the glory of God And Thirdly The light of the knowledge of the glory of God And Fourthly Shining And Fifthly Shining into our hearts And Sixthly Shining into our hearts in the face of Jesus Christ And thus you see that the Lord reveals the secrets of himself his kingdome his truth his grace his glory to his saints But. Thirdly There are the secrets of his favour the secrets of his special love that he bears to them the secret purposes of his heart to save them and these are those great secrets those deep things of God which none can reveal but the Spirit of God Now these great secrets these deep things of God God doth reveal to his people by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Now what are the things that are freely given to us of God but our election vocation justification sanctification and glorification And why hath God given us his Spirit but that we should know the things that are freely given to us of God Some by secret in that 25th Psal 14. do understand a particular assurance of Gods favour whereby happiness is secured to us both for the present and for the future they understand by secret the sealing of the Spirit the hidden Manna the White Stone and the New Name in it which none knoweth but he that hath it And so much those words He will shew them his Covenant seems to import for what greater secret can God impart to his people than that of opening the Covenant of grace to them in its freeness fulness sureness sweetness suitableness everlastingness and in sealing up his good pleasure and all the spiritual and eternal blessings of the Covenant to them Such as love and serve the Lord shall be of his Cabinet Counsel they shall know his soul secrets and be admitted into a very gracious familiarity and friendship with himself John 14. 21 22 23 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Jesus answered and said unto him if any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him God and Christ will keep house with them and manifest the secrets of their love to them that are observant of their commands And thus you see that the Saints are the onely persons to whom God will reveal the secrets of his Providence the secrets of his Kingdom and the secrets of his Love unto Christ came out of the bosom of his father and he opens all the secrets of his father only to his bosom friends Now what an exceeding high honour is it for God to open the secrets of his love the secrets of his promises the secrets of his providences the secrets of his counsels and the secrets of his covenant to his people Tiberius Caesar thought no man fit to know his secrets And among the Persians none but noble Men Lords and Dukes might be made partakers of State secrets they esteeming secrecy a Godhead a Divine thing as Ammianus Marcellinus affirms But now such honour God hath put upon all his Saints as to make them Lords and Nobles and the only privy-statesmen in the Court of Heaven The highest honour and glory that earthly Princes can put upon their subjects is to communicate to them their greatest secrets Now this high honour and glory the King of kings hath put upon his people For his secrets are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant 'T was a high honour to Elisha that he could tell the secrets 2 Kings 6. 12. that were spoken in the Kings bed-chamber O what an honour must it then be for the Saints to know the secrets that are spoken in the presence-chamber of the King of Kings Now I appeale to the very consciences of all that fear the Lord whether it be not a just equal righteous and necessary thing that the people of God should freely and fully lay open all the secrets of their hearts before the Lord who hath thus highly honoured them as to reveale the secrets of his providence kingdome and favour to them Yea I appeale to all serious and ingenious Christians whether it be not against the light and law of nature and against the law of love and law of friendship to be reserved and close yea to hide our secrets from him who reveales his greatest and his choicest secrets to us And if it be why then do not you in secret lay open all your secret sins and secret wants and secret desires secret feares c. to him that seeth in secret You know all secrets are to be communicated only in secret none but fooles in Folio will communicate secrets upon a stage or before many But Thirdly Consider that in times of great straits and trials in times of great afflictions and persecutions private prayer is the Christians meat drink 't is his cheif city of refuge 't is his shelter and hiding place in a stormy day When the Saints have been driven by violent persecutions into holes and Heb. 11. 37 38. Rev. 12. 6. Psal 102. 6â— 14. caves and dens and desarts and howling wildernesses private prayer hath been their meat and drink and under Christ their only refuge When Esau came forth with hostil intentions against Jacob secret prayer was Jacobs refuge Gen. 32. 6 7 8 9 11. And the messengers returned to Jacob saying we came to thy brother Esau and also he cometh to meet thee and four hundred men with him All cut-throates Then Jacab was greatly afraid and distressed and he devided the people that was with him and the flocks and heards and the camels into two bands And said if Esau come to the one company and smite it then the other company which is left shall escape When all is at stake 't is christian prudence to save what we can though we cannot save what we would And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac the Lord which saidst unto me return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will deale well with thee Promises in private must be prayed over God loves to sued upon his own bond when he and his People are alone Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my
