The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preached…The way to the highest honour a funeral sermon, on John XII, 26, preach'd…

7. Humble, fervent, and continual Prayer to the Father of Mercies, and the Father of Spirits, that he would bless the outward Ministry, is requisite to make it effectual. The Conversion of Man is not wrought by Man, but by the Energy of the holy Spirit. God instructs us what he does in the more secret Operations ⟨p. 55⟩of Grace, by what he does in the more visible Operations of Nature. This is expressed by the Apostle; Paul plants, and Apollos waters, but God gives the Increase. A Man plants a green Stick, and waters it; but the God of Nature forms the Tree in all its Parts, the Root, the Sap, the Trunk, the Branches, and the Fruits: The planting by the Hand of Man is necessary for the Growth of a Tree, but what is that to the Divine Blessing? Thus according to the ordinary Method of Divine Grace, God unites his marvellous Power with the weak Ministry of Men for the Salvation of Souls, and according to the Apostle's arguing, it is an impossible Event that Men should believe without hearing the Gospel, and hear without a Preacher: But the converting and saving of Souls is to be ascribed to God. And thus in the Spiritual Husbandry, the ⟨p. 56⟩Occasions of Pride and Slothfulness are equally removed. As the same Apostle saith, He that plants is nothing, and he that waters, is nothing, but God that gives the Increase. This Consideration should be an Incentive in our Breasts, to petition the God of all Grace that he will please to give Life and Efficacy to his Word. In Jacob's Vision of the mysterious Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth, the Angels were ascending and descending: An Emblem of a Minister's Duty, they must first ascend in Prayer and Contemplation, and then descend in preaching to the People. 'Tis observable that sometimes Men of excellent Accomplishments are blasted in their Ministry; and others of meaner Abilities, but of more holy Affections, are very instrumental to save Souls: The Reason is plain; those who are most frequent and fervent in ⟨p. 57⟩Prayer, obtain the richest Abundance of the Spirit, and are usually most blest with Success. When the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost, descending in the significant Emblem of fiery Tongues; what an admirable Influence had their Preaching upon the obdurate Jews? The first Sermon presently convinced and converted three thousand, that were Murderers of our Saviour, with the Stains of his Blood fresh upon them.