02.01. Chapter 1 - Verse 06

James 1:6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed.

Here he proposeth a caution, to prevent mistakes about what he had delivered: every asking will not serve the turn; it must be an asking in faith. But let him ask in faith.—Faith may be taken—(1.) For confidence in God, or an act of particular trust, as Ephesians 3:12, ‘We have boldness and access with confidence through the faith of him.’ (2.) It may import persuasion of the lawfulness of the things that we ask for; that is one acceptation of faith in scripture, Romans 14:23, ‘Whatever is not of faith, is sin;’ that is, if we practise it before we are persuaded of the lawfulness of it. Or, (3.) In faith, that is, in a state of believing; for God will hear none but his own, those that have interest in Jesus Christ, ‘in whom the promises are yea and amen.’ 2 Corinthians 1:20. All these senses are considerable, but I think the first is most direct and formal; for faith is here opposed to doubting and wavering, and so noteth a particular act of trust.

Nothing wavering, μηδὲν διακρινόμενος.—What is this wavering? The word signifieth not disputing or traversing the matter as doubtful in the thoughts. The same phrase is used Acts 10:20, ‘Arise, go with them, μηδὲν διακρινόμενος, nothing doubting;’ that is, do not stand disputing in thy thoughts about thy calling and the good success of it. The word is often used in the matter of believing; as Romans 4:20, ‘He staggered not through unbelief;’ in the original οὺ διεκρίθη, ‘He disputed not,’ did not debate the matter, but settled his heart upon God’s power and promise: Matthew 21:21, ‘If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed into the depths of the sea,’ &c. If they could but remove the anxiousness and uncertainty of their thoughts, and settle their hearts upon the warrant, they should do miracles. For he that doubteth is like a wave of the sea, that is tossed to and fro.——An elegant similitude to set out their estate, used by common authors in the same matter,¹ and by the prophet, Isaiah 57:20. James saith here, the doubter, ἔοικε κλύδωνι, is ‘like a wave of the sea;’ and the prophet saith of all wicked men, κλυδονισθήσονται (as the Septuagint render it), ‘These shall be like troubled waves, whose waters cannot rest.’

¹ ‘Turbo quidam animos nostros rotat, et involvit fugientes petentesque eadeni, et nunc in sublime allevatos, nunc in infima allisos rapit.’—Seneca de Vita Beata. The notes are these:—

Obs. 1. That the trial of a true prayer is the faith of it. Cursory requests are made out of fashion, not in faith; men pray, but do not consider the bounty of him to whom they pray: prayer is a means, not a task; therefore, in prayer there should be distinct reflections upon the success of it. Well, then, look to your prayers; see you put them up with a particular hope and trust; all the success lieth on that: ‘O woman! great is thy faith; be it to thee as thou wilt,’ Matthew 15:28, God can deny faith nothing; ‘Be it to you as you will.’ So Mark 11:24, ‘Whatsoever things ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye shall receive them, and ye shall have them.’ Mark that, ‘Believe, and ye shall have,’ God’s attributes, when they are glorified, they are exercised, and by our trust his truth and power is engaged. But you will say, How shall we do to pray in faith? I answer—There is something presupposed, and that is an interest in Christ. But that which is required in every prayer is:—

1. An actual reliance upon the grace and merits of Jesus Christ: Ephesians 2:18, ‘Through him we have access with confidence unto the Father.’ We cannot lift up a thought of hope and trust but by him. If you have not assurance, yet go out of yourselves, and look for your acceptance in his merits. Certainly this must be done; none can pray aright but believers. How can they comfortably be persuaded of a blessing, that have never a promise belonging to them? Therefore, at least you must honour Christ in the duty: you must see that such worthless creatures as you may be accepted in him: Hebrews 4:16, ‘Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find help in time of need.’ Through Christ we may come freely and boldly: I am a sinner, but Jesus Christ, my intercessor, is righteous. Men will say, they do not doubt of God, but of themselves: I am a wretched sinner, will the Lord hear me? I answer—This is but Satan’s policy to make us say we doubt of ourselves, not of God; for, in effect, it is a doubting of God; of his mercy, as if it were not free enough to pardon and save; of his power, as if it were not great enough to help. We must come humbly; we are sinners: but we must come in faith also; Christ is a Saviour: it is our folly, under colour of humbling ourselves, to have low thoughts of God. If we had skill, we should see that all graces, like the stones in the building, have a marvellous symmetry and compliance one with another; and we may come humbly, yet boldly in Christ.

