origene on prayer

8/13/2019 Origene on Prayer

1/59

Origen

On Prayer

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Things in themselves so supremely great, so far aove man, so utterly aove our

perishale nature, as to e impossile for the ra!e of rational mortals to grasp, as the"ill of #o$ e!ame possile in the immeasurale aun$an!e of the Divine gra!e "hi!h

streams forth from #o$ upon men, through %esus Christ the minister of His

unsurpassale gra!e to"ar$ us, an$ through the !ooperant &pirit' Thus, though it is a

stan$ing impossiility for human nature to a!(uire )is$om, y "hi!h all things have

een estalishe$ * for all things, a!!or$ing to Davi$, #o$ ma$e in "is$om * from eing

impossile it e!omes possile through our +or$ %esus Christ, "ho "as ma$e for us

"is$om from #o$ an$ righteousness an$ san!tifi!ation an$ re$emption'

or "hat or "ho is man that he shall -no" the !ounsel of #o$, or "ho shall !on!eive

"hat that +or$ "illeth. &in!e the thoughts of mortals are "ea-ling an$ our purposes are

prone to fail/ for the o$y that is !orruptile "eighs $o"n soul, an$ min$ "ith its storeof thought is ur$ene$ y it0s earthly taerna!le/ an$ things on earth "e fore!ast "ith

$iffi!ulty, ut things in heaven "hoever yet tra!e$ out. )ho "oul$ not say that it is

impossile for man to tra!e out things in heaven. 1et this impossile thing, y the

surpassing gra!e of #o$, e!omes possile/ for he "ho "as !aught up unto a thir$

heaven tra!e$ out things in the three heavens through having hear$ unutterale

utteran!es "hi!h it "as not permitte$ for man to spea-' )ho !an say that it is possile

for the min$ of the +or$ to e -no"n y man.

2ut this, too, #o$ gra!iously gives through Christ "ho sai$ to His $is!iples3 4No longer

$o I !all you servants, e!ause the servant -no"s not "hat his lor$0s "ill is, ut I have

!alle$ you frien$s, e!ause all the things that I have hear$ from my ather I have ma$e-no"n to you/ so that through Christ there is ma$e -no"n to them the "ill of one "ho,

"hen He tea!hes them the "ill of the +or$, has no $esire to e their lor$ any longer ut

instea$ e!omes a frien$ to those "hose lor$ he "as efore5' 6oreover, as no one

-no"s the things of man save the &pirit of man that is in him, so also no one -no"s the

things of #o$ save the &pirit of #o$'

No" if no one -no"s the things of #o$ save the &pirit of #o$, it is impossile that a

man shoul$ -no" the things of #o$' 2ut mar- ho" this too e!omes possile3 ut "e,

he says, have re!eive$ not the spirit of the "orl$ ut the spirit "hi!h is from #o$, that

"e may -no" the things gra!iously given to us y #o$, an$ these also "e spea- not in"or$s taught of human "is$om ut in those taught of the &pirit' 2ut I thin-, right pious


2/59

an$ in$ustrious Amrosius, an$ right $is!reet an$ manful Tatiana, from "hom I avo"

that "omanly "ea-ness has $isappeare$ as truly as it ha$ from &arah of ol$, you are

"on$ering to "hat purpose all this has een sai$ in prefa!e aout things impossile for

man e!oming possile y the gra!e of #o$, "hen the su7e!t pres!rie$ for our

$is!ourse is Prayer'

The fa!t is, I elieve it to e itself one of those things "hi!h, 7u$ge$ y our "ea-ness,

are impossile, !learly to set forth "ith a!!ura!y an$ reveren!e a !omplete a!!ount of

prayer, an$ in parti!ular of ho" prayer ought to e offere$, "hat ought to e sai$ to #o$

in prayer, "hi!h seasons are more, "hi!h less, suitale for prayer''' The very apostle

"ho y reason of the aun$an!e of the revelations is an8ious that no one shoul$ a!!ount

to him more than he sees or hears from him, !onfesses that he -no"s not ho" to pray as

he ought, for "hat "e ought to pray, he says, "e -no" not ho" to as "e ought' It is

ne!essary not merely to pray ut also to pray as "e ought an$ to pray "hat "e ought'

or even though "e are enale$ to un$erstan$ "hat "e ought to pray, that is not

a$e(uate if "e $o not a$$ to it the right manner also'

On the other han$ "hat is the use of the right manner to us if "e $o not -no" to pray

for "hat "e ought. Of these t"o things the one, I mean the 9"hat "e ought0 of prayer, is

the language of the prayer, "hile the 9as "e ought0 is the $isposition of him "ho prays'

Thus the former is illustrate$ y 4As- for the great things an$ the little shall e a$$e$

unto you5, an$ 4As- for the heavenly things an$ the earthly shall e a$$e$ unto you5,

an$ 4Pray for them that ause you5, an$ 4Entreat therefore the +or$ of the harvest that

He sen$ out "or-ers unto his harvest5, an$ 4Pray that you enter not into temptation5,

an$ 4Pray that your flight e not in "inter or on a &aath5, an$ 4In praying ale not5

an$ the li-e passages3 the latter y 4I $esire therefore that men pray in ever pla!e lifting

up holy han$s "ithout anger an$ (uestioning, an$ in li-e manner that "omen array

themselves $e!ently in simpli!ity, "ith mo$esty an$ $is!retion, not in or gol$ or pearls

or !ostly raiments, ut, as e!omes "omen of pious profession, through goo$ "or-s'

Instru!tive too, for prayer 9as "e ought0 is the passage3

4If then you art offering your gift at the altar an$ there thin- you that your rother hath

aught against you, leave there your gift efore the altar, an$ go a!- * first e

re!on!ile$ to your rother, an$ then !ome an$ offer your gift5/ for "hat greater gift !an

e sent up to #o$ from a rational !reature than fragrant "or$s of prayer that is offere$

from a !ons!ien!e $evoi$ of taint from &in. &imilarly instru!tive is 4Deprive not one

another, save y agreement for a season that you may give yourselves to prayer an$ maye together at another time again, in or$er that &atan may not have o!!asion to e8alt

over you y reason of your in!ontinen!e'

or prayer 9as "e ought0 is restraine$ unless the marriage mysteries "hi!h !laim our

silen!e e !onsummate$ "ith more of solemnity an$ $elieration an$ less of passion,

the 9agreement0 referre$ to in the passage oliterating the $is!or$ of passion, an$

$estroying in!ontinen!e, an$ preventing &atan0s mali!ious e8ultation' 1et again

instru!tive for prayer 9as "e ought0 is the passage3 4If you are stan$ing at prayer, forgive

aught that you have against any man5/ an$ also the passage in Paul 4Any man "ho

prays or prea!hes "ith !overe$ hea$ $ishonours his hea$, an$ any "oman "ho prays or

prea!hes "ith unveile$ hea$ $ishonors her hea$5 is $es!riptive of the right manner of


3/59

prayer'

Paul -no"s all these sayings, an$ !oul$ !ite, "ith sutle statement in ea!h !ase,

manifol$ more from la" an$ prophets an$ gospel fulfillment, ut in the mo$eration,

yes, an$ in the truthfulness of his nature, an$ e!ause he sees ho" mu!h, after all ofthem, is la!-ing to -no"le$ge of the right "ay to pray "hat he ought, he says 4ut "hat

"e ought to pray "e -no" not ho" to as "e ought5, an$ a$$s thereto the sour!e from

"hi!h a man0s $efi!ien!y is ma$e up if though ignorant he has ren$ere$ himself "orthy

to have the $efi!ien!y ma$e up "ithin him3

4The &pirit himself more than inter!e$es "ith #o$ in sighs unspea-ale an$ He that

sear!hes hearts -no"s "hat is the min$ of the &pirit, e!ause His inter!ession on ehalf

of saints is a!!or$ing to #o$5' Thus the &pirit "ho !ries 4Aa ather5 in the hearts of

the lesse$, -no"ing "ith soli!itu$e that their sighing in this taerna!le !an ut "eigh

$o"n the alrea$y fallen or transgressors, 4more than inter!e$es "ith #o$ in sighs

unspea-ale5, for the great love an$ sympathy He feels for men ta-ing our sighs uponhimself/ an$, y virtue of the "is$om that resi$es in Him, ehol$ing our &oul humle$

9unto $ust0 an$ shut "ithin the o$y 9of humiliation,0 He employs no !ommon sighs

"hen He more than inter!e$es "ith #o$ ut unspea-ale ones a-in to the unutterale

"or$s "hi!h a man may not spea-' Not !ontent to inter!e$e "ith #o$, this &pirit

intensifies His inter!ession, 4more than inter!e$es5, for those "ho more than !on(uer,

as I elieve su!h as Paul "as, "ho says 4Nay in all these "e more than !on(uer5'

He simply 4inter!e$es5, I thin-, not for those "ho more than !on(uer, nor again for

those "ho are !on(uere$, ut for those "ho !on(uer' A-in to the saying 4"hat "e ought

to pray "e -no" not ho" to as "e ought, ut the &pirit more than inter!e$es "ith #o$

in sighs unspea-ale5, is the passage 4I "ill pray "ith the &pirit, an$ I "ill pray "ith the

un$erstan$ing also3 I "ill sing "ith the spirit/ an$ I "ill sing "ith the un$erstan$ing

also5'

or even our un$erstan$ing is unale to pray unless the spirit lea$s it in prayer "ithin

hearing of it as it "ere, anymore than it !an sing or hymn, "ith rhythmi! !a$en!e an$ in

unison, "ith true measure an$ in harmony, the ather in Christ, unless the &pirit "ho

sear!hes all things even the $epth of #o$ first praise an$ hymn Him "hose $epth He

has sear!he$ an$, as He ha$ the po"er, !omprehen$e$' I thin- it must have een the

a"a-ene$ !ons!iousness of human "ea-ness falling short of prayer in the right "ay,

aove all reali:e$ as he listene$ to great "or$s of intimate -no"le$ge falling from the&avior0s lips in prayer to the ather, that move$ one of the $is!iples of %esus to say to

the +or$ "hen He !ease$ praying, 4+or$, tea!h us to pray, even as %ohn also taught his

$is!iples5' The "hole train of language is as follo"s3 4An$ it !ame to pass, as He "as at

prayer in a !ertain pla!e, that one of His $is!iples sai$ to Him "hen He !ease$ 4+or$,

tea!h us to pray even as %ohn also taught his $is!iples5'

or is it !on!eivale that a man "ho ha$ een rought up un$er instru!tion in the la"

an$ hearing of the "or$s of the prophets an$ "as no stranger to the synagogue ha$ no

-no"le$ge "hatsoever of prayer until he sa" the +or$ praying in a !ertain pla!e. It is

asur$ to preten$ that he "as one "ho $i$ pray after the %e"ish pra!ti!e ut sa" that he

nee$e$ fuller -no"le$ge as to the pla!e in referen!e to prayer' )hat "as it, too, in


4/59

referen!e to prayer that %ohn use$ to tea!h the $is!iples "ho !ame to him for aptism

from %erusalem an$ all %u$ea an$ the !ountry roun$ aout, ut !ertain things of "hi!h,

as one "ho "as greater than a prophet, he ha$ vision in referen!e to prayer, "hi!h I

elieve he "oul$ not $eliver to all "ho "ere apti:e$ ut privately to those "ho "ere

$is!iples "ith a vie" to aptism.

