Chap. 23. An Expofition upon the Book of J OB. Vert. 6 34.5 Chrift. Holy 706 fpake nothingofhis own fl:rengch, yea he fpake as having no ftrength ofhis owne, AGodly man knows his own ftrength is but weakneffe, and that when he prevailes with God it is with a power which he bath fromGod. Pawl ufeth a form of fpeech which wemay call a divine riddle (aCor. iz. i o.) W. en Iam weakthen I am, irong, hepredicates or affirmes one contra- ryofanother, weakneffe is contrary to lkrength,how a weak men thould be ftrong, and then efpecially ftrong when he is weake, is hard to conceive by thofe who are fpirituall, and is unconceivable by thofe who are carnal. This affertion is enough to pole and puzlenature He that ie weakisftrong, or the readiej way toget. ftrength is tobe weake.The truth and the Apoftle Taut.- meaning is plainly this ; When I am weake in my owne fente and opinion, when Iam convinced that Ihave no power ofmy owne, then Ifeele power coming in, then Cbrififtrengthens me, and Lon fir:11g, then I experience chat word, Mygrace is fufficient for thee. When I finde the watersofmy owne cifterne low and fayiing,then I have a fupply from theSpirit. So the Apofile fpake, (Phil. t. 1 g.) I know that this alfo(ball turn tomyfalvation througbyour prayers, and the [applyof theSpirit ofyefits Cbrit. The fiefs Adam recei- ved all his ftrength atonce,we now receive our ftrength by dayly frefb fupplycs from the fecond Adam. The word there uled by the Apoltle, which we render fupply, fignifieth an ussder[upply, implying thus much, that as the naturall body and each particular member of ir,is fupplyed with fence and motion,togther with a fuitable ftrength and ability from the head, fobeleevers who are 'altogether the myfticall body ofChrift, and eachof them mem bers in particular, are fupplyed from Chrift their head by the Spi- rit, with fpirituall life, morion, and strength ofGrace for every duty to which they are called, or which is requiredoof t hem. And becaufe as this is fo in its felfe, fo beleevers are inftruted in it ; therefore they difclaim and go out oftheirown ftrength,that the power of Chrift may reff upon them, Chrift fills none but the hun- gry, nor cloth he ftrengthen any but the weake. They who think theyhave any thingof their own, Ad receive nothing from him ; stnleffe Chriftbe all in all to us, be will not be any thing at allto us. Secondly, Obferve; God himfelfe putsftrength into bumbled (inners, that they may Randbefore bin,. Y y As
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