Finney, Charles Grandison Conditions of Prevailing Prayer What Saith the Scripture?

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Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" #o. $................................................................................$ Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" #o. %................................................................................& Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" #o. '..............................................................................%$

Conditions of Prevailing Prayer- No. 1

(y Charles Grandison Finney
President of )(erlin College fro! * he )(erlin +vangelist* Pu(lication of )(erlin College ,ecture .ay %/, $012
Pu(lic 3o!ain e4t 5efor!atted (y 6atie Stewart .

e4t."".att. 2:2, 0: *7s8, and it shall (e given you.* e4t.""9a!es 1:': *:e as8 and receive not, (ecause ye as8 a!iss, to consu!e it upon your lusts.* hese passages are chosen as the foundation of several discourses which ; design to preach on the condition of prevailing prayer. <efore entering directly upon the consideration of those conditions, however, ; dee! it i!portant to !a8e several re!ar8s upon the general su(=ect of prayer and of answers to prayer. hese will occupy our attention on the present occasion. 1. The Bible most unequivocally asserts that all that is properly called prayer is heard and answered. *+very one that as8eth,* that is, in the scriptural sense of the ter!, *receiveth, and he that see8eth, findeth.* his declaration is perfectly e4plicit and to the point. 2. Prayer is not always answered according to the letter, but o ten only according to the spirit. his is a very i!portant distinction. ;t can (e !ade plain (y an e4a!ple ta8en fro! $

scripture. Paul infor!s us that he was afflicted with a thorn in the flesh. >e has not told us precisely what this was. >e calls it his *te!ptation that was in the flesh,* and evidently i!plies that it was a snare and a trou(le to hi!, and a thing which !ight naturally in=ure his influence as an apostle. For this latter reason, pro(a(ly, he was led to *(eseech the ,ord thrice that it !ight depart fro! hi!.* his prayer was o(viously accepta(le to God, and was graciously answered""answered, however, you will o(serve, not in the letter of it, (ut only in its spirit. he letter of the prayer specified the re!oval of this thorn in the flesh? and in this view of his prayer it was not answered. he spirit of the prayer was dou(tless that his influence !ight not (e in=ured, and that his *te!ptation* fro! this evil thing, whatever it was, !ight not overpower hi! and draw hi! into sin. hus far, and in these respects, his prayer was answered. he ,ord assured hi!, saying, *.y grace is sufficient for thee? for !y strength is !ade perfect in wea8ness.* his was a real answer to Paul@s prayer, although it did not follow the particular way of doing it that Paul had na!ed in his prayer. Paul had as8ed that certain desired results !ight (e secured to hi! in a particular !anner. he results sought constituted the spirit of the prayer? the specified !anner constituted the letter. he ,ord secured to hi! the results, and perhaps even !ore fully than Paul e4pected or specifically as8ed? (ut >e did it, not in Paul@s specified way, (ut in his own. So it often happens when we pray. he ways of the ,ord are so !uch wiser than our own, that he 8indly and !ost (enevolently declines to follow our way, and ta8es his own. he great end, however, which we see8, if our prayer is accepta(le to >i!, >e will certainly secure, perhaps !ore perfectly in his own way than he could in ours. ;f, therefore, we suppose that prayer !ust always (e answered according to the letter, we shall find ourselves greatly !ista8en. <ut the spirit of accepta(le prayer God will always answer. ;f the letter and the spirit of prayer were in any case identical, the ,ord would answer (oth? when they are not identical, he !ay answer only according to its spirit. !. "o person can be saved unless in such a state o mind as to o er acceptable prayer. #o !an can (e =ustified (efore God at all, unless in such a state of !ind as would (e accepted in prayer. his is so plain as to need no proof""so plain as to preclude all dou(t. #. $any things are really answers to prayer which are not recogni%ed as such by the suppliant, nor by observers. his you will see !ay very easily happen in cases where the spirit and the letter of prayer are diverse fro! each other. 7n o(server, of course, is not li8ely to notice any thing (ut the letter of another@s prayer. ConseAuently, if his prayer is answered only in the spirit of it, and not in the letter at all, he will fail to recogniBe the answer. 7nd the sa!e thing !ay occur in respect to the suppliant hi!self. Cnless he notices particularly the inner state of his own !ind, he !ay not get definitely (efore his eye the real thing which constitutes the spirit of his own prayer. ;f his attention is chiefly turned towards the letter of it, he !ay receive an answer to its spirit, and !ay not notice it as a real answer to his prayer.

he accepta(le prayer of any Christian !ay (e Auite a different thing fro! what others suppose it to (e, and so!eti!es different fro! what hi!self supposes. ;n such cases, the answer will often fail to (e recogniBed as an answer. >ence it is of vital i!portance that we should ourselves understand the real spirit of our own prayer. 7ll this applies yet !ore freAuently in respect to others than to the suppliant hi!self. Csually they see only the letter of a prayer and not the spirit. >ence if the latter is answered and not the for!er, they will naturally suppose that the prayer is not answered, when really it is answered and in the (est possi(le way. S8eptics often stand (y tauntingly, and cry out, *:ou Christians are always praying? (ut your prayers are never answered.* :et God !ay (e really answering their prayer in the spirit of it, and in the !ost effectual and glorious !anner. ; thin8 ; could na!e !any instances in which, while s8eptics were triu!phing as if God did not hear prayer, >e was really hearing it in regard to the true spirit of it, and in such a way as !ost signally to glorify >i!self. &. $uch that is called prayer is not answered in any sense whatever, and is not real prayer. .uch that goes under the na!e of prayer is offered !erely for the for! of it, with neither care nor e4pectation to (e answered. hose who pray thus will not watch to see whether their prayers are answered in any sense whatever. For e4a!ple, there are so!e who pray as a !atter of cold duty""only (ecause they !ust, and not (ecause they feel their need of so!e specific (lessing. >ence their prayer is nothing (ut a for!. heir heart is not set upon any particular o(=ect. hey only care to do what they call a duty? they do not care with an4ious heart for any o(=ect they !ay specify in their prayers. >ence the thing they really care for, is not the thing they pray for. ;n words they pray for this thing? in heart for Auite another thing. 7nd the evidence of this is in the fact that they never loo8 after the thing they pray for in words. ;f they prayed in heart for any thing, they would certainly loo8 to see whether the (lessing as8ed for is given. Suppose a !an had petitioned for so!e appoint!ent to office, and had sent on his application to the President or to the appointing power. Pro(a(ly his heart is greatly set on attaining it. ;f so you will see hi! watching the !ail for the reply to his co!!unication. +very day you !ay see hi! at the office ready to seiBe his letter at the earliest possi(le !o!ent. <ut if on the other hand, he applied only for for!@s sa8e? and cares nothing a(out the office, or does not at all e4pect it, you will see hi! a(out other (usiness or pleasure, which he does care for. he latter case rarely occurs in hu!an affairs, (ut in religious things nothing is !ore co!!on. .ultitudes are engaged fro! ti!e to ti!e in what they call praying? their o(=ect (eing often only to appease their consciences""not to o(tain any desired (lessing. )f course the Auiet of their conscience is the only thing they really see8 (y prayer, and it would (e a(surd in the! to loo8 after any other answer than this. hey are not wont to (e guilty of this a(surdity. )f course those who pray thus are not disappointed if they are not heard. ;t would (e so

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in case of petitions addressed to !en? it is so naturally when petitions are addressed to God. 7 real Christian so!eti!es as8s in the letter of prayer for what he finds God cannot give. ;n such a case he can (e satisfied only with the consideration that God always e4ercises his own infinite wisdo! and his not less infinite love. )ne great thing that lay nearest his heart if he was in the true spirit of prayer will (e granted, na!ely, that God !ay (e honored in the e4ercise of his own wisdo! and love. his God will surely do. So far forth, therefore, the spirit of his prayer will (e granted. ;t deserves special notice that those who pray as a !atter of for! only, and with no heart set upon the (lessing na!ed in the prayer, never enAuire for the reasons why they are not answered. heir !inds are entirely at ease on this point, (ecause they feel no solicitude a(out the answer at all. hey did not pray for the sa8e of an answer. >ence they will never trou(le the!selves to enAuire why the answer to the words of their prayer fails of (eing given. >ow !any of you who hear !e, !ay see in this the real reason why you so rarely loo8 after any answer to your prayers? or the reason why you care so little a(out it, if your !ind should chance to advert to it at all? 7gain, when our petitions are not answered either in letter or in their spirit, it is (ecause we have not fulfilled the revealed conditions of accepta(le prayer. .any persons see! to overloo8 the fact that there are conditions of accepta(le prayer revealed in the <i(le. <ut this is a fact (y far too i!portant to (e ever wisely overloo8ed. ;t surely (eco!es every Christian to 8now not only that there are conditions, (ut also what they are. ,et us, then, fully understand that if our prayers are not answered, it is (ecause we have failed of fulfilling the revealed conditions. his !ust (e the reason why our prayers are not answered, for God has assured us in his word that all real prayer is always answered. #othing can (e !ore i!portant than that we should thoroughly understand the conditions of prevailing prayer. ;f we fail thus to understand the!, we shall very pro(a(ly fail to fulfill the!, and of course fail to offer prevailing prayer. 7las, how ruinous a failure !ust this (e to any soulD here are those, ; a! aware, who do not e4pect to influence God (y their prayers? they e4pect to produce effects upon the!selves only. hey hope (y !eans of prayer to (ring the!selves to a (etter state of !ind, and this is all they e4pect to gain (y !eans of prayer. o all such ; have two things to say: E$.F ;t !ay (e that an individual not in a right state of !ind !ay (e (enefited (y giving hi!self to prayer. ;f the prayer is offered with sincerity and sole!nity""with a real feeling of want, as it is so!eti!es in the case of a convicted sinner, it !ay have a very happy effect upon his own state of !ind. When such a !an gives hi!self up to confession and supplication, and spreads out his case (efore the ,ord, it is usually a !ost i!portant step