&u!h are the prayers, "hi!h are really spiritual e!ause the spirit "as praying in the

heart of the saints, re!or$e$ in s!ripture, an$ they are full of unutteraly "on$erful

$e!larations' In the first oo- of ;ings there is the prayer of Hannah, partially, e!ause

the "hole of it "as not !ommitte$ to "riting sin!e she "as 9spea-ing in her heart0 "hen

she perservere$ in prayer efore the +or$/ an$ in Psalms, the seventeenth psalm is

entitle$ 4A prayer of Davi$5, an$ the ninetieth 4A prayer of 6oses, man of #o$5, an$

the hun$re$ an$ se!on$ 4A prayer of a poor man at a time he is "eary an$ pours forth

his suppli!ation efore the +or$5'

These are prayers "hi!h, e!ause truly prayers ma$e an$ spo-en "ith the spirit, are alsofull of the $e!larations of the "is$om of #o$, so that one may say of the truths they

pro!laim 4)ho is "ise that he shall un$erstan$ them. An$ un$erstan$ing, then he shall

fully -no" them5' &in!e therefore it is so great an un$erta-ing to "rite aout prayer, in

or$er to thin- an$ spea- "orthily of so great a su7e!t, "e nee$ the spe!ial illumination

of the ather, an$ the tea!hing of the first orn )or$ himself, an$ the in"ar$ "or-ing of

the &pirit, I pray as a man * for I y no means attriute to myself any !apa!ity for

prayer * that I may otain the &pirit of prayer efore I $is!ourse upon it, an$ I entreat

that a $is!ourse full an$ spiritual may e grante$ to us an$ that the prayers re!or$e$ in

the #ospels may e elu!i$ate$'

&o let us no" egin our $is!ourse on Prayer

CHAPTER II

&CRIPTURA+ U&E& O THE #ENERA+ )ORD& OR PRA1ER

&o far as I have oserve$, the first instan!e of the term prayer that I fin$ is "hen %a!o,

a fugitive from his rother Esau0s "rath, "as on his "ay to 6esopotamia at the

suggestion of Isaa! an$ Ree!!a' The passage runs3 An$ %a!o vo"e$ a vo"


5/59

An$ if, e!ause Pharaoh0s "or$ is a"@thar0 anyone shoul$ e s!epti!al as to a"@thar0

meaning here prayer as "ell as vo", he shoul$ oserve "hat follo"s3 46oses sai$ to

Pharaoh, 9;in$ly tell me "hen I am to pray


6/59

into against her soul, an$ her father has let them pass in silen!e, all her vo"s shall stan$,

an$ her on$s that she entere$ into against her soul shall remain3 after "hi!h he lays

$o"n sun$ry other la"s for su!h a "oman' In this sense it is "ritten in Provers3 >I have

a pea!e offering3 to$ay I pay my vo"s/ an$ a foolish son is a father0s shame3

unhallo"e$ are vo"s from a harlot0s hire/ an$? it is a snare to a man to hallo" hastilyanything of his o"n3 for after vo"ing !omes repenting'

An$ in E!!lesiastes3 2etter not vo" than vo" "ithout paying/ an$ in the A!ts of the

Apostles3 There are among us four men of their o"n a!!or$ un$er a vo"' I thought it

not out of pla!e first to $istinguish the meaning of prayer


7/59

must e sai$, the a$verse in"or-ing, "ith intent to "rap the most impious of opinions

aroun$ the name of Christ an$ aroun$ the tea!hing of the &on of #o$, has ma$e some

!onverts on the nee$lessness of prayer * a sentiment "hi!h fin$ !hampions in those

"ho y every means $o a"ay "ith out"ar$ forms, es!he"ing aptism an$ eu!harist

ali-e, misrepresenting the &!riptures as not a!tually meaning this that "e !all prayer utas tea!hing something (uite $ifferent from it'

Those "ho re7e!t prayers, "hile, that is to say, setting a #o$ over the universe an$

affirming Provi$en!e * for it is not my present tas- to !onsi$er the statements of those

"ho y every means $o a"ay "ith a #o$ or Provi$en!e * might reason as follo"s3 #o$

-no"s all things efore they !ome to e' There is nothing that upon its entran!e into

e8isten!e is then first -no"n y Him as previously un-no"n' )hat nee$ to sen$ up

prayer to One "ho, even efore "e pray, -no"s "hat things "e have nee$ of. or the

heavenly ather -no"s "hat things "e have nee$ of efore "e as- Him'

It is reasonale to elieve that as ather an$ Artifi!er of the universe "ho loves allthings that are an$ ahors nothing that He has ma$e, (uite apart from prayer He safely

manages the affairs of ea!h li-e a father "ho !hampions his infant !hil$ren "ithout

a"aiting their entreaty "hen they are either utterly in!apale of as-ing or through

ignoran!e often $esirous of getting the opposite of "hat is to their profit an$ a$vantage'

)e men !ome further short of #o$ even than the merest !hil$ren of the intelligen!e of

their parents' An$ in all li-elihoo$ the things that are to e are not only fore-no"n ut

prearrange$ y #o$, an$ nothing ta-es pla!e !ontrary to His prearrangement' )ere

anyone to pray for sunrise he "oul$ e thought a simpleton for entreating through

prayer for the o!!urren!e of "hat "as to ta-e pla!e (uite apart from his prayer3 In li-e

manner a man "oul$ e a fool to elieve that his prayer "as responsile for the

o!!urren!e of "hat "as to ta-e pla!e in any !ase even ha$ he never praye$'

An$ again, as it is the height of ma$ness to imagine that, e!ause one suffers $is!omfort

an$ fever un$er the sun at &ummer &olsti!e, the &un is through prayer to e transferre$

to the &pringtime o$ia!, in or$er that one may have the enefit of temperate air, so it

"oul$ e the height of infatuation to imagine that y reason of prayer one "oul$ not

e8perien!e the misfortunes that meet the ra!e of men y ne!essity' 6oreover, if it e

true that sinners are estrange$ from irth an$ the righteous man has een set apart from

his mother0s "om, an$ if, "hile as yet they are unorn an$ have $one neither goo$ nor

evil, it is sai$ the el$er shall serve the younger, that the ele!tive purpose of #o$ may

stan$ ase$ not on "or-s ut on the Caller, it is in vain that "e entreat for forgivenessof sins or to re!eive a spirit of strength to the en$ that, Christ empo"ering us, "e may

have strength for all things'

If "e are sinners, "e are estrange$ from irth3 if on the other han$ "e "ere set apart

from our mother0s "om, the est of things "ill !ome our "ay even though "e $o not

pray' It is prophesie$ efore his irth that %a!o shall e over Esau an$ that his rother

shall serve him3 "hat has prayer to $o "ith that. Of "hat impiety is Esau guilty that he

is hate$ efore his irth. To "hat purpose $oes 6oses pray, as is foun$ in the ninetieth

psalm, if #o$ is his refuge sin!e efore the mountains "ere settle$ an$ the earth an$

"orl$ "ere forme$' 2esi$es, of all that are to e save$, it is re!or$e$ in the Epistle to

Ephesians that the ather ele!te$ them in Him, in Christ, efore the "orl$0s foun$ation,


8/59

that they shoul$ e holy an$ lameless efore Him, preor$aining them unto a$option as

His sons through Christ'

Either, therefore, a man is ele!t, of the numer of those "ho are so sin!e efore the

"orl$0s foun$ation, an$ !an y no means fall from his ele!tion in "hi!h !ase he hastherefore no nee$ of prayer/ or he is not ele!t nor yet preor$aine$, in "hi!h !ase he

prays in vain, sin!e, though he shoul$ pray ten thousan$ times, he "ill not e listene$

to' or "hom #o$ fore-ne", them He also preor$aine$ to !onformity "ith the image of

His &on0s glory/ an$ "hom He preor$aine$, them He also !alle$/ an$ "hom He !alle$,

them He also 7ustifie$/ an$ "hom He 7ustifie$, them He also glorifie$'

)hy is %osiah $istresse$, or "hy has he an8iety as to "hether or not he "ill e listene$

to in prayer, "hen, many generations efore, he "as prophesie$ y name an$ his future

a!tion not only fore-no"n ut foretol$ in the hearing of many' To "hat purpose, too,

$oes %u$as pray "ith the result that even his prayer turne$ to sin, "hen from Davi$0s

times it is pre@announ!e$ that he "ill lose his overseership, another re!eiving it in hisstea$'

It is self@evi$ently asur$, #o$ eing un!hangeale an$ having pre@!omprehen$e$ all

things an$ a$hering to His prearrangements, to pray in the elief that through prayer one

"ill !hange His purpose, or, as though He ha$ not alrea$y prearrange$ ut a"aite$ ea!h

in$ivi$ual0s prayer, to ma-e inter!ession that He may arrange "hat suits the suppli!ant

y reason of his prayer, there an$ then appointing "hat He approves as reasonale

though He has previously not !ontemplate$ it' At this point the propositions you

formulate$ in your letter to me may e set $o"n "or$ for "or$ thus3 irstly, if #o$ is

fore-no"er of the future an$ it must !ome to pass, prayer is vain' &e!on$ly, if all things

!ome to pass y virtue of #o$0s "ill, an$ His $e!rees are fi8e$, an$ nothing that He

"ills !an e !hange$, prayer is vain' To"ar$s a solution of the $iffi!ulties "hi!h

enum the instin!t of prayer, the follo"ing, as I elieve, helpful !onsi$erations may e

a$van!e$

CHAPTER IB

AN&)ER TO O2%ECTION&3 6AN0& REE)I++ AND #OD0&

ORE;NO)+ED#E

Of o7e!ts that move, some have the !ause of motion outsi$e them' &u!h are o7e!ts"hi!h are lifeless an$ in passive motion simply y for!e of !on$ition, an$ those "hi!h

are move$ y for!e of nature an$ of life in the same manner an$ not li-e things "hi!h

move o!!asionally, for stones an$ sto!-s that have een (uarrie$ or !ut off from gro"th,

eing in passive motion simply y for!e of !on$ition, have the !ause of motion outsi$e

them'

&u!h too are $ea$ o$ies of animals an$ movale parts of plants, "hi!h !hange position

un$er !ompulsion an$ not as animals an$ plants themselves !hange their position ut in

the same manner as stones an$ sto!-s !ut off from gro"th * although even these may e

sai$ to move in respe!t that, all o$ies in $e!ay eing in flu8, they possess the motion

inherently atten$ant upon $e!ay' 2esi$es these a se!on$ !lass of moving o7e!ts are


9/59

those "hi!h move y for!e of their internal nature or life, "hi!h are sai$ y those "ho

use terms in their stri!ter sense to move of themselves'

A thir$ -in$ of movement is that in animals, "hi!h is terme$ spontaneous movement,

"hereas, in my opinion, the movement of rational eings is in$epen$ent movement' If"e "ith$ra" from an animal spontaneous movement, it !annot e any longer !on!eive$

as even an animal/ it "ill e li-e either a plant moving y mere for!e of nature or a

stone orne along y some for!e e8ternal to it3 )henever an o7e!t follo"s its o"n

pe!uliar movement, sin!e that is "hat "e have terme$ in$epen$ent movement, it must

nee$s e rational' Thin-ers therefore "ho "ill have it that nothing is in our po"er, "ill

ne!essarily assent to a most foolish statement, firstly that "e are not animals, an$

se!on$ly that neither are "e rational eings, ut that, "hat "e are elieve$ to $o, "e

may e sai$ to $o y for!e as it "ere of some e8ternal !ause of motion an$ in no sense

moving ourselves'

+et anyone, moreover, "ith spe!ial regar$ to his o"n feelings, see "hether "ithoutshame he !an $eny that it is himself that "ills, eats, "al-s, gives assent to an$ a!!epts

