prevent those jarrings which would naturally result from their opposite qualities.

2. This power is evident in moral government.

1. In the restraint of the malicious nature of satan. Since satan hath the power of an angel and the malice of a devil, what safety would there be for our persons, did not the Lord restrain his malice. It is a part of the strength as well as the wisdom of God, that the deceived and the deceiver are his. Wisdom to defeat, and power to over-rule the malicious designs of satan to his own glory.

2. In the restraint of the wickedness of man, what havoc has this made in the world. "From whence come wars?" But had not the Lord, by his power, restrained these, how would the world be drenched in blood? The Lord not only restrains, but overrules the wickedness of man. Surely the wrath of

man shall praise thee."

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3. In his gracious government.

1. In the deliverance of his church. He is the strength of Israel. He hath preserved his little flock in the midst of the wolves, and maintained their standing, when the strongest kingdoms have been sunk,' and the best jointed states have been broken in pieces. This power shone forth in the deliverance of his people in the Red Sea; and also in the destruction of their enemies. "He shewed strength with his arm, he scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts."

As

2. In effecting his purposes by small means. he magnifies his wisdom, by using ignorant instruments, so he exalts his power by the weak. By the motion of Moses's rod he works wonders in the court of Pharaoli. The walls of Jericho, falling at the sound

of the ram's horns, was a more glorious display of the power of God, than if Joshua had battered them with the engines of war. Goliah, a giant, levelled with the ground by the force of a sling from the hand of a stripling, is a more glorious character of the power of God, than if a warlike Israelite in Saul's armour had hewed him to pieces.

3. In the work of our redemption. As Christ is called the wisdom of God, so he is called the power of God. The arm of power was lifted up as high as the designs of wisdom were laid deep; as this way of redemption could not be contrived but by an infinite wisdom, so it could not be accomplished but by infinite power. This will appear,

1. In the person redeeming. The union of the two natures in the person of Christ. "The seed of David according to the flesh." An immortal spirit and dying flesh. Infinite purity and a reputed sinner. Omniscience and ignorance. Immutability and changeableness. Human weakness and almighty power. A God of blessedness and a man of sorrow. 'made flesh." When we consider the power of God manifested in this union, we are lost. That God upon a throne should be an infant in a cradle. The thundering Creator be a weeping babe and a suffering man.

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2. In the progress of his life. In the miracles he wrought. How did he expel the powers of darkness? By a word and touch, sight is restored to the blind, hearing to the deaf, healing to the sick, life to the dead.

3. In his resurrection. The unlocking the belly ofthe fish for the deliverance of Jonah, the rescue of Daniel from the den of lions, and the three Hehrew worthies from fire, were signal declarations of

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his power, yet but faint representations of the resurrection of Jesus. This was an hyperbole of power. The exceeding greatness of power, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.

2. In the publication of it.

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1. The power of God was manifested in the instruments. Men of a low condition, meanly bred, so far from any splendid estates, that they possessed only their nets; without credit or reputation in the world; without comeliness or strength; as unfit to conquer the world by preaching, as an army of hares were to conquer it by war. Not learned doctors, bred up at the feet of the famous rabbins at Jerusalem, whom Paul calls the princes of this world, nor nursed up in the school of Athens. Not the wise men of Greece, but the fishermen of Galilee, are employed to publish the Gospel of Christ. The heavenly treasure was placed in these earthen vessels. As Gideon's lamps in empty pitchers, that the excellency of the power might be of God.

2. In the success of their ministry. These poor fishermen, tent-makers, ignorant men, without letters, without arms, without power, without intrigues, without human help, without philosophy, without eloquence, contemptible and persecuted people, triumphed over the whole world with the sound of their voice. Idols fell, temples were demolished, oracles were struck dumb, the reign of the devil was abolished, the strongest inclinations of nature were diverted, people's ancient habits were changed, they flocked in crowds to adore Jesus; whole provinces presented themselves at the foot of the cross. This is the finger of God, nay, more, this is the out-stretched arin of Jehovah

To conclude.

1. Here is comfort in all afflictions. Our evils can never be so great to distress us, as his power is to deliver. "If God be for us, who can be against us ??

2. This doctrine teaches us the fear of God. "Who would not fear thee, O thou king of nations?" for, if God be against us, it matters not who they be that are for us. Fear him, therefore, who hath power to cast into hell.

THE WISDOM OF GOD.

To God only wise Romans xvi. 27,

WISDOM is a transcendant excellency of the Divine nature. Most confound the knowledge and wisdom of God together; but there is a manifest distinction between them in our conception.

I. Show what wisdom is; wisdom consists

1. In acting for a right end, and choosing proper means. To shoot at random is a mark of folly. As he is the wisest man that hath the noblest end and the most proper means, so God is infinitely wise; as he is the most excellent being, so he hath the most excellent end. "Of him, and through him, and to

him are all things."

2. Wisdom consists in observing all circumstances for action. He is counted a wise man that lays hold of the fittest opportunities to bring about his designs. God hath all the circumstances of things in one entire image before him. It is impossible he should be mistaken, or miss of the due season of bringing about his own purposes. The time of our Saviour's incarnation is called the fulness of time, the proper season for his coming.

3. In willing and acting according to the right judgment. We never count a wilful man a wise man. The resolves and ways of God are not mere will, but well guided by the reason and council of his own infinite understanding. Who worketh all things. (Eph. i. 11.) All his ways are judgment. Deut. xxxii. 4.

There is an essential and personal wisdom of God. The essential wisdom is the essence of God; the personal wisdom is the Son of God. (1 Cor. i. 24.) God is originally wise. "Who hath been his counsellor ?" (Rom. xi. 34.) God is perfectly wise. There is no cloud upon his understanding. (Job. iv. 18.) God is perpetually wise. His counsel stands like an immoveable rock. God is incomprehensibly wise. His thoughts are deep. (Ps. xcii. 5.) His judgments unsearchable. Depths that cannot be fathomed. (Rom. xi. 33.) O the depth, (Job. xi. 6, 7.) God is infallibly wise. The wisest men meet with rubs in the way. God always compasses his ends. There is no wisdom. (Isa. lv. 11.) His word that goeth forth. (Isa. xiv. 24, 27.) As he thinks, so shall it come to pass.

II. Wherein the wisdom of God appears.

1. In creation. The whole creation is a poem, every species a stanza, and every individual creature a verse in it. (Prov. iii. 19.) "The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth." (Jer. x. 12.) “He hath established the world by his wisdom." There is not any thing so mean, so small, but shines with a beam of Divine wisdom. (Ps. civ. 24.) "In wisdom hast thou made them all." This wisdom of the creation appears,

1. In the variety. "O Lord, how manifold are thy works!" How great a variety is there of animals, plants, colours. Gen. i. 11, 20, 24.

2. In the beauty and order. (Eccles. iii. 11.) " He