LECTURES
ON THE
PRAYER OF FAITH :
R. E. A. D.
BEFORE THE THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS AT AUBURN, N. Y. AND
PUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST.
B Y
J A M E S R 1 C H A R D s, D. D.
IN E W - Y O R. K. :
JONATHAN LEAVITT, 182 BROADWAY.
MDCCCXXXII.
J O H. N. T. W E S T , P R L N T E R .
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. R. 52
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L E C T U R E I.
JAMES 1.5, 6, 7–4 If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth
to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him; but let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any
thing of the Lord.”
THIs is one of the many promises made to prayer ; and, if
properly understood, would teach us both how to pray and
what to expect from the performance of this duty. It places
distinctly before us not only the indispensable obligation but
the peculiar importance of prayer. “If any man lack wisdom,
let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and up-
braideth not, and it shall be given him.” But if God will give
wisdom to him that asks—and that because he is liberal and
upbraideth not—no reason can be assigned why he should not
give other needed blessings to those who duly solicit them. In
this passage we are taught also the manner in which prayer
should be offered, to make it acceptable and availing. “Let
him ask in faith, nothing wavering ; for he that wavereth is
like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed ; let not
that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” It is
not every kind of prayer which is prevalent, but the prayer of
faith only. The doubting or wavering man has no reason to
expect any thing from the Lord. If he receive at all, it must
be in a way of mere sovereignty, and not according to promise;
for none of his prayers possess the character to which the
promise of acceptance is made.
But to place this whole subject more distinctly before you, I
shall direct your attention to the following inquiries:
I. What is the great end or design of prayer -
II. Wherein does the importance of this duty appear !
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III. What are some of the characteristics of an acceptable
prayer : -
IV. What is to be understood by the prayer of faith, and
how far has God bound himself to hear and answer such
prayer :
I. What is the great end or design of prayer ?
1. It is not, most surely, to inform the Most High of our
situation or our wants. He surrounds us—He pervades us—
He knows our up-rising and down-sitting, and understandeth
our thoughts afar off, and before they are formed within us.
All that we have, all that we are, is naked and open to him,
and has been so from eternity. It is not, therefore, to inform
Him that we pray. -
2. Nor is it to excite Him to greater degrees of pity or
benevolence, or to render our own case or the case of others
more interesting to him than before. He is infinitely kind and
benevolent always, and beholds the wants of his creatures with
the same invariable compassion from everlasting to everlasting.
The immutability of his character and attributes necessarily
implies this.
3. Nor, in the third place, is it the design of prayer to effect
any change in the purposes of God. This would be impossible,
since he is of one mind, and who can turn him : What his soul
desireth, that he doeth in heaven above and in earth beneath.
And why should he not ? His purposes are all infinitely wise
and infinitely good, formed in view of the whole system of
things, and of every possible event. They could not change
but for the worse. But let no one infer from this that prayer
is vain. Though it cannot change or persuade God, it may
accomplish very important ends in relation to ourselves.
1. It may have, and is designed to have, a beneficial influ-
ence in preparing us for the mercies we implore. It gives us
a deeper sense of our dependence on God—a benefit of no
inconsiderable moment to creatures liable, as we are, to forget
that dependence. It promotes humility, by bringing us to the
foot of God’s throne, where we can scarcely fail to contrast
our littleness and vileness with his infinite greatness, purity,
and glory, It engages us to put our trust in God for all that
we need, as well as to thank him for all that we receive.
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2. It is designed also as an act of homage to our Creator—
of homage due to his infinitely glorious attributes, from crea-
tures capable of perceiving them, and who, at the same time,
are the daily recipients of his bounty. Prayer, in this view of
it, is God’s right, as well as our duty; and would it not be
strange to say that the more perfect this right, the less are we
obliged to regard it ! But what else do they say, who refuse
to pray, on the ground that God is so great and so good as to
make prayer unnecessary 2
3. Prayer, moreover, is designed as a mean of obtaining
good, and of warding off evil. There is no reason to doubt
that God, in the plans of his providence, may have connected
important blessings with our prayers, just as in other instances
he connects the end with the means. He may have deter-
mined that certain blessings shall be received only in answer
to prayer—and all in accordance with his unchangeable pur-
poses and designs. Prayer, in such cases, does not move God
to alter his purposes—though it may be said that in view of
prayer, prayer of a certain character, and flowing from the lips
of certain individuals, and on certain occasions, his purposes
from eternity were formed. There is no other and no greater
difficulty in this case than in any other where the means and
the end are conjoined, whether in the determination of the
divine counsels or in the order of providence. And if any man
will say, because God is fixed or unchangeable in his purpose,
I will not pray—prayer can make no difference in my allot-
ments, either here or hereafter—might he not with equal pro-
priety add, neither will I work, nor eat, nor use any means
whatsoever to prolong my days? for here also the divine pur-
pose is fixed, and the result, for aught he knows, as much
connected with his own agency in the one case as in the
other.
It is enough for us to be assured that God has established a
connexion between asking and receiving—a connexion more
or less certain according to circumstances, but of sufficient
moment to awaken our hopes, and to become a powerful
stimulus to prayer. All the promises made to prayer imply
this, as do also the many instances in which God has heard the
cries of his people.
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II. Our second inquiry is, Wherein does the great impor-
tance of prayer appear !
We shall do little more here than name some of the princi-
pal articles which may be regarded as an answer to this
inquiry.
1. We mention first of all the fact that God is styled in his
word a prayer-hearing God. “O thou that hearest prayer,”
is the language of David, when moved by the Holy Ghost.
This is God’s name, and his memorial to all generations ; and
it carries with it a powerful argument for addressing his throne.
It is virtually proclaiming to us that he is upon a throne of
mercy—a throne accessible to us at all times, where we may
bring our sins, our troubles, and our wants, with the joyful
assurance that he will not turn away his ear from our prayer.
Prayer is not then a useless but an important duty.
2. But this truth is more distinctly announced in the repeated
commands given us to pray. It is not left to us to consider pray-
er as a mere privilege which we may neglect or use at our plea-
sure. God has enjoined it in a great variety of forms, and
thereby intimated that it is a duty well pleasing to him, and of
deep importance to ourselves. We are commanded to pray
always—to pray without fainting—to pray with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseve-
rance and supplication for all saints. We are commanded to
pray in our closets—in our domestic circles—in our public
assemblies—every where lifting up holy hands without wrath
and doubting, and for all men. Prayer must then be a duty
of imperative obligation, and of the highest moment to our-
selves and to others.
3. The same conclusion follows most obviously from the
promises which God has made to prayer. Many of these are
upon record ; and though somewhat diversified as to character,
they all go to establish an important connexion between asking
and receiving the blessings we desire. “The Lord will hear
when I call upon him ; he will fulfil the desire of them that fear
him ; he will also hear their cry. He hath not said to the seed
of Jacob, seek ye me in vain. Before they call I will answer;
and while they are yet speaking I will hear. Ask and ye shall
receive ; seek and ye shall find ; knock and it shall be opened
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unto you. Ask and receive, that your joy may be full.” This
is the current language of the Bible. How strict the con-
nexion is between asking and receiving, or under what circum-
stances God has pledged himself to hear and answer the
prayers of his people, it is not my intention in this place to
inquire. It is sufficient to have it understood that a connexion
exists, of more or less strictness; for this fully establishes the
importance of prayer.
4. We shall be still more impressed with this truth if we
consider a moment what prayer has actually done.
The prayers of Abraham were effectual in removing divine
judgments, and in procuring important blessings for himself and
for his children; and if there had been ten righteous men in
Sodom, his prayers would have saved that guilty city.
The prayers of Moses suspended the plagues of Egypt and
saved Israel at the borders of the Red Sea ; and often did his
prayers avert divine judgments from this guilty people, while
in the wilderness and on their journey to the promised land.
Behold him interceding for them when they made and wor-
shipped the molten calf, and when they rebelled at the return of
the spies. Never was the prayer of mortal more disinterested,
or more ardent; and never perhaps did God answer in a man-
mer more gracious and condescending. “I have heard thee,”
says God, “ and pardoned thy people according to thy word.”
