Sermon III (continued, part 2)
tobring Chriſt and the foul together, requires the almighty -power of God, Eph. i. 19. The grace of faith bywhich we come to Chriſt, is as much the free gift ofGod, as Chriſt himſelf,who is the object of faith, Phil. i. 29. " To you it is free- " lygiven to believe." And this willeaſily appear to your underſtandings, ifyoudobut conſider
The {Act, and ofthis work offaith, or coming toChriſt, Enemies }
First, Confider the ſubject of faith in which it is wrought ; or what it is that isdrawn to Chriſt : It is theheart ofa finner which is naturallyas indiſpoſed for this work, as the wood which Elijah laid in order upon the altar, was to catch fire, when he had poured ſo much water upon it, asdid not only
wet the wood, but alſo filled up the trench round about it, I Kings xviii. 33. For it is naturally a dark, blind, and ignorant,
heart, Job. xi . 12. Andfuch an heart can never believe, till he that commanded the light to ſhine out ofdarkneſs do ſhine
into it, 2 Cor. v. 14.
Nor will it avail anything to ſay, though man beborn indark - neſsand ignorance, yet afterwards he may acquire knowledge inthe uſe ofmeans, as we ſee many natural men do to a very high degree: For this is not that light that brings the foul to
Chriſt, yea, this natural, unſanctified lightblindsthe foul, and
174 SERM. IV. The Method of Grace.
prejudices itmore against Chriſt than ever itwas before, 1 Cor, i. 21, 26.
As it isa blind ignorant heart, ſoitis a ſelfiſh heartby na ture: Allitsdeſigns andaims terminate in ſelf: this is the cen ter and weight of the foul; no righteouſneſs but its own is
fought after, that, or none, Rom. x. 3. Now, for a foul to renounce and deny ſelf, in all its forms, modes, and intereſls, as every onedoth thatcometh to Chrift; to diſclaim anddeny
natural, moral, and religious felf, andcome toChrift, as a poor, miferable,wretched,empty creature; tolive upon hisrighteouf-
neſs forever, is asſupernaturaland wonderful, asto fee thethills and mountains ſtart from their baſes and centres, and fly like wandering atoms in the air.
Nay, this heart which is to come to Chriſt, isnotonlydark andſelfiſh, but full of pride. O it is a deſperate proudheart bynature, it cannot ſubmit to come to Chriſt, as Benhadad's
ſervantscame tothekingof Ifrael, withſackcloth on their loins, andropesupon theirheads. To take guilt, ſhame, and confu-
fionof face to ourſelves, and acknowledge the righteoufnels of God in our eternal damnation ; tocome to Chriſt naked, and
empty, as one thatjuſtifies the ungodly : I ſay, nature left to itſelf, would asfoonbedamnedas do this: the proudheart can never come to this, tillthe Lord have humbledand broken it by hispower.
Secondly, Let us take the act offaith intoconfideration alfo, as it is here deſcribedby the foul's coming to Jeſus Chriſt ; and youwill find a neceſſity of the Father's drawings; for this evi dentlyimplies, thatwhich is against the ſtream andcurrent of
corrupt nature, and thatwhich is above the ſphere and capacity ofthe moſt refined and accomplimed nature.
First, It is against the ſtream and current ofour corruptnature tocome to Chriſt. For let us but confider the term from which the foul departs, when it comes to Chriſt. In that day it leaves all its lufts, and ways offin, how pleasant, ſweet, and profitable foever they have been unto it, Iſa. Iv. 7. "Let the " wicked forſake hisway, andthe unrighteousmanhis thoughts, " and lethim returnunto the Lord:" Wayand thoughts, i. e. both the practice ofanddelighthe had in ſin, muſtbe forſaken,
and the outward and inward man must be cleanſed from it. Now there are in theboſoms ofunregenerate men fuch darling
Juſts, that havegiven them ſo much practical and ſpeculative pleafure, which have brought ſo much profit to them ; which havebeenbornandbred up with them; andwhich, upon all theſe accounts, are endeared to their fouls to thatdegree, that
SERM. IV. 175 The Method ofGrace.
it is eafier for them todie, than toforſake them: yea, nothing ismorecommon among fuch men,than to venture eternaldamnation, rather than fuffer a ſeparation from their fins.
