Sermon 18

Exodus 3:13-14. And Moses said to God, Behold when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they shall say to me, what is his name; what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, I AM, THAT I AM, etc.

Objection 4. If God produces no infinite effect, and yet is infinite in power, that power which being never brought into act is in vain.

Answer 1. To this I answer, that it is true, when any power is appointed and destined to any act, it is so far in vain, as it does not attain to that end and act: as bread is appointed to nourish; if it does not, it is not fit for the end to which it is made, and so in vain: I may say the same of every thing else. But that is not the end of God's power, to bring forth any effect answerable to itself: for his power (to speak properly) has no end, but all things are made for it. In other things, the cause is proportionate for its end: but he himself is the cause of all other things; all that he does, is for himself; and therefore though he does not produce any such effect, yet his power is infinite.

Secondly, when there is a repugnancy in the nature of the thing, it is no shortening or limitation of his power. Now a creature, if it be a creature, must be finite: And the Lord can do what may be done: but to make a creature infinite, is a contradiction. And therefore if he does not do it, it is not because he cannot but because the thing itself cannot be done.

We now come to the application of this point.

Use 1. If God be Almighty, then let all those that are in covenant with God, and that have interest in him, that can say, they are the Lord's, and the Lord is theirs, let them exceedingly rejoice in this, that they have an Almighty God for their God. To have a friend that is able to do all things, (as we told you before, he is every where present,) it is a great benefit: to have a friend in Court, in Country, a friend beyond the seas, if you shall have occasion to be banished there: but if you add this, he is able to do whatever he will, it will add much to our comfort. A friend many times is willing, but he is not able; if able and willing, yet not present: but seeing he is every where, if you have any business to do, you need not to send a letter, do but put up a prayer to him, to be your factor, to do it for you, to work your works for you, he is every where present, and he is Almighty also, able to do it, therefore be content to have him alone for your portion. That is the cause, that men's ways are so unlike one to another: because they would grasp GOD and the creature. And why do they do so? Because they will not be content to have GOD alone. And what is the ground of that? Because they do not think him indeed All-sufficient and Almighty: for if they did, they need not to join any other with him.

Objection. But you will say, this is against sense: GOD is All-sufficient, it is true, it is good to have him: but, do we not need many hundred things besides? Must we not have friends, house, wife, etc.? Can we live without them? Can we live without friends, estate convenient? What is your meaning then to have GOD alone for our portion?

Answer. GOD has all these in him, that is, he has the comfort of them all: if he be Almighty and All-sufficient, then look about, and consider the multitude of the things you need, and the variety of comforts you desire, and you shall find all in him. That argument which you are not strangers to. He has made them all; and there is nothing in the effect, but what is in the cause, because it gave it to the effect first, and it gives nothing, but what itself had before: if he has put in beams of comfort, and this beauty in the several creatures, must they not needs be in him?

Objection. But you will say, that this is but a speculation.

Answer. But that it is more I will put you to one place, which I desire you to consider seriously: that is, (Mark 10:28-30). Then Peter began to say to him, Lo we have left all, and have followed you. And Jesus answered and said; verily I say to you, there is no man that has left house, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or lands for my sake and the Gospel; but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, Houses, and Brethren, and Sisters, and Mothers, and Children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life. When it is said here, he shall receive the very same; why does the Holy Ghost repeat them in particular; He shall receive houses and Brethren, etc. with persecution? That is, you shall be stripped of all these things by persecution, yet at the same time, you shall have them all. At that time when he is in a close prison, and driven from all these, he shall receive them for this present. The meaning is this: let a man have communion with GOD, let the Lord reveal himself to a man; if he be once pleased to come to a man, and sup with him, if he will but communicate to a man the consolations of the Spirit, and fill him with joy and peace through believing: I say, though he be in a close prison, yet he shall have the comfort of houses, Brethren, Sisters, Mothers, etc. That is, that comfort which they would yield him, he shall find them altogether in GOD. So that if one should come and say to him, what if you should have Father, Mother, and friends restored to you, that you may enjoy them; I say, a man that has a near communion with GOD, to whom GOD says, that he will come and sup with him, at such a time; he will say, I do not care one jot for them, for I have that which is better than them all. For example: you see this in the Apostles, that rejoiced in prison. What do you think they would have said to men that offered them riches? Would they not have slighted them? They did slight imprisonment: and in that they did slight shame, and prison, etc. they would have slighted the other by the rule of contraries. Therefore labor to be content with GOD alone.