(Ex. 32: Num. 19.) I might refer you to the prayers of
Joshua, of Gideon, of Barak, Samson, David, and others,
which were graciously accepted and answered. Often has God
heard his people in the very thing which they asked. “Elijah
prayed, and it rained not for the space of three years and six
months; he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain.” The
prayers of Elisha proved a surer defence to Israel, than thou-
sands of chariots and horsemen. And what shall we say of
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel—all of whom had power with God,
and prevailed ! Their cries entered into the ears of the God
of Sabaoth, and were honoured with signal interpositions of
the divine mercy. Prayer saved the Jews from the murderous
sword of Haman in the days of Esther and Mordecai ; prayer
rescued Peter from prison, when his life was in danger from
the blood-thirsty Herod; and prayer released Paul and Silas
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from their chains, and from a dungeon at Philippi; and was it
not in answer to prayer, that the Holy Ghost descended on
multitudes on the day of Pentecost, and so many thousands
were turned to the Lord 2 The efficacy of prayer demonstrates
the importance of prayer. But another circumstance which
shows the high importance of this duty is,
5. God often suspends his favours upon the condition of our
asking for them, and asking in a suitable manner. Thus God
says to Ezekiel, “For this will I be inquired of by the house
of Israel, to do it for them.” He had spoken of bringing them
back from the Babylonish captivity, and resettling them in their
native land;—of giving them a new heart and a new spirit:-
but this he would not do but in answer to prayer; and there-
fore in another place he declares, “Then shall ye find me,
when ye shall seek for me with all your heart, and with all your
soul;” implying that they would not find him until they sought
him in this manner. Much the same thing is taught in God’s
answer to Solomon at the dedication of the temple, and which
may be regarded as a general rule, at least, of his dealings
towards that nation. “If I shut up heaven, that there be no
rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I
send pestilence among my people ; if my people, which are
called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek
my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear
from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their
land:” which implies that if they would not thus humble
themselves under divine judgments, and pray, and make suppli-
cation, they had no reason to expect that their calamities would
be removed. But the apostle appears for ever to settle this
subject, when he says in direct terms, “ye have not, because
ye ask not; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss;”
implying that the blessing is often withheld for want of prayer
—and for want of prayer of the right kind. We would not
assert that this is always the case—or, which is the same thing,
that God never dispenses his favour to individuals, but through
the instrumentality of prayer. He is a Sovereign, and may do
what he has not promised to do—he may turn aside from the
ordinary course of his providence, and magnify the riches of
his mercy contrary to our expectations and hopes. We must
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not limit him, where he has not limited himself. Still, if it be
a fact, that he often suspends the blessing upon our asking for
it, and our asking for it aright, what an argument is this for
sincere, humble, and importunate prayer 1
6. I mention but one consideration more to illustrate the
necessity and importance of this duty—and that is the example
of Christ. Christ not only prayed often with his disciples—but
he prayed alone, offering up strong crying and tears unto him
that was able to save. With him there was no negligence nor
weariness in this duty. IIe rose up sometimes early in the
morning, before the day dawned, that he might give himself to
prayer ; while on other occasions he spent the whole night in
this duty. But what did he pray for? He had no sins to
pardon, no heart to cleanse. No 1 but he had Satan and a
malignant world to withstand—many labours to perform, and
much suffering to endure—and it was one of the circumstances
of his humiliation, that he who was naturally and originally
possessed of all power, should be in a condition to ask and
receive aid from on high. But we are not to suppose his prayers
terminated chiefly on himself. His benevolent heart must have
often looked abroad, and sent up many a fervent cry for
enemies as well as friends. He who was disposed to say on
his cross, “Father, forgive them : for they know not what they
do,” cannot be suspected of having overlooked them on other
occasions, especially when it is recollected how much he con-
stantly laboured for their good. So great an example as this,
cannot fail to impress us with the fact that prayer is a duty
reasonable in itself, and of the deepest moment, both to our-
selves and to others.
III. Shall we inquire in the third place what are some of the
characteristics of an acceptable prayer 2 If the duty be im-
portant, we ought to know when it is so discharged as to
secure the approbation of him to whom it is directed.
1. I name as one circumstance of acceptable prayer, that it
must be the prayer of a righteous man —in other words, of a
true Christian. It does not seem possible that God should
accept the prayer of the wicked, as it cannot flow from a right
spirit. Besides, we are expressly told, that “the sacrifice of the
wicked is an abomination to the Lord, while the prayer of the
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upright is his delight.” We will not say that God never hears
the wicked, as he hears the young ravens when they cry. As
a compassionate Being, he may so far regard their supplica-
tions as to deliver them out of their troubles. This is what
the Psalmist intimates, when he celebrates the goodness of God
towards “those who go down into the sea in ships, and do
business in the great waters. They see the wonders of the
Lord in the deep. For he commandeth the stormy wind and
lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to heaven ; they
go down again to the depths; their soul is melted, because of
trouble. Then they cry unto the Lord, and he bringeth them
out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that
the waves thereof are still.”
This is a wonderful expression of God’s mercy—but no proof
that he accepts the prayers of those whom he thus delivers
from a watery grave. God is holy, and it would be inconsistent
with this attribute to approve or accept of an act in his crea-
tures, which had in it no degree of moral worth. He may
have compassion on a sinner, and deliver him from trouble when
he cries;–but he cannot behold his character or his works
with approbation. This has always been a stumbling-stone to
many –and not unfrequently furnished the ungodly with an
excuse to withhold prayer altogether. The truth, however,
must not be concealed, whatever abuses may be made of it. God
hath said, “He that turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer shall become sin.” And David confesses, “If
I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” And
will he hear others, who regard iniquity in their hearts, and
whose prevalent disposition is opposition to God and his law Ż
The prayers of such persons, as well as all their other acts, are
destitute of love to God and love to man, and cannot be ac-
cepted in the sight of him who looks to the very springs of
action, and who condemns whatever is not accordant with his
law. It appears therefore to be a primary requisite of every
acceptable prayer, that it should flow from the heart or lips of
a righteous man.
2. But secondly, it must be sincere, expressing an unequi-
vocal desire for the object prayed for. It must in truth be the
language of the heart—not of the understanding or conscience
1 |
simply. Too many of the prayers, even of God's people, we
have reason to believe, are deplorably wanting in sincerity.
They ask, because they know they must ask; and not because
they truly desire. But this is only to play the hypocrite before
God, and cannot, most certainly, secure his approbation. He
requires truth in the inward parts. But we remark,
3. Thirdly, that prayer, to be acceptable and prevalent with
God, must be earnest as well as sincere. No man can doubt
that this is an important characteristic of the duty, when rightly
performed. We find it entering very deeply into many of the
prayers recorded in holy writ, and powerfully recommended
by Christ himself. How fervent were the prayers of Abraham,
when he pleaded in behalf of Sodom, and when he made sup-
plication for Ishmael ! How did Jacob wrestle with the angel,
when he interceded for the life of the mother and the children
He saw them exposed, as he apprehended, to the destroying
sword of Esau, who was coming out to meet him with four
hundred armed men, and he said to the angel, the great angel
of the covenant, “I will not let thee go eaccept thou bless me.”
Read the prayers of Moses, of David, Daniel, Nehemiah, and
Ezra : with what ardour do they pour out their supplications
before God With feelings excited and elevated, they take
hold of his strength, and plead with an earnestness which shows
the fulness of their expectation and desire. And Christ, in the
parable of the importunate widow, and of the man who went
to borrow three loaves of his friend at midnight, has very dis-
tinctly inculcated the necessity, not of sincerity only, but of
earnestness in our supplications. Nay, he has expressly
assured us that such earnestness is both acceptable and availa-
ble with God. It is the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous
man, St. James tells us, that availeth much ; implying that
little is to be hoped at any time from our prayers, unless they
rise to a holy importunity.
