Sertn.CXCVIII. for obtaining the Holy Spirit. 649_ thee. Ifay untoyou, Though he will not rifeandgive bim, becaufe be is hisfriend: yet becaufe of his importunity, be will rife and give him as many as he needeth. If mere impudence and importunity in afking, will prevail fo much withmen;, What will not humble and conftant fupplication obtain from God ?. And fq our Saviour applies this familiar Parable, that in like manner we fhouldbe importunate with God for Spiritual Bleffings, and as it were give him no reit , till we obtain what we afk, Ifay untoyou, Afk, and it (hall begiven you, &c. Not that mere impor- tunity prevails with God : but as it is an expreffion ofa juft fenfeßf our wants, and ofa confident perfuafion of God's goodnefs , fo it is effeltuai to procure thegreateft bleffings at God's hands. 3. We mutt ark in Faith-, and a confident affurance that God will hear us , in oppofition to doubting anddiftruft; withthe fame, naywith greaterconfidence and affurance than Childrencome to their earthly Parents, to afk thofe things of them that are molt neceffary for them. And this condition or qualification of ourPrayers . our Saviour doth elfewhere frequently require, Mattb. 2 r. 22. All things wbatfo- everye (ball afk in prayer, believing, ye(hall receive. AndSt. James, Chap. t. g, 6. direfting thofe who want fpiritual wifdom, to afk it ofGod, immediately fubjoins, But let him afk inFaith, nothing wavering ; that is, not doubtingbut that God, to whom he addreffeth his Prayer, is both ableand willing to give him,what he afks: and whoever comes to God, not having thisapprehenfion ofhim, Let bim not think that he (hall receive any thing of the Lord, ver. q. For upon what ground does he expert any thing from that Perfon whom he looks upon either as unable, or unwilling to grant his defires? I proceed in the Third Place, toconfirm and illuftrate theTruth of this Propofition, that God is very ready to give the Holy Spirit to them that afk him. And for the proof of this; I (hall only ufe two Arguments ; from God's free Promife and Declaration and from theComparifon which our Saviour here ufeth in the Text. I. FromGod's freePromife andDeclaration. Andbefides that herein theText, I might produce fever others; but I (hall mention only one, which is very plain and exprefs, and conceived in terms as large and univerfal, as can well be devifed, yews s. s. If anyofyou (fays the Apoftle, fpeaking ofChriftians) lackwifdom, lit 'm afk it ofGod, thatgiveth to all men liberally, andupbraidetbnot ; and it (hall be gig him. Where by Wifdom according to St.games his notion of it, are meant all the its of the Spirit, all Chriftian Graces; for fohe tells us, Chap. 3. 17, that thewi om which isfromabove, that is, which is wroughtby theDivine Spirit, is firmpure, thenpeaceable, gentle, andeafle to be entreated,full ofmercy andofgood fruits. N,dw if God have freely promifed fo great a Bailing and Benefit to men if they earneftly beg it of him, we neednot doubt of his Fáithfulnefs to perform andmake good what he hath promifed. 2. The other Argument, which I !hall principally infift upon, (hall be from the Comparifon which our Saviour here ufeth in the Text, Ifa Son(ball all breadof any ofyou that is a Father, will he give him a(lone? This was a proverbial Speech among the yews, which feems from them to have been derived to the neighbour Nations, as appears from that of Plautus, Alterd manufart lapidem, alterdpanem oflentat, he carries a !tone in one hand , and holds forth bread in the other ; Ifa SonAall aft breadofany of you that is aFather, will begive him aflow ? That is, If he afk that which is abfolutely neceffary, will he give him that which will do him nogood; Or ifhe afk afifh, will hefor a frfb give bim aferpent ; or ifhe afk an egg, will he offer himafcorpion ? That is, If he afk that, which tho' it be not abfolutelyneceffary, yet may be very convenient ; will he give him that which is hurtful and pernicious ? Hardly any earthly Parent, tho' otherwife never fo bad, would deal thus with his Children ; and can wefufped itof God ? Certainly it is much farther from him to deny to us, his Children, thofebetter and more neceffary good things, which we humbly and heartily and earneftly beg ofhire, in a confi- fident perfuafion ofhis goodnefs. Ifye then being evil (many times bad enough in other refpefts, and atthe belt come infinitely fhort ofGod in point ofBenignity and Goodnefs) know how togive O000 good
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=