by a specialty and therefore God makes him both of his Court and Counsel Oh how greatly doth God condescend to his People he speaks to them as a man would speak to his friend and there is no secrets of Providence which may be for their advantage but he will reveal them to his faithful servants As all faithful friends have the same friends and the same enemies so they are mutual in the communication of their secrets one to another and so 't was between God and Abraham Secondly There are the secrets of his Kingdom and these he reveals to his people Matth. 13. 11. Vnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven but unto them it is not given So Matth. 11. 25. At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Hierom. ad Eph. lib. 1. Let us not think saith Hierom. that the Gospel is in the words of Scripture but in the sense not in the outside but in the marrow not in the leaves of words but in the root of reason Augustin humbly begg'd of God That if it were his pleasure he would send Moses to him to interpret some more abstruce and intricate passages in his Book of Genesis There are many choice secret hidden Joel 2. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 9 16. Col. 1 26 27. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Eph. 4. 21. and mysterious Truths and Doctrines in the Gospel which Christ reveals to his people that this poor blind ignorant world are strangers to There are many secrets wrapt up in the plainest truths and doctrines of the Gospel which none can effectually open and reveal but the Spirit of the Lord that searcheth all things yea the deep things of God There are many secrets and mysteries in the Gospel that all the learning and labour in the world can never give a man insight into There are many that know the Doctrine of the Gospel the History of the Gospel that are meer strangers to the secrets of the Gospel There is a secret power a secret authority a secret efficacy a secret prevalency a secret goodness a secret sweetness in the Gospel that none experience but those to whom the Lord is pleased to impart Gospel secrets to Isa 29. 11 12. Seal my law among my Disciples The Law of God to wicked men is a sealed book that they cannot understand Dan. 12. 9 10. 'T is as blotted paper that they cannot read Look as a private letter to a friend contains secret matter that no man else may read because it is sealed So the law of grace is sealed up under the privy seal of Heaven so that no man can open it or read it but Christs faithful friends to whom 't is sent The whole Scripture saith Gregory is but one entire letter dispatcht from the Lord Christ to his beloved Spouse on earth The Rabbins say that there are four keys that God hath under his Girdle 1. The key of the Clouds 2. The key of the Womb. 3. The key of the Grave 4. The key of Food And I may add a Fifth key that is under his Girdle and that is the key of the Word the key of the Scripture which key none can turn but he that hath the key of David that opens and no man shuts and that shuts and no man opens Revel 3. 7. O sirs God reveals himself and his mind and will and truth to his people in a more friendly and familiar way than he doth to others Mark 4. 11. And he said unto them unto you 't is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but unto them that are without all these things are done in parables Luke 8. 10. And he said unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but to others in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand Though great Doctors and profound Clerks and deep studied but unsanctified Divines may know much of the Doctrines of the Gospel and commend much the doctrines of the Gospel and dispute much for the doctrines of the Gospel and glory much in the doctrines of the Gospel and take a great deal of pains to dress and trim up the doctrines of the Gospel with the flowers of Rhetorick or Eloquence though it be much better to present truth in her native plainness than to hang her ears with counterfeit Pearls the Word without humane adornments is like the stone Garamantides that hath drops of gold in it self sufficient to enrich the believing soul Yet the special spiritual powerful and saving Rom. 16. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 7. knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel is a secret a mystery yea a hidden mystery to them Chrysostome compares the mystery of Christ in regard of the wicked to a written book that the ignorant can neither read nor spell he fees the cover the leaves and the letters but he understands not the meaning of what he sees He compares the mystery of Grace to an indited Epistle which an unskilful Ideot viewing he cannot read it he cannot understand it he knoweth it is paper and ink but the sense the matter he knows not he understands not So unsanctified persons though they are never so learned and though they may perceive the bark of the mystery of Christ yet they perceive not they understand not the mystery of grace the inward sense of the spirit in the blessed Scriptures Though the Devil be the greatest Scholar in the world and though he have more learning than all the men in the world have yet there are many thousand secrets and mysteries in the Gospel of grace that he knows not really spiritually feelingly efficaciously powerfully throughly savingly c. O but now Christ makes known himself his mind his grace his truth to his people in a more clear full familiar and friendly way 2 Sam. 7. 27. For thou O Lord of hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy servant so you read it in your Books but in the Hebrew it is thus Lord thou hast revealed this to the ear of thy servant Now the emphasis lieth in that word to the ear which is left out in your Books When God makes known himself to his people he revealeth things to their ear as we use to do to a friend who is intimate with us we speak a thing to his ear There is many a secret which Jesus Christ speaks in the eares of his servants which others never come to be acquainted with 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ The six several gradations that are in this Scripture are worthy of our most serious consideration Here is First Knowledge And Secondly The knowledge of
