VE[Z,IO. Ephefianr,Chap.6.. 713 onecourfeprove not, they will turne every(lone; which fhould make us much moredouble our courage in that which is good. z. We feehence, how that Gods almighty ftrength is it, on which Our couragemuff be builded. Efay 3 o.15. Thus faith the Lord God, in quietneffe and ten fhall yebe raved , in quietnefl'e and confidence (hall be your ftrength. Phi/ 4.14. I can do all things through Chrift that ftrengthenethme. r Pet.1.5.We are keptby the powerof God unto falvation : for no flrength but his can prcvaile again(' the ftrong one in the world : he bruifeth theSerpents head, bee diffolvrth the worksof Satan , Gen.3. lof.3.8. The Ifraelites couldnot have come out ofEgypt, nor mitred the Land of Canaan , if the Lordhad not fubdued their enemies, neither might they be confident in fword or bow, but in the nameof theLord only , in their ftrong God : much more muff our couragebe builded on God , feeing their enemies are fle(h, ours are fpirits ofgreat power. Looke as it is in fouldiers, their chiefefl flrength lieth in their Captaine : fo is it true here, that all our ftrength lieth inChrift, the Captain that leadeth usto falvation, his power doth allour works for us : and that which is tobe in us , doth but fit us to Rand (till and look to this almighty power ofGod,which fubdueth all things for us. It mutt teach us therefore todifclaime our owne ftrength : he that Pre is will be wife, muff become afool; he that will be ftrong, muff learne to fee himfelfe to be weakneffe it felfe. We our felves before our convex fionare ofno ffrength, Rom. 5.6. After, ofno flrength: Not that weare fufficient to thinke a good thought, 'aCar,3, 5. None can name the LordJefusbut by the Holy Ghótt, i Car.' 2.3. He is hap- py that is,growne up tobe emptieof himfelfe : we are as full of felfe- confidence as offelfe-love, though we cannot difcerne ir. This is the reafonwe are fooften foyled,that we might fee we are ofno ftrength, that all our viEtories mull come fromGod. lud. io. The Lord let the Ifraelires fall in a mot' jufl quarrell again(' their brethren , that he might ftrip themofthat felt confident prefumption they had in them. felves. And Paul, foholy an Apoftle, was brought to the gates of death that he might learne this leffon, 2 Car.r.9. What máketh us af- ter divers fats , to be no more afraid of the enemies thatbuffet us e what maketh usthat we can no more feelingly run under the wings of Chrift ! whence is it that we have no morepoverty of fpirit in the experienceof our frailties, but that ferret kite-confidence is mighty in us c Seeing thatall our courage mull be in this , that God is with us; let us be nothing in our felves. The bleffed foules can fay with Paul, Phil.3.3. We-arethofe whore hearts being circumcifed, rejoyce in the Lord Jefus, and have no confidence in the ficfh. Secondly , let us learne tobuild our felves on this Rock, on our Pfe a flrongGod Chrift Jefus. As thofe uncircumcifedPhiliflims didplace all their hopes of the battell in their Gelid) : fo muffwe place all our hope in Chrift Jefus : this is our ftrength. Exact. 14. 13. Stand ûi11, feare not, behold the falvation ofthe Lord whichhe will flew to yo u QS( (I this
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=