hand ; and, whilst the weary traveller rests himself, you go to him, and knock at his door, and entreat him to lend you some bread for the occasion. (This, though undesirable in itself, on account of the unseasonableness of the hour, you would feel justified in resorting to, on account of the greatness of the emergency.) Your friend, who, with his children and servants, are all in bed, not liking to be disturbed at such an hour, and to have .the disturbance spread over his whole family, excuses himself, and declines acceding to your request. (This is perfectly natural. What relates to self arises much more quickly in our minds than the concerns of others ; and the trouble imposed on us, appears more immediately deserving our attention, than any which we are called upon to alleviate in others.) But you continue to plead with him the necessity of the case : and his friendly dispositions, which had not been sufficient to operate in your favour in the first instance, are awakened and called into exercise by your importunity ; and he then arises, and gives you whatsoever you require. (In the whole of our intercourse with our friends, and indeed with the world at large, we find, that a perseverance in urging our requests will prevail, when higher considerations have lain dormant, and been ineffectual for the attainment of our wishes.)
This case is so simple, that it would be obscured, rather than elucidated, by any amplification of mine : it commends itself at once as a very probable occurrence, and as well fitted to illus- trate the great truth which it was intended to inculcate.]
Let us, then, proceed to notice, II. The encouragement to be derived from it in our intercouse with God —
Our blessed Lord himself shews us how to apply the subject ; first of all in a way of direct affirmation, " Ask, and ye shall have," &c. ; and then in a way of inference ; namely, " If we, who are evil," will not refuse to supply the necessities of others, " much less will God" who is so infinitely goodb. To mark this inference, let the following considerations be duly marked :
1. Importunity, however urgent, will never offend our God —
Man it may offend; and not unfrequently does; and even irritates him to such a degree, as to draw from him expressions, which, in a calmer hour, he would not, on any account, have used. But God will never be offended: on the contrary, he
ver. 9—13.