resting place 't is his free grace 't is his singular mercy 't is his infinite love that is your resting place 't is the bosome of Christ the favour of Christ the satisfaction of Christ and the pure perfect spotlesse marchless and glorious righteousnesse of Christ that is your resting place and therefore say to all your Closet-duties and performances farewell prayer farewell reading farewell fasting farewell tears farewell sighs and groanes farewell meltings and humblings I will never trust more to you I will never rest more on you but I will now return to my resting place I will now rest only in God and Christ I will now rest wholly in God and Christ I will now rest for ever in God and Christ It was the saying of a precious Saint that he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins for the one made him often proud the other made him always humble But My fifth advice and counsel is this Labour to bring your hearts into all your Closet-prayers and performances Look that your tongues and your hearts keep time tune Psal 17. 1. Give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips or as it is in the Hebrew without lips of deceit Heart and tongue must goe together word and work lip and life prayer and practise must eccho one to another or else thy prayers and thy soul will be lost together the labour of the lips and the travail of the heart must go together The Egyptians of all fruits made choice of the Peach to consecrate Plutark to their Goddess and for no other cause but that the fruit thereof is like to ones heart and the leaf like to ones tongue These very Heathens in the worship of their gods thought it necessary that mens hearts and tongues should go together Ah Christians when in your Closet-duties your hearts and your tongues go together then you make that sweet and delightful melody that is most taking and pleasing to the King of Kings The very soul of prayer lyes in the 1 Sam. 1. 15. pouring out of the Soul before God Psal 42. 4. When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me So the Israelites poured out their souls like water before the Lord So the Church The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee VVith my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Isa 26. 8 9. So Lament 3. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens So Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neer with a true heart c. So Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve in the Spirit 1 Cor. 14 15. I will pray with the spirit and sing with the spirit Phil. 3. 3. VVe are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit Under the Law the inward parts were only to be offered to God in sacrifice the skin belonged to the Priests whence we may easily gather that truth in the inward parts is that which is most pleasing in a sacrifice When the Athenians would know of the Oracle the cause of their often unprosperous successes in battel against the Lacedemonians seeing they offered the choycest things they could get in sacrifice to the gods which their enemies did not the Oracle gave them this answer that the gods were better pleased with their inward supplication without ambition than with all their outward pomp in costly Sacrifices Ah Sirs the reason why so many are so unsuccessful in their Closet-duties and services is because there is no more of their hearts in them No man can make sure work or happy work in prayer but he that makes heart work on it When a mans heart is in his prayers then great and sweet will be his returns from heaven that is no prayer in which the heart of the person bears no part When the Soul is separated from the body the man is dead and so when the heart is separated from the lip in prayer the prayer is dead The Jews at this day write upon the walls of their Synagogues these words Tephillah belo cavannah ceguph belo neshamah that is a prayer without the heart or without the intention of the affection is like a body without a soul In the Law of Moses the Priest was commanded to wash the inwards and the feet of the Sacrifices in water and this was done saith Philo not without a mystery to teach us to keep our hearts and affections clean when we draw nigh to God In all your Closet-duties God looks first and most to your hearts My Son Pro. 23. 26. give me thy heart It is not a piece it is not a corner of the heart that will satisfie the maker of the heart the heart is a treasure a bed of spices a royal throne wherein he delights God looks not at the clegancy of your prayers to see how neat they are nor yet at the Geometry of your prayers to see how long they are nor yet at the Arithmetick of your prayers to see how many they are nor yet at the Musick of your prayers nor yet at the sweetness of your voice nor yet at the Logick of your prayers but at the sincerity of your prayers how hearty they are There is no prayer acknowledged approved accepted recorded or rewarded by God but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly The true mother would not have the Psal 51. 17. James 1. 