423 / 808
V
H
R.
17.
Ephefians
Chap.3.
Further
it
is
ro be obferved
in
this
,
that
he
pràyeth that thefe É.
phefians
,
who
were inftru4ted in
the Counfell
of
God
, and
built
in
fome meafure upon
the foundation,
that
thefe
might
receive a further
ftrength,
r.
therefore
he
giveth
us
to
uhderftand,
Thatin
thole
who
are the
forwardef
there are reliques
of
weakneffe,want
Daft.
offirength
whereby
to
'land
out
in
timec
oftryall.
Wee
are
by
naiure
fach
TPßren
&ch
nt
as have
no
fpirituallfirength.
When
wee
come to be renewed,there
is
the fecwardett.
with thefpirit in
us
which
is
willing,
the
fie
fh
which is
weak.
Nay
wee RT..
5
:46.
1.
may
fay
more,
that
if
we were
without
finne as
madam
in
innocency,
yet
wee fhould
want that ftrength which
fhould
finable
us
to
ftand
when
temptation
entreth,
as
you
tee
in
him proved
to you, by
woe.
full experience
:
And this the Apoftle confefieth
of
thefe Ephefians,
for when
he
g
begeth
for
ftrength
in
their behalfe,
he
doth acknow-
ledge fecretly
a
want
in
them;
wee
are
like
reeds, every wind will
make the gallanteft of
us
ftoope,
if
wee be left
to
our felves.
Wherefore
this mutt teach us to examine our felves, and to
find
rfe.
out the
weakneffe
of
our
owne
hearts;
wee
think
there
is
no fuch
matter, but who would have
thought,
when
Peter fpake fo
couragi-
oufly,
that
there was
a faintneffe at
the
heart
of
him, watching
him
that ill
turne
which
followe2le
Who
would have
thought that
in
Davids heart had been
fuch a fpice
of
uncleanneffe
as
there
was
e
Wherefore
learne
to
fee
thatyóuare
weak, becaufe this
is
the
way
to
have
the ftrength
of
God
dwell'
with ÿòu.
God curfes his
endeavours
ier.
17
.5,6,7.
that
Bath
all
by
his
owne
ftrength. Thineis
Kingdome,
power,
&c.
Paul
rejoycedin two
forts
of
infirmities;
T.
of
the
inner man,
as
tufts
and
3
Core
is.
ro.
concupifcence: thefe
as
finnes
grieved himmuch,
and fo he
prayed
earneftly againft them, but
as
by
thefe Chrifts fpirit was
molt
feene
in
him,
and
the
grace
of
God
more manifefted towards
him,
he
joy
-
ed
in
them.
2. In
reproaches
and
perfecutlons
,thefe
fhewed him
to
bee
but
a
Creature, that
had no
power
in
himfelfe,
all his
ftrength
was
from
Chrift:
So farre
as
by
his
fin
and
corruption
he
was driven out
of
himfelfe
to
Chrift,
he
rejoyced
in
his
corruptions,
and of his vifions
he
faith,Offuch
a work
wrought
in
me,without
me;
only by the grace
and
power
of God,wil
I
rejoyce,and
ofnothing
in
me
wrought by me,and
_.
my
wifdome
and
power.
The tall
thing to be marked
is
this,
That
whoever
is
the forwardofl
DJ.
mull
Peek
firengih,wherewith
he may
be
able
to
gland
in
the
evil!
day.
Wee
mutt
not, (ifwee
have
in
fome thing got
the
upper
hand, or
put the
devill
to
change his weapon
as
unable
to
prevaile
where
he
attempted)
grow
conceited and fecure,
but
walk
humbly
and give
the glory
of
all
our
viEtory
to
God.
V
PAL
s .
17. That Chrift
may
dwell
in
your
hearts
by
Faith.
V
y
x
S.17.
This
is
a
fecond
Petition,
but
not principal! , it
belopgeth to the
former,
expreffing
further the manner after which the former was to
be
fulfilled:
For having
wifhed
them
this benefit of flrengthening
by
the
Spirit,
he now
wifheththem Chrift
in
them,who
might by this Spirit
of
his be
their ftrengthener:
for we have the
efficacy
and benefits
of
N
n
z
Chrift
407
4