Chap. 4o. 9jnExpolition upon the Book of J o a. Verf. 9, 563 dered,that in many places of Scripture,where the eminent judg- ments of Godare mentioned, hisvoice or thunder is mentioned, asgoing before or accompanying, chofe folemn and tremendous di(penfations(Pfal. 18. 13. Pfal. 68. 33,34, 35 ¡fa. 30.30. fer. 25.3o. Joel 4.16.) To conclude this point, feeiog there is a power, like that of thunder, going forth with the voice of God, in the effe&ual mi- nifirations of his Word; let us well confider , whether God bath fpoken to us effeetually, yea or no ; have we known the thunder of his Spirit ? hath there come a mighty power upon us, with the voice of his Word ? if, the voice bath not reach's our hearts, and reformed our lives, we have not heard the thunder of Gods voice, but only the voice of man, or a found in the air beating the outward ear. Naturali(l:s fay from experience, that by the power of thunder and lightning, the fword is f©metimes melted, while the fcabbard is unhurt. And from experience, they that are fpiritual can alto fay, that the thunder of Gods voice melteth the foul, while it only toucheth the ear. Therefore we have reafon diligently to enquire, what power bath come with the Word fpoken ; have we found the commanding,the promifing, the threatning, the inflruaing, the comforting voices of God ef- fc&ual upon our hearts ? Bleffed are they who have been thus thunder-firuck. And all they who have been thus (irucken out of themfelves and into Chri(lr may truly fay, what that people faid flattering andblafphemoufly, at the Oration of Herod(Ais 1 i. 22.) It rs the voter of God, and not of man. Though the foundof the words came in mans voice, yet thepower of them came insods voice ; for who can thunder with a voice likehim ? or who indeed bath any thing like fuck thunder in his voice but he? Further,the Lords defignbeing'to humble Job,in putting there queflions, Hall thou anarm like God ? or cant tbou thunder with a voice 1ika bim ? Note ; Man is never convinced, either of be o,nn weaknefs and un- wortbinefi, till be re taught to confider the power, greatneft, andorngbtinefs of god, Till God is great and high in our thoughts, we are great and Cccc 2 high
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