commotion a secret conclave or locked Parlor where no company is to come 2. Shut thy door this word imports yet a further degree of secrecy q. d. That thou maist make thy self to be less observed shut up thy self in a room let none come at thee to disturb thee in thy conversings with God bar the door and make it fast yea let none over-hear thee in thy retired devotions For observe it in true Closet-Prayer there should be an including of the voice as well as the body some pray so loud in their chambers that they may be heard into the streets this is not properly Closet-Prayer since it doth not attain the end of this retirement which is an approving the heart only to God and avoiding all shews and occasions of hypocrisie and vain-glory for it is all one as to this end whether the body be seen or the voice be heard Only remember this is spoken of secret Prayer for it doth not exclude publick Prayer in a congregation where the body is seen and voice is heard Yet it doth by a kind of Synecdoche require self-denial singleness and sincerity in all kind of Prayer Unae specie simplicitatis pro toto genere posita publick private secret for one part or sign of uprightness in the duty is put for the whole shutting the door for integrity of heart in the whole management of this great Affair 3. Here 's the object of Prayer Pray to thy Father Thy business is not with men but with God seek therefore to please and injoy him Nor yet art thou to fetch a compass and pray to Saints and Angels but go straight to God in the name of Christ and be sure thou look upon him as under the sweet relation of a tender Father yea Quod nomen nemo nostrum in oratione auderet attingere nisi ipse nobis sic permisset oâ—are Cyprian Serm. de Orat. Dom. p. 414. Thy Father Oh a sweet word a blessed word and such a word as we durst not have taken into our mouths had it not been for Christ's glorious undertaking to purchase for us the adoption and this gracious commission and in the platform of Prayer the prescription and for God the Father's voluntary condescention Come then and fear not poor Disciple of Christ come with filial affections and the Spirit of Adoption and thou art sure to speed for this paternal relation imports affection provision condescention and compassion If thou wilt be a Child to him he will be a Father to thee 2 Cor. 6.18 4. Here 's the Arguments and incouragements to this duty of secret Prayer 1 Thy Father sees in secret All 's one to him whether you be in a publick Church or private Closet God whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun sees you in the one place as well as in the other and though men see you not yet content your selves with this That God and your consciences are competent witnesses of your uprightness with whom you have to do and from whom you have your reward 2. He will reward thee openly There 's two things in this expression 1. They shall be rewarded 2. They shall be openly rewarded So that men shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth Psal 58.11 The Scribes and Pharisees do all their works to be seen of men and of men they have that sorry reward you do yours in the sight of God and from him you shall receive your abundant and eternal recompence Though men see you not fear not you shall be seen and accepted by him that searcheth hearts and knoweth the mind of his spirit But of these more anon The sum and design of the Text is this Thou my Disciple seest the plausible practices of thy hypocritical Pharisees to gain credit and applause they perform their private duties in publick places as Markets and Synagogues that they may pass among men for eminent Saints and they are generally so esteemed that 's their reward But thou that hast given up thy name to me in the profession of my Name take my counsel for regulalating this sweet Duty of secret Prayer Let none see what thou goest about steal time from all observers withdraw thy self into some Closet or private place and when thou hast made all fast do thou set thy self in the presence of God approve thy heart to him lay open thy bosom before him tell him all thy grievances and though no creature is privy to thy secret groans yet be sure that all thy desires are before God and thy groaning is not hid from him and he takes notice of thy tears and reserves them in a bottle by him to be rewarded in a visible manner in a seasonable time thy labour is not in vain thy work is with the Lord and thy reward with thy God SECT III. Doctrines raised and cleared THere are many Doctrines lye couched in the words I shall but hint them and pitch upon one 1. Prayer is a choice part of religion it s a piece of natural worship though the right ordering of it is by institution yet 't is a main part of Religion Therefore often put in Scripture for the whole service of God He that calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 A prayerless soul is graceless 2. Prayer is a duty much abused There 's scarce any thing so much perverted and corrupted as this