Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20

And the first Character is this, It is a secret and a still voice; whereby somewhat is as it were whispered into the Ear of the Soul, making a particular application of what is spoken Externally to the Ear, much like that of Nathan to David, Thou art the Man. This still voice sounds throughout the whole Soul, yet none hear it but the Soul concerned in it; it is said, 1 Sam. 9. 15. The Lord told Samuel in his Ear, the night before, &c. That is, he whispered the secret into the Prophets mind; so the Spirit of Christ whispers a word into the Ear of a sinner which makes his Heart to tremble; after this manner, This is thy very state and condition; this is thy sin, which is now opened by the Gospel in thine Ears. This is a voice without sound or noise to any others, but ⟨p. 284⟩very intelligible to the Soul unto whom it is spoken. You read in 1 Kings 19. 11, 12. when Elijah stood upon the Mount before the Lord, there came a great and strong wind which rent the Mountains, and brake in pieces the Rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice; And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, &c. So it is here. Dreadful things are thundered against men by the voice of the Law, the Terrors of the Lord are made known, Hell and Damnation are set before the eyes of Sinners; but until the Lord come in the still voice of his Spirit, and apply those things to the Conscience, the Sinner never covers his face with shame and confusion, nor goes aside to mourn and lament his misery. This voice of God sounds to the very Centre of the Soul. As for the outward voice of the Gospel alone, it signifies little, in hearing men hear not,