fame apostle, who there complains to grievoufly of his own natural weakness and inability to do any thing that is good, in my text affures us, he could do all things; I can do all things, faith he thro Chrift which strengtheneth me.

A STRANGE expreffion, but not fo ftrange as true; but it is as great a comfort and encouragement to all that concern themselves in good carneft about their future ftate: For we cannot but all know that in order to our being happy in the other world, it is neceffary for us to do many things whilft we are in this, whereby to prepare and qualify ourselves for it; and we cannot but be fenfible withall, that by our own ftrength we are not able to do one of these things as we ought to do it; and by confequence if we look no farther than curfelves, we may even lay afide all thoughts of heaven, and trouble our felves no more about it, for all our labour would be in vain and to no purpose: But when we confider on the other fide, that altho we can do nothing of ourselves, yet we can do all things through Chrift that ftrengthens us; this must needs inspire us with holy refolutions, to be stedfaft, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, as knowing that our labour ball not be in vain in the Lord; as we fee it did St. Paul, who notwithstanding his manifold fins and infirmities, which made him look upon himself as the chiefeft of finners, yet here he rejoices and glories in his power to do all through

U

through Chrift's affiftance, I can do all things thro Chrift that strengtheneth me.

AND though he speaks this only of himself, yet he speaks it of himself only as a Chriftian; and therefore all Chriftians may peak it, every one of himself, as well as he did; and it is left upon record on purpose that we may all know where our ftrength lies, and how we also may be able to do all things, even by Christ which ftrengthens us.

BUT that we may understand the true fenfe and meaning of the words, we fhall here briefly confider in what fenfe it is here faid, that we can do all things; how Chrift ftrenghens us; and by what means we might receive ftrength from him to do all things.

THE power of doing all things is the fame with omnipotence, which is one of God's incommunicable perfections: How then comes it here to be communicated to his creatures? Much in the fame fenfe as it is in God; only in a lower degree, as creatures are capable of it: And though it be attributed unto them, it is ftill God's power in them, and fo it is he, not they, that are omnipotent; and although he be omnipotent, there are fome things of which it may be truly faid he cannot do them: He cannot do that which implies a contradiction: He cannot deny himself, he cannot lie, he cannot die. And yet he is not lefs omnipotent because he cannot do these things, but rather, he therefore

cannot

cannot do them because he is omnipotent, fuch things as thofe arguing only weakness and impotence. But he is therefore properly faid to be omnipotent, because he can do whatsoever he will: So that there are many things a Chriftian cannot do: He cannot create a new world: He cannot produce any thing out of nothing; for then he would be both a creature and a creator, which implies a contradiction: But a Chriftian can do whatsoever he will as a Christan all things that God would have him do in order to his eternal falvation: And in this sense it is that St. Paul here faith, he can do all things, as is plain from the context; I know, faith he, both how to be abafed. and I know how to abound, every where and in all things, I am infructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to fuffer need; and then adds, I can do all things, that is, all fuch things as belong to me as a Chriftian to do, in whatsoever ftate or condition I am: I can do all things that God requires me to do, whereby to promote his honour and glory in the world, and at laft to obtain everlasting life, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.

AND in this fenfe all Chriftians, and we as well as others can do all things, all things that God would have us; all things that we are bound to do to him or one another; all things neceffary to fit us for heaven, or to bring us thither. Particularly we can repent of all our fins and turn to

God

God; We can crucify the flesh with the affections and lufts: We can refift the devil and make him flee before us: We can overcome the world and live above it? We can love, and fear, and defire, and rejoice, and truft in God with all our hearts: We can pray fincerely to him, we can praife him heartily, we can read and hear his word attentively, and receive the facrament of the Lord's fupper worthily: We can devote our time to his honour, fpend our eftates in his fervice, and if there be occafion, lay down our lives for his fake: We can adore and worship him with reverence and Godly fear, we can walk in holiness and righteoufnels before him all our days.

AND as for our neighbours, we can honour and obey our parents, and fubmit to the governors God hath fet over us in church or ftate: We can love our enemies, bless them that curfe us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that despitefully ufe us, and perfecute us: We can as freely forgive the injuries we have received from others, as we fhould defire God fhould forgive thofe we have done him: We can make reftitution of what we have heretofore wronged others of, and for the future keep ourfelves from wronging any man in name, body, or cftate: We can be meek and humble, chafte and modeft, fober and temperate in ourfelves: And we can be true and faithful, juft and righteous in all our dealings with all men:

We

We can always do to others, as we would have them do to us: We can keep our tongues from lying and flandering, as well as our hands from picking and ftealing: We can inftruct the ignorant, reprove the obftinate, fupport the weak, comfort the difconfolate, help the oppreffed and relieve the poor, according as opportunity fhall ferve, and our eftates will bear, In fhort, we can do all that the grace of God, which brings falvation, teacheth us: We can deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and live foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this prefent world: And when we go out of it, we can commit our fouls to him that redeemed them with his own moft precious blood.

BUT how can these things be? How is it poffible for us to do fo many and great things as thefe are, when, as the apoftle faith,; We are not fnfficient of ourselves fo much as to think any thing that is really good, of ourselves? 2 Cor. iii. 5. It is true he faith fo, but he refolves the doubt in the very next words, faying, that our fufficiency is of God. And fo he doth in my text, faying, I can do all things; how? of my felf? by my own ftrength? no, but through Chrift which frengtheneth me. if he who is Almighty, and can of himself do all things, if he ftrengtheneth us, it is no wonder that we by his ftrength can do all things

too.

And

BUT then the next queftion to be confider'd

is