has it been ever done in vain? Month after month the communicant of a sorrowful spirit has been seen-seen of the Lord, mistaken of all beside, wondered at, perhaps rebuked"Why weepest thou, why eatest thou not, why is thy soul grieved?" "She spake in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard." The same besetting sin, the same abiding sorrow, the same overwhelming want still holden forward in the suppliant hand. "Out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto." There has seemed no acceptance, but never a repulse-no answer, perhaps, but an encouraging smile, that seemed to say, Come again; until she that came long in bitterness of soul, has come at last in joy, and gone her way, her countenance no more sad. 1 Sam. i. 1.

CHAPTER IX.

OF THOSE THAT HAVE COME, AND FAITHFULLY RECEIVED THE SACRAMENT.

"WHATSOEVER things ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." It is a strong expression, but it is the word of him who knew what he required, and for what he undertook. The promise is without limitation, but the required faith is of no common kind. It is not the belief that God can do for us whatsoever we ask; it is not the common persuasion that God heareth prayer, and may be intreated by us. There is a reach of faith, not only far beyond this, but beyond even the more definite belief, or rather hope, that it may please God at any special time to grant us our request, which supports the believer in his time of need, and is usually sufficient to that end: for it seems to be the merciful provision of God for our weak estate,

that the soul can feed on hope, when faith is not strong enough to taste assurance. But our Lord proposes more. St. John carries this out when he says, "This is the confidence we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." Such was the confidence of Elias, when "He prayed fervently that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." It was the confidence of Hannah, when, before she saw the accomplishment of her wishes, otherwise than by the eye of faith, she went her way and did eat. It was the faith of the centurion, when it was said to him, "As thou believest, so be it done unto thee," and he went away satisfied with the reply. How often, or must I say how seldom such a faith is in exercise when we pray, we must answer to ourselves; but we shall never find that where the condition has been fulfilled, the undertaking of our Lord has fallen short. It is no discouragement that there is a reservation of God's will, and the suppliant cannot certainly know if the petition be according to his will or In especial cases, such as those of Elijah

not.

and Hannah, there was no doubt a divine intimation to the soul, that such was the will of God, as I suppose there always is, when such a faith is exercised in prayer for any temporal object, not comprehended in the general promises the prayer and the belief are both of God, a prelude and indication of his acceptance of them. But the greater, and by far the most important part of the things we seek of God in prayer, are those in which there is no doubt about his will. "He willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth." "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." "This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life." In all that affects the welfare of the soul, in all our spiritual petitions, the will of God is certainly known. For pardon, holiness, and peace; for faith, and hope, and charity; for application of the blood of Christ, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the glory of the Father in us, and by our means, against temptation, and all manner of sin, against the world, the flesh, and the Devil, we pray with no uncertainty of the will of God; though even for these things he will be inquired

of, not to induce his willingness, but to manifest our own. With reference to things merely temporal, there are general promises and declarations of God's will, quite as unlimited as the eternal promises, such as the "all things needful,-no good thing withheld,—no want of any manner of thing that is good,-no sparrow falling to the ground uncared for,-no hair of the head unnumbered." To this extent, even in earthly good, the reservation of God's will is no impediment to believing prayer, for wherever there is promise, there may be the full exercise of faith upon it. In more definite desires, for which there is no special promise, and man in his ignorance cannot know whether or not they be included in these general ones, because he does not know if they be good; there is still no more reservation in the promise, than will be always in the wise man's prayer, and in the desire of the believing heart. We do not wish them, we would in no wise have them in opposition to our Maker's will. If, when we ask an egg, our heavenly Father knows it would prove a scorpion to us, we do not mean to urge the unconditional suit, and have it granted at all ventures. "Whatsoever" then, let us repeat the gracious words,