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ize) to enter in at the strait gate," Ask, and seek, and knock," Matt. vii. 7. He " spake a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint:" that parable was concerning a widow, who by continual coming wearied an unjust judge to decide her cause, Luke xviii. 1. And on another occasion, when expressly teaching his disciples to pray, he employed the similitude of one friend begging a loan of bread from another at the unseasonable hour of midnight, and argues thus: "I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth;" and then practically applying it to the subject of his instruction, he added, “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and

ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," Luke xi. 1—13. All exhortations to importunity are accompanied by most gracious encouragements. "Let us reason together; your sins shall be as white as snow," Isa. i. 18. "I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions: put me in remembrance; let us plead together," Isa. xliii. 25, 26. Even the saddest of all announcements, "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear," is immediately preceded by a most seasonable and encouraging statement,

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'Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear;" and even though the sins and the evil condition of the people are fully stated in that chapter, yet it is added that "the

Lord wondered that there was no intercessor," Isa. lix. 1, 2, 16.

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Thirdly, Scripture furnishes examples. St. James assures us that "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much;" and yet at the same time informs us that "the righteous man" whom he instances, was subject to like passions as we are. “Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not for three years and six months; and he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain," James v. 16, 18. The patriarchs were remarkable for their power and fervency in prayer.

Abraham entreated the Lord for Sodom, till he trembled at his own importunity. Had he only persevered in his intercession to the very last, the cities might have been spared for a little longer; for the Lord patiently

heard, granted every petition as it was offered, and departed not till Abraham intimated that he should ask no more, Gen. xviii. 32, 33.

Jacob was honoured of God with the new and honourable name of Israel, because he wrestled in prayer, till he prevailed. Though the angel said, "Let me go," in the vehemency of his spirit he replied, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me," Gen. xxxii. 24.

Moses interceded with great urgency for the children of Israel. He was alone in the mount with God, and beheld the divine wrath ready to break forth. Though commanded to go down; though a promise was given to make of him a greater and mightier nation; yet he continued pleading with such earnestness and importunity, that the Lord said, "Let me alone,

that I may destroy them," Exod. xxxii. 10; Deut. ix. 14.

Daniel increased in importunity, as he proceeded in his beautiful and instructive prayer. He obtained an immediate answer when his petitions became thus vehement and pressing, "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God," Dan. ix. 19.

In the gospels we read how the Syrophenician woman prevailed with our Lord by the power of her importunity, and obtained that blessing for her daughter which otherwise she should not have enjoyed. She earnestly besought him, but he answered her not a word. She fell at his feet, but he turned away and passed on. His own disciples entreated him on her behalf, because she cried after