choice duty by formality hypocrisie superstition base and by-ends as is clear by these Pharisees many wayes and their younger brethren the Papists at this day Masses Dirges Invocation of Saints c. 3. There are several sorts of Prayer Both as to the kinds modes and circumstances The Apostle distinguisheth of Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks 1 Tim. 2.1 There 's also publick-Publick-Prayer family-Family-Prayer and closet-Closet-Prayer Now a Christian must pray with all Prayer and Supplication Eph. 6.18 The last is here insisted on 4. A Christian must do nothing for praise or applause especially in matters of Religion It is a base prostituting the highest things of God to our beastly lusts It is to feed an humour and damn the soul with that which should save it Let no Christians as the Pharisees here make Prayer truckle to their credit Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory 5. There are set and stated times of Prayer This is hinted in this word When when thou prayest A time there must be for it though the point of time is not determined yet a time must be set apart for the duty every day a Christian must chuse out the fittest time for the duty by the due use of his liberty and discretion 6. Circumstances are of great use in all our actions The streets are proper places to walk talk buy and sell in but not so fit for Prayer the Church is a fit place for publick devotion not so for a solemn performance of
the duty of secret Prayer Although mental ejaculations are fit enough in both yet it 's not convenient to kneel down or use outward gestures of secret Prayer there 7. Closet-Prayer must be with all secrecy and solitariness In a Closet door shut As we must not blow a Trumpet when we give Alms so we must not hold out a flag when we go to wait on God in the Duty of Prayer It was carnal counsel the brethren of Christ gave him Joh. 7.4 Shew thy self to the World The reason is given v. 5. For neither did his brethren believe in him A sad sign of carnality 8. God alone is the proper object of our Prayers pray to thy Father As he is the object of our Faith so of Prayer For he alone can help therefore he is to be sought none else sees our state or can satisfie souls Isa 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us 9. In all our addresses to God we must own God as our Father as having adopted us in Christ because his therefore ours I ascend saith Christ to my Father and your Father Joh. 20.17 Indeed by nature we were children of wrath but by grace children of his Love so that they may say as Isa 64.8 But now O Lord thou art our Father Oh plead and improve this relation 10. God is omnipresent Hinc omnipraesens est quia nullum est Ubi unde est exclusus neque alicubi est inclusus Ames Med. Theol. lib. 1. Cap. 4. 47. Thy Father which is in secret the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him 1 King 8.27 He filleth all places with his immense and infinite essence Heaven is his throne the Earth is his footstool he is excluded from no place included in none for he is without all limitation dimension or termination 11. God is omniscient Thy Father which seeth in secret The darkest night or secretest closet or most hidden thought of a reserved heart can neither hide or be hid from God's all-seeing eye Heb. 4.13 God beholds all things in Heaven and on Earth with one simple single act of his Understanding without composition discourse or representation of Species 12. Every believing Prayer hath a sure reward He will reward thee openly Not a good word to God or work for God shall be lost To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward Prov. 11.18 And we know every right Prayer is a real seed Psal 126.6 And it will rise in a full and plentiful crop another day 13. The reward of secret Prayer shall be open and manifest They have already a reward and gift in secret Communion with God is an abundant recompence In keeping thy Commandements there is great reward Psal 19.11 But this is a praemium ante praemium reward before the reward the other shall be in Heaven before Angels and Men. 14. A Christians reward is from God Thy Father will reward thee Not men Scribes and Pharisees have their reward from men from men they expect it Saints expect their reward from God and God gives it them Men reward them evil for their good will and they expect no better If better come from men they own it as a gratuity sent from their Father It 's a principle of Religion to know and believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 And as God gives a reward so he is the reward of his Saints Gen. 15.1 Yea an exceeding great reward It can admit of no Hyperbole it cannot have a sufficient Emphasis to enjoy God is a reward sufficient in and for the service of God These Doctrines would afford large discourses but none of these are the subject I shall insist upon I shall raise one from the main scope of the Text which is this Doct. That Closet-Prayer is a Christian Duty Secret Prayer is an