Q. Doth God always answer presently?—A. Sometimes he doth, and sometimes he doth not (Isa 30:19; Dan 10:12).
Q. Is not God's deferring, a sign of his anger?—A. Sometimes it is not, and sometimes it is.
Q. When is it no sign of his anger?—A. When we have not wickedly departed from him by our sins (Luke 18:7).
Q. When is it a sign of his anger?—A. When we have backslidden, when we have not repented some former miscarriages (Hosea 5:14,15).
Q. Why doth God defer to hear their prayers that hath not wickedly departed from him?—A. He loves to hear their voice, to try their faith, to see their importunity, and to observe how they can wrestle with him for a blessing (Cant 2:14; Matt 15:22-28; Luke 11:5-8; Gen 32:25-28).
Q. But is not deferring to answer prayer a great discouragement to praying?—A. Though it is, because of our unbelief, yet it ought not, because God is faithful. Therefore 'men ought always to pray, and not to faint' (Luke 18:1-8).[20]
Of Self-Denial.
Q. I am glad you have thus far granted my request: but you told me that there was another part of God's worship; pray repeat that again?—A. It is self-denial.
Q. Now I remember it well; pray how do you prove that self-denial is called a part of God's worship?—A. It is said of Abraham, that when he went to offer up his son Isaac upon the altar for a burnt-offering, which was to him a very great part of self-denial, that he counted that act of his worshipping God.
Q. Will you be pleased to read the text?—A. Yes; 'And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship,' &c. This now was when he was a-going to slay Isaac (Gen 22:5).