Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

(3.) The more prayers and searchings of heart come between our wants and supplies, our afflictions and reliefs, the sweeter are our reliefs and supplies thereby made to us, Isa. 25. 9. This is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will rejoice and be glad in his salvation. This recompenses the delay, and pays us for all the expenses of our patience.

(3.) The more prayers and searchings of heart come between our wants and supplies, our afflictions and reliefs, the sweeter are our reliefs and supplies thereby made to us, Isa. 25. 9. This is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvatJon. This recompenses the delay, and payes us for all the expences of our patience.

But though there be such weighty reasons for the stop and delay of refreshing comfortable Providences; yet we cannot bear it, our hands hang down and we faint, Psal. 69. 3. I am weary of my crying, my throat is dry, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. For alas! we judge by sense and appearance, ⟨p. 158⟩and consider not, that Gods heart may be towards us▪ whilst the hand of his Providence seems to be against us. If things continue at one rate with us, we think our prayers are lost, and our hopes perished from the Lord: much more when things grow worse and worse, and our darkness and trouble increases, as usually it doth just before the break of day and change of our condition, then we conclude, God is angry with our prayers. See Gideon's reply, Judges 6. 13. This even staggered a Moses's faith,