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
ensample Phil. 4. 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you 1 Thess 1. 6. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction Heb. 6. 12. That ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inher it the Promises So 2 Tim. 3. 10 11 12 14. Titus 2. 7. 'T was an excellent Law that the Ephesians made viz. That men should propound to themselves the best patterns and ever bear in mind some eminent man Bad men are wonderful in love with bad examples Jer. 44. 16 17. The Indian hearing Praecepto docent Exempla movent that his Ancestors were gone to Hell said That then he would go thither too Some men have a mind to go to hell for company-sake Oh that we were as much in love with the Examples of good men as others are in love with the examples of bad men and then we should be oftner in our closets than now we are Oh that our eyes were more fixed on the pious examples of all that have in them aliquid Christi any thing of Christ as Bucer spake Shall we love to look upon the Pictures of our Friends and shall we not love to look upon the pious examples of those that are the lively and lovely Picture of Christ The pious examples of others should be the looking-glasses by which we should dress our selves He is the best and wisest Christian that writes after the fairest Scripture Copy that imitates those Christians that are most eminent in grace and that have been most exercised in Closet-prayer and in the most secret duties of Religion Hierome having read the Life and Death of Hilarion one that lived most Christianly and died most comfortably folded up the Book saying Well Hilarion shall be the Champion that I will follow his good life shall be my example and his godly death my president 'T is brave to live and die by the examples of the most eminent Saints But Secondly consider when Christ was on earth he did much exercise himself in secret prayer he was often with God alone as you may see in these famous Scriptures Matth. 14. 23. And when he had sent the multitudes away he went up into a mountain apart to pray and when the evening was come he was there alone Christs choosing solitudes for private prayer doth not only hint to us the danger of distraction and deviation of thoughts in prayer but how necessary it is for us to choose the most convenient places we can for private prayers Our own fickleness and Satans restlesness calls upon us to get into such corners where we may most freely pour out our souls into the bosom of God Mark 1. 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed As the morning time is the fittest time for prayer so solitary places are the fittest places for prayer Mark 6. 46. And when he had sent them away he departed into a mountain to pray He that would pray to purpose had need be quiet when he is alone Luke 5. 16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed Gr. He was departing and praying to give us to understand that he did thus often When Christ was neither exercised in teaching nor in working of miracles he was then very intent on private prayer Luke 6. 12. And it came to pass in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God Did Christ spend whole nights in private prayer to save our souls and shall we think it much to spend an hour or two in the day for the furtherance of the internal and eternal welfare of our souls Luke 21. 37. And in the day time he was teaching in the Temple and at night he went out and abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives Christ frequently joynes praying and preaching together and those whom Christ hath joyn'd together let no man presume to put asunder Luke 22. 39 41 44 45. And he came out and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives and his Disciples also followed him And he was with-drawn from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood clotted or congealed blood falling down to the ground never was Garden watred before or since with blood as this was And when he rose up from prayer and was come to his disciples he found them sleeping for sorrow Ah what sad pieces of vanity are the best of men in an hour of trial and temptation These very men that a little before did stoutly professe and promise that they would never leave him nor forsake him and that they would to prison for Christ and die for Christ yet when the day of trial came they could nor so much as watch with him one hour they had neither eyes to see nor hands to wipe off Christs bloody sweat So John 6. 