4. Let me remark, however, in the fourth place, that though
importunate, they should not be dictatorial or presumptuous.
On the contrary, they should ever be marked by the deepest
humility. This is an important requisite of every acceptable
prayer. It is to the great God that we pray, the dread Majesty
of the universe, before whom all nations are as the drop of the
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bucket, and as the small dust of the balance : it is to him in
whose sight the heavens are not clean, and before whom cheru-
bim and seraphim veil their faces. What are we, that we
should speak to this great and glorious Being ! One would
think that we should shrink into the very dust at the thought.
Surely it becomes us to approach him with the profoundest
reverence and humility, laying ourselves at his feet under a
deep conviction of the awful distance between him and us.
This was the temper of Abraham when he drew near to God
in the plains of Mamre. We hardly know which to admire
most, the humility of his address, or the persevering ardour
with which it was urged. “Behold, now, I have taken it upon
me to speak unto the Lord :” as if it was a great thing—a
privilege, of which he felt himself wholly unworthy. And
again: “O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but this
once.” Such also was the temper of the publican, who stood
“afar off” from the mercy-seat, and “who dare not so much
as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, and
cried, God be merciful unto me a sinner.” And this is the
temper, in a greater or less degree, of all acceptable worship-
pers. Their cry is the cry of the humble; and of them God
hath said that he will not despise their prayer. His promise
is that he will be nigh unto such as are of a broken heart, and
that he will save such as be of a contrite spirit. Without some
portion of this spirit transfused into our prayers, it is impossi-
ble they should find acceptance with God: while they who
have most of it will stand highest in the divine favour, and
secure the richest answer to their prayers. The Lord loves to
fill the empty vessel—to raise the poor up out of the dust—to
feed the hungry, starving soul, while the rich he sends empty
away.
5. I add, as a further characteristic of acceptable prayer, that
it must proceed from right motives. Nothing is more common
than to ask for lawful objects from improper motives. “Ye
ask and receive not,” says the apostle, “because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” The object might
have been right, but the motive was wrong. Something earthly
or selfish gave birth to their prayers. Perhaps they desired
the gift of miracles, that they might benefit their friends, or
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raise their own credit in the world. Perhaps they desired to
be saved from the violence of persecution, not that they might
serve God with less distraction or extend farther the borders of
the Redeemer’s kingdom, but that they might be more at ease
in their callings, and sink more quietly into the enjoyments of
the present life. Perhaps they were divided into parties, and
wished some advantage over their respective opponents. But
whatever was the object, the motive was wrong. God’s glory
was not their end—nor their own best good—nor that of others.
Whether it were temporal or spiritual blessings which they
sought, some earth-born motive lurked beneath; and therefore
their prayers were unavailing ; as ours also will be, when the
motive is such as the all-searching eye of God cannot approve.
Then only will our prayers enter into his ears, when they flow
from a heart deeply imbued with the spirit of the gospel; when
his glory is uppermost with us, and the highest good of his
kingdom. In such a state of mind, we shall ask for right
things, in a right manner; and God, the unerring judge of our
hearts, will accept the service and pronounce his blessing.
6. Finally, I might say, with the apostle in our text, that we
should ask in faith, nothing wavering : for faith, no doubt, is
an essential ingredient in every acceptable prayer.
But as I propose to make this a matter of somewhat extended
discussion, I shall defer it till I take up the fourth general
inquiry, viz.: “What is to be understood by the prayer of faith,
and how far has God bound himself to hear and answer such
prayer ?” In the mean time we shall conclude this lecture by
remarking that much of the Christian character is developed in
the article of prayer. “He that prays much,” said the good
Fenelon, “loves much ; and he that prays little loves little.”
A prayerless Christian is a contradiction in terms ; while he
that prays not from a right spirit, how much soever he may
abound in the duty, falls short of the Christian character. I
know of no criterion more decisive of the reality and the mea-
sure of a man’s piety than his prayers. Just so much as he
has of the spirit of true devotion, just so much and no more has
he of the love of God and the love of man in his heart, and just
so much of reverence for God, of faith in God, and every other
Christian grace. Tell me how much he prays—with what
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sincerity, with what ardour, with what watchfulness, confidence,
and perseverance, and for what objects, and I can tell you how
much he loves and fears God—how much he loves his neigh-
bour—what is his humility, his spirituality, and his deadness to
the world—what his self-denial, his patience, meekness, and
fidelity in the cause of his Master. All these virtues are but
the modifications of holy love; and the strength of this is
measured by the spirit of his devotions. - w
Judging then by this rule, how much religion have we ?
What is the character of our prayers ? Let every one who is
in the habit of praying, and praying in secret, answer this
question for himself. If he can find what moves him in this
duty, and especially what is the preponderating motive, he will
find the master spring of his soul—that which settles his
character in God’s sight; and which, remaining as it is, will
settle it in the day of final retribution. He may know both
whether his piety be real, and whether it be in a declining or
progressive state. I commend this subject, my young brethren,
most earnestly to your attention. Soon you will be called to
leave this sacred retreat, and to enter upon the work of the
gospel ministry—a work full of labour, full of difficulty, full of
self-denial. Much will you need diligence, and fortitude, and
patience, and resignation to the divine will; but above all will
you need the spirit of grace and of supplication. If you would
be saved from worldliness, from pride, from sloth, and from
whatever would dishonour Christ, or hinder the success of your
labours, and if you would be eminently holy, or eminently use-
ful, cultivate a spirit of prayer. Let this be an object with you
now in all your preparations for the ministry : and when you
shall enter upon this sacred office, do not forget, I entreat you,
that prayer—fervent and believing prayer—is among the
mightiest weapons of your spiritual warfare.
L E C T U R E II.
JAMES 1.5, 6, 7–4 If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth
to all men liberally and upbraideth mot, and it shall be given him; but let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any
thing of the Lord.”
IN remarking upon these words in a former lecture, we
proposed the following inquiries:
I. What is the great end or design of prayer 2
II. Wherein does the importance of this duty appear !
III. What are some of the characteristics of acceptable
prayer ? and
IV. What is to be understood by the prayer of faith, and
how far has God bound himself to hear such prayer 2
The first three inquiries have already been considered. We
proceed now to the fourth, and ask
First—What is to be understood by the prayer of faith 2
This expression seems obviously capable of two senses, and
must be understood differently according to the different kinds
of faith employed in prayer. In the primitive church there is
reason to believe that two kinds of faith were thus employed:
one extraordinary, being peculiar to certain individuals, who
had the gift of working miracles; the other common, belonging
to all Christians who truly embraced the gospel. Both were
the result of divine teaching, though perhaps in a different
way ; and both were founded upon the testimony of God; still
they were in various respects different from each other. The
first, which we denominate extraordinary, and which was
connected with miraculous operations, was not necessarily, it
would seem, a gracious exercise. Certain it is that many
wrought miracles, and miracles in Christ's name, who will be
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disowned by him at last. Whether they wrought them with or
without faith, is not expressly said; but as they wrought them
in Christ's name, there is a fair presumption that it was through
faith in that name. And this presumption is the stronger when
we consider the language which the apostle holds on the sub-
ject of miraculous gifts in general. (1 Cor. 13.) “Though I
speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal;
and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so
as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
Here it is supposed not only that men might work miracles
without being Christians, but that they might work them in the
exercise of faith in the divine power and veracity: nay, that
they might possess all faith, so as to remove mountains, or the
highest degree of faith connected with miracles, and yet be
destitute of charity, or love. Not so the faith common to all
true believers. This in all cases is a gracious or holy exercise.
Love is essential to its very being. It not only gives credence
to the divine testimony, in whatever manner exhibited, but
cordially approves of that testimony. It is not merely an intel-
lectual but a moral exercise; and hence it is described as puri-
fying the heart and overcoming the world. The faith of mira-
cles might exist without a renovated heart; but this never
exists except in those who are born of God and love God, and
therefore it is placed among the fruits of the Spirit, and
regarded as the grand condition of salvation. “Circumcision
is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing,” saith the apostle,
“but faith which worketh by love.”
