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— - ^[p. 409] We live dia; to;n Crivston (John 6: 57), not merely dia; tou’ C., as if it⁺ was merely a means of living, but on account of Christ, because of Him, and hence according to what His life is derived from, as He lived dia; to;n page It is not cavrin, but the continuous cause, only objectively so, for we eat this blessed food. The force seems to be the moral source of the character of what is produced: thus in Galatians 4: 13, dij ajsqeneivan, “in infirmity.” Infirmity of the flesh was the moral source of the character of his preaching; as in Philippians 1: 15, envy was the moral source of the character of the preaching for some, as goodwill was for others. So here the Father was the moral source of the character of Christ’s life in the world, as Christ is of ours.

— - I do not see any difficulty in God’s answering prayer⁺⁺ connected with general laws, if we allow God to be free to act in His own world — as free as I am. Do I change general physical laws when I go, on request, to visit some sick person? My will — how, I know not — acts on and by these physical laws. Gravity is in my foot or in the earth, force is in my muscle, electricity in the nerves which set it in motion; yet I in my poor way have answered a request. Now I recognise fully power in God because He can, I need not say, not only change His law, but, without doing so, give force to agents in them, produce gastric juice more powerfully, or more electricity in the system at His will without introducing a single new element or law which governs it. Laws remain the same: His will interferes to produce agency by them. He may work a miracle, as raising the dead, which is by no law — He has done so. But I do not speak of miracles which take place when He changes a law, as when He makes the hatchet swim, but when He works by law to particular effects of His will. This may be miraculous, as when a strong whirlwind acted on the sea, and another took away locusts or brought quails. But He may give special activity or quantity to agents which act by laws regularly. I am sure, at any rate, that He hears and answers prayer. The very action of mind on man’s frame that more results may be produced, and God’s on mind (as to external circumstances), Is so wonderful that I see no difficulty at all Laws which bind nature I admit; laws which bind God I do not.

⁺‘Why is it dia; to;n πατέρα and not dia; tou page, as the Authorised Version might imply? And why not cavrin?’

⁺⁺‘How do you reconcile God’s answering prayer with general laws?’