The Return of Prayers

And secondly,¹ not simply Gods name, as in an Ordinance made known, but also His name, that is, His Attributes are taken in vain. For it is a sign you think of that God you pray to, that either his ear is heavy, that he cannot hear: or his hand shortened, that he cannot save: or his heart straitened, and his bowels restrained, that he will not: And thus you rob him, and despoil him of one of his most royal ⟨p. 13⟩Titles, whereby he styles himself,² a God that heareth prayers; who is so regardful of them, that in the first of Kings 8. 59. they are said to be nigh the Lord day and night, they are all before him, and he sets them in his view, as we do letters of friends which we stick in our windows, that we may remember to answer them; or lay them not out of our bosoms, that we might be sure not to forget them: so the petitions of his people, pass not out of his sight, till he sends an answer, which is called speaking here; God speaking as well in his works as in his word. But you, by your ⟨p. 14⟩neglect herein, make an Idol God of him, such as were the vanities of the heathen, as if he had ears and heard not, eyes and saw not your need, &c. Such a God as Elijah mocked, You must speak aloud, (saith he) he may be in a journey, &c. Even such a God do you make the God of heaven & earth to be, whilst you put no more confidence in him, or make no more reckoning of your prayers to him, then the heathens did of their sacrifices to their Gods. Petitioners do not only put up their requests, but use to wait at great mens doors, & enquire, and listen what answer is given unto them; ⟨p. 15⟩and it is part of an honour to great men that we do so: and for the same end are we also to wait on God, As an acknowledgement of his greatness, and our distance from him, and dependence upon him; as the eyes of the servants look to the hand of their Masters, ³so do we (saith David) on thee, till thou hast mercy on us. And