To make this argument without doubt, consider what heaven is. Do you think, that there you shall have a worse condition than here? Here you have need of many comforts and conveniences, it is a variegate appetite, that is, an appetite that is full of multiplicity: why, when you come to heaven, you do not lay aside your nature, but you desire still; and there you shall have none but God alone: so that there you shall be in a worse estate than here, if all these things were not to be found in the Lord: if there were not this variety in the Lord, it could not be, that in heaven you should be so happy. Here you need sun, and moon, and stars, and a thousand other things, but there you shall have none, but I, says he, will be sun, and moon, and all to you: and therefore he says, that he will be all in all, which is the plural number, and signifies, all things, I will be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Now this Almighty God, that will be All-sufficient in heaven, if he will but communicate to a man, and draw him near to his presence, shall not that be enough? Beloved, it is certain, that he will be enough for your portion. As for instance; let a man be stripped of all his friends, and brethren and sisters, and country, as Abraham was: he was stripped of all, and had God alone left for his portion, yet you see that he was exceeding rich, and made a great prince, and he had a great posterity. Therefore let us make this use of it: to care for none but the Lord alone, we know not what shall become of us, we may be led into banishment, as others now are, and have been: now if you have the Lord with you, it is enough. So if any condition befall you, if you can be content with God alone, you are well, what if your friends deceive you? What if you should be shut up in a close prison? It is nothing, he is All-sufficient and Almighty, and there is no estate or condition, but he is with you in it, there is no strait, but he can help you out. Therefore study these things, and examine them, and labor to beat them upon your souls: never rest, till you have brought your hearts to such a condition: to say, I know that no man can separate between God and me, and I am content with God alone.

Use 2. Secondly, If this be so, then labor to make use of this power of his. Why is this Attribute revealed to you? Is it not for this, that men might make use of this power of his? Then let every man consider with himself, what he has need of, what strait he is in, what business he would have done: remember that God is Almighty, and is able to bring it to pass; be it poverty in your estates, or debts, which a man is not able to [reconstructed: overcome], if there be a blemish in your names, and you cannot tell how to have it healed, or any weakness in your body; and which is more than all this, if there be a lust that you cannot overcome, a temptation which you cannot be rid of, if there be a deadness of spirit in you, and indisposedness to holy duties, and you cannot tell how to get life and quickening; remember that there is an Almighty power revealed for that end, and it is our parts to make use of it: though it be an hereditary disease in you, (now you know an hereditary disease is that which we have from our parents,) though you have such a disease, such a strong lust, yet think with yourself, the Lord is able to heal this. James 4:6. A place named before, But he gives more grace, etc. As if he should say: when he had told them of the lusts that fight in their members, this objection comes in; Alas, we are not able to master these lusts. It is true, says the Apostle, the lusts that are in us, do lust against the spirit, as naturally as the stone descends downward: but how should we heal them, say you? How? The Scripture gives more grace, that is, there is an omnipotent power which can heal all this.

