I. Almighty Efficacy, to quicken and open the Heart with a word. O what manner of voice is this, which carries such a vital power along with it! In all the mighty works of Christ, his power was still put forth in some voice, as at the Resurrection of Lazarus, John 11. 43. He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth; and he that was dead came forth. So in the curing of the deaf Man, Mark 7. 34. He saith unto him Ephphathai, and straight way his Ears were opened. Thus in the exerting of his Almighty glorious power in quickening, a Soul Spiritually dead, and opening the Heart that was locked up by ignorance and unbelief; an Internal Almighty Efficacy passeth ⟨p. 281⟩from Christ, along with the voice of the Gospel, to effect this glorious work upon the Soul; an Emblem where of we have in Ezek. 37. 9, 10. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, Son of Man to the wind, saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood up upon their Feet, an exceeding great Army. The animating vital breath which quickened the dead, came in or with the four winds of Heaven; as this Almighty power of Christ doth with the sound of the Gospel; and before it the Heart opens, the Will bows, Psal. 110. 3. Man can no longer oppose the power of God; Man and Man stand upon equal ground; the power of Man can repel the power of a fellow creature; but when the power of Christ comes along with the voice of Man, there is no more power to resist.* This voice of Christ then, of which the Text speaks,2 is an Almighty impression made upon the Soul of a sinner from Heaven; which is to that Soul in stead of a voice; and as fully expressive of Gods mind concerning it, as any Articulate voice in the World can be. It is a beam of light shining immediately from the Spirit, into the Soul of a sinner; as plainly and evidently discovering both its danger and duty, as if a voice from Heaven had declared them▪ thus it is said, Isa. 8. 11. The Lord spake to Isaiah with a strong Hand, that is, by a mighty impression upon the Prophets Spirit, which was as a voice to him; thus here, the Lord not only directs a suitable word to a sinners condition;
I. Almighty Efficacy, to quicken and open the Heart with a word. O what manner of voice is this, which carries such a vital power along with it! In all the mighty works of Christ, his power was still put forth in some voice, as at the Resurrection of Lazarus, John 11. 43. He cryed with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth; and he that was dead came forth. So in the curing of the deaf Man, Mark 7. 34. He saith unto him Ephphathai, and straight way his Ears were opened. Thus in the exerting of his Almighty glorious power in quickning, a Soul Spiritually dead, and opening the Heart that was lockt up by ignorance and unbelief; an Internal Almighty Efficacy passeth ⟨p. 281⟩from Christ, along with the voice of the Gospel, to effect this glorious work upon the Soul; an Emblem where of we have in Ezek. 37. 9, 10. Then said he unto me, Prophesie unto the wind, prophesie, Son of Man to the wind, saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood up upon their Feet, an exceeding great Army. The animating vital breath which quickned the dead, came in or with the four winds of Heaven; as this Almighty power of Christ doth with the sound of the Gospel; and before it the Heart opens, the Will bows, Psal. 110. 3. Man can no longer oppose the power of God; Man and Man stand upon equal ground; the power of Man can repel the power of a fellow creature; but when the power of Christ comes along with the voice of Man, there is no more power to resist.* This voice of Christ then, of which the Text speaks,2 is an Almighty impression made upon the Soul of a sinner from Heaven; which is to that Soul in stead of a voice; and as fully expressive of Gods mind concerning it, as any Articulate voice in the World can be. It is a beam of light shining immediately from the Spirit, into the Soul of a sinner; as plainly and evidently discovering both its danger and duty, as if a voice from Heaven had declared them▪ thus it is said, Isa. 8. 11. The Lord spake to Isaiah with a strong Hand, that is, by a mighty impression upon the Prophets Spirit, which was as a voice to him; thus here, the Lord not only directs a suitable word to a sinners condition;
- *Clamor hic est pulsatio; significant cogitata a Deo injecta, ad monendam peccatoris conscientiam;id Deus aliquandiu facit, non semper.
- 2Pools Synops. in loc.
