sprinkled before the Mercy-Seat Now that blood typified Christ's satisfaction and the Cloud of Incense his Intercession Some of the learned think that Christ intercedes only by vertue of his merits others that 't is done only with his mouth I conjecture it may be done both wayes the rather because Christ hath a tongue as also a whole body but glorified in Heaven and is it likely that that mouth which pleaded so much for us on earth should be altogether silent for us in Heaven There is no coming to the Father John 14. 6. but by the Son Christ is the true Jacobs Ladder by which we must ascend to Heaven Joseph Gen. 43. you know commanded his Brethren that as ever they looked for any good from him or to see his face with joy that they should be sure to bring their Brother Benjamin along with them O Sirs as ever you would be prevalent with God as ever you would have sweet choice and comfortable returns from Heaven to all your Closet-prayers be sure that you bring your Elder Brother the Lord Jesus Christ in the arms of your faith be sure that you treat and trade with God only in the name of the Lord Jesus 'T is a notable speech that Luther hath upon the 130. Psalm Often Dulce nomen Christi and willingly saith he do I inculcate this that you should shut your eyes and your ears and say you know no God out of Christ none but he that was in the lap of Mary and sucked her breasts He meanes none out of him When you go to Closet-prayer look that you pray not in your own names but in the name of Christ and that you plead not in your own names but in the name of Christ and that you believe and hope not in your own names but in the name of Christ and that you look not to speed in your own names but in the name of Christ Col. 3. 17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Whatsoever we do we are to do it by the authority of Christ and through the assistance of Christ and in the name of Christ and for the sake and glory of Christ Christ's name is so precious and powerful with the Father that it will carry any suit obtain any request at his hands Jesus in the China Tongue signifies the rising Sun When a man writes the name of Jesus upon his Closet-prayers then he shall be sure to speed though God will not give a man a drop a sip a crum a crust for his own sake yet for Jesus sake he will give the best the choycest and the greatest blessings that heaven affords that name is still mighty and powerful prevalent and precious before the Lord. The prayers that were offered up with the incense upon the Altar were pleasing Rev. 8. 3. and came up with acceptance vers 4. Josephs Brethren were kindly used for Benjamins sake O Sirs all our duties and services are accepted of the Father not for their own sakes nor for our sakes but for Christ's sake There are no prayers that are either hard owned accepted regarded or rewarded but such as Christ puts his hand to If Christ doth not mingle his blood with our sacrifices our services they will be lost and never ascend as incense before the Lord. No coyn is currant that hath not Caesars stamp upon it nor no prayers goe currant in heaven that have not the stamp of Christ upon them There is nothing more pleasing to our heavenly Father than to use the mediation of his Son Such shall be sure to find most favour and to speed best in the Court of Heaven who still present themselves before the Father with Christ in their armes But My eleventh and last advice and counsel is this VVhen you come out of your closets narrowly watch what becomes of your private prayers look at what door in what way and by what hand the Lord shall please to give you an answer to the secret desires of your souls in a corner It hath been the custome of the people of God to look after their prayers to see what successe they have had to observe what entertainment they have found in heaven Psal 5. 3. My voyce shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up In the words you may observe two things First Davids posture in prayer Secondly His practise after prayer First His posture in prayer I will direct my prayer unto thee Secondly His practise after prayer And I will look up The Prophet in these words makes use of two military words First he would not only pray but martial up his prayers he would put them it battel-aray so much the Hebrew word Gnarach imports Secondly when he had done this then he would be as a spy upon his VVatch-Tower to see whether he prevailed whether he got the day or no and so much the Hebrew word Tsaphah imports When David had set his prayers his petitions in rank and file in good aray then he was resolved he would look abroad he would look about him to see at what door God would send in an answer of prayer He is either a fool or a mad-man he is either very weak or very wicked that prayes and prayes but never looks after his prayers that shootes many an Arrow towards Heaven but never minds where his Arrows a light Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints If David would have God to hearken to his prayers he must then hearken to what God will speak and upon this point it seemes he was fully resolved The Prophets prayer you have in the seaven first verses of this Psalm and his gracious resolution you have in the 8th verse I will hear what the God Lord will speak As if he had said Certainly it will not be long before the Lord will give me a gracious answer a seasonable and a suitable return to my present prayers Psal 130. 1 2 5 6. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Those that watch abroad in dangerous times and tedious weather look frequently after peep of day How doth the weary Sentinel that is wet with the rain of heaven or with the dew of the night wait and watch look and long for the morning light Now this was the frame and temper of Davids spirit when he came off from praying he falls a waiting for a gracious answer Shall the husbandman wait for the precious fruits of the earth and shall the Merchant-man
his own soul by perpetual poring upon his guilt When Guilt upon the Conscience works a man to water the earth with tears to make Heaven ring with his groans then it works kindly When the sence of Guilt drives a man to God to Duty to the Throne of Grace then it will not be long night with that man He that thinks to shift off Private Prayer under the pretence of Guilt doth but in that increase his own Guilt Neglect of Duty will never get Guilt off the Conscience But then there is an involuntary indisposition to private prayer as in a sick man who would work and walk but cannot being hindered by his disease or as it is with a man that hath a great chain on his leg he would very fain walk or get away but his chain hinders him Now if your indisposition to private prayer be an involuntary indisposition then God will in mercy in course both pardon it remove it Secondly There is a total indisposition to private prayer there is a partial indisposition to private prayer A total indisposition to private prayer is when a man hath no Jer. 4. 22. Chap. 44. 17 18 19. mind at all to private prayer nor no will at all to private prayer nor no love at all to private prayer nor no delight nor no heart at all to private prayer now where this frame of heart is there all is naught very naught stark naught A partial indisposition to private prayer is when a man hath some will to private prayer though not such a will as once he had and some mind to private prayer though not such a mind as once he had and some affections to private prayer though not such warm and burning affections as once he had Now if your indisposition to private prayer be total then you must wait upon the Lord in all his appointments for a changed nature and for union with Christ but if your indisposition to private prayer be only partial then the Lord will certainly pardon it and in the very use of holy means in time remove it But Thirdly and lastly there is a transient accidental occasional or fleeting indisposition to private prayer and there is a customary a constant or permanent indisposition to private prayer Now a transient accidental occasional or fleeting indisposition to that which is good may be found upon the best of Saints as you may see in Moses Exod. 4. 10 11 12 13 14. and in Jeremiah Jer. 1. 5 6 7 8 17 18. 19. and Chap. 20. 9. and in Jonah chap. 1 and in David Psal 39. 2 3. Now if this be the indisposition that thou art under then thou mayest be confident that it will certainly work off by degrees Isa 65. 2. Jer. 9. 3. as theirs did that I have last cited But then there is a customary a constant or permanent indisposition to private prayer and to all other holy Duties of Religion Now if this be the indisposition that thou art under then I may safely conclude that thou art in the very gall of bitternesse and in Acts 8. 21 22 23. the bond of iniquity and thy work lyes not in complaining of thy indisposition but in repenting and believing and in labouring for a change of thy heart and state for till thy heart thy state be changed thou wilt remain for ever indisposed both to Closet-Prayer and to all other Duties of Religion and godlinesse To see a sinner sailing Hell-ward with Wind and Tide on his side to alter his course and Tack about for Heaven to see the earthly man become heavenly the carnal man become spiritual the proud man become humble the vain man become serious to see a sinner move contrary to himself in the wayes of Christ and holiness is as strange as to see the earth fly upward or the Bowl run contrary to its own Byass and yet a divine power of God upon the Soul can effect it and this must be effected before the sinner will be graciously inclined and sincerely disposed to Closet-prayer And let thus much suffice by way of Answer to this Objection also Now for the better management of this great Duty viz. Closet-prayer I beseech you take my advice and counsel in these 11. following particulars First Be frequent in Closet-prayer and not now and then only He will never make any yearnings of Closet-prayer that is not frequent in Closet-prayer Now that this Counsel may stick Consider First Other eminent Servants of the Lord have been frequent in this blessed work Nehem. 