Our blessed Lord tells us, "Ye shall," " ye shall," " ye shall" succeed. "Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Before we yield to any discouragement as to the issue of our supplications, let us find an instance wherein such importunity was ever known to fail. Let us search the annals of the whole world : and if, from the beginning of the world unto this hour, we find not one single exception, yea, and are assured by Him who knoweth all things, that no exception ever did exist ; then let us, like Jacob of old, close, as it were, with our heavenly Friend, and wrestle with him all the night; and tell him plainly, that "we will not let him go until he bless us0." If we act thus, we may as well doubt the existence of a God, as doubt the issue of our supplications : " for every one that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knocketh (however unworthy he may be of the favour asked), it shall be opened."
Behold, then, the force of the argument as here applied ; and know, that where goodness and grace are the points of comparison between God and man, the argument can never be too strongly put, or the inference be too securely drawn.]
Application —
Are there any here present who doubt the efficacy
of prayer ?
[Such existed in the days of old ; even men who said, " What profit should we have, if we pray unto himp?" But on what grounds can such a question be asked ? If it be from an idea that God is incapable of attending to the concerns of men, then hear his indignant reproof of this atheistical con- ceit : " They say, the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people ; and ye fools, when will ye be wise ? He that planteth the ear, shall he not hear ? He that formed the eye, shall not he see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct ? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know ? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity q;" aye, and ye will find them vanity too, my brethren, if ye persist in such conceits as these.]
Are there any who think they can be saved without
prayer ?
[Be assured that, however willing God is to bestow his blessings, he will be sought unto before he will impart them : for the condition he has imposed is this ; " Ask" and ye shall have. And if ye will not comply with that, then know, that
0 Gen. xxxii. 24 — 28. p Job xxi. 15. i Ps. xciv. 7 — 11.