Evidences of the Efficacy of Divine Influence

1 Corinthians, iii. 7.

So then, neAther is he that jplanteth any tilings neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.

I WILL endeavour, by the assistance of God, to give you the remainins; part of my meditations on these words of the apostle. I have already explained to you the metaphors that are used in this text. By him that planteth we aye to understand, the person that does any thing or every thin o

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in the office of a minister towards the conversion of a sinner; by him that watereth we are to understand the person that does any thing or every thing in the office of a minister too, with regard to the edification of a christian. Paul planted, and Apollos watered: Paul preached the gospel among them first; he gave them the knowledge of Jesus Christ for their conversion: and Apollos afterwards was made use of as a minister of Christy to build them up in faith i but it is God only that can give the increase. Let Paul plant or Apollos water, it is God only that makes the word effectual and successful, that makes the seed that is sown by the preacher take root in i]m heart, and spring up, and bring forth all the fruits of grace and holiness. I have shewed you also in what respect he that plants and he that waters are said to be nothing. They are nothing at all W’ithout the divine influence superadded; they cannot work the least w ork vi grace in the heart of a sinner, nor can they give increase to any grace that is already wrought there, by all their methods of ministration, though in the eye of man they may be ever so persuasive and powerful; and as they can do nothing at all in this work without the divine influence, so all that they do is very small, is nothing, in comparison with the influence of God. If a man should bid the blind see, or the dead arise and walk, you would say that his voice and his call had very little influence towards the restoration of the sight of the blind, towards the resurrection and active life of him that was dead: such poor influence, such little inconsiderable influence have the ministers of the gospel upon the conversion of dead sinners, when compared with the almighty, quickening power of God. I made some few remarks upon this part of the discourse, which I shall not now repeat, but proceed to the third general head that I mentioned 5 and that is,

III. To make the text evident by very plaii;v, experience; He that planteth is nothings and he that water eth is nothing, but God that giveth the increase .^

The veasons, which are entirely drawn from the experience of christians and of ministers are these four 5

1. It is plain that the effect of the ministry proceeds from God himself, because the most likely, the most proper means do not always attain the greatest success; whereas, if the effect were merely from the word of man, success would always follow the proper means. But we see it is quite otherwise. Jesus Christ the Son of God, when he was made a minister by his Father, had but poor encouragement. When he planted, and when he watered upon earth, there was but little increase; For God, for wise reasons, saw fit to withhold the almighty influences of the Spirit from a people that had already so much abused the gospel, when it was preached to them under types and shadows. He went about from town to town preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and you know lie spake as never man spa]ce.f and yet from time to time few or none believed on him; they rejected him, they turned

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their ears away from him and some of them turned him out of their towns. The Bible itself; the best of books that ever was written, has very little influence upon the mind, when the spirit of God is absent; it is in itself but a dead letter without spirit. And if I were to say no more to evidence this doctrine, this evidence of it would be strong that the best of preachers, Christ Jesus, the best of books, the Bible itself, have no influence upon the soul, if the Spirit of God absent himself.

But to proceed; the most awakeninsr minister cannot awaken one stupid sinner ia several sermons, if the thunder of the voice of God be not heard in the conscience, Boanerges’s sons of thunder may cry aloud and spare not, and not one sleepy soul arise, but all go on in their lethargy till they drop into hell, unless the God that can raise the dead awakens them. The most alluring and inviting method of persuasion that ministers can use, cannot draw one soul to Christ, unless the Father that hath sent Mm i^2 Evidences of the Efficacy Serm. VI.