1. 6. Let thine earnow be attentive and thine eyes open that thou mayest hear the Prayer of thy Servant which I pray before thee day and night So Daniel he kneeled Dan. 6. 10 upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did before time So David My voyce shalt thou hear in the morning and in the evening will Psal 5. 3. I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up So Psal 88. 13. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee So Psal 119. 147. I prevented the Psal 119. 164. dawning of the morning and cryed unto the Lord. So Psal 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud Yea he Exod. 29 38 39. Numb 28. 3. Mat. 6. 11. was Vir orationis for his frequency in it Psal 109. 4. For my love they are my adversaries But I give my self unto prayer Or as the Hebrew may be read But I am a man of prayer Of Carolus Magnus it was said Carolus plus cum Deo quam hominibus loquitur that he spake more with God than with men Secondly Consider the blessed Scripture doth not only enjoyn this Duty but it requires frequency in it also Luke 18. 1. 1 Thes 5. 17. Col. 4. 2. In the former part of this discourse I have given light into these Scriptures and therefore the bare citing of them must now suffice Thirdly Christ was frequent in Private Prayer as you may easily see by comparing of these Scriptures together Mark 1. 35. Mat. 14. 23. Luke 22. 39. John 18. 2. In my second Argument for Private Prayer you may see these Scriptures opened and amplified But Fourthly Consider that you have the examples of the very worst of men in this case Papists are frequent in their private Devotions And the Mahometans what occasion soever they have either by profit or pleasure to divert them will yet pray five times every day Yea the very Heathens sacrificed to Hercules morning and evening upon the great Altar at Rome Now shall blind nature do more than grace But Fifthly Consider you cannot have too frequent Communion with God you cannot have too frequent intercourse with Jesus you cannot have your hearts too frequently filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory and with that peace that passes understanding you cannot have heaven too frequently brought
things of God He that affects to read the Revelations of John more than his plain Epistles or Daniels prophesies more than Davids Psalms and is more busie about reconciling difficult Scriptures than he is about mortifying of unruly lusts or that is set more upon vain speculations than upon things that make most for edification he is not the man that is cut out for Closet-prayer Such as affect sublime notions obscure expressions and are men of abstracted conceits are but a company of wise fools that will never take any delight to be with God in a corner Had many men spent but half that time in secret prayer that they have spent in seeking after the Phylosophers Stone how happy might they have been O how holy how happy how heavenly how humble how wise how knowing might many men have been had they spent but half that time in Closet-prayer that they have spent in searching after those things that are hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. But Fourthly Take heed of engageing your selves in a crowd of worldly businesses Many have so much to do on earth that they have no time to look up to Heaven As much earth puts out the fire so much worldly business puts out the fire of heavenly affections Look as the earth swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram so much Num. 22. 32 worldly business swallows up so much precious time that many men have no leasure to be with God in their Closets this business is to be done and that business cannot be omitted and t'other necessary occasion must be attended so that I have no leasure to step out of my shop into my Closet saith Phil. 3. 19. the earthly minded man thus a crowd of worldly businesses crowds Closet-prayer quite out of doors Many drive so great a trade in their shops that their private trade to Heaven is quite laid by There is nothing that hath kept men more from Christ and Closet-prayer than the shop the Exchange the Farm and the Oxen Luke 14. 16. 22. c. The Stars which have least circuit are neerest the Pole and men that are least perplexed with worldly businesses are commonly neerest to God to Christ to Heaven and so the fitter for Closet-prayer 'T is sad when men grasp so much business that they can have no leasure for Communion with God in a corner The noise is such in a mill as hinders all private intercourse between man and man and so a multitude of worldly businesses make such a noise as that it hinders all private entercourse between God and the soul If a man of much business should now and then slide into his Closet yet his head and his heart will be so filled and distracted with the thoughts of his employments that God shall have little of him but his bodily presence or at most but bodily presence or at most but bodily exercise 1 Tim. 4. 8. which profits little If Christ blamed Martha for the multitude of her domestical employments Luke 10. 40 41 42. though they were undertaken for the immediate service and entertainment of himself because they hindred her in her soul-concernments Oh how will he one day blame all those who by running themselves into a crowd of worldly businesses do cut themselves off from all opportunities of pouring out their souls before him in secret But Fifthly Take heed of secret sins There is no greater hinderance to secret prayer in all the world than secret sins and therefore stand upon your watch and arme your selves with all your might against them There is an Antipathy betwixt secret sinning and secret praying partly from guilt which makes the soul shy of coming under Gods secret eye and partly from those fears doubts disputes and disorders that secret siâ—â— raise in the heart Light is not more opposite to darkness Christ to Belial nor Heaven to Hell than secret prayer is to secret sins and therefore what ever you do look that you keep clear of secret sins To that purpose consider these four things First That God is privy to our most secret sins his eye is as much upon secret sins as it is upon open Psal 139. 1 2 3 4. Jer. 13. 27. Chap. 29. 23. Psal 39. 1. 1 Kings 20. 39. Jer. 20. 20 Job 10. 12. sins Psal 90. 8. Thou host set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance God hath an eye upon our inmost evils he seeth all that is done in the dark Jer. 23. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good To say that God doth not see the most secret sins of the children of men is not only derogatory to his omniscience but also to his mercy for how can God pardon those sins which he doth not see to be sins There is no cloud nor curtain nor moment of darkness that can stand betwixt the eyes of God and the wayes of men Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of men are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings In this Scripture Solomon mainly speaks of the wayes of the Adulterer which usually are plotted with the most cunning secrecy yet God seeth all those wayes Look as no boldness can exempt the Adulterer from the justice of God so no secrecy can hide him from the eye of God Though men labour to hide their wayes from others and from themselves yet 't is but labour in vain to endeavour to hide them from God Men that labour to hide God from themselves can never hide themselves from God I have read that Paphnutius converted Thais and Ephron two famous Strumpets from uncleanness only with this Argument That God seeth all things in the dark when the doors are fast the windows shut and the curtains drawn Heb. 4. 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened anotamized even to the eyes of him with whom we have to do 'T is an allusion to the Priests under the Law who when they killed a beast all things that were within the beast were laid open and naked before the Priest that he might see what was sound and what was corrupted Though evil be done out of the eye of all the world yet it is naked and manifest in his sight with whom we have to do Those sins which lye closest and are most secretly lurking in the heart are as obvious and odious to God as those that are most fairly written upon a mans forehead God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all eye so that he sees all the most secret turnings and windings of our hearts Our most secret sins are as plainly seen by him as any thing can be by us at noon-day Psalm 139. 11 12 If I say surely the darkness shall
