desired in particular, the soul hungering and thirsting for mercy shall be filled, and the promise shall be accomplished in the most unlimited sense, which says, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. But on the other hand, when we consider prayer as specifying particular blessings, which it generally does, the qualification which has been already noticed, that the request presented be according to the will of God, must never be forgotten in expecting the accomplishment of our requests. We must beware indeed of making this qualification a lurking-place for unbelief, an excuse for doubting that the promises of God have any meaning or value at all. Yet it is evident, that to suppose God pledged to bestow whatever is requested in the very way the supplicant desires it, if he only believe that his prayer shall be heard, implies-either that erring creatures will always ask what it is right for God to grant, or that He will bestow what is wrong, because his creature has petitioned it of him. Let us keep one principle in view in making known our requests, and it will clear our minds from a hesitation which often operates as a painful hindrance to the exercise -that the matter of uncertainty is not whether God hears and regards our prayer, but whether the particular object desired be in accordonce with his will or not. Keeping this in view, we shall find that it is possible for us to come in the full assurance that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, even n while we doubt whether the particular blessing asked shall be granted, on the ground of our own ignorance of what it is really good for us to receive. On this topic, attend to some farther observations. 1. There are some cases in which it is generally acknowledged that the accordance of our supplications with the will of God is extremely doubtful. It is so when we petition for particular temporal blessings. In the name of our heavenly Father, Jesus promised in general terms, that food and raiment, and such things as are needful for the body, should be supplied to all who seek the kingdom of God; and, keeping to the same general sense, we may ask these things with full confidence of receiving them. But if we should specify some particular object of desire, that object God may see it to be good for us to withhold: or should we expect it through some channel which God does not think fit to employ-as, for example, in the way of miracle, or by some medium which would exempt us from the exertions of ordinary industry-the contrariety of our request to the general arrangements of providence, would ensure the certainty of disappointment. 2. There are some blessings which are purely and entirely spiritual, and therefore in themselves only good. When we desire these on behalf of ourselves, we may ask with the absolute certainty of having our petitions answered, and our souls satisfied with all good things. It is the purpose of God that desires for personal holiness should be connected with increase of holiness, and that the grace which he himself imparts should thus lead to the attainment of still larger measures of grace. But when we desire spiritual good for others, it is evident that there is a possibility of the will of God being in opposition to our wishes. The work of mercy is a scheme in which he dispenses his favor as seems to him good; and while some are chosen to life, it is not less certain that others are left to the choice of sin and to its consequences. It is possible, therefore, that we may offer up prayers for individuals on behalf of whom they will not be heard, and for communities and nations against which God has purposes of righteous wrath to execute, and not of mercy. And with respect to fellow-Christians, whom we believe to be the objects of divine regard, while it is certain that all effectual fervent prayer shall avail much in obtaining on their behalf farther mercy, it may be that they are of that class of disciples of whom Christ himself has to complain to the end that they will not follow him fully, and remain straitened in themselves, notwithstanding all his invitations to the fulness of spiritual mercies. Thus, while the general efficacy of intercession is made sure by the promises and examples of the word of God, its efficacy with regard to the particular individuals for whom we pray cannot be absolutely pledged in any inspired assurances. There are cases in which we may warrantably entertain more positive expectations than in others; as, for example, when our intercessions refer to the seed of the people of God, the subjects of more ample and special promises. But even here we must remark, that the promises of the divine word do not absolutely engage that every individual of every believer's offspring shall be made a partaker of the same grace with himself; reasons many and strong might be brought, both from Scripture and experience, against any dispensation which would infallibly connect the salvation of those who may be living still in unbelief with that of others walking in God's commandments and ordinances in his church below, or already gone to glory. But they do engage, in general terms, that the children of his servants shall continue, and their seed be established before him. This implies that the great proportion of the descendants of the righteous shall be followers of their faith, and fill their places in the church on earth as they retire from it to the heavenly rest: and the certainty of this, as we have said, gives us a ground of far stronger assurance, in praying for such, that |