15 16 17. Thus you see by all these famous Instances that Christ was frequent in private prayer Oh that we would daily propound to our selves this noble pattern for our imitation and make it our business our work our heaven to write after this blessed Copy that Christ hath set us viz. To be much with God alone Certainly Christianity is nothing else but an imitation of the divine nature a reducing of a mans self to the Image of God in which he was created in righteousness and true holiness A Christians whole life should be nothing but a visible representation of Christ The Heathens had this notion amongst them as Lactantius reports That the wayes to honour their gods was to be like them Sure I am that the highest wayes of honouring Christ is to be like to Christ 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked Oh that this blessed Scripture might alwayes lye warm upon our hearts Christ is the Sun and all the watches of our lives should be set by the Dial of his motion Christ is a pattern of patterns his example should be to us in stead of a thousand examples 'T is not only our liberty but our duty and glory to follow Christ in all his moral vertues absolutely other patterns be imperfect and defective but Christ is a perfect pattern and of all his Children they are the happiest that come nearest to this perfect pattern Heliogabalus loved his Children the better for resembling him in sin But Christ loves his children the more for resembling him in sanctity I have read of some Springs that change the colour of the Cattel that drink of them into the colour of their own waters as Du Bartus sings Cerona Xanth and Cephisus
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
is a very great enemy to secret prayer Secret prayer is a scourge a hell to Satan every secret prayer adds to the Devils torment and every secret sigh adds to his torment and every secret groan adds to his torment every secret tear adds to his torment When a child of God is on his knees in his secret addresses There is no one thing that many hundred Christians have more sadly lamented and bewailed as many saithful Ministers can witness than the sad interruptions that they have met with from Satan when they have been with God alone in a room in a corner O! how often have they been scared affrighted and amazed by noyses strange apparitions at least to their fancies when they have been alone with God in a corner to God O the strange thoughts the earthly thoughts the wandring thoughts the distracted thoughts the hideous thoughts the blasphemous thoughts that Satan often injects into his soul and all to wean him from secret prayer and to weary him of secret prayer Sometimes he tells the soul that 't is in vain to seek God in secret and at other times he tells the soul 't is too late to seek God in secret for the door of mercy is shut and there is no hope no help for the soul Sometimes he tells the soul that 't is enough to seek God in Publick and at other times he tells the soul that 't is but a precise trick to seek the Lord in private Sometimes he tells the soul that 't is not elected and therefore all his secret prayers shall be rejected and at other times he tells the soul that 't is sealed up unto the day of wrath and therefore secret prayer can never reverse that seal and all this to dishearten and discourage a poor Christian in his secret retirements Sometimes Satan will object to a poor Christian the greatness of his sins at other times he will object against a Christian the greatness of his unworthyness Sometimes he will object against a Christian his want of grace and at other times he will object against a Christian his want of gifts to manage such a duty as it should be managed Sometimes he will object against a Christian his former streightnedness in secret prayer and at other times he will object against a Christian the smal yearnings that he makes of secret prayer and all to work the soule out of love with secret prayer yea to work the soul to loath secret prayer so deadly an enemy is Satan to secret prayer O the strange fears fancies and conceits that Satan often raises in the spirits of Christian when they are alone with God in a corner and all to work them to cast off private prayer 'T is none of Satans least designes to interrupt a Christian in his private trade with God Satan watches all a Christians motions so that he cannot turn into his closet nor creep into any hole to converse privately with his God but he followes him hard at heels will be stil injecting one thing or another into the soul or else objecting one thing or another against the soul A Christian is as well able to tell the stars of Heaven and to number the sands of the sea as he is able to number up the several devices and slights that Satan uses to obstruct the souls private addresses to God Now from that great opposition that Satan makes against private prayer a Christian may safely conclude these five things First The excellency of private prayer Certainly If it were not an excellent thing for a man to be in secret with God Satan would never make such head against it Secondly The necessity of this duty The more necessary any duty is to the internal and eternal welfare of a Christian the more Satan will bestir himself to blunt a Christians Spirit in that duty Thirdly The utility or profit that attends a conscientious discharge of this duty Where we are like to gain most there Satan loves to oppose most Fourthly The prevalency of private prayer If there were not a kind of an omnipotency in it if it were not able to doe wonders in heaven and wonders on earth