chap.qSeCl:.j. 'ltUeJLorM ~upper. --~~------------~--- -.- .. ~·---- mentioned, yet it is llrange to fee how the foul looks at Ch~ill:, let the Word fpeak 1 Cor s·•4,<S what it will, if terror, Oh my rtccd ofChrijl ! 1f mercy and gr~c~, Oh rhe loveof CIJr!JI! Oh the blood ofChrijl! if-command, Oh thP.t I may ltv; to horJoJJr Clmfl ! I~ duties,,. Oh the eafieyoalz_ofChrijl! they look upon the whole Word nghtly d1fpenfed as the bndc~ _grooms voyce, and trucly his words are fwect. 3 . The voyce of the Lord comes with a certain everlafiing efficacy and pewer -upon the foul thus, Doth the Lord 9nce fpcak by the \Vord, and humble the heart; it ne– ver lifts up its head more: doth he reveale the ·glory of Chrilt? that light never g-oes ol<t more: cloth he g<v~ hfe? you flull never dye more, cloth he gtve I( a 6. 19 • peace and joy? no martjha/1 tak! their joy from them, doth he g<ve the fpirit of all thefc? ;'7" 11 " 21 it jha/1 abide for ever. Another man though wonderfully ravi01ed for a time, yet dyes, "" ' 4 · 1 , 7 moll: commonly outwardly in external profeffion, but ever in inward· favour. johrt John l·!S is a burning light (f1ia Chrilt to the Jews) andyou rcjoyccd :hcrrirt, but 'tis but fu;;afea 7 . Jo~,the evil fpirit comes 011 fome men,&DaVtd playes on.hts harpe,and !v!tntfters pre~ch fweet things,but as foon as the muGck <s done,the evtl frmt rcturns.O thts<S"not to hear the Lords voycc. The peace and joy of the Lord enters into eternity; a gracious heart can fay,thir peace jhal! go to heaven; this joy,a•d love,andfcare, it's rart of eternalglor")'.,, But may not many of the Saints heare, and heare the Lord fpcak; and yet not feele, 0 bjtEt this everlafting power and efficacy ? I would not lay a•foundation of unthankfulnels, nor difcourage any, and therefore Anfir•. note for anfwer thefe particulars-- '. There may be an eternal efficacy of the \Vord, and yet lye hid, and not felt for a · t time; as feed that is call: under the clod in winter time,is hid,and comes not to blade of a good while after ; fo the Lord may cafl: the feed of the VVord into the heart, bm it may be hidden for a time, and not be felt, yet there it is, and at b£1: it fhall fpring up; as many a father fpeaks to the child. and applies the VVord home to it, but the child regards it not, onely !l:ay fome time, till the Lord bring the child into fome fad'affiifiion, and then he cryes, I remember notv, rvhm my father onc?JPakf itniO me, · 2 . Alter a Chrifiian hath had the feeling of the efficacy of the Word, he may lofe the feeling of it againe, and yet the being of it may remain for; infiance, a Chri!l:ian may have by the Word a marvellous deal of affurance of Gods love, but he lofes his alfurance againe, his fun does fet, and it is midnight with him within twentie foure · houres, and he is as much in the dark as before; now the being of this alfurance is tliere, · but he hath not the feeling of it. J. The eternal efficacy ofthe Word and voyce of God, may be preferved inan "in- . ternal fpirit of prayer and longing. Thus. myfo~tl flirmh after thee(faith Davia) that Pjal. 6;. J' I may fee thyglory and thy power, as I havefecn thee in thy fan[fttary. He found a wan£ offeeing him as he had done, yet the vertue of it did remaine in a fpirit of thirlting and de/ire: A Chrill:ian may have at fome time fuch a glimpfe of Gods grace,and Gods love to him, that he may be in a little heaven at that time, yet God is gone again, and the foullofes it; now the fou l thinks, I have Lojlthe effica.y of Gods w·ord, but it is not fo, for thus it may be prefcrved. Oh that I mayfee this God as I have done! 4· AChriltian may have the cverla!l:ing efficacy of the Word and voyce of God pre– ferved in a fpirit of thankfulnefs and love to the Lord, for thofe joyes and good that it finds by the Word fomctimes: when it feels that the fwcet and favour of the \Vord is gone, a fpirit of thankfulnefs and love to the Word doth there remaine, and by this means the Lord cloth prefcrve the efficacy of the Word. I }hall prnifc thee ( faith David) P[•!, 1.9. 7 w;th upnghtnefs ofheart, when I ]hall have learned thy righteousj~tdgemems. A man ha· ' v!ng heard the Word, the Lord thereby works effectually on his foul, and changeth h1s heart? an.d draws him to himfelf, it n1ay be afterwards he cloth lofc thofe forrows, ~nd humthatto~s, and the remembrance of thofe things; yet there remaineth to his dymg day thts fptnt, he bleffeth God, and wondreth at God, that ever he fhould n"iake th~ Word efte&rall; that he fhould leave fo many thoufands in the world, and call his sklfl over htm, and fay to him, Live; this does remainc /till. 5· The eternal efficacy of the Word may be preferved in a power of confld again!l: th~ power of fin: and herem the Lords power of the Word doth prtnc<pally appear in thts ltfe. As thus ;_ the \Vord fingles a man out, and fpeaks to his heart, and fets him· ~t vanance With htsfin, and with himfelf for his 'fin, and he joyns fide with God in the ufe of_all means, .that his unbelieving hearr, and proud fpirit may be ftibdu~d; no,.,; there JS many a Chrii'tia n ihinks fhere is no power of the \Vord. Oh my unb<litj cominM m i11id
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