The Return of Prayers

1. Reason,¹ because otherwise you take an Ordinance of God in vain in your hearts, which is to take Gods Name (with whom in that Ordinance you deal) in vain: for it ⟨p. 8⟩a sign you think your prayer not an effectual means to attain that end it is ordained for; and say secretly in your hearts, as they Job 21. 15. What profit have we, if we pray to him? for if we use any means, and expect not the end, it is a sign we think the means vain to accomplish that end. Whereas every faithful prayer is ordained of God to be a means to obtain what we desire and pray for, and is not put up in vain, but shall have answer: 1. Joh. 5. 14, 15. This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: tis true, God heareth ⟨p. 9⟩an enemy, but to hear with favour, is the hearing there meant; and is so used in our ordinary speech, as we say of a Favourite, that he hath the Kings ear; and if a man be obstinate to a mans counsel, we say, he would not hear, though he give the hearing; so here, to hear is a word of gracious inclination to do the thing required; and thus Gods ears are said to be open to their prayers; and so it follows there, that if he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. As soon as we have prayed, we are said to have our petitions, that is, ⟨p. 10⟩they are then granted, and we may be confident they are assented unto by God; although in regard of outward dispensation, the command for accomplishment is not yet come forth: even as a petitioner is said to have his suit, when the word of the King is gone forth that it shall be done, though it passeth not the seal, or be not signed a good while after. And like as when a wicked man sinneth, as soon as the act is committed, so soon doth sentence from God go forth against the sinner, but the Execution overtakes him not (it may be) a good while after, according to that of Solomon, ⟨p. 11⟩