Now “unto him,” saith he, “that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.  Amen.”  What can be more plain?  What can be more full?  What can be more suitable to the most desponding spirit in any man?  He can do more than thou knowest he will.  He can do more than thou thinkest he can.  What dost thou think?  Why, I think, saith the sinner, that I am cast away.  Well, but there are worse thoughts than these; therefore think again.  Why, saith the sinner, I think that my sins are as many as all the sins in the world.  Indeed this is a very black thought, but there are worse thoughts than this; therefore prithee think again.  Why, I think, saith the sinner, that God is not able to pardon all my sins.  Aye, now thou hast thought indeed; for this thought makes thee look more like a devil than a man; and yet, because thou art a man and not a devil, see the condescension and boundlessness of the love of thy God.  He is able to do above all that we think.  Couldst thou, sinner, if thou hadst been allowed, thyself express what thou wouldst have expressed—­the greatness of the love thou wantest—­with words that could have suited thee better?  For it is not said he can do above what we think, meaning our thinking at present, but above all we can think; meaning, above the worst and most soul-dejecting thoughts that we have at any time.  Sometimes the dejected have worse thoughts than they have at other times.  Well, take them at their worst times, at times when they think, and think, till they think themselves down into the very pangs of hell, yet this word of the grace of God is above them, and shows that he can yet recover and save these miserable people.

And now I am upon this subject, I will a little further walk and travel with these desponding ones, and will put a few words in their mouths for their help against temptations that may come upon them hereafter.  For as Satan follows such now with charges and applications of guilt, so he may follow them with interrogatories and appeals; for he can tell how by appeals, as well as by charging of sin, to sink and drown the sinner whose soul he has leave to engage.  Suppose, therefore, that some distressed man or woman should after this way be engaged, and Satan should with his interrogatories and appeals be busy with them, to drive them to desperation; the text last mentioned, Eph. 3:  18,19, to say nothing of the subject of our discourse, yields plenty of help for the relief of such a one.  Says Satan, Dost thou not know that thou hast horribly sinned?  Yes, says the soul, I do.  Says Satan, Dost thou not know that thou art one of the vilest in all the pack of professors?  Yes, says the soul, I do.  Says Satan, Doth not thy conscience tell thee that thou art and hast been more base than any of thy fellows can imagine thee to be?  Yes, says the soul, my