2. Consider the sj^ecial instances of God's power.
[1.] In creation. 0 christian I remember the creating power of God.
VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 375
David saith, Ps. cxxiv. 8, ' Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.' As if the psalmist had said, As long as I see heaven and earth I will never distrust. I hope in that God which made all these things out of nothing ; and therefore as long as I see those two great standing monuments of his power before me, heaven and earth, I will never be discouraged. So the apostle : 1 Peter iv. 19, ' Commit the keeping of your souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.' 0 christian ! remember when you trust God you trust an almighty creator, who is able to help, let your case be never so desperate. God could create when he had nothiug to work upon, which made one wonder, What is become of the tools wherewith he made the world? AVhere is the trowel wherewith he arched the heaven ? and the spade wherewith he digged the sea ? What had God to work upon, or work withal when he made the world? He made it out of nothing. Now you commit your souls to the same faithful creator. Then, —
[2.] Consider the providence of God, that will help you ; partly, because providence is nothing else but a continued creation. The same power that made all things upholds all things ; and this is a great relief to the soul, for it shows us that God is the same still : Isa.xl. 28, ' Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth doth, not faint, neither is weary ? ' There is no wrinkle upon the brow of eternity. He that made all things by his word holds all things by his own almighty grasp; and if he loosen his hand, and take away the influence and supportation of his providence, all things would return to nothing again. And partly, because providence gives us new instances of God's power in sustaining and governing all the world, providing for all creatures. You trust in him that fills the mouth of every living thing, and that keeps a table for all the world : Ps. cxlv. 16, ' Thou openest tliine hand, and satis- fiest the desire of every living thing.' How many mouths doth God feed only with opening his hand ? The whole creation hangs upon him, as vessels do upon a nail in a sure place.
[3.] Then consider not only God's general providence, but your own particular experiences. Experience is a most affective and near thing ; and things wherein we are concerned ourselves leave a more sensible impression upon the soul: Eom. v. 4, 'Experience worketh hope.' When we have had a particular trial of God's power, w^e can the more readily trust him. I verily believe Abraham's experience was a mighty confirmation to his faith. For mark — it is said, ' He accounted God was able to raise him from the dead ; from whence also he had received him in a figure.' God had given Isaac, as it were, from the dead at the first : ver. 12, ' Therefore sprang there of one, and him as good as dead, as many as the stars of the sky for multitude, and as the sands on the sea-shore innumerable ; ' so Eom. iv. 19, ' He considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, nor yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.' I say this made him more capable of this reasoning and arguing, because he had experience God had given him Isaac from a dead body and a dead womb ; therefore he concluded God was able to raise him from the dead. So for our particular trials ; when we have had experience of the power of God, it is a mighty con-
376 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LIII.
firmation of our faith. The apostle saith, 2 Cor. i. 9, 10, ' We have had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raised the dead. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.' If you have had great deliverances and experiences of the power of God, this is a mighty confirmation in believing. And then consider the spiritual experiences, and not only experiences in general ; partly because these are the highest instances of God's power. God bliowed a great deal of power in making the world, but he shows more power in renewing the heart of man ; for as there was nothing to work upon in making the world, so nothing to resist ; but when he comes to form you anew, and create you in Christ Jesus to good works, there was a great deal of resistance ; that God which hath overpowered thy spirit- ual corruptions hath herein showed us his power. And pai'tly, because this is an engaging instance, that they may wait upon God for the future effects of his power, Deus donando debet I urge this the rather because the apostle urgeth us to consider of it : Eph. i. 19, 'And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward that believe.' He doth not refer us to the power of God, by which the world was made, but that which works in them that believe. Again, Eph. iii. 20, ' Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think, accord- ing to the power that worketh in us.' He tloth not speak of his mighty ])0wer which made the world, or that wrought then in the church in working of miracles ; no, but the mighty power that worketh in our liearts, and thence gathers that God is able to do far above what we can ask or think.