hast had a sentence of death upon thee and there hath been but a short step between thee and eternity Doubtless that sin which hath lain as a heavy load upon thy Conscience in the dayes of thy former distresse that is the sin that God would have effectually conquered and brought under by his present Rod. But Ninthly Observe what particular sin that is that doth most hinder thee in holy duties and services and that doth most interrupt thee in thy Communion with God enquire what particular sin that is that thy Eze. 33. 31. heart is most apt to run after when thou art on the Mount of holy duties Whilest the Disciples were healing diseases and casting Devils out of other mens bodies the proud white Devil was stirring in their own souls as is evident by that gentle rebuke that our Saviour gives them in Luke 10. 20. In this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven There is no Duty that a Christian performs but one white Devil or another one lust or another will be still dogging and following of him to that Duty There is no publick Duty there is no family duty there is no private duty that a Christian performs but either that white Divel Pride or that white Devil Hypocrisie or that white Divel vain-glory or else some one or another white Devil will follow the Soul hard at heel to it Now mark what that particular sin is that most haunts thy soul when thou art in Religious duties and services and it may be that is the very sin that God would have subdued by the Rod. But Tenthly Observe what sin that is that the rest of your corruptions are most serviceable to and that they most attend upon Mark what sin that is that all other sins doe most bow the knee to Mark that sin that hath a commanding power over all other sins that saith to one go and he goeth to another come and he cometh Mark what sin that is that is still uppermost and that all other sins do most minister to You know when a man hath a great wound in his body all the ill humours will run thither Observe what sin that is that all the ill humours of the soul do most run after for 't is very likely that that is the very sin that God would have brought under by the Rod. But Eleventhly Observe what that sin is that your hearts are most apt to hide and cloak cover over with the most spetious and fair pretences Saul had a covetous desire and he 1 Sam. 15. 20 21. covers it over with fair pretences as that the people would have it so and that what was spared was for sacrifice Caesars favour was the great Mat. 27. 24. darling in Pilates eyes but he covers all over with washing his hands The Scribes and Pharisees were exceeding covetous but their long prayers Mat. 23. as a cloak must cover all Judas also was a man of the same mind and mettle with them What need this wast why was not Mat. 26. 8 9. John 12. 5 6. this oyntment sold for three hundred pence given to the poor This he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein Judas as Tertullian thinks was pretty honest till he carried the bag but no sooner was he in office but he puts Conscience out of office but all must be covered over with a cloake of charity Observe what sin that is that you are most apt to cast the Silk or the Satin mantle over and 't is ten to one but that is the sin that God would have brought under by the Rod. But Twelfthly and lastly Observe what that sin is that thou art most easily overcome by Dalilah could easily overcome Sampson when all the world besides could make no conquest upon him The Apostle Heb 12. 1. bids us lay aside the sin that doth so easily beset us There are some sins that find more easie approaches to us and more easie acceptance with us accordingly they do more easily captivate us Observe what that sin is that you doe most readily and easily open the door to and doubtlesse that is the sin that God would have mortified and subdued by the Rod. The Second Lesson that you are to learn by the Rod or by Pray turn to these Scriptures 2 Chron. 28. 10. Jer. 8. 6. Ezek 7. 15 16. the raging Pestilence is deeply to judg your selves and greatly to humble your souls for that sin or sins that hath brought the Rod upon you thus David did in that 2 Sam. 24. 10 17. When you have found out the Achan that hath brought the Rod upon you stone him to death and lye humble and low under the Rod and then the Allmighty will be graciously pacified and sweetly reconciled unto you The Third Lesson that you are to learn by the Rod or by the raging Pestilence is to view the Rod on every side if there be bryers on one side of the Rod there is Rosemary on the other side of the Rod if there be wormwood and gall at one end of the Rod there is sweet honey at the other end of the Rod as there was at the top of Jonathan's 1 Sam. 14. 43. Rod. If we should come into a Painters or a Limners shop and see a Picture half drawn it might trouble us and startle us if it did not fright us and amaze us but yet when the Picture is perfected compleated and finished it may prove a very beauteous lovely taking piece The Application is easie Look as every Judgment every Affliction every Rod hath its black dark side so every Judgement every affliction hath its bright side to Mow 't is the wisdom of a Christian to look on the bright side of the Rod the Cloud as well as 't is his work to look on the dark side of the Rod the Cloud When a Christian looks upon the dark side of the Cloud he should be humbled and abased but when he looks upon the bright side of the Cloud he should be comforted and cheered He James 5. 11. that is still a looking on the briery side of the Rod will be very apt to fret and faint under the Rod but he that looks on the Rosemary side of the Rod as well as the briery side of the Rod he will bear up patiently gallantly and cheerfully under the Rod. The voice of the Rod is Look on both sides Look on both sides But The fourth Lesson that you are to learn by the Rod or by the raging Pestilence is to look on the Rod not abstractly from the hand that holds it but conjunctively with the hand that holds it thus Hezekiah did 2 Kings 20. 16 10 18 19. Thus Aaron did Lev. 10. 1 2 3. Thus Eli did 1 Sam. 3. 11 19. Thus David did Psal 39. 9.
out of Christ that sleight or neglect Ordinances under pretence of living above them that are growing in spirituals or decaying that are tempted or deserted afflicted or opposed that have assurance or want it on 2 Cor. 2. 11. 2 Heaven on Earth Or A serious Discourse touching a well-grounded Assurance of mans everlasting happiness and blessedness discovering the nature of assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and Degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty Questions on the 8. of the Romans 32 33 34. verses 3 The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ Or Meat for strong Men and Milk for Babes held forth in two and twenty Sermons from Ephes 3. 8. Preached on his Lecture-nights at Fish-street-hill 4 His Apples of Gold for Young Men and Women And A Crown of Glory for Old Men and Women Or the Happiness of being Good betimes and the Honour of being an Old Disciple clearly and fully discovered and closely faithfully applied With the young mans objections answered the old mans doubts resolved 5 A String of Pearls Or The best things reserved till last delivered in a Sermon preached in London June 8. 1657. at the funeral of that Triumphant Saint Mrs. Mary Blake late Wife to his worthy friend Mr. Nicholas Blake Merchant 6 The Silent Soul with Soveraign Antidotes against the most miserable Exigents Or A Christian with an Olive-leaf in his mouth when he is under the greatest afflictions the sharpest and sorest trials and troubles the saddest and darkest providences and changes with Answers to divers Questions and Objections that are of greatest importance to win and work souls to be still quiet calm and silent under all changes that have or that may pass upon them in this world c. 7 The Crown and glory of Christianity Or Holiness the onely way to happiness discovered in 58. Sermons on Heb. 12. 14. 8 An Ark for all Gods Noah's in a stormy day Wherein is shewed the transcendent excellency of a Believers portion on Lam. 3. 24. 9 The Privy Key of Heaven Or A Discourse of Closet-prayer twenty Arguments for it with the resolution of several considerable Questions c. Eight Treatises lately publish'd by Mr Ralph Venning 1 A Warning to back sliders with means for the recovery of faln ones on Rev. â— 5. 2 The way to Happiness or way to Heaven opened on Mat 7. 21. 3 Mercies Memorial or a thankful Remembrance for Gods merciful Deliverance on the 5. of November 1605. on Psal 1â—6 23. 4 Canaans Flowing or Milk and Honey being a Collation of many Christian Experiences Savings and Sentences printed in an Alphabetical order to which is added 125. Heathen Speeches spiritually improved 5 His 543. Orthodox and Miscellanious Paradoxes concerning God Christ the Spirit Election the Scriptures the Creation Angels Men Sin the Law Grace the Sacraments the Resurrection Heaven and Hell 6 The new Command renewed or love one another 7 Mysteries and Revelations or the Explication of several Allusions and Metaphors in the Scriptures 8 Things worth thinking on or Helps to Piety being 412. Meditations with a Sermon of The beauty of Holiness Several useful Treatises published by Mr. Nicholas Lockyer and others 1 Christs Communion with his Church-Militant on John 14. 18. 2 His Divine Discovery of Sincerity on 2 Cor. 1. 12. 3 His seasonable Instructions for suffering Christians on Col. 2. 11. The Godly Mans Ark Or City of Refuge in the day of his distress discovered in divers Sermons The first of which was preached at the Funeral of Mrs E. Moor. Whereunto are annexed Mris. Moors Evidences for Heaven composed and collected by her in the time of her health for her comfort in the time of sickness By Edmund Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury Helps to improve the Holy Scriptures For our spiritual Comfort and Benefit Viz. Scripture Prophesies Promises Precepts Threatnings Drawn from their Stability and inviolable Authority By Robert Perrot Minister of Gods Word Dr. Thomas Taylor his Treatise of Circumspect Walking on Eph. 5. 