2. We must put up no prayer but what we can put up in faith: prayer must be regulated by faith, and faith must not wander out of the limits of the word. If you have a promise, you may be confident that your requests will be heard, though in God’s season: you cannot put up a carnal desire in faith. The apostle’s words are notably pertinent to state this matter: 1 John 5:14, ‘This is the confidence that we have concerning him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.’ All things are to be asked in faith; some things absolutely, as spiritual blessings,—I mean, as considered in their essence, not degree. Degrees are arbitrary. Other things conditionally, as outward blessings. Let the prayer be according to the word, and the success will be according to the prayer.

3. The soul must actually magnify God’s attributes in every prayer, and distinctly urge them against the present doubt and fear. Usually we do not doubt for want of a clear promise, but out of low thoughts of God; we cannot carry his love, power, truth, above the present temptation, and believe that there is love enough to justify us from so many sins, power enough to deliver us from so great a death or danger, 2 Corinthians 1:10; and bounty enough to bestow so great a mercy. This is to pray in faith, to form proper and right thoughts of God in prayer, when we see there is enough to answer the particular doubt and exigency: as Matthew 9:28-29, Jesus saith to the two blind men, ‘Believe ye that I am able to do this? and they said, Yea, Lord: then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you.’ Christ asked first whether they had a right estimation of his power, and then, in the next place, he calleth it faith, and gave them the blessing. Those that come to God had need conceive rightly of him; Christ requireth nothing more of the blind man but a sealing to the greatness of his power. ‘Believest thou that I am able?’ ‘Yea, Lord;’ and that was all. But you will say, Tell us more distinctly, what faith is required in every prayer? I answer—The question has been in a great part already answered.

But, for further satisfaction, take these rules:—[1.] That where we have a certain promise, we must no way doubt of his will; for the doubt must either proceed from a suspicion that this is not the word or will of God, and that is atheism; or from a jealousy that God will not make good his word, and that is blasphemy; or a fear that he is not able to accomplish his will, and that is downright distrust and unbelief. Therefore, where we have a clear sight of his will in the promise, we may have a confidence towards him, 1 John 5:14.

[2.] Where we have no certain assurance of his will, the work of faith is to glorify and apply his power. Unbelief stumbleth most at that, rather at God’s can than will; as appeareth partly by experience.—Fears come upon us only when means fail and the blessings expected are most unlikely; which argueth that it is not the uncertainty of God’s will, but the misconceit of his power, that maketh us doubt. The present dangers and difficulties surprise us with such a terror that we cannot comfortably use the help of prayer out of a faith in God’s power:—partly by the testimony of the scriptures. Search, and you shall find that God’s power and all-sufficiency is the first ground and reason of faith. Abraham believed, because ‘God was able to perform,’ Romans 4:21. And that unbelief expresseth itself in such language as implieth a plain distrust of God’s power; as Psalms 78:19, ‘Can the Lord prepare a table in the wilderness?’ It is not will, but can: 2 Kings 7:2, ‘If the Lord should open the windows of heaven, how can this be?’ So the Virgin Mary: Luke 1:34, ‘How can these things be?’ and so in many other instances. Men deceive themselves when they think they doubt because they know not the will of God: their main hesitancy is at his power. Look, as in the case of conversion, we pretend a cannot, when indeed we will not;² so, oppositely, in the case of faith, we pretend we know not God’s will, when we indeed doubt of his can. Therefore the main work of your faith is to give him the glory of his power, leaving his will to himself. Christ putteth you, as he did the blind men (Matthew 9:28), to the question, ‘Am I able?’ Your souls must answer, ‘Yea, Lord.’ And in prayer you must come as the leper: Matthew 8:2, ‘Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.’ Whether he grant you or not, believe; that is, say in your thoughts, Lord, thou canst.