Evangelical exercise Every child of God may and must perform the duty of Secret Prayer As a Christian must pray all manner of Prayer so in all places 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray every where And if every where then in their Closets This divine Incense should perfume every room and should ascend to Heaven from Chambers as well as Churches Any place now is fit for a divine Oratory Psal 109.4 Psal 30. title God and a believing soul may meet in a corner a Saint should give himself to Prayer and dedicate his house to God he should as it were consecrate every room in his house to be a place of private devotion Abraham reared an altar to God wherever he came so must a Christian make every place where he can get closs to the duty a place of Prayer Mr. Mede hath undertaken to prove from Josh 24.26 That the Jews of old and Christians in Gospel-times had their Proseuchae or praying places which he thus describes as to the Jews of old Proseucha saith he Medes Diatribae pag. 279. was a plot of ground encompassed with a wall or some other like mound or inclosure and open above much like to our Courts the use properly for Prayer as the name Proseucha imports And these were without the Cities as Synagogues were within Of this as he thinks were those in Act. 21.31 and Luk. 6.12 Where Jesus Christ is said to continue all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Proseucha Dei in the place of Prayer or Proseucha of God Now although I shall say little of the Notion yet I cannot see how it will prove any relative holiness of places nor yet do I believe or find but that the Saints had other praying places as in houses and elsewhere as occasion was offered even in dwelling houses Act. 12.12 But as to this Duty of secret Prayer it must not be so narrowly confined but we may go to any Closet or private Room where our souls may meet with God And as one saith we shall not fail to find that the Grots and caves lye as open to the coelestial influences The life of Dr. Hammond in a letter p. 201. as the fairest and most beautiful Temples SECT IV. Instances of several in Scripture that used Closet-Prayer THe Doctrine needs no Explication but Confirmation which I shall do from Scripture-Instances and Reasons We have several Examples of Patriarchs Prophets Apostles that used this duty of solitary or secret prayer 1. Abraham The friend of God and Father of the faithful conversed much with his God alone particularly in this duty of Prayer Gen. 18.22 When the men i. e. the created Angels that seemed men were gone towards Sodom Abraham stood yet before the Lord or Jehovah i. e. Jesus Christ the Angel of the Covenant Standing is a praying posture therefore put for prayer hence Abraham drew near and pleaded with God for Sodom That was his errand to God at that time No doubt he had used this course frequently in other cases Hence arose that intimacy betwixt God and Abraham So that God
Temple Alas poor Jonah knew not now which way the Temple stood he had but a short prospect in that dark and narrow Prison yes faith can set Jonah upon one of the Mountains of Israel that thence he may see as far as Mount Zion and reach as high as Heaven he prayes yea cryes God hears and delivers as low as he was he knocks at Heaven gates and his Prayer doth pierce the Clouds it makes bold and steps in My prayer saith he came in unto thee into thine holy Temple Jonah 2.2 7. Oh the strange and swift motion of a believing Prayer Let the praying soul be where it will the Prayer will come to God's ear and get an answer 2. A Child of God that cannot speak a word may put up an acceptable Prayer suppose the tongue which is the organ of speech were cut out yet a Saint cannot thereby be obstructed in his access to God by Prayer For as Amesius saith Oratio formaliter est actus voluntatis Prayer is formally the act of the Will desire is the soul of Prayer which God may hear though it be not expressed for he knows the heart Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble A Saints desire is a real Prayer if the desire be right words are but the outward garb habit or cloaths as I may so say of Prayer the carcass or shell of the duty ardent desires are the life kernel Exod. 14.15 1 Sam. 1.13 Neh. 2.4 marrow of the performance Hence we find that Moses Hannah and Nehemiah are said to pray when Scripture doth not express a word they speak nor is it probable they did make an articulate sound I speak not this to indulge carnal men in their lazy conceited ejaculations Deus exaudit non solum preces indicativas sed optativas Luth. as though they could pray well enough and never speak or while they are working walking talking Let me hint a word by the way to these Consider silly soul God hath given thee a body and thou must offer it to God as a reasonable sacrifice thou art bound in conscience to pray and praise God with thy tongue which is thy glory yea let me tell thee if thou hast those members of body and an opportunity to pray thus solemnly with thy tongue