draw the sinner too. The most powerful balsam cannot heal nor relieve one wounded conscience, unless God, the almighty, sovereign physician, apply his own mightier remedy, and touch the wounded conscience. The most condescending preacher is not able to instruct, though he speak divine things in such a stoop of expression, as an angel would do to teach children; not one will he taught or instructed, till God take the word in hand too. The most laborious preacher will have but little success or joy, unless the Lord, the almighty Spirit, be with him. On the other hand, you may see a weak instrument oftentimes made the means of performing wonderful works of conversion and salvation. Sermons of mere slight and sudden composition, with the breath of the Spirit of God, will sometimes leonvcrt multitudes. The plain preaching of the cross of Christ crucified, without learning or rhetoric, will persuade wise and learned philosophers to lay aside their trifling wisdom, and submit to thQ doctrines of the gospel. In the first epistle to the Coriw-Serm. VL Of Divine Influmice, 163

thians, Paul gives an account of what his method of preaching was; And I, brethren says he, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring unto you the testimony of God, And my speech and my preaching teas not with enticing words of mans wisdom, hut in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.^ Sometimes perhaps, a word spoken in conversation from the meanest mouth, if the Spirit of God take that word and apply it to the conscience, will do more than all the learned sermons and discourses that the person ever heard in his life before. Sometimes a poor, feeble, trembling minister, under the workings of doubt and unbelief in his own heart, may confirm a doubting, and awaken a dead sinner. God may go along with his word to the hearts of those that hear, when sometimes he refuses for a season to go aloBg with that same word, to the heart of him that speaks it. Is not this an abundant evidence that God does all? When there is a meanness of presence, a * 1 Cor. iL 1. 4*.

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weakness of voice, a proad sinner is oftentimes humbled and brought low by it. The speech of Paul was contemptible, and his presence mean; but what multitudes of haughty sinners did he bring down, and cause them to submit to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Even Felix, upon the bench of justice, trembled to hear the discourse of Paul, a poor prisoner at the bar; for God was with him.

These things make it evident, that neither Paul that plants is any thing, neither Apollos that waters any thing, but God that giveth the increase.

2. Sometimes the most promising hearers receive no benefit from the word, whether a Paul plant, or an Apollos water.

The Jews in Christ’s time, that saw his miracles, that heard his words, that were so well acquainted with the Old Testament, that knew the character of the Messiah before-hand, that had so much of the gospel under a veil and a cover before would not believe this gospel when the veil was taken off from it and it was brought into open light. You would have thought, that none would have been more likely to have received the gospel, than those that had seen the shape and shadow of it before-hand, only with a covering upon it; but when that covering was taken off, they rejected it all. A plain evidence that it is not the word of man, but the secret power of God, that performs these effectsr Those that have the best natural parts, sometimes will not take in the things of the gospel; the natural man, let him be ever so rich in abuities, receiveth not the things of the Sjiirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned,^ There are some who have naturally a thoughtful temper, that yet do not attend to the word preached. They can muse, and ponder, and busy their thoughts laboriously and intensely, all the week perhaps, upon human learning, or human affairs and business; but that thoughtful* * 1 Cor. ii. 1^/

166 Evidences of the Efficacy Serm. Vtness of temper does not accompany the things of religion, unless the Lord apply the word with power. Oftentimes those that are virtuously inclined, neglect the religion of Christ. Those that seem to have many seeds and principles of moral virtue wrought into their very natures and constitutions, that are, as it were, born with many good things about them, even those refuse the glory of God, when shining in the gospel. Those that have sweet and obliging tempers, so very like grace, hear the word of Grod for years together, and never taste of the grace of God. Those that have had the best education and all outward advantages, those that have had hopeful beginnings, and made a good progress in the externals of religion, oftentimes fall short and are only almost christians, unless the Spirit sends the word with power. You know the young man in the gospel, that had so many good things about him, that Jesus Christ looked on him and loved him, and said that he was not far from the’ kingdom of God 5 but when our Lord went on and

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preached the gospel of self-denial to him he went away sad and lost the gospel, because he would not part with his possesjgions.