!ertain opinions, $issents from others as false' There are !ertain opinions to "hi!h a

man !annot possily assent though he puts them "ith innumerale refinements of

argument an$ "ith plausile reasoning3 an$ similarly it is impossile to assent to any

vie" of human affairs in "hi!h our free "ill is in no sense preserve$'

)ho assents to the vie" that nothing is !omprehensile, or lives as in !omplete

suspense of 7u$gement3 )ho that has re!eive$ a sense per!eption of a $omesti!

mis$ee$, foreears to reprove the servant. An$ "ho is there that $oes not !ensure a son

"ho fails to pay the $uty o"e$ to parents, or $oes not lame an$ fin$ fault "ith an

a$ulteress as having !ommitte$ a shameful a!t. Truth for!es an$ !ompels us, in spite of

innumerale refinements, to impulsive praise an$ lame, on the asis of our retention of

free "ill "ith the responsiility in "hi!h it involves us'

If our free "ill is in truth preserve$ "ith innumerale in!linations to"ar$s virtue or

vi!e, to"ar$s either $uty or its opposite, its future must li-e other things have een

-no"n y #o$, efore !oming to pass, from the "orl$0s !reation an$ foun$ation/ an$ in

all things prearrange$ y #o$ in a!!or$an!e "ith "hat He has seen of ea!h a!t of our

free "ills' He has "ith $ue regar$ to ea!h movement of our free "ills prearrange$ "hat

also is at on!e to o!!ur in His provi$en!e an$ to ta-e pla!e a!!or$ing to the train of

future events' #o$0s fore-no"le$ge is not the !ause of all future events in!lu$ing thosethat are to have their effi!ient !ause in our free"ill gui$e$ y impulse'

Even though "e shoul$ suppose #o$ ignorant of the future, "e shall not on that a!!ount

e in!apa!itate$ for effe!ting this an$ "illing that' Rather it ensues from His

fore-no"le$ge that our in$ivi$ual free "ills re!eive a$7ustment to suit the universal

arrangement nee$ful for the !onstitution of the "orl$' If, therefore, our in$ivi$ual free

"ills have een -no"n y Him, an$ if in His provi$en!e He has on that a!!ount een

!areful to ma-e $ue arrangement for ea!h one, it is reasonale to elieve that He has

also pre@!omprehen$e$ "hat a parti!ular man is to pray in that faith, "hat his

$isposition, an$ "hat his $esire'


10/59

That eing so, in His arrangement it "ill a!!or$ingly have een or$aine$ some"hat

after this "ise3 This man I "ill hear for the sa-e of the prayer that he "ill pray, e!ause

he "ill pray "isely3 ut that man I "ill not hear, either e!ause he "ill e un"orthy of

eing hear$, or e!ause his prayer "ill e for things neither profitale for the suppliant

to re!eive nor e!oming me to esto"3 an$ in the !ase of this prayer, of some parti!ularperson, let us say, I "ill not hear him, ut in the !ase of that I "ill'

&houl$ the fa!t of #o$0s unerring fore-no"le$ge of the future $is(uiet anyone y

suggesting that things have een ne!essarily $etermine$, "e must tell him that it is a

real part of #o$0s fi8e$ -no"le$ge that a parti!ular man "ill not "ith any fi8e$

!ertainty !hoose the etter or so $esire the "orse as to e!ome in!apale of a !hange for

his goo$' An$ again I "ill $o this for this man "hen he prays, as e!omes me seeing

that he "ill pray "ithout reproa!h an$ "ill not e negligent in prayer3 upon that man

"ho "ill pray for a !ertain amount, I "ill esto" this aun$antly in e8!ess of his as-ing

or thin-ing, for it e!omes me to surpass him in "ell $oing an$ to furnish more than he

has een !apale of as-ing'

To this other man of a parti!ular !hara!ter I "ill sen$ this angel as minister, to !ooperate

from a !ertain time in his salvation an$ to e "ith him for a !ertain perio$3 to that other,

"ho "ill e a etter man than he, that angel of higher ran- than his' rom this man "ho,

after having $evote$ himself to the higher vie"s "ill gra$ually rela8 an$ fall a!- upon

the more material, I "ill "ith$ra" this superior !ooperator, upon "hose "ith$ra"al that

$uly inferior po"er, having foun$ an opportunity to get at his sla!-ness, "ill set upon

him an$ "hen he has given himself up in rea$iness to sin, "ill in!ite him to these

parti!ular sins' &o "e may imagine the Prearranger of All saying3

Amos "ill eget %osiah, "ho "ill not emulate his father0s faults ut "ill fin$ his "ay

lea$ing on to virtue, an$ "ill y ai$ of these !ompanions e nole an$ goo$, so that he

"ill tear $o"n the evilly ere!te$ altar of %erooam' I also -no" that %u$as, in the

so7ourn of my son among the ra!e of men, "ill at the first e nole an$ goo$ ut later

turn asi$e an$ fall a"ay to human sins so that he "ill rightly suffer thus for them' This

fore-no"le$ge, it may e in regar$ to all things, !ertainly in regar$ to %u$as an$ other

mysteries, e8ists in the &on of #o$ also, "ho in His $is!ernment of the evolution of the

future has seen %u$as an$ the sins to e !ommitte$ y him, so that, even efore %u$as

!ame into e8isten!e, He in His !omprehension has sai$ through Davi$ the "or$s

eginning 4O #o$, -eep you not silen!e at my praise5' * ;no"ing as I $o the future an$

"hat an influen!e Paul "ill have in the !ause of religion, ere yet I set me to egin!reation an$ foun$ the "orl$ I "ill ma-e !hoi!e of him3 I "ill !ommit him from the

moment of his irth to these po"ers that !ooperate in men0s salvation'

I "ill set him apart from his mother0s "om' I "ill permit him at the first to fall in

youth into an ignorant :eal an$ in the avo"e$ !ause of religion to perse!ute elievers in

my Christ an$ to -eep the garments of them that stone my servant an$ "itness &tephen,

so that later at the !lose of his youthful "ilfulness he may e given a fresh start an$

!hange for the est an$ yet not oast efore me ut may say3 4I am not fit to e !alle$

an apostle, e!ause I perse!ute$ the !hur!h of #o$5, an$ reali:ing the -in$ness that he

"ill re!eive from me after his faults !ommitte$ in youth in the avo"e$ !ause of religion

may $e!lare 4It is y #o$0s gra!e that I am "hat I am5/ an$, eing restraine$ y


11/59

!ons!ien!e y reason of the $ee$s he "rought "hile still young against Christ, he "ill

not e e8!essively elate$ y the e8!ee$ing aun$an!e of the revelations "hi!h in

-in$ness I shall sho" him'

To the o7e!tion in referen!e to prayer for the rising of the &un "e may reply as follo"s'The &un also possesses a !ertain free "ill, sin!e he "ith the moon 7oins in praising #o$,

for 4Praise Him, &un an$ 6oon5 it says3 as also manifestly the moon an$ all the stars

!onformaly, for it says 4Praise Him all the stars an$ light5' As, therefore, "e have sai$

that #o$ has employe$ the free "ill of in$ivi$ual eings on earth for the servi!e of

eings on earth in arranging them aright, so "e may suppose that He has employe$ the

free "ill, fi8e$ an$ !ertain an$ stea$fast an$ "ise as it is, of sun, moon an$ stars in

arranging the "hole "orl$ of heaven "ith the !ourse an$ movement of the stars in

harmony "ith the "hole'

If I $o not pray in vain for "hat !on!erns any other free"ill, mu!h more shall I pray for

"hat !on!erns the free"ill of the stars "hi!h trea$ in heaven their "orl$@!onservingmeasures' It may in$ee$ e sai$ of eings on earth that !ertain appearan!es in our

surroun$ings !all out no" our instaility, no" our etter in!lination to a!t or spea- in

!ertain "ays3 ut in the !ase of eings in heaven "hat appearan!es !an interpose to oust

an$ remove from the !ourse that enefit the "orl$ eings "hi!h have ea!h a life so

a$7uste$ y Reason in$epen$ently of them, an$ "hi!h en7oy so ethereal an$ supremely

pure a frame.

CHAPTER B

AN&)ER TO O2%ECTION&3 CONDITION& NECE&&AR1 TO PRA1ER

)ith a vie" to impel men to pray an$ to turn them from negle!t of prayer, "e may not

unreasonaly further use an illustration su!h as this' %ust as, apart from "oman an$

apart from re!ourse to the fun!tion re(uisite for pro!reation, man !annot pro!reate, so

one may not otain !ertain things "ithout prayer in a !ertain manner, "ith a !ertain

$isposition, "ith a !ertain faith, after a !ertain ante!e$ent mo$e of life' Thus "e are not

to ale or as- for little things or pray for earthly things or enter upon prayer "ith

anger an$ "ith thoughts $isture$'

Nor again is it possile to thin- of giving oneself to prayer apart from purifi!ation' Noragain is forgiveness of sins possile to the suppli!ant unless from the heart he forgives

his rother "ho has $one "rong an$ entreats him to otain his par$on' That enefit

a!!rues to him "ho prays rightly or a!!or$ing to his aility strives to $o so, follo"s, I

!onsi$er, in many "ays3 It is, first of all, surely in every sense a spiritual a$vantage to

him "ho is intent upon prayer, in the very !omposure of prayer to present himself to

#o$ an$ in His presen!e to spea- to Him "ith a vivi$ sense that he loo-s on an$ is

present' or 7ust as !ertain mental images an$ parti!ular re!olle!tions !onne!te$ "ith

the o7e!ts re!olle!te$ may sully the thoughts suggeste$ y !ertain other images, in the

same "ay "e may elieve that it is a$vantageous to rememer #o$ as the o7e!t of our

faith * the One "ho $is!erns the movements "ithin the inner san!tuary of the soul as it

$isposes itself to please the E8aminer of Hearts an$ In(uisitor of Reins as One "ho is


12/59

present an$ ehol$s an$ penetrates into every min$'

Even though further enefit than this e suppose$ to a!!rue to him "ho has !ompose$

his thoughts for prayer, no or$inary gain is to e !on!eive$ as gotten y one "ho has

$evoutly $ispose$ himself in the season of prayer' )hen this is regularly pra!ti!e$, ho"many sins it -eeps us from, an$ ho" many a!hievements it rings us to, is -no"n only

to those "ho have given themselves up "ith some $egree of !onstan!y to prayer'

or if the re!olle!tion an$ re!ontemplation of a man "ho has foun$ fame an$ enefit in

"is$om in!ites us to evaluate him an$ sometimes restrains our lo"er impulses, ho"

mu!h more $oes the re!olle!tion of #o$ the ather of All, along "ith prayer to Him,

e!ome a$vantageous to those "ho are persua$e$ that they stan$ efore an$ spea- to a

present an$ hearing #o$

)hat I have sai$ may e estalishe$ from the $ivine s!riptures in the follo"ing "ay' He

"ho prays must lift up holy han$s, forgiving everyone "ho has "ronge$ him, "ith thepassion of anger anishe$ from his soul an$ in "rath "ith none' An$ again, to prevent

his min$ from eing ma$e turi$ y irrelevant thoughts, he must "hile at prayer forget

for the time everything outsi$e prayer * surely a state of supreme lesse$ness As Paul

tea!hes in the first Epistle to Timothy "hen he says3 4I $esire therefore that men pray in

every pla!e lifting up holy han$s "ithout anger an$ $isputations' An$ further, a "oman

ought, most of all at prayer, to preserve simpli!ity an$ $e!en!y in soul an$ o$y, aove

all an$ espe!ially "hile she prays reveren!ing #o$ an$ e8pelling from her intelle!t

every "anton "omanish re!olle!tion, arraye$ not in !haplets an$ gol$ or pearls or