15. A Treatise on the Sabbath by Mr. Thomas Shepheard Mr. Turners Breast-plate for the Heart Mr. Culverwels White stone of Assurance Mr. Fenor on Wilful Impenitency And his four profitable Treatises Spiritual Experiences of sundry Beleevers recommended to the Christian Reader by Vavasor Powel The wise Virgin a Narration of Mrs. Martha Hatfield a Childe of a eleven years old how God inabled her to utter many glorious truths concerning Christ Faith and other subjects The Diligent School-Boys Directory Being certain plain and profitable Rules and Directions for the better understanding of the English Orthography by Thomas Hunt Master of Art School-Master at St. Saviours in Southwark The Expert Physitian Learnedly treating of all Agues and Feavers essential whether simple or compound confused Erratick and malignant shewing their different Nature Cause Sign and Cure written Originally by that famous Doctor in Phisick Bricius Bauderon and translated into English by Dr. Wells Licentiate in Physick by the University of Oxford A Book of Short-Writing the most easie exact lineal and speedy method fitted to the meanest capacity composed by Mr. Theophylus Metcalf Professor of the said Art Also a School-Master explaining the Rules of the said Book with many new additions very useful Another Book of new Short-hand by Tho. Crosse A Copy-Book of the newest and most useful hands All to be sold by John Hancock at the first shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Cornhill FINIS THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN Or a Discourse of CLOSET-PRAYER Matth. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy Door Pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly THese words of our Saviour are plain and to be taken litterally and not Allegorically for he speaketh of shutting the Door of the Chamber In this chapter there is a manifest opposition between the Pharisees praying in the Synagogues and corners of the streets and others praying in secret In the Text you have a positive Precept for every Christian to pray alone But thou when thou prayest he saith not when you pray but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet c. as speaking not so much of a joynt duty of many praying together as of a duty which each person is to do alone The command in the Text sends us as well to the Closet as to the Church and he is a hypocrite in grain that chooses the one and neglects the other for thereby he tells the world he cares for neither he makes conscience of neither He that puts on a religious habit abroad to gain himself a great Name among men and at the same time lives like an Atheist at home shall at the last be uncas't by God and presented before all the world for a Bellarm. de Sanctis lib. 3. cap. 4. c. most egredious hypocrite Bellarmine and some others turn the Text into
in favour with God a man that art very pleasing and delightful to God God loves to lade the wings of private prayer with the sweetest choicest and chiefest blessings Ah how often hath God kissed a poor christian at the beginning of private prayer and spoke peace to him in the midst of private prayer and fill'd him with light and joy and assurance upon the close of private prayer And so Cornelius is highly commended and graciously rewarded upon the account of his private prayer Acts. 10. 1 2 3 4. There was a certain man in Cesarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Band called the Italian Band a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alwayes He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth houre of the day an Angel of God coming in to him and saying unto him Cornelius And when he looked on him he was afraid and said what is it Lord and he said unto him thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God Vers 30. 31. And Cornelius said four dayes agoe I was fasting until this hour that is until about three a clock in the after-noon vers 3. and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house and behold a man stood before me in bright cloathing and said Cornelius thy prayer is heard and thine Alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God Mark as he was praying in his house namely by himself alone a man in bright clothing that was an Angel in mans shape vers 3. appeared to him and said Cornelius thy prayer is heard he doth not mean only that prayer which he made when he fasted and humbled himself before the Lord vers 30. 31. but as vers 2 3 4. shews His prayers his prayers which he made alone for it seemes none else were with him then for he only saw that man in bright cloathing and to him alone the Angel addressed his present speech saying Cornelius thy prayers are heard vers 4 31. Here you see that Cornelius his private prayers are not only heard but kindly remembred and graciously accepted and gloriously rewarded Praying Cornelius is not only remembred by God but he is also visited sensibly and evidently by an Angel and assured that his private prayers and good deeds are an odour a sweet smel a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God And so when had Peter his Vision but when he was praying alone on the house-top Acts 10. 9 10 11 12 13. On the morrow as they went on their journey and drew nigh unto the City Peter went up unto the house-top to pray about the sxith hour And he became very hungry and would have eaten but while they made ready he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and a certain Vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to the earth wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air And there came a voice to him Rise Peter kill and eat When Peter was upon the house-top at prayer alone then he fell into a trance and then he saw Heaven opened and then he had his spirit raised his Mind clevated and all the Faculties of his soul filled with a Divine Revelation And so when Paâ—l was at prayer alone he saw in Acts 11 18. a Vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight Paul had not been long at private prayer before it was revealed to him that he was a chosen vessel before he was filled with the gifts Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost And when John was alone in the Isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ whither he was banished by Domitian a most cruel Emperor then he had a glorious Euseb l. 3. c. 18. Rev. 1. 9 ult Rev. 5. 1 to 9. sight of the Son of man and then the Lord discovered to him most deep and profound Mysteries both concerning the present and future state of the Church to the end of the world And when John was weeping in private prayer doubtless then the sealed book was opened to him So when Daniel was at private prayer God dispatches a heavenly messenger to him and his Errand was to open more clearly and fully the blessed Scripture to him Some comfortable encourraging knowledge this holy man Doctor Ames got his learning by privat prayer and so did Solomon his wisdom of God had attain'd unto before by his frequent and constant study in the word and this egges him on to private prayer and private prayer posts an Angel from heaven to give him a clearer and fuller light Private prayer is a Golden-key to unlock the mysteries of the word unto us The knowledge of many choice and blessed Truths are but the returns of private prayer The Word dwells most richly in their hearts who are most in pouring out of their hearts before God in their Closets When Bonaventure that seraphical Doctor as some call him was asked by Aquinas from what books and helps he derived such holy and divine expressions and contemplations He pointed to a Crucifix and said Iste est liber c. Prostrate in prayer at the feet of this Image my soul receiveth greater light from heaven than from all study and disputation Though this be a Monkish tradition superstitious Fiction yet some improvement may be made of it Certainly that Christian or that Minister that in private prayer lyes most at the feet of Jesus Christ he shall understand most of the mind of Christ in the Gospel and he shall have most of heaven and the things of his owne peace brought down into his heart There is no Service wherein christians have such a near familiar and friendly entercourse with God as in this of private prayer neither is there any Service wherein God doth more delight to make known his truth and faithfulness his grace and goodness his mercy and bounty his beauty and glory Bene orasse est bene studuisse Luther to poor Souls than this of private prayer Luther professeth That he profited more in the knowledge of the Scripture by private prayer in a short space than he did by study in a longer space As John by weeping in a corner got the sealed book opened Private prayer crownes God with the Honor and Glory that is due to his Name and God crowns private prayer with a discovery of those blessed weighty Truths to his servants that are a sealed book to others Certainly the soul usually enjoyes most communion with God Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus Never less alone than when alone said the Heathen And may not a Saint say so much more that hath communion with God Jer. 13. 1 2. in secret When a christian is
