88 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. XV.
represented as doubting of God's power. Besides, doubts haunt us only in times of difficulty, and when mercies expected are hard to come by. If we did doubt of God's will because of our unworthiness, why do we not doubt at other times, when things are eas}'? But these doubts surprise us only when the things we expect from God according to his I)romises are difficult and hard to come by. And the reason why we are so apt to doubt of God's power is the imperfection of our thoughts about God's being. We are inured to principles of sense, and con- verse with limited beings, and therefore confine God to a circle of our own making : Ps. Ixxviii. 41, ' They turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.' We confine God to the course of second causes, with which we wholly converse, and when there is diffi- culty, there our hearts fail ; therefore there is need to press you to believe God's power.
2. Improve it to strengthen our faith and encourage our obedience.
[1.] To strengthen our faith, either in prayer or in waiting. In prayer: Oh! when you come to God, remember 'he is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think,' Eph. iii. 20. How hard and difficult soever the thing be that we ask of God, he is able to do it. When our Lord taught us to pray, what are the encouragements he gives us ? see the conclusion of the Lord's prayer, Mat. vi, 13, ' Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.' As God hath a kingdom and authority to dispose of all things for his glory and our good, so he hath a power to back it ; it is not an empty title. Pray for help with such cheerfulness and confidence as if it were the easiest thing in the world to be done. All those things that are so difficult to be obtained, either the sanctification of our souls, or the promotion of Christ's kingdom, or any of those things, 'Thine is the power;' there is that which holds up our hands in prayer, and gives us confidence towards God. So to strengthen our faith in waiting, touching the performance of all God's promises for ourselves and others. Abraham believed above hope and against hope. Why? 'Being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform,' Kom. iv. 21. This is the great security of the soul, that confirms us in waiting upon God, when the accomplishment of his promises is unlikely to reason, ' God is able.' If you expect of God preservation in the midst of difficulties, such a fickle and such a changeable creature as man is, how can that be ? 1 Peter i. 5, ' Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.' The power of God is engaged for our defence. So for tem- poral difficulties, when we see no means, no likelihood to escape, yet we are not thoughtful of this matter, for 'our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, 0 king,' Dan. iii. 17. In death, when we go to the grave, to moulder into dust and rottenness, then to look upon the morsels of worms as parcels of the resurrection, what shall uphold and support our hearts in waiting upon God for this? Phil. iii. 21, 'Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue- all things unto himself.' The scrijjture still refers us to the mighty power of God, whereby he can subdue and cause all to fall under him. The destruction of antichrist and enemies of the church, who are sup-
VeE. 27.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 89
ported liy great and strongly combined interests, liow can that ever be hoped for ? Rev. xviii. 8, ' Her plagues shall come in one day, death and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her ; ' and that is the greatest cordial of the soul. The life of faith lies in the belief of God's power and all-sufficiency. He can raise up the church from her low con- dition, and all without any means ; when all is dry bones, then God can put life into his people.
[2.] To encourage us in obedience ; it is good to believe and improve the power of God.
(1.) That we may carry it more humbly and more dutifully : 1 Peter V. 6, ' Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.' This is that which begets a deep awe and reverence of his majesty. Shall we not submit to that God that is able to crush us ? Oh ! therefore let us study to please him in all things. When you sin, you bid defiance to the Almighty, and enter into the lists with God, and provoke him to jealousy : 1 Cor. x, 22, ' Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than he ? ' Do you know what it is to dash against God and contest with God ? He that is almighty is the most desirable friend or the most dreadful adversary, and therefore humble yourselves, and carry it dutifully towards him. Every one would be in with the Almighty. Be sure to keep in with the Lord : Deut. x. 17, ' For the Lordour God is a God of gods and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward/ Will you provoke him and dare him to his face?