It is said, 1 Pet. iv. 4. " They think it strange, that you run " not with them into the same excess of riot." The word is tv to ^vjiZrjvrai, they stand at a gaze, as the hen that hath hatched partridge eggs doth, when she sees them take the wing and fly away from her.
Beloved, it is the world's wonder to see their companions in sin forsake them ; those that were once as profane and vain as them- selves, it may be more, to forsake their society, retire into their closets, mourn for sin, spend their time in meditation and prayer, embrace the severest duties, and content to run the greatest hazards in the world for Christ ; but they see not that Almighty Power that draws them, which is too strong for all the sinful ties and engage- ments in the world to withhold and detain them.
A man would have wondered to see Elisha leave the oxen, and run after Elijah, saying, " Let me go, I pray thee, and kiss my " father and mother, and then I will follow thee ; when Elijah had said nothing to persuade him to follow him only as he passed
82 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. IV,
by him, he cast his mantle on him, 1 Kings x. 19, 20. Surely that soul whom God draws, must needs leave all and follow Christ, for the power of God resteth on it. All carnal ties and engage- ments to sin break and give way, when the Father draws the soul to Christ in the day of his power.
Infer. 4. Is this the find spring of spiritual motion (ifter Christ ? Learn then from hence, how it comes to pass that so many excellent sermons and powerful persuasions are ineffectual, and cannot draw and win one soul to Christ. Surely it is because ministers draw cdone ; and the special saving power of God goes not forth at all times alike with their endeavours.
Paul was a chosen vessel, filled with a greater measure of gifts and graces by the Spirit, than any that went before him or fol- lowed after him ; and, as his talents, so his diligence in improving them was bevond any recorded example we read of amongst men ; " He rather flew like a seraphim, than travelled upon his Master's " errand about the world *." Apollos was an eloquent preacher, and mighty in the scriptures, yet Paul is " nothing, and Apollos " nothing ; but God that gives the increase,'1 1 Cor. iii. 7. We are too apt to admire men, yea, and the best are but too apt to go forth in the strength of their own parts and preparations ; but God secures his own glory, and magnifies his own power, frequently, in giving success to weaker endeavours, and men of lower abilities, when he withholds it from men of more raised, refined, and ex- cellent gifts and abilities.
It is our great honour, who are the ministers of the gospel, that we are tvngy*, workers together with God, 1 Cor. iii. 9. in his strength we can prevail ; " the weapons of our warfare are mighty *4 through God," 2 Cor. x. 4. But if his presence, blessing, and assistance be not with us, we are nothing, we can do nothing.
If we prepare diligently, pray heartily, preach zealously, and our hearers go as they came, without any spiritual effects and fruits of our labours, what shall we say, but as Martha said to Christ, u Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died :" Had the Spirit of God gone forth with his especial efficacy and blessing, with this praver, or that sermon, these souls had not departed dead and senseless from under it.
Infer. 5. Doth all success and efficacy depend upon the Fathers drawings ? Let none then despair of their unregenerate and carnal relations, over ichose obstinacy they do, and have cause to mourn.
What, if they have been as many years under the preaching of the gospel, as the poor man lay at the pool of Bethesda, and hitherto to no purpose ? A time may come at last, (as it did for him) when
* i\z ~rr,vog rr^ or/.x>i,svriv; %tu u; ucu'jluto; oizhza>Li. Chrysost.
SERM. IV. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 80
the Spirit of God may move upon the waters ; I mean put a quick- ening and converting power into the means, and then the desire of your souls for them shall be fulfilled.
It may be you have poured out many prayers and tears to the Lord for them ; you have cried for them as Abraham for his son, " O that Ishmael might live before thee V O that this poor hus- band, wife, child, brother, or sister, might live in thy sight ; and still you see them continue carnal, dead, and senseless : Well, but yet give not up your hopes, nor cease your pious endeavours, the time may come when the Father may draw as well as you, and then you shall see them quit all, and come to Christ ; and nothing shall hinder them. They are now drawn away of their own lusts ; they are easily drawn away by their sinful companions ; but when God draws, none of these shall withdraw them from the Lord Jesus. What is their ignorance, obstinacy, and hardness of heart, before that mighty power that subdues all things to itself? Go therefore to the Lord by prayer for them, and say, Lord, I have laboured for my poor relations in vain, I have spent my exhorta- tions to little purpose ; the work is too difficult for me, I can carry it no farther, but thou canst : O let thy power go forth ; they shall be willing in the day of thy power.
Infer. 6. If none can come to Christ except the Father draw them, then surely none can be drawn from Christ except the Father leave them : That power which at first drew them to Christ can secure and establish them in Christ to the end. John x. 29. " My Father " which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to " pluck them out of my Father's hand."
When the power of God at first draws us out of our natural state to Christ, it finds us not only impotent but obstinate, not only unable, but unwilling to come ; and yet this power of God prevails against all opposition ; how much more is it able to pre- serve and secure us, when his fear is put into our inward parts, so that we dare not depart, we have no will to depart from him ? Well then if the world say, I will ensnare thee ; if the devil say, I will destroy thee; if the flesh say, I will betray thee; yet thou art secure and safe, as long as God hath said, " I will never leave thee " nor forsake thee," Heb. xiii. 5.
Infer. 7. Let this engage you to a constant attendance upon the ordinances of God, in which this drawing power of God is some- times put forth upon the hearts of men.
Beloved, there are certain seasons in which the Lord comes nigh to men in the ordinances and duties of his worship ; and we know not at what time the Lord cometh forth by his Spirit upon this design : he many times comes in an hour when we think not of him ! " I am found of them that sought me not," Isa. lxv. 1. It
84 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. IV.