to the :E: PHE SIAN S. The Second is this, That-in the matter of Salvation men do as much !lick in an~ ignorance and unbeliefof the power of God towardsthem as Ius W1ll and Mercy. Strmo11. Here you fee the Apo!lle prayeth as hearnly they m•ght know the power that XXVII!• works in them, both that they may be thankful, and lll<ew•fe ~hat they may de-~ pend upon it for the future ; as you would do to know the nches of the mercy that is in God and Jus good-w1ll towards you. There aret~o things mainly which are the ObjeCl: of mens Faith, both put together draw men in to believe, The on~ is to believe that the power o~ God is able to do it; and the other to believe h1s good-w!ll. Now, Men do lhck as much at t/Je.belief of the power of God in working, that he is able to work, as at his good-will, that he will work. Therefore the Apo!lle prayeth here you fe~ that they may have eyes enlightned to know the exceeding greatnefs of his pow– er. A6raham'sFaith is defcribed to us, Rom. 4· 2 r, by his trulling in the power of God, He w a-s flrong i11 Faith (faith he,) beingfully per[waded that what ht badpromi[td he wai a/Jte alfo to perform. This was the great Faith of our Father A6rabam, it was placed upon the power of God,as well as upon his good– will. Now, take 'a poor finner that bath lived long in doubt whether God would own him or no; he flicks only at this, I know God is able to fave me faith hs:; but I do not know whether he will or no. But I tell you my Brethren, you flick as much at the power of God to fave you, as you do at the mercy of God, and it is of an equal difficulty to believe the one as the other; and therefore wl>en fuch a foul findeth himfelf pardoned, what cloth he ufe to fay? Is it pof– fible that fuch aone as I lhould have mercy? Ltt the power of my Lord be great (faith Mojes, N11m6, '4• '7·) toforgive the imqnity mtd tra11fgreflio11 of this People. .Jmight illullrate this point unto you, but I !hall be prevented in what follow– eth. Only this, therefore you have it in Scripture fo often the Apollle mentio-. iling it. As zTim, r. r2. I know whom I have 6rtieved, atJti I am ptrfwaded "that he i& able tokttp that which I have committed tmto him. His Faith you fee is founded upon the power of God, To him that u able to do rxceeding almiJ– dm•tt.J above att that we ask or thi1tk; Ephef. l· 20 . To him that is abtr to kup &ou from falti11g, alld to prejn;t7.ou faultlefs bef'orr the prrfrnce of hisglory. 'juJe, vtrj. 24. . And fpeakmg ot the converlion of the Jrws, Rom. 11. 21• God is able (fmh he,) tograffthem m agam; he cloth not only fay God is wil– 'ling to do it, but he is able; that is his expreffion there. This aUudeth to what !Was faid to Ezekiet, when the dry bones were prefented to him, Eztk, l7· l· ( thofe drie bones are the .Je~s,) So~tof MmJcatJ theft bona tive? Yet, faith Paul, he is able to ingraff them, a.ble to raife them. . I fpeak this to this purpofe, To lhew that the Scripture holdeth forth as much the,power of God for the ObjeCt of our Faith as the mercy and good-will of God. -Doefl>thotl believe that I am a6tt to betp thee? It was the quefiion that Chrift >asked the poor man that brought his polfeffed Child to be cured, Mark, 9· 2 3. cAnd,the thing he propounded.to Chrill was his ability to help him, his power, if , thot; cmifl do il'!Y· thing (faith he,) have compaJ}i01t 011 m . Therefore the Apo(\]e -prayeth here that thty may k11ow what is the (!Xfctedi1lg great11r[s of his powr~ ·~~ w-wardthat 6elievr. So much now concerning that 4Jh. general head,which 'IS the-knowledge of tlm power wh1ch the Apollle here prayeth tor, I come oow in the next place, to the Parallel between thefe two. He compa– reth you fee here the Refurredion of Jefus Chrill, and his exaltation to glory; the power of it, to tbat that works converfion irt us and all other good .works. The Parallel then between what power wrought in Chri(\ and works in us, or rather, that Chnll1s the pattern ol what God wrought in him, he will work in ,us, which he would have Chrifiians have in their eye, that is the next thing to be fpoken to; That you may know ( faith he, ) what is the rxceeding greatnejs of htS powtr to..us·Wllrd, who btlievt according to the worki11g of tbe rmgbt ofhts f'DWtr that he wrought ill Chrifl. That Jefus Cbrifi is the pattern, the common •nnance or evidence, t~at look what he had wrought in him, the fame power lhould work 10 us, that Is the Apollles meamng. Now, tins paralld it is but hinted
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