the world began a ? Yea, who can tell, but that, at this mo- ment, some careless sinner is the object of his special attention, and that this is the very hour, wherein his merciful designs shall be matured and executed?]
These thoughts of his shall all in due season be accomplished —
[It may be a long time before his eternal counsels are manifested by visible and correspondent acts. But not one of his purposes shall ever be frustrated. Paul was " a chosen vessel unto him," and " separated, in the Divine intentions, from his mother's womb b : but how long was he suffered to go on in the most inveterate enmity against Christ and his Gos- pel ! Yet when his hour was come, God stopped him in his mad career, and transformed a bitter persecutor into a zealous Apostle. Thus it was that Zaccheus also was made a partaker of Christ's salvation, when he thought of nothing but gratifying a foolish curiosity0. And thus many of us also received our first serious impressions, when we were far enough from desir- ing to fear God. And it is a comfortable reflection, that many, who are yet dead in trespasses and sins, are in the Divine purpose " predestinated to the adoption of children11," and will one day be " heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."]
Nor shall any expectations founded upon his word be ever disappointed —
[Improbable as the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon was, God brought them out at the appointed time. And as he gave " them an expected end," so will he to all of us. If an ungodly man begin to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ for repentance and remission of sins, he shall not look to him in vain. If an afflicted or tempted soul flee to him for consolation and succour, the desired aid shall not be withheld. Provided only we rely on his word, and not on any presumptuous ima- ginations of our own, we may rest assured that he will inter- pose effectually on our behalf.]
But however fixed his purposes may be,
II. They must nevertheless be called forth by the exercise of fervent prayer —
God has appointed prayer as the means of obtaining his blessings —
[This is the universal voice of Scripture, " Ask, and ye shall have." Even where God most freely promises his blessings, he
* 2 Tim. i. 9. b Acts ix. 15. Gal. i. 15.
c Luke xix. 4, 5, 9. d Eph. i. 5.