Again; there are some persons that ministers are more especially concerned for their own children, their own dear relatives and those they have a peculiar respect and fondness for; these may sit under sermons, and have no taste of divine grace; but to others, who are utter strangers to them, and whom they know not, God may speak a vp ord, and by the voice of the preacher, and the voice of his own Spirit, may reach their hearts that are afar off, and make saving work upon them. Those that have had no peculiar spiritual advantages nicay receive the gospel of Christ, whilst others with every advantage may in some instances reject it. The thief upon the cross is a striking instance of this: he had spent his days in villainy and iniquity to such a degree, that at last his conscience smote him, and our Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross wrought a powerful conversion on him, and told him, This day shall ihou he with me in paradise,^

These are plain, self-evident truths, that I might much dilate upon, and shew from them, that not Paul nt)r Apollos that plants is any thing, but God thai giveth the increase.

3. Another reason which I draw from plain experience is this; the effect of the word preached is often different, and sometimes contrary, both to the preacher’s and hearer’s design.

The minister, it may be, takes a text from the law, and he speaks in order to awaken sinners to a sense of their guilt, and to discover to them their wretched violation of the law of God, in order to bring them to a sense of their danger and misery. Perhaps the whole effect of that sermon may be to lead erome negligent believer to a greater activity, * Luke xxiii. 4^.

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in some part of his duty. It may be the aim of the preacher to instruct a believer to behave himself aright in some instances of du* ty towards God and towards man; and the Spirit of God may thereby awaken a stupid sinner, that never before was concerned at his own guilt, and make him fall down trembling, though the minister aimed not at him, nor any of his character. A word of promise, and privilege, and grace, may perhaps comfort no believer in the assembly; but some dead sinner there may be stirred up and quickened to think thus with himself; ^’ Is all this grace in the gospel, and I know nothing of it? Are all these privileges to be had by believing in Jesus Christ, and I an unbeliever still?’’ and this perhaps may be the beginning of the seed of grace in his soul. A word of the cross of Christ, and his dying blood, may not perhaps heal a wounded conscience; but it may melt some hardened wretch, that never before was touched. All the words of- the law and of the gospel, which are brought for conviction, for repentance, and for life, may in p some attain none of these ends, but become a savour of death unto death to them. They may still deride the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed preacher; their eyes may be blinded, their ears deaf, and he that spake as never man spake, may become a stiimhling block and a rock of offence at which they may stumble, fall down, and be destroyed. The minister may sometimes aim at one person, and convert another. What is this but the hand of God? The minister shoots the arrow, but the hand of God directs it to the part it shall strike.

As the effects are sometimes very different from the design of the minister, and often very contrary to it, so also are they different from the design of the hearers. One comes out of a curiosity to hear a stranger; but the voice of God, to which he has hitherto been an utter stranger, may reach his heart, and bring him to a sense of his guilt and an effectual faith in Jesus Christ. Another may come merely because it is the custom of his family to come and because

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he has been brought up to wait upon God in public worship; he may come merely for the company of those that lead him, and perhaps may go away advanced higher in grace, than any of those that brought him under the sound of the gospel. Another may come to hear the fine language of the preacher; but the arrow of God may stick fast in his conscience, the fine language be. forgotten, and the voice of God in his law or in his gospel have ppwerful influence to his soul’s eternal life. He may come to have his ears pleased and tickled, and his heart may be wounded to death; that is, to death and despair in the law and in himself, that he may live by Jesus (Jhrist and the gospel. Another comes, it may be, to hear what the babbler will say, and resolves to scoff at it; but as soon as he begins to hear the word, God speaks together with it, and the minister is no more a babbler, but an angel in his esteem; his heart feels God working together with the word, he goesi away, and becomes a saint. Are not all these instances convincing proofs that Paul lyg Evidences of the Efficacy Serm. VL

is nothing, and Apollos is nothing, hut God that giveth the increase.

