5. And that which farther increaseth the difficulty of believincr is the fierce and obstinate opposition made by the enemies of faith. All the powers of hell and earth, devils and men without us, are confederate and in league with the corruptions within us, to resist and hinder this work of believing. Never is the devil more busy than when Christ and the soul are treating about union. Oh, the discouragements, objections, and difficulties that are rolled into the way of faith ! one while it is the highest presumption ; another while it is impossible, and utterly too late : sometimes blasphemous injections, like fiery darts, are shot reeking hot out of hell into the soul ; other while the invincible difficulties of religion arc ob- jected, all losses, torments, &c. opposed unto this work. The tempter casts himself into a thousand shapes to hinder the soul's passage out of nature unto Christ ; sometimes objecting the great- ness of sin, and sometimes the lapse and loss of the proper season and opportunity of mercy, together wdth the want of due qual'ifU cations^ to come to Christ. Thus, and many other ways, he en- deavours to rap off the fingers of faith from taking hold of Christ ;
And as every devil in hell opposes this work, so every carnal in- terest we have in the world, is an enemy to faith. We have enemies enough ^nthin us, as well as ^\ithout us, both conspiring together to obstruct this work : all things increase the difficulty of belie\4ng.
Thirdly^ We are next to speak of the instruments employed in this great design ; and these are,
1. The pri7icijpal instrument^ by whose efficacy the heart is open- ed, is the Spirit of God, without whom it is impossible the design should ever prosper : neitlier ordinances, providences, or mini- sters can successfully manage it without him. If the Lord will make use of anv man for the conversion and salvation of another's soul, he mav rejoice in it ; but -withal must say, as Peter to the Jews, Acts iii. 12, " Why look ve so eamestlv on us, as though by •' our ovm power or holiness we had 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 : tliis is the work of God's Spirit, in whose hand I am an instrument, 1 Cor. iii. 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; John xvi. 9- " The " Spirit^ Avhen he 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 this is done, there is no sailing till a gale come. We preach and prav, and vou hear ; but there is no motion Christ-ward, until the Spirit of God (compared to the wind, John iii. 8.) blow upon them. Until he illuminates the imderstanding with divine light, and bows the vs-iU by an almighty power, there can be no spiritual motion heaven-ward. Now the Spirit of the Lord is a free agent, not tied to means, time or instruments ; but as at a certain time an angel came down upon the waters of Bethesda, and put a heal- ing virtue into them, so it is here : therefore never come to any gospel-ordinance, ^nthout an eye to the Spiiit, on wliom all their blessing and efficacy depend. O lift up your hearts for his blessing upon the means, as ever you expect saving benefits from them.
2. The subordinate instrumental means by which this blessed design is effectually managed in the world, is the gospel-ministry, 1 Cor. iii. 5. " Who then is Paul, and who then is ApoUos, but
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*^ ministers by whom ye believed ?'^ This is the ordinary stated me- thod of begetting faith ; and though God liath not tied himself to this or that minister, time, or place, yet he hath tied us to a dili- gent and constant attendance upon them; Rom. x. 14. " How " then shall they call on him in whom they have not beheved? <* and how shall they believe in him of whom they liave not heard ? " and how shall they hear w ithout a preacher ?'" I confess, it seems a very unlikely means, a weak and foolish method, accord- ing to the dictate of corrupt human wisdom ; yet by the foolishness of preaching, it pleases God to save them that believe, 1 Cor. i. 20. That which the wisdom of men derides, God makes efFcctual unto salvation. And oh, how many are there that will have cause to bless God to all eternity, for gifting and sending such ministers among them, whose doctrine the Lord blessed unto the conversion of their souls !
Fourthltj, In the next place let us consider the scope and inten- tion of this great design wherein these instruments are employed : there are no great designs in the world but aim at some end to be accomplished by them. Now there are two things in the eye and intention of this design, which are worthy of it.
1. The Ejealtatlon of his ok'ii grace, and the riches of his good- ness before angels and men to all eternity. The name of God is never made so glorious in this world, as it is by bringing over the hearts of men and women to believe. God reaps more glory from the faith of a poor creature that comes to Christ empty and weary, than he doth from the other works of his hands. He hath not the like glory from the sun, moon, and stars, as from such poor crea- tures whose hearts open to Jesus Christ under the gospel-call. Thus they are fitted to manifest the glory of his grace, Eph. i. 5, 6. " To the praise of the glory of his grace,'' &c. God ^v-ill have liis rich and glorious grace praised and admired by angels and men for evermore ; and every converted soul is as it were a monument erected unto the praise of his grace. Heaven will ring with praises for ever, that the great God would humble himself to come irito the heart of a vile sinner, and dwell and walk therein, as the ex- pression is, 2 Cor. vi, 16. O this is admirable, that the high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, will take up his dwelling-place in a poor contrite sinner, that trembles at his word, Isa. Ivii. 15.
2. The eternal salvation and blessedness of the soul so opened to Christ is also the design and aim of this work of opening the heart. Luke xix. 9. When the soul of Zaccheus was opened by faitli, " This day, saith Christ, is salvation come to thy house.'' You do not only believe to the glory of God, but to the salvation of your own souls, Heb. x. 39. The opening of our hearts to Christ now, is in ordci' to the opening of heaven to us hereafter. This is both