N01545:40
Two discourses showing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of…Two discourses shewing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of…
Two discourses showing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. II. The dignity & duty of aged servants of the Lord. : Also, a preface in which the Congregational discipline of the churches in New-England is vindicated, with the authors dying testimony there-unto. / By I. Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]Two discourses shewing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. II. The dignity & duty of aged servants of the Lord. : Also, a preface in which the Congregational discipline of the churches in New-England is vindicated, with the authors dying testimony there-unto. / By I. Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1716
Title page typeset from the transcription.
The Ears of the LORD are open to the Prayers of the Righteous.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. The Lord does many times hear the Prayers of His People, when they themselves are not sensible of it.
For, 1. He does not always give the thing Prayed for immediately, when their Prayer is graciously accepted, and in due time they shall receive what they have begged for. Sometimes indeed God hears the Prayers of His Servants, and answers them ⟨p. 19⟩forth-with. They no sooner speak but speed. Nay, it may be when they do but purpose to Pray, He is so gracious as to prevent them with His blessings. Isai. 65.24. Before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear. So it was with Daniel, While he was speaking & praying & presenting his supplication before God, yea, whilst he was speaking in Prayer, God sent an Angel to acquaint him that his Prayer was heard, Dan. 9.20, 21. But it is not thus always. The Lord for wise and holy ends defers the Answer when He intends to give the thing Prayed for. It may be there is one repulse after another to try the Faith of His Servants, as it was with the Woman of Canaan. Sometimes to exercise their Patience, as it was with Job. Let them wait patiently, and the Answer will come at last, and in the best time, and will not be delayed a day beyond that. ⟨p. 20⟩Hab. 2 3. The Vision is for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lye, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come it will not tarry. And it may be the longer it is before it comes, the greater will be the blessing in it. Possibly we are not for the present fit to receive the Mercy we Pray for. The Lord waits that he may be gracious, Isai. 30.18. He waits to see when His Servants will be duly prepared for the blessing they Pray for, and then He will graciously answer them. There has been many a Child of God that has Prayed and Waited long for a Mercy, and when it has come at last, they have seen, that if it had come as soon as they Prayed for it, they would not have demeaned themselves suitably under it, not so humbly and so thankfully as they ought to have done. Moreover, it may be there is some Sin lies in the way, and stops the answer of