It is not to our present purpose minutely to distinguish
between these two kinds of faith, nor to inquire how often it is
probable they were blended together in the same persons. It
will be enough to have it distinctly understood that they were
in some important particulars diverse from each other ; and
therefore that we cannot reason from one to the other as if
they were radically and essentially the same.
What has been denominated the faith of miracles, because
peculiar to those who wrought miracles, and necessary to such
extraordinary displays of the divine power, seems to have been
17
not only a firm persuasion of the divine power, by which all
things possible are alike easy to God, but that the contemplated
miracle, in any given case, would certainly be performed.
This, it will be perceived, was more than simply believing that
it was the pleasure of God that miracles should be wrought, in
greater or less numbers, in the name of his Son, and on fit
occasions, and in answer to prayer, and for important pur-
poses, and by the hands of those to whom the gift of working
miracles was imparted: for all these things might be believed,
and firmly believed, without reaching the point that a particu-
lar miracle, in a particular case, would be wrought. Now
what we believe and maintain is that the faith of miracles,
whatever else it included, always involved a belief that the very
miracle contemplated, in any given case, would be accom-
plished. It did not stop with the fact that God was able to
accomplish it, or that he had promised to accomplish it on any
supposed conditions, or that he was a God of truth and would
not fail to redeem his pledge, but it went to the precise and
definite fact that the miracle contemplated would be performed.
How this point was reached will be an after consideration; but
that the faith in question did most certainly reach it, we think
is evident from the manner in which Christ describes this faith
in the eleventh of Mark. When his disciples expressed their
surprise at seeing the fig-tree withered away, which he had
cursed for its barrenness the day before, he says to them,
“Have faith in God: for verily I say unto you, that whosoever
shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou
cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall
believe that those things which he saith, shall come to pass,
shall have whatsoever he saith.” Words could scarcely be
framed which should mark with more precision the fact that
faith, in this case, was to believe that the miraculous events in
question would certainly take place. Such a faith he describes
both negatively and positively. “Whosoever shall say to this
mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and
shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe.” Believe what ?
Why that those things which he saith, shall come to pass—in
other words, that the predicted miracle should be performed,
by the mountain's being removed and cast into the sea. Doubt-
18
less such a faith implied an unshaken belief in God’s power,
by which the miracle was to be accomplished; but is it not
certain that it implied more ?—a belief that it was God’s will
or pleasure that the miracle predicted should take place 2
Keeping in view this kind of faith, and the miraculous events
with which it stood connected, our Lord adds, in the very next
verse: “Therefore I say unto you, whatsoever things ye desire,
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have
them.” “Believe that ye receive them” is a description equally
precise and definite with that which he had given in the prece-
ding verse, and obviously implies a belief that the things
desired and asked in prayer would certainly be received. Nor
can it well be questioned that the “all things whatsoever” had
an immediate and exclusive reference to the subject in hand,
or to miraculous operations.
That a persuasion of the certainty of the event, or the mira-
cle to be performed, was essential to this peculiar and extra-
ordinary kind of faith, is manifest not only from these words
of Christ, but from the fact that those who wrought miracles
often intimated such a persuasion before the miracle was per-
formed. They commonly, if not universally, prefaced these
operations by some declaration of what they intended and
expected to do, and thereby virtually predicted what was
immediately to follow. Thus Peter, when he healed the lame
man at the Beautiful gate of the temple, said to him : “Silver
and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee:”
(implying that he was going to do something;) “in the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And when he
cured Eneas, who for eight years had lain sick of the palsy, he
said to him, “Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole,” or is
about so to do : “arise and make thy bed ; and he arose imme-
diately.” It is perfectly obvious in both cases, that the apostle
had the intention and eacpectation of working a miracle antece-
dent to its being wrought; and if the miracle had not followed,
all must admit that the apostle would have been disappointed;
or, which is the same thing, that the event did not fall out
according to his expectation and belief.
Another fact, which shows that a persuasion of the certainty
of the miracle was essential to the faith by which it was
19
wrought, is, that those gifted with the power of working mira-
cles did not always attempt to display that power ; or, if they
did, they failed through unbelief. Paul, it is said, left Trophi-
mus at Miletum sick; which cannot be accounted for but upon
one of two suppositions, either that he did not attempt to heal
him, or attempted and failed. Whichever be true, it is certain
he had no well-grounded persuasion that the thing would be
done, otherwise it would have been done, God having bound
himself to accomplish whatever his people, upon good and
sufficient grounds, firmly believe. We say good and sufficient
grounds, for neither the faith of miracles nor any other kind of
faith ought to be considered as an unfounded conjecture—a
mere persuasion, without cause or reason. On the contrary,
this faith, whenever it existed, was a firm and rational persua-
sion that the divine power would interpose for a particular
purpose. But if rational, it must be built on evidence ; on
evidence not only that the power of working miracles was
imparted to men, to be employed on certain fit occasions, and
for high and glorious purposes, but that it was the pleasure and
purpose of God that a miracle of a particular kind should be
wrought at the time and in the circumstances contemplated.
This was an important fact to be believed, for nothing short of
this would secure a belief in the certainty of the event, an
essential characteristic of the faith of miracles. But it may be
asked, how could it be known that it was the pleasure and
purpose of God that a miracle should be wrought in any given
case ? Whether this question can be answered or not, let it be
remembered that this fact of the divine purpose must have been
known, or no sure ground for the certainty of the event could
have existed. Our reply, however, is, that the purpose of God
in the case might have been known by the immediate sugges-
tions of the Holy Spirit. Nor is there any inherent improba-
bility in the supposition that those who wrought miracles by
the power of the Holy Ghost should receive intimations from
him when and where these mighty works were to be performed.
Did he preside over their thoughts and over their words when-
ever they opened their lips on the subject of their heavenly
message, and can it be thought unreasonable or incredible that
he should point out to them the fit occasions for those works
20
by which their message was to be confirmed ? Without some
supernatural intimation of this kind, it does not seem possible
that any firm persuasion of the miraculous event could exist.
For, can men believe without evidence 2 or could evidence be
derived from any other quarter, as to the future occurrence of
a miracle 7 But allow the intimation we have supposed, from
that ever-present Spirit who was given to the primitive disci-
ples, in his miraculous teaching and guidance, and all difficulty
vanishes. What would otherwise appear a weakness or absurd-
ity, becomes a plain and obvious duty. And thus the faith of
miracles will have something to rest upon, as it is nothing else
but giving credit to the divine testimony. It involves the belief
that a miracle will be performed in a given case, how strange
soever the miracle may be, agreeably to the suggestions of that
Divine Spirit by whose agency it is to be accomplished.
Now, with regard to prayers which were offered in the
exercise of this faith, we say, once for all, that there can be no
doubt that the very thing which was asked was always granted,
because this is agreeable to the import of the promise made in
the case ; and because the very nature of the faith thus exer-
cised presupposed the known purpose of God in regard to the
event. It was thus that “Elijah prayed, and it rained not for
the space of three years and six months; he prayed again, and
the heavens gave rain.” But can it be supposed, that he made
this prayer without a special intimation from the Divine Spirit
that such a petition would be accordant with the will of God? In
a manner similar to this, we understand that passage where it
is said, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick :” God having
promised that miraculous effects should follow a prayer offered
up in the exercise of extraordinary or miraculous faith.
But there is another kind of faith employed in prayer, com-
mon to Christians of all ages—a faith which takes hold of the
divine attributes and the divine promises, without any miracu-
lous intimation concerning the result—a faith which rests
distinctly and primarily upon God’s word, making that the rule
and limit of its expectations. Whatever is declared in the
sacred volume, it stands ready to receive, and to employ as an
argument in prayer. Beyond this it never goes. At the same
time, it may be remarked that this faith is the fruit and effect
21
of divine teaching. It is wrought in the soul by that Almighty
Agent who enlightens the understanding and sanctifies the
heart; and it comprehends in it such a vivid belief of what
God is, and of what he is ready to do for those who truly seek
him, as no unrenewed man ever possessed. Nor is this all—it
implies a cordial approbation of the divine character and will.
