See from hence,
1. How wonderful is the condescension of God to his believing people !
h Ps. lxv. 24. ; Prov. xv. 8. and Eph. iii. 20.
k Prov. xi. 23. ' Ps. lxxxi. 10.
743.] god's readiness to answer prayer. 497
[What would a person, who feels his own incapacity to spread his wants before God, wish for? If God should say to him, Tell me what I shall say for your encouragement, what could the drooping sinner dictate more consoling to himself
than what is spoken in our text? Examine well in this
view what God has spoken in another place ; how strongly he depicts the hopeless state of the suppliant, and what effectual
aid he promises to impart111 and you will be prepared to
estimate aright the promise in our text. Let none then give way to unbelieving fears, or be dejected because they find not in themselves all the liberty and fluency they could wish : but let the habitual desire of the soul be after God, and the bent of it be towards him on every emergency : then shall not one jot or tittle of this word fail of its full accomplishment11.
Let me very especially direct your attention to the climax which God is pleased to use in this place, for the purpose of encouraging his tempted people, and of magnifying his mercy towards them. In every member of the sentence he enlarges his promise ; and, at the same time, lowers, as it were, the qualifications necessary for those to whom the promises are made : To them that " call upon him in truth" he will "be nigh." To those who only " fear him," and cherish, as it were, a feeble desire towards him, he will be so gracious as to "fulfil their desire." And lastly, if any, through the greatness of their necessities, or an overwhelming sense of their unworthiness, are unable to do more than utter a " cry," he will listen to them, yea, and save them with an everlasting salvation. The sigh, the groan, the tear shed in secret, shall come up with acceptance before him; even as Jeremiah's supplication did from the low dungeon, when he said, " Hide not thine ear at my breathing and my cry ° ! "]
2. What bitter self-reproach will they feel, who live and die without prayer !
[One of the most bitter ingredients in that cup of God's wrath which will be put into the hands of those who perish, will be the reflection, that they might have had all the glory of heaven, if only they would have sought it in earnest prayer. When they once experience the torments of hell, they may cry ever so long for a drop of water to cool their tongue, but they will not be able to obtain it. How will they then curse their folly, that they neglected to cry, when they might have obtained all that they could possibly desire ! The recollection of that word, " Ask, and ye shall have," will be a dagger to their souls. Dear Brethren, do but think of this in time. Think on what easy terms, if we may so speak, heaven may be now obtained.
m Isai. xli. 17, 18. n Ps. xxxiv. 18. ° Lam. iii. 56.