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Show The t1pplitatii)JI eft he Do•tlrilu::-then> in• their glorious flare elevated to an infinite capacity, to hear from Earth to Heaven, (which they are not,) yet it is but going about the bufh, au unrequired Complement; when Chrill hath faid to us Let tNe hear tby voice. 2. Nay, it;, a finful and ttnl~ wfr<l dr'votion. Molt think that my Text is to be undedlood exclujively,Let me hear thy voice;let r:ne hear ic-and none e.'fe.Prayer is a divine Homage which can be gtven to God alone Without ap· parent Idolatry. But . , _. Fourthly, Doth Chrifi defire to hear hts Spoufes votce, and {haU he not bear it ? Let me here prefs upon you the homage of your lips : In the profeffion of his truth, in the communication of his knowledg to your Wives, and Children, and Servants, and N eighbours, your voice in reproving fin in others, your voice in confelTing the truths of God before men when you are called thereto, Let Chrijl hear your voice in Praye_r. Elipba¥. the 'Iemaltite, Job 15. 4· charged J ob, tb.tt lu "fl:a~ned prayer f rom the Almigbty, There are two caufes of rellrammg Prayer from the Al ·mighty: 1. The firll isftcHrity& carele{nefi: Profeffors are too too ready to let down'their watch, and think a little duty enough for God: But Chrillians, do you hear him whom you own for your Beloved, calling to ·you , Let me hear thy voice, and will you refir~in your voice from him ? will he pleafe himfelf to hear your votce, <tnd will you not gratifie him with fo poor an homage ? If the Lord.had asked you fome great thing as your homage to him, ought not he to have had it that made you, that gave you your life, that hath given you all that you had, how much more when he Iiiith, let me hear tby voice l . . 1. But the fecond rejlrainer of Pr4yer, IS diftoHragement. Many an honet\ Soul rrf/r•i~ts Prayer from G•d, fayin·g within bimfe~f, furely I !hall pray in vain, God b.aretb not finners, or God ":''II not hear fuch broken lltallered prayers as alone I am able to g1ve him; To you I call by vertue of my Text not to rellrain prayer from God. It is the Doves that are in the clefts of tpe Rock poffibly frighted thither -by their own caufelefs t.errors ~hat o~r Lo_rd fpeaketh hereto, faying, Ltt me hear thy vozce; y .1s thetr v01~e which he here calls fweet; Let not therefore any Soul rrftram, prayer from God. 0 remember, it is a very great.temptatiDJI upon a pious Soul wben Satan can fo far prevail as'tb keep the Soul ' ' from The tlpp'liclftion uf the Do{/rine. from ufing its moll e!fedual.remedy for its Cure. LaH!y, Doth Chrift defire to he•r our voice ? and d•th he ac- Vft. 5• count tt frveetl then furely we fhould much more defire to hear his voice a11d coum that {rs>eet. You would count her but an un· toward Wife, that fhould have an Husband fo in love with her, that he fhould love to he~r her fpeak, and entreat her to let him hear her but fpeak, and In the mean time fhe fhould either by wor~ or deed declare that the could not abide to hear him fpeak. Chnll fpeak~ to .us many ways: He fpeaks to you in pis writ· te~ .word, . m hts Word preached, in his Providences, by his Spmt : . whiCh way foever the Lord is about to fpeak, do you fay, {peak,_ Lord, for thy [ervant hea"eth, Oh ! let the Scriptures be fweet to you, let the fpiritual Sermorrs be fweet to you · let the motiops of his Spirit be f weer to you : Nay, beg th~t he Would fptak to you. T he Lord here de fires to hear your voice, Oh, de!lle you to hear Cbri{ls voice! When you go to read, or bear ~thers read the Word of God·, fay, Lord, let me hear~by vozce tH thu portzon of Scripture, When you are hearing Ser_. f!JOns fay, Lord! Let me hear thy voice in the Se.-mon. when you have fome e~inent difpenfation of Providence, fay, Lord, let me b.ar thy vozce m this Providence. At all times fay, Lord, let, me he a~ thy voice, the voice of thy Spirit convincing me of !'n, reprovmg me ~or fin, direding me in thy T ruth, calling me ln~othy Ways, 'iUic~en~ng me unto Duty. I 0,.11 only prefs th~s upon you by mtndmg you, 'Ibal though Cbrijf hearing your V~tce be no adv•nt~g• to him, yet y our hearing his voice is of hJgheft advantage to ,!•u. A mans voice cannot be profitable un-to God ; for ~her_em can a man be profitable to his Maker; but dq you hear h1s v.o1ce, and he hath promifed you, That your fouls fh•D ltv~. Bbb Cant |
