Again, Thirdly, May believers in trouble pray for the Spirit of consolation with respect unto their troubles, it being unto such that he is promised? Ans. 1. They may do so directly, and ought so to do ; yea, when they do it not it is a sign they turn aside unto broken cis- terns, that will yield them no relief 2, Troubles are of two sorts, — spiritual and temporal. Spiritual troubles are so either, (1.) Subjec- tively, such as are all inward darknesses, and distresses on the ac- count of sin; or, (2.) Objectively, such as are all persecutions for the name of Christ and the gospel. It is principally with respect unto these that the Spirit is promised as a comforter, and with regard unto them are Ave principally to pray for him as so promised. 3. In those outward troubles which are common unto believers with other men, as the death of relations, loss of estate or liberty, they may and ought to pray for the Spirit as a comforter, that the consola- tions of God, administered by him, may outbalance their outward troubles, and keep up their hearts unto other duties.
Fourthly, May all sincere professors of the gospel pray for the Spirit with respect unto his gifts for the edification of others, seeing unto such he is promised for that end? Ans. 1. They may do so, but with the ensuing limitations : — (1 .) They must do it with exjDress submission to the sovereignty of the Spirit himself, who " divideth to every man as he will." (2.) With respect unto that station and condition wherein they are placed in the church by the providence and call of God. Private persons have no warrant to pray for minis-
412 BELIEVEES THE OBJECT OF SANCTIFICATION, [BOOK IV.
terial gifts, such as should carry them out of their stations, without a divine direction going before them. (8.) That their end be good and right, to use them in their respective places unto edification. So ought parents and masters of families, and all members of churches, to pray for those gifts of the Spirit whereby they may fill ujj the duties of their places and relations.
From the consideration of this order of the dispensation of the Spirit we may be directed how to pray for him, which we are both commanded and encouraged to do, Luke xi. 13: for we are to pray for him with respect unto those ends and effects for which he is pro- mised; and these are those which are before expressed, with all those particular instances which may be reduced unto them. We might, therefore, hence give direction in some inquiries, which, indeed, de- serve a larger discussion if our present design would admit of it. One only I shall instance in: —
May a person who is yet unregenerate pray for the Spirit of re- generation to effect that work in him; for whereas, as such, he is promised only unto the elect, such a person, not knowmg his election, seems to have no foundation to make such a request upon? Ans. 1, Election is no qualification on our part, which we may consider or plead in our supplications, but only the secret purpose on the part of God of what himself will do, and is known unto us only by its effects. 2. Persons convinced of sin and of a state of sin may and ought to pray that God, by the effectual communication of his Spirit unto them, would deliver them from that condition. This is one way whereby we " flee from the wrath to come." 3. The espe- cial object of their supplications herein is sovereign grace, goodness, and mercy, as declared in and by Jesus Christ. Such persons can- not, indeed, plead any especial promise as made unto them; but they may plead for the grace and mercy declared in the promises, as indefinitely proposed unto sinners. It may be they can proceed no farther in their expectations but unto that of the prophet, " Who knoweth if God will come and give a blessing?" Joel ii. 14, yet is this a sufficient ground and encouragement to keep them waiting at the " throne of grace." So Paul, after he had received his vision from heaven, continued in great distress of mind, praying until he re- ceived the Holy Ghost, Actsix. 11, 17. 4. Persons under such con- victions have really sometimes the seeds of regeneration communi- cated unto them ; and then, as they ought so they will continue in their supplications for the increase and manifestation of it.
It is evident that by these observations the foregoing objection is utterly removed out of the way, and that no disadvantage ariseth unto the doctrine of the free and effectual grace of God by confining this work of sanctification and holiness unto believers only. None
CHAP. III.] AND SUBJECT OF GOSPEL HOLINESS. 41 3
are sanctified, none are made holy, but those who truly and savingly believe in God through Jesus Christ; which I shall now farther confirm : —
1. " Without faith it is impossible to please God,'' Heb. xi. 6. The faith discoursed of by the apostle is that whereby the fathers "re- ceived the jDromises, walked with God, and obtained the inheritance,'" — the faith of Abraham ; that is, true, saving, justifying faith. This faith constitutes all them in whom it is true believers, and without it it is impossible to please God. Now, holiness, wherever it is, pleaseth God; and therefore without faith it is impossible we should have any interest in it. " This is the will of God, even our sanctifi- cation," 1 Thess. iv. 3 ; and walking therein we please God, verse 7. All that pleaseth God in us is our holiness, or some part of it, and it pi'incipally consists in an opposition unto all that displeaseth him. That which he commands pleaseth him, and that which he forbids displeaseth him ; and our holiness consists in a compliance with the one and an opposition unto the other. Wherefore, that any others but believers should have any thing which really belongs unto this holiness, the apostle declares it to be impossible. Some would ex- cept against this sense of the words from the ensuing reason which the apostle gives of his assertion, which contains the nature of the faith intended : " For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ; " for " this is that," they say, " which the light of nature directs unto, and there- fore there is no other faith necessarily required that a man may please God, but only that which is included in the right use and exercise of natural reason." But this exception will no way evade the force of this testimony; for the apostle discourseth concerning such a coming unto God, and such a belief in him, as is guided, directed, and ingeue- rated in us, by the promises which it rests upon and is resolved into. Now these promises, all and every one of them, include Jesus Christ, Avith a respect unto him and his grace ; and, therefore, the faith intend- ed is that which is in God through Christ, as revealed and exhibited in the jDromises, and this coming unto God is a fruit and effect thereof.