a
people of holiness; albeit it is true, indeed, many has been brought to
it from this quarter and that quarter of the land, since the beginning,
to be more holy than they used to be. And if the multiplication of them
be not wonderful, I cannot tell what ye will tell me of that is more
wonderful; so that indeed it is a miracle to all who hear of it. In the
time while Christ was upon the earth there were two sorts of miracles to
be seen;--first, Christ made the dumb to speak, the blind to see, the
lame to walk, &c.: this indeed was a great miracle. The second sort of
miracles was of him who did see these things wrought by Christ, and yet
for all that, did not believe in Him who did work them. Even so there
are two sorts of wonders in this same time wherein we live;--first, how
the Lord has multiplied His people, and made them to be so many,
whereas, at the first, we thought them to be but very few; secondly, we
cannot but wonder at these who observes not God's hand into it: and
indeed we cannot but wonder that any can be so blind that they observe
not the very hand and finger of God in the work. Ay, we who have been
witnesses to it, for the most part, we cannot but wonder at the work of
God in it. It has not been man's wit has done the work, and multiply so,
but only God has done it; and we cannot tell how; but only we see that
there are numbers continually multiplied.

I. "Thy people." Here is a note of property, and a note of distinction.
First, it is a note of property. They are God's people--God has absolute
right over a people, and there is none who has any right over them but
He alone. It's true all people are under Him, but He calls not all His
people after this manner. All things are for God, and subordinate to
Him; the absolute power to rule and to command these people is in God's
hand, and He will not give that power to any other over them: and He has
good reason so to do. 1. Because He was thinking upon His people from
all eternity; and there was none who did that but only He. 2. He made us
and fashioned us in time; and neither any authority or magistrate did
that. 3. Who is it that provides means for their sustenance daily, and
makes these means effectual, but only the Lord? A man cannot make one
pyle (blade) of grass, or one ear of corn, to grow for thy
entertainment, but only the Lord: and when thou hast gotten these
things, it is the blessing of God that makes them effectual. For when ye
say the grace to