towards his real conversion. ;t helps to (ring the character and clai!s of God distinctly (efore his !ind, and has a natural tendency to !a8e his own soul realiBe !ore deeply its guilt, its need of pardon, and its duty of su(!ission and of faith in Christ. <ut if any person should suppose that a case of this sort involves all that is included in prevailing prayer, he !ista8es greatly. ;n prevailing prayer, a child of God co!es (efore hi! with real faith in his pro!ises and as8s for things agreea(le to his will, assured of (eing heard according to the true intent of the pro!ises? and thus co!ing to God he prevails with hi!, and really influences God to do what otherwise he would not do (y any !eans. hat is, prayer truly secures fro! God the (estow!ent of the (lessing sought. #othing less than this corresponds either with the pro!ises of scripture, or with its recorded facts in respect to the answers !ade to prevailing prayer. E%.F God is unchangea(ly in the attitude of answering prayer. his is true for the sa!e reason that >e is unchangea(ly in the attitude of (eing co!placent in holiness whenever he sees it. he reason in (oth cases, lies in his infinitely (enevolent nature. <ecause he is infinitely good, therefore and for no other reason is it that >e is ever!ore in the attitude of answering suita(le prayer, and of (eing co!placent towards all real holiness. 7s in the latter case, whenever a !oral change ta8es place in a sinner of such a nature that God can love hi!, his infinite love gushes forth instantaneously and without (ounds? so in the for!er case, as soon as any suppliant places hi!self in such an attitude that God can wisely answer his prayer, then instantly the ear of 9ehovah inclines to his petition, and the answer is freely given. o illustrate this point, suppose that for a season so!e o(stacle interposes to o(struct the sun(ea!s fro! the rose(ush at your door? it fades and it loo8s sic8ly. <ut ta8e away the o(stacle, and instantly the sun(ea!s fall in their reviving power upon the rose. So sin casts its dar8 shadow upon the soul, and o(structs the sun(ea!s of 9ehovah@s s!iles. <ut ta8e away the o(stacle""the sin""and the s!iles fall in of course, and in their full (laBe on that penitent and !orally changed heart. he sun of 9ehovah@s face shines always? shines in its own nature? and its (ea!s fall on all o(=ects which are not cast into so!e deep shade (y interposing sin and un(elief. )n all o(=ects not thus shaded, its glorious (ea!s forever fall in all their sweetness and (eauty. >ence all real prayer !oves God, not !erely (y (enefiting the suppliant through its refle4 action, (ut really and in fact inducing >i! to grant the (lessing sought. he notion that the whole (enefit of prayer is its refle4 influence upon the suppliant, and not the o(taining of any (lessing as8ed for, is (oth vain and preposterous. :ou !ight as well suppose that all the good you get (y re!oving o(stacles that cut off the sun(ea!s, is the physical e4ercise attending the effort. :ou !ight as well deny that the sun(ea!s will actually reach every o(=ect as soon as you ta8e away that which throws the! into the shade. God does truly hear and answer prayer, even as an earthly parent hears the petition of a dutiful child, and shapes his course to !eet the petition. o deny this involves the denial of the very nature of God. ;t is eAuivalent to denying that God is (enevolent. ;t see!s !ost o(viously to deny that God fulfills his pro!ises? for nothing can (e !ore plain than

the fact that God pro!ises to (e influenced (y prayer so as to (estow (lessings to the suppliant which are given to none others, and on no other condition. ;f God is pure and good, then it !ust needs follow that""the o(stacle of sin (eing re!oved in the case of a fallen (eing""the divine love !ust flow out towards hi! as it did not and could not (efore. God re!ains forever the sa!e, =ust as the sun forever shines? and then his love !eets every o(=ect that lies open to his (ea!s, =ust as the sun@s rays cheer every thing not shaded (y positive o(structions. 7gain, God !ay hear the !ere cry of distress and speedily send help. >e *hears the young ravens when they cry,* and the young lion too when they roar and see8 their !eat fro! God. he stor!"tossed !ariners also, *at their wit@s end, cry unto the ,ord in their trou(le, and he (ringeth the! out of their distress.* >is (enevolence leads hi! to do all this, wherever he can without detri!ent to the interests of his govern!ent. :et this case see!s not to co!e under the pro!ises !ade to (elieving prayer. hese cases of distress often occur in the e4perience of wic8ed !en. :et so!eti!es God see!s o(viously to hear their cry. >e has wise reasons for doing so? pro(a(ly often his o(=ect is to open their eyes to see their own Father, and to touch their hearts with a sense of their ingratitude in their re(ellion against such a God. <ut (e the reason what it !ay, the fact cannot (e disputed. Cases not unfreAuently occur, in which persons not pious are afflicted (y the dangerous illness of near friends or relatives, and lift their i!ploring cry of distress to the ,ord and >e hears the!. ;t is even said in scripture that Christ heard the prayer of devils when they *(esought hi! !uch that he would not send the! away out of the country,* and said, *send us into the swine, that we !ay enter into the!.* .anifestly the ,ord often hears this 8ind of prayer, whenever no special reason e4ists for refusing to hear it. :et this is far fro! (eing that peculiar 8ind of prayer to which the special pro!ises of hearing and answering prayer are !ade. ;t is however (oth interesting and instructive to see how often the ,ord does hear even such prayer as these cries of distress. When the cattle !oan in the fields (ecause there is no water, and (ecause the grass is withered, there is )ne on high who listens to their !oans. Why should he not? >as he not a co!passionate heart? 3oes not his ear (end under the Auic8 i!pulse of spontaneous affection, when any of his creatures cry unto hi! as to their Father, and when no great !oral considerations for(id his showing favor? ;t is stri8ing to see how !uch the parental character of the great 9ehovah is developed in the course of his providence (y his hearing this 8ind of prayer. 7 great !ultitude of facts are e4hi(ited (oth in the <i(le and in history, which set this su(=ect in a strong light. ; once 8new a wic8ed !an who under deep affliction fro! the dangerous illness of his child, set hi!self to pray that God would spare and restore the dear one? and God appeared to answer his prayer in a !ost re!ar8a(le !anner. hose of you who have read the *<an8 of Faith,* 8now that .r. >untington, (efore his conversion, in !any instances see!ed to e4perience the sa!e 8ind of signal answers to

his prayers. 7nother anecdote was told !e the past winter which ; should relate !ore freely if it were not so!ewhat a!using and laugha(le as well as instructive. 7 wic8ed !an who had perhaps never prayed since he was a child, was out with a hunting party, on the confines of ;owa, hunting wild (uffalo. .ounted on trained horses, lasso in hand, they ca!e up to a herd of (uffalo, and this !an encountered a fierce (uffalo (ull. he ani!al rushed upon hi!, and at his first push unhorsed hi!? (ut Auic8 as thought in his fall, the !an seiBed his own horse@s nec8, swung upon the under side of the nec8, and there held on in the ut!ost peril of his life? his horse (eing at full gallop, pursued (y a ferocious wild (ull. o (rea8 his hold and fall, was al!ost certain death, and he was every !o!ent in the ut!ost danger of falling under the flying feet of his rushing horse. ;n this predica!ent he (ethought hi!self of prayer? (ut the only words he could thin8 of, were, *#ow ; lay !e down to sleep, ; pray the ,ord !y soul to 8eep.* Perhaps he had never heard !uch other prayer than this. his lay e!(al!ed a!ong the recollections of his childhood days. :et even this prayer the ,ord in his infinite !ercy see!ed to hear and answer (y rescuing the !an unhurt fro! this perilous condition. he case affords us a stri8ing e4e!plification not only of the fact that God hears the cry of !ere distress, so!eti!es even when !ade (y wic8ed !en, (ut also of another fact, na!ely, that the spirit of a prayer !ay (e a very different thing fro! its letter. ;n this case, the letter and the spirit had no very close rese!(lance. he spirit of the prayer was for deliverance fro! i!!inent peril. his the ,ord see!s to have heard. <ut it should (e continually (orne in !ind, that these are not the prayers which God has pledged hi!self (y pro!ise to hear and answer. he latter are ever!ore the (elieving prayers of his own children. )ur great enAuiry now has respect to this class of prayers, na!ely, those which God has sole!nly pro!ised to answer. 7ttached to the pro!ises !ade respecting this class of prayers are certain conditions. hese (eing fulfilled, God holds hi!self (ound to answer the prayer according to the letter and spirit (oth, if they (oth correspond? or if they do not correspond, then >e will answer according to the spirit of the prayer. his is ever!ore the !eaning of his pro!ise. >is pro!ise to answer prayer on certain conditions is a pledge at least to !eet it in its true spirit, and do or give what the spirit of the prayer i!plies. ;t now (eco!es us to enAuire !ost diligently and !ost earnestly for the conditions of prevailing prayer. his point ; shall enter upon in !y ne4t discourse. '()**+,of easily !isunderstood ter!s as defined (y .r. Finney hi!self. Co!piled (y 6atie Stewart Complacency, or .steem: *Co!placency, as a state of will or heart, is only (enevolence !odified (y the consideration or relation of right character in the o(=ect of it. God, prophets, apostles, !artyrs, and saints, in all ages, are as virtuous in their self"denying 2

