5o4 `The PoJbility and Neclity of Go el..Qbëdiehte, Voj have noForce and Life in them 5_ for what lignifies it todire& thedead, and fpeak to them that cannot hear, and to perfuadeMen, tho' it were, with all the earneft- nefsin the World, to thofe things which it is impoffible for them to do ? Therefore our bleffed Saviour, when he had laid down, and explained the Pre= , cepts of Holinefs and Virtue in hisSermon upon the Mount, to encourage them to what he had been dire&ing and propofing to them, he affures them. that God is ready to afford his Grace and Affiftance to all thole that are fincerely defirous to do his Will, and do earneftly implore his Grace and Affiftance to that purpofe.. Match. 7. 7, 8,, g, r o, 1,1. Ask (faith he) and it fhallbe givenyou 5 Peek, andyeAga find; knock, and it pailbe opened unto you : For every one that asketh, receiveth 5 and he that feeketh, findeth 5 and to him that knocketh, it Oa be opened. So that if any, man want the Grace and Affiftance ofGod's holySpirit, it is hisown fault; it is either for wantof feeking, or for want of earneftnefs in asking 5 for our Saviour exprefly affures us, that he denies it to none 5 for every one that asketh, receiveth. And to give us a more lively and fenfible Affurance of this, he reprefents the care and kindnefs of God toMen, by theAffe&ions of earthlyParents to their Chil- dren, who tho' they be many times evil themfelves, yet are not want todeny their Children neceffary good things, when they decently and dutifully beg them at their hands 5 What Man is there of you, whorl ifhis Son ackBread, will he give hzni et Stone? Or if he ask a Fifh, will he give him a Serpent ? Ifye then being evil, know horn togive goodGifti intoyour Children, howmuch more lhallyour Father which is in Heaven, give good things tó them that askhim ? Here is a general Promife andDecla- ration, that upon our humble and earneft Prayer toGod, he will grant us what- ever is good and neceffary, by which is certainly intended in the firft place,. Spi- ritual good Things, becaufe thefe are the belt and molt neceffary; and to fatisfy us that our Saviour did in the firft place, and more efpeciallymean thefe, St. Luke does particularly inftance.in the Grace and Affiftance of God's Holy Spirit, Luke I I. 13. How much more fhall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him ? The holy Spirit, that is, the continual Prefence and Influence of it to all the purpofes of Guidance and Dire&ion, of Grace and Affiftance, of Comfort and Support in our Chriftian Courfé. And what elfe is the meaning of that Parable of our Saviour's concerning the Talents entrufted with every Man, according to his Capacity and Opportunities, Matth. 25. I fay, what elfe can be the meaning of it but this ? That God is be- fore-hand with every Man, by affording the Advantages and Opportunities of be- ing happy, and fuch a meafure of Grace and Affiftance to that end, which if he faithfully improve, he (hall be admitted into theJoy of his Lord. And upon this Confideration of the gracious Promifes of the Gofpel to this purpofe, it is, that the Apoftle St. Paul loth fo earneftly exhort Chriftians to en- deavour after the higheft Degree of univerfal Holinefs and Purity, that we are ca- pable of in this Life 5 2 Cor. 7. a. Having therefore thefe Promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanfe our felves from allfìlthinefs of Flefh and Spirit, perfetiing Holinefs in the fear of God. And fo likewife Phil. 2. 12, 13. Wherefore, my beloved, workout your ownSalvation with fear and trembling (that is, with great Care and Concernment, left you (hould fall (bort of it) for it is God that worketb in you both to will and to do, of his good pleafure. The Confideration ofGod's readinefs to affift us, and of his Grace which is always at hand to ftir up our Wills to that which is good, and to ftrengthen us in the doing of it, ought to be a great Argument and En- couragement to us, to put forth our utmoft Endeavours, and foco-operate with the Grace of God toward our own Salvation. And the Apoftle St. Peter ufeth the fame Argument to prefs Men toufe their ut- molt Diligence, to make their calling and ele/ion fare, by abounding in all the Vir- tuesof a goodLife; 2 Pet. 1. 3, 4. According as his Divine Power bath given us all things whichpertain toLife and Godlinefs, (that is, hath fo plentifully furni(ht us with all the requifites to a godly Life) through the knowledge of him that bath cal- led us to Glory and Virtue (that is, by knowledge of the Gofpel and the Grace therein offered to us) whereby he bath given unto us exceeding great and precious Pro- mifes, that by thefe yemight be Partakers of a Divine Nature having efcaped the Corrup tiora
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