(1.) His silence after prayer. As wicked men sometimes sin, and God keeps silence, which makes them bold to think God approves of them and their way; so, sometimes a gracious soul prays, and God holds his peace here also; and the poor soul begins to fear that neither his person nor his duty are approved of God. Now Satan, knowing what thoughts are like to rise in the Christian’s own heart, falls in and joins issue with the Christian’s bosom enemy, labouring to confirm him in these his unbelieving fears.
To disentangle and help thee out of this brier, take these directions:—
(a.) Learn to distinguish betwixt God’s hearing and his answering the saint’s prayer. Every faithful prayer is heard, and makes an acceptable report in God’s ear as soon as it is shot; but God doth not always speedily answer it. The father, at the reading of his son’s letter—which comes haply on some begging errand—likes the motion; his heart closeth with it, and a grant is there passed; but he takes his own time to send his despatch, and let his son know this. Princes have their books of remembrance, wherein they write the names of their favourites whom they intend to prefer, haply some years before their gracious purpose opens itself to them. Mordecai’s name stood in Ahasuerus’ book some while before his honour was conferred. Thus God records the names of his saints and their prayers. ‘The Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name,’ Mal. 3:16. But they hear not of God in his providential answer, haply, a long time after. Abraham prays for a child, and is heard, but how many years interpose before he hath him in his arms? Truly so many that he goes into Hagar—partly by his wife’s counsel and his own weakness—to obtain that with a by blow for which God himself had undertaken.
Take heed, Christian, thou beest not led into this temptation, to question whether God hears thee, because thou hearest not from him presently. Be patient, and thou shalt find, the longer a mercy goes before its delivery, the more perfect it will come forth at last. God gave a speedy answer to Abraham for his son Ishmael, ‘O that Ishmael might live!’ ‘I have heard thee,’ saith God concerning Ishmael, Gen. 17:20. Indeed he flourished and spread into a great nation before Isaac's stem almost budded. What a small number was the family of Jacob at their going down into Egypt! but when the date of God’s bond was near expiring, and the time of the promise drew nigh, then God paid interest for his stay. None gain more at the throne of grace than those who trade for time, and can forbear the payment of a mercy longest.
(b.) Consider, when thou findest the deepest silence in God’s providence concerning the thing prayed for, then thou hast a loud answer in the promise. Say not therefore, ‘Who shall ascend to heaven, to bring thee intelligence whether thy prayer hath got safe thither, and had favourable audience in God’s ear?’ God himself hath saved thee this labour: the promise will satisfy thee, which assures thee that if it be duly qualified it cannot find the heart of God shut against it. ‘The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,’ James 5:16. So assured have the saints been of this, that they, before any inkling from providence hath been heard—to bring them the news of a mercy coming—have taken up joy upon the credit of the naked promise, and feasted themselves with the hopes of what they expected, but had not yet received at the cost and charge of God’s faithfulness, with which the promise is sealed, ‘In God I will praise his word,’ Ps. 56:4. Mark the phrase. He had not as yet the desired mercy, only a word of promise that it should come. Now, considering the power and truth of God the promiser, he is as merry as if he were put in possession of it, and pays his praises before God performs the promise.
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