The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole duty of prayer. Delivered in…The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in…

Again, as we are deceived in the manner, ¹and the means, so likewise we mistake the time: it may be the Lord is willing to do the thing, but not in that time, that thou wouldest have him: when a man prays to be delivered from such a trouble, and such a distress, and affliction, he thinks the time very long, ⟨p. 60⟩and saith, he• is not heard, because he is not delivered presently; we would all have the smarting plaster presently took off: but the Lord is wiser then we, (as the physician knows ²what belongs to the patient better then himself,) though he do it not presently, yet he will do it: therefore say not, thou art not heard, thou must take heed of taking delays for denials; the Lord will defer to do the thing, yet he will do it, and do it in the best season: for this is a general rule, Gods time is the best time. When thou comest to pray for ³a thing, thou wouldest have it done presently, and thou thinkest it is the best time, all the controversy between God, and thee is, which is the fittest time to have it done; thou thinkest, it may be, presently; God, it may be, will do it a year hence, surely he is the best chooser, and we shall find it so: and therefore be content to wait his leisure; he hath many ends, in deferring it, it may be, to try thy faith, (as he did the faith of the Canaanite) and therefore he would not hear; it may be to increase thy holiness, to put thy heart into a ⁴better temper, and therefore he defers longer: he meant to do that for Jacob, that he did, yet he suffered Jacob to wrestle all night, and yet he would not do it, till the instant of the morning appeared: so it was with Daniel, the answer went forth when he began to pray, yet he would […] him instant, and continue in ⟨p. 61⟩prayer; so, I say, the Lord hath many ends why he defers, let us be content to take his own time.