So (Matthew 19:26): With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. It is a place worthy of consideration. Says our Savior, It is impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven: why, say the Disciples, Who then can be saved? Indeed, says Christ, it is impossible with men, but with God all things are possible. The meaning is this: when a man has riches, that is, when the object is present and before him, a man cannot of himself but set his heart upon them; and when a man's heart is set upon them, no man in the world can wean his heart from those riches: what shall we do then? Why, says he, the LORD has an almighty power, he is able to mortify these lusts. We can no more do it, than a cable rope can go through the eye of a needle. Now that which is said of riches, may be said of any lust. Let an ambitious man have honor, or such an object suitable to a carnal mind, he cannot choose but set his heart upon it: now when that lust is set upon an object, a camel may as well go through a needle, as he can lose his heart from these lusts: but yet the Lord can do it, With him all things are possible. And what the Apostle says of the Jews (Romans 11:23): the Lord can ingraft them in again, as bad as they be, though the wrath of God be gone over them to the utmost, yet God can do it: so is it true of yourself, and any one else, the Lord can, if he will; to him nothing is impossible. Think to yourselves, that he that can draw such beautiful flowers out of so dry an earth, as you look upon in winter; though you have a heart as far from grace, as the flowers seem to be from coming forth in the midst of winter, yet he that can do so in nature, is able to do the like in grace also, as he did to Paul, and Mary Magdalen. Now consider what they would have been without his power: and by his power we may be as excellent as they. To confirm this, consider what a change grace has wrought even among us: how many among us, that of proud have become humble, of fierce and cruel have become gentle; of loose, sober; of weak, strong, etc. Go therefore to him, believe this, and apply it: and it is sure it shall be according to your faith. If a man would go to the Lord, and say to him, Lord, I have such a lust, and cannot overcome it, and I want grief and sorrow for sin, you that have an almighty power, you that did draw light out of darkness, you are able to make such a change in my heart, you have an almighty power, and to you nothing is impossible. I say, let a man do so, and the Lord will put forth his power, to effect the thing that you desire. Surely he which establishes the earth upon nothing, and keeps the wind in his fists, and bounds the water as in a garment, can fix the most unsettled mind, and the wildest disposition, and set bounds to the most loose and intemperate.

Use 3: If God be almighty, you must believe this almightiness of his: and whereas you say, we doubt not of his power, but of his will; I will show to you, that all our doubts, and discouragements and dejections do arise from this, not because you think the LORD will not, but because you think he cannot. Therefore you do not know your own hearts in this, in saying that you doubt not of the power of God. I will make this good to you by these arguments.

If we did not doubt of the power of God, what is the reason that when you see a great probability of a thing, you can go and pray for it with great cheerfulness: but if there be no hope, how do your hands grow faint, and your knees feeble in the duty? You pray because the duty must not be omitted, but you do not pray with a heart. And so for endeavors: are not your minds dejected, do you not sit still as men discouraged, with your arms folded up, if you see every door shut up, and there be no probability of help from the creature? And all this is for want of this faith, would this be, if you did believe this almighty power of God? For cannot God do it, when things are not probable, as well as when there are the fairest blossoms of hope?

Besides, do we not hear this speech of man? When the times are bad, do not men say: oh, we shall never see better days? And when a man is in affliction, oh, he thinks this will never be altered: so if he be in prosperity, they think there will be no change. From where comes this, but because we forget the almighty power of God? If we thought that he could make such a change in a night, as he does in the weather, as he did with Job, we should not be so dejected in case of adversity, and so lifted up in case of prosperity.

Besides, men have not ordinarily more ability to believe, than the Israelites had which were God's own people: yet consider, that these very men, that had seen all those great plagues, that the Lord brought upon the Egyptians — therein I mean, all his Almighty power — that saw his power in bringing them through the Red Sea, and giving them bread and water in the wilderness; yet called his power into question, and said, that God could not bring them into the land of Canaan. You will find they did so, (Psalm 78:41). They turned back, and limited the Holy One of Israel. And said, he cannot do this and this: and why? Because they have cities walled up to heaven. That is the thing laid to their charge, they limited the Holy One of Israel: that is, they remembered not that he had an unlimited power, but they thought, if the cities had been low, and the men had been but ordinary men, he could have done it: but because they were so mighty men, and the cities had such high walls; therefore they could not believe, that he could bring them in. Now if they did so, do you not think it is hard for you to do otherwise? Indeed take him, that thinks he does not doubt of the power of God, bring that man to a particular distress, and you shall see him fail: (for it is one thing to have a thing in the notion, as for a man to think what he would do, if he were a Pilot, or a Captain; and another thing to have it in the real managing, as when he is brought to fight:) so is it here. It is one thing to believe God's Almighty power, and who doubts of it? But I ask you, if you have had a trial of your heart; if you have been brought to an exigent. Do you find it so easy a thing, to believe in difficulties, as in facility?

Objection. But you will say, the people of Israel were a stubborn and stiff-necked rebellious people: and I hope our faith is greater than theirs.

