16 Befirong in the Lord. lips by heavenly Rhethorick, out of the eyes as from a flood- gate with teares : yet further now the creature is enabled to wreflle with God in pray er ; what will be get by all this ? fuppofe hebe weak in grace, is he able to pray himfelf firong, or corruptionweak ? no, this is not to be found in prayer, as an ad of the creature : thisdrops from heaven alfo. In the day Pf. I 3 2. that Icried, thou anfteredli me, andgavell me flrength inmy foul. David received it in duty, but had it not from his duty, but from his God, He did not pray himfelf ftrong, but God ftrengthened him in his prayer. Well, caft your eye once more I upon the Chriftian, as engaging in another Ordinance of hear- ing the Word preactft. The foules ftrength toheare the Word Aa. 6 14 is fromGod, he opens the heart toattend, yea, he opens the une derflanding of the Saint to receive the Word, fo as to conceive what it meant. It is like Samfons riddle which we cannot unfold without his Heifer : He opens the wombe of the Ionic to conceive by it, as the underftanding to conceive of it, that the barren foul becomes a joyfillmother of children. David fate for halfe ayear under the publick Ledures of the Law, and the wombe of his heart film up till Nathan comes and God with him, and now is the time of life, heconceives prefently, yea, and brings forth in the fame day, falls prefently into the bitter pangs of forrow for his fins, which went not over till hehad caft them forth in that fweet Pfalm 51. Why fhould this one word work more, then all the former but that God now lima in with his Word, which he did not before? He is therefore faid to teach hi peoples° profit ; befits in heaven that teacheth hearts,When jr 4 I 7. Gods Spirit (who is the Head- mafter) fhall call a foul from his tither to himfelfe, and fay, Soul, you have not gone theway to thrive by hearing the Word, thus, and thus conceive of fuel' a truth, improve fuch a promife, prefently the eyes of his under- ftanding open, and his heart burnes withinhim, while he fpeaks to him. Thus you fee the truth of this Point, That the Chriftians flrength is in the Lord. Nowwe fhall give fome demonfirations. SECT.
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