SERMON VII. "UNTO THEE SHALL ALL FLESH "O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come."-Psalm lxv. 2. THERE are probably few sincere Christians who do not sometimes feel discouraged by the darkness that surrounds them, and by the difficulties that everywhere seem to retard the progress of that glorious Gospel in which they themselves believe, and which their Lord has commanded His Church to proclaim to every creature. Eighteen hundred years have elapsed; and yet but a small portion of mankind, comparatively, has hitherto been evangelized, and two-thirds of our race still lie benighted in all the degradation, and pollution, and hopelessness of heathenism. And shall these things always be? Shall sin and death's dark reign never end? Or shall the Gospel continue to advance in the same dull ratio, and generation after generation in the meantime pass away unvisited and unblessed by its heavenly consolations, and unsustained by its elevating sanctifying hopes? We know not, dear brethren, the time of the end. God has not told us how long the present dispensation will continue; but He has told us for our encouragement what the end will be, and also, by what means that end will be accomplished. The words of the text clearly point out to us, and assure us of the universal conversion of mankind; and they likewise describe, or at least, imply, the means by which this blessed consummation will be attained. Let me first direct your attention to the character under which God is here represented; and then, secondly, to the connection of this with the world's conversion. I. "O Thou that hearest prayer." Is there Is there any character more suitable or encouraging in which the great Author of all things could reveal Himself to us His sinful creatures? We might have supposed it infinitely beneath His dignity to notice such insignificant and polluted beings. He is the King Eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only wise God. The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and He charges even His angels that excel in strength with folly. He is the High and Holy One that inhabiteth Eternity, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, "glorious beyond thought and power Divine;" and will He deign to regard us the fallen inhabitants of earth, and will He even condescend to visit our sinful abode, and permit us to present to Him our prayers and supplications? Can there be communion between beings so opposite; fellowship between the finite and the infinite, the sinful and the sinless, the apostate, rebel, worthless creature, and Him who for His own good pleasure created all things, “God over all, blessed for ever?" Yes, dear brethren, it is even so. He has prevented us with the blessings of His goodness, and has shewn as great a difference between His love and ours, as between His Omnipotent, all-creating, allpervading power, and our contracted, finite, and dependent weakness. His ways are not as our ways, nor His thoughts as our thoughts. He has revealed Himself as the hearer of prayer. He has Himself directed and commanded "that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men ;" and as He has threatened to pour out His indignation upon the families that call not upon His name, so He has promised His special blessing and favour to all who do thus seek Him. "Call upon Me," He says, "in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." God's temple was called preeminently the "house of prayer;" for it was there that all Israel were commanded to appear before Him, and that His ministers were appointed daily to present the supplications and the thanksgivings of His people. "Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion; and unto Thee shall the vow be performed." "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him; to all that call upon Him in truth." The design of one of our Lord's parables was, that men might learn from it "always to pray, and not to faint;" and Jesus repeatedly assured His disciples that whatsoever they should ask in His name, believing, they would receive. And what God in His love and condescension thus appointed, He has abundantly and most graciously heard and answered. "He never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye My face in vain." He has caused innumerable examples of prayer answered to be recorded for our encouragement; in Abel's accepted offerings; in Abraham's granted request for the life of Ishmael; in his servant Eliezer's success at Padan-Aram; in Jacob's deliverance from the anticipated wrath of Esau; in the preservation of Israel from repeatedly threatened destruction on the intercession of Moses; in thunder and rain sent at the prayer of Samuel; in David's escape from the murderous designs of Saul; in Elijah's triumph over the idolatrous priests of Baal; in Hezekiah's deliverance from the armies of Sennacherib; in Daniel's safety in the den of lions, and the preser vation of the three noble confessors in the seven times' heated furnace; in the strengthening of our Lord in Gethsemane ; in Peter's release from prison; Paul's rescue from the dangers of shipwreck; and others instances too numerous and too well-known to need repeating. The Lord did hear and grant the petitions that were presented to Him; and in every case His ear is equally open to our prayers, and His heart and hand as ready to promote His people's good; whether to supply some urgent need, or to strengthen in the hour of severe temptation, to support them in seasons of affliction, or to preserve them in seasons of prosperity, to bestow upon them their daily bread for this life, or to enrich them with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus for the better life that is to come. His infinite and unchanging love ever inclines Him to regard with sympathizing favour and most ready acceptance all the requests which they make known to Him; while His unerring wisdom suggests the answer that is best, and His Omnipotent power secures its infallible fulfilment. Neither our unworthiness nor insignificance ever causes Him to disregard our petitions, nor does the infinite multiplicity and variety of His concerns ever lead Him either to overlook or neglect them. He can as easily hear the prayers of a million as of one; and if the very hairs of our H |