and untiring la(ours to save the wic8ed, as they are in their co!placent love to the saints.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE VII). 7lso, *appro(ation of the character of its o(=ect. Co!placency is due only to the good and holy.* Lectures to Professing Christians (LECTURE XII). /isinterested Benevolence: *<y disinterested (enevolence ; do not !ean, that a person who is disinterested feels no interest in his o(=ect of pursuit, (ut that he see8s the happiness of others for its own sa8e, and not for the sa8e of its reaction on hi!self, in pro!oting his own happiness. >e chooses to do good (ecause he re=oices in the happiness of others, and desires their happiness for its own sa8e. God is purely and disinterestedly (enevolent. >e does not !a8e >is creatures happy for the sa8e of there(y pro!oting >is own happiness, (ut (ecause >e loves their happiness and chooses it for its own sa8e. #ot that >e does not feel happy in pro!oting the happiness of >is creatures, (ut that >e does not do it for the sa8e of >is own gratification.* Lectures to Professing Christians (LECTURE I). /ivine *overeignty: * he sovereignty of God consists in the independence of his will, in consulting his own intelligence and discretion, in the selection of his end, and the !eans of acco!plishing it. ;n other words, the sovereignty of God is nothing else than infinite (enevolence directed (y infinite 8nowledge.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LXXVI). .lection: * hat all of 7da!@s race, who are or ever will (e saved, were fro! eternity chosen (y God to eternal salvation, through the sanctification of their hearts (y faith in Christ. ;n other words, they are chosen to salvation (y !eans of sanctification. heir salvation is the end" their sanctification is a !eans. <oth the end and the !eans are elected, appointed, chosen? the !eans as really as the end, and for the sa8e of the end.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LXXIV). .ntire *ancti ication: *Sanctification !ay (e entire in two senses: E$.F ;n the sense of present, full o(edience, or entire consecration to God? and, E%.F ;n the sense of continued, a(iding consecration or o(edience to God. +ntire sanctification, when the ter!s are used in this sense, consists in (eing esta(lished, confir!ed, preserved, continued in a state of sanctification or of entire consecration to God.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LVIII). $oral +gency: *.oral agency is universally a condition of !oral o(ligation. he attri(utes of !oral agency are intellect, sensi(ility, and free will.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE III). $oral /epravity: *.oral depravity is the depravity of free"will, not of the faculty itself, (ut of its free action. ;t consists in a violation of !oral law. 3epravity of the will, as a faculty, is, or would (e, physical, and not !oral depravity. ;t would (e depravity of su(stance, and not of free, responsi(le choice. .oral depravity is depravity of choice. ;t is a choice at variance with !oral law, !oral right. ;t is synony!ous with sin or sinfulness. ;t is !oral depravity, (ecause it consists in a violation of !oral law, and (ecause it has !oral character.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXVIII). 0uman ,eason: *the intuitive faculty or function of the intellect... it is the faculty that intuits !oral relations and affir!s !oral o(ligation to act in confor!ity with perceived !oral relations.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE III).

,etributive 1ustice: *5etri(utive =ustice consists in treating every su(=ect of govern!ent according to his character. ;t respects the intrinsic !erit or de!erit of each individual, and deals with hi! accordingly.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXIV). Total /epravity: *.oral depravity of the unregenerate is without any !i4ture of !oral goodness or virtue, that while they re!ain unregenerate, they never in any instance, nor in any degree, e4ercise true love to God and to !an.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXVIII). 2nbelie : *the soul@s withholding confidence fro! truth and the God of truth. he heart@s re=ection of evidence, and refusal to (e influenced (y it. he will in the attitude of opposition to truth perceived, or evidence presented.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LV).

What Saith the Scripture?

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Conditions of Prevailing Prayer- No. 2

(y Charles Grandison Finney
President of )(erlin College fro! * he )(erlin +vangelist* Pu(lication of )(erlin College ,ecture -; 9une &, $012
Pu(lic 3o!ain e4t 5efor!atted (y 6atie Stewart .

e4t."".att. 2:2, 0: *7s8, and it shall (e given you.* e4t.""9a!es 1:': *:e as8 and receive not, (ecause ye as8 a!iss, to consu!e it upon your lusts.* ; will co!!ence the present discourse (y (riefly recapitulating the prefatory re!ar8s which ; !ade in !y first ser!on on this su(=ect. ; then o(served, $. hat all real prayer is heard and answered. %. Prayer is not always answered according to the letter of it, (ut often only according to its spirit. 7s an instance of this, ; spo8e of the stri8ing case recorded respecting Paul@s thorn in the flesh. '. #one can (e saved who are not in a state of !ind to prevail in prayer.

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1. .any things are really answers to prayer which are not recogniBed (y the suppliant as such nor (y those who witness the prayer, the (lessing (estowed, or the thing done in connection with it. G. .uch that is called prayer is not really prayer at all. /. .any neither care nor e4pect to (e heard, and therefore do not watch to see whether their prayers are answered. hey pray !erely as a duty? their heart (eing set on doing the duty and appeasing their consciences, and not on o(taining the (lessing no!inally as8ed for. 2. #or do such persons feel disappointed if they fail of o(taining what they profess to as8 for in prayer. 0. hey do not trou(le the!selves to enAuire why they are not answered. ;f they can only discharge their duty and appease their consciences, they have their desire. &. Failure to o(tain the (lessing sought is always (ecause the revealed conditions are not fulfilled. $H. #othing is !ore i!portant for us than to attend to, and understand the revealed conditions of prevailing prayer. $$. God !ay answer the !ere cry of distress when (enevolence does not for(id it. >e often does hear the sailor in the stor!""the young ravens in their hunger? (ut this is a very different thing fro! that prayer which God has pledged hi!self (y pro!ise to hear and answer on the fulfil!ent of certain conditions. This Brings 2s To + Consideration ) The Conditions ) Prevailing Prayer. 1. The irst condition is, a state o mind in which you would o er the (ord3s prayer sincerely and acceptably. Christ at their reAuest taught his disciples how to pray. ;n doing so, >e gave the! an epito!e of the appropriate su(=ects of prayer, and also threw a !ost i!portant light upon the spirit with which all prayer should (e offered. his for! is e4ceedingly co!prehensive. +very word is full of !eaning. ;t would see! very o(vious however that our ,ord did not intend here to specify all the particular things we !ay pray for, (ut only to group together so!e of the great heads of su(=ects which are appropriate to (e sought of God in prayer, and also to show us with what te!per and spirit we should co!e (efore the ,ord. his is evidently not designed as a !ere for!, to (e used always and without variation. ;t cannot (e that Christ intended we should ever!ore use these words in prayer and no other words? for he never again used these precise words hi!self""so far as we 8now fro! the sacred record""(ut did often use other and very different words, as the scriptures

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a(undantly testify. <ut this for! answers a !ost ad!ira(le purpose if we understand it to (e given us to teach us these two !ost i!portant things, na!ely, what sort of (lessings we !ay pray for, and in what spirit we should pray for the!. .ost surely, then, we cannot hope to pray accepta(ly unless we can offer this prayer in its real spirit""our own hearts deeply sy!pathiBing with the spirit of this prayer. ;f we cannot pray the ,ord@s prayer sincerely, we cannot offer any accepta(le prayer at all. >ence it (eco!es us to e4a!ine carefully the words of this recorded for! of prayer. :et, (e it re!e!(ered, it is not these words, as !ere words, that God regards, or that we should value. Words the!selves, apart fro! their !eaning, and fro! their !eaning as used (y us, would neither please nor displease God."">e loo8s on the heart. (et us now re er to the (ord3s prayer, and to the connection in which it stands. *When ye pray,* says our ,ord, *use not vain repetitions as the heathen do? for they thin8 that they shall (e heard for their !uch spea8ing.* :et (e it well considered, the precept, *Cse not vain repetitions,* should (y no !eans (e construed to discourage the ut!ost perseverance and fervency of spirit in prayer. he passage does not for(id our renewing our reAuests fro! great earnestness of spirit. )ur ,ord hi!self did this in the garden, repeating his supplication *in the sa!e words.* -ain repetitions are what is for(idden? not repetitions which gush fro! a (urdened spirit. This orm o prayer invites us, irst o all to address the great God as *)ur Father who art in heaven.* his authoriBes us to co!e as children and address the .ost >igh, feeling that he is a Father to us. he first petition follows""*>allowed (e thy na!e.* What is the e4act idea of this language? o hallow is to sanctify? to dee! and render sacred. here is a passage in Peter@s +pistle which !ay throw light on this. >e says, *Sanctify the ,ord God in your hearts.* he !eaning see!s plainly to (e this?"" Set apart the ,ord God in your hearts as the only true o(=ect of supre!e, eternal adoration, worship, and praise. Place >i! alone on the throne of your hearts. ,et >i! (e the only hallowed o(=ect there. So here in the first petition of the ,ord@s Prayer, we pray that (oth ourselves and all intelligent (eings !ay in this sense hallow the na!e of the ,ord God and sanctify >i! in their hearts. )ur prayer is"",et all adore thee""the infinite Father""as the only o(=ect of universal adoration, praise, worship, and love. his prayer hence i!plies:

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E$.F 7 desire that this hallowing of 9ehovah@s na!e should (e universal. E%.F 7 willingness to concur heartily ourselves in this senti!ent. )ur own hearts are in deep sy!pathy with it. )ur in!ost souls cry out"",et God (e honoured, adored, loved, worshipped and revered (y all on earth and all in heaven. )f course, praying in this spirit, we shall have the highest reverence for God.""<eginning our prayer thus, it will so far (e accepta(le to God. Without such reverence for 9ehovah@s na!e, no prayer can possi(ly (e accepta(le. 7ll irreverent praying is !oc8ery, !ost a(horrent to the pure and e4alted 9ehovah. The second petition""* hy 8ingdo! co!e.* What does this language i!ply? E$.F 7 desire that God@s 8ingdo! should (e set up in the world and all !en (eco!e holy. he will is set upon this as the highest and !ost to (e desired of all o(=ects whatever. ;t (eco!es the supre!e desire of the soul, and all other things sin8 into co!parative insignificance (efore it. he !ind and the =udg!ent approve and delight in the 8ingdo! of God as in itself infinitely e4cellent, and then the will har!oniBes !ost perfectly with this decision of intelligence. ,et it (e well o(served here that our ,ord in giving this for! of prayer, assu!es throughout that we shall use all this language with !ost profound sincerity. ;f any !an were to use these words and re=ect their spirit fro! his heart, his prayer would (e an utter a(o!ination (efore God. Whoever would pray at all, should consider that God loo8s on the heart, and is a holy God. E%.F ;t is i!plied in this petition that the suppliant does what he can to esta(lish this 8ingdo!. >e is actually doing all he can to pro!ote this great end for which he prays. +lse he fails entirely of evincing his sincerity. For nothing can (e !ore sure than that every !an who prays sincerely for the co!ing of 9ehovah@s 8ingdo!, truly desires and wills that it !ay co!e? and if so, he will neglect no !eans in his power to pro!ote and hasten its co!ing. >ence every !an who sincerely offers this petition will lay hi!self out to pro!ote the o(=ect. >e will see8 (y every !eans to !a8e the truth of God universally prevalent and triu!phant. E'.F ; !ight also say that the sincere offering of this petition i!plies a resistance of everything inconsistent with the co!ing of this 8ingdo!. his you cannot fail to understand. 4e now pass to the ne5t petition""* hy will (e done in earth as it is in heaven.* his petition i!plies that we desire to have God@s will done, and that this desire is supre!e. ;t i!plies also a delight in having the will of God done (y all his creatures, and a corresponding sorrow whenever it fails of (eing done (y any intelligent (eing. here is also i!plied a state of the will in har!ony with this desire. 7 !an whose will is averse to having his own desires granted is insincere, even although his desires are real.