8. child divided As God loves a broken and a contrite heart so he loaths a divided heart God neither loves halting nor halving he will be served truly and totally The Royal Law is Thou shalt love and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Among the Heathens when the beasts were cut up for sacrifice the first thing the Priest looked upon Pro. 21. 27. Isa 1. 11 12. Chap. 29. 13. Mat. 15. 7 8 9. Ezek. 33. 30 31 32. Zech. 7. 4 5 6. 2 Chron. 25 1 2. Psal 78. 36 37. was the heart and if the heart was naught the sacrifice was rejected Verily God rejects all those services and sacrifices wherein the heart is not as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margent together Prayer without the heart is but as sounding brass or a tinckling Cymbal Prayer is only lovely and weighty as the heart is in it and no otherwise It is not the lifting up of the voyce nor the wringing of the hands nor the beating of the breasts nor an affected tone nor studied notions nor seraphical expressions but the stirrings of the heart that God looks at in prayer God hears no more than the heart speaks if the heart be dumb God will certainly be deaf no prayer takes with God but that which is the travel of the heart The same day Julius Caesar came to the imperial dignity sitting in his Golden Chair he offered a
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
Father While the child is in the womb it cannot cry but as soon as it is born it cries Whilst Paul did lie in the womb of his natural estate he could not pray but no sooner was he born of the spirit but the next news is Behold he prayeth Acts. 9. 11. Prayer is nothing but the turning of a mans inside outward before the Lord. The very soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of a mans soul into the bosome of God Prayer is nothing but the breathing that out before the Lord that was first breath'd into us by the spirit of the Lord Prayer is nothing but a choice a free a sweet and familiar intercourse of the soul with God Certainly it is a great work of the Spirit to help the Saints to pray Gal. 4. 6. Because you are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father God hath no still-born children The Gemination Abba Father notes fiduciall filial and vehement affection The first is an Pareus Hebrew or Syriack word the Second a Greek whereby is signified the union of the Hebrews and Grecians or the Jews and Gentiles in one Church Abba Father What is Abba say others in Hebrew Father and it is added because in Christ the corner stone both peoples are joyned alike becoming sons whence soever they come circumcision from one place whereupon Abba uncircumcision from another whereupon father is named The concord of the walls being the glory of the corner stone The word Abba say others signifies Father in the Syriack Tongue which the Apostle here retaineth because it is a word full of affection which young children retain almost in all Languages when they begin to speak And he adds the word Father not only to expound the same but also the better to express the eager movings and the earnest and vehement desires and singular affection of beleevers in their crying unto God even as Christ himself redoubled the Mark 14. 36. word Father to the same purpose when he was in his greatest distress This little word Father saith Luther lisped forth in prayer by a Child of God exceeds the eloquence of Demosthenes Cicero and all other so famed Orators in the World 'T is certain that the Spirit of God helps the Saints in all their communions with God viz. in their meditations of God in their reading and hearing of the Word of God in their communions one with another and in all their solemn addresses to God And as to this the Apostle gives us a most special instance in that Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered When we are to pray there is in us sometimes an infirmity of ignorance so that we know not what to pray for either in regard of the matter or the manner And there is in us at other times an infirmity of pride and conceitedness so that we cannot pray with that humility and lowliness of spirit as we should spiritual pride having fly-blown our prayers Sometimes there is in us an infirmity of deadness dullness drowsiness c. so that we cannot pray with that warmth heat life spirit and fervency as we should or as we would and at other times there is in us an infirmity of unbelief and slavish fears so that we cannot pray with that faith and holy boldness as becomes Children that draw near to a Throne of Grace to a Throne of Mercy c. But now the Spirit helps these infirmities by way of instruction prompting and teaching us what to pray for and how we should spell our lesson and by telling us as it were within what we should say and how we should sigh and groan and by rousing and quickening and stirring of us up to prayer and by his singular influence and choice assistance opening and enlarging our hearts in prayer and by his tuning the Strings of our affections he prepares us and fits us for the work of Supplication And therefore every one that derides the Spirit of prayer in the Saints saying these are the men and the women that pray by the Spirit blaspheme against the holy Spirit it being a main work of the Spirit to teach the Saints to pray and to help them in prayer Now all the Saints having the Spirit and the Spirit being a Spirit of prayer and supplication