in a Wilderness which is a very solitary place then God delights to speak friendly comfortably to him Hos 2. 14. Behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak friendly or comfortably to her Or as the Hebrew hath it I will speak to her heart When I have her alone saith God in a solitary wilderness I will speak such things to her heart as shall exceedingly cheer her and comfort her and even make her heart leap and dance within her A Husband imparts his mind most freely and fully to his wife when she is alone and so doth Christ to the believing soul O the secret kisses the secret embraces the secret visits the secret whispers the secret chearings the secret sealings the secret discoveries c that God gives to his people when alone when in a hole when under the staires when behind the door when in a dungeon When Jeremiah Jer. 33. 1 2 3. was calling upon God alone in his dark dungeon he had great and wonderful things shew'd him that he knew not of Ambrose was wont to say I am never lesse alone than when I am all alone for then I can enjoy the presence of my God most freely fully and sweetly without interruption And 't was a most sweet and divine saying of Bernard O Saint knowest thou not saith he that thy Husband Christ is bashful and will not be familiar in company Retire thy self therefore by Prayer and Meditation into thy Closet or the Fields and there thou shalt have Christs embraces A Gentlewoman being at private prayer and meditation in her Parlour had such sweet choice and full enjoyments of God that she cried out Oh that I might ever enjoy this sweet communion with God c. Christ loves to embrace his Spouse not so much in the open street as in a closet And certainly the gracious soul hath never sweeter views of glory than when it is most out of the view of the world Wise men give their best their choisest and their richest gifts in secret and so doth Christ give his the best of the best when they are in a corner when they are all alone But as for such as cannot spare time to seek God in a Closet to serve him in secret they sufficiently manifest that they have little fellowship or friendship with God whom they so seldome come at Seventhly Consider the time of this life is the only time for private prayer Heaven will admit of no secret prayer In Heaven there will be no secret sins to trouble us nor no secret wants to pinch us nor no secret temptations to betray us nor no secret snares to entangle us nor no secret enemies to supplant us We had need live much in the practise of that duty here on earth that we shall never be exercised in after death Some duties that are incumbent upon us now as praising of God admiring of God exalting and lifting up of God joying and delighting in God c. will be for ever incumbent upon us in Heaven but this duty of private prayer we must take our leaves of when we come to lay our heads in the dust Eighthly Consider the great prevalency of secret prayer Private prayer is Porta Coeli Clavis Paradisi the Gate of Heaven a Key to let us into Paradise Oh the great things that private prayer hath done with God! Oh the Psal 31. 22 great mercies that have been obtained by private prayer And oh Psal 38. 8. the great threatnings that have been diverted by private prayer And oh the great judgements that have been removed by private prayer And oh the great judgements that have been prevented by private prayer I have read of a malitious woman who gave her self to the Devil provided that he would do a mischief to such a neighbour whom she mortally hated The Devil went again and again to do his errand but at last he returns and tells her that he could do no hurt to that man for when ever he came he found him either reading the Scriptures or at private prayer Private prayers pierces the Heavens and are commonly blest and loaded with gracious and glorious returns from thence Whilst Hezekiah was praying and weeping in private God sent the Prophet Isaiah to him to assure him that his prayer was heard and that his tears were seen and that he would add unto his dayes fifteen years So when Isaac was all alone meditating and praying Isa 38. 5. and treating with God for a good wife in the fields he meets Robckah So Jacob Gen. 32. 24 25 Gen. 24. 63 64. 26 27 28. And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him untill the breaking of the day And when he saw that he prevailed not against him he touched the hollow of his thigh and the hollow of Jacobs thigh was out of joynt as he wrestled with him And he said let me go for the day breaketh and he said I will not let thee goe except thou bless me And he said unto him what is thy name and he said Jacob. And he said thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed In this Scripture we have an elegant description of a Duel fought between the Almighty and Jacob and in it there are these things most observable First We have the Combatants or Duellists Jacob and God who appeared in the shape or appearance of a man He that is here said to be a man was the Son of God in humane shape as it appeareth by the whole narration and by Hosea 12. 3 4 5. Now that this man that wrestled with Jacob was indeed God and not really man is most evident by these Reasons First Jacob desires a blessing from him Vers 26. Now it is Gods Prerogative royal to blesse and not angels nor mens Ergo. Secondly He calls him by the name of God thou hast power with God Vers 28. And saith Jacob I have seen God face to face Vers 30. Not that he saw the Majesty and Essence of God for no man can see the essential glory of God and live Exod. 33. 20 23. but he saw God more apparently more manifestly more gloriously than ever he had done before Some created shape some glimpse of glory Jacob saw whereby God was pleased for the present to testifie his more immediate presence but not himself Thirdly The same person that here Jacob wrestles with is he whom Jacob remembreth in his benediction as his deliverer from all evil Gen. 48. 16. 'T was that God that appeared to him at Bethel when he fled from the face of his Brother Gen. 35. 7. Ergo. Fourthly Jacob is reproved for his curious enquiring or asking after the Angels name vers 29. which is a clear argument or demonstration of his majesty and glory God being above all notion and Name God is a super substantial substance an understanding
6 7 8. So Luther perceiving the Cause of God and the work of Reformation to be greatly straitned and in danger he went into his Closet and never left wrestling with God till he had received a gracious answer from Heaven upon which he comes out of his closet to his friends leaping and triumphing with Vicimus vicimus we have overcome we have overcome in his mouth At which time it is observed that there came out a Proclamation from Charls the Fifth that none should be further molested for the Profession of the gospel At another time Luther being in private prayer for a sick friend of his who was very comfortable and useful to him had a particular answer for his recovery whereupon he was so confident that he sent word to his friend that he should certainly recover and so it fell out accordingly And so Latimer prayed with great zeale for three things 1. That Queen Elizabeth might come to the Crown 2. That he might seale the truth with his heart blood And 3. That the Gospel might be restored once again once again which he expressed with great vehemency of spirit All which three God heard him in Constantine commanded that his Effigies should be engraven not as other Emperours in their Armour leaning but as in a posture of prayer kneeling to manifest to the world that he won more by secret prayer than by open Battles Mr. Dod reports that when many good people had often sought the Lord in the behalf of a woman that was possessed with the Devil and yet could not prevaile at last they appointed a day for fasting and prayer at which time there came a poor woman to the chamber door where the exercise was begun and craved entrance but she being poor they would not admit her in upon that the poor woman kneeled down behind the door and sought God by prayer But she had not prayed long before the evil spirit raged roared and cried out in the possessed woman take away the old woman behind the doore for I must be gone take away the old woman behind the door for I must be gone And so by the old womans prayers behind the doore he was cast out Oh the prevalency of prayer behind the door And thus you see by all these great instances the great prevalency of private prayer Private prayer like Sauls sword and Jonathans Bow when duely qualified as to the person and act never returns empty it hits the marke it carries the day with God it pierceth the walls of Heaven though like those of Gaza made of brass and Iron Isa 45. 2. O who can express the powerfull oratory of private prayer c. Ninthly consider that secret duties are the most soul-enriching duties Look as secret meales make fat bodies so secret duties make fat souls and as secret Trades brings in great earthly riches so secret prayers makes many rich in spiritual blessings and in heavenly riches Private prayer is that privy key of heaven that unlocks all the Treasures of glory to the soule The best riches and the sweetest mercies God usually gives to his people when they are in their closets upon their knees Look as the warmth the Chickens find by close sitting under the Hens wings cherisheth them so are the graces of the Saints enlivened and cherished and strengthned by the sweet secret influences which their souls fall under when they are in their closet-communion with God Private prayer conscienciously performed is the privie key of heaven that hath unlocked such treasures and such secrets as hath past the skill of the cunningest Devil to find out Private prayer Midwifes the choicest mercies and the chiefest riches in upon us Certainly there are none so rich in gracious experiences as those that are most exercised in closet duties Ps 34. 