then being called his Son he did evidently declare himself to be the Father that spake Lastly the Spirits testimony is spoken of as the testimony of Moses and the Prophets Vers. 46 47. For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wâ—ote of me vers 47. For if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye believe my words Now our Saviour in these words answers an Objection which the Jewes ever conceited of their own knowledge might make We know the Father as well as you and yet we know no such testimony that he gives Christ answers You do not know him for the certain knowledge of a thing is either by seeing or hearing now you never saw him nor heard him you have therefore no acquaintance with him So that the words contain 1. Christs fearfull accusation of the Jews to be ignorant of God 2. The aggravation and extent of it at no time i. e. not only at Baptism but at no other time in any Ministery or in any Scripture c. Quest. 1. What is it not to see his shape nor hear his voice Answ. Some think they are metaphorical speeches to expresse their ignorance of God Now though this be the scope and the general truth yet I conceive the Lord speaking particularly and knowing what he spake intends something particularly and it is a rule never to flie to metaphors where there can be a plain sense given There is therefore two degrees of true knowledge of God in this life or 't is attained unto by a double means 1. By hearing of him for hence our faith comes by the Word 2. By hearing thus from him the mind also comes to have a true Idea of God as he reveals himself in the Word and Means by the Spirit Iob 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee and this is the shape here spoken of not bodily and carnall Now Christ doth professe that they did want both Carnal and unregenerate hearts neither hear Gods voyce nor have a right Idea of God in their minds but become vain in their minds though they have means of knowing and their foolish hearts are darkned the wiser they be the more foolish they grow 2. At no time i. e. neither at baptism nor else in any mans Ministery nor in any of the Scriptures which you read and where the Lord speaks 3. But did they not hear the voice of God at Christs baptism and at the Mount when Christ preach't when the Scriptures were opened every Lords day and at other times amongst them Answ. No they never heard it It 's a strange thing that such men that read heard preach'd remembred the Scriptures and could tell you mysteries in titles never heard the voice of God and yet it is most true Observat. That many men may a long time together know and hear the Word of God written and spoken yet never hear the Lord speaking that Word no not so much as one word tittle or syllable no not so much at once at any time This was the estate of
under the ground and the tombitâ—ne is laid upon them If Christ spake he would make the dead to hear and the blind to see Vse 2. Hence see why the Saints find such changes and alterations in themselves when they come to hear sometimes their hearts are quickned fed and cherished healed and comforted relieved and visited sometime again dead and senselesse heavy and hardned Mark 8. 17 18 21. How is it ye do not understand Nay which is more that the same truth which they hear at one time should affect them and at another time doth not the same thing which they have heard a hundred times and never stirr'd them at last should The reason is they heard the Word of God spoken at one time but not God speaking and they heard the Lord speaking that same Word at another time the Lord is in his Word at one time the Word goes alone at another time as in Eliah the Lord was not in the whirlwind but he spake in the still voice and hence there he was to Elijah Luke 24. 25. with 32. not that you are to lay blame on the Lord for he blows where he listeth but to make us see 't is not in outward means nor 't is not in our own spirits to quicken our selves and to make us ashamed of our own darknesse that when he speaks yet we cannot hear there is so much power of spiritual death and Satan yet within us only out of his pitty he speaks sometimes not that you should despise the outward word No no the Lord is there shining in Perfection of glory and that which doth thee no good the Lord makes powerfull to some others But prize the Spirit of God in that Word which alone can speak to thee Vse 3. Of dread and terrour to all unregenerate men Hence see the heavy wrath of God against them they have indeed the Scriptures and the precious Word of God dispensed to them but the Lord never speakes one word unto them If any one from whom we expect and look for love passe by us and never speak What not speak a word and we call to him and he will not speak we conclude he is angry and displeased with us You look for love do you not you that hear every Sabbath and come to Lectures and you must out t is well yes you will say His love is better than life frowns more bitter than death Love wo to me if the Lord do not love me better never been born I hope he loves me Happy I if the mountains might fall on me to crush me in pieces if he loves me not c. but consider if he loves he will then speak peace unspeakable to thy conscience when humbled life to thy heart joy in the Holy Ghost Isa. 57. 19. Iohn 6. 63. 1 Thes. 1. 6. but look upon thy soul and see this day in the sight of God whether ever the Lordspake one word to thee outwardly indeed he hath but not inwardly inwardly also but not effectually to turn them from darknesse to light and the power of Satan to God c. The voyce of God is full of Majesty it shakes the heart 't is full of life it quickens the dead and light and peace and gives wisdom to the simple Ps. 119. Opening of thy word gives light to the eyes How many women ever learning and never knowing and many men learning and knowing what is said but never hear God speak Then know the wrath of the Lord see and go home mourning under it There is a fourfold wrath in this 1. 'T is the Lords sore wrath and displeasure Zach. 1. 2. with vers 4. If one should expect love from another to do much for him and he did not it may be he would not take it as a signe of displeasure but if he will not do a small thing not speak a word to him oh this is bitter what will not the Lord speak a word not one word especially when thy life lies on it thy soul lies on it eternity lies on it especially the Lord that is so mercifull and and pittifull this is a sign of sore anger 2. 'T is a token of Gods old displeasure eternall displeasure I know you cannot hear hence though God speaks you hear him not but why doth not the Lord remove that deafnesse you old hearers that have ears fat with hearing but heavy he never intended love else he would speak there would be some time of love Rom. 11. 7 8. The Elect have had it others are blinded as 't is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this day 3. 'T is the Lords present displeasure When a man looks for love and speech and he doth not speak at those times he is not wont to speak one may take it as no sign of anger but when the Lord shall speak usually and then he speaks not this is a sad sign 1 Sam. 28. 6 15. He cries out of this He answors me not by Urim nor dreams nor thee by the Gospel nor Law neither where he useth to answer If this anger were to come it were some comfort but when 't is now upon thee even that very Sermon and Word whereby he speaks to others but not a word to thee 4. 'T is his insensible anger for a fat heart and an heavy ear ever go together for you will say I feel no hurt in this I have heard and been never the better but yet that hath made me never the worse Oh poor creature 't is because you feel it not but when the time of misery shall come you will say This is wo and load enough for the Lord to give no answer Psal. 71. 9. We see not our Prophets nor any to tell us how long so you that despise means you shall then lament and say none can tell how long Oh therefore lament this thy condition now that the Lord may hear some of your cries c. Vse 4. Hence examine whether ever you heard the Lords voice or no not only outwardly for that you know you have often done but inwardly and not only so for so ye may do and yet your eares heavy but effectually that if it be not so you may be humble and say Lord how have I spent my time in vain and if it be so you may be thankfull and say Lord what am I that the infinite God should speak to me There is great need of trial of this for a man may read hear and understand externally what ever another may and yet the whole Scripture a sealed Book There are therefore these three degrees by which you shall discern the effectuall voice of God you must take them joyntly 1. The voice of God singles a man out and though it be generally written or spoken speaks particularly to the very heart of a man with a marvellous kind of Majesty and glory of