and wonders in the hearts and lives and wayes of men Satan would never have such an akeing tooth against it as he hath Fifthly That God is highly honoured by this duty or else Satan would never be so greatly enraged against it This is certaine The more Glory God hath from any service we do the more Satan will strive by all his wiles and slights to take us either off from that service or so to interrupt us in that service that God may have no honour nor we no good nor himself no hurt by our private retirements But in the Twentieth and last place consider that you are only the Lords secret ones his hidden ones and therefore if you do not apply your selves to private prayer and to your secret retirements that you may enjoy God in a corner none will 'T is only Gods hidden ones his secret ones that are spirited principled and prepared to waite on God in secret Exod. 19. 5. Then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people The Hebrew word Segullah signifieth Gods special Jewels Gods proper ones or Gods secret ones that he keeps in store for himself and for his own special service and use Princes lock up with their own hands in secret their most precious and costly Jewels and so doth God his Psal 135. 4. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure or for his secret Gem. Psal 83. 3. They have taken craftie counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones or thy secret ones so called partly because God hides them in the secret of his Tabernacle partly because God sets Psal 31. 20. as high a value upon them as men do upon their hidden treasure their secret treasure yea he makes more reckoning of them than he doth of all the world besides And so the world shall know when God shall arise to revenge the wrongs and injuries that hath been done to his secret ones Neither are there any on earth that knowes so much of the secrets of his love of the secrets of his counsels of the secrets of his purposes of the secrets of his heart as his secret ones do Neither are there any in all the world that are under those secret influences those secret assistances those secret incomes those secret anointings of the Spirit as his secret ones are under And therefore no wonder if God calls them again and gain and again his secret ones Now what can be more comely or more desireable than to see their natures and their practices to answer to their names They are the Lords secret ones his hidden ones and therefore how highly doth it concern them to be much with God in secret and to hide themselves with God in a corner Shall
with Hannah thou can'st but weep out a prayer or with Moses stammer out a prayer or with Hezekiah chatter out a prayer yet do as well as thou can'st and thou shalt find acceptance with God 2 Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not The Publicans prayer had not much Rhetorick or eloquence in it God be merciful to me a sinner and yet God accepted it He Luke 18. 13. prayed much though he spake little and God did not turn a deafe ear upon him That God that once accepted a handfull of meale Lev. 2. 1 2. Chap. 6. 15. Luke 21 3. for a sacrifice and a gripe of Goats hair for an oblation and the poor widows two mites as if they had been two millions will certainly accept of what thou art able to do though thou dost fall short yea much short of what thou oughtest to doe Lord saith Luther thou commandest me to pray I cannot pray as I would yet I will obey for though my prayer be not acceptable yet thine own commandement is acceptable to thee If weak Christians would but put forth in prayer that little strength they have God would quickly renew their spiritual strength he would certainly carry them on from strength to strength he would Isa 49. 29 30 31. Psal 84. 7. still by secret assistances and secret influences help them on in their heavenly trade As a loving indulgent Father will take his little Child in his armes and carry him on in his way home ward when his strength begins to fail him and he can walk no further and the way proves dirty slippery or uneven So doth God by his Hos 11. 3. I taught Ephram also to go as a nurse doth the infant taking them by their arm When Gods poor Children come to a fowl way or a rough place he takes them up in his own arms and helps them over the quagmire of Crosses and the difficulties of duties and over all that straitness and narrowness and weakness oâ— spirit that doth attend them in their closet performances 'T is observable that when the King of Israel was to shoot the Arrow 2 Kings 13. 16. he did put his hand upon the Bow and Elisha did put his hand upon the Kings hand So when we go into our Closets we are to put up our hand and then the Spirit of God likewise will put his hand upon our hand he will put his strength to our strengâ—h or rather to our weakness Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities lifts with us or helpeth together The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie such a help as when another man of strength and ability steppeth in to sustain the burden that lieth upon our shoulders be it a logg or a piece of timber setting his shoulders under it to lift up and bear part of it with us or to help us as the nurse helpeth her little child upholding it by the sleeve When a poor Christian sets himself to closet prayer or to mourn or to believe or to obey c. then the Spirit comes in with new help and new influences and new assistances and so carryes him on in all these noble services That child that doth but stammer at first in time will speak plainly and fluently O how many Christians are there that now can pray with much freedom liberty and fluency who at first could only sigh out a prayer or stammer out a prayer or weep out a prayer Thou saiest thou canst not pray but didst thou but stir up thy self to obey that command Matth. 