!ostly raiment, ut in the things in "hi!h it e!omes a "oman of pious profession to e

arraye$,


13/59

is surely alrea$y putting off its e8isten!e as soul an$ e!oming spiritual' An$ if

forgiveness is a very high a!!omplishment, so high as a!!or$ing to the prophet %eremiah

to emra!e a summary of the "hole la", for he says, 4I lai$ not those !omman$s upon

your fathers as they "ere gone forth from Egypt, ut this !omman$ I lai$3

+et ea!h man not e unforgiving to his neighor in his heart5, an$ if in entering upon

prayer "ith unforgiveness left ehin$ us "e -eep the &avior0s !omman$, 4If you0re

stan$ing at prayer forgive aught that you have against any man5'


14/59

or it says, 4He spo-e a parale to the en$ that they ought at all times to pray an$ not

lose heart' 9There "as a !ertain 7u$ge in a !ertain !ity,05 an$ so on/ an$ earlier he sai$

unto them, 4)ho of you shall have a frien$, an$ shall go unto him at mi$night an$ shall

say to him3

rien$, len$ me three loaves sin!e a frien$ of mine has !ome to me after a 7ourney an$ I

have naught to set efore him5/ an$ a little later, 4I tell you, even though he "ill not rise

an$ give him e!ause he is his frien$, he "ill yet e!ause of his eing unaashe$ get up

an$ give him as many as he "ants5' An$ "ho that elieves the guileless lips of %esus

!an ut e stirre$ to unhesitating prayer "hen He says, 4As- an$ it shall e given you

for everyone that as-s re!eives5, sin!e the -in$ ather gives to those "ho have re!eive$

the spirit of a$option from the ather, the living rea$ "hen "e as- Him, not the stone

"hi!h the a$versary "oul$ have e!ome foo$ for %esus an$ His $is!iples, an$ sin!e The

ather gives the goo$ gift in rain from heaven to those that as- him'

2ut these pray along "ith those "ho genuinely pray * not only the high priest ut alsothe angels "ho 4re7oi!e in heaven over one repenting sinner more than over ninety@nine

righteous that nee$ not repentan!e5, an$ also the souls of the saints alrea$y at rest' T"o

instan!es ma-e this plain' The first is "here Raphael offers their servi!e to #o$ for

Toit an$ &arah' After oth ha$ praye$, the s!ripture says, 4The prayer of oth "as

hear$ efore the presen!e of the great Raphael an$ he "as sent to heal them oth5, an$

Raphael himself, "hen e8plaining his angeli! !ommission at #o$0s !omman$ to help

them, says3

4Even no" "hen you praye$, an$ &arah your $aughter@in@la", I rought the memorial

of your prayer efore the Holy One5, an$ shortly after, 4I am Raphael, one of the &even

angels "ho present the prayers of saints an$ enter in efore the glory of the Holy One'

Thus, a!!or$ing to Raphael0s a!!ount at least, prayer "ith fasting an$ almsgiving an$

righteousness is a goo$ thing'

The se!on$ instan!e is in the 2oo-s of the 6a!!aees "here %eremiah appears in

e8!ee$ing 4"hite haire$ glory5 so that a "on$rous an$ most ma7esti! authority "as

aout him, an$ stret!hes forth his right han$ an$ $elivers to %u$as a gol$en s"or$, an$

there "itnesses to him another saint alrea$y at rest saying, 4This is he "ho prays mu!h

for the people an$ the sa!re$ !ity, #o$0s prophet %eremiah5' or it is asur$ "hen

-no"le$ge, though manifeste$ to the "orthy through a mirror an$ in a ri$$le for the

present, is then reveale$ fa!e to fa!e not to thin- that the li-e is true of all othere8!ellen!es as "ell, that they "ho prepare in this life eforehan$ are ma$e stri!tly

perfe!t then'

No" one of these e8!ellen!es in the stri!test sense a!!or$ing to the $ivine "or$ is love

for one0s neighor, an$ this a!!or$ingly "e are !ompelle$ to thin- of as possesse$ in a

far higher $egree y saints alrea$y at rest than y those "ho are in human "ea-ness an$

"restle on along "ith the "ea-er' It is not only here that 4if one memer suffers, all the

memers suffer "ith it an$ if one memer is glorifie$, all the memers re7oi!e "ith it5

in the e8perien!e of those "ho love their rethren, for it eseems the love also of those

"ho are eyon$ the present life to say 4I have an8iety for all the !hur!hes3


15/59

)ho is "ea- an$ I am not "ea-. )ho is ma$e to stumle an$ I $o not urn.5

Espe!ially "hen Christ avo"s that a!!or$ing as su!h one of the saints may e "ea-, He

is "ea- in li-e manner, an$ in prison an$ na-e$ an$ a stranger an$ hungry an$ athirst'

or "ho that rea$s the gospel is ignorant that Christ, in ta-ing on himself "hatever

efalls elievers, !ounts their sufferings His o"n.

An$ if angels of #o$ !ame to %esus an$ ministere$ to Him, an$ if "e are not to thin- of

the ministry of the angels to %esus as having een limite$ to the rief spa!e of His

o$ily so7ourn among men "hile He "as still in the mi$st of elievers not as one that

re!line$ at tale ut as one that ministere$, ho" many angels, I "on$er, must no" e

ministering to %esus "hen He "oul$ 4ring together the Chil$ren of Israel one y one5

an$ gather them from the $ispersion, saving those "ho fear #o$ an$ !all upon Him, an$

must e !ooperating more than the apostles in the in!rease an$ enlargement of the

!hur!h Thus in %ohn !ertain angels are spo-en of in the Apo!alypse as a!tually

presi$ing over the !hur!hes'

Not in vain $o angels of #o$ as!en$ an$ $es!en$ unto the &on of 6an, ehel$ of eyes

that have een enlightene$ "ith the light of -no"le$ge' In the very season of prayer,

a!!or$ingly, eing remin$e$ y the suppliant of his nee$s, they satisfy them as they

have aility y virtue of their general !ommission' To further the a!!eptan!e of our vie"

"e may ma-e use of some su!h image as the follo"ing in support of this argument'

&uppose that a righteously min$e$ physi!ian is at the si$e of a si!- man praying for

health, "ith -no"le$ge of the right mo$e of treatment for the $isease aout "hi!h the

man is offering prayer' It is manifest that he "ill e move$ to heal the suppliant,

surmising, it may "ell e not i$ly, that #o$ has ha$ this very a!tion in min$ in ans"er

to the prayer of the suppliant for release from the $isease' Or suppose that a man of

!onsi$erale means, "ho is generous, hears the prayer of a poor man offering

inter!ession to #o$ for his "ants' It is plain that he, too, "ill fulfil the o7e!ts of the

poor man0s prayer, e!oming a minister of the fatherly !ounsel of Him "ho at the

season of the prayer ha$ rought together him "ho "as to pray an$ him "ho "as ale

to supply an$ y virtue of the rightness of his prin!iples, in!apale of overloo-ing one

"ho has ma$e that parti!ular re(uest'

As therefore "e are not to elieve that these events are fortuitous, "hen they ta-e pla!e

e!ause He "ho has numere$ all the hairs of the hea$ of saints, has aptly rought

together at the season of the prayer the hearer "ho is to e minister of His enefa!tionto the suppliant an$ the man "ho has ma$e his re(uest in faith/ so "e may surmise that

the presen!e of the angels "ho e8er!ise oversight an$ ministry for #o$ is sometimes

rought into !on7un!tion "ith a parti!ular suppliant in or$er that they may 7oin in

reathing his petitions'

Nay more, ehol$ing ever the fa!e of the ather in heaven an$ loo-ing on the #o$hea$

of our Creator, the angel of ea!h man, even of 4little ones5 "ithin the !hur!h, oth prays

"ith us, an$ a!ts "ith us "here possile, for the o7e!ts of our prayer

CHAPTER BII


16/59

AN&)ER TO O2%ECTION&3 THE TRUE P+ACE

O PRA1ER IN 6AN0s +IE

Again I elieve the "or$s of the prayer of the saints to e full of po"er aove all "hen

praying 4"ith the spirit5, they pray 4also "ith the un$erstan$ing5, "hi!h is li-e a lightrising from the suppliant0s min$ an$ pro!ee$ing from his lips to gra$ually "ea-en y

the po"er of #o$ the mental venom in7e!te$ y the a$verse po"ers into the intelle!t of

su!h as negle!t prayer an$ fail to -eep that saying of Paul0s in a!!or$an!e "ith the

e8hortations of %esus, 4Pray "ithout !easing5' or it is as if a $art from the suppliant0s

soul, spe$ y -no"le$ge an$ reason or y faith, pro!ee$s from the saint an$ "oun$s to

their $estru!tion an$ $issolution the spirits a$verse to #o$ an$ $esirous of !asting roun$

us the on$s of sin'

No", sin!e the performan!e of a!tions en7oine$ y virtue or y the !omman$ments is

also a !onstituent part of prayer, he prays "ithout !easing "ho !omines prayer "ith

right a!tions, an$ e!oming a!tions "ith prayer' or the saying 4pray "ithout !easing5!an only e a!!epte$ y us as a possiility if "e may spea- of the "hole life of a saint

as one great !ontinuous prayer'

Of su!h prayer "hat is usually terme$ prayer is in$ee$ a part, an$ ought to e

performe$ at least three times ea!h $ay, as is plain from the a!!ount of Daniel "ho, in

spite of the grave $anger that impen$e$, praye$ three times $aily' Peter furnishes an

instan!e of the mi$$le prayer of the three "hen he goes up to the housetop aout the

si8th hour to pray on that o!!asion on "hi!h he also sa" the vessel "hi!h $es!en$e$

from heaven let $o"n y four !orners' The first is spo-en of y Davi$3 4In the morning

shall you hear my prayer3 in the morning "ill I present myself to you an$ -eep "at!h5'

The last is in$i!ate$ in the "or$s3 4the lifting up of my han$s in evening sa!rifi!e5'

In$ee$ "e shall not rightly spea- even the season of night "ithout su!h prayer as Davi$

refers to "hen he says 4at mi$night I arose to ma-e a!-no"le$gment to you for your

righteous 7u$gments5 an$ as Paul e8emplifies "hen, as it is sai$ in the A!ts of the

Apostles, along "ith &ilas he offers prayer an$ praise to #o$ 4aout mi$night5 in

Phillipi so that the prisoners also hear$ them

CHAPTER BIII

AN&)ER TO O2%ECTION&3 &I#NA+ IN&TANCE& O PRA1ER

If %esus prays an$ $oes not pray in vain, if He otains His re(uests through prayer an$ it

may e "oul$ not have re!eive$ them "ithout prayer, "ho of us is to negle!t prayer.