there is no reason in the world why a Saint should say I would pray in secret but I can't pray I can't pour out my soul nor my complaint before the Lord in a corner Sixthly and lastly Thou sayest thou canst not pray thou hast not the gifts and parts which others have But thou canst mannage thy callings thy worldly businesse as well as others and why then canst thou not pray as well as others Ah friends did you but love private prayer as well as you love the world and delight in private prayer as much as you delight in the world and were your hearts as much set upon closet prayer as they are set upon the world you would never say you could not pray yea you would quickly pray as well as others 't is not so much from want of ability to pray in secret that you don't pray in secret as 't is from want of a will a heart to pray in secret that you don't pray in secret Jacobs love to Rachel and Sechems love to Dina carried Gen. 29. ch 34. them through the greatest difficulties Were mens affections but strongly set upon private prayer they would quickly find abilities to pray He that sets his affections upon a Virgin though he be not learned nor eloquent will find words enough to let her know how his heart is taken with her The application is easie He in Seneca complained of a Thorn in his foot when his Lungs was rotten So many complain of want of ability to pray in their closets when their hearts are rotten Sirs do but get better hearts and then you will never say you can't pray 'T is one of the saddest sights in all the world to see men strongly parted and gifted for all worldly businesses to cry out that they can't pray that they have no ability to pour out their souls before the Lord in secret You have sufficient parts and gifts to tell men of your sins your wants your dangers your difficulties your mercies your deliverances your duties your crosses your losses your enjoyments your friends your foes and why then are you not ashamed to complain of your want of parts and gifts to tell those very things to God in a corner which you can tell to men even upon the house-top c. But Fourthly Some may further object and say God is very well acquainted with all our wants necessities straits tryals and there is no moving of him to bestow any favours upon us which he
doth not intend to bestow upon us whether we pray in our closets or no and therefore to what purpose do you presse secret prayer so hard upon us c. To this Objection I shall give these Answers First That this Objection lyes as strong against Family Prayer and Publick Prayer as it doth against Private Prayer God knows all thy wants and necessities all thy straits and tryals c. and therefore what needest thou pray in thy Family what needest thou attend Publick Prayers in the Communion of Saints There is no wringing of any mercy out of the hands of Heaven which God doth not intend to bestow This Objection faces all kind of Prayer and fights against all kinds of Prayer But Secondly I answer That Private Prayer is that piece of Divine Worship and Adoration 't is a part of that homage which we owe to God upon the account of a Divine Command as I have already proved Now all Objections must bow before the face of Divine Commands As Josephs Brethren bowed before him Or as King Ahasuerus Gen. 42. 6. Esth 3. 2. his servants bowed before Haman Indeed every Objection that is formed up against a Divine Command should fall before it as Dagon fell before the Ark or as Goliah fell before David He that casts off Private Prayer under any pretence whatsoever he casts off the Dominion of God the Authority of God and this may be as much as a mans life and soul is worth But Thirdly I answer Though Prayer be not the ground the cause of obtaining favours and mercies from God yet 't is the means 't is the Silver Channel 't is the Golden Pipe through which the Lord is Isa 55. 6. Jam. 1. 5. Isa 62. 7. Psal 22. 24. pleased to convey to his people all temporal Spiritual and eternal favours Ezek 36. from the 26. verse to the 37. verse of that Chapter God promises to give them the cream the choycest the sweetest of all spiritual eternal and temporal blessings but mark verse 37. I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Though God be very prompt and ready to bestow upon his people the best and the greatest of blessings yet the will by prayer be sought unto for the actual enjoyment of them He that hath no heart to pray for a mercy he needs he hath no ground to believe that ever God will give him the mercy he needs There is no receiving without asking no finding without seeking no opening without knocking The threefold promise annexed to the threefold precept in Matth. 7. 7. should encourage all Christians to be instant fervent and constant in prayer The proud beggar gets nothing of men and the dumb sinner gets nothing of God As there is no mercy too great for God to give so there is no mercy too little for us to crave Certainly that man hath little worth in him that thinks any mercy not worth a seeking But Fourthly and lastly I answer Every Christian should labour to enjoy his mercies in mercy he should labour to have his blessings blest unto him he should labour Gen. 22. 17. to have the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush with all he hath Now this is an everlasting truth a maxim to live and die with that whatsoever mercy comes not in upon the wing of prayer is not given in mercy O how sweet is that mercy that comes flying in upon the wing of prayer How sweet was that water to Sampson which streamed to him in the channel of private prayer Judg. 15. 