20 Be ftrongin the Lord, itreamings forth of his ftrength, and a leaking veffel under a cock gets what it lofeth. Thus we have our leakage fupplied e continually. This was the provifion God made for Ifrael the wilderneffe; He cIave the rock, and the rock follo-red :hem, They had not only a,draught at prefenr, but it ran in a fireame after them ; fo that you hear no more of their complaints for wa- ter ; This rock was Chrig. Every believer hath Chrift at his .. back, following him with ftrength as he goes, for every conditi- on and trial. One flower with the root is worth many in a pofie, which though fweet yet do nOt grow, but wither as we wear them in our bofonies. Gods flrength, as the root keeps our grace lively, without which though as orient as Adam., was, it would die. 2. The fetond defignGod hath in his Saints happineffe is, that he may fo expreire his mercy and love to them, as may rebound back tohim in the higheft advance of his own glory therein, Eph. r. 4, 12. which is fully attained in this way ofempowering Saints, by a ftrength not to their own, but of their God his fending, as they are put expence. Had God given his Saints a flock ofgrace to have let up withAnd left them to the improve- ment of it, he had been magnified indeed, becaufe it wasmore , then God did owe the creature, but he hid not been omnified as now, when not only the Chriftians firft ftrengch to dole with Chrifteis fromGod, but he is beholden flill to God for the ex- ercife of that ftrength, in every aftion of his Chriflian con rfe.. As a childe that travels in his fathers company, all is paid for, but his fathercarries the purfe, not himfell: fo the Chriftians trot is difcharged in every condition ; but he cannot fay this I. did, or that I fuffered , but God wrought all in me and for me. The very combe of pride is cut here, no room for any fell exalt- ing thoughts. The Chriflian cannot fay, that 1 am a Saint is mercy, but being a saint that my faith is firong, this is the childe of my owncire and watchfulneffe. Alas, poor Chriftian ! who kept thine eye waking, and fiirt'd up thy care was not this the off-fpring of God as well as thy faith at firft ? No Saint 111311 fay ofHeaven-when he comes there, This is Heaven which I have built by the power of my might. No, 7ertsf,dens above is a City, whole blliider and roaktr is God, Every grace, yea, laid greeofgrace is a flone in tha: building, the topftone whereof is
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