3. The absolute necessity of using this means if we would receive any gift from God, yet farther appears from that remarkable passage which immediately precedes these words: _And he said unto them_ (whom he had just been teaching, how to pray) _which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and shall say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves――and he from within shall answer, Trouble me not――I cannot rise and give thee: I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask and it shall be given you_, Luke xi. 5, 7, 8, 9. _Though he will not give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth._ How could our blessed Lord more plainly declare, that we may receive of God, by this means, by importunately asking, what otherwise we should not receive at all!
4. _He spake also another parable to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint_, till through this means they should receive of God, whatsoever petition they asked of him. _There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a while; but afterwards he said with himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me._ Luke xviii. 1–4. The application of this our Lord himself hath made. _Hear what the unjust judge saith!_ Because she continues to ask, because she will take no denial, therefore I will avenge her. _And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you he will avenge them speedily_――if they _pray and faint not_.
5. A direction equally full and express, to wait for the blessings of God in private prayer, together with a positive promise, that by this means we shall obtain the request of our lips, he hath given us in those well-known words: _Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly_, Matt. vi. 6.
6. If it be possible for any direction to be more clear, it is that which God hath given us by the apostle, with regard to prayer of every kind, publick or private, and the blessing annext thereto. _If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally_, (if they ask; otherwise _ye have not, because ye ask not_, Jam. iv. 2.) _and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him_, ch. i. 5.
If it be objected, “But this is no direction to unbelievers; to them who know not the pardoning grace of God: for the apostle adds, _but let him ask in faith_: otherwise, _let him not think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord_.” I answer the meaning of the word _faith_ in this place, is fixed by the apostle himself, (as if it were on purpose to obviate this objection) in the words immediately following: _Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering_, nothing _doubting_ μηδὲν διακρινόμενος. Not doubting but God heareth his prayer, and will fulfil the desire of his heart.
The gross, blasphemous absurdity of supposing _faith_ in this place to be taken in the full Christian meaning, appears hence: it is supposing the Holy Ghost to direct a man who knows he has not this faith (which is here termed _wisdom_) to ask it of God, with a positive promise that _it shall be given him_; and then immediately to subjoin, that it shall not be given him, unless he have it before he asks for it! But who can bear such a supposition? From this scripture, therefore, as well as those cited above we must infer, that all who desire the grace of God, are to wait for it in the way of prayer.
7. _Secondly_, all who desire the grace of God, are to wait for it in _searching the scriptures_.
Our Lord’s direction with regard to the use of this means, is likewise plain and clear. _Search the scriptures_, saith he to the unbelieving _Jews,――for they testify of me_, John v. 39. And for this very end did he direct them to search the scriptures, that they might _believe in him_.
The objection, “That this is not a command, but only an assertion, that they did search the scriptures,” is shamelessly false. I desire those who urge it, to let us know, how a command can be more clearly expressed, than in those terms, Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς γραφὰς. It is as peremptory as so many words can make it.
And what a blessing from God attends the use of this means, appears from what is recorded concerning the _Bereans_; who after hearing St. _Paul_, _searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so? Therefore many of them believed_: found the grace of God, in the way which he had ordained. _Acts_ xvii. 12, 13.