486 Chap. t 7. alt Expof;iota upon the Book of J{Qg, Vex( 9 proofe of the fincerity ofour graces : Our *ids never go of at fo high a price, nor come tofo gooda Market, as when they arefpailedin a good,caisfe, Paul tells ús,That manywaxed con- fident by his bonds (Pbil 1.14.) Theywere fo far fromwith. drawing from the profellionof the Gofpel, becau fe Patti was clapt up in prifon,and laid by the heels,that they were more bold to avouch it : As force have been weakned and terrified by the fufferings ofothers,fomany have been confirmed and heartned, they have been not only kept from difcourage- ment, but they have waxed confident by bonds, and their fpirits have been at greater liberty by fecing others in Pri- fon, though they had reafon enough to expec`,f their turne would be next. Exqueittar One of the A nçints tells us,Themore cunning and exac7our crarìelitgen, perfecutors are, the more conffant and exact Believers are The ttum adverfu' Chriftians ofthofe times grew into a kind ofartificialnefs in tcehaeflf mo grace, while theHeathens grew fo artificial in cruelty ; and gts : the ofener they were mowed down by the bloudy Sword, res cfricimur, the more were begotten and quickned by the word:The op- games mete, pofition which truth and holinefs found, was a provocation mur.Tertut. toown the truth, and to them, a fweet temptation unto ho- line.fs. Thirdly,Note, When God gives new tryals, he willgivenew ffrength. The righteous grow fironger as theiraflliCfions grow üron- ger : Never fear greater tryals, When you are promifect great. r ftreogth ; If) ou have more burdens, you (hall have more fhoulde.rs. Whether the Lord calls us to paffive obe, dience, or to aétive, he is wife and faithful to proportion and give out futable ability. It is not from the improve- ments of Free - will, but from the frith annointings of the Spirit, That we areftrengthued withmight in the inner man (Eph.3.16.) Again ( Col. r. I2.) We are ftrengthendwith all might according to his gloriouspowe r, unto all patience, and long-fufferance with joyfulnefs,Afit`,}ion it fclf cannot ftreng- then us in grace,it rather weakens us;the encreafeofftrength Howes from the fame Fountain, whence we had the firft ftrength s All isfrom God. In the Lordhave we righteoufnefs and firengtb (Ifa,45.24,)And he is an everlafting ftrengtb,the rockofAges: (Ifa. 26.4) As he is an everlasting ftrength in him.
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