Andwhich is yet more difficultincoming toChrift, the foul forſakes not only its finful felf, but its righteous ſfelf: i. e. not onlyits worſt ſins, butitsbeſtperformances, accomplishments, and excellencies. Nowthis is one of the greateſt ſtraits that nature canbe put to: Righteouſneſs,by works,was the drft liquorthatever was put into the veffel, and it ſtill retains the tangand favour ofit, and will totheendoftheworld, Rom. x. 3. "For they being ignorant ofGod's righteouſneſs, and going " about to establiſh their own righteouſneſs,have not ſubmit- " ted themselvesunto the righteoudness ofGod." εκ υπετάγησαν, theyhave not fubmitted: To comenaked andempty toChriſt,
and receive all fromhim as a free-gift, is, toproud corruptna. ture, the greatest abaſement and fubmiffion in the world.
Let the goſpel furnish itstable with the richest and coſtlieſt dainties that ever theblood of Chrift purchased,ſuchisthepride
ofnature, that itdiſdains to taſte them, except itmay alſo pay for the fame. Ifthe old hivebe removed from theplacewhere itwaswont to ſtand, the bees will comehome tothe old place, yea, andmany ofthemyou ſhall find willdie there, rather than
goto the hive, though it ſtand ina farbetterplace than itdid before. Juſt ſo ſtands the cafe with men. The hive is removed, i. e. we are nomore to expect righteouſneſs asAdam did, by
obeying and working, butby believing andcoming toChriſt ; butnaturehadas lievebe damnedasdothis: Itſtillgoes about
to eſtabliſh its own rigteouſneſs.
Virtues, duties, and moral excellencies, theſe are the ornaments ofnature; here isnature ſetoff inits ſumptuous attire, and rich embellishments, and now to renounce it, disclaim and contemn it, as droſs anddung, incomparison ofChrift, as be.
lieversdo, Phil. iii. 8. This, I ſay, is against the grain ofnature. Wereckon it the ſtrange effect offelf-denial inMahomet the Great *, whobeing fo enamoured with his beautiful Irene, wouldbe perfuaded, upon reaſons of ſtate, with his own hand
to ſtrike offher head; and that, evenwhen the appeared in all herrichornaments beforehim, rather like ſuch agoddeſs, as the
poets intheirextaſies uſe tofeign, thanamortalcreature. And yetcertainly this is nothingtothat ſelf-denial which is exerciſed
in ourcoming to Chrift.
Secondly,Aud ifwe look tothe other term towhich the foul
i * Knolles Hiſtory ofthe Turks.
176 The Method of Grace. SERM. IV. moves, we shall find it acting as much above the ſphere and ability ofimproved nature, as here it acts and moves against the
ſtream and current ofcorrupted nature : forhow wonderful and fupernatural an adventure is that, which the foul makes inthe day that it comes to Jeſus Chriſt .
Surely, foranypoor foul to venture itſelffor ever upon Jeſus Chrift, whom it never faw, nay, upon Chriſt, whoſe very ex-
iſtence, its own unbelief calls in queſtion whether he be or no : and thatwhenitis evenweigheddown to the dust, with theburdenſome ſenſe ofits own vileneſs and total unworthiness, feel-
ingnothing in itſelfbut finand miſery, the workings ofdeath and fears ofwrath : to go to Chriſt, of whoſe pardoning grace
andmercy itneverhadany the leaſt experience,nor can find any groundofhope in itſelf that it ſhallbe accepted; this is as much
above the power of nature, as it is for a ſtone to rife fromthe earth, and fix itſelfamong the ſtars. Well might the apostle a. ſcribe it to that almighty Power which raiſedup Chrift from the dead, Eph. i. 19, 20. Ifthe Lorddraw not the foul, and that omnipotently, itcan nevercome from itſelf to Chriſt. Andyet farther,
Thirdly, The natural impoſſibility of coming to Chriſt, will more clearlyappear, ifwe conſider the enemies to faith ; orwhat blocks are rolledby Satan and his inſtruments, into the way
to Chrift : to mention, inthis place,no more but our own carnal reaſon, as itis armed and managed by thefubtilty of Satan, what awonder is it that any foul ſhould come to Chrift ?
Theſe are the ſtrongholds,(mentioned 2 Cor.x. 4 ) out of which thoſe objections, fears, and diſcouragements fally, by which the foul is fiercely affaulted intheway to Chriſt.
