,_ 488 Chap. i7. An Expofition upon thelBook, of J O Bo Verf 9 in my fell, and have low thoughts ofmy own flock, then firength is lent me in ; and I am fupported by an almighty power, when I fee that I have no might Therefore(faith he) molt gladlywill I rejoyce in slay infirmities, that the ffrength of Chriff may re(f on me ; Paul was no fooner convinced that the firength he had was riot fuflicient,but he heard that comfor. table word from Heaven, Mrgrace ufufcientfor thee: We are fironger bythe grace in Chritt, then by the grace we receive from ChriltHe that lives upon the grace received fromChrift and not upon thegrace inChrift, (hall quickly feele a want of grace, and a decay offpirituall life. Now, if grace received fromChrift be not flock enough to live and continue upon, what is nature for any man to begin upon? Piter had received grace, and he made an honeft real profeffion to Chriff, not a flattering . verbal complement, when he Paid (Matth. 26: 33, 35.) Though all men Jhall be offended becaufe ofthee, yet will I not be offended, andtbougb I jhould dye with thee,yet will Inot deny thee:yet becaufe he did not enough (ifat all) renownce his own flrength, 'inftead of waxing fironger and fironger, he was weaker and weaker and did not only deny his Mafter but forfwore him. Not only they who go out in the ftregth of nature, but they allo who go out in the firength of inherent grace, may quickly (notwithftanding a fincerityof profcflìon ) ditho- nour their profcfíîon, and fall from their own ffeadfaftnefs Therefore truft in the Lord,and ye (hall not only hold on, but grow fironger and fironger in your way. And if fuch be the Rate of a godly man, that he holds on, and waxes fironger in times of trouble, what (hall we fay ofthem, who turn out ofthe way, or languifh in it,when nothing trcubles them? What (hall we fay of them who run out of the way,though there be noLyon in the way,when we hear that Saints will not out though there be a Lyon in the way? What thall we fay of them that depart fromGod,when (as lob fpeakes in another place ) they walla their footfteps with Butter, and the rock powres out Oyl to them (that is, when God loadeth them with his benefits daily) when we hear that the righteous, and he that hath clean hands will not out of the way, though every ftep be up to the knees in mire, though he be Bathedagaintt the Rocks, and killed all the
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