I do but touch these things, to shew that out of the grounds of religion there is a power in them, if they be apprehended and believed ; and if they have not this power, we believe them not. We talk of them, but are not moulded to them ; as the apostle's phrase is, ' We are not fashioned to tbem,' 2 Cor. iii. 18. So that we may try whether the word hath wrought mightily on us, by the power we find in us altering our natures.
Quest. 5. Well, tchat course shall we take, that we maij find tltis poiver of ike ordinances and word, and an excellent power ?
Ans. (1.) Bemeniher all is of God, from God's Spirit. The third person in the Trinity is next to us, and next in working. God the Father and Son work by the Spirit. For as it is in the body, there be the veins and arteries put together, the veins carry the blood, the arteries carry the spirits, the blood in the veins nourish the spirits in the arteries, the spirits in the arteries quicken and enliven the blood ; [so] the word is as blood in the veins. For as blood spreads itself over all the body by the veins, and feedeth the several parts, so the word spreadeth itself over the whole man, over all the powers of man, over his understanding, will, and affection. It spi'eadeth itself over all the actions of man, for all must be done in virtue of some word. It spreadeth itself as blood spreadeth over the body, but
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. IV, VER. 7. 383
together with the blood there must be spirits to quicken the blood ; so there must be the Spirit with the word. The word is vehiaibim Spiritiis, the chariot which carrieth the Spirit. And therefore consider the concurrence of these two when ye come to God. They be coupled together as the veins and arteries ; and when we have to do with divine truths, remember to beg for the Spirit, and therefore, Ps. cxix. 18, ' Open mine eyes. Lord, open mine eyes.' His eyes were opened, and yet ' Lord, reveal the wonders of thy law more.' So we must pray for a fresh, new revelation of truths to us. And ai'O we quicker and better-sighted than he or Paul, that prayed so often for the Spirit of revelation, and that God would take off the veil of ignorance and unbelief from the heart ? * There is a natural veil upon divine things, that we cannot see them in their truths and excellency. Therefore pray to God by the Spirit to take away this veil.
Ans. (2.) And if we would feel the power, and the excellency of the power, of the word, enter into our own hearts, and see our own necessity every day, and see our oivn icants of God, who doth shew his power in weakness, labour to see a necessity of divine power and divine truths, a necessity to do anything well, and that our callings are not sanctified unless we sanctify them in a morning by prayer, and direct them to ends above nature and above the world, and make them serviceable for the soul. See a necessity of grace and of the efficacy and power of the word, and necessity M'ill enforce us out of ourselves to him, in whom is the fountain of all strength, that we may be ' strong in the power of his might,' Eph. vi. 10, 2 Tim. ii. 1. Beloved, times are coming to ever}' one of us that will enforce us to seek for strength and for power. Can we undergo afflictions when they come without spiritual sti'ength ? We may carry them as civil f men, but great crosses may come above all morality and civility. Ahithophel had brains enough, but having no grace he sunk. Judas had much knowledge, but sunk under it. So though we have strong brains and great parts, we shall sink under them if we have not grace. A Christian must be more than a man, as grace raiseth a man above a man, makes him spiritual. By virtue of this power we must be more than men, else we shall meet with things which are above a man, fiery temptations and Satan's darts, and if we are not more than a man, woe be to us. Therefore labour to feel and see our own wants ; present and propound beforehand all possibilities. What if our lives should be questioned ? Sickness will come, death will come. What strength have I ? What faith have I ? What have I lived upon before, and what do I know ? Do I believe all I know ? As Joseph pro- vided against hard times. Gen. xli. 48, times of spending will come, there- fore lay up knowledge, and often examine if things be to us as to themselves. Divine truth is holy, full of majesty and power in itself. What is that to me if it be not so to me ? It will do me no good, but help to damn me. Do I find that power and efficacy that is said to be in them ? If not, never give over waiting on the means that God hath appointed for that purpose.