upon thy knees and dost never do it I question whether thou prayest at all or no since thou livest in the apparent neglect of a known duty What I speak of the Saints real though sometimes without vocal Prayers is to commend the duty and comfort those Saints that may be put to these exigencies that though they cannot speak yet they may pray and be heard and answered SECT III. Shewing the Power of Prayer I Might from hence take occasion to discover the strength and efficacy of this duty of Prayer from the consideration of Closet-Prayer though but a poor single person get upon his knees in a Corner and have no creature to help him yet he can even undertake to grapple with the omnipotent and eternal God yea by his strength may have power with God as we heard of Jacob who by single wrestling with him hand to fist as it were wrestled a blessing from him One poor single Elijah could stand against at least four hundred Prophets of Baal 1 King 18.36 and prevail having recourse to the living God by Prayer yea the Apostle tells us that this Elijah though but a mortal man yet he shut up and opened Heaven that it rained and rained not according to his Prayer hence he infers an universal Maxim that the effectual servent Prayer of a righteous man avails much and illustrates it by that notable instance James 5.16 17 18. But some may object Elijah was a great Prophet an extraordinary person he might prevail when we cannot he answers He was no more than a man a Man subject to like passions as we are a sinful creature he prevailed not for any merits of his own but through faith in the Mediator of the Covenant and so may we There 's not the meanest Child of God but hath the same plea Mr. Gurnal on Eph. 6.10 p. 42. God hath strength enough to give saith one but he hath no strength to deny Here the Almighty himself with reverence be it spoken is weak even a child the weakest in grace of his family that can but say Father is able to overcome him for Prayer is in a sort omnipotent it can conquer the invincible Jehovah Vincit invincibilem ligat omnipotentem and bind the hands as it were of an omnipotent God so that God is fain to cry out to wrestling Moses Let me alone 'T is said of Luther That man could do with God even what he would Prayer hath a kind of commanding compulsive power That 's a strange Text Isa 45.11 Ask me of things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me So some take it ye shall find me as ready to do you service as if ye had me at command yet this must be warily received not as though God were forced to any thing against his will but when Gods people pray aright in the name of Christ according to his will 1 Joh. 5.14 he heareth them and this he attributes to Prayer for the credit of that duty and incouragement of praying souls That 's a notable Text to shew the readiness of God to answer Prayer Joh. 16.26 27. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the father himself loveth you Christ in this place doth not simply deny that he will intercede for them but shews how ready God is of his own accord to grant the Saints petitions They shall not be put to any great trouble about it but shall be quickly dispatcht in their errand to the Throne of Grace For as * Exiguus gemitus in auribus Dei fortissimas est clamor ita coelum terram replet ut praeter eum Deus nihil audiat atcompescit omnes omnium aliarum rerum clamores Luth. tom 4. Luther speaks a poor groan in the ears of God is a mighty noise and doth so fill Heaven and earth that God can hear nothing besides it and silenceth all other tumults to hearken to it Of what an easie quick access My blessed Lord art thou how suddenly May our requests thy ear invade To shew that State dislikes not easiness If I but lift mine eyes my suit is made Thou canst no more not hear than thou canst dye See more in Herberts Poems pag. 95. SECT IV. Shewing the property of a true Christian ONce more I might shew the duty and property of a sincere Christian that can make this excellent use of solitariness Carnal persons love not to be alone except they be such whose constitution inclines them to Melancholy and then they sit poring on things without profit 't is only the gracious soul that can tell how
Redeemer find a soul upon its knees before the Lord Oh the hearty welcom it will give unto its God! This is the time he waited for he was got into a corner was sighing for his sins pleading for mercy breathing after grace and panting for glory and behold what a quick return doth his God make Even while he is speaking and praying the Lord doth send a guard of Angels to conduct the soul into eternal Mansions where God and the soul shall part no more Blessed for ever happy is that soul whom its Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Now consider of it Whether state would you be found in And do not you know his Coming may be sudden and unexpected Would you be found under neglect or in the faithful performance of a duty Would you not be carried from your Closet-devotion to