Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

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, Exod. 5. 22, 23. O what groundless Jealousies and suspicions of God are found at such times in the hearts of his own Children! Job 9. 16, 17. Psal. 77. 7, 8, 9.

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 encreases, 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,