An Expo(ttion of the Epifole ~ immediate power above feco~d c~ufes. When he fpeaks of Heaven, 2 Cor. 5· 1. Sermon he calleth it a hou!e made Without hands, that Is, the glory we lhall have 1t iliall XXIIf. be the immediate work of the power of Go<l. !-le ufeth 'juil the fame phrafe of V""V"'J the grace we have, it is circumcifion without hands, 3J1d it is faith of the opera– tion of God, which is all one. In Heb. 9· 11. you lhall find that Chrifl's body, rhc framing of it and uniting of it to the God-Head, ( which was the greate!l: work that ever God did, The power of the highefl (faith he,) jbafl ovtr•Jhadow tber; he !hewed 1\rength with his Arm when he did that,)it isfaid to be a Taber– •wde mrul.e without ha11ds, that is, it .was done by the immediate power ofGod, So now Circumcifion without hands, is a circtimcifion immediately by God, and is all one with what he faith afterward of faith, Faitb of tbe operatio11 of God, Now, then my Brethren, · to make an Obfervation out of all this and fo to end at this rime. There are Three things that now remain to be handled, 1. That God in converting and keeping of believers unto life, bath an efficaci– ous working of his power. It is a work of the might of his power, .worl<ing ef– fic;ciouOy and infallibly. 2. That there is an exceeding greatnefs oF power put forth therein. ~· That the proportion of power put forth therein is the fame .that raifed up Chrifi from death to glory. Thefe are the Three things that remam to be hand. led. I will only fpeak a word to the Firft, and fo conclude: You fee here if that be taken, (as it is evident it is,) for the working of faith and converting a man at firfl, that Converlion it is by an efficacious work, an infallible worl1. I /hewed you that the meaning of this phrafe; [accordmg to hi< worki11g, J implieth fo much, I cannot repeat that; and to in!l:ance in that, he backs it with the lame power that wrought 10 Chrifl,firongly confirmsit,forfaith the Apo{Ue, .Ach.24. It WM impoj]ibte that hejbottld be botdm of tbegrave; fo that thtre is an efficacious work that works faith in a man at firfl, that lhall not be refifled. But you will fay, f101ilitudes are not to be flretched too far. But if it be not {\retched to thew the efficacy and inl~libillity of the fuccefs,that God cloth as infal– libly convert a man as he raifed up Chrifl; you flretch it to.nothing,for if that be ot the fcope, nothing iJ, fuppoling it to be meant of converfion. We do acknowledge that there is a powerofGod workmg m men's hearts that is refilled, as he faith At1. 7· )I. Te have a/wa;•s rejif/ed tht Holy Ghofl. There is 2 work of the Boly Gholt upon corrupt nature, inlightning it fo far to fee fpiri• tual things as to effect fclf-love, andit is a work of power too: And look how far God puttcth forth this power, fo far it works, it works fo far as to move a man .when he is moved, if God had intended that it lhonld fave a man effectually it fhould fave him ; thofe inlightnings fpoken of Heb.6.and ta!l:ing of the powers of the world to come,are all works tending to falvation,they are works of the pow– er of God, they are called the powers of the world to come, which are powerful– ly fet on upon a man's heart, but they are not according to the rate and proportion of this efficacy of power here mentioAed, which raifed up Cbrifl from death to glory. To give you an inflan<e. • Det1t. 5· 28, 29. You01allfind therethatthePeople.were exceedingly moved, We WJII do all (fay they,) tbat Godby thee Jhafl commmul Uf; What faith God? They have (pokm wellfmth be, bt<t Oh,that tbere were [uch a heart i11 tl.im tbat · tbeywotild{em· me and ktep all "!1' (jJmmmidmmts always.. Compare with this now 'Dmt. 29. 3, 4· Thou haft fem (faith he,) afltbat the Lord did i11 Eg;•pt, thegreat tnnptat:ons,thejigns a •1d tbrfe grtat miracles, yrt the Lord h,;tb notgi· ven thee an btt~rl to perceive, and eyes to jf', a11dears to bMrtmto tbis daJ•.Htre now was a work of the power ofGod,and it wrought upon Self.love,tbcy quaked and trembled, and it was the Power ofGod to make them do fo, ana fo far as God intended it,fo far it wrought it,moved them;but fli!J they had not a heart, To give a man aheart to perceive,. and a heart to turn, and turn <ffectually, this is from the exceeding grearnefs ot lm power. So that now indeed there is a work an.d a powerful work too, whicb is and may b.e reli!l:td, Te aiWtiJ'S rejij/the Ho!yGhof/, M ;our FatiHrs lmw do11r Jo doye; but then there is a powc~ that is'not refiflcd, it is 2CC0rding t.Othe effectual WOrking of the might Of his power, the fame tha& raifed up Chrifl from death to glory. All
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