The Return of Prayers

¹As first, it may be, that at that very time when thou hast been most instant and earnest, yea even whilst thou art a praying or presently after, the thing is done and accomplished. To this purpose is that of Isaiah 65. 24. That as sometimes he hears before ⟨p. 148⟩they call (which argues much love to give mercies unsought) so also whilst they are speaking, I will hear, and grant the thing, which argues no less love; and he culls out that time on purpose, that they might rest assured that it was in answer to their prayer. Thus to assure Hezekiah his prayer was heard, God sent the Prophet in unto him whilst he was a praying and weeping, with his head turned towards the wall. So Isaac going out to pray in the field, meets his Rebekah then a coming;² that blessing of a good Wife, being surely the great request temporal ⟨p. 149⟩he was then in Treaty with God for: this Rebekah was the fruit of many prayers. So when S. Peter was in prison, the Church being gathered together to pray for him, S. Peter comes and knocks at the same hour, Acts 12. from the 12. ver. to the 18. So as it often falls out herein, as to the Ruler in the Gospel, Job. 4. 52. who inquiring diligently, found that the same hour that Christ had said to him, Thy son liveth, his son recovered, and so he believed, and his whole household: So also here, that sometimes the thing is done, or the news of it comes the same hour or soon after, ⟨p. 150⟩wherein a man was praying about it, and haply then when the heart was most stirred about it, more then at any time else: this is a sign it was an answer of prayers, and may help to confirm a mans faith in it, as that also did his.

¹As first, it may be, that at that very time when thou hast beene most instant and earnest, yea even whilest thou art a praying or presently after, the thing is done and accomplisht. To this purpose is that of Esay 65. 24. That as sometimes he heares before