in recommending them to God, 449 how neeefrary the word of Golds grace is, as well to the building up, as for the converting of poor fanners ; and though God can build up a Saint immediately, yet ordinarily he doth it not but through the wordof his grace, which is able to build you. Beza and Calvin re. fer this Claufe to God, anfwering to that of the Apoiile, 2 Cor.9.18. god is able to cassfe all grace to abound inyou. But Erafmus refers this word to the words of Gods grace, which is able to buildyouup. And this conflruetion is favoured by thole two places of Scripture, and may very well be meant both in z rim. 3. t 5. jam. I. z r . both which places attribute to the Word of God, as this cloth ; and in the fecond place, Receive with .rneek,nefe the ingrafted word, which is able to laveyour iota:. So that both there words may be referred to this Claufe, The Word of God, andThe wrrd of hisgrace ; to God as the Principle, and to the Word of his grace, as the inarumental caufe to build them up ; as much as if he hadPaid, / commend you to the grace of God, which is able to buildyou up. The Apoille tells them, that he left them to fu.ch a God, as through the Gofpel was'fufficient to build them up, till he brought them to the full fruition of the Saints in light. The Apoftle commends this to his Church, that were ready to weep, and fay at his departure, 0 Paul ! God bath i made thee a happy narument of laying a good foundation amon. us, of doing a great deal of good to our fouls, and we may bleffe God that we ever faw thy face ; but now, alas ! thou art going from us, we are afraid all thy pains will come to nothing ; we 11lould hope that if God had pleated to continue thee among(' us, then we fliould have been built up ; and furely, if God had intended good to us, and brought us to Heaven at tall, he would not have taken thee from us. No, fayes the Apoille, be not difcouraged, though I leave you, yet I commit you to God, and to the wordof his grace. If I be here,ic is God alone that mull buildyou up ; I am but a poor, weak ird ument in the hand of God, and when I am gone-,---Cod can build you up by fome means or other, and carry you over, or thorow all or poritions, temptations, and ditcouragements ; till he bath 'fitted you for him- felf, and given you an 'inheritance among(} them th ir are fan- Thus you have the wordsexplained in that familiar Paraphrafe ; and being thus opened, you may take notice that The words hold forth the fpecial care of this bleffed Apoille of Yfus Chrifl, though he mull leave them, yet he takes care to leave them in fafe hands, that was able to give a good account of them t You have the ApoRie making a deed of trua for the (=cement of IYI m M-Z the
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