Wiltthou forſake allthy pleaſures, merry company, and ſenſible comforts, to livea ſad, retired, penſive life ? Wilt thou beggarand undo thyself, letgo allthycomforts inhand, for anhope
ofthat whichthine eyes never saw, nor haft thou any certainty
that it is any morethan afancy ? Wilt thou that haft lived in reputationand credit all thy life, now become the ſcorn and contempt ofthe world ? Thinkeſt thou thyself able to livefuch a ſtrict, ſevere, mortified, and ſelf-denyinga life, as the word of Godrequires ? And what ifperſecution ſhould arife, (as thou
mayeſt expect it will),canstthou forſake father and mother, wifeandchildren,yea, andgive up thine own lifetoo, toa cruel
and bloody death ! be adviſed better, before thou refolve in ſo.
important a matter. What thinkeſt thou ofthy forefathers, that livedanddied in that way thou art now living? Art thou
wiſer than they ? Donot the generalityofmenwalk in the fame
SERM. IV. 177 The Method of Grace.
paths thouhast hitherto walked in ? Ifthis way lead tohell, as thou feareft it may, think then how many millions ofmen muſt periſh as well as thyself; and is ſuch a ſuppoſition conſiſtent with the gracious and merciful nature of God ? Beſides, think what fort of people thoſe are, untowhom thou art about to join
thyſelfin this new way ? Are therenot to be found amongthem manythings todiſcouragethee, and cool thy zeal ? They are generallyof the lower andbaſer fort ofmen, poor anddefpicable : Seeft thou not, though their profeſſionbe holy, how earthly, carnal, proud, factious, and hypocritical, manyofthem are found tobe! And doubtless, the reſt are likethem, though their hypocrify be not yet diſcovered.
Owhat ſtands anddemurs ? what hesitations and doubts, is the foul clogged with inits way to Chriſt ! But yet none of theſe can withhold and detain the foul, when the Father draws ; Greater, then, is he that is in us, thanhe that is in the world.
And thus you fee the nature, manner, and efficacy of divine drawings, and how impoſſible it is for anyfoul to cometo Chrift without them.
The inferences and improvements ofthe point follow. Infer. 1. How deeply and thoroughly is the nature ofman corrupted, and what an enemy is every man to his own happiness, that he must be drawn to it ? John v . 40. " You will not come
unto me, that ye might have life." Life is defireable in every man's eyes, and eternal is the moſt excellent life; yet, inthis, the world is rather agreed to die and
periſh for ever, than come to Chriſt for life. Had Chriſt told us of fields and vineyards, ſheep and oxen, gold and filver, honours and fenfual pleaſures, who would not have come tohim for
theſe ? But to tell of mortification, ſelf-denial, ſtrictness of life, andfufferings for hisfake, and all this for an happineſs to be enjoyed in the world to come, nature will neverlike fuch a propo-
fitionas this.
You fee where it ſticks, not in a ſimple inability to believe, butinan inability complicated with enmity; they neither can come, nor will come to Chriſt : It is true, all that do come to Chriſt, comewillingly; but thanks be to the grace ofGod, that hathfreed and perfuaded the will, elſe they had neverbeen wil-
ling tocome : Who ever found his own heart firſt ſtir andmove towards Chrift ? How long may we wait and expect, beforewe ſhall feel our hearts naturally burn with defires after, and love
to Jefus Chriſt ?
This averſion ofthe will and affections fromGod, is one of VOL. II. Aa
178 The Method of Grace. SERM. IV.
the mainroots oforiginal fin. No argument can prevail to
bring the foul to Chrift, till this be mattered and overpowered by the Father's drawing. In our motions to fin, we need re
training, but in all our motions to Chrift, we as much need drawing. He that comes to heaven may fay, Lord, if I hadhad my own way and will, Ihad never come here; ifthou hadſt not drawn me, I should never have come to thee. O the riches of the grace ofGod! Oh unparalleled mercy andgoodness ! not only to prepare prep fuch a glory as this for an unworthy foul, but to put forth the exceeding greatness of thy power, afterwards / to draw an unwilling foul to the enjoyment of it.
Infer. 2. What enemies are they to God, and the fouls ofmen, that do all they can to difcourage and hinder the conversion of men to Christ ? God draws forward, and theſe do all that in
them lies to draw backward, (i. e.) to prejudice and discourage themfrom coming to Jesus Chrift in the way offaith : this isa direct oppofition to God, and a plain confederacy with the devil. O, how many havebeen thus diſcouraged in their way to Chrift, by their carnal relations, I cannot ſay friends ! Their greateft enemies have been the men oftheir own house. Thefe have pleaded (as ifthe devil had hired and fee'd them) againft
the everlafting welfare of their own fleſh. O cruel parents, brethren, and fifters, thatjeer, frown, and threaten, where they
ſhould encourage, affift, and rejoice ! Such parents are thedevil's children. Satan chuſes ſuch inftruments as you are, above allothers, for this work : he knows what influence and autho- 'rity youhave upon them, and over them ; and what fear, love,
and dependance, they have for you, and upon you; ſo that none in allthe world are like to managethe deſign oftheir damnation fo effectually, as you are like to do.
