And in the Power of his might. 27 and call him by his creatures name, which he will not anfwer to. Now the tenderneffe that God thews to this Prerogative of his,appears in three particulars, Firft, in the 11661 command he layes on his people, to give him the glory of his power, Ira. 8.12, 13. Feare ye not their feare, butfanllifie the Lord of holies himf;if: that is, in this fad po- llute of your affaires; when your enemies affociate, and you feem a loft people to the eye of Reafon, not able to conteft with fuch united Powers, which befet you on every fide: NoW I '? charge you fandifie me in giving me the gloryof my Almighty Power ; believe that your God is able of hin-ifelf, without any I other, todefend you, and deftroy them. Secondly, in his feverity to his deareft children, when they finger in their faith, and come nor off roundly (without rea- foniug and difputing the cafe) to retie on his Almighty Power Zacharias did but ask the Angel, How [ball I know IN,s, &cattle I am an old man, andmy wife thicken in yeares ; yet for bewraying therein his unbelief, had a figne indeed given him, but fuch a one as-didnot only ftrengthen hisfaith, but feverely punithhis unbelief, for hewas flruck dumb upon the place. God loves his children fhould believe his Word, not difpute his power; fo true is that ofLother,Deus arnat etirrifias nonlaarillas.That which gave accent to ilbrahanis faith, Rom. 4. 2.I. was that he wasfally perfOmded, that what God had promfed, he was able to perform. Thirdly, in the way God takes of giving his choicefl mercies, and greateft falvations to his people, wherein he lam the fcene of his Providence fo, that when he bath done, it may be faid Al- mighty Power was here. And therefore God commonly puts down thofe means and fecond caufes, which if they flood about his work, would blinde and hinder the full profpca thereof in effeding the fame, 2 tor. r. 9 We received the tentence of death in our 'elves, that We might not atilt in ow felves, but in God which raifeth the dead. Shrift flayed while Lazarm was dead, that-he might draw the eyes of their faith more tingly to look on his power, by railing his dead friend, rather then curing him being tick, which would not have carried fo full a conviaion of .M- mightineffe with it. Yea, he fuffel s a contrary power many times to arife in that very juneture of time, when he intends the E 2 mercy 1, 2.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=