Utter helplessness

A conviction of their utter helplessness is yet another branch of this repentance. I mean two things by it.

First, they can no more think one good thought by themselves than before they were justified. They are no more able, of themselves, to form one good desire, to speak one good word, or to do one good work, than they were before. They still have no kind or degree of strength of their own, no power either to do good or to resist evil, no ability to conquer, or even to withstand, the world, the devil, or their own evil nature. They can, it is certain, do all these things. But it is not by their own strength. They can overcome, because sin has no more dominion over them. But the power is not from nature, either in whole or in part. The power is the mere gift of God, given from moment to moment, not a stock laid up for years. It is not given all at once, as if they had a store set aside for a long time ahead.