ment, and the delay of it fo infinitely dangerous, that one would think no wife Man could entertain a thought of deferring it. What greater folly and ftupidity can there be, than for Men to venture their immortal Souls, and to run an apparent hazard in matters of everlasting confequence? འ Vol. VII. This day of God's Patience is the great opportunity of our Salvation, and if we let it flip, it is never to be recovered: If we mif-improve this time of our life, we fhall not be permitted to live it over again to improve it better. Our state of tryal ends with this life, after that God will prove us, no more; then we fhall wish, O that I had known in that my day, the things which belonged to my peace, but now they are hid from mine eyes; therefore to day, whilft it is called to day, harden not your hearts, make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day, for fuddenly fhall the wrath of the Lord break forth, and in thy fecurity thou shalt be destroyed; exercife repentance in the time of health, and defer not till death to be justified. Vol. VII SERMON X. The Power of God. PSAL. LXII. 11. God hath Spoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. I N_treating of the Attributes of which relate to the Divine Understanding, to which I referr'd his Knowledge and Wisdom; thofe alfo which relate to the Divine Will; viz. God's Juftice, Truth, Holiness, and Goodness; I come now to confider his Power of acting, which is his Omnipotency; this I fhall fpeak to from these words. In the beginning of this Pfalm, D1vid declares that God was the great Object of his truft and confidence, and and that all his hopes and expectation Vol.VII. of safety and deliverance were from him,v. 1,2. And this makes him challenge his Enemies for all their mischievous qualities and devices against him, as vain attempts, v. 3, 4. Hereupon he chargeth himself to continue his truft and confidence in God, from whom was all his expectation, and who was able to fave and deliver him; v. 5, 6, 7. And from his Example and Experience,he encourageth and exhorts all others to trust in God, v. 8. and that from two Arguments. 1. Because all other Objects of our trust and confidence are vain and infufficient, and will fail thofe that rely upon them. If we will rely upon any thing in this World, it must either be Perfons or Things; but we cannot fafely repofe our truft in either of thefe. Not in Perfons: They may be reduced to one of these two Heads, either high or low: Those that are of a mean condition, it would be in vain to truft them; they that cannot fecure themselves from meannefs, cannot fecure others from mifchief, Men of low degree are vanity: But great ones of the World, they feem feem to promife fomething of affiitance and fecurity to us; but if we depend upon them, they will fruftrate us, Men of high degree are a lie. As for the Things of the World; that which Men ufually place their confidence in, is Riches; these are either got by unlawful, or lawful means; if they be ill gotten, by Oppreffion or Robbery, they will be fo far from fecuring us from Evil, that they will bring it upon us; if they be well gotten, they are of an uncertain nature, that we have little reafon to place our hopes in them; If riches increafe, Jet not your hearts upon them, that is, your hope; for heart in Scripture fignifies any of the Affections. а 2. Because God is the proper Object of our truft and confidence. We may fafely rely upon any one, in whom these two things concur, Power to help us, and Goodness to incline him fo to do. Now David tells Us, that both these are eminently in God, and do in a peculiar manner belong to him; Power, v. 11. and Goodneß, v. 12.. Vol. VII. |