Will you neither come to Chrift yourſelves, nor fuffer your dear relations thatwould? Had you rather find them in the alehoufe, than in the cloſet ? Did you inftrumentally give them
their being, and willyoube the inftruments of ruining for ever thoſe beings they had from you ? Did you ſo earnestly defire children, fo tenderly nurſe and provide for them; take fuch delight in them ; and, after all this, dowhat in you lies to damn and destroy them; If theſe lines ſhall fall into any fuch hands, O thatGod would fet home the conviction, and ferfe of this horrid evil upon their hearts. And no leſs guilty of this fin are ſcandalous and loofe profeffors, who ſerve to furnish the devil with the greatest arguments he hath to diſſuade men from coming to Chriſt : it is your loofunefs, andhypocrify,bywhich he hopes to ſcare others
SERM. IV. 179 The Method ofGrace. fromChriſt. It is ſaid, Cant. ii. 7. " I charge you by the rots " and hinds of the field, that ye ftir not up, nor awake my be . " loved till he pleaſe."
Roes and hinds, like young converts and comers towards Chrift, are ſhy and timerous creatures, that ſtart at the leaſt found, or yelp of adog, and fly away. Take heed what you doin this caſe, left you go down to hell under the guilt of damning more fouls than your own .
Infer. 3. Learn hence, the true ground and reason of those trange, amazing, andfupernatural effects, that you behold, and fo admire in the world, as often as youfeefinnersforfaking their
pleasant, profitable corruptions, and companions, and embracing
theways ofChrist, godliness, and mortification . 66 It is faid, 1 Pet. iv. 4. They think it ſtrange, that you run not with them into the ſame exceſs ofriot ;" The word
is, εν ὦξενίζονται ,they ſtand at a gaze, as the hen thathath hatchpartridge eggs doth, when the fees them take the wing and fly away from her.
Beloved, it is the world's wonder to ſee their companions in fin forſake them; thoſe that were once as prophane, and vain as themſelves, it may be more, to forſake their ſociety, retire into their cloſets, mourn for fin, ſpend theirtime in meditation and prayer, embrace the ſevereſt duties, and content to run the greatest hazard in the world for Chriſt; but they fee not that
almighty power that draws them, which is too ftrong for all the finful ties and engagements inthe world to withhold and detainthem.
66 A manwould have wondered toſee Eliſha leave the oxen, and run after Elijah, ſaying, Let me go, I pray thee, and kiís my father and mother, and then I will follow thee ;" when Elijah had faid nothing to perfuade him to follow him, only,
as he paffed by him, he caſt his mantle on him, 1 Kings x. 19, 20. Surely that foul whom God draws, must needs leave all and follow Chriſt, for the power of God reſteth on it. All carnal tiesand engagements to fin, break and give way, when
the Father draws the foul to Chrift in the day ofhis power.
Infer. 4. Is this thefirstspring ofspiritualmotion after Chrift ? Learn thenfrom bence, how it comes to pass that fomany excellentfermons, andpowerfulperfuafions are ineffectual, and cannot draw andwin onefoul to Christ. Surely it is because minifters drawatone ; andthe specialfavingpower ofGodgues notforth,
at all times alike, with their endeavours .
Paul was a chofen veſſel, filled with agreater meaſure ofgifts Aaz
180 The Method of Grace. SERM . IV. andgracesby the Spirit, than any that wentbeforehim, or followed after him; and, as his talents, ſo his diligence in improving them, was beyond any recorded example we read of a. mongst men ; " He rather flew like a ſeraphim, than travelled "
upon his maſter's errand aboutthe world*." Apollos was an eloquent preacher, and mighty in the ſcriptures, yet Paul is
nothing, and Apollos nothng ; but God that gives the in-
creaſe," I Cor. iii . 7. We are too apt toadmire men, yea, andthe beſt arebut too apt to go forth in the ſtrength of their own parts and preparations; but God ſecures his own glory, andmagnifies 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 excellent gifts and abilities.
It is our great honour, who are the miniſters ofthe gospel, thatwe are συνέγροι, workers together with God, I Cor. iii. 9. in
his ſtrengthwe can prevail ; "the weapons ofour warfare are " mighty through God," 2 Cor. x. 4. But if his prefence, bleſſing, and aſſiſtance, be not with us, we are nothing, we can donothing.
