The Decoy

“As the fowler catcJies many birds by one decoy a bU’d of the same feather, so God bringeth us to himself by men of the same nature, and subject to the saine temptatio7is attd the same commands. He attracts us to himself by me7i with whom we may have ordinary and visible commerce, and 7iot by angels, that might affright tis. He calls 7cs by our fellow-creatm’es, who arc cojicerned i?t the message as much as we are; 7ne7i that kfiow the heart of a 77ian by experie7ice, and k7iow our prejudices a7id In this choice of means, wisdom and condescension are equally manifest, for which we are bound to render grateful adoration. Blessed be God that he calls men by men, adopting thus the kindest and most effectual mode of dealing with us. We should also learn wisdom, and receive practical guidance from this act of God: when we would win our fellow-men for Jesus let us show ourselves to be near of kin to them. If, by a lofty and distant bearing, we act as if we belonged to another race, we shall be poor decoy-birds. The poor bird fascinates its like by being of their kith and kin, and we must capture hearts for Jesus by showing that we are of like passions with them, and love them much. Love men to Jesus, — that is the art of soul-winning.

Blessed Lord Jesus, thou didst thus win my heart for I had never loved thee and trusted thee if I had not perceived thee to be touched with a feeling of my infirmity. Thy sympathetic manhood draws my manhood to thee, and I am won to thy Father by thy brotherly love.