Luke xviii. 6 — 8. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he ivill avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ?
THERE is no duty more strongly enforced in Scripture than that of prayer : nor is there any which needs to be more impressed upon the conscience. To those, who have never engaged in this duty with real spirituality of mind, it may appear easy to be performed ; but they, who are most earnest in the discharge of it, find many difficulties to combat with. To encourage us to persevere in spite of all those difficulties, our Lord spake the parable before usa.
We shall consider,
I. What the unjust judge said —
There was a widow labouring under some heavy oppression—
[Sin has universally armed men against their fellow- creatures. The world is full of robbery and oppression of every kindb; and they who are most defenceless usually suffer the greatest injuries. Every one is ready to take advantage of the fatherless and the widow. It is their comfort, however, that, if they have enemies on earth, they have a friend in heaven0.]
She went to a magistrate to redress her grievances —
[The appointment of magistrates is a rich blessing to the community, and they ought to be regarded with much respect and gratitude. We should not indeed be going to law about every trifle. We should rather settle our disputes, if possible, by arbitration ; but under the widow's circumstances, it was right to solicit the magistrate's interference.]
The judge, for a long season, would pay no atten- tion to her request —
[The judge happened to be of a most abandoned character: he had no fear of the holy, omniscient, almighty God : he did not even regard the good opinion of mankind. Thus he had no rule of conduct but his own caprice or interest. Surely, next to a vicious minister, there can be no greater curse to a neighbourhood than such an abandoned magistrate as this. We have reason to bless God, however, that though such characters are too common, they are rarely to be found among the ma- gistracy. No wonder that such an one was deaf to the cries of equity and compassion.]
a ver. 1. b Ps. Ixxiv. 20. c Ps. Ixviii. 5.
g8 LUKE, XVIIL 6-8. [1557.
At last, however, he acknowledged himself over- come by her importunity —
THe gloried in his contempt of all laws human and divine ; but he could not bear the constant entreaties of the widow : he was afraid of being "wearied" or ev en st mined e ™th W cries. He therefore, purely to get rid of her, mteiposed on her behalf, and did that for his own ease, which he should have done from a better motive. Thus, alas! he proclaimed his own shame; but declared, in a very striking manner, the efficacy of importunity.]
His speech, impious as it was, may be rendered profitable to our souls : II. The improvement suggested by our Lord —
Our Lord makes a twofold application of the sub- ject—
1. In a way of instruction —
We all, in a spiritual view, resemble this helpless widow —
[We are beset with enemies both within and without : our conflicts with indwelling corruption are great and manifold. We have moreover to contend with all the powers of darknessf; nor have we in ourselves any strength to resist our adversaries^]
But God, the judge of all, will help us if we call upon him —
[God has promised to hear the supplications of his people h: he has declared that he will " cast out none who come to him." He may indeed for wise reasons delay his answers to prayer : he may " bear so long with us" as to make us think he will not hear ; but he will never fail to succour us in the fittest season.]