(2.) Difficulties are left for this very end, to drive us to the throne of grace, that we may set the power of God a-work, that where man leaves off, there God may begin, and when the creature hath spent its allowance, the Creator may show forth his strength,. Look, as in the outward case, God promiseth to deliver his people, ' when he seeth that their power is gone,' Deut xxxii. 26, so in the inward case, ' He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he in- creaseth strength/ Isa. xl. 29.
Use 1. Let this support us in all the difficulties that we meet with in our way to heaven. When we are at a loss, God is not at a loss : Zech. viii. 6, ' If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in my eyos, saith the Lord.' God's power is not to be measured by our thoughts and by our scantling. Things may seem strange to us, but God can easily effect them. He that bringeth forth in the spring such beautiful flowers out of the earth, which looked with such a horrid and dismal face in the Avinter, what cannot he work in our souls? This is a great support to a fainting soul ; it is easy with God to do what we count impossible. A stranger cannot charm a mastiff dog, when the master
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82 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. XV.
of the lioiipe can witli a word. The shepherd can call off the dog from the flock ; so the Lord can easily rebuke Satan, when he finda him most violent, and he can subdue and quell the strongest lust.
2. Wiien we are sensible of our weakness, let us observe the laws God hath set to the creatures. God will be attended upon, and waited for in the use of means. We must come to the throne of grace, and therefore our Lord, Avhen he teacheth us to pray, he saith, ' Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.' We must come to God, if we would have his power exerted ; and God will be believed in, and have his power rested upon and applied : Mark xv. 28, ' 0 woman ! great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt;' John xi. 40, ' If thou wilt believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God ; ' that is, his power. If in desperate exigences we would have the power of God put forth, God must be sought to, and rested upon ; and you must abstain from all sin. Sampson received strength no longer from God than he kept the law of his profession. When we entangle our- selves, and wilfully run into sin, and turn away from God, we discharge God from looking after us.
3. Observe what experience you have of the power of his grace ; have you found it working in you? Mere reading and hearing will not evidence this truth so much as experience, that there is power put forth in a gracious way. Alas! otherwise we shall but speak of it as strangers to it, with cold notions ; therefore can you say, ' I can do all things through Christ strengthening me?' • Phil. iv. 13. And are you ' strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might ? ' Eph, vi. 10. Have you learned this holy art of conquering your distempers and temptations by the power of God ?
SERMON XV.
With God all things are possible. — Mark x. 27.
DocT. 3. I come to the general truth upon which this is grounded, that God is omnipotent, and can do all things. This I shall prove, explain, apply.
First, I shall prove by scripture and by reason.
1. By scripture, because it is an article of faith, and the scrip- tures that concern this point may be ranked thus: You will find the question propounded, Gen. xviii. 14, 'Is anything too hard for the Lord ? ' and this answered, Jer. xxxii. 17, ' There is nothing too hard for God.' The- affirmative is in the text; and Mat. xix. 26, ' With God all things are possible ; ' and the negative, which binds it the more strongl}-, is in Luke i. 37, ' With God nothing shall be impossible.' The general is in the text, 'All things are possible with God ; ' and the particular is in Job xlii. 2, ' I know that thou canst do everything.' So ihat the power of God is not only propounded in the lump, but particularly parcelled out. Certainly God is almighty,
2. I shall prove it by reason.
[1.] The creation of the world shows it. The apostle tells us, Rom.
YeR, 27.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 83