19. he called the name of it En-hakkore the Well of him that prayed Sampson prayed as for life and that water that was handed to him was as sweet as life Every mercy that is gathered by the hand of prayer is as sweet as the Rose of Sharon But Can. 2. 1. that mercy that comes not in at the door of prayer comes not in at the right door and that mercy that comes not in at the right door will do a man no good such mercies will make themselves wings and fly from us Every Christian should Pro. 23. 5. narrowly look that all his mercies 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. are sanctified mercies now every mercy is sanctified by the word prayer Prayer prepares and fits us for mercy and mercy for us 'T is Prayer that gives us a right and holy use of all our mercies Such mercies are but great miseries that come not in upon the wing of prayer Prayerless mens mercies are all given in wrath Psal 76. 23 32. Yea their blessings are curst unto them Prov. 3. 33. Mal. 2. 2. Look as every sacrifice was to be seasoned with salt so every mercy is to be sanctified by prayer Look as Gold sometimes is laid not only upon cloath and silks but also upon Silver it self So Prayer is that Golden duty that must be laid not only upon all our natural and civil actions as eating drinking buying selling c. but also upon all our Silver duties upon all our most religious and spiritual performances as hearing reading meditating conference church-fellowship breaking of bread c. Certainly prayer is very necessary to make every providence and every ordinance and every mercy to be a blessing to us Every mercy that comes in upon the wing of private prayer is a double mercy 't is a great-bellied mercy 't is a mercy that hath many mereies in the womb of it Happy is that Christian that can lay his hand upon every mercy that he enjoyes and say of them all as once Hannah said of her Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 27. For this child I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him But Fifthly Some may further object and say I would drive a private trade with God I would exercise my self in secret prayer but I want a convenient place to retire into I want a private corner to unbosome my soul to my Father in c. To this Objection I shall give these three short Answers First I suppose this Objection concernes but a few Christians in our dayes That God that hath given a Christ to Believers doth commonly give them a convenient corner Rom. 8. 32. to enjoy private communion with himself in Most Christians I am afraid do rather want a heart for private prayer than a convenient place for private prayer What men set their hearts upon they will find time and place to effect it whether it be good or whether it be evil whether it concerns temporals or spirituals whether it concerns this world or another world this life or a better life If most men would but get better hearts they would quickly find or make convenient places for private prayer He who hath an inflamed love to God will certainly find out a corner to enjoy secret communion with God True lovers will find out corners to enjoy one another in How many men are there that
can easily find out private places for their dogs to lye in and their swine to sleep in and their horses to stand in and their oxen to feed in c. who can't find out a private place to seek the face of God in But did these men but love their God or their souls or private prayer or eternity as well or better than their beasts they would not be such bruiâ—es but that they would quickly find out a hole a corner to wait upon the Lord in But Secondly I Answer If a Christian be on the top of the house with Peter he may pray there or if he be walking in the field with Isaac he may pray there or if he be on the mountain with Christ he may pray there or if he be behind the door with Paul he may pray there or if he be waiting at table with Nehemiah he may secretly pray there or if he be in a wood he may pray there as the primitive Christians in times of persecution did or if he be behind a tree he may pray there or if he be by the Sea side he may pray there as the Apostles did 'T was a choice saying of Austin Every Saint is Gods Temple saith he and he that carryes his temple about him may go to prayer when he pleaseth Some Saints have never had so much of heaven brought down into their hearts as when they have been with God in a corner O the secret manifestations of divine love the secret kisses the secret embraces the secret influences the secret communion with God that many a precious Christian hath had in the most solitary places it may be behind the door or behind the wall or behind the hedge or behind the arbour or behind the tree or behind the rock or behind the bush c. But Thirdly and lastly didst thou never in thy unregenerate estate make use of all thy wits and parts and utmost endeavours to find out convenient seasons and secret corners and solitary places to sin in and to dishonour thy God in and to undoe thine owne and others souls in yes I remember with shame and blushing that 't was so with me when I was dead in Eph. 2. 