§. 26. Of Gods Power to make his offer good.

NO question can iustly bee made of Gods almighty Power:* for the Scripture expresly saith; With God shall nothing be impossible. (Luk. 1. 37.) All things are possi∣ble to him. (Mar. 10. 27.) Which is to be noted against our deadnesse, dulnesse, and vntowardnesse to beleeue, in re∣gard whereof wee may thinke that a man naturally dead, may as easily eate and drinke as we beleeue: but when we consider the Power of Gods might, howehee is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham; wee may well thinkef that hee is able to take away our stony heart, and giue vs an heart of flesh. Abraham looked to Gods power, and thereby was moued to beleeue that God would per∣forme his promise, though I saacke in whom the promise was made, were to be sacrificed;gHe did not doubt of the promise, being fully assured that he which had promised, was also able to doe it.

This motiue taken from Gods almighty Power, is in Scripture oft vsed to stirre vp men & woemen to beleeue the promises of God. It was vsed tohSarah, to theiVirgin Mary, tokIeremiah, & to thel Disciples of Christ. And it is the rather to be thought of, because we are very prone byPage  226 nature to make doubt thereof: for albeit in our iudge∣ments wee are well perswaded of Gods Omnipotency, and with our mouthes can professe as much; yet when we are in great straits, brought to a pinch, and see no or∣dinary meanes for the effecting the thing which wee de∣sire, then we thinke that God himselfe is not able to doe it: likemthe incredulous Prince; and not he onely, but the nvnbeleeuing Israelites also, though they had beene long nurtured vnder Gods speciall gouernement, and seene many of his maruellous workes; yea,oMoses himselfe was subiect hereunto.