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Such a !an is not honest and consistent with hi!self. ;n general ; re!ar8 respecting this petition that if it (e offered sincerely, the following things !ust (e true: E$.F he suppliant is willing that God should reAuire all >e does, and as >e does. >is heart will acAuiesce (oth in the things reAuired and in the !anner in which God reAuires the!. ;t would indeed (e strange that a !an should pray sincerely that God@s will !ight (e done, and yet not (e willing hi!self that God should give law, or carry his will into effect. Such inconsistencies never can happen where the heart is truly sincere and honest (efore God. #o, never. he honest hearted suppliant is as willing that God@s will should (e done as the saints in heaven are. >e delights in having it done, !ore than in all riches"" !ore than in his highest earthly =oy. E%.F When a !an offers this petition sincerely, it is i!plied that he is really doing, hi!self, all the 8nown will of God. For if he is acting contrary to his actual 8nowledge of God@s will, it is !ost certain that he is not sincere in praying that God@s will !ay (e done. ;f he sincerely desires and is willing that God@s will should (e done, why does he not do it hi!self? E'.F ;t i!plies a willingness that God should use his own discretion in the affairs of the universe, and =ust as really and fully in this world as in heaven itself. :ou all ad!it that in heaven God e4ercises a holy sovereignty. ; do not !ean (y this, an ar(itrary unreasona(le sovereignty, (ut ; !ean a control of all things according to his own infinite wisdo! and love""e4ercising ever!ore his own discretion, and depending on the counsel of none (ut hi!self. hus God reigns in heaven. :ou also see that in heaven, all created (eings e4ercise the !ost perfect su(!ission, and confidence in God. hey all allow hi! to carry out his own plans fra!ed in wisdo! and love, and they even re=oice with e4ceeding =oy that >e does. ;t is their highest (lessedness. Such is the state of feeling towards God universally in heaven. 7nd such it should (e on earth. he !an who offers this petition sincerely !ust appro4i!ate very closely to the state of !ind which o(tains in heaven. >e will re=oice that God appoints all things as >e pleases, and that all (eings should (e, and do, and suffer as God ordains. ;f !an has not such confidence in God as to (e willing that he should control all events respecting his own fa!ily, his friends, all his interests, in short, for ti!e and eternity, then certainly his heart is not su(!issive to God, and it is hypocrisy for hi! to pray that God@s will !ay (e done on earth as in heaven. ;t !ust (e hypocrisy in hi! (ecause his own heart re(els against the senti!ent of his own words. his petition, offered honestly i!plies nothing less than universal, unAualified su(!ission to God. he heart really su(!its, and delights in its su(!ission.

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#o thought is so truly pleasing as that of having God@s will done ever!ore. 7 sincere offering of this prayer or indeed of any prayer whatever involves the fullest possi(le su(!ission of all events for ti!e and for eternity to the hands of God. 7ll real prayer puts God on the throne of the universe, and the suppliant low (efore >i! at his footstool. E1.F he offering of this petition sincerely, i!plies confor!ity of life to this state of the will. :ou will readily see that this !ust (e the case, (ecause the will governs the outward life (y a law of necessity. he action of this law !ust (e universal so long as !an re!ains a voluntary !oral agent. So long therefore the ulti!ate purpose of the will !ust control the outward life. >ence the !an who offers this prayer accepta(ly !ust live as he prays? !ust live according to his own prayers. ;t would (e a strange and !ost unaccounta(le thing indeed if the heart should (e in a state to offer this prayer sincerely and yet should act itself out in the life directly contrary to its own e4pressed and supre!e preference and purpose. Such a case is i!possi(le. he very supposition involves the a(surdity of assu!ing that a !an@s supre!e preference shall not control his outward life. ;n saying this, however, ; do not deny that a !an@s state of !ind !ay change, so as to differ the ne4t hour fro! what it is this. >e !ay (e in a state one hour to offer this prayer accepta(ly, and the ne4t hour !ay act in a !anner right over against his prayer. <ut if in this latter hour you could 8now the state of his will, you would find that it is not such that he can pray accepta(ly""* hy will (e done.* #o, his will is so changed as to confor! to what you see in his outward life. >ence a !an@s state of heart !ay (e to so!e e4tent 8nown fro! his e4ternal actions. :ou !ay at least 8now that his heart does not sincerely offer this prayer if his life does not confor! to the 8nown will of God. 4e pass to the ne5t petition""*Give us this day our daily (read.* ;t is plain that this i!plies dependence on God for all the favors and !ercies we either possess or need. he petition is re!ar8a(ly co!prehensive. ;t na!es only (read, and only the (read for *this day?* yet none can dou(t that it was designed to include also our water and our needful clothing""whatever we really need for our highest health, and usefulness, and en=oy!ent on earth. For all these we loo8 to God. )ur Saviour dou(tless !eant to give us in general the su(=ects of prayer, showing us for what things it is proper for us to pray? and also the spirit with which we should pray. hese are plainly the two great points which he ai!ed chiefly to illustrate in this re!ar8a(le for! of prayer. Whoever offers this petition sincerely is in a state of !ind to recogniBe and gratefully

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ac8nowledge the providence of God. >e sees the hand of God in all the circu!stances that affect his earthly state. he rain and the sunshine""the winds and the frosts, he sees co!ing, all of the!, fro! the hand of his own Father. >ence he loo8s up in the spirit of a child""saying, *Give !e this day !y daily (read.* <ut there are those who philosophiBe and speculate the!selves entirely out of this filial dependence on God. hey arrive at such ideas of the !agnitude of the universe that it (eco!es in their view too great for God to govern (y a !inute attention to particular events. >ence they see no God, other than an un8nowing #ature in the ordinary processes of vegetation, or in the laws that control ani!al life. 7 certain indefina(le (ut unintelligent power which they call #ature, does it all. >ence they do not e4pect God to hear their prayers, or notice their wants. #ature will !ove on in its own deter!ined channel whether they pray or restrain prayer. #ow !en who hold such opinions cannot pray the ,ord@s prayer without the !ost glaring hypocrisy. >ow can they offer this prayer and !ean anything (y it, if they truly (elieve that everything is nailed down to a fi4ed chain of events in which no regard is had or can (e had to the prayers or wants of !an? Surely, nothing is !ore plain than that this prayer recogniBes !ost fully the universal providence of that sa!e infinite Father who gives us the pro!ises and who invites us to plead the! for o(taining all the (lessings we can ever need. ;t practically recogniBes God as 5uler over all. What if a !an should offer this prayer, (ut should add to it an appendi4 of this sort""*,ord, although we as8 of thee our daily (read, yet hou 8nowest we do not (elieve hou hast anything at all to do with giving us each day our daily (read? for we (elieve hou art too high and hy universe too large to ad!it of our supposing that hou canst attend to so s!all a !atter as supplying our daily food. We (elieve that hou art so unchangea(le, and the laws of nature are so fi4ed that no regard can possi(ly (e had to our prayers or our wants.* #ow would this style of prayer correspond with the petitions given us (y Christ, or with their o(vious spirit? Plainly this prayer dictated (y our ,ord for us, i!plies a state of heart that leans upon God for everything""for even the !ost !inute things that can possi(ly affect our happiness or (e to us o(=ects of desire. he !ind loo8s up to the great God, e4pecting fro! >i!, and fro! >i! alone, every good and perfect gift. For everything we need, our eye turns naturally and spontaneously towards our great Father. 7nd this is a daily dependence. he state of !ind which it i!plies is ha(itual. 4e must pass now to the ne5t petition, *Forgive us our de(ts as we forgive our de(tors.*

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;n this i!!ediate connection, the Saviour says, *For if ye forgive !en their trespasses, your >eavenly Father will also forgive you. <ut if ye forgive not !en their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.* he word trespasses, therefore dou(tless e4plains what is !eant (y de(ts in the ,ord@s prayer. ,u8e, in reciting this ,ord@s prayer, has it""*Forgive us our sins? for we also forgive every one that is inde(ted to us.* hese various for!s of e4pression serve to !a8e the !eaning Auite plain. ;t !ay often happen that in such a world as this, so!e of !y fellow !en !ay wrong or at least offend !e""in so!e such way as ; wrong and displease God. ;n such cases this petition of the ,ord@s prayer i!plies that ; forgive those who in=ure !e, even as ; pray to (e forgiven !yself. he phraseology in .atthew !a8es the fact that we forgive others either the !easure, or the condition of our (eing forgiven? while as given (y ,u8e, it see!s to (e at least a condition if not a ground or reason of the reAuest for personal forgiveness. he for!er reads""*Forgive us as we forgive,* Ic. and the latter?"" *Forgive us, for we also forgive every one inde(ted to us.* #ow on this petition ; re!ar8, E$.F ;t cannot possi(ly i!ply that God will forgive us our sins while we are still co!!itting the!. Suppose one should use this for! of petition?""*,ord, forgive !e for having in=ured hee as hou 8nowest that ; do !ost freely forgive all !en who in=ure !e?* while yet it is perfectly apparent to the !an hi!self and to every(ody else that he is still in=uring and a(using God as !uch as ever. Would not such a course (e eAuivalent to saying, *,ord, ; a! very careful, hou seest, not to in=ure !y fellow !en, and ; freely forgive their wrongs against !e? (ut ; care not how !uch ; a(use and wrong heeD* his would (e horri(leD :et this horri(le prayer is virtually invo8ed whenever !en as8 of God forgiveness with the spirit of sin and re(ellion in their hearts. E%.F his petition never reads thus? *Forgive us our sins and ena(le us to forgive others also.* his would (e a !ost a(o!ina(le prayer to offer to God? certainly if it (e understood to i!ply that we cannot forgive others unless we are specially ena(led to do so (y power given us in answer to prayer? and worse still, if this ina(ility to forgive is i!puted to God as its 7uthor. >owever the phraseology (e e4plained, and whatever it (e understood to i!ply, it is co!!on enough in the !ouths of !en? (ut nowhere found in the (oo8 of God. E'.F Christ, on the other hand, says?""Forgive us as we forgive others. We have often in=ured, a(used, and wronged hee. )ur fellow !en have also often in=ured us, (ut hou 8nowest we have freely forgiven the!. #ow, therefore, forgive us as hou seest we have forgiven others. ;f hou seest that we do forgive others, then do hou indeed forgive us and not otherwise. We cannot as8 to (e ourselves forgiven on any other condition. E1.F .any see! to consider the!selves Auite pious if they can put up with it when they are in=ured or slighted? if they can possi(ly control the!selves so as not to (rea8 out into

