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and his strength is renewed. The most frequent application to God, and the greatest communications of Divine strength, never make him stronger in himself or give him any stock of his own. He will always be found the strongest believer who is most sensible of his own weakness, makes the most fervent application to the throne of grace, and has all his dependence on the Divine promise.

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After all, the believer's strength to perform duty, and bear trials, though a great reality, is a great mystery; perhaps the greatest in experimental religion. He does not understand it fully himself; and far less can he explain it to another. The most he can say is, "I find myself unable for every thing; I am often at the point of giving up, and am near to halt; a thousand times I have thought I would fall before mine enemies; all refuge failed me, and like Peter, I was about to sink; my needs were many and great, and my pressures very heavy in this weak and forlorn situation I thought about the promises, and cried to the Lord, I cannot tell how, but somehow I was helped and got over that trial: in like cases I followed the same course, and with the same success; and to the praise of Divine grace I have ground to say, Ebenezer, hitherto hath the Lord helped me from this I would fain conclude that in time coming the Lord will be to me Jehovah-jireh; and I resolve that I will constantly go on in the strength of God the Lord." Leaving a more full application till afterward, we shall conclude with these reflections.

1. This subject points out to every believer what his lot and situation in the world are likely to be. He may lay his account with trials. Tribulation, as well as peace and a kingdom, is an article in Christ's legacy. Respecting trials, we would call the believer not to decline them. There is a selfishness natural to men which disposes them to put the cup of affliction by them if they can. We might ask the saint, If you had it at your will, would you desire to be wholly free of troubles, or at any rate of great troubles? Would you take that way which infinite wisdom does not judge best? Would you choose a way opposite to, and different from, what Christ himself walked in, and which is not marked with the footsteps of the flock? Upon serious thought, would you not rather take up the cross which God gives you, and follow Christ? Determine with yourselves and be decided. While we would call the believer not to decline his trials, we would also call him to put no harsh constructions on them. If trials were evidences of God's hatred and anger, his dearest saints would be the most hated. On the contrary, they are tokens of adoption and sonship, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." The Lord intends them all for good. He has gracious ends to accomplish by every trial; and if the believer is in heaviness through manifold temptations, there is a need be.

2. As this subject warns us of trials, it also points out provision and comfort. The Christian's strength will be equal to all his trials, and superior to all opposition. He shall not be tried above what he is able. He shall hold on his way conquering every enemy, performing every duty, and bearing every trial, till he come to Zion. He shall never fall away totally or finally. Grace and strength proportioned to his duties and trials, secure his perseverance.

3. From this subject we may infer, that believers have need of faith and patience. They need faith to enable them to believe that God does all things well, all in holiness and wisdom: that he does all well even when he permits the church and themselves to groan under the greatest pressures and tribulations. It is not enough to believe that he did well to former saints when he tried them; but we must believe well of our own trials, even before we see the issue. Every saint reads with pleasure Abraham's trial about his son, and Mordecai's, when he and his people were likely to fall before Haman-because they turned out so well. Do you believe as well about your own trial which is not yet ended? These two believed before the issue. Are your trials greater than theirs? Is deliverance more unlikely? Is the Lord's arm shortened?

They have need of patience-to submit to what the Lord measures out-as good-as best; and neither murmur nor repine. Without faith the saints would stumble at their cross, and without patience they would faint, and weary under it.

SERMON XIX.

1 CORINTHIANS X. 13.

There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

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WE have already made some observations to open up the text, and spoken of the believer's ability to bear trials and temptations. We now proceed, as was proposed, to

III. Speak of that proportion which the trials of believers have to their strength, and which their strength has to their trials, when a faithful God pledges his word that "he will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able." On this we observe these things.

1. There is a proportion of quantity. Every Christian shall have as much strength as is requisite for the performance of the duties to which he is called, and the trials which are measured out to him. God has said they shall be able, and he will not prove worse than his word. Is the saint called to perform

very arduous duties wholly above any power of his own? the strength set before him in the promise is sufficient. The precepts of the law, prescribing duty, and laying him under obligation to perform, are no doubt great; but the promises of the Gospel are equally great. Has he heavy trials and crosses, enemies strong and mighty, has he snares too deep and artfully laid for him to discover and shun; the strength promised is proportioned to them all. Is he called to work out his own salvation: by grace he is saved. The gracious strength which God has promised may be compared to the manna: he who needs and gathers much will have nothing over; and the discouraged saint, who apprehends that he has gathered little, will have no lack. Among men what would be altogether beyond the power of one, is perfectly easy to another, owing to his superior strength. What would be too much for one saint is easy for another. There are babes in Christ who are not yet able for the duties or trials which young men can bear or perform, because as John says, "They are strong, and the word of God abideth in them, and they have overcome the wicked one." The saint, when entering on the Christian warfare, finds many things hard for him, which are more easy at an advanced period. Christ trains his people and inures them to hardships as they can bear them. He once said to his disciples, "I have yet many things to say unto you, you, but ye cannot bear them now." In a similar manner, he treats all his saints, and does not overdrive them; but leads them on as they can bear.

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