the man’s heart, that makes a running in the
ways of his commandments; it is he who, while the saints
work out the work of their own salvation, worketh in
them both to will and to do. It is he who giveth
power to the faint, and who, to them that have no
might, encreaseth strength, so that the poor lifeless,
languishing lie-by is made to mount up with eagles’
wings, and surmount all these difficulties, with a
holy facility, which were simply insuperable, and
pure impossibilities. Now the man runs and doth
not weary, because Christ draws; and he walks and
doth not faint, because Christ, in whom dwells the
fulness of the Godhead bodily, dwells in him, and
walks in him, and dwells in him for that very end,
that he may have a completeness and competency of
strength for duty. All grace is made to abound
unto him, that he always having all sufficiency in
all things, may abound unto every good work.
He is able of himself to do nothing, no, not to think
any thing as he ought, but he hath a sufficiency of
God, whereby he is thoroughly furnished unto every
good work; so that he may say, I am able for all things:
it is more than “I am able to do all things,”
as we read it; its just import is, “I am able
to do all things, and to endure all things;”
and that which keeps it from vain boasting, is what
is added, “through Christ which strengthened
me,” or putting power in me, or rather impowering
me, which is by a supervenient act drawing forth life
into a liveliness of exercise, according to the present
exigent. There is a power in a saint, because
Christ is in him, that overpowers all the powers of
darkness without, and all the power of indwelling
corruption within, so that when the poor weak creature
is ready to despond; within sight of his duty, and
say, because of difficulty, what is my strength that
I should hope? Christ saith, despond not, my
grace is sufficient for thee, and my power shall rest
upon thee, to a reviving thee, and raising thee up,
and putting thee in case to say, when I am weak, then
I am strong; his strength, who impowers me, is made
perfect in my weakness, so that I will glory in my
infirmities, and be glad in being grace’s debtor.
But what power is that, which raiseth the dead sinner,
and carries the soul in its actings so far without
the line, and above the sphere of all natural activity,
when stretched to its utmost? O, it is an exceeding
great power which is to them-ward who believe, that
must make all things, how difficult soever, easy,
when he works in them to will and to do, according
to the working of his mighty power, (or as it is upon
the margin, and more emphatic, of the might of his
power,) which he wrought in Christ, when he raised
him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand,
&c.; he that raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead,
raiseth up believers also by Jesus; and being raised
and revived by him, to walk in newness of life, the
life of Jesus, in its communications of strength, is
manifest in their mortal flesh, according to that