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passes by, and directs his voice to the poor; the poor receive the gospel; God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom. James 2:5. And this choice of God Christ blesses him for: "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." Matt. 11:25, 26. And indeed, the wisdom of God deserves our admiration in this dispensation: For

1. Hereby the freeness of his grace is vindicated. None can pretend that any earthly excellence commends any man to God, or that the favor of heaven is secured by the same means that the respects of the world are. For you see the truth of that scripture before your eyes, Job 34:19: He "accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of his hands." Earthly riches and honors, empty as they are, are yet much idolized by men: what would they be, could they procure our favor and acceptance with the Lord?

2. By such a choice as this, the Lord plainly shows that religion needs not worldly props to support it. As at first it was spread by the power of God in the world, by poor and despised men, so it is still upheld without human policy or riches. The church is called the congregation of the poor. Psa. 74:19. The Lord will have us know, that he is able to maintain and carry on his counsels in the world without the wealth of rich men, the authority of great men, or the policies of wise men; he needs them not.

3. By this choice he pours contempt upon the things most admired among men. So he tells us: "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." 1 Cor. 1:27. And certainly, shame and confusion of face will cover the great ones of this world, when they shall see the poor Christians

whom they scorned on earth, as not worthy to come into their presence, so infinitely preferred before them in the favor of God. In a word, this efficacious spiritual voice of Christ is directed but to a few, even of the many that sit within the call of the gospel: "Many are called, but few are chosen." Matt. 22:14. Christ's flock is a little flock. There are many birds of prey to one bird of paradise— many common pebbles to one sapphire or diamond. It is not for us to dispute as to the reason, but to adore the sovereignty of God in this matter. And of those few whom he calls, the greatest part is of the humbler classes of men. The glitter and dazzle of this world blind the eyes of the greatest; extremity of want diverts the mind of the lowest ; but between these two extremes there is a third sort of persons whom the Lord most usually calls.

V. If it be inquired WHY THE VOICE AND CALL OF CHRIST

SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THIS PERSON RATHER THAN TO THAT,

certainly it is not from any excellence that Christ sees in one rather than another; for all are shut up under the common sin and misery of the fall; and therefore the apostle told the Ephesians, who had heard and answered the voice of Christ, that they "were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Eph. 2:3. If it were not so, man would have something to glory in before God; but Christ resolves this whole dispensation into its proper cause, the good pleasure of the divine will: "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." Matt. 11:26. This good pleasure of the will of God sometimes causes those to hear the voice of his Son who seem to stand at a far greater distance and improbability to hear it than others do. It is said of the Ephesians, that they were far off, Eph. 2: 13; yet they heard the voice of Christ when that discreet scribe who was not far from the kingdom of God, Mark 12: 34, and Agrippa, who was almost persuaded to be a Christian, Acts 26: 28, never heard it; therefore it is said, "Many

shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness." Matt. 8:11, 12. O marvellous dispensation! many a soul under the greatest disadvantages, a poor servant who has but little time and many incumbrances, is called effectually by this voice of Christ; when those who enjoy multitudes of opportunities, and have abundance of time on their hands which they know not what to do with, and who have the choicest books at command, amidst all these advantages hear and feel nothing to any purpose: all this is to be resolved into the good pleasure of the will of God.

VI. Let us now view THE EFFECTS of this voice of Christ upon the souls of men, and we shall find divers remarkable effects wrought upon the heart by it.

1. The first effect of the voice of Christ is conviction on the conscience-conviction both of sin and misery. John 16: 8. The Spirit when he cometh shall convince the world of sin. This is a voice of terror, and strikes dead the vain hopes of a sinner. Rom. 79. The soul that was before secure becomes the seat of anxiety. There was a general conviction of sin before; he knew that all are sinners, he denied not that. But alas, this general conviction is quite another thing from what the soul feels now; now it can waive the matter no longer. This voice of Christ "showeth them their work and their trangressions, that they have exceeded," Job 36: 9-exceeded in number, and exceeded in heinousness of aggravation. A general conviction of sin affects a man no more than the sight of a painted lion on a sign-post; but when a particular conviction is set home on the conscience by this special voice of Christ, sin is like a living lion, meeting a man in the way and roaring dreadfully upon him. This first effect of Christ's voice is introductory to,

2. Humiliation and contrition of heart for sin. Those

threats of Scripture against sin and sinners which were wont to be slighted, are now trembled at; those Jews to whose hearts Christ spoke in Peter's sermon, as soon as they heard his voice sounding conviction in their consciences, were pricked at the heart, Acts 2:37: no sword can make such a wound, and put a man into such pain, as a sight of sin will; therefore they are said to mourn for Christ as for an only son. Zech. 12: 10. Now this is the glorious prerogative of Jesus Christ, to reach and wound the heart with a `word. The voice of man cannot do it; but the spirit of a man lies open both to be wounded and healed by a word from the mouth of Christ. No sooner has a sinner heard the awful voice of conviction spoken to his conscience by the Lord Jesus, but he feels himself sick at heart; he goes home from that sermon by which Christ spoke effectual conviction to him, crying, My soul is distressed because of sin. There is a great difference in the degrees of this contrition and humiliation; it penetrates deeper into some hearts than others, and holds them longer under it; but whoever has heard the convincing voice of Christ, feels so much sorrow for sin as for ever separates him from the love of it.

3. This voice of Christ awakens the careless mind to solicitude for deliverance from the danger that hangs over it. Trembling and astonished, the jailer cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16: 29, 30. All the powers of the soul are engaged for deliverance. You generally observe, in convinced and humbled sinners, three signs of extraordinary solicitude about salvation. First, there is a strong intentness of their minds and thoughts, they stand night and day like a bow at its full bent; their thoughts are ever poring upon this matter, their sleep departs, for their sin and danger are ever before them. Second, it appears by their searching inquisitiveness about the way of escape; the question they carry with them wherever they meet with any whom they judge able to direct them is, What course

shall I take? What shall I do? Is there any hope for such a one as I? Did you ever know a soul in my condition? Third, it appears by the little notice they take of their outward afflictions, which, it may be, are strong and sharp enough to overwhelm them at another time; but now they take little notice of them. Sin lies so heavy that it makes heavy afflictions lie light.

4. A fourth effect of the voice of Christ is encouragement and hope, putting the soul on the use of means in order to the attainment of Christ and salvation; for it is an inviting as well as a convicting voice: and this is a remarkable difference between the voice of Christ and the voice of Satan, with respect to sin. Satan labors to cut off all hope and strike the soul dead under despair of mercy; well knowing, that if he can cut off hope, all endeavors of the soul after Christ are effectually stopped. But how much terror soever there may be in the voice of Christ, there is always something left behind it on the heart to breed and support hope. And truly the soul, amidst these sad circumstances, has great need of some encouragement; but the Lord usually, after sharp convictions, sets home upon the soul such a word as this: Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out: for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." 6: 37, 38. Here Christ offers the most rational satisfaction, and greatest encouragement that a convinced sinner, if he be willing, shall certainly find a hearty welcome with Christ. For mark how he argues it on purpose for the satisfaction of such souls: I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.' The force of the encouragement lies here, "I and my Father are one," John 10:30-one in will and one in design; our wills never can jar one with the other, on account of the perfect unity that is between us. Now, saith he, I came down from heaven, not only to do mine own will, which must necessarily

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John

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