The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 308

be slav!ehly used_. His own deviations i!I the second from the first giving of it l\re suggestive of flex1bleness, And so e.lso hie comma.ode. In the Third Goepel we rea.<l, "say ye;" but in the first.," After this manner pray ye.'' Have tfieee sentences in the heart; let the mind realize the fulness that ie in them; at times speak them forth; yet take your liberty. As those who have confidence as to their enterin.,. into the holiest in the blood of Jesus, let the cry of the Spirit of l\doption freely a.see~, "pra.y- ing always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." II. For in teaching to pray, we need instruction, not eo much in what to say as in BOW TO BAY IT. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." There- fore, no sooner has Christ expounded the rule, or form, than he proceeds to exhibit thl' spirit of prayer, the right mental attitude, the faith without whicb the most p~rfect words are no pre.yer at a.II. And this he does, according to ltls wont, first in the shape of e. simple parable, and next through a.n appeal to and from the heart of Fatherhood. The parable (vere. 5-8) is very short, referring to things of commonplace life. A great many meanings have been fastened on every point in this little story. Take it, however as it is wiser to do, as bringing out the one feature-that if, as between friend and frien~, importunity overcomes reluctance; if it triumphs even over surliness; much more effectual ·will it be when reluctance to give is only seeming-when, indeed, that of which it takes hold is the willingness of eternal love I Therefore ought we to pray, and not to faint. Augustine (quoted by Trench) has some good sayings on this. "When God sometimes gives tardily, be commends his gifts; he does not deny them. Things long desired are more sweet in their attainment ... God for a time withholds his gifts, that thou mayest learn to desire great things greatly." It is this great desiring of great things that is the moral of the story. Prayer is not a mere isolated act; it is, as typified in the story of Jacob'with whom the angel wrestled, as proved in the history of the Lord himself, an energetic, prolonged dealing with God: "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." An old Greek writer calls it" the silence of the suul;" and the,~ is in it the silence of the soul that ceases from the will of self, and worships only the sweet will of God. But there is another view ta.ken in the word of Jesus. In this word it is described (vers. !l, 10) as an asking; beyond this, as a seeking: beyond this even, as a knocking-" an ascending scale of earnest.ness." To this earnestness the promise is given. Mark how full and unqualified the promise is. The relation of f1iend to friend can teach much; but there is the relation more intimate still of child to parent, and this can teach more. For here we come into the inner circle of the thoughts which are connected with prayer. Therefore the Lord proceeds to illustrate what it is in his heart to teach by a reference to this analogy. What is it in his heart to teach? Surely, that the Father's good things are open to all his children, and, as the Crown of all, as the Gift of gifts, his own Holy Spirit. This is the climax of all childlike dt'sire. Even in what is lower, the child stretches forth to this as his highest. "Father, give me the Holy Spirit." Is it possible to conceive a refusal? Would a parent who has bread meet the cry of a hungry child with the offer of a stone? Would he torment him by giving a serpent when he asked a fish? or by giving him a scorpion when he asked an egg? If it is so with us imperfect men, if we wish to share our good things wi~h our children, how much more (ver. 13) shall our heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them who ask him? His Fatherhood must be the fountain-light of his children's day. "Fear not," says Christ, "to appeal to it." "Blessed is the man that ma.keth the Lord his trust." Thus the Lord answers the request of the disciples. Is it not a request~ pertinent to us in the nineteenth as to them in the first century? There is a secret in prayer which only the Lord can tea.eh. We may recall a remarkable passage in the life of Coleridge which suggests this: "Shortly before his deal h he was conversing, solemnly, although familiarly, on his own history and thoughts. 'I have no difficulty,' he said, • as to forgiveness. Indeed, I know not how to say with si11cerity the clause in the Lord's Prayer which asks forgiveness as we forgive. I fe.,l nothing answeriurr to it in my heart. Neither do I find or reckon the most solemn faith in God aa a real ~bject the most arduous act of the reason and will. Oh no, my dear, it is to pray-to pray as God would have us: this is what at times ma~es me turn cold to ~y soul. Ileliove me, to pray with all your heart and strength, wit? the reason and will, to believe vividly that G,d will listen to your voice through Chnst, and venly do the thing ho pleases thereupon-this is the la~t, the greatest, achie1·omt'nt of the Christian'~  312 TITE GOSPEL ACOORDlNG TO ST. LUKE. [an. ,n. 1-D4.