6. 6. as well as thou canst thou dost not know but that a power may go forth with the command that may enable thee to act suitable to the command In Matth 9. 1 9. Christ bid the Palsie man rise and walk Take up thy bed and go unto thine house The Palsie man might have objected Alas I am carried by four I am not able to stir a limb much less to rise but least of all to take up my bed and walk c. Oh but he rouseth up himself as well as he could and a power went forth with the command that enabled him to do what was commanded So Matth. 12. 10 14 There was a poor man that had a withered hand and Christ commands him to stretch forth his hand he might have replied My hand is withered and if I might have as many worlds as there be men in the world to stretch it forth I could not stretch it forth yea if my very life if my very salvation did lie upon stretching forth my withered arm I could not stretch it forth Oh but he throws by all such plea's and complies with Christ's command as well as he could and a power went forth and healed his hand O sirs if you would but pray in your closets as well as you can you do not know but that such power and virtue might flow from Christ into your hearts as might carry you on in your closet duties beyond expectation even to admiration others have found it so and why not you why not you Well remember that God is no curious nor critical observer of the incongruous expressions that falls from his poor children when they are in their closet duties he is such a father as is very well pleased with the broken expressions and divine stammerings of his people when they are in a corner 'T is not a flood of words nor studied notions nor seraphical expressions nor elegant phrases in prayer that takes the ear or that delights the heart of God or that opens the gates of glory or that brings down the best of blessings upon the soul but uprightness holiness heavenlyness spiritualness and brokenness of heart these are the things that make a conquest upon God and that turns most to the souls account But Fifthly Thou sayst thou canst not pray but if thou art a child of God thou hast the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God is a Spirit of prayer and supplication That all the Children of God have the Spirit of God is most evident in the blessed Scriptures Take these for a taste Zach. 12. 10. I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication Psal 51. 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 1 Cor. 2. 12. 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 1 Thes 4. 8. Who hath given unto us his holy spirit 1 John 3. 2â— Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Chap. 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath
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
as the Greek article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he Elaphos doth manifest now in the females the passions of thirst are more strong as the naturalists observe By this David discovers what a vehement and inflamed thirst there was in his Soul after communion with God And as nothing could satisfie the hunted Hart but the water brooks so nothing could satisfie his soul but the enjoyments of God Psal 43. 4. Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy The altar of God is here put for the worship of God now it was not barely the Worship of God but communion with God in his Worship that was David'e exceeding joy Psal 63. 1 2 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Davids soul did not thirst after a Crown a Kingdom or any worldly greatnesse or glory but after a choise and sweet enjoyment of God in his wildernesse estate Never did any Woman with Child long more after this or that than Davids Soul did long to enjoy sensible communion with God in the midst of all his sorrows and sufferings Psal 84. 2. My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God By the Courts of the Lord we are to understand the ordinances now these without communion with God would never satisfie Davids Soul I commend that speech of Bernard Nanquam abs te absque te recedo I never come to thee but by thee Bern. epist 116. I never come from thee without thee When ever you go into your Closets press hard after real and sensible Communion with God that so you may come out of your Closets with some shines of God upon your spirits as Moses came down from the Mount with his Exod. 34. 29 35. face shining O do not take up in your Closet-prayers or tears or joyes or enlargements but labour and long to enjoy that inward and close Fellowship with God in your Closets as may leave such a choice and sweet favour of God both upon your hearts and lives as others may be forced to say surely Acts 4. 