6. This poor man cried saith David and the Lord saved him out of all his troubles David pointing to himself tells us that he cried that is silently and secretly as Moses did at the red sea and as Exod. 14. 15. Neh. 1. 11. 2. 4. Nehemiah did in the presence of the King of Persia and the Lord saved him out of all his troubles And O what additions were these deliverances to his experiences O my friends look as the tender dew that falls in the silent night makes the grass and herbs and flowers to flourish and grow more abundantly than great showrs of raine that fall in the day so secret prayer will more abundantly cause the sweet herbs of grace and holiness to grow and flourish in the soul than all those more open Publick and visible duties of Religion which too too often are mingled and mixt with the sun and wind of pride and hypocrisie Beloved you know that many times a Favourite at Court gets more by one secret motion by one private request to his Prince than a Trades-man or a Merchant gets in twenty years labour and paines c. So a Christian many times gets more by one secret motion by one private request to the King of Kings than many others doe by Trading long in the more publick Duties of Religion O Sirs remember that in private prayer we have a far greater advantage as to the exercise of our own gifts and graces and parts than we have in Publick for in Publick we only hear others exercise their parts and gifts c. in Publick duties we are more passive but in private duties we are more active Now the more our gifts and parts and graces are exercised the more they are strengthned and increased All acts strengthen habits The more sin is acted the more 't is strengthned And so 't is with our gifts and graces the more they are acted the more they are strengthned But Tenthly Take many things together All Christians have their secret Sins Psal 19. 12. Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults Secret not only to other men but himself even such secret sins as grew from errours which he understood not 'T is incident to every man to erre and then to be ignorant of his errours Many sins I see in my self saith he and more there are which I cannot espy which I cannot find out nay I think saith he that every mans sins do arise beyond his accounts There is not the best the wisest nor the holiest man in the world that can give a full and entire list of his sins Who can understand his errors This interrogation hath the force of an affirmation Who can No man no not the most perfect and innocent man in the world O friends who can reckon up the secret sinfull imaginations the secret sinful inclinations or the secret pride the secret blasphemies the secret hypocrisies the secret Atheistical risings the secret murmurings the secret repinings the secret discontents the secret insolencies the secret filthynesses the secret unbelievings c. that God might every day charge upon his soul Should the best and holiest man on earth have
brother front the hand of Esau for I fear him lest he will come and smite me and the Mother with the children or upon the children meaning he he will put all to death Some look upon the words to be a metaphor taken from Fowlers who kill and take away the young and the Dams together contrary to that old law Deut. 22. 6. Others say 't is a Phrase that doth most lively represent the tenderness of a mother who seeing her children in distress spares not her own body nor life to hazard the same for her childrens preservation by interposing See Hos 10. 14. her self even to be massacred together with and upon them When Jacob and all that was near and dear unto him were in eminent danger of being cut off by Esau and those men of blood that were with him he betakes himself to private prayer as his only City of refuge against the rage and malice of the mighty And so when Jeremiah was in a solitary and loathsome Dungeon Private prayer was his meat and drink it was his only City of refuge Jer. 33. 1 2 3. Moreover the word of Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time while he was yet shut up in the Court of the prison saying Thus saith the Lord the Maker thereof the Lord that formed it to establish it the Lord is his Name Call unto me and I will answer thee I will shew thee great and mighty or hidden things which thou knowest not When Jeremiah was in a lonesome loathsome Prison God encourages him by private prayer to seek for further discoveries and revelations of those choice and singular favours which in future times he purposed to confer upon his people So 2 Chron. 33. 11 12 13. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the Captains of the Host of the King of Assyria which took Manasseh among the thorns and bound him with fetters or chains and carried him to Babylon And when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his Kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God When Manasseh was in fetters in his enemies country when he was stript of all his Princely glory and led captive into Babylon he betakes himself to Private prayer as his only City of refuge and by this means he prevailes with God for his restauration to his Crown and Kingdome Private prayer is a City of refuge that no power nor Policy no craft nor cruelty no violence nor force is ever able to surprize Though the joynt prayers of the People of God together were often obstructed and hindered in the times of the ten Persecutions yet they were never able to obstruct or hinder secret prayer Private prayer When men and Devils have done their worst every Christian will be able to maintain his Private trade with Heaven Private prayer will shelter a christian against all the National Domestical and Personal stormes and tempests that may threaten him When a man is lying upon a sick bed alone or when a man is in prison alone or when a man is with Job left upon the Dunghil alone or when a man is with John banished for the Testimony of Jesus into this or that Island alone O then private prayer will be his meat and drink his shelter his hiding place his Heaven When all other Trades faile this Trade of private Prayer will hold good But. Fourteenthly Consider that Jer. 16. 17. Job 34. 21. Prov. 5. 21. Jer. 32. 19. Rev. 2. 23. Lam. 3 56. God is omnipresent We cannot get into any blind hole or dark corner or secret place but the Lord hath an eye there the Lord will keep us company there Math. 6. 6. And thy father which seeth in secret shall reward the openly So v. 18. there is not the darkest durtiest hole in the world into which a saint creeps but God hath a favourable eye there God never wants an eye to see our secret tears nor an eare to heare our secret cryes and groans nor a heart to grant our secret requests and therefore we ought to pour out our souls to him in secret Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hide from thee Though our private desires are never so confused though our private requests are never so broken and though our private groanings are never so much hidden from men yet God eyes them all God records them all and God puts them all upon the file of heaven and will one day crown them with glorious answers and returns We cannot sigh out a prayer in secret but he sees us we cannot lift up our eyes to him at midnight but he observes us The eye that God hath upon his people when they are in secret is such a special tender eye of love as opens his ear his heart and his hand for their good 1 Pet. 3. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers or as the Greek hath it his ears are unto their prayers If their prayers are so faint that they cannot reach up as high as Heaven then God will bow the heavens God is totus oculus all eye and come down to their prayers Gods eye is upon every secret sigh every secret groan every secret tear and every secret desire and every secret pant of love and every secret breathing of soul and every secret melting and working of heart all which should encourage us to be much in secret duties in closet-services As a Christian is never out of the reach of Gods hand so he is never out of the view of Gods eye If a Christian cannot hide himself from the Sun which is Gods Minister of light how impossible will it be to hide himself from him whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun In every private duty a christian is stil under the eye of Gods omnisciency When we are in the darkest hole God hath windows into our breasts and observes all the secret actings of our inward man The 1 Tim. 2. 8. eye of God is not confined to this place or that to this company or that God hath an eye upon his people as well when they are alone as when they are among a multitude as well when they are in a corner as well as when they are in a croud Diana's Temple was burnt down when she was busie at Alexanders birth and could not be at two places together But God is present both in Paradise and in the wilderness both in the family and in the closet both in publick and in private at the same time God is an omnipresent God he is Non est ubi ubi non est Deus every where as he is included in no place so he is excluded from no place