² ‘Non posse prætenditur, non velle in causa est.’—Seneca.

[3.] In these cases, his power is not only to be glorified, but also his love. But you will say, in an uncertain case, How must we glorify his love? I answer—Two ways; faith hath a double work. (1.) To compose the soul to a submission to God’s pleasure. He is so good, that you may refer yourself to his goodness. Whether he grant or not, he is a wise God and a loving father, and will do what is best; so that, you see, in no case we must dispute, but refer ourselves to God, as the leper was not troubled about God’s will, but said, ‘Lord, thou canst.’ Cast yourselves upon his will, but conjure him by his power; this is the true and genuine working of faith. When you dare leave your case with God’s love, ‘let him do what seemeth good in his eyes,’ good he will do; as in scripture the children of God in all temporal matters do resign themselves to his disposal, for they know his heart is full of love, and that is best which their heavenly Father thinketh best, and this taketh off the disquiet and perplexity of the spirit: Proverbs 16:3, ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ They wait with serenity when they have committed their works to God’s will with submission. (2.) To incline and raise the soul into some hope of the mercy prayed for. Hope is the fountain of endeavours, and we should neither pray nor wait upon God were it not that we may look up to him because there is hope, Lamentations 3:29. The hypocrite’s prejudice was, ‘It is in vain to seek God,’ Job 21:15. There are some particular promises, you know, concerning preservation in times of pestilence, oppression, famine, &c. (Malachi 3:14), which, though they are not always made good in the rigour of the letter, yet they are in a great measure fulfilled, and ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον, for the most part take place. I say, though they are to be expounded with the exception and reservation of the cross (for God is no further obliged than he is obliged by the covenant of grace, and in the covenant of grace he hath still kept a liberty of ‘visiting their iniquity with rods,’ Psalms 89:32), yet because the children of God have many experiences of their accomplishment, they cannot choose but conceive some hope towards God, and incline rather to think that God will grant. The least that these promises do is to beget some loose hope, they being so express to our case, and being so often accomplished. Nay, how can we urge these in prayer to a good God, and not say, as David, ‘Remember thy word unto thy servant, wherein thou hast caused me to hope,’ Psalms 119:49? I do not say we should prescribe to God, and limit his will to our thoughts, but only conceive a hope with submission, because of the general reservation of the cross.

[4.] Some, that have more near communion with God, may have a particular faith of some particular occurrences. By some special instincts in prayer from the Spirit of God they have gone away and said with David, Psalms 27:3, ‘In this I will be confident.’ I do not say it is usual, but sometimes it may be so; we cannot abridge the Spirit of his liberty of revealing himself to his people. But, remember, privileges do not make rules; these are acts of God’s prerogative, not according to his standing law and rule. However, this I conceive is common: that, in a particular case, we may conceive the more hope, when our hearts have been drawn out to God by an actual trust; that is, when we have urged a particular promise to God in prayer with submission, yet with hope; for God seldom faileth a trusting soul. They may lay hold on God by virtue of a double claim; partly by virtue of the single promise that first invited them to God, and then by virtue of another promise made to their trust; as Isaiah 26:3, ‘Thou keepest him in perfect peace who putteth his trust in thee, because he trusteth in thee.’ An ingenious man will not disappoint trust; and God saith, eo nomine, for that reason, because they trust in him, he will do them good; therefore, now having glorified God’s power, and with hope referred themselves to his will, they have a new argument of hope within themselves. It is notable that in Psalms 91:2-3, there is a dialogue between the Spirit of God and a believing soul. The soul saith, ‘I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God; in him will I trust.’ There is a resolution of a humble and actual trust. The Spirit answereth, ver. 3, ‘Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from a noisome pestilence.’ There is a promise under an averment, surely, which certainly would do nothing, if it did not at the least draw out the more hope.

