(1.) The Principal instrument in whose efficacy the Heart is opened, is the Spirit of God; without whom it is impossible the design should ever prosper; neither Ordinances, Providences, or Ministers can successfully manage it without him. If the Lord will make use of any Man for the Conversion and Salvation of another's Soul, he may rejoice in it; but withal must say as Peter to the Jews, Acts 3. 12. Why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power, or holiness we had ⟨p. 329⟩made this man to walk? So may the ablest Minister in the World say, when God blesses his labours to the conversion of any Soul; look not upon me, as though by the strength of my reason, or power of my gifts, I had opened thy Soul to Christ; this is the work of Gods Spirit, in whose hand I am an instrument, 1 Cor. 3. 7. He that plants is nothing, and he that waters is nothing. Nothing in himself, the very first stroke of conviction which is introductive to the whole work of conversion is justly ascribed to the Spirit, Job. 16. 9. The Spirit when be cometh shall convince the world of sin. He is the Lord of all sanctifying and gracious influences; Ordinances are but as the sails of a Ship, Ministers as the Seamen that manage those sails; the Anchor may be weighed, the sails spread, but when all is done, there is no sailing, till a gale come. We preach, and pray, and you hear; but there is no motion Christward, until the Spirit of God (compared to the wind, John 3. 8.) blow upon them; till he illuminate the understanding with divine light, and bow the Will by an Almighty power; there can be no Spiritual motion Heaven-ward. Now the Spirit of the Lord is a free agent, tied to means, time or instruments; but as at a certain time an Angel came down upon the waters of Bethesda and put a healing virtue into them; so it is here: Therefore never come to any Gospel Ordinance, without an Eye to the Spirit, on whom all their blessing and efficacy depends. Oh, lift up your Hearts for his blessing upon the means, as ever you expect saving benefits from them.
(1.) The Principal instrument in whose efficacy the Heart is opened, is the Spirit of God; without whom it is impossible the design should ever prosper; neither Ordinances, Providences, or Ministers can successfully manage it without him. If the Lord will make use of any Man for the Conversion and Salvation of anothers Soul, he may rejoyce in it; but withal must say as Peter to the Jews, Acts 3. 12. Why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power, or holiness we had ⟨p. 329⟩made this man to walk? So may the ablest Minister in the World say, when God blesses his labours to the conversion of any Soul; look not upon me, as though by the strength of my reason, or power of my gifts, I had opened thy Soul to Christ; this is the work of Gods Spirit, in whose hand I am an instrument, 1 Cor. 3. 7. He that plants is nothing, and he that waters is nothing. Nothing in himself, the very first stroak of conviction which is introductive to the whole work of conversion is justly ascribed to the Spirit, Iob. 16. 9. The Spirit when be cometh shall convince the world of sin. He is the Lord of all sanctifying and gracious influences; Ordinances are but as the sayls of a Ship, Ministers as the Seamen that manage those sayls; the Anchor may be weighed, the sayls spread, but when all is done, there is no sayling, till a gale come. We preach, and pray, and you hear; but there is no motion Christward, until the Spirit of God (comparded to the wind, Iohn 3. 8.) blow upon them; till he illuminate the understanding with divine light, and bow the Will by an Almighty power; there can be no Spiritual motion Heaven-ward. Now the Spirit of the Lord is a free agent, tyed to means, time or instruments; but as at a certain time an Angel came down upon the waters of Bethesda and put a healing virtue into them; so it is here: Therefore never come to any Gospel Ordinance, without an Eye to the Spirit, on whom all their blessing and efficacy depends. Oh, lift up your Hearts for his blessing upon the means, as ever you expect saving benefits from them.