sleeping and superfluous feasting c. O Sirs good hours and blessed opportunities for closet prayer are merchandise of the highest rate and price and therefore whosoever hath a mind to be rich in grace and to be high in glory should buy up that merchandize they should be still a redeeming precious time O Sirs we should redeem time for private prayer out of our eating time our drinking time our sleeping time our buying time our selling time our sinning time our sporting time rather than neglect our Closet communion with God c. But Sixthly I answer Closet prayer is either a duty or 't is no duty Now that 't is a duty I have so strongly proved I suppose that no man nor devil can fairly or honestly deny it to be a duty And therefore why do men cry out of their great business alass duty must be done what ever business is left undone duty must must be done or the man that neglects it will be undone for ever 'T is a vaine thing to object business when a required duty is to be performed and indeed if the bare objecting of business of much business were enough to excuse men from duty I am afraid that there are but few duties of the Gospel but men would endeavour to evade under a pretence of business of much business He that pretends business to evade private prayer will be as ready to pretend business to evade family prayer and he that pretends business to evade family prayer will be as ready to pretend business to evade publick prayer Well sirs remember what became of those that excused themselves out of heaven by their carnal Apologies secular businesses I have bought a peice of ground and I Luke 14. 16 15. must needs goe and see it I pray thee have me excused saith one I have bought saith another five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused And I have married a Wife saith another and therefore I cannot come The true reason why they would not come to the supper that the King of Kings had invited them to was not because they had bought Farms and Oxen but because their Farms and Oxen had bought them The things of the world and their carnal relatitions had taken up so much room in their hearts and affections that they had no stomack to heavens danties and therefore it is observable what Christ adds at the end of the parable He that hateth not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters Vers 26. yea and his own Life also much more his Farm and his Oxen he cannot be my disciple By these words 't is evident that 't was not simply the Farm nor the Oxen nor the Wife but a foolish inordinate carnal love and esteeme of these things above better and greater blessings that made them refuse the gracious invitation of Christ They refused the grace and mercy of God offered in the Gospel under a pretence of their worldly business and God peremptorily concludes that not a man of them should tast of his supper And indeed what can be more just and righteous than that they should never so much as tast of spiritual eternal blessings who prefer their earthly business before heavens dainties who with the Reubenites prefer a countrey commodious Num. 23. for the feeding of their Cattle before an interest in the Land of Promise Private prayer is a work of absolute necessity both to the bringing of the heart into a good frame and to the keeping of the heart in a good frame 'T is of absolute necessity both for the discovery of sin and for the preventing of sin and for the imbittering of sin and for the weakning of sin and for the purging away of sin 'T is of absolute necessity both for the discovery of grace and for a full exercise of grace and for an eminent increase of grace 'T is of absolute necessity to arme us both against inward and outward temptations afflictions and sufferings 'T is of absolute necessity to fit us for all other duties and services c. For a man to glorifie God to save his own soul and to further his own everlasting happiness is a work of the greatest necessity Now private prayer is such a work and therefore why should any man plead business great business when a work of such absolute necessity is before him If a mans child or wife were dangerously sick or wounded or near to death he would never plead I have business I have a great deale of business to doe and therefore I cannot stay with my child my wife and I have no time to goe or send to the Physitian c. O! no but he would rather argue thus 'T is absolutely necessary that I should looke after the preservation of the life of my child my wife and this I will attend whatever becomes of my business O sirs your souls are of greater concernment to you than the lives of all the wives and children in the world and therefore these must be attended these must be saved whatever business is neglected But Seventhly I answer That God did never appoint or designe any mans ordinary particular calling to thrust private prayer out of door That 't is a great sin for any professor to neglect his particular calling under any religious pretence is evident enough by Paradise was mans work-house as well as his store-house Gen. 2. 15. Man should not have lived idly though he had not fallen from his innocency these Scriptures Exod. 20. 9. Six dayes shall thou labour and doe all thy work 1 Cor. 7. 20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was câ—lled 2 Thess 4. 10 11. 12. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eate For we hear that there are some which walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busit-bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread 1 Thess 4. 11 12. And that ye studie to be quiet and to doe your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without and that ye may have lack of nothing Ephes 4. 28. But rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth 1 Tim. 5. 8. But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own house he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel Yea our Lord Jesus Christ was a plain downright Carpenter and was laborious in that particular calling Mark 6. 3. Matth. 13. 55 56. till he entred upon the publick ministry as all the Ancients do agree And we read also that all the Patriarchs had their particular callings Abei was
Prince that ever sat upon a Throne who was guided by an infallible spirit hath delivered it for a standing maxim above 2000 years agoe That the Righteous is more excellent Prov. 12. 26 than his neighbour When Solomon dropt this Aphorism from his royal pen there was not a man in the world that was legally righteous Adam all his posterity being fallen Psal 14. 1 2 3. Rom. 3. 9 10 11 12. Lam. 5. 16. from all their honour glory dignity and excellency into a most woful Gulf of sin and misery and therefore Solomon must be understood of him that is evangelically righteous He that is evangelically righteous be he Master or servant rich or poor bond or free high or low is more excellent then his neighbour And O that all masters would seriously consider of this that they may carry it no more so proudly so loftily so scornfully so frowardly so strangly so sowrly so bitterly so rigorously towards their pious servants as not to afford them a little time to pour out their souls before the Lord in a corner I have read of Ingo an ancient King of the Draves and Veneds who making a stately feast appointed all his Pagan Nobles to sit in the Hall below and at the same time commanded certain poor Christians to be brought up into his presence Chamber to fit with him at Aenaeus Sylvius cap. 20. Europ Aven lib. 3. Annalium his Table that they might eat of his kingly chear at which many wondering he told them That he accounted Christians though never so poor a greater ornament at his Table and more worthy of his company than the greatest Nobles that were not converted to the Christian faith for saith he when these Pagan Nobles shall be thrust down to Hell these poor Christians shall be my consorts and fellow Princes in Heaven Certainly this noble Prince will one day rise in Judgement against all sowre churlish Labans who carry it so harshly and so severely towards their gracious servants as Ephes 69. that they will not allow them a little time to wait upon God in a hole Why should not gracious masters give their gracious servants a little time for closet prayer now considering that they are sharers with them in all the fundamental good that comes by Christ in this world and considering that they shall be partakers with them in all the glory of another world The Every man hath two things to look unto more than all the world be side a body and a soul for the one ery one is either a Fool or a Physitian for the other either a Devil or a Divine saith one poorest servant in a family hath a soul more precious than heaven and earth and the greatest work that lies upon his hand in this world is to look to the eternal safety security of that for if that be safe all is safe if that be well all is well but if that be lost all is lost Every gracious servant though he be never so poor and mean yet hath he the image of God the image of the King of Kings stampt upon him and wo to him that shall wrong or despise or trample upon that image Certainly God himself is wronged by the injury that is done to his image The contempt and despite that is done to the image or coyn of a King is done to the King himself and accordingly he will revenge it If it was a capital crime in Tiberâ—us his dayes to carry the image of Augustus upon a Ring or Coyn into any sordid place as Suetonius saith it was what crime must it be in those masters who despise revile reproach scorn abuse and tread under foot such servants as have the image of the great God stampt upon their souls and all because they look God-ward Christ-ward Heaven-ward Holiness-ward Duty-ward Masters should never twit their servants in the Prov. 22. 