An Expojition of the Epift!e ~ the effed:ual working of his Power. And as here in the Text it is faid, the Sfrm01t Exceedi 11 g greatuefJ of his power to N>·ward who .6eliev_e, the fame that XXIII. wro 11 ght"' raijiiJgC!mflfrom the dead: So compare With tlus Gal. I, 1. I was: ~madea 11 .t1poflle ( faithhe)uotof mm,. 11ettber !Jymm; lmt 67 ."fejtP Chrijl, t11:d God the Father. I was converted, fatth.he, and what followeth? Who ra:Jed himfrom the dead. Why cometh that tn? The fame effectual working, faith he, that raifed up Jefus Chnll from the dead, made me an Apollle, convertedme to the Faith. Now then the Apofile, out of Ius own expenence of the exued. ; 11 ggreat11e[s of his 'power, putteth bimfelf in too, To >M·Wt~rd, faith he; the famepower that ~onverted me, converted you; alth.ough there was fome extra. ordinarinefs 1n 1t tn refped: of the manner of domg tt, yet the power 1s the fame, As we t-ective like Faitb, (as the Apollle Peter faith) fo the fame Power is no lefs to work in the poorell Believer's Faith, than what wrought in the heart of Pattl, And fo much now for the rending of the words, that they will bear that fenfe; not to relate only to the power put forth in Believers at the Refur– red:ion, but iH the firll work of Faith. The fecond fort of Ar!luments !hall be taken from the fcope of the Apofile here in the Coherence of thefe words wtth the former, and Wtth thofe that fol– low ;fter; for you !hall fee that the Coherence of borh will carry it, as well to refer it to the worki11g of Faith at the firll, as to the raijing tiS 11p at the Jail:. One fcope of the Apofile, which I mentioned when I !hewed the Coherence was this, To comfort Believers i11 the wetik11e[s of their Faith for tbe a6taini 11g this Glory, agai11jl all dou6ti11g. Now, my Brethren, what is the great doubt that poffeffeth the hearts of Chrill:ians, that ufually takes up their thoughts? It is not fo much a quefiioning the Power of God to raife themuphereafter, as it is the Jlower of God to keep them for the prefent; therefore when the Apollle would comfort their hearts, that they lhould attain this Glory, he doth not pray only, that they may know the Power that lhould ~aife up Saints at latter day; but the Power that lhould keep them, that they mtght know the .Power that is engaged to tM-ward that 6elieve, to preferve us to this Glory. I fay, B<;lievers are not fo much, ot not fo ufually taken up with Doubtings or Q)Jell:ionings a– bout the Power of God in railing them hereafter with Chrill:, all mens thoughts take that for granted; but the doubt is about keeping them until then. I will give you a Scripture for it, .1oh.t t.2j. Poor Martha there, when Chrill: came to raife up Lazarm, and told her, TI!J Brotherjhallrif'e agai11. I kiiOw, faith lhe, tbat be jball rife figam at the refttrrefliOII of the la(/ da)'• She doubted not of this; this did not trouble her at all, but !he only doubted of the Power of Chrill: to raife him prefently, her Faith !luck at that; By tbis time, faith lhe, he(/i11keth, for he bath taiiJ jo11r da)'S i11 the Grave. It was the prefect Refurred:ion !he doubted of, and the power of Chrill: in that; Therefore, faith he, verfe 40. {aid I 11ot tmto thee, that if thou 6tl:evef1 tho11 fhouldfl fee tbe glory of God, fee it prefently. I quote it for this purpofe~ to lh.ew, th~t if th.e fcope ?f the Apollle be to take away the doubtm~ of Chnl1:1ans concermng the1r attammg this glory. It is not fo much he prayeth, that they may fee the Power that !hall raife men at lall:,for that few men doubt of; ordinarily they do not, but how theyJba/1 !Ie lupt 6y thepower of God to thu jalvatio11; the prefent Power that !hall keep them and prefervethem, that they doubt of. This is that therefore that the Apollle prayeth for that they may fee. Therefore 1 Ptt.I.). after he h•d mentioned tbeglory of that IrJberitanct, he comforteth them with this, that they are kept by thepower of Godtmto {alvati01•; he fpeaks to their hearts, for that is the great thing they doubt of. N_ow then mark how I ~rgue: If this be the fcope of the Apollle to comfort Behevers, that there IS an Almtghty , an Omnipotent power that !hall l<eep them tn the ll:ate they are m that they !hall attain to Glory. The Argument is llrong, that if fuch a Power as this be to keep them and preferve them, that much more fuch a Power was put forth in their firll Conver· fion. when they firll: came to believe. If to preferve them in Faith ofrer they have !Jtli~ved, and were fealed; then much more to perfwade them tobelieve at fir!!, when they were Heathem to bring them to the Faith, would require an ex ceedi11g greatntflof Pow er. My
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