4. The last evidence I shall mention is this; great and surprising effects are sometimes produced in a very short time, beyond all the power of reason, or hope of man. You have noble instances of this in the first propagation of the gospel, when one sermon of Peter’s converted three thousand, and another sermon of his, converted five thousand hearers. The mighty progress in christian knowledge and grace, that is found in particular persons in two or three month’s time, and perhaps no effect before in ten years together under the gospel, is another proof that God is there. When the Jews heard fishermen, ignorant, and unlearned, speak all languages, and saw them in a short season work wonders, the7j tookJcnoiV’ ledge of them that they had been with Je siis.^ So whenever we see a mighty change both of knowledge and practice, in some persons that before were ignorant and * Acts iv. 13,

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sinful, a mighty change in a very short time by an attendance upon the ministry of the word, we take cognizance of them too, and say that they have been with Jesus; God has been with them in the ministry of his gospel.

These are some of the reasons, drawn from plain experience, by which I think I have made it abundantly evident, that neither Paul nor Apollos can do any thing oi themselves, but God is all and in all; first, the most likely and proper means do not attain the greatest success secondly, the most promising hearers receive no benefit; thirdly, the effects are often different from the design both of preachers and hearers; fourthly, there are great and surprising effects sometimes produced in a very short season,

I would not willingly conclude without a word of use; and here I could be very large in speaking to myself, for there is much duty to be drawn by the ministers of the gospel from such a text. We may take encouragement and hope more from our present prayers, than from our well studied sermons; for though it is our duty to be diligent, and to use the most proper means we can conceive to be conducive to the great end we have in view, yet our earnest prayers, that draw down divine influences, will still do most towards the success of our ministry; and, as I have told you before, in this respect a minister may do great service for his church, even when for a time he is divided from them, and banished from the house of God, if by his prayers through the intercession of the great Mediator, any influences may be drawn down from heaven upon the ministry of the word among them. We may learn here not to be utterly discouraged, when our outward circumstances are nat very promising, when we can preach but seldom, when we can speak but little, when Ave have but few opportunities of teaching, or when those that attend upon our ministry are but few. When Peter preached to a few friends gathered together in the house of Cornelius the Spirit of God fell upon all them that heard the word. If there is but a little handful to attend the ministry, and the Spirit of God takes hold of them, perhaps there may be more glory brought to God, and more souls converted, than in a more numerous auditory, where the Spirit of God is less present. This text may lead us to humility, and dependance upon God for all, and to esteem our own endeavours as nothing. This should teach us also not to be impatient under confinement from preaching. We are ready to grow uneasy, as though God wanted us, whereas God wants not Paul nor Apollos. Let who will be the ministers, he gives the increase.

But I design chiefly to speak a word or two of the duty of the people, that may be derived from this text.

1. Attend public ordinances with a dependance on God, and not on man. One says, “I go this day to hear Paul 5’^ another says, ‘’ But I go to hear Apollos;’’ but a christian that lives much upon God, says, “I will go to hear what God the Lord will speak in his word; he will speak “peace to his people and to his saints, and ‘’ I trust I shall hear the voice of my God,” Have a care of neglecting the influence of God, by, your presumption of success from the word of man. When such a minister comes up, oh how much you are ready to expect? and perhaps you go away as cold, and dead, and sensual, and carnal, as you were before. Have a care of barring up the influences of God, by your despair of success from the word preached. If you can hope that it is a minister and worship that God approves of, always go with expectation, that as God is all-sufficient he will not send you empty away.

S. Let your ministers obtain an interest in your earnest prayers. This is the way for them to obtain success, and for your souls to obtain benefit. Pray for yourselves

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when you go to hear the word, and for your ministers when they preach it. Pray for your relatives, whose conversion you desire. Pray for children, whom you desire to he bound up in the same covenant of life with yourselves. Paul, that great man, expect ed the success of his labours from the prayers of christians, poor, new convert)^ too, that did not know half so much of religioa and the gospel as you do; he desires the prayers even of the Thessaloaians and Colossians, that were but just converted from heathenism, that they might help forward his gospel; Brethren, says he, jpray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free come and be glorified,* — Fraying also for us J that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ; that I may make it manifest as I aught to speak.f Pray for the Spirit of God to be poured forth on his churches and on ministers, if you would have the gospel flourish, and bring a rich increase.

