man, yet not for the
worthiness of his belief, but for His worthiness Who is believed." So we
may say, God doth count the believing man worthy, yet not for any personal
worthiness, but for the worthiness which is wrought by grace. We must,
however, not fail to notice that the believer is responsible for his use
of grace, and that the very thought of God counting us worthy has included
in it the thought of scrutiny with a view to decision.

He seeks the _Divine Blessing_ on their life: "And fulfil every desire of
goodness and every work of faith with power." This, which is the rendering
of the R.V., seems, on the whole, the more intelligible and appropriate.
It means, "all that goodness can desire, and all that faith can effect."
It blends together the two ideas of _aspiration_ and _activity_--the
aspiration of goodness and the activity of trust--and it prays that God
would fulfil _with power_, or powerfully, every aspiration that comes from
goodness, and every activity that springs from faith. Just as in the
familiar words of the Collect for Easter Day, God first puts into "our
minds good desires," and then by His "continual help" we are enabled to
"bring the same to good effect." By "His holy inspiration we think those
things that are good, and by His merciful guiding we perform the same."

3. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PRAYER.

Notice the twofold consequence here stated.

He expects that _God will be glorified in us_. Glory in the New Testament,
and, indeed, in the whole Bible, is the outshining of splendour, and the
Apostle seeks in answer to prayer that Christ may reveal in our lives the
glory of His grace. This includes both our present and future lives.
Christ is to be manifested by and glorified in us here, and He will be
manifested by and glorified in us hereafter (ver. 10). What an unspeakable
privilege and what a profound responsibility lie in this simple fact that
Christ is to shine forth from our lives, and that men around us are to see
something of Christ as they associate with us. One of the most beautiful
testimonies ever given to a Christian was that of a poor dying outcast
girl to a lady who had befriended her: "I have not found it hard to think
about God since I knew you."

He also expects that _we shall be glorified in Christ_. This is, in a way,
more wonderful still. There is to be a reciprocal glory; and, actually,
marvellous though it seems, we are to have our share of glory in Christ.
This, aga