coming to a holy God in their own name : and consequently they do not depend so entirely on the merits of Christ as the only ground of their hopes ; nor do they plead those merits for the acceptance of their prayers, as they ought : hence it is that the Father does not hear their prayers ; and that the Lord Jesus does not answer them. If then we would really experience the truth contained in our text, let us seek help from God, that we may be enabled to approach him in that way
which alone will prevail for our eternal good Let us
also draw nigh to him with that frequency, and delight, which a firm belief in our Saviour's veracity must produce.]
2. What they should attend to who have received answers to prayers —
[That which is Christ's end in answering prayer, ought to be our end when an answer has been obtained ; we should seek to glorify our heavenly Father. Do we ask, " How can we glorify him ?" I answer, " In bringing forth much fruit"1." Holy tempers, and a life devoted to the service of God, are the proper fruits of grace received. As a seal stamps its own image on the wax, so does the sealing of the Spirit impress the Divine image on the soul. By this we must judge of answers to prayer. It is not by vain conceits, or transient impressions, that we can judge, but by the practical results. " If we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, we must walk in him, rooted and built up in him ;" or, in other words, " we must walk as he walked." Where such fruits of prayer are wanting, God is grievously dishonoured : it is only by a conformity to Christ in all his dispositions and actions that we can approve ourselves his Disciples. Beware then how you substitute the reveries of enthusiasm for the holiness of the Gospel : " He that doeth righteousness, (as every Disciple of Christ must,) is righteous, even as he is righteous."]
i John xv. 8.