1 2 3. trespasses and sins and walked according to the course of this world O how much then doth it concern thee in thy renewed sanctified and raised estate to make use of all thy wits and parts and utmost endeavours to find out the fittest seasons and the most secret corners and solitary places thou canst to honour thy God in and to seek the welfare of thine owne and others souls in O that men were but as serious studious and industrious to find out convenient seasons secret places to please and serve and glorifie the Lord in as they have been serious studious and industrious to find out convenient seasons and secret places to displease and grieve the Spirit of the Lord in But Sixthly and lastly others may further object and say we would be often in private with God we would give our selves up to closet prayer but that we can no sooner shut our closet doors but a multitude of infirmities weaknesses and vanities doe face us and rise up against us our hearts being full of distempers and follies and our bodies say some are under great indispositions and our souls say others are under present indispositions and how then can we seek the face of God in a corner how can we wrestle with God in our closets c. Now to this Objâ—ction I shall give these six Answers 1. Iâ— these kinds of reasonings or arguings were sufficient to shut private prayer out of doores where lives that man or woman that husband or wife that father or child that master or servant that Psa 40. 12. Psal 51. 5. Rom. 7. 15 24. Psal 130. 3. 1 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Chr. 6. 36. Phil. 3. 12. would ever bè found in the practise of that duty Where is there a person under heaven whose heart is not full of infirmities weaknesses follies and vanities and whose body and soul is not too often indisposed to closet duties 1 Kings 8. 46. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not c. Eccl. Grace in this life is like Gold in the ore full of mixture 7. 20. For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an uncleane not one Job 9. 30 31. If I wash my self with Snow-water and make my hands never so clean Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine owne cloaths shall abhor me Job 9. 20. If I justifie my self my owne mouth shall condemne me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Psal 143. 2. And enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified James 3. 2. For in many things we offend all 1 John 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Such that affirme that men may be fully perfect in this life or without sin in this life they do affirme that which is expresly contrary to the Scriptures last cited and to the universal experience of all Saints who daily feel and lament over that body of sin and death that they bare about with them yea they do affirme that which is quite contrary to the very state or constitution of all the Saints in this life In every Saint the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that they cannot do the things Gal. 5. 17. that they would In every good Eph. 4. 22 23 24. man there are two men the old man and the new the one must be daily put on and the other daily put off All Saints have a law in their members rebelling against the law of their minds so that the Rom. 7. 23. 15. comp good that they would doe they do not and the evil that they would not do that they do They have two contrary principles in them from whence proceeds two manner of actions motions and inclinations continually opposite one to another hence it is that there is a continual combat in them like the strugling of the Twins in Rebecah's womb An absolute perfection is peculiar to the triumphant state of Gods Elect in Heaven Heaven is the onely priviledged place where no unclean thing can Rev. 23. 21 enter in that 's the only place where neither sin nor Satan shall ever get footing Such as dream of an absolute perfection in this life do confound and jumble heaven Heb. 12. 22 23. and earth together the state of the Church militant with the state of the Church Triumphant which are certainly distinct both in
deserve to be burnt to ashes There are none so humble as they that have neerest communion with God Jacob was a man that Gen. 28. 10 18. had much private communion Gen. 32. 24 to 31. with God and a man that was very little in his own eyes Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant or as the Hebrew hath it I am less than Gen. 31. 38 41. all thy mercies When Jacob had to deal with Laban he pleads his merit but when he hath to do with God he debaseth himself below the least of his mercies Moses was a man that had much private communion with God as I have formerly evidenced and a man that was the meekest and humblest person in all the world Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth Josephus writing of Moses saith if he may be believed that he was so free from passions that he knew no such thing in his own soul he only knew passions by their names and saw them in others but felt them not in himself And so when the glory of God appeared to him he falls upon his face Numb 16. 22. in token of humility and self-abasing David was a man that had much private communion with God as is granted on all hands and how greatly doth he debase himself and vilifie himself 1 Sam. 26. 20. The King of Israel is come out to seek a flea and what more weak and contemptible than a flea So Chap. As Nazianzen said of Athanasius He was high in worth and humble in heart 24. 