to act towards his children, in the general tenour of his conduct, in the manner stated by our Lord. But God, on the contrary, is good, supremely, and ojily good, and therefore incapable of doing any thing, which may in the smallest degree impeach his character. Besides, he has manifested his goodness in that most unparalleled act of mercy, the gift of his own Son ; the gift of his own Son to die for us ; and that too unasked ; and at a time when we were in rebellion against him ; and token he knew the treatment which his Son would meet with from an ungrate- ful world : will he then refuse us any thing? Will he not give us his holy Spirit, when we ask it at his hands^; and when he knows that the bestowing of that gift will infallibly terminate in his oivn etertial glory ? It is in this very light that an inspired Apostle states the same argument*^; and therefore we may be well assured, that it is unanswerably conclusive.]
That we may not however rest in a mere acknow- ledgment of this truth, we shall,
II. Suggest a suitable improvement of it —
Though the great scope of the text relates only to the prospect which we have of receiving answers to prayer.
We may learn from it,
1. In what light we are to regard God, when we come to a throne of grace —
[Men in general either think of God as a Being that has no concern about this lower world, or as a harsh master, and a severe judge. Accordingly their prayers are either a mere lip-service, in which they themselves feel no interest; or the supplications of a slave under the apprehension of the lash. But we should rather go to him as a Father; we should consider him as a Being able and willing to succour us, yea, infinitely more willing to give than we are to ask. How endearing is that address which we are taught to use, " Our Father, which art in heaven ! " If we could approach him with the familiarity, and confidence, of dutiful and beloved children, how sweet would be our fellowship with him, and how successful our petitions ! Then, nothing would appear too much to ask, nothing too trifling to lay before him. We should spread before him our every want ; and experience, on all occasions, his condescension and grace.]
^ What in the text is called " good things," in the parallel passage in Luke xi, 13. is called " the Holy Spirit." " Rom. viii. 32.