Ifwe prepare diligently, pray heartily, preach zealoufly, and our hearers go as they came, without any ſpiritual effects and
fruits ofour labours, what ſhall we ſay, but as Martha faid to Chrift, " Lord, ifthou hadſt been here, my brother had not " died :" Had the Spirit ofGod gone forth with his eſpecial
efficacy andbleſſing, with this prayer, or that fermon, theſe fouls had not departed dead, and ſenſeleſs from under it.
Infer. 5. Doth all fuccefs and efficacy depend upon the Father's drawings ? Let none then defpair of their unregenerate, and carnal relations, overwhoſe obstinacy they do, andhave cauſe to mourn .
What, if they have been as many years under the preaching ofthegospel, as the poor man layat the pool ofBethesda, and hitherto tono purpoſe ? Atime may come at laſt, (as it did for him) when the Spirit of God may move upon the waters ; I mean put a quickening and converting power intothe means,
andthen the defire ofyour fouls forthem ſhallbe 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 hisfon, " O that lihmael might livebefore thee ! " O that this
poorhusband, wife, child, brother, or fifter, might live in thy
fight ; and ſtillyou fee them continue carnal, dead, and ſenſe
* Ως πτηνος την οικεμενην, και ως ασωματος διεδραμε. Chryfoft.
SERM . IV. The Method of Grace. 181
leſs : Well, but yet give not upyourhopes, nor ceaſe your pious endeavours, the time maycome when the Father may draw
as well as you, and thenyou ſhall ſee themquit all, and come to Chriſt ; and nothing ſhall binderthem. They are now drawn
away of their own lufts ; 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, obftinacy, and hardness ofheart, before that mighty power that ſubdues all things to itſelf ? Go therefore to the Lord, byprayer, for them, and ſay, Lord, I have laboured for my poor relations invain, I have ſpentmy exhortations to little purpoſe ; thework is too difficult for me, can I carry it no farther, but thou canft: O let thy power go forth ; they ſhall be willing dayof thy power.
Infer 6. Ifnone can come to Christ, except the Father draw them, then furely none can be drawn from Chrift except the Father leave them : That power which at first drew them to
Christ, can fecure and establish them in Christ to the end, John Χ. 20. " My Father which gave them me is greater than " all, andnoman is able to pluck them out of my Father's "hand."
When the power ofGod at firſt draws us out of our natural ſtate to Chrift, it finds us not only impotent, but obstinate, not onlyunable, but unwilling tocome; andyet this powerofGod
prevails againſt all oppofition : How much more is itable topreſerve and ſecure us, when his fear is put into our inward parts, ſothatwedare not depart, we have nowill todepart from him ? Wellthen, if the world fay, I will ensnarethee; If the devil ſay,
I will deſtroy thee; if the fleſh ſay I will betray thee ; yet thou art ſecure and ſafe, as long asGodhath said," I will never leave
" theenor forſake thee," Heb. xiii. 5 .
Infer. 7. Let this engageyou to a constant attendance upon the ordinances ofGod, in which this drawingpower ofGodisfometimes put forth upon the hearts ofmen.
Beloved, there are certain ſeaſons inwhich the Lord comes nigh tomen in the ordinances and duties of his worſhip ; and weknow 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 ofhim ; " I am found ofthem that fought me not, " Iſa. lxv. 1. It is good therefore, to be found in the way ofthe Spirit: Had that poor man, that lay ſo long at the pool of Bethesda, reaſoned thus with himself,So long have I lain here
invainexpecting a cure, it is to no purpoſe to wait longer, and ſo had beenabſent atthatvery timewhenthe angel came down,
182 The Method ofGrace. SERM .V. hehad, in all likelihood,carriedhis diſeaſe to thegrave withhim.
How doſt thou know but this veryfabbath, this fermon, this prayer, which thouhast noheart to attend, and are tempted to neglect, may be the ſeaſon, and inſtrument wherein, and by which, the Lord may do that for thy foul, which was never donebefore ?
Infer. 8. Toconclude, How are allthefaints engagedtoputforth all the power and ability they haveforGad, who hathputforth his infinite almighty power todraw them to Chrift !
Godhath done great things for your fouls; he hath drawn you out ofthe miferable ſtate of fin and wrath ; and thatwhen he letothers go, by nature as good as you, he hath drawn you into union with Chriſt, and communion with his glorious privi vileges. Othatyou would henceforth employ all the poweryou have, forGod, in theduties ofobedience, and indrawing others to Chrift, as much as in you lies, and ſaycontinually with the Church, "Draw me, we will run after thee," Cant. i. 4.
Thanks be to Godfor Jesus Chrift . 5995959