¢20 DoEi. God can and doch worke molk power- fully for the goodof his. Yf I. PfaLyB. rg. Tim!. tn. Ephe/ians,Chap.;. Y ER.2o,21, In the verfe firft we confider, the incomprehenfible powerful! working ofGod for the good ofhit. lob. 9. t o. He Both great things and tonfear- cheable; yea marvellous thingswithout number. Ifone would examine the prefervingofhis Churchwhen the world perifhed, the preferving ofit in the fire, . the burning 6afh, and not confuming ir. When all thingshave feemed defperate and paft hopeofrecovery,the Lord hath put forth the exceeding greatneffe of his power in thedeliverance of his Church. Hecan make away in theSea, andthe waters a wall for his people: He can fufpend and flay the courfe ofnature, lace can fuffer hischildren to becalf into the fire, and then fo qualify and coole the fornace, that not a hayre of their heads (hall perifli. We have fees this truth in all ages of the Church abundantly exemplifyed. Wemuff make this ufe of ir,confidering that his work is incompre- henfible, we muff notmeafure his power by our fcnfe and concei- ving, we mutt not flint him and circumfcribe him Paying, can this or that bedas thofe unbeleivers, Can Godprepare a tablein the wilderneffel And as he faid, 2 Kings. 7. 2. If the Lordwould make windowes in hea- ven, might this thing6e! when God hath undertaken to doe it : For our fpanne may compaffe the heaven, and a fpoonc contaiae the Sea moreeafily, then our reafon can fully meafurethe power of God. Yet we muftnot ufe this fentenceas mad -mendoe fwords, for the Papifts and Lutherans when they prefume monftrous things againft Gods will, willtherefore haveus beleive them,bccaufe Gods powerto work is above our reafon: But as todeny the power of God indoing that flee hath Paid hec will doe , doth make an hererique : So applying it to that which Godwill not doe ,doth make an hererique likewife. We goe foundly that know the powerof God is incomprehenfible in the fulfillingoffuch things as he hath promifed.And betides, becaufe God is powerful!, therefore he cannot doeTome things whichwe may fan- cy, as thingsofinfirtnity, orimplying contradiétion, to deny himfelfe, it argues impotency, not power. It mull teach usto fandtify God inour heart by trolling on him: for this confiderationdoth much ferve to ftrengthen faith; what ifwe be in fuch evills that wecannot fee how it is poflible to outgrow them, as poverty, ficknefse, fuch as the Phyfttian (hakes his head at, here is our ftay,God works for his above all we can imagine: what ifourpray- ers befull ofdefeéts, much troubled,too too imperfe&; what ifconfci- enceofunworthinefTe will not let us apply things as we would ; God works abundantly above that we thinkor,aske : What if in fanéti(ica- tion, the great enemyagainft it, Both makeus thinke is im potlibie that ever wefhould fee things wedefire; yet here is comfort. This ufePaul makes ofthe power of God. He was inmany troubles, yet he was not daunted with them, becaufe hedid build upon this foundation, Godwas able to deliver himout ofthem a11. For the which caufe I fuffer thefe things,but I am not afhamed,forI know whom Ihave trufled,& I am per- fwaded that beis able tokeep that which Ihave committedto him: This we muffafore our felves of, that Gods power is able in it felfe and Al mighty
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