And how has he shewn to us, that there may be great faith even where we suppose there is little, or perhaps none at all ; and that when we account no terms too humiliating whereby to express our vileness, he approves and even admires the graces that we exercise !
With this condescension in his manner of shewing mercy, he manifested the greatest liberality in the favour he conferred :
HE MADE HER OWN WISHES THE MEASURE OF HIS GIFTS. Nor
will he shew less kindness to us, if We call upon him with our whole hearts. " What will ye that I should do unto you ? " is his address to every one of us : and when we have made known our requests, he will say to each, " Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." With respect to temporal mercies, he will give or withhold as he foresees will be best for us : but in spiritual things he will do for us not only what we ask, but " exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think."]
We may learn from hence, that,
1. There is no respect of persons with God —
[No man can say, God will not hear me, because I am not of the number of his elect : for we cannot tell who are, or who are not, the elect of God, any farther than we are enabled to judge by their respective fruits. There is no man of any nation, or any character, who shall not find favour with God, if he seek it earnestly through the liord Jesus Christ. Let secret things then be left to God ; and let all, whether they account themselves dogs or children, seek a portion of that bread which came down from heaven. So shall their souls be liberated from Satan's yoke, and experience the saving efficacy of the Redeemer's word.]
2. Persevering prayer will and must prevail —
[Never was there an instance wherein the prayer of faith failed of success. It has opened the windows of heaven •*; and imposed, if we may so speak, restraints upon the Deity him- self^. If we can only wait patiently upon the Lord, he will soon pluck our feet out of the mire, and " put a new song into our mouths, even a thanksgiving unto our God^." Let us then " pray, and not faint." Let us call upon the Lord, and " give him no rest till he arise" for our help^. Then shall we assuredly succeed at last, and find, that his answers, however delayed, are vouchsafed in the fittest season, and in the most perfect correspondence with our necessities.]
^ Jam. v. 17, 18. ^ Exod. xxxii. 10, 11, 14.
. f Ps. xl. 1 — 3. g Isai. Ixii. 7.