~66 An Expojition of the Epiflle ~ Now then his meaning in a word is this, Let there be never fo many iigns and SermOiz miracles wrought before you, they will neve: work Fatth; they may worl<an XXVIlf. Hiflorical faith indeed. Look how tar Education prepareth you to believe, that ~ you arc brought up in the knowledge of the true God and the true Chrifl by Education, fo tar Miracles did bring tbe Hrathens and the Jews. They did ferve inflead of Education to work in men an Hifloricol faith; but yet faith he,when it cometh to the point, it is not a Sign that will do it, but it mull be the Power of God to work Faith. Then again, another end which this /wow/edge of God ferveth for, as to magnifie the Power of God, fo it ferveth to firengthen your Faith for the future . that from the experience of that power you have found already in your beans' you might gather and coiled what a mighty power was engaged, and would continue frill to work in you. ,And theretore you fuall find in Scripture, that the Apo!lle doth often come in with this, To h1m tbat is able to kupyou; fo you have it inPhi/.4. My Brethren, you are not to look what your own weakneffes ~re, but what the power of God is in bringing you to fal vation ; As in the point of Mercy, you are not to look what your fins are, but what the Grace of God in Chrifi is, you are to eye that. So now the Apo!lle, when he would draw up thefe Behevers hearts, and wmd them up to the hetght; Confider (faith he) as A6raham did, not his own weaknefs of body, but the power of God. So do you (fa;th he) confider not your own fins, not your own difira!fes, thefe will all argue to you, that you will fall fuort at lafi; but confider the Power that works in you, to firenghthen your hearts for the !inure. I mentioned other things in the Coheren'ce, all which come under this Head, how .ufeful this knowledge is to a Believer. I will only add one thing more, and that is this: Tott/bould to that md endeavottr andpray, ·to know what fs the power that works i11 )'Ott, that ; •ott might h,.ve depmda11ce co111i11ually on tbat Power. That is the fcope of the Apofile, why he would have them know it; it is ufeful to this end, that they might fee what continual dependance they had upon the Power of God ; not only to lee, that without him you could do nothing, but that it is he that works all you do. Your Will beareth not one part and his Power another, but it is he that works i11 yort both the will m1ti the deed, as it is Phi/. 2 . '3· God cloth not only work with the Will, but he works rather ty the Will. And therefore you fuould labour to know the power that work1 in you to this end, that you might fee your dependance upon God for every good thing he works in you. There is a notable place to this purpofe, which I coofefs I llmuld have more enlarged upon. Here you fee the fame power works that wrought in Chriil, whm he wtU raifedfrom the dead. Now you llullfind in Heb.q.z'. that it is the fame Power goeth towork everygoodthing i11you, not only the principle of Grace, but every ad of Grace, Therefore the Apo!\le prayeth , they might lnow the power that wrought in them to this end, that they might have a de– pendance upon that power for the working of all good in them, not only at the firfi, but to the end of their days. R.ead the words there in the Hebrews, The God of Peace, that 6ro11ght agai11from the dead o11r Lord ,7ejiu Chrifl, the .ereat Shepheard of the /beep. Why is this 12reface ufed of Chrifi's R.efurre– dion ? Mark what followeti.I, Make yott perjdt i11 every good work to do his will, worki11g itt.JO" that which is we!J pleajing ill hi; fight. Why cloth he mention the title of Chrifi's R.efurredion, when he fpeaks of working in them not only Grace at firfi, but every good thing that is pleating in his fight ? Be· caufe the fame power that goeth to convert your Souls at lirf\, goeth to increafe every degree of Grace in you, and to work every good work; As fuppofe I am to pray, I am to have that power put forth in my Soul, (if I make a prayer pleaflng in his light) that was put forth in raifing Chrifl: from death to life. Therefore (faith the Apofile) the God of Peace, that brought agai11 from the dead tht great Shepheard of the Jheep, make ; ·ou perfect i11 ev ery good work. So now, to the end you might fee your dependance upon God for every thing you do; not only for the beginning of your Faith to praife him, but for the linifl1ing of your Faith, to depend upon him, he prayetl1 that they might Jre and k11ow what this power was. In
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