LECTURE XIX.

ON THE PRAYER OF FAITH.

JAMES i. 5, 6, 7.-" 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 anything 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 upbraideth 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. For let not that man think he shall receive anything 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 anything from the Lord. If he receive it 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 :

First. What is the great end or design of prayer?

Second. Wherein does the importance of this duty appear?

Third. What are some of the characteristics of an acceptable prayer?

Fourth. What is to be understood by the prayer of faith, and how far has God bound himself to hear and answer such prayer?

First. What is the great end or design of prayer?

1st. 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.

2d. 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.

3d. 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 intinitely 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 influence 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.

2. It is designed, also, as an act of homage to our Creator of homage due to his infinitely glorious attributes, from creatures 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?

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 determined that certain blessings shall be received only in answer to prayer, and all in accordance with his unchangeable purposes 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 prayprayer can make no difference in my allotments, either here or hereafter-might he not with equal propriety add, neither will I work, nor eat, nor use any means whatsoever to prolong my days? for here also the Divine purpose 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 connection between asking and receiving-a connection more or less certain, acccording 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.

Second. Our second inquiry is, wherein does the great importance of prayer appear?

We shall do little more here, than name some of the principal articles which may be regarded as an answer to this inquiry.

1st. 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.

2d. But this truth is more distinctly announced in the repeated commands given us to pray. It is not left us to consider prayer as a mere privilege, which we may neglect or use at our pleasure. 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 perseverance and supplication for all saints. We are commanded to pray in our closets, in our domestic circles, in our public assemblies, everywhere 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 ourselves and to others.

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3d. 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 connection between asking and receiving the blessings we desire. The Lord will hear when I call upon him; he will fulfill the desire of them that hear 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 unto you. Ask and receive, that your joy may be full." This is the current language of the Bible. How strict the connection is between asking and receiving, or under what circumstances 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 connection exists,