For, as we have already heard, it is a faith which works by love.
How this faith is put forth in the duty of prayer may require
some elucidation. I cannot better express my own views, than
by saying that faith in this case is directed chiefly to two things
—the attributes of God, and the promises which God has made
in and through his dear Son. -
1. Faith in the first place is directed to the attributes of God,
and has much to do with these in the article of prayer. This is
clearly implied in the declaration of the apostle, “He that
cometh to God must believe that He is, and that he is the
rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” as if there could be
no acceptable worship without such belief. But to believe that
God is, is not simply to believe that God eacists;–it supposes
and implies, that we believe him such a being as he has pro-
claimed himself to be;—in other words, that we distinctly
recognise his glorious attributes as a foundation and encourage-
ment to prayer. And hence it is that, in most of the prayers
recorded in the Bible, faith is seen to fix upon some one or
more of the divine attributes.
But to enter a little more into detail—let me say that faith
often, if not always, takes hold of the divine power. It comes
to God as the Almighty Father of the universe, who with infi-
nite ease controls every event throughout his vast kingdom.
Perceiving the whole energy of nature to be in his hands, and
that creatures are but the instruments of his power, it acquires
assurance that his purposes will stand and that he will execute
all his pleasure. Let the day then be ever so dark, or the work
to be accomplished ever so difficult, faith finds a refuge in the
power of God, connected, as it always is, with his unsearchable
wisdom and goodness. In truth, faith has much more to do
with the divine power than we should readily imagine; and
it is more frequently described in the sacred writings by its
exercises in relation to this attribute than any other.
22
Thus it is said of Abraham, after he had received the promise
of a son, that “he staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief, but was fully persuaded that what God had promised he
was able also to perform.” Thus, also, in that greater trial of
his faith, when he was called to offer up his only begotten son,
he appears to have kept his eye steadfastly fixed on the power
of God, “accounting that God was able to raise him up, even
from the dead.”
The same thing is conspicuous in the faith of the blind men
who followed Jesus in the way, and cried, saying, Jesus, thou
son of David, have mercy on us. (Matt. 9.) When Jesus had
come into the house and called them to him, he said, “Believe
ye that I am able to do this 7” He does not say, believe ye
that I will 2 This was a point in his own breast, which they
were unable to solve ; but, believe ye that I am able 2 To
which they replied, “ yea, Lord.” “And he touched their eyes,
and said, according to your faith be it unto you; and their
eyes were opened. They no doubt hoped in the mercy of
Jesus—but their faith was primarily built upon his power; and
this, for aught that appears, was all that was necessary to
secure the blessing.
Similar to this was the case of the leper mentioned by the
same evangelist, (Matt. 8.) and also of the centurion who
besought Christ to heal his servant. The leper came to Jesus,
saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” He
had no doubt, it seems, of Christ's power; here his faith was
full and unwavering. But he had no certain—perhaps no
preponderating belief of Christ's will or intention in the case.
“Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst,” was his prayer, fully recog-
nising the power of Christ to grant his request, and referring
the event to his sovereign pleasure.
As to the centurion, his faith was of so remarkable a charac-
ter as to lead the Saviour to exclaim, “Verily, I have not found
so great faith, no not in Israel.” And yet his faith chiefly
terminated on the power of Christ. For when Jesus proposed
to go and heal his servant, the centurion answered, “ Lord, I
am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but
speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus
said, “Go thy way, and as, (or since) thou hast believed, so be it
23
done unto thee; and his servant was healed from the self-same -
hour.” -
We cannot pursue this thought—but there are many things
in the Scriptures which show that faith looks much to God’s
power, and that its strength is often measured by the regard
which it has to this attribute.
But as it is with the power, so it is with the other attributes
of God; faith directs its eye to them all, as they are severally
and harmoniously displayed in the works and word of God. If
God speak, let it be where and what it will, faith stands ready
to hear, and to give an unqualified assent. Is it asserted in the
Bible that God is wise, infinitely wise 2 Faith fully accredits
the assertion, and would do so, even if the characters of wis-
dom were less visibly inscribed on the works of God. This is
a joyful truth on which it safely reposes at all times, and
especially in seasons of darkness and calamity, when the
aspects of providence are mysterious or foreboding. -
Is it said that God is gracious and merciful, ready to forgive
the penitent and believing ! Faith responds to it with confi-
dence and joy, and flies to the bosom of etermal mercy as its
only refuge ; yes, and to this same bosom it delights to carry
the sins and the sorrows of others, while with humble, but im-
portunate desires it pleads that they too may receive from this
rich and overflowing fountain. It is easy to see, also, that
faith looks strongly to the purity and justice of God—and no
less to his unchanging truth and faithfulness. His truth,
indeed, is that glorious attribute to which it necessarily cleaves,
and on which it stands, as on a basis firm and immoveable. In
nothing perhaps is faith displayed more than in taking God at
his word, and in exercising an implicit confidence in his
promises. But this brings us to inquire more particularly,
2. How faith regards the promises of God, all of which are
made in and through his dear Son. Shall I say it regards them as
they are, or according to their true intent and design : In other
words, that it makes them speak a language which the Holy
Spirit intended they should speak, without narrowing them on
the one hand, or giving them an improper latitude on the other ?
These promises are different in their character, and faith knows
how to distinguish them. Some are absolute, depending on no
24
condition to be performed, or none which is uncertain. Some
are conditional, because the blessing promised is suspended on
something which may or may not take place. Other promises
are local, confined to certain individuals or times, and are of
no further importance to believers in general, than as they
furnish examples of the divine benignity and faithfulness.
Others again are universal, because they apply to believers of
all times and places. Such is the promise of the pardon of sin,
and of the gift of eternal life ; and the promise that God will
never leave nor forsake his people. Other promises may be
called definite, because they hold true of every individual, and
of every case which comes within the purview of the promise.
Such is the promise made to the faith of miracles. By the
very tenor of the promise the divine veracity stands pledged to
the very thing asked or believed, in every case where such
faith exists. And such too, in effect, is the promise of eternal
life to him that believes. But there are promises of a different
character, and which cannot with any reason be interpreted
with such undeviating strictness. Such are the promises made
to believers in relation to their temporal support ; and as to the
measure of success which shall attend their worldly enterprises.
These we call indefinite, because they are of that general and
undefined character which leaves the special application of
them to the sovereign pleasure of God. When Christ said to
his disciples, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his right-
eousness, and all these things shall be added unto you,” mean-
ing food and raiment, and whatever was necessary to their
earthly subsistence, they would greatly have mistaken the
import of this promise, if they had interpreted it so strictly as
to infer that his truth was pledged in all cases to keep them
from suffering and want. “Godliness,” we know, “ hath the
promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come;”
but who would think of inferring from this, that none that are
godly shall suffer hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness—or
even the want of all things? Look at the condition of the
apostles, who were occasionally subjected to every privation
and suffering ; and to those ancient worthies, specially com-
mended for their faith, “who were destitute, afflicted, tormented,
who wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, in deserts
25
and in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth,” God’s word
and providence must be the interpreters of each other. Reep-
ing our eye upon this circumstance, we find no difficulty in
understanding his promises which pertain to the temporal sub-
sistence and comfort of his children. We all agree to consider
them as indefinite, holding true in a sufficient number of cases
to justify him who made them, and greatly to encourage those
to whom they appertain—but not of such strict and undeviating
application as to allow of no exception. We believe indeed
that according to his promise, God will give every temporal
good which he perceives to be best on the whole, and that
nothing will be withheld which, in all the circumstances of the
case, would not be an evil rather than a blessing. Why may
it not be so with respect to things commonly sought in prayer 2
And why may not the promises which are made to this duty,
be interpreted with the same generality ? We can see no
reason why this should; not be done, except in those cases
where the will or purpose of God as to the event is already
known. In every such instance we cheerfully concede that
the promise is to be interpreted strictly. Thus it is with
the promise made to the faith of miracles, as we have already
intimated, and with the promise of pardon and eternal life to
the penitent; and thus it is with all those promises which relate
to the ultimate spread of the gospel, and the universal reign
of Christ. In all these cases the will of God is known, and we
cannot doubt that these promises will be literally and strictly
fulfilled. But where the will of God is not known, it would
seem reasonable, and even necessary, to regard the promise as
indefinite, holding out encouragement to hope and to prayer,
but laying no foundation for certainty as to the particular result.
