Wesley Corpus

If objected, "But this is no direction to unbelievers; to those who know not God's pardoning grace: For the Apostle adds, 'But let him ask in faith; otherwise, 'let him not think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord,'" I answer: The word "faith" in this place is fixed by the Apostle himself, as if purposely to obviate this objection, in the following: "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering," nothing doubting. Not doubting but God heareth his prayer and will fulfil his heart's desire. The gross, blasphemous absurdity of supposing faith here means full Christian faith appears thus: It's supposing the Holy Ghost directs a man who knows he hasn't faith (which is termed wisdom here) to ask it of God, with a positive promise that "it shall be given him"; then immediately subjoin that it shall not be given unless he have it before asking! Who can bear such a supposition? From this Scripture, as well as those cited above, we must infer that all desiring God's grace are to wait for it through prayer. Second: Searching the Scriptures as a Means of Grace 7. Secondly, all desiring God's grace are to wait for it in searching the Scriptures. Our Lord's direction regarding this means is likewise plain and clear. "Search the Scriptures," saith he to unbelieving Jews, "for they testify of me." (John 5:39.) He directed them to search the Scriptures so they might believe in Him. The objection that "this is not a command, but only an assertion, that they did search the Scriptures" is shamelessly false. It's as peremptory as words can make it--it's a clear command. What blessing from God attends this means' use appears from what's recorded concerning the Bereans; who, after hearing St. Paul, "searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed;" -- found God's grace in the way He ordained. (Acts 17:11, 12.) It's probable that in some who had "received the word with all readiness of mind," "faith came...by hearing," and was only confirmed by reading the Scriptures. But as noted, under "searching the Scriptures," hearing, reading, and meditating are all contained.