was constrained to express it only by deep sighs and ardent aspirations. Thus it was with the prophet at this time, when looking to his God with humble breathings and with fervent cries. Like Jonah at the bottom of the sea, he cried, " I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple*."
Now, this is our proper remedy at all seasons : " Call upon me in the time of trouble, saith the Lord; and I will hear thee; and thou shalt glorify me." Nor need we be discouraged because we are not able so to compose our minds as to pour out our hearts in fluent and connected petitions. Abrupt cries are fitly suited to occasions of great extremity. Our blessed Lord himself, when in an agony in the garden of Gethsemane, cried thrice to his heavenly Father, repeating the same wordsh. It is not the fluency of our expressions that God regards, but the sincerity of our hearts : and, for the most part, when " his blessed Spirit makes intercession in us" with more than ordi- nary power, it is not by diversified and rhetorical language, but " by groans which cannot be uttered1." Whatever there- fore our trouble be, and however desperate our condition, let us " give ourselves unto prayerk ;" and not doubt but that God, who " heareth the ravens," will " hear the voice of our weeping1," and " fulfil the desire of our hearts™." If we do but " look unto him, we shall be lightened"."]
The answer he received will lead us to contem- plate,
III. The efficacy of that remedy, whensoever ap- plied—
[In his despondency, the prophet had said, " Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through0." But he found to his joy, that nothing could inter- cept either his communion with God, or his communications from God: for " God drew nigh to him, and said, Fear not." What marvellous condescension was here ! Whilst man was treating him as " the offscouring and refuse of the people p," God regarded him with all the tenderness of a Father, and bade him to fear nothing that man could do against him. And will God be less gracious to us, in our extremities ? No : " he will surely hear the cry of the poor destitute, and will not despise their prayer q." Hear the experience of David, and in him of the Messiah also : " Save me, O God ! for the waters
s Jonah ii. 4. h Matt. xxvi. 44. ' Rom. viii. 26.
k Ps. cix. 4. 1 Ps. vi. 8. m Ps. cxlv. 19.
n Ps. xxxiv. 5. ° ver. 44. p ver. 45. i Ps. cii. 17.