of shewing us, that " we are to pray always, and not faint g." Immediately after my text, the encouragement given by our Lord to importunity in prayer is conveyed with such remark- able repetitions, as cannot fail to strike every attentive reader, and to shew how urgent God is with us, to make us urgent in our supplications to him.]
Application —
1. Seek friendship with God —
[A man may expect to prevail with a friend, for things which he could not hope for as a stranger. And what may we not expect to obtain at God's hands, if once we are reconciled to him in the Son of his love ? Having given us his own Son, what will he withhold from ush? If, indeed, we continue ene- mies to God in our hearts by wicked works, we cannot hope to obtain any blessings at his hands ; for we are warned, that "if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us :" but, if we come to him in Christ Jesus, with penitential sorrow, "he will never suffer us to seek his face in vain."]
2. Whatever you ask of God, ask it in faith —
[If you come with doubtful hearts, questioning whether God be able or willing to relieve you, you cannot hope to ob- tain an answer of peace". But the prayer of faith shall surely prevail. Whatever be the petition which we offer, provided only it be really good for us, it shall be given usk. True, the cup was not taken from the hands of our blessed Lord, nor was the thorn taken from the flesh of the Apostle Paul, though both the one and the other urged their petitions with repeated earnestness : but our blessed Lord was enabled to drink the cup of bitterness even to the dregs, and the Apostle had his affliction greatly sanctified to the good of his soul : and there- fore, though the blessings asked were withheld from each, as to the matter of them, they were more effectually bestowed on each as to their ultimate effect. Thus, only leave to God to judge for you as to the gift that shall be conferred, and you shall be sure never, in any case, to ask in vain.]
3. Never be discouraged on account of any delay you may experience in the answers to your prayers —
[The importunate widow, though often repulsed, prevailed at last: and though God may not answer us so speedily as we could wish, it shall, in fact, be " speedily," because it shall be at that precise moment when it shall be most for our eternal good. There are many reasons known to God for delaying to
s Luke xviii. 1 — 8. h Rom. viii. 32.
' Jam. i. 6, 7- k John xv. 13, 1 I. and xvi. 7.