13. these have been with Jesus 'T is sad when Christians return from their Closets to their shops their trades their families their commerce c. without the least visible rayes of divine glory upon them O Sirs Closet-prayer will be found to be but a dry saplesse live-lesse heartlesse comfortlesse thing if you do not enjoy Communion with God in it Communion with God is the very Life Soul and Crown of all your Closet-duties and therefore press after it as for Life When you go into your Closets let every thing go that may hinder your fruition of Christ and let every thing be embraced that makes way for your enjoyment of Christ O let Closet-prayer be a golden bridge a wherry a Chariot to convey your Souls over to God and to bring you into a more intimate Communion with God Let no Closet-duty satisfie you or content you wherein you have not conversed with God as a Child converseth with his Father or as a wife converseth with her Husband or as a Friend converseth with his Friend even face to face Nothing speaks out more unsoundness falsness and baseness of heart than this when men make Duty the end of Duty Prayer the end of Prayer than when men can begin a Duty and go on in a Duty and close up a Duty and bless and stroake themselves after a Duty and yet never enjoy the least Communion with God in the Duty But how shall a man know when he Quest hath a real Communion with God in a Duty or no This is a very noble and necessary Question and accordingly it calls for a cleer and satisfactory Answer and therefore thus First A man may have Communion Sol. with God in sorrow and tears when he hath not Communion with God in joy delight a Psal 51. 17. man may have Communion with God in a heart-humbling a heart-melting and a heart-abasing way when he hath not Communion with God in a heart reviving a heart-cheering and a heart-comforting way 'T is a very great mistake among many tender spirited Christians to think that they have no Communion with God in their Closets except they meet with God embracing and kissing Cant. 2. 4 5 6. cheering and comforting up of their souls when they find God raising the springs of joy and comfort in their souls when they find God a speaking peace unto them when they find the singular sensible Psal 85. 8. presence of God cheering refreshing and enlarging of them in their Closets O then they are willing to grant that they have had sweet Communion with God in their Closets But if God meets with them in their Closets and only breaks their hearts for sin and from sin if he meets with them and only makes his power and his presence manifest in debasing and casting down of their souls upon the sight and sence of their strong corruptions and many imperfections how unwilling are are they to believe that they have had any Communion with God Well Friends remember this once for all viz. That a Christian may have as real Communion with God in a heart-humbling way as he can have in a heart-comforting way a Christian may have as choice Communion with God John 20. 11 19. when his eyes are full of tears as he can have when his heart is full of joy Sometimes God meets with a poor Christian in his Closet and exceedingly breaks him and humbles him and at other times he meets with the same Christian in his Closet and mightily cheers him and comforts him sometimes God meets with a poor Soul in his Closet and there he sweetly quiets him and stills him and at other times he meets with the same Soul in his Closet and then he greatly revives him and quickens him God doth not alwayes come upon the Soul one way he doth not alwayes come in at one and the same door We John 3. 8. sometimes look for a Friend to come in at the fore-door and then he comes in at the back-door and at other times when we look for him at the back door then he comes in at the fore-door and just so 't is with Gods coming into his peoples souls Sometimes they go into their Closets and look that God will come in at the fore-door of joy and comfort and then God comes in at the back-door of sorrow and grief and at other times when they look that God should come in at the back-door of humiliation breaking and melting their hearts then God comes in at the fore-door of joy and consolation cheering and rejoycing their souls But. Secondly I answer That all Christians do not enjoy a
small Communion with God and though some Christians have a strong Communion with God yet other Christians have but a weak Communion with God and though some of the people of God have a very close and neer Communion with God yet others of the people of God have but a more remote Communion with God and though some of Gods servants have a daily constant and uninterrupted Communion with God yet others of his servants have but a more transient and inconstant Communion with God But Thirdly I answer When a man acts grace in Closet-duties then certainly he hath Communion with God in Closet-duties 2 Tim. 1. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 8. when a man in Closet-duties acts faith on God or faith on the promises or faith on the blood of Christ or when a man in private duties acts repentance for sin or love to Jesus Christ or sets up God as the object of his fear or as the object of his joy c. then he hath Communion with God then he hath fellowship with the Father 1 John 1. 3. and with the Son An unregenerate man may act gifts and parts in a duty but he cannot act grace in a duty for no man can act grace in a duty but he that hath grace in his soul And hence it comes to passe that unsanctified Isa 1. 11 12 13 persons under the highest activity of their arts parts and gifts in religious duties enjoy no Communion with God at all witness the Scribes and Pharises Demas Judas Simon Magus c. As ever you would have an evidence of your Communion with God in Closet-duties carefully look to the activity of your graces carefully 2 Tim. 1. 