(2.) Because it is much opposed by the devil, the world, and the flesh. Within there is corruption, and without there are temptations ; within there is the flesh always warring against the better part ; our cure is not fully wrought : Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.' The flesh is importunate to be pleased, and it will urge us to retrench and cut off a great part of that necessary duty which belongeth to our heavenly calling ; yea, if we hearken to it, it will crave very unlawful and unreasonable things at our hands. And as there is opposition within, so it is exposed to temp- tations from without ; from Satan, who watcheth all advantages against ns : 1 Peter v. 8, 'Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour.' Now when his temptations assault us with considerable strength, without seasonable relief or grace to help in time of need, how shall we be able to stand ? Adam had habitual grace, but he gave out at the first assault. So for the world, either its terrors or its delights will shake and weaken our resolutions for God and heaven. Its terrors, which was the case in the text, and the power of God can only relieve us against them : 2 Tim. i. 8, ' Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God.' So delights corrupt us while the soul dwelleth in flesh, looketh out by the senses ; these things are grateful to us, to wean our hearts from Ihein, and that we do escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, is the fruit of God's grace : Mat. xix. 26, 'With God all things are possible.' That our affection to riches, and the pleasures and honours of this life, may not corrupt us, and hinder us in our duty to God, and pursuit after the happiness of the world to come.
[2.] The sufficiency of this power. It is the power of God, and surely that is sufficient for all things : ver. 24, ' To him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory.' God is able and ready to help the diligent and waiting soul.
(1.) His power is enough to enable for all our duties : Phil. iv. 13, ' I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me ; ' Eph. iii. 16, ' That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.'
(2.) To support us under all our trials : Dent, xxxiii. 22, ' The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are his everlasting arms.' God telleth Paul, ' My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' It was Austin's observation, Job in stercore, Job is more happy in his misery than Adam in innocency ; he was victorious on the dunghill when the other was defeated on the throne ; he gave no ear to the evil counsel of his wife, when the woman seduced Adam ; he despised the assaults of Satan, when the other suffered himself to be worsted at the first temptation ; he preserved his
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righteousness in the midst of his sorrows, when the other lost his in- nocency in the midst of the delights of paradise.
(3.) To resist temptations. The devil hath great strength, but the Spirit of God hath greater : 1 John iv. 4, ' Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.' Satan is in the bait, but God supporteth: Eph. vi. 10, ' Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.' When the spiritual armour is spoken of, we have the all-sufficient and omnipotent power of God engaged for us ; and therefore he is able to sustain us against the opposition of men or devils. It is a lamentable thing to see what a poor spirit is in most christians, how soon they are captivated or discouraged with every slender assault or petty temptation, and their resolutions are shaken with the appearance of every difficulty they meet with in the heavenly life. This is affected weakness, not so much want of strength as sluggishness and cowardice, or want of care. Men will not set about their duty, then cry out they are impotent , like lazy beggars, that personate and act diseases because they would not work. They are not able to stand up before the slightest motions of sin, because they do not improve the strength God vouchsafeth to them by his Holy Spirit. There are two extremes — pride and sloth. Pride and self-confidence is when we think we do not need God's power ; sloth, when we do not improve it, neglect what is given, and complain rather than encourage ourselves to make use of his grace.
Use 1. If the whole business of our salvation floweth from the pleasure of God's goodness, and is accomplished by his divine power, then God must have all the praise; for no consequence can be so naturally deduced as that which the apostle inferreth from this principle : Kom. xi. 36, ' Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever and ever, amen.' Under the law the first-fruits and the tenths were the Lord's portion ; the first, which is the beginning, and the tenth, which is the perfection of numbers. All things are upheld by him as their continual preserver, therefore all things must tend to him as the ultimate end ; especially the whole dispensation of grace in the calling and converting of sinners is to be imputed to the pleasure of his goodness and almighty power. God is not to be robbed, neither in whole nor in part, of this glory.