Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Corinthians 3:7

7 So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase

So that, look as it is in earthly plantations, God hath the greatest influence upon the growth and fruitfulness of the plant, and the Husbandman or Gardiner is nothing in comparison with God, who hath given to the plant planted its life and nature, by which it shooteth up, buddeth, and bringeth forth fruit, and maketh his Sun to shine, and his rain to fall upon it: So it is in the spiritual plantation, God is the principal efficient Cause, we are little instrumental causes in Gods hand. Nothing in comparison with God, I have planted, Apollos, hath watered; but if we see a soul changed, or grow, and make any spiritual proficiency, we must say, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be given the glory. God hath done the main work, we have not done any thing in comparison with him. These words do no more tend to vilifie the Ministry of the Gospel, or make it useless, than taking them in their native sense: as they respect earthly plantations, they would prove, that there is no need of the Husbandman or Gardiners hand to plan[illegible: 1 letter] or to water plants, because all that he doth of that nature is to no purpose, unless God first gives to the plant its proper nature and virtue, and then followeth the plantation with the influence of the Sun, dew, and rain. But yet it is observable, that the Apostle doth not say, the man himself gives the increase, from the good use of the power that is naturally in his own will, but God gives the increase, which argues the necessity of special Grace both to Conversion and Edification ▪ superadded to the best preaching of his Ministers. Though Paul himself by preaching plants, and Apollos watereth, yet God must make the soul to increase with the increase of God. Hence the Apostle argueth their unreasonableness, in adoring one Minister, and magnifying him above another, when indeed neither the one nor the other had any principal efficiency in the production of the blessed effect, but a meer instrumental causation, the effect of which depended upon the sole blessing of God, in comparison with whom in this working, neither the one, nor the other Minister, was any thing.