that " He is able to do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you can ask or even think c." Go to him, then, and " pray to him with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ;" yea, "pray without ceasing," and "give him no rest" till he has answered your requests. But be not hasty to imagine that lie will not hear ; because he may already have heard and an- swered in the way most conducive to your good, whilst you are doubting whether he will so much as listen to your petitions. Of course you cannot expect to receive, unless you ask accord- ing to his will d; but, with that reserve only, I assure you, that " ye may ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto youe." Only " ask in faith," and " according to your faith it shall be done unto you."]
c Eph. iii. 20. d 1 John v. 14. e John xv. 7.
Ps. lxxxi. 11, 12. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me : so I gave them up.
THE history of the Jews is not a mere record of times and persons far distant from us, but a display of the Divine procedure towards others, as a pledge of a similar procedure towards us. The Jews were intended as examples to the Church of God in all ages : their prosperity whilst serving God, and their adversity when they had departed from him, were designed to shew us what blessings we may expect at God's hands, if we serve him acceptably ; and what judgments, if we rebel against hima. In this view it will be profitable to consider the words before us ; and,
I. The perverseness complained of —
Nothing could exceed the kindness of God towards his people of old —
[How tender and affectionate is his address to themb!
He entreats them not to look to any strange god,
since he alone has an exclusive right to their regard0
He assures them also, that whatsoever they shall ask at bis
hands, he will do it for themd
And is it not precisely in the same way that he addresses us?
a See 1 Cor. x. 1—11. and Heb. iii. 16—19. and iv. 1.
b ver. 8. c ver. 9, 10. d ver. 10. with Deut. iv. 7.