Answer. Yes, but do you think that your faith is greater than the faith of Mary or Martha. (John 11:21). Lord, if you had been here my brother had not died. So (verse 32). If you observe their reasoning, you shall see, all this doubt was of his power. If you had been here, when he was sick, and when it was time, you might have raised him: but now it is too late, he has been dead four days, and his body is putrefied. Here is no doubt of his good will: but all the question was of his power. And so it is with us: do not we do the same, and say with ourselves, if this had been taken in time, it might have been done, but now the case is desperate? Why? Is not the Lord as well able to help in desperate cases, if he be Almighty?

Objection. Yes, but these were but weak women, and we hope our faith may be stronger than theirs?

You shall see there that Moses did doubt of God's power. When God had promised to send them flesh, and that not for a day or two, or five, or twenty — but for a month together, and for so many people: Moses says, Lord, will you send them flesh for a month together? There are six hundred thousand men of them, and it is in the wilderness. As if he should say, if it had been for a day or two, or in a plentiful country, or for a few persons: but there are six hundred thousand, and it is in the wilderness, and that for a month together. Here Moses was at a stand, and could not believe it. The Lord answers him; Is the Lord's hand shortened, that he cannot help? You shall see, that I am able to do it, (Numbers 11:21). It is therefore not an easy thing to believe God's power. Therefore set yourselves with all your might, to believe this Almighty power, and know, that all your strength will be needful for it. It is apt to man to measure things according to their own models, as to think him to be as powerful, as man's understanding can reach, and merciful, as far as man can be merciful; but for a finite creature to believe the infinite attributes of God, he is not able to do it thoroughly without supernatural grace. You cannot believe that he forgives so much as he does, or that his power is so great, as his power is, but (though you observe it not) you do frame models of him according to yourselves, and you do not think that his thoughts are above yours, as the heavens are above the earth. Therefore labor to get faith in his power. And will you have it to lie dead, when you have it? No. Therefore add this for a fourth use.

Use 4. Fourthly, then whatever your condition be, whatever strait you are in, be not discouraged, but seek to him; that is the ground of your prayers. You know the Lord's prayer is concluded with this: For yours is your kingdom, power and glory, for ever and ever. As if that were the ground of all the petitions that went before. So if the Lord be Almighty, and has an Almighty power, then in the most desperate case, when there is no hope or help in the creature, that you can discern, yet then pray, and pray strongly and confidently as men full of hope, to obtain what they desire.

And remember this for your comfort: At that time, when you are in affliction, and in so great a strait, that you are hedged about, and no hope, no possibility to evade, that is the time that the Lord will show forth his power; for a man is never discouraged but in this case; I have seen it by many particular experiments: when the case has been desperate, when there has been no hope, yet when God has been sought to by fasting and prayer, there has been alteration above all thought, according to that expression used (Ephesians 3:20): He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us: that is, when they could not enlarge their thoughts far, nor were able to see there could be any way devised, yet enlarging their prayers, the LORD has devised a way oftentimes; I will give you some instances that the Scripture gives in this case. When Esau came against Jacob, was he not in a fearful strait; there was no hope, and no possibility, Esau was too strong for him; what should he do now? He exposes himself to the enemy, there was no other remedy; and it was an enmity of twenty years continuance, and the text says, that Jacob feared, and yet the LORD delivered him, when he had prayed to him. So when Laban came against him, GOD told him that he should do him no hurt. So Daniel, when he was cast into the lions' den, when all the lions were present with their mouths opened ready to devour, yet the Lord stopped their mouths, they could do him no hurt. So is it in many cases among us; when our enemies are ready to devour us, then GOD comes in in the nick, between the cup, and the lip, and works a way for our deliverance. Therefore never be discouraged whatever your case be: it is a very great matter to say, that the Lord can do such a thing, though you think it but a small thing. As when the leper could go to Christ, and say, Lord, you can make me clean if you will, then the Lord did so. It was a great matter for those three children in Daniel 3 to be able to say, when the fire was ready prepared, and the king was wroth, and there was no resistance, yet they said, The Lord is able to save us out of your hand O King! The LORD did take this so well at their hands, that the LORD did help them, and save them. On the contrary side, when a man does doubt of his power, you shall see how much moment it is of. As that prince said to Elijah, Though God should make windows in heaven, yet there could not be such a plenty, as he spoke of: now the LORD was so displeased with it, that he destroyed him for it. So the Israelites did not believe that the LORD could bring them into the land of Canaan, therefore the Lord's anger was kindled against them for this (Psalm 78).

