VII.-THE POWER OF GOD.

DEFINED.

INFINITE and incomprehensible power pertains to the nature of God, and is expressed in part in his works: or, though there be a mighty expression of divine power in his works, yet an incomprehensible power pertains to his nature.

can understand?

The thunder of his power, who

His power shines in all his works, as well as his wisdom. Twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. (Psalm lxii. 11.) That is, it is a certain and undoubted truth, that power is essential to the divine nature. It is true, mercy is essential, justice is essential; but power more apparently essential, because no acts of mercy, or justice, or wisdom, can be exercised by him without power; the repetition of a thing confirms the certainty of it.

Indeed we can have no conception of God, if we conceive him not most powerful, as well as most wise. He is not a God, that cannot do what he will, and perform all his pleasure. If we imagine him restrained in his power, we imagine him limited in his essence. As he hath an infinite knowledge to know what is possible, he cannot be without an infinite power to do what is possible. As he hath a will to resolve what he sees good, so he cannot want a power to effect what he sees good to decree. As

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the essence of a creature cannot be conceived without that activity that belongs to his nature; as when you conceive fire, you cannot conceive it without a power of burning and warming; and when you conceive water, you cannot conceive it without a power of moistening and cleansing; so you cannot conceive an infinite essence without an infinite power of activity.

IN HIS GRACIOUS AND JUDICIOUS GOVERNMENT.

In the deliverance of his church, he is the strength of Israel, and hath protected his little flock in the midst of wolves; and maintained their standing, when the strongest kingdoms have sunk, and the best united states have been broken in pieces. When judgments have ravaged countries and torn up the mighty, as a tempestuous wind hath often done the tallest trees, which seemed to threaten heaven with their tops, and dare the storm with the depth of their roots, when yet the vine and rose bushes have stood firm, and been seen in their beauty next morning; the state of the church hath out-lived the most flourishing monarchies; when there hath been a mighty knot of adversaries combined against her: when the bulls of Bashan have pushed her, and the whole tribe of the dragon have sharpened their weapons, and edged their malice; when the voice was strong, and the hopes high to raze her foundation even with the ground; when hell hath roared; when the wit of the world hath contrived, and the strength of the world bath attempted her ruin; when decrees have been passed against her, and the powers of the world armed for the execution of them; when her friends have drooped and have been concealed in corners; when there was no eye to pity, and no hand to assist, then help hath come from heaven; her

enemies have been defeated, kings have brought gifts to her and reared her; tears have been wiped off her cheeks, and her very enemies, by an unseen power, have been forced to court her, whom before they would have devoured quick. The devil and his armies have fled into their den, and the church hath triumphed when she hath been upon the brink of ruin.

IN THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL.

How much the Gentiles were overgrown with base and unworthy lusts at the time of the publication of the gospel, needs no other memento than the apostle's discourse, Rom. i. As there was no error but prevailed upon their minds, so there was no brutish affection but was wedded to their hearts. The doctrine proposed to them was not easy; it flattered not the sense, but checked the stream of nature. It thundered down those three great engines whereby the devil had subdued the world to himself, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life: not only the most sordid affections of the flesh, but the more refined gratifications of the mind; it stripped nature both of devil and man; of what was commonly esteemed great and virtuous. That which was the root of their fame, and the satisfaction of their ambition, was struck at by this axe of the gospel. The first article of it ordered them to deny themselves, not to presume upon their own worth: to lay their understandings and wills at the foot of the cross, and resign them up to one newly crucified at Jerusalem; honours and wealth were to be despised, flesh to be tamed, the cross to be borne, enemies to be loved, revenge not to be satisfied, blood to be spilt, and torments to be endured for the honour of one they never saw, nor ever before heard

of; who was preached with the circumstances of a shameful death, enough to affright them from the entertainment; and the report of a resurrection and glorious ascension were things never heard of by them before, and unknown in the world, that would not easily enter into the belief of men; the cross, disgrace, self-denial, were only discoursed of in order to the attainment of an invisible world, and an unseen reward which none of their predecessors ever returned to acquaint them with; a patient death, contrary to the pride of nature, was published as the way to happiness and a blessed immortality; the dearest lusts were to be pierced to death for the honour of this new Lord. Other religions brought wealth and honour; this struck them off from such expectations, and presented them with no promise of any thing in this life, but a prospect of misery; except those inward consolations to which before they had been utter strangers, and had never experimented. It made them to depend not upon themselves, but upon the sole grace of God. It decried all natural, all moral idolatry, things as dear to men as the apple of their eyes. It despoiled them of whatsoever the mind, will, and affections of men naturally lay claim to, and glory in. It pulled self up by the roots, unmanned carnal man, and debased 'the principle of honour and self-satisfaction, which the world counted at that time noble and brave. In a word, it took them off from themselves, to act like creatures of God's framing; to know no more than he would admit them, and do no more than he did command them. How difficult must it needs be to reduce men, that placed all their happiness in the pleasures of this life, from their pompous idolatry and brutish affections, to this mortifying religion? What might the world say: Here is a doctrine will render us a company of puling animals; farewell generosity, bravery, sense of honour, courage in en

larging the bounds of our country, for an ardent charity to the bitterest of our enemies. Here is a religion will rust our swords, canker our arms, dispirit what we have hitherto called virtue, and annihilate what hath been esteemed worthy and comely among mankind. Must we change conquest for suffering, the increase of our reputation for selfdenial, the natural sentiment of self-preservation for affecting a dreadful death? How impossible was it that a crucified Lord, and a crucifying doctrine, should be received in the world without the mighty operation of a divine power upon the hearts of men? And in this also the almighty power of God did notably shine forth.

IN TURNING THE HEARTS OF MEN.

The power of God is conspicuous in turning the heart of man against the strength of the inclinations of nature. In the forming of man of the dust of the ground, as the matter contributed nothing to the action whereby God formed it, so it had no principle of resistance contrary to the design of God: but in converting the heart, there is not only wanting a principle of assistance from him in this work, but the whole strength of corrupt nature is alarmed to combat against the power of his grace. When the gospel is presented, the understanding is not only ignorant of it, but the will perverse against it; the one does not relish, and the other does not esteem, the excellence of the object. The carnal wisdom in the mind contrives against it, and the rebellious will puts the orders in execution against the counsel of God, which requires the invincible power of God to enlighten the dark mind, to know what it slights; and the fierce will, to embrace what it loathes. The stream of nature cannot be turned, but by a power