1. This general Rule concerning it, That the drawing forth of Power or Activity by God in any work, is still, but what is proportionable and answerable to the work: that is, the effect shall be answerable in greatness to the Power that is said to be put forth. It is certain, God over-acts nothing. Now the Effect, wherein this Power of his is put forth, is here said to be Destruction. And therefore that Destruction must be conceived proportioned to the Power, that is said to be exerted. There was never Work which God ⟨p. 153⟩ever did, wherein he professed to show forth a transcendency of Power, or of any other Attribute, but it was wonderful and glorious in its kind. All his Attributes are himself, and so as great as himself. This visible World, in its kind, what a glorious Building is it? Consisting of Heaven and Earth: and to what end was it that he professed he made it? You have it Rom. 1. 20. That by the Creation of the World, might be understood his eternal Power and Godhead. And if He that created and raised up such Beings out of nothing, shall profess yet further, to make his Power known, and will use that Power, and put it forth in Destroying, to show forth the Glory of it, How great will that Destruction be? which must bear a Proportion to such a Manifestation, That after God hath in so great and so various Works preceding this, sufficiently (as we might think) shown himself God, in point of Power, or what a powerful God he is; that yet after all as if in all these he had not given so full Proof or Demonstration of Power, and as not satisfied with all the former, as not enough: he should be after all, willing, as the Apostle says here at last, to begin a new Work, which should make the Ears of the whole Creation tingle, on purpose ⟨p. 154⟩to make his Power known! This is it swallows up my Thoughts into Astonishment, knowing both, that according to the rule afore given, His last Works ordained to show forth any Attribute, must infinitely exceed the former, that served to the making known thereof. And that again puts a new amazement into my Thoughts, to think how, or wherein so much a greater proportion of Power should be spent. If it were barely to annihilate, and bring the Creature to its first Nothing, there needs not an extension of Power; it were but withdrawing that Word of his Power that holds up, and bears up all things, Heb. 1. 3.
1. This general Rule concerning it, That the drawing forth of Power or Activity by God in any work, is still, but what is proportionable and answerable to the work: that is, the effect shall be answerable in greatness to the Power that is said to be put forth. It is certain, God over-acts nothing. Now the Effect, wherein this Power of his is put forth, is here said to be Destruction. And therefore that Destruction must be conceived proportioned to the Power, that is said to be exerted. There was never Work which God ⟨p. 153⟩ever did, wherein he professed to shew forth a transcendency of Power, or of any other Attribute, but it was wonderful and glorious in its kind. All his Attributes are himself, and so as great as himself. This visible World, in its kind, what a glorious Building is it? Consisting of Heaven and Earth: and to what end was it that he professed he made it? You have it Rom. 1. 20. That by the Creation of the World, might be understood his eternal Power and Godhead. And if He that created and raised up such Beings out of nothing, shall profess yet further, to make his Power known, and will use that Power, and put it forth in Destroying, to shew forth the Glory of it, How great will that Destruction be? which must bear a Proportion to such a Manifestation, That after God hath in so great and so various Works preceeding this, sufficiently (as we might think) shewn himself God, in point of Power, or what a powerful God he is; that yet after all as if in all these he had not given so full Proof or Demonstration of Power, and as not satisfyed with all the former, as not enough: he should be after all, willing, as the Apostle says here at last, to begin a new Work, which should make the Ears of the whole Creation tingle, on purpose ⟨p. 154⟩to make his Power known! This is it swallows up my Thoughts into Astonishment, knowing both, that according to the rule afore given, His last Works ordained to shew forth any Attribute, must infinitely exceed the former, that served to the making known thereof. And that again puts a new amazement into my Thoughts, to think how, or wherein so much a greater proportion of Power should be spent. If it were barely to annihilate, and bring the Creature to its first Nothing, there needs not an extension of Power; it were but withdrawing that Word of his Power that holds up, and bears up all things, Heb. 1. 3.