It is in this manner, we suppose, that all those general and
comprehensive promises, made to the believing suppliant in the
Scriptures, are to be interpreted. Nor will it make any differ-
ence whether these promises relate to things temporal or things
spiritual. They seem designed to comprehend whatever may
be regarded as a proper subject of prayer. That there are
promises of this description, which alike concern every true
believer, and which he has a right to plead as often as he comes
to the throne of grace for *gium, object, will not pro-
26
bably be doubted. When Christ says in his sermon on the
mount, (Matt. 7. 7, 8.) “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,
and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for
every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth ;
and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened”—it can hardly be
made a question that this language authorizes every man, and
especially every true Christian, to ask what he will for himself
or for others, pertaining to this life or the next, and to ask with
the hope that he shall receive, provided the object be lawful,
and that he ask for it in a right manner. And to give the
greater encouragement to prayer, Christ adds, “What man is
there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will he give him a
stone : Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent 2 If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give
good things to them that ask him £" Here then is a promise
that if we ask, we shall receive ; if we seek, we shall find ; if
we knock, it shall be opened unto us ; and it restricts us to no
particular kind of blessings—but its language is broad enough
to cover all our wants, and all our desires, which at any time
we may have occasion to present to the throne of divine mercy.
A serious question now arises : how are we to interpret this
promise, and other kindred promises alike comprehensive in
their character ? I know of but two general opinions which
are entertained upon this subject. One is that which I have
already suggested, that promises of this kind are to be regarded
as indefinite, so far at least as they stand related to things where
the will or purpose of God is not known ; holding true in a
sufficient number of cases to encourage hope and excite to
prayer—but in no degree pledging the divine veracity that
whatsoever we ask with the faith common to true believers, or
if you please, in a right and acceptable manner, we shall cer-
tainly receive. The other opinion is, that God has bound
himself in these promises to give to his children whatsoever
things they ask believing, making no exceptions—but constru-
ing the promises as being strictly and universally true, apply-
ing to every case where the blessing is sought in the manner
required. Thus, if a man were to ask for his daily bread, and
to ask it with that faith which he is bound to exercise, the
27
truth of God stands pledged in the promise to grant it; or if
he ask for any other favour, temporal or spiritual, for himself
or for others, he may ask with an unwavering assurance that
he shall receive, and receive the very thing he asks. Which
of these opinions is true ! To aid in determining this question,
let me solicit your attention to the following remarks:
1. First, it is more desirable in itself, and a far greater
privilege to the believer, to have the promise understood with
the limitation we have suggested, than to suppose that God is
pledged to give the very thing which is asked, be it wise or
wnwise, for his own glory or the contrary. Suppose a parent
has two sons, and he should say to one, “I will give you what-
soever you ask, provided you ask with a dutiful and confiding
spirit”—making no exceptions expressed or implied. And to
the other, “I will give you whatsoever you ask, asking with a
right temper—except in those cases where, from my superior
wisdom, I perceive it would be better to withhold;’’ which
is the most privileged son 2 Doubtless we should reply, he
whose answer to his request is made to turn upon his father’s
wisdom, not his own. I hold this case to be precisely parallel
with the one under consideration. Interpret the divine promise
strictly, and the believer is sure to have all that he asks; but is
it certain that he will have that which on the whole is most for
God’s glory, and his own best good? Take the promise with
its proposed limitation, and all the attributes of God stand
pledged that his petitions shall result in his highest welfare;
he shall receive all that is good for him, and nothing shall be
withheld but what eternal wisdom perceives would, in all its
connexions, prove injurious. Does not this state of the case
furnish a strong presumption, that the promise ought to be
interpreted with such limitations as we have suggested ?
2. Besides : who that is any measure sensible of his own
weakness and fallibility, but must be compelled to acknowledge
that, in a thousand cases, when he prays, he knows not what,
all things considered, would be for the best. His desires may
be ardent, and directed to an object lawful in itself, and appa-
rently of great moment, when yet he cannot tell whether, in
the whole view of the case, it would be better for God to give
or withhold. Why then should he not refer the matter to one
28
who can tell? Is not this an act of submission which he owes
to the all-wise and almighty Governor of the world ! Why
should he attempt to take a step beyond his proper sphere, and
by an unconditional and unqualified request, affect to give direc-
tion to events the accomplishment of which he knows not, and
cannot know without a special revelation, would be for his own
good, or the good of God’s kingdom? If there be any point cer-
tain, it would seem that, where our ignorance stands confessed,
we ought to refer our petitions to the sovereign pleasure of God.
3. But farther: it has commonly been supposed that our
prayers, for many things at least, should be offered with sub-
mission. But it is difficult to conceive of any case where this
ought to be done, if we interpret the general promises made to
prayer without any restriction. We do not ask God to raise
the dead and judge the world at the last day if it may please
him, because his pleasure in regard to those events is already
known. Nor could it, as we conceive, with any propriety of
language be said that in our prayers we submit these events to
his sovereign pleasure; because, knowing what that pleasure is,
there is no such alternative in the case as is always supposed
when we refer an event to his sovereign disposal.
But if all the promises made to prayer are to be understood
without any limitation or restriction, pledging God in every
case to give the very thing which is asked, how could it ever
be our duty to ask with submission ? Our requests, it would
seem, ought to be as unqualified and as absolute as the promise;
and the only point to be aimed at would be firmly to believe
that our requests would be granted.
4. Again : it is not unimportant to remark that the apostle
John appears to have interpreted the promises made to prayer
with the same limitations which we have done ; in all cases, I
mean, where the will or purpose of God is not known. (1 John
5. 14, 15.) “This,” says he, “is the confidence which we have
in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will he
heareth us.” That is, as I understand the passage, he lends
a gracious ear, and grants our requests: “if we ask any
thing according to his will.” But when can this be said of
us? If the will of God here be understood to mean his
sovereign pleasure as well as his preceptive will—what he
29
wisely purposes as to the event, no less than what he commands
as a matter of duty, (and we can see no reason why an inter-
pretation thus comprehensive should not be given,) then it is
obvious that we do not ask according to his will, in the full
meaning of the apostle, unless three things can be affirmed of
our petitions: first, that they are authorized, embracing proper
subjects of prayer; secondly, that they are offered in the spirit
which God requires; and thirdly, that they coincide with his
purpose or his sovereign pleasure, being such requests as in
his wisdom he will deem it proper to grant. When all these
circumstances concur, no doubt can be entertained that God
will hear our prayers, and answer us in the very thing we ask.
But this is adopting the principle advocated in the preceding
remarks, that God is no farther bound by his general promise
to hear the prayers of his people, than to give such things as
in his wisdom he shall judge most suitable in the case. Not a
few commentators, both ancient and modern, have regarded
this as the true sense of the apostle; and hence one remarks
that the language here employed is a key to the promises made
to prayer. But it may be asked if the very next words are not
incompatible with this view : “And if we know that he hear
us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions we
desired of him.” The terms are universal—“whatsoever we
ask.” True: but let it be remembered it is whatsoever we ask
according to his will. If the will of God, therefore, be taken
to mean his sovereign, as well as his preceptive will, the limit-
ation is the same as before. Still, it may be inquired, who shall
decide this point? Perhaps the language intends no more than
the will of God expressed in his commands; and then the
declaration will be universal, that all things absolutely which
we ask of God in prayer will be granted, provided they are
things lawful, and sought in a right spirit. Let the appeal then
be made to facts: does God grant all that his people ask, even
when they ask for things which he has commanded and in the
manner which he directs : He has commanded them to pray
for the salvation of all men, and to pray with great fervency
and importunity : and did never one of his children, not even
prophet or apostle, obey this command 2 perfectly I do not
ask, but sincerely and acceptably * Certain it is that, whatever
30
may have been their prayers, the world still lieth in wicked-
1162.SS.