But to draw this use to a conclusion. Learn to bring your hearts to this, whatever your case is, still to believe his power, and to be able to say still, the Lord can do it; and it is not a small matter to be able to say so. When the churches are very low, and there is no hope, and you see little help, a man should go and pray with such cheerfulness and such hope, and confidence, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to help them; which you would do, if you did believe that GOD is Almighty. You know what the case of the church was in Ahasuerus' time, yet fasting and praying made a great change in the sudden. In fact when the church is down, yet pray with as great hope, as if it had the best props to hold it up, for the Lord is able to raise it up again.

I will give you two instances, that you may consider the Lord's power on both sides; his power to raise it up from a low condition; (as now, if you consider the miserable estate of the church in Christendom at this time:) as it appears by the vision of the dry bones in Ezekiel: the meaning whereof is, that when the people are as low as low may be, like dead men, buried men, men scattered to the four winds, yet says the Lord, I will put life into them; I will raise them and make them a great army, and I will put grace into them, and make them living men; that is, though the church be never so low, yet the Lord can put life into it, and make a wonderful change.

Again, there is no church so safe, (as we do think ourselves now, and as the Palatinate did think themselves) but that yet the Lord can make a sudden change, and bring them down, as well as he could raise these dry bones; and as he has done to others already. This you shall see (Lamentations 4:12). The kings and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy could have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was so strong, there was such probability of safety, that no man would ever have believed that the enemy and the adversary should ever have entered into the gates thereof. Yet the Almighty power of GOD brought them down on a sudden, and laid them flat to the ground. Therefore let the case be what it will be, suppose a nation be never so strong, yet GOD can bring them down; and let it be never so weak and low, yet the Lord is able to raise them up. And it is true of every particular thing also; then believe this Almighty power of GOD, and apply it, whatever your case be; consider that you have to do with an Almighty God.

Object. But you will say, the case may be such, as there is no help, the Lord has declared his will by an event; and the case is such as never was helped, and will you have us to believe it now, because there is an Almighty power?

Answer: You must learn to do in this case, as Christ did: Lord if you will, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will but your will be done. Just after this manner you ought to do in every one of these cases, where there is no hope: you must say thus, Lord, it is possible to you to do it, be the case as desperate as it will be. As suppose a man has a stone in the bladder, which we think an incurable disease, because the stone is so hard, and cannot be softened, yet it is possible to him; he can so lodge it, and bed it, that it shall do you no hurt; and if he does take away this life, yet he gives you a better; if it does pain you here, yet he will give you joy and peace, which is far better than to endure a little pain in the flesh. I say, you ought to do as Christ did in this case; and remember this, that in such a case, your business is not with the power, but with the will of GOD: that is, you must say, Lord I know it is possible that this cup may pass, but Lord, here is all the matter; it is my desire that it should pass, and it may be it is your will that it shall not, Lord, if this be the case, it is meet my will should yield, and that your will should be done: As if Christ should have said, Lord, I will give you this honor, that you can remove this cup from me, but if you do not, it is not your will to do so; and I am content. So do you give the Lord this glory of his power in every case, that he can do it, if it be his will.

Be it that your desire is to be delivered from such or such an affliction; consider this: Is it meet God's will should yield to yours, or yours to his? Then bring your heart down, and be content that it should be so.

Objection: But you will say; it is hard to do this, to be willing to undergo such an affliction.

Answer: Consider it is God's will; and therefore if it were not best for you, yet you should honor him so far, as to prefer his will before your own: but it being his will, you shall be assured if you are one that belongs to him, that it shall be best for you. Christ was no loser when he yielded to his Father's will, for God heard him in what he prayed for (Hebrews 5), though the Lord's will passed on him, and he drank of the cup. So you must yield to his will whatever it is, be content with what is done, and believe that you shall be no loser by it in the end, but you shall have what you desire, though not in that manner that you would have it to be done.

FINIS.