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a passion. ;f, however, they are really wronged, they i!agine they do well to (e angry. ), to (e sureD so!e(ody has really wronged the!, and shall they not resent it and study how to get revenge, or at least, redress? <ut !ar8? the 7postle Peter says, *;f when ye do well and suffer for it, ye ta8e it patiently, this is accepta(le with God.* *For even hereunto were ye called,* as if all Christians had received a special call to this holy e4a!ple. ) how would such an e4a!ple re(u8e the spirit of the worldD EG.F ;t is one re!ar8a(le condition of (eing answered in prayer that we suffer ourselves to har(our no ill"will to any hu!an (eing. We !ust forgive all that wrong us, and forgive the! too fro! the heart. God as really reAuires us to love our ene!ies as to love our friends,""as really reAuires us to forgive others as to as8 forgiveness for ourselves. 3o we always (ear this in !ind? 7re you, (eloved, always careful to see to it that your state of !ind towards all who !ay possi(ly have wronged you is one of real forgiveness, and do you never thin8 of co!ing to God in prayer until you are sure you have a forgiving spirit yourself? Plainly, this is one of the ways in which we !ay test our fitness of heart to prevail with God in prayer. *When thou standest, praying, forgive, if thou hast ought against any.* hin8 not to gain audience (efore God unless thou dost !ost fully and heartily forgive all who !ay (e thought to have wronged thee. So!eti!es persons of a peculiar te!pera!ent lay up grudges against others. hey have ene!ies against who! they not only spea8 evil, (ut 8now not how to spea8 well. #ow such persons who har(or such grudges in their hearts, can no !ore prevail with God in prayer than the devil can. God would as soon hear the devil pray and answer his prayers as hear and answer the!. hey need not thin8 to (e heard?""not theyD >ow !any ti!es have ; had occasion to re(u8e this unforgiving spiritD )ften while in a place la(oring to pro!ote a revival, ; have seen the wor8ings of this =ealous, unforgiving spirit, and ; have felt li8e saying, a8e these things henceD Why do you get up a prayer" !eeting and thin8 to pray to God when you 8now that you hate your (rother? and 8now !oreover that ; 8now you do? 7way with itD ,et such professed Christians repent, (rea8 down, get into the dust at the feet of God, and !en too, (efore they thin8 to pray accepta(lyD Cntil they do thus repent all their prayers are only a *s!o8e in the nose* (efore God. )ur ne5t petition is"" *,ead us not into te!ptation, (ut deliver us fro! evil.* 7nd what is i!plied in this? 7 fear and dread of sin?""a watchfulness against te!ptation? an an4ious solicitude lest (y any !eans we should (e overco!e and fall into sin. )n this point Christ often warned his disciples, and not the! only, (ut what >e said unto the!, >e said unto all,""*Watch.* 7 !an not afraid of sin and te!ptation cannot present this petition in a !anner accepta(le to God.

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:ou will o(serve, !oreover, that this petition does not (y any !eans i!ply that God leads !en into te!ptation in order to !a8e the! sin, so that we !ust needs i!plore of >i! not to lead us thus, lest >e should do it. #o, that is not i!plied at all? (ut the spirit of the petition is this?"") ,ord, hou 8nowest how wea8 ; a!, and how prone to sin? therefore let thy providence guard and 8eep !e that ; !ay not indulge in anything whatever that !ay prove to !e a te!ptation to sin. 3eliver us fro! all iniAuity""fro! all the stratage!s of the devil. hrow around us all thy precious guardianship, that we !ay (e 8ept fro! sinning against hee. >ow needful this protection, and how fit that we should pray for it without ceasingD This orm o prayer concludes""*For thine is the 8ingdo!, the power, and the glory forever, a!en.* >ere is an ac8nowledg!ent of the universal govern!ent of God. he suppliant recogniBes his supre!acy and re=oices in it. hus it is when the !ind is in the attitude of prevailing prayer. ;t is !ost perfectly natural then for us to regard the character, attri(utes, and 8ingdo! of God as infinitely sacred and glorious. >ow perfectly spontaneous is this feeling in the heart of all who really pray, *; as8 all this (ecause hou art a powerful, universal, and holy Sovereign."" hou art the infinite Source of all (lessings. Cnto hee, therefore, do ; loo8 for all needed good either for !yself or !y fellow (eingsD* >ow deeply does the praying heart realiBe and re=oice in the universal supre!acy of the great 9ehovahD 7ll power, and glory, and do!inion are thine, and thine only, for ever and ever, a!en and a!en. ,et !y whole soul re"echo, a!en. ,et the power and the glory (e the ,ord@s alone for ever!ore. ,et !y soul for ever feel and utter this senti!ent with its deepest and !ost fervent e!phasis. ,et God reign supre!e and adored through all earth and all heaven, henceforth and for ever. ,.$+,6*. $. he state of !ind involved in this prayer !ust (e connected with a holy life. .ost !anifestly it can never co"e4ist with a sinning life. ;f you allow yourself in sin, you certainly cannot have access to God in prayer. :ou cannot enter into the spirit of the ,ord@s prayer and appropriately utter its petitions. %. he appropriate offering of this prayer involves a corresponding sensi(ility""a state of feeling in har!ony with it. he !ind of the suppliant !ust sy!pathiBe with the spirit of this for! of prayer. )therwise he does, (y no !eans, !a8e this prayer his own. '. ;t is nothing (etter than !oc8ery to use the ,ord@s prayer as a !ere for!. So !ultitudes do use it, especially when pu(lic worship is conducted (y the use of for!s of prayer. )ften you !ay hear this for! of prayer repeated over and over in such a way as see!s to

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testify that the !ind ta8es no cogniBance of the senti!ents which the words should e4press. he chattering of a parrot could scarcely (e !ore senseless and void of i!pression on the spea8er@s !ind. >ow shoc8ing to hear the ,ord@s prayer chattered over thusD ;nstead of spreading out (efore God what they really need, they run over the words of this for!, and perhaps of so!e other set for!s, as if the utterance of the right words served to constitute accepta(le prayerD ;f they had gone into the streets and cursed and swore (y the hour, every !an of the! would (e horri(ly shoc8ed, and would feel that now assuredly the curse of 9ehovah would fall upon the!. <ut in their senseless chattering of this for! of prayer (y the hour together, they as truly (lasphe!e God as if they had ta8en his na!e in vain in any other way. .en !ay !oc8 God in pretending to pray, as truly as in cursing and swearing. God loo8s on the heart and >e esti!ates nothing as real prayer into which the heart does not enter. 7nd for !any reasons it !ust (e peculiarly provo8ing to God to have the for!s of prayer gone through with and no heart of prayer attend the!. Prayer is a privilege too sacred to (e trifled with. he pernicious effects of trifling with prayer are certainly not less than the evils of any other for! of profanity. >ence God !ust a(hor all pu(lic desecration of this sole!n e4ercise. #ow, (rethren, in closing !y re!ar8s on this one great condition of prevailing prayer, let !e (eseech you never to suppose that you pray accepta(ly unless your heart sy!pathiBes deeply with the senti!ents e4pressed in the ,ord@s prayer. :our state of !ind !ust (e such that these words will !ost aptly e4press it. :our heart !ust run into the very words, and into all the senti!ents of this for! of prayer. )ur Saviour !eant here to teach us how to pray? and here you !ay co!e and learn how. >ere you !ay see a !ap of the things to pray for, and a picture of the spirit in which accepta(le prayer is offered. '()**+,of easily !isunderstood ter!s as defined (y .r. Finney hi!self. Co!piled (y 6atie Stewart Complacency, or .steem: *Co!placency, as a state of will or heart, is only (enevolence !odified (y the consideration or relation of right character in the o(=ect of it. God, prophets, apostles, !artyrs, and saints, in all ages, are as virtuous in their self"denying and untiring la(ours to save the wic8ed, as they are in their co!placent love to the saints.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE VII). 7lso, *appro(ation of the character of its o(=ect. Co!placency is due only to the good and holy.* Lectures to Professing Christians (LECTURE XII). /isinterested Benevolence: *<y disinterested (enevolence ; do not !ean, that a person who is disinterested feels no interest in his o(=ect of pursuit, (ut that he see8s the happiness of others for its own sa8e, and not for the sa8e of its reaction on hi!self, in pro!oting his own happiness. >e chooses to do good (ecause he re=oices in the happiness of others, and desires their happiness for its own sa8e. God is purely and disinterestedly (enevolent. >e does not !a8e >is creatures happy for the sa8e of there(y

