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tions which have things invisible for their object , and of obtaining all the blessed effects of religious principle or the divine life * The power of prayer is often felt to be great beyond our anticipations , in soothing the restless solicitude of the soul , in calming
its perturbed passions , in strengthening its holy purposes and desires , in clearing away the obscurities produced by earthly fears and earthly hopes , in comforting the afflicted , sorrowing heart , in elevating the affections above the world , and raising
them to the unseen object of devotion —in realizing his presence and affording cheering hope of his gracious approbation ;— -in fine , in preparing the pious servant of God , to know , to do , and to bear the will of his Father in heaven . The degree in which these
effects are produced , and , above all , the impressiveness and vividness of them , will much depend upon the natural constitution , and upon the views entertained of divine truth and divine agency : and still more upon
the degree in which the heart and life are submitted to the will of God ; but it is probable that no one who has sat at the feet of Jesus , and , encouraged by his precepts and example , Jias come , with stedfast faith and filial confidence , to the throne of
grace , would be unable to testify , by his own frequent ; experience , that such are the blessed influences of prayer . If to account for these effects , it is said that the great Father of our spirits has so formed the human soul , that prayer operates merely as a means
of produciug such effects in it , without his immediate agency , I have only to reply , that even then they would be in the strictest sense divine influences , for they would equally have their origin in our heavenly Father ' s wisdom and goodness and paternal care * But I cannot believe that this
is all : I believe that the humble , faithful servant of God , has solid reason tot ^ conelude , that in answer to prayer , persevering trustful prayer , directed to those objects for which we cannot be too solicitous or ask amiss , God does by his immediate influence or
agency , ( not supernatural , not miraculous , yet immediate agency , ) afford supplies of strength , of consolation , and of direction 3 and I rest most upon
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this argument , that if , in the exercise of devout supplication , the thought should occur to the mind , that its effects in no sense directly proceed from the spirit or influence of God , but solely arise from the usual operations of our ovvn hearts , the fervour
of prayer is checked , its efficacy impeded , and we no longer feel ourselves engaged in the supplication that God would grant the desired blessing , but in devout desire that we may obtain it . The supposition appears to me inconsistent with the nature of
prayer , in its more limited but peculiar and appropriate sense ; and I am sure , that for prayer , in that more limited sense , we have abundant warrant in the Scriptures as well as encouragement , and even direct command .
But if any devout person , under the influence of those philosophical views on the subject , which have been held by men of undoubted piety and sound understanding , believes that the influences of prayer are not thus immediate , I have only to urge him , as he desires the growth of grace in his heart , not to be less assiduous and
earnest in his applications to the Father of lights ; and let them be made in the firm assurance , that he is addressing a Being who heareth and who answereth prayer ; and in the exercise of faith , that He will answer it in that w $ y and by those means which he knoweth to be wisest and
best . And this firm assurance , and this pious faith , we should all exercise , when we draw near unto God $ and we may then indulge a cheering belief that our prayers will be acceptable in his sight , and obtain his bles < - sing .
But it should never be forgotten that our heavenly Father affords his gracious aids , ( whatever be the precise nature of them , ) duly to those who diligently employ those means of spiritual knowledge and holy obedience which he has placed in our power . As well might we expect his miraculous assistance to enable us to
cultivate the ground , or to acquire science and literature , if we will not use our hands and feet , or our senses and our intellectual powers , as expect that he will implant in us the principle of piety , without our employing the means of piety—or deliver us in
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018 D > * Carpenter on Divine Influences *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1819, page 618, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1777/page/30/
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