Thus I have given you my thoughts of this common and useful case,—praying in faith.

Obs. 2. From that nothing wavering, or disputing, as it is in the original, man’s nature is much given to disputes against the grace and promises of God. The pride of reason will not stoop to a revelation; and where we have no assurance but the divine testimony, there we are apt to cavil. All doubts are but disputes against a promise; therefore what is said in our translation, ‘Lift up pure hands, without wrath and doubting’ (1 Timothy 2:8), is in the original χωρὶς διαλογίσμον, without reasoning or dispute. A sure word is committed to the uncertainty of our thoughts and debates, and God’s promises ascited before the tribunal of our reason. Well, then, cast down those λογίσμους, those imaginations, or reasonings rather (for so the word properly signifieth), which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God in Christ. Carnal reason is faith’s worst enemy. It is a great advantage when we can make reason, that is an enemy to faith, to be a servant to it; λογίζεσθε, saith the apostle: Romans 6:11, ‘Reckon, or reason yourselves to be dead to sin, and alive to God.’ Then is our reason and discourse well employed, when it serveth to set on and urge conclusions of faith.

Obs. 3. From the same—That the less we doubt, the more we come up to the nature of true faith. The use of grace is to settle the heart upon God; to be fast and loose argueth weakness: ‘Why doubt ye, ye of little faith?’ I do not say it is no faith, but it is a weak faith: a trembling hand may hold somewhat, but faintly. Well, then, seek to lay aside your doubts and carnal debates, especially in prayer; come ‘without wrath and doubting:’ without wrath to a God of peace, without doubting to a God of mercy. Do not debate whether it be better to cast yourselves upon God’s promise and disposal, or to leave yourselves to your own carnal care; that is no faith when the heart wavereth between hopes and fears, help and God. Our Saviour saith, Luke 12:29, μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε, ‘Be not of doubtful mind, what ye shall eat and drink;’ do not hang between two, like a meteor hovering in the air (so the word signifieth), not knowing what God will do for you. A thorough belief of God’s attributes, as revealed in Christ, taketh off all disquiets and perplexities of spirit. Well, then, get a clear interest in Christ, and a more distinct apprehension of God’s attributes. Ignorance perplexeth us, and filleth the soul with misty dark reasonings; but faith settleth the soul, and giveth it a greater constancy.

Obs. 4. From that like a wave of the sea, tossed to and fro, doubts are perplexing, and torment the mind. An unbeliever is like the waves of the sea, always rolling; but a believer is like a tree, much shaken, but firm at root. We are under misery and bondage as long as we are tossed upon the waves of our own affections; and till faith giveth a certainty, there is no rest and peace in the soul: ‘Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee,’ Psalms 116:7. Faith shedding abroad God’s love in our sense and feeling, begetteth a calm: they that teach a doctrine of doubting—exercent carnificinam animarum, saith Calvin—they do but keep conscience upon the rack, and leave men to the torment of their own distracted thoughts. Romish locusts are like scorpions (Revelation 9:10), with ‘stings in their tails;’ and ‘men shall desire death’ (Revelation 9:6) that are stung with them. Antichristian doctrines yield no comfort and ease to the conscience, but rather sting it and wound it, that, to be freed from their anxiety, men would desire to die. Certainly there cannot be a greater misery than for man to be a burden and a terror to himself; and there is no torment like that of our own thoughts. Well, then, go to God, and get your spirit settled: he that cherisheth his own doubts doth but hug a distemper instead of a duty.