with me." The most discouraging events, which the Lord's people meet with, are designed not to weaken or lessen their faith, but exercise and increase it. They should not be dismayed. Every Christian warrior has reason to say with David, "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about; for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone:" or as in another Psalm, "All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation."

II. We proceed to speak of the believer's ability to bear trials and temptations.

It is not in themselves. They are like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. When they begin the Christian warfare, they are said to be without strength. When bearing the burden and heat of the day, their constant cry is, We have no might against this great company, and they know in their comfortable experience that when they are weak then are they strong, and their strength is God alone. Repeated experiments prove that, in themselves, they are wholly insufficient for the performance of duty or bearing any trial. When they lean to their own strength, they are disappointed; but they can do all things through Christ strengthening them.

1. The strength of the saints is the special or saving grace of God. This invigorates the mind for the various duties and trials in the Christian life. It makes worm Jacob thresh the mountains, and beat them small; and make the hills as chaff. Paul, after a singular manifestation, had very sharp trials. He fell on his knees and cried for Divine strength. God said, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." The strength of the Redeemer's grace was displayed in the apostle's weakness. By Divine grace, which is the believer's strength, is understood God's implanting and increasing his own image, consisting in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, according to his purpose of grace. This both inclines and enables the saint to oppose sin and every other spiritual enemy, and serve the Lord.

2. They are wholly indebted to Christ for it. The Lord looked upon us, considered our weakness, and provided strength. He did not make this provision because he saw us worthy of it, or from a foresight that we would do any thing to deserve it; but of his own good will. We are indebted to Christ for all our strength in different respects. It comes through his cross. We raised insurmountable difficulties, and no blessing could have been conferred upon us without full satisfaction to Divine justice, and this Christ made on his cross, and there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in him. It is lodged in his person. The first Adam was entrusted with our stock, and squandered it. According to the glorious plan of the covenant of grace, it hath pleased

God that all fulness should dwell in Christ. It is lodged in him to be communicated according to the situation of every believer. This is plainly asserted by the apostle in his comfortable address to the Philippians: "My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus."

It is impossible to name all the ways in which Christ strengthens the soul. As our propitiation, he has opened our access to God, and made us as if we had not been cast off. As our advocate, he prays for every blessing, and that we may be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. As our King, he commands our strength. He gives us the support which is requisite for duty, and animates us by the hope of a future crown. He holds the soul in his hand and communicates strength; and his presence overawes every enemy. Wherever he comes he is a present aid. At his call the weakest saint can walk on the waters; and the stormy wind and roaring waves are hushed at his word.

3. The strength of believers is dispensed by the Holy Spirit. He opens their eyes, discovers their need, and helps them to cry for it with groanings which cannot be uttered. He makes the lame man to leap as an hart, and go from strength to strength in his journey to the heavenly Canaan. He alone convinces of our natural weakness, and leads us to the blood of Christ as our satisfaction and atonement; and it is no small part of our strength to see that God is well pleased with sinners in Christ. Having impressed us with a sense of our own weakness, he leads us to Christ as the head of saving and sanctify

ing influences. As a signal part of his communication of strength, he maintains on the souls of believers a deep sense of their own weakness and absolute need of Christ; and thus leads them habitually to improve the Saviour, in whom alone is lodged their strength for duty and difficulty. The Holy Spirit actually imparts strength, though often imperceptibly. He comes down as the rain and dew, and communicates his strengthening influences, here a little, and there a little.

4. This strength is set before us in the Divine promise, and actually received by faith. It is a blessing of the covenant of grace, and is contained in the promises. In many places it is promised, for instance, Zechariah x. 12, " And I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord," and in Isai. xli. 10, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right-hand of my righteousness." Every promise of strength is equal security to the believer that he shall not fail, as if he were almighty. He may feel his own weakness, and apprehend that he is ready to faint; but he shall be strong in the Lord. Duty and trial may appear above his ability, but turning his eye to God and his promise, he will understand experimentally the meaning of these beautiful words, "All things are possible to him that believeth."

It is actually received by faith. This grace itself is the strength of the soul, and especially as it leads from all dependance on ourselves or any creature.

It improves the strength of God set before us in his word. The language of the believing soul, is "The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation." The more the saint feels his own inability, he looks the more to the promise; and being strengthened one time after another, he adopts as his own that language, Isai. xxv. 4, "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when a blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.". Thus led on gradually he says with the apostle, "When I am weak, then I am strong." Faith engages God and his all-sufficiency for the believer's support, and makes him say, "Our sure and all-sufficient help is in Jehovah's name." There is real strength in the promises, and faith actually improves it. With great propriety is it called resting and leaning upon God, and a taking hold of his strength. We know what it is for a strong man to help a weaker to perform a journey: the Lord strengthens all his people in their journey to the land of promise.

5. This strength is eminently obtained in prayer. Every saint, like Jacob, prevails as he weeps and makes supplication. It has been the universal experience of them all, that, when they cried, then their enemies turned back. Great is the influence of prayer. It engages Divine wisdom and strength ̧ Difficulted and at his wits' end, the believer bends the knee and pours out his heart to God, and often comes away no more sad, but strong in the Lord. As his needs recur he applies to the same quarter,