14. After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue after a dead dog after a flea As if David had said 'T is not worth the while the labour 't is below the Dignity and Honour of the King of Israel to take such pains and to pursue so violently after such a poor nothing as I am who hath no more strength nor power to bite or hurt than a dead dog or a poor flea hath So Psal 226. But I am a worm and no man Now what is more weak what less regarded what more despicable what more trampled under-foot than a poor worm The Hebrew word Tolagnath that is here rendred worm signifies very little worm such as breed in Scarlet which are so little that a man can scarcely see them or perceive them Thus you see that holy David debaseth himself below a worm yea below the least of worms No man sets so low a value upon himself as he doth who hath most private communion with God The four and twenty Elders cast down their crowns at the feet of Jesus Christ Rev. 4. 10 11. Their Crowns note all their inward and outward dignities excellencies and Anstin being once asked what was the first grace answered humility what the second humility what the third humility glories and the casting down of their Crowns notes their great humility and self-debasement When Christians in their Closets and out of their Closets can cast down their crowns their duties their services their graces their enlargments their enjoyments c. at the feet of Jesus Christ and sit down debasing and lessening of themselves then certainly they have had a very neer and sweet communion with God Chrysostome hath a remarkable saying of Humility Suppose saith he that a man were defiled with all manner of sin and enormity yet humble and another man enriched with gifts graces and duties yet proud the humble sinner were in a safer condition than this proud Saint VVhen a man can come off from Closet-duties and say as Ignatius once said of himself Non sum dignus dici minimus I am not worthy to be called the least then certainly he hath had fellowship with God in them All the Communion that the creature hath with God in his Closet is very soul-humbling and soul-abasing In all a mans communion with God some beams some rayes of the glory and majesty of God will shine forth upon his soul Now all divine manifestations are very humbling and abasing as you may cleerly see in those two great instances of Job and Isaiah Job 42. 5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Isa 6. 1 5. In the year that King Vzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple Then said I wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts What sweet communion had Elias with God in the low cave There was a Gentlewoman of no ordinary quality or breeding who being much troubled in mind and sadly deserted by God could not be drawn by her husband or any other Christian friends either to hear or read any thing that might work for her spiritual advantage at last her husband by much importunity prevailed so far with her that she was willing he should read one Chapter in the Bible to her so he read that Isa 57. and when he came to the fifteenth vers For thus saith the high lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones O sayes she is it so that God dwells with a contrite and humble spirit then I am sure he dwells with me for my heart is broken into a thousand pieces O happy text and happy time that ever I should hear such comfort and she was thereupon recovered The more communion any man hath with God the more humble and broken his heart will be Holy Bradford was a man that Fox his Acts and Mon. had much private communion with God and he would many times subscribe himself in his letters John the hypocrite and a very painted sepulchre Agur was one of the wisest and holiest men on the earth in his dayes and he condemned Pro. 30. 2. himself for being more brutish than any man and not having the understanding of a man How sweet is the smel of the lowly Violet that hides his head above all the gaudy Tulips that be in your garden The lowly Christian is the most amiable and the most lovely Christian VVhen a man can come out of his Closet and cry out with Augustine I hate that which I am and love and desire that which I am not Oh wretched man that I am in whom the Cross of Christ hath not yet eaten out the poysonous and bitter tast of the first tree Or as another saith Lord I see and yet am
another Hence t is that on the one hand he works some to cry up publick Prayers in opposition to secret Prayer and one the other hand he works others to cry up private Duties in opposition to all publick Duties whereas all Christians stand oblieged by God so to manage one sort of Duties as not to shut out another sort of Duties Every Christian must find time and room for every Duty incumbent upon him But Fifthly Love Christ with a more enflamed love O strengthen your love to Christ and your love to Closet-duties Lovers love Can 7. 10 11 12. much to be alone to be in a corner together Certainly the more any man loves the Lord Jesus the more he will delight to be with Christ in a corner There was a great deal of love between Jonathan 1 Sam. 18. 