answer us immediately; and, it may be, that he may not grant the precise thing which we pray for ; but he will answer in the best ti7)ie, and in the best manner, granting that which even- tually will be most conducive to his own glory and to our good. David and the Canaanitish woman were suffered to wait for the blessings they desired'^; and St. Paul, yea, and Christ himself too, were answered, not so much according to the letter, as according to the spirit, of their petitions'. But if we tarry the Lord's leisure, we may be as " confident'''' of an answer to our prayers, as of our own existence^.]
In this SUBJECT we may find abundant matter,
1. For reproof —
[How many have never gone beyond the mere forms of prayer ; and remain unmoved even when their self-deceit and hypocrisy are thus plainly set before them ! How astonishing is this ! Methinks, if God had appointed only one hour in a man's life, wherein he should be at liberty to avail himself of the gracious promises in the text, one would suppose that the whole universe should not be able to divert his attention from this sacred duty: he would long for the appointed season to arrive ; he would meditate beforehand on every thing which he could desire to obtain ; and he would employ every moment of the prescribed time in most importunate supplications. So, I say, we might suppose; but experience proves, that, notwith- standing there is not an hour in our whole lives wherein we may not avail ourselves of this privilege, the generality have never found one single hour for that holy employment. But would it be thus if God were for one hour to allow this privilege to those who are shut up in hell? If the doors of hell might be opened for their escape, would they neglect to "knock?" If all the blessings of grace and glory might be obtained by them, would they neglect to "ask?" O then, let us " seek the Lord whilst he is near ; let us call upon him, whilst he may he found'' Think what a bitter reflection it will be in the eternal world, that we might have escaped the miseries of hell, and obtained the glory of heaven, by the exercise of humble and believing prayer, and we would not: we did not regard either the one or the other, as worth asking for. O that we may now be convinced of our folly, and not be left to bewail it to all eternity !]
2. For encouragement —
[If God had bidden us do some great thing to obtain his favour, we should have been ready to do it. The poor benighted
1' Ps. xl. 1—3. and Ixix. 3. Matt. xv. 22 — 27.
i 2 Cor. xii. 7—9. Heb. v. 7. "^1 John v. 14, 1.5.