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pro!oting >is own happiness, (ut (ecause >e loves their happiness and chooses it for its own sa8e. #ot that >e does not feel happy in pro!oting the happiness of >is creatures, (ut that >e does not do it for the sa8e of >is own gratification.* Lectures to Professing Christians (LECTURE I). /ivine *overeignty: * he sovereignty of God consists in the independence of his will, in consulting his own intelligence and discretion, in the selection of his end, and the !eans of acco!plishing it. ;n other words, the sovereignty of God is nothing else than infinite (enevolence directed (y infinite 8nowledge.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LXXVI). .lection: * hat all of 7da!@s race, who are or ever will (e saved, were fro! eternity chosen (y God to eternal salvation, through the sanctification of their hearts (y faith in Christ. ;n other words, they are chosen to salvation (y !eans of sanctification. heir salvation is the end" their sanctification is a !eans. <oth the end and the !eans are elected, appointed, chosen? the !eans as really as the end, and for the sa8e of the end.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LXXIV). .ntire *ancti ication: *Sanctification !ay (e entire in two senses: E$.F ;n the sense of present, full o(edience, or entire consecration to God? and, E%.F ;n the sense of continued, a(iding consecration or o(edience to God. +ntire sanctification, when the ter!s are used in this sense, consists in (eing esta(lished, confir!ed, preserved, continued in a state of sanctification or of entire consecration to God.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LVIII). $oral +gency: *.oral agency is universally a condition of !oral o(ligation. he attri(utes of !oral agency are intellect, sensi(ility, and free will.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE III). $oral /epravity: *.oral depravity is the depravity of free"will, not of the faculty itself, (ut of its free action. ;t consists in a violation of !oral law. 3epravity of the will, as a faculty, is, or would (e, physical, and not !oral depravity. ;t would (e depravity of su(stance, and not of free, responsi(le choice. .oral depravity is depravity of choice. ;t is a choice at variance with !oral law, !oral right. ;t is synony!ous with sin or sinfulness. ;t is !oral depravity, (ecause it consists in a violation of !oral law, and (ecause it has !oral character.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXVIII). 0uman ,eason: *the intuitive faculty or function of the intellect... it is the faculty that intuits !oral relations and affir!s !oral o(ligation to act in confor!ity with perceived !oral relations.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE III). ,etributive 1ustice: *5etri(utive =ustice consists in treating every su(=ect of govern!ent according to his character. ;t respects the intrinsic !erit or de!erit of each individual, and deals with hi! accordingly.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXIV). Total /epravity: *.oral depravity of the unregenerate is without any !i4ture of !oral goodness or virtue, that while they re!ain unregenerate, they never in any instance, nor in any degree, e4ercise true love to God and to !an.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE XXXVIII). 2nbelie : *the soul@s withholding confidence fro! truth and the God of truth. he heart@s re=ection of evidence, and refusal to (e influenced (y it. he will in the attitude of opposition to truth perceived, or evidence presented.* Systematic Theology (LECTURE LV). %H

What Saith the Scripture?

http://www.WhatSaith heScripture.co!/

Conditions of Prevailing Prayer- No. 3

(y Charles Grandison Finney
President of )(erlin College fro! * he )(erlin +vangelist* Pu(lication of )(erlin College ,ecture -;; 9uly %$, $012
Pu(lic 3o!ain e4t 5efor!atted (y 6atie Stewart .

e4t."".att. 2:2, 0: *7s8, and it shall (e given you.* e4t.""9a!es 1:': *:e as8 and receive not, (ecause ye as8 a!iss, to consu!e it upon your lusts.* ;n a for!er discourse on this te4t, ; !entioned, a!ong other conditions of prevailing prayer, that confession should (e !ade to those who! our sins have in=ured, and also to God. ;t is !ost plain that all sins should (e confessed to God, that we !ay o(tain forgiveness and (e reconciled to hi!? else how can we have co!!union of soul with hi!? 7nd who can for a !o!ent dou(t that our confessions should not o!it those of our fellow (eings who! we have in=ured? 2. 7n the ne5t place 7 remar8 that restitution should be made to 'od and to man. o !an we should !a8e restitution in the sense of undoing as far as possi(le the wrong we have done, and repairing and !a8ing good all the evil. ;f we have i!peached character wrongfully, we !ust recall and undo it. ;f we have in=ured another even (y !ista8e, we are (ound, if the !ista8e co!e to our 8nowledge, to set it right,""else we are cri!inal in allowing it to re!ain uncorrected. ;f the in=ury done (y us to our neigh(or affect his property, we !ust !a8e restitution. <ut ; wish to call your attention !ore especially to the restitution which we are to !a8e to God. 7nd in respect to this, ; do not !ean to i!ply that we can !a8e good our wrongs against God in the sense of really restoring that which we have withheld or ta8en away? (ut we can render to hi! whatever yet re!ains. he ti!e yet to (e given us we can devote to hi!, although the past has gone (eyond recall. )ur talents and influence and wealth, yet to (e used, we !ay freely and fully use for God? and !anifestly, so !uch as this, God and reason reAuire of us, and it were vain for us to hope to (e accepted in prayer unless we seriously intend to render all the future to God.

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,et us loo8 !ore closely into this su(=ect. >ow !any of you have (een ro((ing God,"" ro((ing hi! for a long ti!e, and on a large scale? ,et us see. E$.F We all (elong to God. We are his property in the highest possi(le sense. >e (rought us into (eing, gave us all we have, and !ade us all we are? so that >e is our rightful owner in a far higher sense than that in which any !an can own any thing whatever. E%.F 7ll we have and are, therefore, is due to God. ;f we withhold it, we are =ust so far forth guilty of ro((ing God. 7nd all this ro((ery fro! God, we are unAuestiona(ly (ound, as far as possi(le, to !a8e up. E'.F 3o any of you still Auestion whether !en ever do truly ro( God? +4a!ine this point thoroughly. ;f any of you were to slip into a !erchant@s store and filch !oney fro! his drawer? you could not deny that the act is theft. :ou ta8e, cri!inally, fro! your fellow" !an what (elongs to hi! and does not at all (elong to yourself. #ow can it (e denied that, whenever (y sin you withhold fro! God what is due to hi!, you as really ro( God as any one can steal fro! a !erchant@s drawer? God owns all !en and all their services in a far higher sense than that in which any !erchant owns the !oney in his drawer. God rightfully clai!s the use of all your talents, wealth, and ti!e for hi!self""for his own glory and the good of his creatures. 9ust so far, therefore, as you use yourselves for yourselves, you as really ro( God as if you appropriated to yourself any thing that (elongs of right to your neigh(or. E1.F Stealing differs fro! ro((ery chiefly in this: the for!er is done secretly?""the later (y violence, in spite of resistance, or, as the case !ay (e, of re!onstrance. ;f you go secretly, without the 8nowledge of the owner, and ta8e what is his, you steal? if you ta8e aught of his openly""(y force""against his 8nown will, you ro(. hese two cri!es differ not essentially in spirit? either is considered a serious trespass upon the rights of a fellow" !an. 5o((ery has usually this aggravation? viB. that it puts the owner in fear. <ut the case !ay (e such that the owner !ay do all he wisely can to prevent (eing ro((ed, and yet you !ay ro( hi! without e4citing alar! and causing hi! the additional evil of fear. +ven in this case, there !ight still (e the essential ingredient of ro((ery? forci(ly ta8ing fro! another what is his and not yours. EG.F #ow how is it that we sin against God? he true answer is, we tear ourselves away fro! his service. We wrest our hearts (y a species of !oral violence away fro! the clai!s he lays upon us. >e says"":e shall serve !e, and no other God (ut !e. his is his first and great co!!and? and verily, none can (e greater than this. #o clai! can (e stronger than God@s upon us. Still, it ever!ore leaves our will free, so that we can re(el and wrest ourselves away fro! the service of God, if we will do so. 7nd what is this (ut real ro((ery? Suppose it were possi(le for !e to own a !an. ; 8now we all deny the possi(ility of this, our relations to each other as !en (eing what they are? (ut for illustration it !ay (e supposed that ; have created a !an and hence own hi! in as full a sense as God owns us all. Still he re!ains a free agent,""yet sole!nly (ound to serve !e continually. <ut

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despite of !y clai!s on hi! and of all ; can wisely do to retain hi! in !y service, he runs away? tears hi!self fro! !y service. ;s not this real ro((ery? 5o((ery too of a !ost a(solute 8ind? >e owed !e every thing? he leaves !e nothing. So the sinner ro(s God. 7vailing hi!self of his free agency, he tears hi!self away fro! God, despite of all his rightful owner can do to enlist his affections, enforce his own clai!s, and retain his willing allegiance. his is ro((ery. ;t is not done secretly, li8e stealing, (ut openly, (efore the sun? and violently too, as in the case of real ro((ery. ;t is done despite of all God can wisely do to prevent it. E/.F >ence all sin is ro((ery. ;t can never (e any thing less than wresting fro! God what is rightfully his. ;t is therefore (y no figure of speech that God calls this act ro((ery. Will a !an ro( God? *:et ye have ro((ed !e, even this whole nation.* Sin is never any thing less than this,""a !oral agent owned (y the highest possi(le title, yet tearing hi!self away fro! his rightful owner, despite of all persuasions and of all clai!s. E2.F >ence, if any !an would prevail with God, he !ust (ring (ac8 hi!self and all that re!ains not yet sAuandered and destroyed. :es, let hi! co!e (ac8 saying"">ere ; a!, ,ord? ; have played the fool and have erred e4ceedingly, ; a! asha!ed that ; have used up so !uch of thy ti!e,""have consu!ed in sin so !uch of that strength of !ind and (ody which is thine?""asha!ed that ; have e!ployed these hands and this tongue and all these !e!(ers of !y (ody in serving !yself and Satan, and have wrested the! away fro! thy service: ,ord, ; have done !ost wic8edly and !eanly? thou seest that ; a! asha!ed of !yself, and ; feel that ; have wronged thee (eyond e4pression. So you should co!e (efore God. See that thief, co!ing (ac8 to confess and !a8e restitution. 3oes he not feel a deep sense of sha!e and guilt? #ow unless you are willing to co!e (ac8 and hu!(ly confess and freely restore to God the full use of all that yet re!ains, how can you hope to (e accepted? E0.F :ou !ay well (e than8ful that God does not reAuire of you that you restore all you have wrested fro! hi! and guiltily sAuandered? all your wasted ti!e and health perhaps, and influence?""if >e were to de!and this, it would at once render your acceptance (efore hi!, and your salvation too, i!possi(le. ;t would (e forever i!possi(le, on such a condition, that you should prevail in prayer. <lessed (e God, >e does not de!and this. >e is willing to forgive all the past""(ut re!e!(er, only on the condition that you (ring (ac8 all the rest""all that yet re!ains to (e used of yourself and of the powers God has given or !ay yet give you. So !uch as this God !ust reAuire as a condition? and why should >e not? Suppose you have ro((ed a !an of all you can possi(ly get away fro! hi!? and you 8now that the facts are all 8nown to hi!. :et you co!e (efore hi! without a confession or a (lush and as8 hi! to receive you to his confidence and friendship. >e turns upon you""7re not you the !an who ro((ed !e? :ou co!e to !e as if you have never wronged !e, and as if you had done nothing to forfeit !y confidence and favor? do you co!e and as8 !y