2. Chap. 17. 5. teeth with their inferiority penury poverty misery mean parentage or servile condition but remember that these things are more the Creators pleasure than the servants fault and that that God that hath made the master rich and the servant poor can as quickly make the master poor and the servant rich God many times puts down Luke 1. 52. the mighty from their seats and exalts them of low degree Certainly no master nor mistress should dare to insult or triumph over such servants as have souls as noble as their own but they should seriously and frequently consider of Solomons Aphorisme The righteous though a servant though the meanest amongst all the servants is more excellent than his neighbour and accordingly give them a little time and liberty to converse with God in secret And O that all gracious servants would discover themselves to be more excellent than their neighbours by making more conscience of private prayer than their neighbours do and by being more in their closets than their neighbours are and by delighting themselves in their secret retirements more than their neighbours will and by redeeming some time for God for their souls and for eternity more than their neighbours do But Seventhly I answer That God is only the Lord of time Time is Hab. 2. 3. Dan. 11. 27. 29. 35. Job 7. 1. Psal 102. 13 Eccl. 3. 1. Dan. 2. 21 Isa 60. 22. Job 14. 14. more the Lords than 't is thy masters and therefore 't is no neglecting of thy masters business to take a little time daily for private prayer Times do belong to providence as well as issues and as God is the God of our mercies so he is the Lord of our times My times are in thy hands saith David Psal 31. 15. Not only the times of his sorrows but also the times of his comforts not only the times of his miseries but also the times of his mercies not only the times of his dangers but also the times of his duties were in the hands of God 'T is observable the Psalmist doth not say time but times in the plural to shew that every point and period of time depends upon the hand of God One complaining of those who say Come let us talk together to pass away the time with grief of spirit Bernard Serm. de tripl custod cryes out O donec praetereat hora c. O until the hour be gone O until time be past which the mercy of thy maker hath bestowed upon thee to performe repentance to procure pardon to gain grace and to obtain glory That servant that borrows a little time every day to seek the face of God in a corner borrows it rather of God than of his master and therefore why should his master swell or rage or complain considering that God never made him Lord of time But Eighthly I answer That servants should rather redeem time from their sleep their recreations their daily meals than neglect closet duty a day And certainly those servants that out of conscience towards
private prayer will most clearly and abundantly evidence the singular love the great delight and the high esteem that he hath of private prayer We say those children love their books well and delight much in learning who will be at their books when others are gone to their beds and who will be at their books before others can get out of their beds Certainly they love private prayer well and they delight much in closet communion with God who will be a praying when others are a sleeping and who will be addressing their souls before God in a corner before their mistress is a dressing of her self at the Glass or their fellow-servants a dressing themselves in the shop But Fourthly Because the servants redeeming of time for private prayer from his sleep set meales recreations c. may be of most use to other fellow servants both to awaken them and to convince them that the things of Religion are of the greatest and highest importance and that there is no trade for pleasure or profit to that private Trade that is driven between God and a mans own soul and also to keep them from trifling or fooling away of that time which is truly and properly their Masters time and by the Royal law of heaven ought to be spent solely and wholly in their service business For what ingenious servant is there in the world but will argue thus I see that such and such of my fellow servants will redeem time for private prayer and for other closet services from their very sleep meales recreations c. rather than they will borrow or make bold with that time which my Master saith is his c. and why then should I be so foolish so bruitish so mad to trifle or idle or play or toy away that time wnich should be spent in my masters service and for my masters advantage But Fifthly and lastly Because the servants redeeming of time for private prayer from his Sleep his Meales his Recreations c. cannot but be infinitely pleasing to God and that which will afford him most comfort when he comes to die The more any poor heart acts contrary to flesh and blood the more he pleases God the more any poor heart denyes himself the more he pleases God the more any poor heart acts against the streame of sinful examples the more he pleases God the more difficulties and discouragements a poor heart meets with in the discharg of his duty the more love he shewes to God and the more love a poor heart shewes to God the more he pleases God Jer. 2. 2 3. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown Israel was holiness unto the Lord and the first fruits of his increase all that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. God was very highly pleased and greatly delighted with the singular love and choice affections of his people towards him when they followed after him and kept close to him in that tedious and uncouth passage through the waste howling wilderness How all these things do comport with that poor pious servant that redeemes time for private prayer upon the hardest termes imaginable I shall leave the ingenious Reader to judge And certainly upon a dying bed no tongue can express nor heart conceive but he that feeles it the unspeakable comfort that closet duties will afford to him that hath been exercised in them upon those hard termes that are under present consideration But Ninthly I answer If thou art a gracious servant then the near and dear relations that is between God and thee and the choice priviledges John 8. 32 33 36. that thou art interested in calls aloud for private prayer As thou art thy Masters servant so thou art the Lords free-man 1 Cor. 7. 22 23. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lords free-man Likewise also he that is called being free is Christs servant Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Either when they command you things forbidden by Christ or forbid you things commanded by Christ or when they would exercise a dominion over your faith or a lord-ship over your consciences Suffer not your selves in spiritual things to be brought into such bondage by any men or Masters in the world as not to use that freedom Gal. 5. 1. Col. 2. 20. Gal. 2. 4. and liberty that Christ hath purchased for you with his dearest blood No servants are to serve their masters in opposition to Christ nor no servants are to serve their masters as spiritual masters Nor no servants are to serve their masters as supream masters but as subordinate masters Ephes 6. 5 6 7. And as every gracious servant is the Lords free-man so every gracious servant is the Lords friend Isa 41. 8. James 2. 23. John 15. 13 14 15. And as every gracious servant is the Lords friend so every gracious servant is the Lords son Gal. 4. 5 6. Rom. 8. 16. And as every gracious servant is the Lords son so every gracious servant is the Lords spouse Hos 2. 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. And now I appeal to the consciences of all that have tasted that the Lord is gracious whether the near and dear relations that is between the Lord and pious servants doth not call aloud upon them to take all opportunities and advantages that possibly they can to pour out their souls before the Lord in secret and to acquaint him in a corner with all their secret wants weaknesses wishes c. And as gracious servants are thus nearly and dearly related to God so gracious servants are very highly priviledged by God Gracious servants are as much freed from the reign of sin the dominion of sin and the damnatory Rom. 6. 14. power of sin as gracious masters are Gracious servants are as Rom. 8. 1. much freed from hell from the curse of the Law and from the wrath of God as their gracious masters are Gracious servants are Gal. 3. 13. as much adopted as much reconciled as much pardoned as much justified and as much redeemed as their gracious masters are Gracious servants are as much heirs 1 Thes 1. 10. Col. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 6. Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 6. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ as their gracious masters are Gracious servants are as much a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people called out of darkness into his marvelous light as their gracicious masters are And therefore they being all alike interested in all these great and glorious priviledges which belong to Saints as Saints they are without all peradventure alike obliged and engaged to all those duties which lies upon Saints as Saints among which private prayer