6. stir up the grace of God which is in you But Fourthly I answer When a man hath Communion with God in his Closet then he gives God the glory of all his actings and Psal 115. 1. activities Communion with God alwayes helps a man to set the Crown of praise and honour upon the head of God witnesse that gracious and grateful Doxology of David and his people in that 1 Chr. 29. 13. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name Men that enjoy no Communion with God in Religious Duties are still a sacrificing unto their own Net and a burning incense unto Hab. 1. 16. their own Drag they are still a blessing themselves and a stroaking of themselves and applauding Luke 17. 11. 12. themselves they think the Garland of praise the Crown of honour becomes no head but their own but now men that enjoy Communion with God in Religious Duties they will uncrown themselves to crown God they will uncrown their duties to Crown the God of their duties they will Acts 3 11 12 13 16. Rev. 4. 10. 11. Chap. 5. 11 12. uncrown their arts parts gifts and inlargments to set the Crown of praise upon the head of God alone Thou thinkest that thou hast Communion with God in Closet-duties yea thou sayest that thou hast Communion with God in Closet-duties but on whose head dost thou put the garland of praise if on Psal 148. 13. Gods head thou hast Communion with God if on thine own head thou hast no Communion with God As all the Rivers run into the sea all the lines meet in the Center so when all our Closet-duties terminate and center in the advance of Gods glory then have we communion with God in them Constantine did use to write the Name of Christ over his door When a man hath Communion with Christ in a duty then he will write the Name of Christ the Honour of Christ upon his duty Some say that the Name of Jesus was engraven upon the heart of Ignatius sure I am when a man hath Communion with God in a Duty then you shall find the Honour and Glory of Jesus engraven upon that Duty But Fifthly I answer When the performance of Closet-duties leaves the soul in a better frame then a man hath Communion with God in them When a man comes off from Closet-duties in a more holy frame or in a more humble frame or in a more spiritual frame or in a more watchful frame or in a more heavenly frame or in a more broken frame or in a more quickened and enlivened frame c. then certainly he hath had Communion with God in those Duties When a man comes out of his Closet and finds the frame of his heart to be more strongly set against sin than ever and to be more highly resolved to walk with God than ever and to be more eminently crucified to the world than ever and to be more divinely fix't against temptations than ever then without all peradventure he hath had communion with God in his closet Sixthly I answer when Closet-duties fit a man for those other duties that lye next his hand then doubtless he hath had Communion with God in them When private duties fit a man for publick duties or when private duties fit a man for the duties of his place calling and condition wherein God hath set him then certainly he hath had fellowship with God in Eccl. 9. 10. them When a man in Closet-duties finds more spiritual strength and power to perform the duties that are next incumbent upon him then assuredly he hath met with God when private prayer fits me more for family-prayer or publick prayer then I may safely conclude that God hath drawn neer to my soul in private prayer or when one Closet-duty fits me for another Closet-duty as when praying fits me for reading or reading for praying or when the more external duties in my Closet viz. reading or praying fits me for those more spiritual and internal duties viz. self-examination holy meditation soul-humiliation c. then I may rest satisfied that there hath been some choice intercourse between God and my soul When the more I pray in my Closet the more fit I am to pray in my Closet and the more I read in my Closet the more fit I am to read in my Closet and the more I meditate in my closet the more fit I am to meditate in my closet the more I search and examine my heart in my Closet the more fit I am to search and examine my heart in my Closet and the more I humble and abase my soul in my closet the more fit I am to humble abase my soul in my closet then I may be confident that I have had communion with God in my Closet Seventhly I answer That all private communion with God is very soul-humbling and soul-abasing Abraham was a man that had much private communion with God and a man that was very vile and low in his own eyes Gen 18. 27. And Abraham answered and said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes In respect of my original saith Abraham I am but base dust and ashes and in respect of my deserts I
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
