Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

When a man has any doubts whether he has grieved God's Spirit, and
his mind feels troubled, it is much better for him to go immediately to
God, and ask forgiveness, than spend any time in finding excuses for his
conduct, or labouring to divest it of its seeming obliquity. Restraining or
suppressing prayer, in order to find excuses or palliations for infirmities,
indiscretions, or improprieties of any kind, which appear to trench on the
sacred limits of morality and godliness, may be to a man the worst of
evils: humiliation and prayer for mercy and pardon can never be out of its
place to any soul of man, who, surrounded with evils, is ever liable to
offend.
Prayer is a part of the worship which God expects from his creatures.
"Ask," says he, "and you shall receive; seek," says he, "and you shall find:
knock," he adds, "and it shall be opened unto you." This is the voice of
a Father: now, would any man that had the heart of a parent give his
hungry dying child a stone when he asked for bread? would he give him
a serpent when he asked for fish? or would he give him a scorpion when
he entreated for an egg? Surely, no! And would God, the Father of the
spirits of all flesh, do otherwise? His word says, "No:" his Spirit says,
"No:" his church says, "No:" and his own eternal and loving nature says,
"No." God the Father will, for Christ's sake, for his own name's sake, and
for his truth's sake, "give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him." Have not
the fathers of our flesh cared for us, laboured for us, fed us, clothed us,
instructed us, and defended us? Have they not even risked their lives for
us? And what will not our heavenly Father do? Is it not from him that all
love, all bounty, all affection, all parental tenderness proceed? And when
the streamlets are abundant, what may not be expected from the
fountain,—rather from the shoreless, bottomless, inexhaustible ocean of
eternal love! He is seeking for those who pray and adore; seeking for an
opportunity to do them good; seeking to save them, to pardon, sanctify,
and seal them heirs of eternal life.
As God has graciously promised to give salvation to every soul that
comes unto him through his Son, and has put his Spirit into their hearts,
inducing them to cry unto him incessantly for it; the goodness of his