a V r. 8phefuanf,Chap.i, VE R.t9. lute power by which hecan doe what ever is poffible, but that power: joyned with his will, which was put forth for finifhing the worke offaith in them who beleeved : This power is dcfcribed by thequan- tity, in chofe words, the exceedinggreatneffeofhis power; from the per- forts whom it refpet eth, towards us who now beleeve ; the principal cattle of their beleeving being next adjoyned , viz. the efficacy ofhit mighty power, which was put forth in rafting Chrift from the dead. The fumme. That you may not onely know the hope of glory laid up for you, but alfo more fully fee the excellent great power which hash wrought, dothworke, and will worke out for us who beleeve, all that falvation and glory we hope for in the heavens, for us I fay, who are brought tobeleeve by the felfe-fame effeétuall working of Gods al- mighty power, which he wrought or (hewed, while he railed Chrift from thedead. Obferve then flrft, that Gods beleeving children know not at Heft any thing clearely the great powerofGod which worketh in them.God doth worke wonderfully , paffing by us and we fee him not , changing hisplace and we obfrvehim not,7ob.9. r r.It is as nothing whichwee know r f his waits, lob z6. ult. And as he revealeth his wifdome in aftliéting us once, twice, andwe heare himnot ; fo hedothagaine and againemani- feft his power, but we arenot able to conceive it : This is part ofthat lightto which is no acceffe,the eyeofour minds,efpeciallyatfirft,weak, not ableto looke againftit. Weemuff not then be difcouraged if we cannot conceive of God in any mcafure as we defire. Our children at four or five yearesold, what doe they knowofour wifdome, knowledge, ftrength t There is a common- wealth in the head of a man, no part whereof once entreth intotheir childi(h underftanding : When our children can fo little trace the wais ofus their earthly parents,how much leffe able are we any thing fully toknow theworkingof the ftrength, wifdome, mercy, which arc in our heavenly Father % Some may think it Grange that fo exceeding great a power (hould workeand not be difcerned, when the leaft bodi- ly force put to us is prefently perceived : but it is not with this power as with bodily, their workingis violent and manifeft, the working of this is fweet and imperceiveable ; and when the heavens by their influ- ence worke on bodies, and yet are not as commonly difcerned, how mud le(fe is it tobe wondred at, if this fpirituall Almightypowerdoe intimate it felfe in fuch fort, asit is not commonly obferved byus e Agäine,as thebrighteft light while it fhineth ina thick cloud,feemethra- ther darkne(fe then light:fo this power whileit worketh in mid ft ofmani- fold weakneffes,isnot to outwardappearance fopowerful as it is in it felt. Let us labor more and more to knowthis power ofour God put forth forus. We love toknow the ftrengthof things, or earthly perfons, to whomwe truft, for till we know our felveson lure hand, our thoughts are not fecure : Thus we fhould delight to know this power ofGod, to whom we truft , as the tower of our ftrength and rocke of our falvation. The power of God is an Articleof beliefe, not that itis, (if we
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