19. chap. 20. com and David and according to their love so was their private converse their secret communion one with another they were alwayes best when in the Field together or when in a corner together or when behind the door together or when lockt up together and just so it would be with you did you but love the Lord Jesus Christ with a more raised and a more enflamed love you would be alwayes best when you were most with Christ in a corner Divine Love is like a rod of Myrtle which as Pliny reports makes the traveller that carries it in his hand so lively and cheerful that he never faints or grows weary Ah Friends did you but love the Lord Jesus with a more strong with a more raised love you would never faint in Closet-duties nor you would never grow weary of Closet-duties Look as the Israelites removed their Tents from Mithcah to Hashmonah from sweetness Num. 23. 39. to swiftness as the words import So the sweetness of Divine Love will make a man move swiftly on in a way of Closet-duties Divine Love will make all Closet-duties more easie to the Soul and more pleasant and delightful to the Soul and therefore do all you can to strengthen your love to Christ and your love to Closet-work It was observed among the Primitive Christians that they were so full of love one to another that they could be acquainted one with another as well in half an hour as in half a year O Sirs If your hearts were but more full of love to Christ and Closet-duties you would quickly be better acquainted with them you would quickly know what secret communion with Christ behind the door means But Sixthly Be highly throughly and fixedly resolved in the strength of Christ to keep close to closet-duties in the face of all difficulties and discouragements that you may Psal 44. 17 18 19 20 meet withal A man of no resolution or of weak resolution will be won with a Nut and lost with an Apple Satan and the world and carnal relations and your own hearts will cast in many things to discourage you and take you off from Closet-prayer but be ye nobly and firmly resolved to keep close to your Closet let the World the Flesh and the Devil doe and say what they can Daniel was a man of an invincible resolution rather than he would om it praying in his Chamber he would be cast into the Den of Lyons Of all the Duties of Religion Satan is the most deadly enemy to this of secret Prayer partly because Secret prayer spoiles him in his most secret designs plots and contrivances against the Soul and partly because secret prayer is so musical and delightful to God and partly because secret prayer is of such rare use and advantage to the Soul and partly because it layes not the soul of open to pride vain glory and worldly applause as prayer in the Synagogue doth and therefore he had rather that a man should pray a thousand times in the Synagogues or in the corner of the streets or behind a Pillar than that he should pray once in his Closet and therefore you had need to steel your hearts with holy courage and resolution that what ever suggestions temptations oppositions or objections you may encounter with that yet you will keep close to Closet-prayer There is not any better Bulwark in the day or battel than an heroick resolution of heart before the day of battel Sanctified resolutions doe exceedingly weaken and discourage Satan in his assaults they doe greatly daunt and dishearten him in all his undertakings against the Soul That man will never long be quiet in his Closet who is not stedfastly resolved to seek the Lord in a corner though all the powers of darkness should make head against him O Sir Divine fortitude holy resolutions will make you like a Wall of Brass that no Arrows can pierce they will make you like Armour of proof that no shot can hurt they will make you like that Angel Mat. 28. 2. that rolled away the Stone from before the door of the Sepulchre they will either enable you to remove the greatest Mountaines of opposition that lye between you and Closet prayer or else they will enable you to step over them Lather was a man of great resolution and a man that spent much time in Closet-prayer And such another was Nehemiah who met with so much opposition that had he not been steeled by a strong and obstinate resolution he could never have rebuilded the Temple but would have sunk in the midst of his work Now he was a man for private prayer as I have shewen in the beginning of this Treatise Who more resolute than David who more for secret prayer than David the same I might say of Paul Basil and many others who have been famous in their Generations O Sirs Sanctified Resolutions for Closet-prayer will chain you faster to Closet-prayer than ever Vlisses his resolutions did chain him to the mast of the ship 'T was a noble resolution that kept Ruth close to her mother when her sister Orpah only complements her kisses her and takes her leave of her Be but nobly resolved Ruth 1. 10 20. for Closet-prayer and then you will keep close to it when others only court it and take their leaves of it In the Salentine Country there is mention made of a Lake that is still brim full if you put in never so much it never runs over if you draw out never so much it is still full The resolution of every Christian for Closet-prayer Plin. Hist l. 2. c. 103. should be like this Lake still brim full Tide life tide death come honour or reproach come loss or gain come liberty or bonds come what can come the true bred Christian must be fully and constantly resolved to keep close to his Closet But Seventhly Labour for a greater effusion of the Holy Spirit for the greater measure any man hath of the Spirit of God the more that man will delight to be with God in secret Zech. 12. 10. And I will pour upon the House