t reach them. The great and eternal God has
condescended to lay himself under obligation to hear and answer the
prayers of mortal worms. If we collect the promises relating to this
subject, we shall be astonished at the amount of assurance which is
given. So confident was David on this point, that he addresses God as
the _hearer of prayer_, as though that were a distinguishing trait in
his character. Again, he says, "He will _regard_ the prayer of the
destitute, and _not despise_ their prayer." Solomon says, "The prayer of
the upright _is his delight_;" and again, "He heareth the prayer of the
righteous." The apostle James Bays, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a
righteous man _availeth much_." The apostle Peter says, "The eyes of the
Lord are open to the righteous, and his ears are open unto their
prayers." And Christ himself has assured us, in the strongest possible
terms, of the willingness of God to give spiritual blessings to those
that ask for them. He says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For _every one_
that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that
knocketh, it shall he opened." But, as if this assurance were not
sufficient to convince us of this most interesting truth, he appeals to
the tenderest sympathies of our natures. He asks if any father would
insult the hungry cries of his beloved son, when fainting for a morsel
of bread, by giving him a stone; or, if he ask an egg, to gratify his
appetite, will he give him a venomous scorpion, to sting him to
death?[B] He then argues, that if sinful men exercise tender compassion
towards their children, how much more shall our heavenly Father, whose
very nature is love, regard the wants of his children who cry unto him.
Is it possible to conceive a stronger expression of the willingness of
God to answer the prayers of his people?

[Footnote B: The scorpion is a little animal, of the shape of an egg,
whose sting is deadly poison.]

And these precious promises are confirmed by striking examples, in every
age of the church. Thus, Abraham prayed for Sodom; and, through his
intercession, Lot was saved. His servant, when sent to obtain a wife for
Isaac, received a direct answer to prayer. When Jacob heard that his
brother Esau was coming against him, with an army of four hundred men,
he wrestled all night in prayer, and prevailed; so that Esau became
reconciled to him. Moses prayed