Look at another fact : the prayer of Moses that he might
go over and see the good land which was beyond Jordan, that
goodly mountain and Lebanon. This desire was natural, and,
in itself considered, reasonable: he longed to see the inherit-
ance of God’s people, from the days of Abraham the subject
of promise—the place where God would specially reveal his
mercy, and fulfil his covenant with his chosen. But God would
not hear his prayer: and why? Not because he was not suffi-
ciently humble, or sufficiently in earnest; not because he did
not take hold of the greatness of God’s power, and the great-
ness of his mercy, for he plainly did both ; but because God
had otherwise determined. His prayer did not coincide with
the divine purpose. He had sinned at the waters of Meribah-
Kadesh, in not sanctifying the Lord in the presence of his
people; and God had doomed him to fall short of the promised
land; nor was it in the power of prayer to reverse this sen-
tence. Doubtless there were reasons pertaining to the divine
government which operated against the petition of Moses; but
it is enough to say that God in his infinite wisdom did not see
fit to grant it. Yet, as a proof of his acceptance of Moses, and
that he was not displeased with his request, he sent him to the
top of Pisgah, whence, with strengthened vision, “he showed
him all the land which he sware unto his fathers,” and said,
“I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes; but thou shalt
not go over thither.”
Look at the case of David, when he prayed for the life of his
child. He fasted, and wept, and lay all night upon the earth.
Was he not truly humbled ! was he not importunate? did he
not go to God in the full belief that from his infinite benevolence
he was disposed to hear prayer For all that appears, he was
never in a better frame of mind; and yet God did not grant the
thing asked for. We may suppose indeed that God approved
of his prayer as an act of worship, while it did not consist with
his wise and holy purpose to grant the request. But it may be
said that David had no right to pray for the life of the child,
seeing its death had been denounced by the prophet. He had
the same right, let it be remembered, that Hezekiah had to pray
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for his own life after the prophet said to him, “Set thine
house in order; for thou shalt die and not live.” The truth is,
neither David nor Hezekiah regarded the threatening as abso-
lute. Had they done so, they would not have dared to inter-
pose their supplications. But they supposed there was at least
a peradventure in the case; and this encouraged them to pray.
One, however, was heard, and the other was not. Can any
other reason be assigned for this difference than that the prayer
of one coincided with the divine purpose, while that of the
other did not coincide :
How was it with Paul, who thrice besought the Lord that
the thorn in his flesh might be removed, and received for
answer, “My grace is sufficient for thee ?” It cannot be pre-
tended that he was answered in the very thing which he asked;
and yet, from the answer which he did receive, it seems impos-
sible not to conclude that his prayer was acceptable as an act
of duty. What shall we say of his constant and earnest prayer
for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh : Did he
not sincerely and fervently desire their salvation ? Did he not
plead for it with increasing importunity ? and yet, as a nation,
they perished in their unbelief. There is, however, a still
stronger case in the history of this apostle: I mean the final
perdition of some who enjoyed the benefit of his own ministry.
Did he do his duty with regard to these men, or did he not ?
Most certainly he did not, unless he made their salvation the
subject of solemn and earnest prayer. If he did his duty, why
were they not saved, on the supposition that God has promised
to grant whatsoever his people ask in a right manner? One
of two things must be true, either that they perished through
his unfaithfulness, or that, he being faithful, they perished not-
withstanding. Which of these alternatives shall we take 2 If
the first, we make the apostle guilty of their blood, contrary to
one of his most solemn appeals, that he was “pure from the
blood of all men;” if the second, we give up the principle that
God has promised to grant every thing which his people ask,
provided they ask in the manner which he has required.
From this extended view of the subject, what other conclusion
can be drawn than that the promises made to prayer must be
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understood with limitation in all cases where the will of God
is not known.
If the question then return, how does faith regard the pro-
mises of God? our answer must be as before—it regards
them as they are, and embraces them according to their true
intent and design. Absolute promises it regards as absolute,
conditional as conditional; those which are definite as holding
true in every case, subject to no restriction or limitation ; and
those which are general or indefinite it regards as indefinite,
and interprets them accordingly. Some of the promises it
considers as specifically made to the apostles, and others in the
primitive church, and not applicable to Christians in general;
others as belonging to Christians of all ages, and designed to
awaken hope and encourage prayer.
But it may be asked how can these promises encourage
prayer unless we believe them 7 And if we believe them, do
they not ensure to us the very things we ask 2 Is it not said,
“All things whatsoever ye ask, believing, ye shall receive º’”
and again, “Whatsoever things ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them 7” True :
but these promises were made to the immediate disciples of
Christ, who had the power of working miracles, and from the
connexion, it appears, ought to be limited to them and to others
gifted with the same power. Whenever they exercised the
faith necessary to a miracle, the divine veracity stood pledged
that the miracle should be performed. But as these promises
were made to a peculiar kind of faith, it is evident that they
cannot be applicable to Christians at large, by whom no such
faith is exercised. But farther: suppose that these promises
had respect to all true Christians equally, it is plain that they
secure nothing until the events prayed for are believed. “Be-
lieve that ye receive them and ye shall have them,” is the
promise. It is not enough of course to believe that God is able
to grant our petitions, we must believe that he will, or the
condition of the promise is not complied with, and God is not
bound. But how shall we come to this belief? We cannot
come to it through the medium of the promise, because the
promise pledges nothing, and secures nothing, until we actually
33
believe. It affords no evidence that God will grant our requests,
until we have first believed that he will grant them, and then the
evidence comes too late to be the ground of our faith, because we
have believed already. We cannot apply the promise until we
have fulfilled the condition of the promise; but in fulfilling this
condition we have exercised the faith required, which is a fact
prior to the application of the promise and not subsequent to
it; and consequently does not depend upon this application.
It must be obvious, we think, to all, that faith in this case
cannot depend on the promise, whatever else it depends on ;
but the promise, as to its obligatory force, depends on faith—
which must always be presupposed before the promise can be
applied. To suppose, as some have done, that faith is founded
on the promise, is to suppose that the effect exists anterior to the
cause, or that the effect has no cause ; for until faith exists the
promise avails nothing, as to the certainty or probability of
the desired event, and cannot be the ground of faith, unless it be
to believe that God will hear us, if we first believe that he will
hear us. From what quarter then must the evidence be derived
on which this prior faith is to be built It cannot be drawn
from the promise, as we have seen, for that pledges nothing until
this faith is in being ; nor from any other source, conceivable
by us, short of an immediate and special revelation. That such
a revelation is possible will readily be admitted, but it will be
long, if we mistake not, beſore, in the judgment of the Chris-
tian world, it will be regarded as in any degree probable.
It is again inquired, however, if Christians do not draw near
to God in the full assurance of faith, and iſ they are not required
to ask in faith, nothing wavering 2 Certainly ; this is their
privilege, and this is their duty. But what is their faith assured
of 2 Not that they shall receive every thing they ask, whether
it be best for them or otherwise ; but that God is a being of
infinite perfection, ready to do for his people more than they
can ask or even think, and who will do all that they desire,
unless his eternal wisdom shall decide to the contrary. This
is what their faith is assured of, when it is grounded upon
the sacred oracles. And is not this enough 2 Does not this
place their hopes and expectations on the best possible founda-
tion ? Besides, let us suppose * when they pray they refer
34
their petitions to the sovereign pleasure of God, as they ought
most surely to do in all cases, where that pleasure is not known ;
what is the import of such reference : Is it not that God
should grant or not grant, as it may seem good in his sight !
Let the event then be as it may, their prayers are virtually
answered, though they receive not the very things they desired.
They receive what is best for them; and so far as they were
sincere in submitting the matter to the will of God, they have
what they ultimately chose.
