SERMON XVI.

GOD'S ABILITY TO BESTOW INCONCEIVABLE BLESSINGS.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."-EPHESIANS iii. 20, 21.

THERE certainly cannot be a more astonishing subject for human or angelic contemplation, than the love of Christ. It is, indeed, immense and unsearchable,-vast in extent, -without any commencement,-enduring to eternity-unfathomable in its depths, and superlative in its heights it challenges the most enlarged powers fully to comprehend it. All the ideas that may be entertained of it by men or angels are infinitely surpassed, since no stretch of thought can embrace its nature, or the grand manifestations that have been given of it. And yet, mysterious as this subject is, God has thought fit to enlighten the minds of a favored few, in every age of the world, so that they are enabled to understand, at least somewhat of that divine theme, the full excellence of which cannot be told.

Hence the great apostle of the Gentiles is emboldened to ask for the believing Ephesians no small boon; but to beg the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to make them able to comprehend, as far as a human mind can, the love

of Christ; that they might feel its virtue, power, and sweetness, and be favored with a delightful view of its boundless riches. And when he had asked this great, and apparently to many, hard thing, lest they should suppose for a moment, that they ought not to dare to expect such a favor, or that it was too much for God to grant, he intimates that even this, and more than this, can be accomplished for us by the God of all grace; and therefore, to raise their expectations and confirm their faith, he says, "Now unto him who (I can tell you, if you think this a great request) is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

In proposing this text for your contemplation, I remark, that it gives us an insight into Jehovah's ability to bestow the greatest blessings on his saints,-the proof that he has already given of it, and the honor that should be ascribed to him on account of it. Hoping that our reflections will

be made useful to strike us with admiration of the exceeding riches of grace, we will, in the first place, indulge a few thoughts on,

I. Jehovah's ability to bestow the greatest blessings on

his saints.

"He is able," says my text, "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." And who (may some say) can doubt it? Do we not all know that he is God all-mighty? Have we not often heard, that nothing is too hard for the Lord? Do you think that any of us doubt that with God all things are possible? But, O believers, have you always faith in this? Does your experience and

your conduct show, that you always believingly rest your soul upon the divine omnipotence? Rather do you not, by your needless fears, frequently give us reason to suppose that you do not believe in the power of the arm of God? This being the case, let your minds be stirred up by way of remembrance, that you may be encouraged to trust in the Lord Jehovah, by beholding, that "in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." We are not now called to dwell upon Jehovah's creating power, or to see how easily he can dash a world to pieces. It is not the power of his anger, which solicits your attention now. It is not what he can do to beautify and bless angels, or to torment with eternal anguish the lost spirits in hell; but it is what he can do in your behalf; what he can accomplish for you, who are, without his assistance, helpless as the new-born infant, or weaker than the feeble worm. And let us observe, that he is able to fulfill and to exceed the most enlarged prayer of faith,- -or the most vast desire of the heart. Our text shows us that he can exceed,—

"He is able,"

1. The most enlarged prayer of faith. says my text, "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask." In our petitions at the throne of the heavenly Majesty, we never need be afraid to ask too much. "Open thy mouth wide," says the Lord of all, "and I will fill it;" be not scanty in your desires. Ask what I shall give thee, and for the sake of Jesus it shall be all bestowed. Is any grievous trial before you? O, display the same faith in the power of God, that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did, when they said, "Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king." Are you fearing that the Redeemer's interest will not succeed in the

world, when you plead the cause of Zion? Recollect that he is able, of these stones, to raise up children unto Abraham. Are you afraid that you shall one day fall into the hand of your enemy, or backslide from the Lord that bought you, when you pray for persevering grace? Remember, that "he is able to make you stand." Are the stores of the divine bounty exhausted? Is there not a perfect fullness of grace in the Saviour? supply all our need "according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus?"

Cannot our God

Ask then for spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, and you shall receive them; for God is able to bestow them. Not only will he fulfill the desire of them that fear him, but he will far exceed it; for "he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask." This is illustrated in a memorable part of the experience of Solomon: he asked wisdom of the Lord; he gave it him, but said to him, " And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor; so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee, all thy days."

Abraham, the father of the faithful, seemed to be, in the midst of trial, firmly persuaded of the truth stated in my text, that God was able to do exceeding abundantly above all that he could ask or think; hence, says the apostle, "he offered up Isaac, of whom it was said, that, in Isaac shall thy seed be called; accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." So let us all believe and act upon the truth, that he is able to save to the very uttermost, all that come unto him by the Son of his love. And when a Christian has been constantly praying for years, and has asked for all the blessings, the need of which his

mind suggested, he may still say, He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask. He is able also to

exceed,

2. The most secret desires of the heart. He can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. There are some periods in our experience, when certain blessings can only be thought on by us, and we have not faith to plead for them with our heavenly Father; we seem to look at them with a wishful eye, but scarcely dare say, Lord, make them mine! But the ability of our covenant God, however, extends to this. Let us not limit the Holy One of Israel, but see that he can exceed all that we can even think. When a child of God has received any particular blessing from Heaven, for which he is, as he ought to be, especially thankful, we may say to him, as the man of God said to Amaziah, "The Lord is able to give thee much more than this." For it has not entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God has prepared for them that love him; and therefore he must do more than we can think. We sometimes see the cup of blessing in the dear Redeemer's hand, and secretly long to taste. Well, at that time he shall say, "Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." Our highest thoughts shall be surpassed by the stores of his grace, and that grace shall be exceeding abundant towards us with faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus. Yea, though at times we dare not think of possessing hereafter a station among God's redeemed ones in glory: yet "an entrance shall be administered to us abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." O, then, let us not stagger at the promises, but "be strong in faith, giving glory to God." Let us rejoice, that what he has promised he is able to perform; and if he