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friendship again? .onstrousD #ow would it (e strange if God were, in a si!ilar case, to repel an unhu!(led sinner in the sa!e way? Can the sinner who co!es (ac8 to God with no heart to !a8e any restitution, or any consecration of hi!self to God, e4pect to (e accepted? #othing can (e !ore unreasona(le. E&.F ;t is indeed nothing less than infinite goodness that God can forgive trespasses so great, so enor!ous as ours have (een?"") what a spectacle of loving"8indness is thisD Suppose a !an had stolen fro! you ten thousand pounds, and having sAuandered it all, should (e thrown in his rags and (eggary at your door. here you see hi! wasted and wan, hungry and filthy, penniless and wretched? and your heart is touched with co!passion. :ou freely forgive all. :ou ta8e hi! up? you weep over his !iseries? you wash hi!, clothe hi!, and !a8e hi! welco!e to your house and to all the co!forts you can (estow upon hi!. >ow would all the world ad!ire your conduct as generous and no(le in the very highest degreeD <ut ), the loving"8indness of God in welco!ing to his (oso! the penitent, returning sinnerD >ow it !ust loo8 in the eyes of angelsD hey see the prodigal returning, and hear hi! welco!ed openly to the (oso! of 9ehovah@s fa!ily. hey see hi! co!ing along, wan, haggard, guilty, asha!ed, in tattered and filthy ro(es, and downcast !ien""nothing attractive in his appearance? he does not loo8 as if he ever was a son, so terri(ly has sin defaced the linea!ents of sonship? (ut he co!es, and they witness the scene that follows. he Father spies hi! fro! afar, and rushes forth to !eet hi!. >e owns hi! as a son? falls upon his nec8, pours out tears of gladness at his return, orders the (est ro(e and the fatted calf, and fills his !ansion with all the testi!onies of re=oicing. 7ngels see this""and ), with what e!otions of wonder and delightD What a spectacle !ust this (e to the whole universe""to see God co!ing forth thus to !eet the returning penitentD o see that >e not only co!es forth to ta8e notice of hi!, (ut to answer his reAuests and enter into such co!!union with hi!, and such relations, that this once apostate sinner !ay now as8 what he will and it shall (e done unto hi!. ; have so!eti!es thought that if ; had (een present when 9oseph !ade hi!self 8nown to his (rethren, ; should have (een utterly overwhel!ed. ; can never read the account of that scene without weeping. ; !ight say the sa!e of the story of the prodigal son. Who can read it without tears of sy!pathy? ), to have seen it with one@s own eyes""to have (een there, to have seen the son approaching, pale and tre!(ling?""the father rushing forth to !eet hi! with such irrepressi(le tenderness and co!passion?""such a spectacle would (e too !uch to endureD E$H.F 7nd now let !e as8""What if the intelligent universe !ight see the great God receiving to his (oso! a returning, penitent sinner. ), what an interest !ust such a scene create throughout all heavenD <ut =ust such scenes are transpiring in heaven continually. We are definitely told there is =oy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner

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that repents. Surely all heaven !ust (e one perpetual glow of e4cite!ent""such !anifestations are ever going forward there of infinite co!passion towards sinners returning fro! their evil ways. :et (e it ever!ore re!e!(ered,""no sinner can find a welco!e (efore the face of God unless he returns !ost deeply penitent. 7hD you do not 8now God at all if you suppose >e can receive you without the !ost thorough penitence and the !ost a!ple restitution. :ou !ust (ring (ac8 all that re!ains unwasted and unsAuandered. :ou !ust loo8 it all over !ost carefully and honestly, and say"">ere, ,ord, is the pitiful re!nant""the s!all a!ount left: all the rest ; have (asely and !ost unprofita(ly wasted and used up in !y course of sin and re(ellion. hou seest how !uch ; have sAuandered, and how very little is left to (e devoted now to thy service. )D what an unprofita(le servant ; have (een? and how !isera(ly unprofita(le have ; !ade !yself for all the rest of !y life. ;t were well for every hearer to go !inutely into this su(=ect. +sti!ate and see how !any years of your life have gone, never to (e recalled. So!e of these young people have !ore years re!aining, according to the co!!on laws of life, than we who are farther advanced in years. :et even you have sad occasion to say""7las, how !any of the (est years of !y life are thrown away, yes, worse than thrown into the sea? for in fact they have (een given to the service of the devil. >ow !any suits of clothing worn out in the ways of sin and the wor8 of Satan. >ow !any tons of provisions""food for !an, provided under the (ounty of a gracious Providence""have ; used up in !y career of re(ellion against !y .a8er and FatherD ), if it were all now to rise up (efore !e and enter with !e into =udg!ent""if each day@s daily (read, used up in sin, were to appear in testi!ony against !e? what a scene !ust the sole!n rec8oning (eD ,et each sinner loo8 this ground all over, and thin8 of the position he !ust occupy (efore an a(used yet !ost gracious God, and then say"">ow can you e4pect to prevail with God if you do not (ring (ac8 with a !ost penitent and devoted heart, all that re!ains yet to you of years and of strength for God. >ow !uch !ore, if !ore (e possi(le, is this true of those who are advanced in years. >ow fearfully have we wasted our su(stance and our days in vainD >ow then shall we hope to conciliate the favor of God and prevail with hi! in prayer, unless we (ring (ac8 all that re!ains to us, and consecrate it a whole offering to the ,ord our God? !. 4e must pass now to another condition o prevailing prayer9 namely, that we be reconciled to our brother. )n this su(=ect you will at once recollect the e4plicit instructions of our ,ord? *;f thou (ring thy gift to the altar, and there re!e!(erest that they (rother hath aught against thee? leave there thy gift (efore the alter, and go thy way? first (e reconciled to thy (rother, and then co!e and offer thy gift.* his passage states very distinctly one i!portant condition of accepta(le prayer, and shows that all !en are not at all ti!es in a fit state to pray. hey !ay (e in a state in which they have no right to pray at all. ;f they were to co!e (efore the ,ord@s altar in this

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state, >e would (id the! suspend their offering of prayer, go (ac8 at once, and (e reconciled to their (rother. E$.F ;t is i!portant for !en to understand that they should approach God in prayer only when they have a right to pray. )thers see! entirely to !isconceive the relations of prayer to God and to the!selves, and thin8 that their prayers are a great favor to God. hey see! to suppose that they lay the ,ord under great o(ligations to the!selves (y their prayers, and if they have !ade !any prayers, and long, they thin8 it Auite hard if the ,ord does not ac8nowledge his o(ligation to the!, and grant the! a speedy answer. ;ndeed, they see! al!ost ready to fall into a Auarrel with God if >e does not answer their prayers. ; 8new one !an who on one occasion prayed all night. .orning ca!e, (ut no answer fro! God. For this he was so angry with God, that he was te!pted to cut his own throat. ;ndeed, so e4cited were his feelings and so sharp was this te!ptation, that he threw away his 8nife the (etter to resist it. his shows how a(surdly !en feel and thin8 on this su(=ect. Suppose you owed a !an a thousand dollars, and should ta8e it into your head to discharge the de(t (y (egging hi! to release and forgive it. :ou renew your prayer every ti!e you see hi!, and if he is at any distance you send hi! a (egging letter (y every !ail. #ow inas!uch as you have done your part as you suppose, you fall into a passion if he won@t do his and freely relinAuish your de(t. Would not this (e on your part sufficiently a(surd, sufficiently ridiculous and wrong? So with the sinner and God. .any see! to suppose that God ought to forgive. hey will have it that >e is under o(ligation to the! to pardon and put away fro! his sight all their sins the !o!ent they choose to say. E%.F #ow God has indeed pro!ised on certain conditions to forgive? and the conditions (eing fulfilled, he certainly will fulfil his pro!ise? yet never (ecause it is clai!ed as a !atter of =ustice or right. >is pro!ises all pertain to an econo!y of !ercy and not of strict =ustice. When !en pray aright, God will hear and answer? (ut if they pray as a !ere duty, or pray to !a8e it a de!and on the score of =ustice, they funda!entally !ista8e the very idea of prayer. <ut ; !ust return to the point under consideration. #. *ometimes we have no right to pray. *When thou (ringest thy gift to the altar, and there re!e!(erest that thy (rother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift, and go, first (e reconciled to thy (rother, and then co!e and offer thy gift.* he !eaning of this precept see!s to (e plain. ;f you are conscious of having wronged your (rother, go at once and undo that wrong. ;f you 8now that he has any good reason for having aught against you, go and re!ove that reason as far as lies in your power to do so. +lse how can you co!e (efore God to as8 favors of %/

>i!? >ere it is i!portant to understand certain cases which though they !ay see!, yet do not really co!e under the spirit of this rule. 7nother !an !ay suppose hi!self to have (een in=ured (y !e, yet ; !ay (e entirely conscientious in feeling that ; have done no otherwise than right towards hi!, and still ; !ay (e utterly una(le to re!ove fro! his !ind the i!pression that ; have wronged hi!. ;n this case, ; a! (y no !eans cut off fro! the privilege of prayer. hus it often happens when ; preach against (ac8sliders that they feel e4ceedingly hurt and thin8 ; have wronged the! unpardona(ly? whereas ; !ay have (een only honest and faithful to !y .aster and to their own souls. ;n such a case ; a! not to (e de(arred the privileges of prayer in conseAuence of their feelings towards !e. ;t were indeed !ost a(surd that this should shut !e away fro! the !ercy"seat. ;f ; a! conscious of having done no wrong, the ,ord will draw !e near to hi!self. ;n such a case as this ; can !a8e no confession of wrong"doing. <ut the case conte!plated (y our ,ord is one which ; 8now ; have done wrong to !y neigh(or. 6nowing this, ; have no right to co!e (efore God to pray until ; have !ade restitution and satisfaction. E$.F So!eti!es professors of religion have co!e to !e and as8ed, Why are we not heard and answered? We pray a great deal, yet the ,ord does not answer our prayers. ;ndeed, ; have as8ed the!""3o you not recollect !any ti!es when in the act of prayer you have (een re!inded of having in=ured a (rother, and yet you did not go to hi! and !a8e restitution, or even confession? :es, !any have said? ; can recollect such cases? (ut ; passed the! over, and did not trou(le !yself with the!, ; do not 8now that ; thought !uch a(out the necessity of !a8ing confession and restitution, at all events ; 8now ; soon forgot those thoughts of having wronged !y neigh(or. E%.F :ou did, indeed? (ut God did not forget. >e re!e!(ered your dishonesty and your neglect, or perhaps conte!pt of one of his plainly taught conditions of accepta(le prayer, and he could not hear you. Cntil you had gone and (eco!e reconciled to your (rother, what have you to do with praying? :our God says to you""Why do you co!e here (efore !e to lie to !y very face, pretending to (e honest and upright towards your fellow" (eings, when you 8now you have wronged the!, and have never !ade confession and restitution? ;n !y la(ors as an +vangelist, ; have so!eti!es fallen into a co!!unity who were !ost of the! in this horri(le state. Perhaps they had sent for !e to co!e a!ong the! saying that they were all ready and ripe for a revival, and thus constrained !e to go. )n co!ing a!ong the! ; have found the very opposite to (e the fact. ; would preach to the i!penitent? !any would (e convicted? and awful sole!nity would prevail? (ut no conversions. hen ; would turn to the church and (eg the! to pray, and soon the fact would co!e out that they had no fellowship with each other and no !utual confidence? al!ost every (rother and sister had hard feelings towards each other? !any 8new they

