makes the soul pass from strength to strength till it be above all opposing strength. This expression, "effectual power," is an expression of awful importance; it denotes that divine power works sometimes by halves, not effectually; something towards relief, but sinks and dies, and lets that which seemed to be come to nothing. But when it works effectually it makes grace, and carries on that grace to glory; it makes a christian, and then it strengthens him to abide so to death against deadly opposition; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness."

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Finally, divine power as it works about a christian, works perpetually; to the utmost, as you have it expressed, which is very lively. It lays out itself to the furthest, all the strengths of divine power are stretched and made to bear, and carry to eternity, to carry unto death, through death, beyond death, above death, as that mighty expression is, "He will be our guide even unto death," Psa. xlviii. 14. To resolve itself into everlasting arms, that is, a power subjected to use; a divine power subjected to human use everlastingly; so as to leave no place, no possibility of miscarrying to a christian, let what will be, or can be, on this side death, in death, or beyond death so long as the soul is. Divine power is so subjected (or brought down) to work about a christian as not to lose its work, no whit of its work; whatever loss he made otherwise upon the man, as a man. Troubles may make loss upon a man as a farmer, as a gentleman, as a nobleman, but not upon man as a christian. Divine power is so to work as to carry up, carry on, carry out all its own works about the soul to all eternity.

Argument. Power subjected to work about a christian works from special love; power which works from such a love can never leave working till it has its end, because love works to the end, and it works by power and all other attributes for the good of the beloved. Upon this ground the apostle Paul was confident of the Philippians' perseverance in the truth; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform" or finish it, unto the day of Jesus Christ," Phil. i. 6.

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Divine power, as it works strengtheningly and relievingly, is peculiar to christians; it is the same power which began a good work, continued working to finish it. Where divine power works not creatingly, it works not relievingly; hence it is that one who is not a christian indeed, holds not out always to be a christian in show. Hence it is likewise that Christ saith, I have lost none but a lost creature; one that was never found; a child of perdition, lost from the beginning, a child of wrath unto wrath-had he ever had grace in truth, I would have strengthened it, and kept it; "Those which thou gavest me I have kept," &c. John xvii. 12. Keeping power waits about those whom the Father hath given to the Son, and none else; all others are lost, and to go for lost.

Strengthening power works towards all christians successively, that is, from generation to generation, by act of solemn intercession. Christ made it a solemn business to make free way in heaven for a relieving and securing power to work here on earth, as long as any saints should be in it. And now am I no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father,

keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given unto me, that they may be one, as we are,' &c. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word," John xvii. 11. 20. The state of a christian is founded in Christ's death, made out by life, by prayer, and intercession; all is merited by Christ's blood; particulars are drawn out and conferred upon solemn intercession. Christ's intercession ceased not when he was on earth. The requests above-mentioned I conceive to be a continuation of solemn intercession, which must last till all the saints be above all wants. "He ever liveth to make intercession for them," Heb. vii. 25. He that lived on earth was an Intercessor; he that died lives again, and goes on with that work which he began, from the beginning of love breathing upon fallen Adam. He that lives

prays; he has done so from the first saints, and will do so to the last on earth; he makes all prayers of christians, God's rest and man's relief; pleasing to God and strengthening to man. "Strengthened with all might," &c.

Finally, all powers which work in man, work to an eternal end: powers of darkness, all powers judiciary which work in sinners, are to finish sin, and bring sinners to their place.* So all the powers which work in christians, subduing power, strengthening power, leading, keeping, carrying, bosoming power, are to perfect grace, and bring them to glory. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." The end of keeping power, you see, is a complete state; "That they may be one, as we are," John xvii. 11. Divine powers never leave working

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*To a condition miserable, as near the devil as may be.

and shaping this way, till they have made the felicity of the elect together the nearest and the liveliest emblem of the felicity of the Trinity, which each person hath in and with each other.

Christians, walk humbly. This is the thing that I would commend to you from this point. Your state needs relief; your best state, your graces need supporting and strengthening. You had your being by grace; so you have your standing by grace. As strengthening and relieving mercy and compassion work towards you, so will ye do well; as this declines, so will ye faint and do ill. "As we have

received mercy, we faint not," saith the apostle, 2 Cor. iv. 1. Our strength and supply of spirits is from relieving mercy; if this be suspended, we faint. As we are humble, so are our relief and receipts; as those are, so we faint not: as we have received, so we faint not. Our strength is by daily bread, by daily divine concurrence; this suspended, your life and livelihood are gone.

Eying too much what you have, will soon make this sad suspension. Forget all, trust not in parts; no, trust not in graces. Your best state is vanishing; your gold rusts; your grace needs grace; your state as a christian needs strengthening power to carry it along. This house upon the rock will else fall too, when storms and winds beat. Mercy and compassion began your blessed state, this must finish it; walk as those who have all their fortune at the feet of mercy. A christian is strongest indeed, when he is weakest in his own sense, "When I am weak, then am I strong." "Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me," 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. It is great matter of gladness and lightsomeness to a

good heart, to be divested of proud cumbersome self. As a christian can look over all that is in him, and be nothing, so is he in capacity of the strengthening power of God, to rest upon him.

Walk cheerfully. Troubles around us are many, and likely to be more. Christians' hearts begin to shake and faint. I like it not, I wish I could speak from this point, to the comfort of such; what shall I say? what can I say more than this point bids me? Infinite power is your servant; it is subjected to work strengtheningly in you; it is not for a man to plead his own weakness that hath such an attendant. ✔ Every one is to hardship, as the divine power that relieves him; "Out of weakness were made strong," Heb. xi. Relieving power, however it finds a christian below this work, yet it leaves him above it; "Out of weakness were made strong." What can you say, weak souls, more than this, that you are weak, very weak? Why, it is meet that you should say of yourselves as you are, and it is as meet that you should say of divine power as it is. You are far below your work, your work is further below that divine power which waits upon you. Come what can, can worse come than what came to these worthies, or can we find men worse? They were weak, yea, weakness itself, and yet out of weakness were made strong, and carried through all, bravely scorning base deliverance.

Our seas rage, and are likely to rage more; let them rage ever so much, so much that ye be cast into them, out of your vessels as Jonah was; yet a relieving power shall bosom and bear you, and cast you up christians, yea, better christians than ye were. There are two things in relieving power, which, if considered, methinks should comfort

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