diately, in extraordinary ways, and that sometimes more terribly; as when he gave the law upon Mount Sinai, when the Mount burned with fire, and there was blackness, and darkness, and tempest, thunderings and lightnings, and the sound of the trumpet exceeding loud, and the voice of words so exceeding terrible, that it made the whole camp to tremble; and Moses himself said, "I exceedingly fear and quake," Exod. xix. 16; Heb. xii. 18-21.

This way of God's speaking, the children of Israel were not able to bear; therefore they desired that Moses might speak unto them; but that God would not speak unto them thus any more, lest they should die, Exod. xx. 19.

At other times God spake with a more still and gentle voice, and in a more mild way, as when he spake to Samuel in the night, he thought at first that it had been the voice of Eli, 1 Sam. iii. 4, 5. Thus God spake unto Abraham, unto Jacob, unto Moses, to whom it is said, "He spake face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend," Exod. xxxiii. 11.

God spake also in an extraordinary way to his prophets of old, when he made known unto them his counsel, that they might declare it unto the people; sometimes he spake unto them with an audible voice, which he created when no shape was seen; sometimes by angels, who appeared in bodies, which they laid down again when they had delivered their message; sometimes by dreams and visions in the night; sometimes by Urim and Thummim; sometimes by more secret inspirations of the Spirit.

In the last days of God's extraordinary speaking, he spake by the most extraordinary person, namely, by his own most dearly beloved, and only begotten Son, Heb. i. 1, 2; whom he sent out of his bosom to declare himself, John i. 18; and reveal what he had heard of the Father, John xv. 15, who brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel, and made known God's purpose and grace in man's salvation, 2 Tim. i. 9, 10; and uttered such things as were kept secret from the foundation of the world, Matt. xiii. 35. The Gospel began to be spoken of by the Lord Jesus himself, and was continued and confirmed by his Apostles, who were his witnesses, to whom God also did bear witness with signs, and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his will, Heb: ii. 8, 4.

2. And now, though not so immediately, and in such extraordinary ways, yet still God doth speak unto the children of men. There are two ways of God's speaking now unto mén, namely, his word and his works.

1. His bord contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which holy men wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. i. 21. And thus God speaketh either externally by his word alone, or internally with his word by his Spirit.

1. God speaketh now unto men externally by his word alone, to some more silently, unto whom he gives his Scriptures only to be read, and brings to their view his written word alone, without the advantage of other ordinances, which

might more powerfully declare unto them his will.

Unto others he speaks more audibly, where the Gospel doth sound in their ears, and with the Scriptures God sendeth his ministers to preach unto them.

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God speaketh by his ministers, who are his watchmen, in his name to warn the people of his judgments temporal and eternal, which in the Scriptures he hath threatened, Ezek. iii. 17, 18, &c.; Isaiah lxii. 6, who are the Lord's ambassadors, 2 Cor. v. 20; from whom they have a commission to preach the Gospel, and declare the glad tidings of salvation unto all such as repent, and believe, and yield up themselves unto the obedience of the word.

Ministers stand in the room of Christ; and it is well for us that God speaks unto us by ministers, because we should not be able to endure, should he speak unto us immediately by himself; should he speak unto us with an audible voice, as he did to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, when he gave the law, this would be so terrible, that with them we should desire to hear Moses, and choose ministers rather to speak unto us; yea, if Christ Jesus himself should come down from heaven, however he might have been heard in his state of humiliation, when his Deity was so much veiled; yet if he should now appear in the glory he hath with the Father, or as he appeared unto John his beloved disciple, when his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his countenance like the sun when it shined in its full strength, and his voice like the sound of

many waters: I say, if Christ should thus appear, and preach unto us, such a dread and amazement would fall upon us, that we should fall down dead at his feet, as his disciple John did, Rev. i. 13-17. Therefore it is better for us in this state of weakness, that God speaketh to us by ministers, men of like passions and infirmities with ourselves, whom we may be able to bear, and whose words, notwithstanding our weakness, we may be able to hear.

2. God doth now also speak unto men internally, with his word by his Spirit, when God sends his Spirit with his word, for conviction only, or some common work: thus God calls upon the wicked, who sit under the preaching of the word, moves and strives with them by his Spirit, but they resist the Spirit, stifle convictions, and will not hearken to his calls and motions, Gen. vi. 3; Acts vii. 51.

But especially God speaks with his word by his Spirit; when he sendeth his Spirit for conversion, and to effect a saving change: thus God speaks when he calleth blind sinners out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9; quickeneth dead sinners, putting into them a new principle of spiritual life, Ephes. ii. 1; rescueth enslaved sinners out of Satan's snare; 2 Tim. ii. 26; delivering them from the power of the devil, and translating them into the kingdom of his dear Son, Col. i. 13; when by his Spirit he draweth sinners, John vi. 44; and joins them unto Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. vi. 17; God speaketh unto men with his word by his Spirit, when he doth thus effectually call them; and

he speaketh unto men also by his Spirit, when he graciously visiteth them which are called, when he teacheth, melteth, warmeth, quickeneth, strengtheneth, and refresheth them by his Spirit, as they sit under the influence of his ordinances, when he speaketh peace unto their consciences, sheweth them his reconciled face, shedding abroad his love in their hearts, and giveth such sweet comforts, and ravishing joy as is unspeakable, and full of glory, John vi. 45; John xiv. 26; Luke xxiv. 32; Psal. exliii. 11; Ephes. iii. 16; Acts iii. 19; Psalm lxxxv. 8; Rom. v. 5; Psalm xciv. 19; 1 Pet. i. 8.

2. God speaketh unto men by his works; and that either by his works of creation, or by his works of providence.

1. God speaketh by his works of creation; and heavens have a voice, and declare God's glory; Psalm xix. 1; and the earth hath not only an ear to ear, Isa. i. 2; but also a tongue, as it were, to speak God's praise. We read of the seas roaring, and the floods clapping their hands; of the mountains singing, and the trees of the wood sounding forth their joyful acclamations; yea, beasts and all cattle, creeping things, and flying fowl, dragons and all deeps; fire, hail, snow, rain, and stormy wind, as they fulfil his word, so they speak, and in their way declare what their Maker is; or rather in them, and by them God doth speak, and make known something of himself, Psal. cxlviii. 7, 8, 10, &c.

We read of the voice of the Lord in power, the voice of the Lord in Majesty, the voice of the Lord upon the waters, the voice of the Lord