Should the question then return, with which this lecture
commenced, “What is it to pray in faith, and how far has
God bound himself to hear such prayer º’’ the answer will be
obvious. If the faith concerned be the faith of miracles, then
it is to pray believing that the very thing which is asked will be
granted; but if reference be had to the faith common to all true
Christians, then it is to pray firmly believing in the being and
attributes of God, in the truth of his gracious promises, and in
the general fact that he is ready to hear prayer, and to grant to
his people whatsoever they ask according to his will, withhold-
ing nothing which he perceives best for them, and most for his
glory. In all this, however, it is to be understood that we ask
in Christ's name, and expect a gracious hearing on his account
solely, as the great Mediator of the new covenant, through
whom all the blessings of that covenant are bestowed.
We conclude this long discussion with two remarks.
And first: if we have taken a right view of this subject, it is
easy to perceive that they must labour under a mistake who
imagine that their prayers shall infallibly be answered in the
very thing they ask, provided they ask in the manner which
God has prescribed, or in a way acceptable to him. They ask,
it may be, for the conversion of an individual, or for many
individuals; and if they ask with a certain degree of fervour,
connected with confidence in God as the hearer of prayer, they
suppose that he is bound by his promise to grant their requests;
and hence it has been common for such persons not only to
indulge the hope that their prayers will be literally answered—
a circumstance which we do not condemn—but to predict with
confidence that the thing prayed for will certainly be given.
They are sometimes heard to say that they have gotten a
35
promise to this effect, because, as God has promised to hear
prayer of a certain character, and believing that they them-
selves have offered such prayer, they conclude that God is now
pledged by his promise, and will verify it to them. Their
mistake, however, lies in this : God has made no such promise
as they suppose to prayers which his people offer to him in the
exercise of a true and living faith. They construe the promise
as if it were definite, or universal; holding true in every case,
and subject to no limitation or restriction : whereas we believe,
and have endeavoured to show, that the promise is indefinite
in all cases where the will or purpose of God is not known:
of course, that the veracity of God is not pledged to grant the
very things we solicit; but that he gives or withholds accord-
ing to his sovereign pleasure. But, to prevent all misconcep-
tion, let me explicitly state that there is the utmost encourage-
ment to pray, and that the hopes of God’s people may justly
rise high that he will hear and answer their prayers, and often
in the very things which they desire ; that they have cause to
hope the more, the more their hearts are drawn out to him, the
more they can see of his glory, and lie at his feet, and exalt
his eternal majesty in their hearts; the more they can take
hold of his strength, and apprehend the truth of his promises ;
the more they can see of Jesus, the great Mediator, at the right
hand of God, and the stronger their reliance upon the fulness
of his righteousness, and the preciousness of his blood. Nay,
they may have so much hope, arising from these and other cir-
cumstances, that God intends to hear their prayers in the very
things which they ask, as to indulge in a prevailing expectation
that he will ; but they have no certainty, nor can they arrive
at it by any process whatever. God is not bound, nor can they
certainly tell what he will do until the event shall declare it,
unless you suppose a special revelation.
But I hear it said, would God breathe into my heart such
desires, so sincere, so ardent, unless he intended to answer
them I may reply, it is not very probable, but still there is
no certainty. Had not Paul very sincere and ardent desires
for the salvation of his brethren, his kinsmen according to the
flesh and were not these desires the fruit of the Spirit {
These desires, however, though often expressed in prayer,
36
were not granted. And it may be so with respect to many
who offer fervent prayers now. Besides, where has God said
that he will not move his people to feel and pray as they ought
to do, without giving them the very things which they ask?
Are they not bound to plead for every blessing, and especially
for spiritual blessings, with the utmost sincerity, and, where
the blessing is supremely important, with all the strength and
fervour of their souls 7 Would they not thus plead if they
were perfectly sanctified ? and would it not be a privilege to
plead in this manner, though God should not always grant the
very thing which they desire : Who can say that God does
not often impart this spirit of prayer chiefly for the purpose of
bringing his children near to him, and perfecting that holy fel-
lowship which they have with the Father and the Son 3
Far be it from us to dampen the faith and hope of Christians
by these remarks, or in any degree to diminish the proper
inducements to prayer. Would that they might feel a thousand
times more confidence in the power, and wisdom, and grace,
and covenant faithfulness of God than they do ; and that they
took a far deeper interest in the cause of truth and the salva-
tion of their fellow men' But we desire to guard against a
spirit of presumption, and to promote a correct mode of think-
ing and speaking on this deeply momentous subject.
2. We remark, secondly, that as we have no authority for
predicting any particular event simply on the ground of our
prayers, as though God had bound himself to grant whatsoever
we desire, so, on the other hand, it is venturing too far to
assert that we shall not have this or that mercy unless we pray
for it. We must be careful not to limit God where he has not
limited himself. There are many favours which he ordinarily
gives in answer to prayer, and some perhaps which he will not
give unless duly solicited at his hands. But it is wise in us not
to invade his sovereignty, nor to set bounds to his goodness
where he has set none. It is usual for God to connect the
salvation of children with the fidelity of parents; and if a
parent is unfaithful, and neither prays nor labours for the con-
version of his children, as he ought to do, it might justly be
said that he has little or no reason to expect their conversion.
It is God’s usual method to connect revivals of religion with
37
the prayers and fidelity of Christians in those places where
revivals occur; and it might be proper to say that Christians
have no reason to expect a revival in such places, while they
remain in a great measure indifferent to this object, and neither
pray nor labour for it with becoming zeal. But is it not going
too far to assert that this is God’s only method of building up
his cause ! that a revival will never be experienced and sinners
converted until Christians awake and cry mightily to God for
the descent of his Spirit In other words, that God will not
pour out his Spirit upon a congregation but in answer to solemn
and special prayer by his people for this object Such lan-
guage is often employed, but we think it unguarded : it is
warranted neither by the tenor of God’s promises nor by the
events of his providence. He does more for his people often
than they ask, and sometimes surprises them by a mercy which
they neither looked for nor requested. I could mention seve-
ral important revivals of religion, (nearly twenty,) if an ingath-
ering of souls into the Redeemer's kingdom ought to be so
denominated, which were not preceded, so far as human eyes
could discern, by any special spirit of prayer on the part of the
Lord’s people. They were manifestly asleep when the hea-
venly bridegroom came, and were roused into action only by
his almighty voice calling dead sinners from the tomb.
Such events do not happen to exculpate the unbelief, the
slothfulness, and stupidity of Christians, but to display God’s
, sovereignty, and to overwhelm us with the boundless riches of
his mercy.
I know it may be said that it is not easy to determine
whether such revivals as I have alluded to were not, after all,
the immediate answer to prayer. Some person, however
obscure or unheeded, may have prayed for them some time or
other, if not immediately preceding their commencement.
This, indeed, is possible; though no evidence can be produced
of the fact. But, were this admitted, one thing is certain : the
churches, as collective bodies, were asleep; and this is enough
for our purpose. It shows that the blessing was not necessa-
rily suspended on their prayers—at least those solemn and
earnest prayars to which the promise of God is evidently made.
God has promised, for the purpose of encouraging his people
3S
to pray; and he fulfils his promises in such circumstances, and
often with such particularity, as to inspire his people with
confidence and joy; but this hinders not the display of his
sovereign mercy towards individuals and communities when-
ever and wherever he may judge it will subserve the purpose
of his glory. Let us beware then of taking ground which he
himself has not taken, and of dealing out assertions concerning
the operations of his grace which neither his word nor his
providence will sustain. At the same time, let us also be-
ware, that our very caution do not betray us into lukewarm-
ness and unbelief; and that, under a pretext of divine sove-
reignty, we excuse our want of zeal in the cause of man’s sal-
vation. We act under a fearful responsibility, and danger
awaits us on every side. Our only safety lies in making God’s
word the rule of our faith, and his glory the end of our actions.
May he give to us that humble, inquisitive, and impartial
spirit which is intimately connected with successful investiga-
tion, and which will be the surest pledge of our understanding
and obeying the truth.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGA
E iii.
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