6ar- tells us that 4in the morning long efore $ayrea- he arose an$ "ent out an$

$eparte$ to a lonely pla!e an$ there praye$5' +u-e says3 4An$ it !ame to pass, as He

"as at prayer in a !ertain pla!e, that one of His $is!iples sai$ to Him "hen He !ease$,'''

an$ else"here3 An$ He passe$ the night in prayer to #o$5' %ohn re!or$s a prayer of

Him in the "or$s3

4These things spo-e %esus, an$ lifting up His eyes unto heaven He sai$, 9ather the hour

is !ome/ glorify your &on that your &on may also glorify you'05 An$ the +or$0s saying,


17/59

4I -ne" that you hear me al"ays5, re!or$e$ in the same "riter sho"s that it is e!ause

He is al"ays praying that He is al"ays hear$'

)hat nee$ is there to tell the tale of those "ho, through right prayer, have otaine$ the

greatest of things from #o$, "hen it is open to everyone to sele!t any numer of themfor himself from the &!riptures. Hannah $i$ servi!e to the irth of &amuel, "ho is

numere$ along "ith 6oses, e!ause though arren she praye$ in faith unto the +or$'

He:e-iah, "ho "hile still !hil$less learne$ from Isaiah that he "as aout to $ie, is

in!lu$e$ in the &avior0s genealogy e!ause he praye$' )hen the people "ere alrea$y on

the point of perishing un$er a single $e!ree as the result of Haman0s !onspira!y, it "as

the hear$ prayer "ith fasting of 6or$e!ai an$ Esther that a$$e$ to the 6osai! festivals

an$ gave rise to the 6or$e!ai! $ay of re7oi!ing for the people'

It "as, moreover, after offering holy prayer that %u$ith "ith #o$0s help over!ame

Holophernes, an$ thus a single "oman of the Here"s "rought shame upon the house

of Neu!ha$ne::ar' It "as on eing hear$ that Ananiah an$ A:ariah an$ 6ishaele!ame "orthy to re!eive a hissing rain an$ "in$ "hi!h -ept the flame of the fire from

ta-ing effe!t' Through Daniel0s prayers the lions in the 2aylonians0 pit "ere mu::le$'

Even %onah, e!ause he $i$ not $espair of eing hear$ from the elly of the monster that

ha$ s"allo"e$ him, "as ale to (uit the monster0s elly an$ !omplete his interrupte$

prophet0s mission to the Ninevites' An$ further, ho" many things !oul$ ea!h of us

re!ount shoul$ he !hoose to re!all "ith gratitu$e the enefits !onferre$ upon him an$ to

offer praise to #o$ for them &ouls that have long een arren ut have e!ome

!ons!ious of their intelle!ts0 sterility an$ the arrenness of their min$, through

persevering prayer have !on!eive$ of the Holy &pirit an$ given irth to thoughts an$

"or$s of salvation full of !ontemplate$ truth'

Ho" many of our foes have een $isperse$, "hen often !ountless thousan$s in the

a$verse host "ere "earing us $o"n "ith intent to s"eep us a"ay from the $ivine faith,

an$ "e re7oi!e$, "hen their appeal "as to !hariots an$ horses ut ours to the name of

the +or$, to see that in truth $e!eptive is a horse for safety 6any a time in$ee$ $oes he

"hose trust is in praise to #o$ * for %u$ith means praise * !ut his "ay through guileful

an$ persuasive spee!h, that !hief !omman$er of the a$versary "ho rings numers even

of repute$ elievers to their -nees'

)hat nee$ is there to go on to tell of all "ho many a time have fallen amongtemptations har$ to over!ome, "hose urn "as sharper than any flame, an$ have

suffere$ naught un$er them ut emerge$ from them in every "ay uns!athe$, "ithout so

mu!h of s!athe as the slightest o$or of the hostile fire/ or again of all the rutes

e8asperate$ against us, in the form of "i!-e$ spirits or !ruel men, that "e have

en!ountere$ an$ often mu::le$ y our prayers, so that they "ere impotent to fasten their

fangs in our memers "hi!h ha$ e!ome those of Christ' Often in ea!h saint0s

e8perien!e has the +or$ $ashe$ together the teeth of lions, an$ they "ere rought to

nothing, as "ater flo"ing y'

)e -no" that often fugitives from #o$0s !omman$s "ho have een s"allo"e$ y

$eath, "hi!h at the first prevaile$ against them, have een save$ y reason of


18/59

repentan!e from so great an evil, e!ause they $i$ not $espair of eing ale to e save$

though alrea$y overpo"ere$ in the elly of $eath3 for $eath prevaile$ an$ s"allo"e$,

an$ again #o$ too- a"ay every tear from every fa!e' )hat I have sai$ after my

enumeration of persons "ho have een enefite$ through prayer, I !onsi$er to have

een most ne!essary to my purpose of turning aspirants after the spiritual life in Christfrom prayer for little earthly things, an$ urging rea$ers of this "riting to"ar$s the

mysti!al things of "hi!h the aove mentione$ "ere types'

or it is al"ays an$ "holly prayer for the spiritual, mysti!al things "hi!h "e have

instan!e$, that is pra!tise$ y him "ho $oes not "ar a!!or$ing to the flesh ut "ith the

&pirit mortifies the o$y0s a!tions, preferen!e eing given to the things suggeste$ y

analogy an$ stu$y over the enefa!tion apparently in$i!ate$ y the language of

s!ripture as having a!!rue$ to those "ho ha$ praye$'

or in ourselves also "e are to strive, hearing the spiritual la" "ith spiritual ears, that

arrenness or sterility may not arise, ut that "e may li-e Hannah an$ He:e-iah ehear$, eing free$ from arrenness or sterility, an$ li-e 6or$e!ai an$ Esther an$ %u$ith

e $elivere$ from plotting enemies * in our !ase the spiritual po"ers of evil' Inasmu!h

as Egypt is an iron furna!e an$ also a symol of every earthly pla!e, let every one "ho

has es!ape$ from the "i!-e$ness of the life of men "ithout having een s!or!he$ y sin

or having ha$ his heart li-e an oven full of fire, give than-s no less than the men "ho

e8perien!e$ rain ami$ fire'

+et him, too, "ho has een hear$ "hen he has praye$ an$ sai$ 4Deliver not to the

rutes a soul that ma-es a!-no"le$gment to you5, an$ "ho has suffere$ naught from

asp an$ asilis- e!ause through Christ he has tro$ on them, an$ "ho has trample$ lion

an$ sna-e an$ en7oye$ the goo$ authority esto"e$ y %esus to "al- over serpents an$

s!orpions an$ upon the "hole po"er of the enemy, "ithout having een in7ure$ y any

of them, give than-s more than Daniel as having een $elivere$ from rutes more

terrile an$ harmful'

+et him, moreover, "ho has learne$ y e8perien!e "hat manner of monster that "hi!h

s"allo"e$ %onah typifie$, per!eiving that it is of su!h that %o has spo-en, 46ay He

!urse it that !urses that $ay, He that is to "orst the great monster5, if he shoul$ ever

!ome y reason of any $isoe$ien!e to e in the elly of the monster, pray in peniten!e,

an$ he shall !ome out then!e/ an$ if, after !oming out, he ai$es in oe$ien!e to the

!omman$s of #o$, he shall e ale a!!or$ing to the -in$ness of the &pirit to e aprophet to perishing Ninevites of to$ay an$ to e!ome a means to their salvation,

"ithout $is!ontent "ith the -in$ness of #o$ or $esire that He shoul$ ai$e in severity

to"ar$s penitents'

The very highest thing that &amuel is sai$ to have $one through prayer is spiritually

possile of a!hievement to$ay y every genuine $epen$ant upon #o$ "ho has e!ome

"orthy to e hear$' It is "ritten3 4An$ no" $o ut stan$ an$ see this great thing "hi!h

the +or$ $oes un$er you eyes' Is it not "heat harvest to$ay. I "ill !all upon the +or$

an$ He "ill give thun$ers an$ rain5' An$ then shortly after it says 4an$ &amuel !alle$

upon the +or$, an$ the +or$ gave thun$ers an$ rain in that $ay5' To every saint "ho is

genuinely in $is!ipleship to %esus it is sai$ y the +or$, 4+ift up your eyes an$ ehol$


19/59

ho" the fiel$s are "hite alrea$y unto harvest' He that harvests re!eives "ages an$

gathers fruit unto life eternal5'

In this time of harvest the +or$ $oes a great thing un$er the eyes of those "ho hear the

prophets/ for "hen he that is a$orne$ y the &pirit !alls upon the +or$, #o$ gives fromheaven thun$ers an$ rain that "aters the &oul, in or$er that he "ho "as efore in vi!e

may $eeply fear the +or$ an$ the minister of #o$0s enefa!tion "hose !laim to

reveren!e an$ veneration has een atteste$ through the hearing of his prayers' Eli7ah

in$ee$ y a $ivine "or$ opene$ the heavens after they ha$ een shut to the impious

three years an$ si8 months, a thing "hi!h anyone may a!!omplish at any time "hen

through prayer he re!eives the &oul0s rain, if he e one "ho has hitherto een $eprive$

of it e!ause of sin

CHAPTER IK

THE CONTENT O PRA1ER3 IT& OUR 6OOD&

After thus interpreting the enefa!tions "hi!h have a!!rue$ to saints through their

prayers, let us turn our attention to the "or$s 4as- for the great things an$ the little shall

e a$$e$ unto you3 an$ as- for the heavenly things an$ the earthly shall e a$$e$ unto

you5' All symoli!al an$ typi!al things may e $es!rie$ as little an$ earthly in

!omparison "ith the true an$ the spiritual'

An$, I elieve, the $ivine )or$, in urging us on to imitate the prayers of the saints,

spea-s of the heavenly an$ great things set forth through those !on!erne$ "ith the

earthly an$ little, in or$er that "e may ma-e our re(uests a!!or$ing to the reality of

"hi!h their a!hievements "ere typi!al' He says in effe!t3 Do you "ho "oul$ e

spiritual as- for the heavenly an$ great, in or$er that otaining in them heavenly things

you may inherit a -ing$om of heaven, an$ as otaining great things you may en7oy the

greatest lessings, "hile as for the earthly an$ little that you re(uire y reason of your

o$ily ne!essities, your ather "ill supply them to you in $ue measure'

In the first Epistle to Timothy the Apostle has employe$ four terms !orrespon$ing to

four things in !lose relation to the su7e!t of $evotion an$ prayer' It "ill therefore e of

servi!e to !ite his language an$ see "hether "e !an satisfa!torily $etermine the stri!t

meaning of ea!h of the four' He says, 4I e8hort therefore first of all that re(uests,

prayers, inter!essions, than-sgivings e ma$e on ehalf of all men5, an$ so on'

Re(uest I ta-e to e that form of prayer "hi!h a man in some nee$ offers "ith

suppli!ation for its attainment/ prayer, that "hi!h a man offers in the loftier sense for

higher things "ith as!ription of glory/ inter!ession, the a$$ressing of !laim to #o$ y a

man "ho possesses a !ertain fuller !onfi$en!e/ than-sgiving, the prayerful

a!-no"le$gment of the attainment of lessings from #o$, he "ho returns the

a!-no"le$gment eing impresse$ y the greatness, or "hat seems to the re!ipient the

greatness, of the enefa!tions !onferre$' Of the first, e8amples are foun$ in #ariel0s

spee!h to a!hariah "ho, it is li-ely, ha$ praye$ for the irth of %ohn3 4ear not,

a!hariah, e!ause your re(uest hath een hear$ an$ your "ife Eli:aeth shall eget

you a &on an$ you shall !all his name %ohn5/ in the a!!ount in E8o$us of the ma-ing of


20/59

the Calf3 4An$ 6oses ma$e re(uest efore the +or$ #o$, an$ sai$3 To "hat purpose,

+or$, art you in anger "roth "ith your people "hom you hast rought out of the lan$ of

Egypt in great might.5

In Deuteronomy3 4An$ I ma$e re(uest efore the +or$ a se!on$ time even as also theformer time forty $ays an$ forty nights rea$ I ate not an$ "ater I $ran- not for all your

sins that you sinne$5/ an$ in Esther3 46or$e!ai ma$e re(uest of #o$, re!alling all the

