OfIns ethialHearing the Word. be generallywritten or fpoken) fpeaks particularly to the veryheart ofa man, with a marvellous kind of Majefty and glory of God ftamp't upon it ; and fhining in it. When a man hears things generally delivered, the bleffed eftate ofthe Saints, the turfedeftate of the wick- ed, confolations to the one,kcurfes to the other, exhorta- tions to faith and obedience, to both , and a man fits by, and never thinks the Lord is now fpeaking, and means me. Or if it doth fo, yet thinks he intends men4 more than others, he hears not the Lord fpaking; for when he fpeaks, he fpeaks particularly to the very heart ofa man : he doth fo fir the word to him, whether it be the Word of the law to humble him, or of Gofpel to comfort, or ofcommand to guide, . as if the Lordmeant none but them. The word is Iike an exalt piffure, it looks everyman in the face that looks.on it, if God fpeaks in it,Heb. 4.12, 13. Itfearcheth the heart, verf. 12. but verf. 13. he fpeaks of God, how comes that in ? becaufe God, the Ma- jefty of God comes with it when God fpeaks it; With whom we have to do,whyis that put in ? becaufe when the Lord fpeaks, a man thinks now I have to do with God, if I refill I oppofe a God. Before this a man thinks he hath nothing todowith God, they are fuch firangers. Hence it is one man is wrought on in a Sermon, another not. GOd hath fngled out one, not the other that day. Hence take a man unhumbled, he hears many things, and it may be underfiands not ; iffo, yet they concern not him; if they do, and confcience is flirt'd, yet they thinkman means them, and fpeaks by hap, and others are as bad as they, and his troubie is not much. At IA he hears his fecret thoughts and fins difcovered, all his life is made known, and thinks 'tis the Lord verily that hath done this ; now God fpeaks, t Cor. t 4. 25. thofe things hedid neither believe nor imagine; &c. John 4. 29. See the marr that bath toldme all that ever I did. Hence take a foul that is humbled, he heares of the free offer of grace, he refufeth it; whoy,this is to all, and to hypocrites as well as tome. Apply any promife to it, it calls by all, it looks upon them as things generally fpoken , and applyedby man, but they hear not God fpeaking; but when che Lord comes, he doth fo meet with their obiedions, and fpeakswhat they have been thinking maybe true , that they think this is the Lord, this is ty me, jI'ofea 2. 14. l'le feat 95
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