God, and teaches them how they are to avert his wrath ; nor did God leave them in suspense about the issue of such humi- Hation : he declared in a vision to Solomon that his petitions were accepted'^. The Jewish history affords many striking in- stances of deliverance vouchsafed to a repenting people'; nor can we doubt but that the same means will still be crowned with the hke success "\]
2. Personal —
He who "knows our heart" will grant all that we can desh'e" :
Forgiveness of sin —
[Who more infamous and abandoned than that woman"? Yet she, in humility and faith, applied to Jesus p, and received an assurance that her iniquities were forgiven "J. And shall not we obtain mercy if we apply to him in the same humble and beHeving way ?]
Peace of conscience —
[How troubled, almost to distraction, were the murderers of our Lord""! But, according to Peter's direction, they looked to Jesus ^, and were immediately filled with " peace and joy in believing'."]
* Deliverance from temporal troubles —
[We cannot conceive greater temporal affliction than that endured by Jonah " ; yet, when to appearance irrecoverably lost, he prayed in this manner^, and experienced a most un- paralleled deliverance y.]
* Victory over our spiritual enemies —
[With what vehemence did Satan assault the Apostle PauP ! The afflicted saint cried with earnestness to the Lord Jesus ^ : his troubles were immediately turned mto triumphant exultations'^.]
k 2 Chron. vii. 12—14.
' Jehoshaphat praying according to the direction in the text, 2 Chron. xx. 5 — 13, expressly reminded God of his promise, ver. 9. And the success of his prayer far exceeded all reasonable expecta- tion; see ver. 22 — 25.
"^ If this were a Fast Sermon, it would be proper to enlarge a little on this idea in reference to the peculiar state of the nation at the time.
n 1 John v. 14, 15. o Luke vii, 37, 39. p Luke vii. 38.
q Luke vii. 47, 48, 50. ^ Acts ii. 37. ^ Acts ii. 38.
t Acts ii. 46. " Jonah ii. 1 — 3. "<■ Jonah ii. 4, 7.
y Jonah ii. 10. ^ 2 Cor. xii. 7. =* 2 Cor. xii. 8.
" 2 Cor. xii. 9.