On HE B. XI. 6~ poral good things, the further they run from the founta in of goodnefS, which aiorle can f\v ceten the be!\ things we enjoy; and counterbalance their abfence.. The Creatures ~re but of a limited benignity, the neceffity of their number proves th~ meann~fs ?~ their value; but one God anfwers all, he is an i~finite _and in.defedive good i he lS ror all the powers of foul and body, to hold ~hem m thetr pleafant exetc1fe, and to !\!VC them re!\; he is alone able to 1mpart h.appmds, an(~ to preferve that happmefs he !mparts. . . . . . . . Secondly, his Ommpotency can fecure JJS from dangers. The Creation 1s a f\andmg Monument of his Alm,ghty Power ; for what but Ommpotency could out of nothmg produce the Qeautiful Fabrick of heaven and earth? man ~:mnot work without materials, but God doth; and that which exalts his power, is; that he' rtiade it by his Word j he fpake tbe Word, an</ tbey were made, fa1th the Pfalm1fl, .Pfal. 33· 9· There went no greater pams to the World' s Crcatwh, than God's command. . Moreover, the World is preferved from perilbing by the power of its Maker. Certainly, witbout the fupport of his mighty hand, the World had long before this time relapfed to its pnmirive nothing: Ma~~ Jn£l:ances we have·of his power, in thofe fC!f- ~~cf~~pu:n~~~v~~.a~~~s;~~~~~re~=:~r~~wiJ:,od~~l:~~~~' ~ed~~~.cxa~dm~~{i~:~~=~i':$. !id Wall, that t)w l(raelitermigl!t ha-,~ q{e.{¥f< pafJaf.t I }Jisjlopping the Sun ilz its coarfe., that 1ofhua. might have time to def/roy his enemies I his Jafpending tbe notare of the fir.e\ that it might n0 t fo much as Jinge the ~arments of tbe three Htbrews! /;is jhutting the ·mouth of the .de11ouring Lyons, and rf{urntng Daniel tn fafety from that dreadful Den I And arc not all thefe, and many others of this kind, not only the pregnant tef\imonies of his love, but the everlaf\ing Characters of his Omnipotcncy. Moreover, that which expreffes the power of God with as gre.at a luf\re, is the turning of the hea rts of many cruel enemies from their intended rage to favour his people; thus did he change the heart of Efau, who h4.d re/olved tbe death of bis Brotber; that inil:ead of killing him, he expref\ the greateil: tendernefs, and the moll endearing affections unto him ; thus did he fo (\;·ay the hearts of the Eg;yptians towards the opprelfed l}raelites, that inf\ead J:!:J::Jtl~~~"::J~[g:/J,da~~o~~;?2.e;~:~r~~~v ~~;,d::~a:~ur:~ ~;::~;h~J:1s t~~:e;i~£ God, by plocing our rruf\ on him. Pfal. 121 . '• 3· My help comes from tbe L ord, who made the bea'Ve»s and tbe earth; he will not fuffer thy foot to be moved ; by dependance on God the foul is compofed in the mid!\ of the mof\ apparent dangers ; as the upper Region of the Air is calm and ferene, whatever !\orms are here below. Thus David cxpre!fes the fame courage in ail Efl:ates; when he was retired into a Cave to fhelter himfelffrom the fury of Saul, he fung the fifty feventh P{atm which he then compofed; ~:;a~~ :~fu:~~e~ o~~~ J'J.J.'d::C::{;~in~ ~:utJ.;,"~!~';:J;~~;th~t~~~ed~:J Pf.J "· t. eighth Pfalm, and fung the fame words : 0 God, my h<art is fixed, l wiltJing, and gi-ve Pli l 108 • ' · praift; fmh taught htm the fame fong m the Cave, and on the Throne; in all our exi- · gencies we fuould apply the power of God ; the caufe of our perplexing fears, is our low apprehenfton of God's power, and therefore when we are furroundcd with difficulties and dangers, then we are furprized wit!l tcrrour and defpondency; whereas when there are vifible means to refcue us, we lift up our heads ; but our duty is in the greatefi: ext remities to glorifie his power, and to re!Cr our felves ro his goodnefs; and though we cannot be certain that God will by miracles refcue us from dangers, as he dtd many of his people in former Ages; yet we are lure he wi ll fo abate the power and force of the m.ofi lOJUnous enemtes, as they fl1all not conquer the patience, nor break the hope of Ius people. 4·.We owe ]J<rfect obedience to God's wi ll; viz. Subjection to his Commands, and fubmdlion to Ius Prov1dence. 1. Subjectwn to Ius Commands. As he is the fir!\ caufe fo he is the Supream Lord ; he rim gave us life, mu!\ give us law: God hath an abf~ ~~~.~~~~':n~~d~;~:~~na~r~~~a:~~~\s t~~~d~~~:. t~fs£:~~:~3 ~~~~ h:~ds~~~;~~J:m~f an~ fafhioned me, $Jve me tmderflavdit!g,, that I may learn thy Commandments; he may I ear~ this from the umverfal obedttnce ot all creatures, tho{e which arc without reafon fenfe or life, inviolably obferve his commands. E/ay 48. I 3· frfine baud bath laid the fo•nd"- tions of the earth, and my rrgbt hand hathfpan'd the heuvcns, JVben I call to tbem theJfland up togetber, as prepa red to execute his commands. The in!enfible parrs of the World ~re fo compliant wnh his will,. as to contradict thei: proper natures to ferve his glory; fire delccnds from heaven at Ius command; the fiutd Sea !lands up as a folid wa ll in obed1ence to him; this uptraids our Degeneration and Apofl•fie, that we who are moll: indebted
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