be supposed to be strongly inclined to receive and save allconvinced and willing sinners, this being the very end of my incarnation and death, but also to do the will of my Father, who hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted and anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. Isa. 61 1. And therefore no such soul can rationally doubt of a welcome reception with me. And because the fears of a convinced conscience are great and many, and Satan seeks to aggravate them beyond the hope of mercy, it is usual with the Lord to direct the trembling sinner to such a scripture as that in Heb. 7: 25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him;" making the fulness of Christ's saving power shine with a cheerful beam into the dark and distressed soul of a sinner, from such a word as that.

5. A fifth effect of Christ's powerful voice is an attractive efficacy or sweet alluring of the soul to Christ by that power which it communicates to the soul. "No man can

sent me draw

come to me, except the Father which hath him." "Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." John 6: 44, 45. Mark it, this voice speedily puts the soul into motion. after Christ; coming follows hearing: when once the soul has heard the voice of God, away it comes from all sinful engagements in the world; all ties between the soul and sin break asunder and give way; nothing can hold it from Christ. There is a strange restlessness in the spirit of man, and none but Christ can quiet it.

6. And then the effect of Christ's voice is rest and consolation to the inner man. When once the soul is come home to Christ by the efficacy of his heavenly call or voice, it enters into peace. "We which have believed, do enter into rest," Heb. 4: 3- -not only shall, but do enter into rest. As the first effect of Christ's voice was terror to the soul, so the last effect is peace; it puts the soul into the most excel

lent position for comfort and joy; it never stood upon such ground before; for this vocation stands between predestination and glorification: "Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. 8:30. See here into what a blessed mount of vision the voice of Christ calls the souls of sinners. Let the soul look backward or forward from eternity to eternity, there is nothing but a vision of peace before its eyes. This call of God points backward to God's eternal choice, which by this very call it is now manifest he made of that soul before the world was; and it points forward to that eternal glory unto which God is leading it. These are the effects of this almighty voice of Christ, and these the special instructions sealed by it upon the hearts of men.

But this voice of Christ is not heard at all times, but in some special hour-as Christ calls it, "The hour when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God." John 5: 25. And elsewhere, by the apostle, it is called the accepted time, the day of salvation. 2 Cor. 6: 2. The conjunction of the Spirit of Christ with the word, ordinances, or providences of God, but especially the word, makes this blessed hour. The word alone, though never so well preached, conduces no more to the conviction and salvation of a sinner, than the waters of Bethesda did to healing when the angel came not down to trouble them. John 5: 4. But when the Lord pours out his Spirit with the word, according to the promise, "I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you," Prov. 1:23, then Christ speaks to the heart; this great conjunction of the word and Spirit makes that blessed season of salvation the time of love and of life. Now the voice of Christ is heard with effect, and the ordinances have a convincing and converting efficacy. There was an abundant effusion of the Spirit in the first age of Christianity, and then the voice of Christ was heard

by multitudes of souls at once.

There has since been a

restraint of the Spirit, comparatively speaking; whereas three thousand souls were then converted at one sermon, possibly three thousand sermons have since been preached, and not one soul effectually called. This has made the church like a wilderness, a land of drought; and so it is likely to remain, "until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field," according to the promise, Isa. 32: 15. And such a time we expect ; Lord, hasten it, when the waters of the ordinances shall be healed, and "every thing that liveth, which moveth whithersoever the river shall come, shall live. And fishers shall stand upon it, from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many." Ezek. 47 9, 10. Then ministers shall no longer fish with angles, catching now one and then another; but shall spread forth their nets and inclose multitudes of

converts.

There are some happy seasons wherein Christ utters his almighty voice in the word, but their time is unknown to man; we cannot say when it will come, but are to wait for it as the man did at the pool of Bethesda. Ministers must preach in hope, and wait in hope, if at any time God will give the people repentance. 2 Tim. 2: 25. We are often mistaken in our conjectures: when we have made the best preparations, and have a more than ordinary enlargement of spirit, we are apt to conclude this is the blessed hour wherein Christ will speak to the heart as we do to the ear; but we often find ourselves mistaken; yet we must wait in hope, and so must our people. Such a happy time may come, and when it doth it will be a day for ever to be remembered, because then the first actual application of Christ will be made to your souls; without which all that the Father has done in election, and the Son in his redemption,

would be of no advantage to your souls. And therefore you shall find that this work of the Spirit stands between those works, and makes them effectual to our salvation. 1 Pet. 1:2. This is the hour upon which our eternal blessedness depends; it will be celebrated for ever in your praises, in the world to come. O what an influence has this hour to all eternity! The hearing of this voice of Christ opens the councils of heaven, and brings to light the eternal counsels of God concerning you: "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost." 1 Thess. 1:4, 5. This gives greater assurance of the eternal love of God to a man's soul, than the sweetest smile of providence or any voice from heaven could do. This is the day of our spiritual resurrection, John 5: 25—a greater and more glorious resurrection by far than that of your bodies at the last day; so much greater, as the value of your souls is above that of your bodies: as also, because the blessedness of your bodily resurrection depends on this your spiritual resurrection by the voice of Christ. Dreadful will the voice of Christ be at the resurrection of your bodies, except you first hear this vital voice of Christ quickening your souls with spiritual life. To conclude, this is the great era from which you are to date all your spiritual mercies; for as the Lord said unto the Jews, "From this day will I bless you," Hag. 2:19; so saith the Lord to you, From this hour wherein you have heard and obeyed the voice of Christ, will I bless you for ever with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him.

INFERENCE 1. This point presents us with abundant matter of lamentation over multitudes who sit under the sound of the gospel, yet, as Christ speaks of the Jews, John 5: 37, have not heard the voice of God at any time. The ministerial voice of Christ they hear daily; but this efficacious internal voice, which makes the ministerial voice the word of life and power, they have not heard. The gospel,

The

to most of our hearers, is but an empty sound: this is a sad symptom. 'If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not." 2 Cor. 4: 3, 4. This hiding of the gospel is not opposed to the external ministration of it, nor to the understanding of the true sense and meaning of the truths delivered by it; but to that internal efficacy which is here called hearing Christ's voice. Our hearers are generally satisfied when they have heard a sermon, much more if they can remember something of it, though the Lord has not spoken one truth they have heard home to their hearts. This is a sad case, and God grant it be not that very judgment threatened, Isa. 6: 9, "Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." Hearing the voice of man without feeling the power of God, is all one as if we heard not. Reflect upon this, you that are as unconcerned under the word as the seats you sit upon. God speaketh once, yea, twice, but man perceiveth it not. eternal decrees and counsels of God are now executing upon the souls of men under the gospel. As many as are ordained to eternal life shall believe and feel the power of God's truth upon their hearts. Acts 13:48. And methinks it should be of startling consideration, when you see others struck to the heart, cast into fear and tremblings by the same word that does not in the least touch your hearts. may be you think this is but fancy and melancholy, but that very thought is an artifice of Satan to blind your eyes. Christ made another use of it when he told the secure and self-righteous Jews, John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward that ye might believe him." Matt. 21:32. As though he had said, What did you do to quiet your consciences, when you saw other sinners humbled and brought to faith under John's ministry? It is strange there

It