✦ The Book Ends on Its Knees
Scougal has finished his teaching. The three counterfeits — dismantled. The divine life — named. The branches — faith, love, charity, purity, humility. Christ — the living pattern. The shipwrecked man — rescued by everlasting arms. And now, after all of it — a prayer. The young man who saw heaven so close ends the only way he can: on his knees. 🙏
And now, O most gracious God, Father and Fountain of mercy and goodness — stir up in our souls such burning desires for the one, as may drive us to the diligent pursuit of the other.
Let us neither presume on our own strength, nor doubt Your divine help; but while we are doing our utmost, teach us still to depend on You for the outcome.
The opening petition holds the whole book: neither presume on our own strength nor doubt Your divine help. Murray's divine balance. The soul's utmost effort — and total dependence on God. Both. Together. Always.
Open our eyes, O God, and teach us from Your law.
Fill our hearts with a generous and holy disdain for all the poor enjoyments this world holds out, that they may never charm our affections or betray us into sin.
Turn away our eyes from beholding vanity, and give us life according to Your word (Psalm 119:37).
Every theme returns as petition. The Word as standard. The balance. The vanities shut out through the door. Scougal does not just teach these things. He prays for them. Because the soul cannot produce them by effort. They must be given.
The life we now live in the flesh, we may live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20).
O that the infinite perfections of Your blessed nature may conquer and overpower our hearts — constantly rising toward You in flames of devoted affection, and reaching out in love toward all the world for Your sake.
Not persuade. Conquer. Scougal prays for hearts overpowered by divine goodness. We become what we love — and Scougal prays to be conquered by what is worth loving.
Grant that the thought of what You are, and what we ourselves are, may both humble us and stir up in us the strongest desire for You.
We resign ourselves to the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. Lead us in Your truth and teach us, for You are the God of our salvation (Psalm 25:5).
Guide us with Your counsel, and afterward receive us to glory (Psalm 73:24). Amen.
The two kinds of humility fused in one prayer. What You are — divine goodness. What we are — our smallness. Both laying us low. Both stirring desire. And the final surrender: we resign ourselves. A dying young man who had nothing left to surrender but the words on the page. Guide us — and afterward receive us to glory. Amen.
"Let us neither presume on our own strength, nor doubt Your divine help."
Henry Scougal · The whole book in one petitionI pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Being rooted and established in love, may you have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ — and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory for ever and ever! Amen.
Paul answers Scougal across seventeen centuries. Christ dwelling in hearts through faith — the life of God in the soul of man. Rooted in love — faith and love. Filled to the fullness of God — the beam, the drop, the ocean. And the promise: Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. The shipwrecked man — served by a God who does immeasurably more. The pilgrim walking by faith — served by power at work within. Scougal is finished. The prayer is spoken. And the Amen belongs to God. 🙏
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us."
Ephesians 3:20 · Scougal's prayer answered · The jewel — completeOn Its Knees
After all the teaching — a prayer. Every theme returns as petition. The book ends the only way it can.
Neither Presume nor Doubt
The whole book in one petition. The soul's utmost — and total dependence on God for the outcome.
Conquer Our Hearts
Not persuade. Conquer. Overpower. We become what we love — Scougal prays to be conquered by what is worth loving.
Immeasurably More
God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. The power at work within us. The Amen belongs to God.