"or-s of the +or$, an$ sai$/ +or$, +or$, ;ing Almighty5, an$ Esther herself 4ma$e

re(uest of the +or$ #o$ of Israel an$ sai$3 +or$ our ;ing''' 4 Of the se!on$, e8amples

are foun$ in Daniel3 4An$ A:ariah $re" himself up an$ praye$ thus, an$ opening his

mouth ami$ the fire sai$''' 4/ an$ in Toit3 4An$ "ith anguish I praye$ saying,

9Righteous art you, O +or$, an$ all your "or-s/ all your "ays are mer!y an$ truth, an$

7u$gment true an$ righteous $ost you 7u$ge forever'05 &in!e ho"ever, the !ir!um!ise$

have mar-e$ the passage in Daniel spurious as not stan$ing in the Here", an$ $ispute

the 2oo- of Toit as not "ithin the Testament, I shall !ite Hannah0s !ase from the first

oo- of ;ings'

4An$ she praye$ unto the +or$, an$ "ept e8!ee$ingly, an$ vo"e$ a vo", an$ sai$, 9O

+or$ of Hosts, if you "ill in$ee$ have regar$ unto the humiliation of your on$mai$,05

an$ so on/ an$ in Haa--u-3 4A prayer of Haa--u- the prophet, set to song' O +or$, I

have hear-ene$ to your voi!e an$ "as afrai$/ I $i$ mar- your "or-s an$ "as in e!stasy'

In the mi$st of t"o living eings you shall e -no"n/ as the years $ra" nigh you shall

e fully -no"n5/ a prayer "hi!h eminently illustrates "hat I sai$ in $efining prayer that

it is offere$ "ith as!ription of glory y the suppliant' An$ in %onah also, %onah praye$

unto the +or$ his #o$ from the elly of the monster, an$ sai$, 4I !rie$ in my affli!tion

unto the +or$ my #o$, an$ he hear$ me' 1ou hear$ my "ail from the elly of $eath, my

!ry/ you flung me a"ay into the $epths of the heart of the sea, an$ streams en!ir!le$

me5'

Of the thir$, "e have an e8ample in the Apostle "here he "ith goo$ reason employs

prayer in our !ase, ut inter!ession in that of the &pirit as e8!elling us an$ having

!onfi$en!e in approa!hing Him "ith "hom He inter!e$es/ for as to "hat "e are to pray,

he says, 4as "e ought "e -no" not, ut the &pirit Himself more than inter!e$es "ith

#o$ in sighs unspea-ale, an$ He that sear!hes hearts -no"s "hat is the min$ of the

&pirit e!ause His inter!ession on ehalf of saints is a!!or$ing to #o$5/ for the &pirit

more than inter!e$es, an$ inter!e$es, "hereas "e pray'

)hat %oshua sai$ !on!erning the sun0s ma-ing a stan$ over against #aaoth is, I thin-,

also inter!ession3 Then spa-e %oshua to the +ORD in the $ay "hen the +ORD $elivere$

up the Amorites efore the !hil$ren of Israel, 4Here spo-e %oshua to the +or$ in the $ay

"hen #o$ $elivere$ up the Amorites efore the !hil$ren of Israel, an$ he sai$ in the

sight of Israel, &un, stan$ thou still upon #ieon/ an$ thou, 6oon, in the valley of

A7alon5/ an$ in %u$ges, it is, I thin-, in inter!ession that &amson sai$, 4+et my soul $ie

together "ith the aliens5 "hen he leane$ in might an$ the house fell upon the prin!es

an$ upon all the people in it' Even though it is not e8pli!itly sai$ that %oshua an$

&amson inter!e$e$ ut that they sai$, their language seems to e inter!ession, "hi!h, if

"e a!!ept the terms in their stri!t sense, is in our opinion $istin!t from prayer'


21/59

Of than-sgiving an e8ample is our +or$0s utteran!e "hen He says3 4I ma-e

a!-no"le$gment to you, O ather, +or$ of heaven an$ earth, that you $i$ hi$e these

things from the "ise an$ un$erstan$ing an$ reveal them to infants5/ for I ma-e

a!-no"le$gment is e(uivalent to I give than-s

CHAPTER K

THE RECIPIENT O PRA1ER IN IT& OUR 6OOD&

No" re(uest an$ inter!ession an$ than-sgiving, it is not out of pla!e to offer even to

men * the t"o latter, inter!ession an$ than-sgiving, not only to saintly men ut also to

others' 2ut re(uest to saints alone, shoul$ some Paul or Peter appear, to enefit us y

ma-ing us "orthy to otain the authority "hi!h has een given to them to forgive sins *

"ith this a$$ition in$ee$ that, even shoul$ a man not e a saint an$ "e have "ronge$

him, "e are permitte$ our e!oming !ons!ious of our sin against him to ma-e re(uest

even of su!h, that he e8ten$ par$on to us "ho have "ronge$ him'

1et if "e are offer than-sgiving to men "ho are saints, ho" mu!h more shoul$ "e give

than-s to Christ, "ho has un$er the ather0s "ill !onferre$ so many enefa!tions upon

us. 1es an$ inter!e$e "ith Him as $i$ &tephen "hen he sai$, 4+or$, set not this sin

against them5' In imitation of the father of the lunati! "e shall say, 4I re(uest, +or$,

have mer!y5 either on my son, or myself, or as the !ase may e' 2ut if "e a!!ept prayer

in its full meaning, "e may not ever pray to any egotten eing, not even to Christ

himself, ut only to the #o$ an$ ather of All to "hom our &avior oth praye$ himself,

as "e have alrea$y instan!e$, an$ tea!hes us to pray'

or "hen He has hear$ one say' 4Tea!h you us to pray5, He $oes not tea!h men to pray

to Himself ut to the ather saying, 4Our ather in heaven5, an$ so on' or if, as is

sho"n else"here, the &on is other than the ather in eing an$ essen!e, prayer is to e

ma$e either to the &on an$ not the ather or to oth or to the ather alone'

That prayer to the &on an$ not the ather is most out of pla!e an$ only to e suggeste$

in $efian!e of manifest truth, one an$ all "ill a$mit' In prayer to oth it is plain that "e

shoul$ have to offer our !laims in plural form, an$ in our prayers say, 4#rant you oth,

2less you oth, &upply you oth, &ave you oth5, or the li-e, "hi!h is self@evi$ently

"rong an$ also in!apale of eing sho"n y anyone to stan$ in the s!riptures as spo-en

y any'

It remains, a!!or$ingly, to pray to #o$ alone, the ather of All, not ho"ever apart from

the High Priest "ho has een appointe$ y the ather "ith s"earing of an oath,

a!!or$ing to the "or$s He hath s"orn an$ shall not repent, 41ou art a priest forever

after the or$er of 6el!hi:e$e-5' In than-sgiving to #o$, therefore, $uring their prayers,

saints a!-no"le$ge His favors through Christ %esus'

%ust as the man "ho is s!rupulous aout prayer ought not to pray to one "ho himself

prays ut to the ather upon "hom our +or$ %esus has taught us to !all in our prayers,

so "e are not to offer any prayer to the ather apart from Him' He !learly sets this forth

himself "hen He says, 4Berily, verily, I tell you, "hatsoever you may as- of my ather


22/59

He shall give you in my house' Until ut no" you have not as-e$ aught in my name'

As- an$ you shall re!eive, that your 7oy may e fulfille$5'

He $i$ not say, 4As- of me5, nor yet simply 4As- of the father5, ut 4)hatsoever you

may as- of the ather, He "ill give you in my name5' or until %esus taught this, no oneha$ as-e$ of the ather in the name of the &on' True "as the saying of %esus, 4Until ut

no" you have not as-e$ aught in my name5/ an$ true also the "or$s, 4As- an$ you

shall re!eive, that your 7oy may e fulfille$5' &houl$ anyone, ho"ever "ho elieves that

prayer ought to e ma$e to Christ himself, !onfuse$ y the sense of the e8pression

ma-e oeisan!e, !onfront us "ith that a!-no"le$ge$ referen!e to Christ in

Deuteronomy, 4+et all #o$0s angels ma-e oeisan!e to Him5, "e may reply to him that

the !hur!h, !alle$ %erusalem y the prophet, is also sai$ to have oeisan!e ma$e to her

y -ings an$ (ueens "ho e!ome her foster sires an$ nurses, in the "or$s, 42ehol$, I

lift up my han$ upon the nations, an$ upon the isles "ill I lift up my sign3 an$ they shall

ring your sons in their osom an$ your $aughters they shall lift up on their shoul$ers/

an$ -ings shall e your foster sires, their (ueens they nurses3 to the fa!e of the earthshall they ma-e oeisan!e to you, an$ the $ust of your feet shall they li!-3 an$ you shall

-no" that I am the +or$ an$ shall not e ashame$5'

An$ ho" $oes it not a!!or$ "ith Him "ho sai$, 4)hy !allest you me goo$. None is

goo$ save One * #o$ the ather5 to suppose that He "oul$ say, 4)hy pray you to me.

To the ather alone ought you to pray, to "hom I also pray, as in$ee$ you learn from the

holy &!riptures' or you ought not to pray to one "ho has een appointe$ high priest for

you y the ather an$ has re!eive$ it from the ather to e a$vo!ate, ut through a high

priest an$ a$vo!ate ale to sympathi:e "ith your "ea-nesses, having een trie$ in all

points li-e you ut, y reason of the ather0s free gift to me, trie$ "ithout sin'

+earn you therefore ho" great a free gift you have re!eive$ from my ather in having

re!eive$ through regeneration in me the &pirit of a$option, that you may e !alle$ sons

of #o$ an$ my rethren' or you have rea$ my utteran!e spo-en through Davi$ to the

ather !on!erning you, 9I "ill pro!laim your name to my rethren/ in the mi$st of the

!hur!h "ill I sing hymns to you'0 It is not reasonale that those "ho have een !ounte$

"orthy of one !ommon ather shoul$ pray to a rother'To the ather alone ought you,

"ith me an$ through me, to sen$ up prayer5'

&o then hearing %esus spea- to su!h effe!t, let us pray to #o$ through Him, all "ith one

a!!or$ an$ "ithout $ivision !on!erning the manner of prayer' Are "e not in$ee$$ivi$e$ if "e pray some to the ather, others to the &on * those "ho pray to the &on,

"hether "ith the ather or "ithout the ather, !ommitting a !ru$e error in all simpli!ity

for la!- of $is!rimination an$ e8amination.

