The secret, ■ but the almighty efficacy of providence is also ex- cellently described to us in Ezek. i. 8. where the angels are said to have their hands under their wings, working secretly and un- liiscernibl}^ but very effectually for the saints committed to their charge. Like unto which is that in Hab. iii. 4. where it is said of God, " that he had horns coming out of his hands, and there " was the hiding of his power.'" The hand is the instrument of action, denoting God's active power, and the horns coming out of them are the glorious rays and beams of that power shining forth in the salvation of his people. Oh that we could sun ourselves in those cheerful and reviving beams of Divine Power, by considering how gloriously they have broken forth, and shone out for the sal- vation of his people in all ages. So it did for Israel at the Red-sea, Exod. XV. 6. So for Jehoshaphat in that great strait, 2 Chron. XX. 12, 15. And so in the time of Hezekiah, 2 Kings xix. 8, 7. Yea, in all ages from the beginning of the world the saints have been sheltered under these Avings of Divine Power, Isa. li. 9, 10. Thus providence hath hanged and adorned this chamber of Divine Power with the delightful histories of the church's manifold pre- servations by it.
Section IV. Having taken a short view of this glorious chamber of God's power, absolutely in itself, and also in relation to his pro- mises and providences, it remains now, that I press and persuade all the people of God under their fears and dangers, according to GckI's gracious invitation, to enter into it, shut their doors, and to behold with delight this glorious attribute working for them in all their exigencies and distresses.
1. Enter into this chamber of Divine Power, all ve that fear the
352 THE RIGHTEOUS MAX S PvEFUGE.
Lord, and hide yourselves there in those dangerous and distressful days ; let me say to you as the prophet did to the poor distressed Jews, Zech. ix. 12. " Turn ye to your strong hold, ye prisoners of " hope." Strong holds might they say ; why, where are they ? The walls of Jerusalem are in the dust, the temple burnt with fire, Sion an heap; what meanest thou in telling us of our strong holds? Why, admit all this, yet there is satis prcesidii in uno Deo, refuge enough for you in God alone, as Calvin excellently notes upon that place. Christian, art thou not able to fetch a good subsistence for thy soul by faith, out of the Almighty Power of God ? The renowned saints of old did so. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob met with as many difficulties and plunges of trouble in their time, as ever you did, or shall meet with ; yet, by the exercise of their faith upon this attribute, they lived comfortably, and why cannot you ? Exod. vi. 3. " I appeared (saith God) unto Abraham, Isaac, " and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty." They kept house and feasted by faith upon this name of mine ; O that we could do as Abraham did, Rom. iv. 21. We have the same attribute, but, alas, we have not such a faith as his was to improve it. It is easy to beheve the Almighty power of God in a calm, but not so easy to resign ourselves to it, and securely rest upon it in a storm of ad- versity ; but oh what peace and rest would our faith procure us by the free use and exercise of it this way ! to assist your faith in this difficulty wherein we find the faith of a Moses sometimes staggered, let me briefly offer you these four following encouragements.
1. Consider how your gracious God hath engaged this his Al- mighty Power, by promise and covenant for the security of his people. God pawned it, as it were, to Abraham, in that famous promise. Gen. xvii. 1. "I am the Almighty God, walk thou before "me, and be thou perfect." And Gen. xv. 1. "Fear not, Abra- " ham, I am thy shield." Say not, this Mas Abraham's pecuhar privilege, for if thou consult Hosea xii. 4. and Heb. xiii. 5, 6. you will find that believers in these days have as good a title to the pro- mises made in those days, as those worthies had to whom they were immediately made.
2. If you be believers, your relation to God strongly engageth his power for you, as well as his own promises, " Surely, (saith " God) they are my people, children that will not lie: so he be- " came their Saviour," Isa. Ixiii. 8. We say relations have the least of entity, but the greatest efficacy ; you find it so in your own experience, let a wife, child, or friend be in imminent danger, and it shall engage all the power you have to succour and deliver them.
3. This glorious power of God is engaged for you by the very malice and wickedness of your enemies, who will be apt to impute
THE ItlGHTEOUS MA:n's REFUGE. 353
the ruin of the saints to the defect of power in God ; from whence those excellent arguments are drawn, Numb. xiv. 15, 16. " Now " if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations *' which have heard the fame of thee, will speak, saying, Because " the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which " he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilder- " ness." And again, Deut. xxxii. 26, 27. you will find the Lord improving this argument for them himself; if they do not plead it for themselves, he will. " I would scatter them into corners, I " would make the remembrai>(ce of them to cease from among " men, were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their " adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they " should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all " this." O see how much you are beholden to the \ery rage of your enemies, for your deliverances from them !
4. To conclude, the very reliance of your souls by faith upon the power of God, your very leaning upon his arm engages it for your protection, Isa. xxvi. 3. " Thou wilt keep him in perfect " peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in " thee." Puzzle not yourselves therefore any longer about qua- lifications : but know that the very acting of your faith on God, the recumbency of your souls upon him, is that which will engage him for your defence, how weak and defective soever thou art in other respects.