Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

And here I must give you a caveat concerning this means. If you will be strong in the Lord make not haste, that is the phrase that is used, he that believeth maketh not haste: That is, he gives the Lord liberty, he lets him move round in his sphere, he is not ready to snatch deliverance out of his hand, but let the Lord take his own leisure; for then he will do things best. And this is an item that must be understood. The Lord notwithstanding those promises that are plentifully made for the safety and preservation of his, yet many times he defers the fulfilling of them to the last cast. Many times he will use all that liberty that he hath left himself: for indeed therefore it is left, he may use it when it seems good in his eyes: I mean a liberty in regard of the means how he will help, and of the time when he will help us; but further we know he hath left himself no liberty, but hath bound himself, and it is impossible he should deceive us, if we rest and rely on him for this, and cast our selves in the arms of God. Nay we make no question, as long as we have the promise of God and keep our hearts, and our faith close cleaving to that, we are sure the Lord in his own time will remember us, and come to us to deliver us.

And here I must give you a caveat concerning this means. If you will be strong in the Lord make not haste, that is the phrase that is used, he that believeth maketh not haste: That is, he gives the Lord liberty, he lets him move round in his sphere, he is not ready to snatch deliverence out of his hand, but let the Lord take his own leisure; for then he will do things best. And this is an item that must be understood. The Lord notwithstanding those promises that are plentifully made for the safety and preservation of his, yet many times he deferres the fulfilling of them to the last cast. Many times he will use all that liberty that he hath left himself: for indeed therefore it is left, he may use it when it seems good in his eyes: I mean a liberty in regard of the means how he will help, and of the time when he will help us; but further we know he hath left himself no liberty, but hath bound himself, and it is impossible he should deceive us, if we rest and rely on him for this, and cast our selves in the armes of God. Nay we make no question, as long as we have the promise of God and keep our hearts, and our faith close cleaving to that, we are sure the Lord in his own time will remember us, and come to us to deliver us.