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had wronged their (rethren and had never !ade confession or restitution? so!e had not even spo8en 8indly to one another for !onths? in short it was a state of real war? and how could the 3ove of Peace a(ide there? 7nd how could a righteous God hear their prayers? >e could do no such thing till they repented in dust and ashes, and put away these a(o!ina(le iniAuities fro! (efore his face. E'.F ;t often happens that professors of religion are e4ceedingly careless in respect to the conditions of prevailing prayer. WhatD Christian !en and wo!en in such a state that they will not spea8 to each otherD ;n such relations to each other that they are ready to in=ure one another in the worst way""ready to !angle and rend each other@s charactersD 7way with itD ;t is an offence to GodD ;t is an utter a(o!ination in his sightD >e loathes the prayers and the professed worship of such !en, as he loathes idolatry itself. #ow although cases as outrageous as those ; have descri(ed, do not occur very freAuently, yet !any cases do occur which involve su(stantially the sa!e principle. ;n respect to all such, let it (e 8nown that God is infinitely honest, and so long as he is so, he will not hold co!!union and fellowship with one who is dishonest. >e e4pects us to (e honest and truthful, willing ever to o(ey hi!, and ever an4ious to !eet all the conditions of accepta(le prayer. Cntil this is the case with us, >e cannot and will not hear us, however !uch and long we pray. Why should he? * hou reAuirest truth in the inward parts,* said the Psal!ist of his God, as if fully aware that entire sincerity of heart, and of course uprightness of life towards others, is an unaltera(le condition of acceptance (efore God. ;t is a!aBing to see how !uch insincerity there often is a!ong professed Christians, (oth in their !utual relations to each other, and also in the relations to God. &. +gain, we ought always to have an honest and good reason or praying and or as8ing or the speci ic things we pray or. E$.F ;t should (e re!e!(ered that God is infinitely reasona(le, and therefore does nothing without a reason. herefore in all prayer you should always have a reason or reasons that will co!!end the!selves to God as a valid ground for his hearing and answering your prayers. :ou can have a rational confidence that God will hear you only when you 8now what your reasons are for praying and have good grounds to suppose they are such as will co!!end the!selves to an infinitely wise and righteous God. <eloved, are you in the ha(it of giving your attention sufficiently to this point? When you pray, do you as8 for your own reasons? 3o you enAuire? #ow have ; such reasons for this prayer as God can sy!pathiBe with""such as ; can suppose will have weight with his !ind? Surely this is an all"i!portant enAuiry. God will not hear us unless >e sees that we have such reasons as will satisfy his own infinite intelligence""such reasons that >e can wisely act in view of the!?""such that >e will not (e asha!ed to have the universe 8now that on such grounds >e answered our prayers. hey !ust (e such that he will not (e asha!ed of the! hi!self. For we should ever!ore consider that all God@s doings are one day to (e perfectly 8nown. ;t will yet (e 8nown why he answered every accepta(le prayer, and why %0

he refused to answer each one that was not accepta(le. >ence if we are to offer prayer, or to do any thing else in which we e4pect God to sy!pathiBe with us, we ought to have good and sufficient reasons for what we as8 or do. E%.F :ou can not help seeing this at your first glance at the su(=ect. :our prayer !ust not (e selfish (ut (enevolent""else how can God hear it? Will he lend hi!self to patroniBe and (efriend your selfishness? Suppose a !an as8s for the >oly Spirit to guide hi! in any wor8? or suppose he as8 for that Spirit to sanctify hi!self or his friends. ,et hi! (e always a(le to give a good reason for what he as8s. ;s his ulti!ate reason a selfish one""for e4a!ple, that he !ay (eco!e !ore distinguished in the world, or !ay prosecute so!e favorite sche!e for hi!self and his own glory or his own selfish good? ,et hi! 8now that the ,ord has no sy!pathy with such reasons for prayer. hus a child co!es (efore its parent, and says, 3o give !e this or that favor. :our reason, !y child, says the parent?""give !e your reason? what do you want it for? So God says to us, his children?""your reason, !y child? what is your reason? :ou as8, it !ay (e, for an education? why do you want an education? :ou say, ,ord furnish !e the !eans to pay !y tuition (ills and (y (oard (ills and !y clothing (ills, for ; want to get an education. :our reason, !y child, the ,ord will answer? your reason? for what end to you want to get an education? :ou !ust (e a(le to give a good reason. ;f you want these things you as8 for, only that you !ay consu!e the! upon your lusts? if your o(=ect (e to cli!( up to so!e higher post a!ong !en, or to get your living with less toil, or with !ore respecta(ility, s!all ground have you to e4pect that the ,ord will sy!pathiBe with any such reasons. <ut if your reasons (e good: if they are such that God will not (e asha!ed to recogniBe the! as his own reasons for acting, then you will find hi! infinitely ready to hear and to answer. ), he will (ow his ear with infinite grace and co!passion. E'.F :our hope of success in prayer therefore should not lie in the a!ount, (ut in the Auality of your prayers. ;f you have (een in the ha(it of praying without regard to the reasons why you as8, you have pro(a(ly (een in the ha(it of !oc8ing God. Cnless you have an errand when you co!e (efore the ,ord, it is !oc8ing to co!e and as8 for any thing. here should always (e so!ething which you need. #ow, therefore, as8 yourself,"" Why do ; want this thing which ; as8 of God? 3o ; need it? For what end do ; need it? 7 wo!an of !y acAuaintance was praying for the conversion of an i!penitent hus(and. She said, *;t would (e so !uch !ore pleasant for !e to have hi! go to !eeting with !e, and to have hi! thin8 and feel as ; do.* When she was as8ed"";s your heart (ro8en (ecause your hus(and a(uses God, (ecause he dishonors 9esus Christ, she replied, she never had thought of that""never? her hus(and had trou(led and grieved her, she 8new? (ut she had not once thought of his having a(used and provo8ed the great and holy God.

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>ow infinitely different !ust that wo!an@s state of !ind (eco!e (efore the ,ord can hear and answer her prayerD Can she e4pect an answer so long as she ta8es only a selfish view of the case? #o, never until she can say, ) !y God, !y heart is full of (leeding and grief (ecause !y hus(and dishonors thee? !y soul is in agony (ecause he scorns the dying (lood and the perfect sacrifice of 9esus Christ. So when parents urge their reAuests for the salvation of their children, let the! 8now that if they sy!pathiBe with God, he will sy!pathiBe with the!. ;f they are chiefly distressed (ecause their children do not love and serve their own God and Savior, the ,ord will !ost assuredly enter into the deep sy!pathies of their hearts, and will delight to answer their reAuests. So of the wife when she prays for her hus(and, so universally when friend prays for friend. he great God see!s to say ever!ore""*;f you sy!pathiBe with !e, ; sy!pathiBe with you.* >e is a (eing of infinite sy!pathies, and never can fail to reciprocate the holy feelings of his creatures. ,et the hu!(lest su(=ect in his universe feel sincere regard for the honor and glory of God and the well (eing of his 8ingdo!, and how suddenly is it reciprocated (y the ;nfinite Father of allD ,et one of all the !yriads of his creatures in earth or heaven (e Bealous for God, then assuredly will God (e Bealous for hi!, and will find !eans to fulfil his pro!ise,""* he! that honor !e ; will honor.* <ut if you will not feel for hi! and will not ta8e his part, it is vain for you to as8 or e4pect that he will feel for you and ta8e your part. E1.F ;t is indeed a (lessed consideration that when we go out of ourselves and !erge our interest in the interests of God and of his 8ingdo!, then he gathers hi!self all round a(out us, throws his (anner of love over us, and draws our hearts into ine4pressi(le nearness of co!!union with hi!self. hen the +ternal God (eco!es our own God, and underneath us are his al!ighty ar!s. hen whoever should *touch us, would touch the apple of his eye.* here can (e no love !ore watchful, !ore strong, !ore tender, than that (orne (y the God of infinite love towards his affectionate, trustful children. >e would !ove heaven and earth if need (e, to hear prayer offered in such a spirit. ) for a heart to i!!erse and (athe ourselves, as it were, in the sy!pathies of 9ehovah""to yield up really our whole hearts to hi!, until our deepest and !ost perfect e!otions should gush and flow out only in perfect har!ony with his will, and we should (e swallowed up in God, 8nowing no will (ut his, and no feelings (ut in sy!pathy with his. hen wave after wave of (lessings would roll over us, and God would delight to let the universe see how intensely he is pleased with such a spirit in his creatures. ) then you would need only put yourself in an attitude to (e (lessed and you could not fail of receiving all you could as8 that could (e really a good to your soul and to God@s 8ingdo!. 7l!ost (efore you should call, >e would answer and while you were yet spea8ing he would hear. )pening wide your soul in large e4pectation and strong faith (efore God, you !ight ta8e a large (lessing, even *until there should not (e roo! enough to receive it.*

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