- AND SUBJECT' whereas, as such, he is promised only unto the elect, such a person, not knowing his election, seems to have DO foundation to make such a request upon. Answ. (I.) Election is no qualification on our part, which we may consider or plead in our supplications, but only the se- cret purpose, on the part of God, of what himself will do, and is known unto us only by its effects. (2.) Per- sons convinced of sin, and a state of sin, may and ought to pray, that God, by the effectual communications of his Spirit unto them, would deliver them from that con- dition. This is one way whereby we flee from the wrath to come. (3.) Theespecial object of their suppli- cations 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 thegrace and mercy de- clared in the promises, as indefinitely proposed unto sinners. It may be, they can proceed no further in their expectations but unto that of the prophet, who knoweth if God toil cone andgivea blessing, Joel ii. 14. yet is this asufficient 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 received the Holy Ghost, Acts ix. 11, 17. (4.) Persons under such con- victions have really sometimes the seeds of regeneration communicated 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 fore- going objection is utterly removed out of the way; and there is no disadvantage ariseth unto the doctrine of the free and effectual grace of God, by confining this work of sanatiflcation and holiness unto'believers only. None are sanctified, none are made holy, but those who truly and savingly believe in God through Jesus Christ; which I shall now further confirm: Sect. 5. (1.) Withoutfaith it is impossible toplease God, Heb. xi. 6. The faith discoursed of by the apostle, is that whereby the fathers receivedthe promises, walked with God, asid 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 in- S r OF GOSPEL-HOLINESS. 243 terest in it. This is the will of God even our sanctifica- tion, 1 Thess. iv. 3. and walking therein we please God, ver. 7. All that pleaseth God in us, is our holiness, or some part of it, and it principally consists in an oppo- sition unto all that displeaseth him. That which he commands, pleaseth him, and that which he forbids, displeaseth him; and our holiness consists in a compli- ance 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, asid that he is a rewarder ofthen that diligently seek him. For this is that, they say, which the light ofnature directs unto; and therefore there is no other faith necessarily requir- ed that a man may please God, but only that which is included in the right use and exerciseof 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 ingenerated in us, by the pro- mises which it rests upon, and is resolved into. Now, these promises, all and every one of them, include Jesus Christ with a respect unto him and his grace. And therefore the faith intended, is that which is in God through Christ as revealed and exhibited in the pro- mises; and this coming unto God is a fruit and effect thereof. (2.) Our Lord Jesus Christ affirms, that men are sanctified by the faith that is in him, Acts xxvi. 18. That they may receiveforgiveness ofsins and an inheri- tance among themwhich are sanctfiedbyfaith that is in me. Ifthere were any other way or means whereby men might be sanctified, or made holy, he would not have confined it unto the faith that is in him. At least, there is no other way to attain that holiness, which may bring them unto the heavenly inheritance, or make them meet for it, Col. i. t 1. which alone we inquire after. And indeed there can be no greater contempt cast on the Lord Jesus, and on the duty of believing in him, whereunto he makes this one of his principle mo- tives, than to imagine, that, without faith in him, any one can be made holy. 27
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