*^Th8ss, iii. 1. t Col. iv. 3, 4-.

3. Be not discouraged if the ministers that you love are taken away by sickness, or by death. My text tells you how far you ought to be grieved for them, as instruments only in the hands of God; they themselves are nothing. You may still expect the same furtherance and edification, from that God by whom you were first converted 5 Christ Jesus is the same yesterday to-day and forever.^

4*. I might add, though I think it seems needless in this congregation, let your ministers never be any occasion of contention among you; they are not worth it. For Paul is nothing, and Apollos is nothing; and it is for this very purpose, as I told you before, that the apostle introduces this text; ‘’ Wliy,’^ says he “should you con*” tend about me, and Apollos? I am no- thing, and Apollos is nothing, it is God ^’ that giveth the increased

5. Those that have waited long without great success, should still go on to wait * Heb. xiii, 8.

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upon God and seek him in his word. It may be you have placed too much dependance upon men; it may be you have not had so explicit and direct an expectation from the power of God in his word as you have had from the power and propriety of the word itself;, to attain such and such effects upon you. One says” I go to hear a ^’ softening word and yet my heart is hard.’^ Go to God then that can soften the heart by his word, and beg that he would melt down thy heart. Give up thy soul, O sinner, give up thy soul afresh, O believer, into the hands of Jesus Christ, who is almighty, who sends the Spirit, and that Spirit can convince, can convert, can edify thee by his word, and build thee up in holiness and comfort. In the last place;

6. Begin the work of heaven here upon earth, and give God the praise of distinguishing grace. Go and say to God in secret, “Blessed be thy name, O Father, that ^-’ though these things of the gospel are hid ^’ from the wise and from the prudent yet ‘< thou hast revealed them to me a babe. Thou hast saved me whilst others have “heard the same word, and still abide in “the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of “iniquity. Thou hast melted ray heart;^ “whilst others remain hard. Thou hast <”’ made me to receive a Saviour, whilst others reject him. I was of the rank and number of those that are children of ^’ wrath, and followed the vanities of my mind and corruptions of my heart, as ^’ well as others; but the almighty power of divine grace, in and by his word, has quickened me. I heard many a Paul, *’ and many an Apollos, and felt nothing from them; but when God had a mind to give the increase, then the planter and waterer appeared powerful and saving.’’ Such were some of you, says the apostle to the Corinthians, httt ye are washed, but ye are sanctified hut ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God,^ Therefore you are made to come out from among them, and become a distinguished people.

* 1 Cor. vi. 11.

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God will have the glory of his own work. The temple of old w as to be built by Zerubbabel as an instrument but God resolved to appear as the chief builder; This is the icord of the Lord unto Zeriihhabel sayings JSToi by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts, shall this work be carried on. Who art thou, O great moun tain? before Zerubbabel thou shall become a plain; and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, the head-stone of the temple, crying, Grace, Grace, unto it,^ Thus may we say to every sinner; this is the word of the Lord to you that are converted and made saints not by might, nor by power but by the Spirit of God, And what are ye all ye mountains of opposition? all ye fallen angels, that are enemies to the conversion of the sinner? all ye mighty corruptions that dwell in the soul? all ye difficulties that are raised by Satan, and our own corrupt hearts that are as great mouu* tains in the way of converting grace? Ye §hall all become a plain before the minister * Zechariah i?. 6, 7. Q iS2 Evidences of the Efficacy Serm. VI.

ihat God resolves shall be the builder of his church. The head-stone of this building shall one day be brought forth; and may you and I join together with the triumphant host, and add our acclamations to the acclamations of those that are in heaven before us, and say, Graces Grace: glory be to almighty grace!