out of Heaven for and therefore in all your private duties and services labour after that communion with God in them that may break the neck and heart of your most bosome sins When Darius fled before Alexander that he might run the faster out of danger he threw away his Massie Crowne from his head As ever you would be safe from eternal danger throw away your golden and your silver Idols throw away your bosome sins your darling lusts And thus I have done with the Answers to that noble and necessary Question that was last proposed My Ninth Advice and Counsel is this In all your Closet-Duties look that your ends be right look Christus opera nostra non tam actibus quam finibus pensat Zanch. that the Glory of God be your ultimate end the mark the white that you have in your eye There is a great truth in that old saying Quod non actibus sed finibus pensantur officia That duties are esteemed not by their acts but by their ends Look as the shining Sun puts out the light of the fire so the glory of God must consume all other ends There may be malum opus in bona materia as in Johu's zeal Two things make a good Christian good actions and good aims And though a good aim doth not make a bad action good as in Vzzah yet a bad aim makes a good action bad as in Jehu whose Justice was approved but his Policy punished God writes a nothing upon all those services wherein mens ends are not right Jer. 32. 23. They obeyed not thy voyce neither walked in thy Law they have done nothing of all that thou hast commanded them to do So Dan. 9. 13. All this evill is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God The Jewes were very much in religious Duties and Services witness Isa 1. 11 12 13 14 15. Isa 58. 1 2 3. Zech. 7. 5 6. I might produce a hundred more witnesses to confirm it were it necessary but because they did not aim at the Glory of God in what they did therefore the Lord writes a nothing upon all their Duties and Services It was Ephraims folly that he brought forth fruit unto himself Hos 10. 1. And it was the Pharisees hypocrisie that in all their duties and Mat. 6. 1 2 3 4 5. services they lookt at the praise of men Verily saith Christ you have your reward a poor a pitiful reward indeed Such men shall be sure to fall short of divine acceptance and of a glorious recompence that are not able to look above the praises of men Woe to that man that with Augustus is ambitious to go off the Stage of Duty with a plaudite Peter was See more of this in my Treatise on Holiness page 157 to p. 168. not himself when he denyed his Lord and cursed himself to get credit amongst a cursed crew As ever you would ask have speak and speed seek and find look that the glory of the Lord be engraven upon all your closet-duties He shall be sure to speed best whose heart is set most upon glorifying of God in all his secret retirements When God Crowns us he doth but Crown his own gifts in us and when we give God the Glory of all we do we do but give him the glory that is due unto his Name for 't is he and he alone that works all our works in us and for us All Closet Duties are good or bad as the mark is at which the soul aims He that makes God the object of Closet Prayer but not the end of Closet Prayer doth but lose his Prayer and take pains to undoe himself God will be Alexander or Nemo he will be All in All or he will be nothing at all Such prayers never reach the Ear of God nor delight the heart of God nor shall ever be lodg'd in the bosome of God that are not directed to the glory of God The end must be as noble as the means or else a man may be undone after all his doings A mans most glorious actions will at last be found to be but glorious sins if he hath made himself and not the glory of God the end of those actions My Tenth Advice and Counsel is this Be sure that you offer all your Closet Prayers in Christs Name and in his alone John 14. 13 14. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the father may be glorified in the son If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it John 15. 16. That whatsoever ye shall ask of the father in my name he may give it you John 16. 23 24 26. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name he will give it you Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say unto you that I will pray the father for you O Sirs this is your Priviledg as well as your comfort that you never deal with God but by a Mediator When you appear before God Jesus Christ appears with you and he appears for you when you do invocare then he doth advocare when you put up your petitions then he doth make intercession for you Christ gives you a commission to put his name upon all your requests and whatsoever prayer comes up with this name upon it he will procure it an answer In the state of innocency man might worship God without a Mediator but since sin hath made so wide a breach between God and Man God will accept of no worship from man but what is offered up by the hand of a Mediator Now this Mediator is Christ alone 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God men the man Christ Jesus One Mediator not of Redemption only as the Papists grant but of Intercession also which they deny The Papists make Saints and Angels co mediators with Christ but in this as in other things they fight against cleer Scripture-light The Apostle plainly tells us that the Office of Intercession pertaineth unto Christ as part of his Mediation Heb. 7 25. And 't is certain that we need no other Master of requests in Heaven but the man Christ Jesus who being so neer to the Father and so dear to the Father and so much in with the Father can doubtlesse carry any thing with the Father that makes for his glory and our good This was typified in the Law The High Priest alone did enter into Ex. 28. 29. the Sanctuary and carry the names of the Children of Israel before the Lord whil'st the people stood all without this pointed out Christs Mediation In that Lev. 16. 13 14. you read of two things First of the cloud of Incense that covered the Mercy-Seat Secondly Of the blood of the Bullock that was