+et us therefore pray as to #o$, inter!e$e as "ith a ather, re(uest as of a +or$, give

than-s as to #o$ an$ ather an$ +or$, though in no "ay as to a servant0s lor$/ for the

ather may reasonaly e !onsi$ere$ +or$ not only of the &on ut also of those "ho

through Him are e!ome sons also, though, 7ust as He is not #o$ of $ea$ ut of living

men, so He is not +or$ of aseorn servants ut of su!h as at the first are ennole$ y

means of fear e!ause they are as infants, ut serve thereafter a!!or$ing to love in a

servi!e more lesse$ than that "hi!h is in fear' or "ithin the soul itself, visile to the


23/59

&eer of Hearts alone, these are $istin!tive !hara!ters of servants an$ sons of #o$

CHAPTER KI

THE O2%ECT& O PRA1ER

Everyone "ho as-s for the earthly an$ little things from #o$ $isregar$s Him "ho has

en7oine$ the as-ing of heavenly an$ great things' #o$ is in!apale of esto"ing

anything either earthly or little' &houl$ anyone suggest instan!es to the !ontrary in

"hi!h the material things esto"e$ upon the saints in the past as a result of prayer, an$

in$ee$ the e8press language of the #ospel "hen it tea!hes that the earthly an$ the little

are to e a$$e$ unto us, "e may reply to him as follo"s'

)hen someone esto"s upon us a parti!ular material o7e!t, "e shoul$ not say that the

person has esto"e$ upon us the sha$o" of the o7e!t, for it is unintentional to present

t"o things, o7e!t an$ sha$o"' The giver0s intention is to give a material o7e!t/ ourre!eipt of its sha$o" is a !onse(uen!e of the gift' In li-e manner if, "ith min$ gro"n

noler, "e have $is!erne$ the gifts that are prin!ipally given to us y #o$, "e shall

most properly $es!rie as !onse(uen!es of the great an$ heavenly spiritual gifts of gra!e

the material things "hi!h are given to ea!h of the saints for his goo$ or in proportion to

his faith or a!!or$ing as the #iver "ills, an$ "isely $oes He "ill, even though "e are

unale to $es!rie a !ause an$ reason "orthy of the #iver for ea!h of His gifts'

#reater fruit ha$ een orne y Hannah0s soul in eing turne$ from sterility than "as

her o$y in !on!eiving &amuel' Diviner ha$ een the offspring egotten y He:e-iah0s

min$ than that "hi!h "as egotten of the material see$ of his o$y' Higher ha$ een the

$eliveran!es of Esther an$ 6ore!ai an$ the people from spiritual plots than "as that

from Haman an$ his !onspirators' 6ightier "as the prin!e that sought to ruin her soul,

"hose po"er %u$ith ha$ !ut through than he "hom she met in Holophermes'

)ho "oul$ not a!-no"le$ge that in the spiritual lessing "hi!h !omes home to all the

saints an$ "hi!h Isaa! spo-e of to %a!o, 4#o$ give you of the rain of heaven5, a higher

rain ha$ fallen to Ananiah an$ those "ith him than the material rain that over!ame

Neu!ha$ne::ar0s flame. #reater ha$ een the mu::ling of the unseen lions y the

prophet Daniel so that they "ere unale to "or- anything against his soul, than that of

the visile lions to "hi!h all of us "ho rea$ the passage have un$erstoo$ it to refer'

An$ "ho as a saint, e!oming a fit re!ipient of the holy spirit, ha$ ever, li-e %onah,

es!ape$ the elly of a monster that s"allo"e$ every fugitive from #o$ an$ "hi!h has

een $efeate$ y %esus our &avior. It nee$ not !ause surprise if, to -eep the metaphor,

the !orrespon$ing sha$o" is not given to all "ho re!eive o7e!ts !apale of ma-ing

sha$o"s, "hile to some a sha$o" is "hat is given' &tu$ents of (uestions relating to

sun$ials an$ of the relation of sha$o"s to the illuminating o$y !learly oserve "hat is

the !ase "ith o$ies generally, that at a parti!ular time some pro7e!tors are sha$o"less,

others are short sha$o"e$, others are more or less long@sha$o"e$'

It is therefore not astonishing that, as the #iver0s plan is to esto" the prin!ipal things

in a!!or$an!e "ith !ertain unutterale an$ mysti! gui$ing prin!iples an$ suitale to the


24/59

re!ipients an$ o!!asions, "hen the prin!ipal o7e!ts are eing given there shoul$

sometimes go "ith them no sha$o"s at all for the re!ipients' At other times sha$o"s are

ut fe"/ at other times sha$o"s "hi!h are smaller in !omparison a!!ompany $ifferent

o7e!ts'

As the presen!e or asen!e of the sha$o" of o$ies neither pleases nor pains the man

"hose o7e!t of sear!h is solar eams, he possesses his !hief ne!essity in eing

illumine$ or free$ from sha$o" or in having more or less of sha$o" as the !ase may e'

If the spiritual things are ours, an$ "e are eing illumine$ y #o$ for !omplete

possession of true lessings, "e shall not (uile over a matter so paltry as !on!erns the

sha$o"'

or material an$ physi!al things !ount as fleeting feele sha$o", in no "ay !omparale

to the saving holy gifts of the #o$ of All' )hat !omparison is there et"een material

ri!hes an$ the ri!hes that are in every "or$ an$ all "is$om. )ho in his senses "oul$

!ompare health of flesh an$ one "ith health of min$, strength of soul, an$ !onsisten!yof thought * things "hi!h, if -ept in measure y #o$0s "or$, ma-e o$ily sufferings a

paltry s!rat!h, an$ even slighter if "e !an grasp it'

He that has $is!erne$ the meaning of the eauty of the ri$e "hom the ri$egroom

)or$ of #o$ loves, a soul looming "ith more than heavenly an$ more than mun$ane

eauty, "ill e ashame$ to $ignify "ith the same name of eauty the physi!al eauty of

"oman or !hil$ or man' or of eauty in the stri!t sense flesh is not !apale, eing

$eformity throughout' or all flesh is as grass, an$ the glory thereof, "hi!h is manifest

in the so !alle$ eauty of "omen an$ !hil$ren, is a!!or$ing to the prophet0s language

!ompare$ to a flo"er, 4All people are grass, their !onstan!y is li-e the flo"er of the

fiel$' The grass "ithers, the flo"er fa$es, "hen the reath of the +ORD lo"s upon it/

surely the people are grass' The grass "ithers, the flo"er fa$es/ ut the "or$ of our #o$

"ill stan$ forever5'

Again, "ho that has per!eive$ the noility of the sons of #o$ shall any longer give the

name of noility to "hat passes as su!h among men. After !ontemplating Christ0s

-ingship over -ings, ho" shall the min$ not $ispel all -ingship upon earth. )hen the

human min$, so far as !apale "hile still oun$ to a o$y, has on!e ehel$ as !learly as

may e an army of angels, an$ among them !hief@!omman$ers of the +or$0s hosts, an$

ar!hangels an$ thrones an$ lor$ships an$ prin!ipalities an$ more than heavenly

authorities, an$ has !ome to un$erstan$ that it !an otain from the ather theire(uivalent, ho" shall it not $espise those things "hi!h though frailer than sha$o" are

the a$miration of the foolish, even if they shoul$ all e given to it, as most sha$o"y an$

in !omparison insignifi!ant, an$ loo- eyon$ in or$er not to fall short of otaining the

true prin!ipalities an$ $iviner authorities.

)e shoul$ therefore pray for the prin!ipal an$ truly great an$ heavenly things, an$ as

for those !on!erne$ "ith the sha$o"s a!!ompanying the prin!ipal, !ommit them to the

#o$ "ho -no"s efore "e as- Him "hat things, y reason if our perishale o$y, "e

have nee$

CHAPTER KII


25/59

THE +ORD0& PRA1ER3 THE PREACE IN 6ATTHE)

)hat I have sai$, a!!or$ing to my !apa!ity to re!eive the gra!e "hi!h has een given

y #o$ through His Christ, an$ as I trust in the Holy &pirit also * "hether it e so you"ill 7u$ge "hen you rea$ it * may suffi!e y "ay of e8amination of the general su7e!t

of prayer' I shall no" pro!ee$ to the ne8t tas-, to !onsi$er ho" full of meaning is the

prayer outline$ y the +or$' It is first of all to e oserve$ that to most people 6atthe"

an$ +u-e might seem to have re!or$e$ the same prayer s-et!he$ as a pattern for right

prayer' 6atthe"0s "or$s run thus3

Our ather in heaven, hallo"e$ e your name' 1our -ing$om !ome' 1our "ill e $one,

on earth as it is in heaven' #ive us this $ay our $aily rea$' An$ forgive us our $ets, as

"e also have forgiven our $etors' An$ $o not ring us to the time of trial, ut res!ue us

from the evil one'

2ut +u-e0s run as follo"s3

ather, hallo"e$ e your name' 1our -ing$om !ome' #ive us ea!h $ay our $aily rea$'

An$ forgive us our sins, for "e ourselves forgive everyone in$ete$ to us' An$ $o not

ring us to the time of trial'

To those "ho suppose it to e the same prayer "e may reply that the utteran!es, though

they !ertainly resemle one another, also appear to $iffer, as I shall set forth in

investigating them' In the se!on$ pla!e it is not possile that the same prayer shoul$ e

sai$ on the mountain "here 4)hen %esus sa" the !ro"$s, he "ent up the mountain/ an$

after he sat $o"n, his $is!iples !ame to him' Then he egan to spea-, an$ taught them,

saying5 * for it is in the !ourse of the re!ital of the 2eatitu$es an$ the suse(uent

in7un!tions that it is foun$ re!or$e$ in 6atthe"' It also have een sai$, 4He "as praying

in a !ertain pla!e, an$ after he ha$ finishe$, one of his $is!iples sai$ to him, 4+or$,

tea!h us to pray, as %ohn taught his $is!iples5'

It is surely impossile that the same "or$s shoul$ e $es!rie$ as having een spo-en

in the !ourse of !ontinuous utteran!e "ithout any (uestion to pre!e$e them an$ as eing

announ!e$ in response to a $is!iple0s re(uest' One might, ho"ever, say the prayers are

e(uivalent an$ "ere spo-en as one' On the one o!!asion in !ontinuous $is!ourse, on the

other in response to the re(uest of a $ifferent $is!iple "ho in all li-elihoo$ "as notpresent "hen He spo-e the form in 6atthe" or ha$ not mastere$ "hat ha$ earlier een

spo-en' 2ut perhaps it is etter that the prayers e regar$e$ as $ifferent, "ith !ertain

portions in !ommon'

In 6ar-, though I have sear!he$ there also in !ase the re!or$ of an e(uivalent shoul$

es!ape me, I have not foun$ so mu!h as a vestige of a prayer !ontaine$' I have alrea$y

sai$ that efore praying one must first e !ompose$ an$ $ispose$ in a parti!ular manner'

+et us therefore glan!e at the "or$s pre!e$ing the prayer !ontaine$ in 6atthe", "hi!h

"ere uttere$ y our &avior' They are as follo"s3 An$ "henever you pray, $o not e li-e

the hypo!rites/ for they love to stan$ an$ pray in the synagogues an$ at the street

!orners, so that they may e seen y others'


26/59

Truly I tell you, they have re!eive$ their re"ar$' 2ut "henever you pray, go into your

room an$ shut the $oor an$ pray to your ather "ho is in se!ret/ an$ your ather "ho

sees in se!ret "ill re"ar$ you' )hen you are praying, $o not heap up empty phrases as

the #entiles $o/ for they thin- that they "ill e hear$ e!ause of their many "or$s' Donot e li-e them, for your ather -no"s "hat you nee$ efore you as- him'

Pray then in this "ay3 Our &avior often appears as inveighing against the love of glory

as a $ea$ly passion, 7ust as He has $one in this pla!e "here He $issua$es us from the

pra!ti!e of a!tors at the season of prayer, for it is a pra!ti!e of a!tors rather to plume

themselves in piety efore men rather than to have !ommunion "ith #o$'

Rememering then the "or$s, 4Ho" !an you elieve "hen you a!!ept glory from one

another an$ $o not see- the glory that !omes from the one "ho alone is #o$.5 "e ought

to $espise all glory "ith men even though it e thought honoraly gaine$ an$ to see-

the stri!t an$ true glory "hi!h is from Him alone "ho glorifies the $eserving in amanner e!oming to Himself an$ e8!ee$ing the $esert of the person glorifie$' The very

a!t "hi!h "oul$ in itself e thought honorale an$ is thought praise"orthy is pollute$

"hen "e $o it to e glorifie$ y men or to appear to men, an$ on that a!!ount it is

atten$e$ y no re!ompense from #o$' Unerring as the "hole of %esus0 language is, it

e!omes even more so "hen it is spo-en "ith His a!!ustome$ oath'

