In man all thai i- good for him, appear I ake it need- le—.
The difficulty is familiar to all philosophy, the former element being far the more important: the logical in- ference i mm ii i- the belief in the absolute uselessness of prayer. Bul the universal instinct of prayer, being too strong for such reasoning, generally exacted a- a compromise the use of prayer for good in the abstract i in ■■ mens sana in corpora Bano" | ; a compromise the-
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oretieallv liable to the same difficulties, but wholesome in its practical effect. A far more dangerous compro- mise was that adopted by some philosophers, rather than by mankind at large, which separated internal spiritual growth from the external circumstances that give scope thereto, and claimed the former as belonging entirely to man, while allowing the latter to be gifts of the gods, and therefore to be tit objects of prayer.
The most obvious escape from these difficulties is to fall back on the mere subjective effect of prayer, and to suppose that its only object is to produce on the mind that consciousness of dependence which leads to faith, and that sense of God's protection and mercy which fosters love. These being the conditions of receiving, or at least of rightly entering into, God's blessings, it is thought that in its encouragement of them the entire use and efficacy of prayer consist.
Now, Scripture, while, by the doctrine of spiritual in- fluence, it entirely disposes of the latter difficulty, does not so entirely solve that part of the mystery which de- pends on the nature of God. It places it clearly before us, and emphasizes most strongly those doctrines on which the difficulty turns. The reference of all events and actions to the will or permission of God, and of all blessings to his free grace, is indeed the leading idea of all its parts, historical, prophetic, and doctrinal; and this general idea is expressly dwelt upon in its applica- tion to the subject of prayer. The principle that our " Heavenly Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him" is not only enunciated in plain terms by our Lord, but is at all times implied in the very form and nature of all Scriptural prayers; and, moreover, the ignorance of man, who ''knows not what to pray for as he ought," and his consequent need of the divine guidance in prayer, are dwelt upon with equal earnestness. Yet, while this is so, on the other hand the instinct of prayer is solemnly sanctioned and en- forced in every page. Not only is its subjective effect asserted, but its real objective efficacy, as a means ap- pointed by God for obtaining blessing, is both implied and expressed in the plainest terms. As we are bidden to pray for general spiritual blessings— in which instance it might seem as if prayer were simply a means of pre- paring the heart, and so making it capable of receiving them — so also are we encouraged to ask special bless- ings, both spiritual and temporal, in hope that thus (and thus only) we may obtain them, and to use intercession for others, equally special and confident, in trust that an effect, which in this case cannot possibly be subjective to ourselves, will be granted to our prayers. The com- mand is enforced by direct promises, such as that in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt, vii, 7, 8), of the clearest and most comprehensive character; by the example of all saints and of our Lord himself; and by historical records of such effect as granted to prayer again and again.
Thus, as usual in the case of such mysteries, the two apparently opposite truths are emphasized, because they are needful to man's conception of his relation to God; their reconcilement is not, perhaps cannot be, fully re- vealed; for, in fact, it is involved in that inscrutable mystery which attends the conception of any free action of man as necessary for the working out of the general laws of God's unchangeable will.
At the same time it is clearly implied that such a rec- oncilement exists, and that all the apparently isolated and independent exertions of man's spirit in prayer are in some way perfectly subordinated to the one supreme will of God, so as to form a part of his scheme of prov- idence. This follows from the condition, expressed or understood in every prayer, " Not my will, but thine be done." It is seen in the distinction between the grant- ing of our petitions (which is not absolutely promised) and the certain answer of blessing to all faithful prayer; a distinction exemplified in the case of Paul's prayer against the " thorn in the flesh," and of our Lord's own agony in Gethsemane. It is distinctly enunciated by
John (1 John v, 14, 15) : "If we ask anything accord- ing to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that be hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
It is also implied that the key to the mystery lies in the fact of man's spiritual unity with God in Christ, and of the consequent gift of the Holy Spirit. All true and prevailing prayer is to be offered "'in the name of Christ" (John xiv, 13; xv, 16; xvi, 23-27), that is, not only for the sake of his atonement, but also in depen- dence on his intercession; which is therefore as a cen- tral influence, acting on all prayers offered, to throw off whatever in them is evil, and give efficacy to all that is in accordance with the divine will. So also is it said of the spiritual influence of the Holy Ghost on each in- dividual mind, that while "we know not what to pray for," the indwelling " Spirit makes intercession for the saints, according to the will of God" (Rom. viii, 26, 27). Here, as probably in all other cases, the action of the Holy Spirit on the soul is to free agents what the laws of nature are to things inanimate, and is the power which harmonizes free individual action with the uni- versal will of God. The mystery of prayer, therefore, like all others, is seen to be resolved into that great cen- tral mystery of the Gospel, the communion of man with God in the incarnation of Christ. Beyond this we can- not go. — Smith. See Providence.