Of those "ho for human glory seem to $o goo$ to their neighor, or pray in synagogues

an$ at roa$"ay !orners, he says' 4Truly I tell you, they have re!eive$ their re"ar$5'

or as the ri!h man a!!or$ing to +u-e ha$ goo$ things in his human life, eing no

longer !apale of otaining them after the present life e!ause he ha$ ha$ them, so he

that has his re"ar$, as having so"n not 4unto the spirit5 ut 4unto the flesh5 shall 4reap

!orruption5 ut shall not 4reap eternal life5 in his giving or in his prayers'

It is so"ing unto the flesh "hen one $oes alms, "ith trumpeting efore him, in

synagogues an$ thoroughfares to e glorifie$ y men, or li-es to pray stan$ing in

synagogues an$ at roa$"ay !orners to appear to men an$ thought a pious an$ a holy

person among the onloo-ers' In$ee$ every "ayfarer along the roa$ an$ spa!ious "ay

lea$ing to $estru!tion "ithout rightness or straightness ut !roo-e$ an$ !ornere$

throughout,


27/59

it enters neither !hil$ of harlot, nor eunu!h or emasenlate, nor yet Egyptian or E$omite

unless sons orn to them in the thir$ generation enales them "ith $iffi!ulty to 7oin the

!hur!h, nor 6oaite an$ Ammonite, unless the tenth generation is !omplete an$ the

aeon passe$'

The &ynagogue on the other han$ may e uilt y a !enturion, as "as the !ase in times

pre!e$ing the so7ourn of %esus "hen as yet "itness ha$ not yet een orne that the man

possesse$ faith su!h as the &on of #o$ $i$ not fin$ even in Israel' No" he "ho li-es to

pray in synagogues is not far from roa$"ay !orners' 2ut it is not so "ith the saint, for

he loves, not li-es to pray, in !hur!hes, not roa$"ay !orners, in the straightness of the

narro" straitene$ "ay, not to appear to men, ut to present himself efore the +or$ #o$,

a male in the sense that he oserves the a!!eptale year of the +or$ an$ -eeps the

!omman$ment "hi!h says, 4Thri!e in the year shall every male present himself efore

the +or$ #o$5'

)e are to atten$ to the "or$ 4appear5 !arefully, sin!e no appearan!e is a goo$ inasmu!has it only seems to e8ist an$ not in truth, an$ mislea$s the senses an$ e8presses nothing

e8a!tly an$ truly' As a!tors of plays in theatres are not "hat they profess nor are really

"hat the mas- they "ear ma-es them loo- li-e, so too all "ho appear to assume the

out"ar$ sensile form of goo$ness an$ are not righteous ut a!tors of righteousness,

a!ting moreover in a theatre of their o"n * namely synagogues an$ roa$"ay !orners'

2ut he that is no a!tor ut has !ast off all that is alien to him an$ sets himself to please

in that theatre "hi!h is in!on!eivaly greater than any "hi!h has een mentione$, enters

into his o"n storeroom to the ri!hes therein treasure$ up, an$ shuts up after him his

treasury of "is$om an$ -no"le$ge'

Never turning his glan!e out"ar$s or $oting on things outsi$e, having shut up every

$oor of the senses that he may not e $ra"n a"ay y sensations or have their sensile

presentation stealing into his min$, prays to the ather "ho $oes not shun or $esert a

pla!e so se!ret ut $"ells in it, the Only 2egotten also eing present "ith Him' or He

says 4I an$ the ather "ill !ome unto him an$ ma-e ao$e "ith him5' An$ plainly, if

"e $o pray thus, "e shall e inter!e$ing not only "ith a #o$ ut also "ith a ather "ho

is righteous, "ho $oes not $esert us as His !hil$ren ut is present in our se!ret pla!e an$

"at!hes it an$ in!reases the !ontents of the storeroom if "e shut up its $oor'

)hen "e pray let us not ale ut use go$ly spee!h' )e ale "hen, "ithout s!rutiny

of ourselves or of the $evotional "or$s "e are sen$ing up, "e spea- of the !orrupt in$ee$ or "or$ or thought, things "hi!h are mean an$ reprehensile an$ alien to the

in!orruptileness of the +or$' He, then, that ales in prayer is in a synagogi!

$isposition "orse than any yet $es!rie$ an$ in a har$er "ay than those "ho are at

roa$"ay !orners, preserving not as mu!h as a vestige even of a!ting in goo$ness'

or a!!or$ing to the passage in the #ospel only heathen ale, eing (uite insensile

of great or heavenly petitions an$ therefore sen$ing up every prayer for the material an$

the e8ternal' To a aling heathen, then, is he li-e "ho as-s for things elo" from the

+or$ "ho $"ells in heaven an$ aove the heights of the heavens'

He "ho is "or$y also seems to e a aler an$ he "ho ales to e "or$y' There is


28/59

no unity in matter an$ in o$ily sustan!es, ut every su!h suppose$ unity is split up

an$ $ivi$e$ an$ $isintegrate$ into many units to the loss of its union' #oo$ is one/

many are the ase' Truth is one/ many are the false' True righteousness is one/ many are

the states that a!t it as a part' #o$0s "is$om is one/ many are the "is$oms of this age

an$ of the rulers of this age "hi!h !ome to nought' The "or$ of #o$ is one, ut manyare the "or$s alien to #o$'

Therefore no one shall es!ape &in as the result of "or$iness, an$ no one "ho thin-s to

e hear$ as the result of "or$iness !an e hear$' or this reason "e ought not to ma-e

our prayers li-e heathen aling or "or$iness or other pra!ti!e after the li-eness of the

serpent, for the #o$ of saints, eing a ather, -no"s of "hat things His !hil$ren have

nee$, sin!e su!h things are "orthy of atherly -no"le$ge'

He "ho -no"s not #o$ -no"s not the things of #o$ also * -no"s not the things of

"hi!h he has nee$, for the things of "hi!h he thin-s he has nee$ are mista-en' 2ut he

"ho has !ontemplate$ the etter an$ $iviner things of "hi!h he is in nee$ shall otainthe o7e!ts of his !ontemplation "hi!h are -no"n y #o$ an$ "hi!h have een -no"n

y the ather even efore as-ing' After these remar-s upon the prefa!e to the prayer in

the #ospel a!!or$ing to 6atthe", let us no" pro!ee$ to !onsi$er "hat the prayer sets

forth

CHAPTER KIII

THE +ORD0& PRA1ER * OUR ATHER IN HEABEN

Our ather in Heaven' It $eserves a some"hat !areful oservation of the so@!alle$ Ol$

Testament to $is!over "hether it is possile to fin$ any"here in it a prayer of one "ho

a$$resses #o$ as ather' or though I have ma$e e8amination to the est of my aility, I

have up to the present faile$ to fin$ one' I $o not say that #o$ is not spo-en of as ather

or that a!!ounte$ elievers in #o$ are not !alle$ sons of #o$, ut that I have not yet

foun$ in prayer that !onfi$en!e in !alling #o$ ather "hi!h the &avior has pro!laime$'

That #o$ is spo-en of as ather an$ those "ho have "aite$ on #o$0s "or$ as sons, may

e seen in many pla!es, as in Deuteronomy, 41ou have forsa-en #o$ your parent an$

forgotten #o$ your nourisher5, an$ again, 4Is He not your ather himself that got you

an$ ma$e you an$ !reate$ you.5 an$ again, 4&ons "ho have not faith in them5' An$ in

Isaiah, 4I have nourishe$ an$ rought up !hil$ren, an$ they have reelle$ against me5/an$ in 6ala!hi, 4A son honors his father, an$ a servant his master3 if then I e a father,

"here is my honor. an$ if I e a master, "here is my fear.5 &o then, even though #o$

is terme$ ather an$ their &ons "ho have een egotten y reason of their faith in Him,

yet sure an$ un!hangeale sonship is not to e seen in the an!ient people'

The very passages I have !ite$ sin!e the su7e!tion of those so@!alle$ sons, sin!e

a!!or$ing to the apostle 4the heir, as long as he is a !hil$, $iffers nothing from a servant,

though he e lor$ of all/ 2ut is un$er tutors an$ governors until the time appointe$ of

the father5' 2ut the fullness of time is in the so7ourn of our +or$ %esus Christ, "hen they

"ho $esire re!eive a$option as sons, as Paul tea!hes in the "or$s, 4or you $i$ not

re!eive a spirit of slavery unto fear, ut you re!eive$ a spirit of a$option as sons,


29/59

"herein "e !ry 9Aa ather05/ an$ as it is in the #ospel a!!or$ing to %ohn, 4To as

many as re!eive$ Him He gave authority to e!ome !hil$ren of #o$ if elievers on His

name5/ an$ it is y reason of this &pirit of a$option as sons, "e learn in the Catholi!

Epistle of %ohn regar$ing the egotten of #o$, that 4Everyone that is egotten of #o$

$oes no sin e!ause His see$ ai$es in him, an$ he !annot sin e!ause he is egotten of#o$5'

An$ yet if "e thin- of the meaning of the "or$s "hi!h are "ritten in +u-e, 4)hen you

pray say3 ather''' 4, "e shall hesitate to a$$ress this e8pression to Him unless "e have

e!ome genuine sons in !ase, in a$$ition to our other sins, "e shoul$ also e!ome liale

to a !harge of impiety' 6y meaning is as follo"s' In the first Epistle to Corinthians Paul

says, 4No one !an say 9%esus is +or$0 save in a holy spirit, an$ no one that spea-s in

#o$0s spirit says 9!urse$ e %esus0 !alling the same thing a holy spirit an$ #o$0s spirit5'

)hat is meant y spea-ing in a holy spirit of %esus as +or$ is not (uite !lear, as

!ountless a!tors an$ numers of hetero$o8 people, an$ at times even $emons !on(uere$

y the po"er in the name, utter the e8pression'

No one therefore "ill venture to $e!lare that anyone of these !alls %esus 9+or$0 in a holy

spirit' or the same reason, in$ee$, they !oul$ not e sho"n to !all %esus +or$ at all,

sin!e they alone !all %esus +or$ "ho e8press it from in"ar$ $isposition in servi!e to the

"or$ of #o$ an$ in pro!laiming no other +or$ than Him in all their !on$u!t' An$ if it

e su!h "ho say %esus is +or$, it may e that everyone "ho sins, in that he !urses the

$ivine )or$ through his transgression, has through his a!tions !alle$ out, 4Curse$ e

%esus5'

An$ a!!or$ingly, as the one type of man says 4%esus is +or$5, an$ the man of opposite

$isposition 4Curse$ e %esus5, 4so everyone that hath een egotten of #o$ an$ $oes

not sin5 e!ause he is parta-er of #o$0s see$ "hi!h turns him from all sin, says through

his !on$u!t 4Our ather in Heaven5, the spirit himself "itnessing "ith their spirit that

they are !hil$ren of #o$ an$ heirs to Him an$ 7oint heirs "ith Christ, sin!e as suffering

"ith Him they reasonaly hope "ith Him also to e glorifie$' 2ut in or$er that theirs

may e no one@si$e$ utteran!e of the "or$s 4Our ather5, in a$$ition to their a!tions

they have a heart * a fountain an$ sour!e of goo$ a!tions * elieving unto

righteousness, in harmony "ith "hi!h their mouth ma-es a!-no"le$gment unto

salvation'

&o then their every a!t an$ "or$ an$ thought, forme$ y the only egotten "or$ ina!!or$ "ith Him, imitates the image of the invisile #o$ an$ has !ome

origene on prayer

Documents