eternal communion with God Oh then take our Lord's most wholsom counsel Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is Mark 13.33 I might here challenge Christians also not only for their neglect of but careless performance of this duty of Closet-prayer with what sorry shifts do we put off God How hard dead unbelieving distracted are our hearts in secret God takes much pleasure in Adverbs it pleaseth not God that a duty be done except it be well done Many satisfie their own consciences that they have prayed but consider not how they prayed there 's a curse on such as do the work of God negligently Jer. 48.13 Mal. 1.14 and that have in their flock a male and offer to the Lord a corrupt thing And it 's a fearful thing to get a curse upon our knees when we come for a blessing Look to it God takes notice how you pray the Devil stands under your Closet-window and heareth what you say to God in secret all the while studying how he may commence a suit against you for your duty Like those that come to Sermons to carp or catch at what the Preacher saith or as one saith like a cunning opponent in the Schools while his adversary is busie reading his position he is studying to confute it and oh what advantage do we often give Satan to trip us and take us tardy What occasion do we afford him to accuse us to God and to our selves while we have our filthy garments on us Yea remissness in our duties brings decay in grace Tradesmen may go behind hand by being careless in their dealings as well as by being much out of their shops Alas what sad decay is in our souls for want of closs and constant communion with God We have very perverse hearts we have much ado with them when we would do good evil is present it is our great sin we are so much out of order even upon our knees Satan sends his imps to haunt and torment ment us he jogs our hand when we are to write a Letter to Heaven in our prayers so that we can scarce make sense of what we present to God Our thoughts are unfixed ranging abroad like a Spaniel to a thousand objects so that sometimes we have lost our selves and know not where we are Oh let us lament our vain and trifling spirits in secret duties and turn us unto God for help as a Servant when the child he tends is troublesom and will not be ruled by him calls out to the Father to come to him who no sooner speaks the word but all is whist with him our God can set in order our unruly spirits only he will be called upon by earnest Prayer Thus much for this use CHAP. V. The Third Vse is of Instruction SECT I. MY next and main work is to help us in the duty of Closet-Prayer by propounding some helps and rules for our direction which I shall reduce to these four heads viz. 1. Preparatives to it 2. Essentials in it 3. Circumstances about it 4. Consequences upon it 1. Look to your State and standing If you be not real Saints you are not fit for this spiritual duty Your Relation must be changed by converting grace Hence the Text saith Pray to thy Father See then that God be your Father in Jesus Christ else you cannot truly cry Abba Father If we must be reconciled to our Brother before we offer our gift much more to God for how can two walk together except they be agreed I deny not but a carnal soul should retire himself into a corner examine his state fall down on his knees and beg converting and pardoning grace and thus they must acquaint themselves with God that they may come before him for unsound unconverted sinners have no right as children to call to the King of Heaven though as creatures they may and must seek unto God yet they worship afar off 'T is the gracious Christian only that prayeth acceptably wicked mens prayers are abomination an hypocrite shall not come before him John 13.16 And indeed till you be real Saints you 'l have no mind to buckle close to this duty truth of grace will capacitate you for secret approaches to God strength of grace will elevate you to God and evidence of sincerity will make you come boldly to the Throne of Grace Therefore try your state inquire what relation you have to God or else expect no familiarity with him God will not take the wicked by the hand to lead them into these Chambers of communion the throne of iniquity hath no fellowship with him Our Lord Jesus marrieth none but Widows that are divorced from all other Husbands and he opens his heart to none but his betrothed Spouse her he leads into a solitary place and speaks to her heart Oh sirs come over clearly to God by closing with Christ renounce your selves get united to him and then come and welcom to enjoy communion with him in Closet-Prayer 2. Dispatch other things off your hearts and hands Let not your earthly occasions intrude into your Closet-Exercises Say to the cares and affairs of the world as Abraham to his Servants Stay there while I go and worship the Lord yonder Or as Nehemiah in another case I am doing a great work and I cannot come down to you So do thou say I have appointed other times and seasons for attending worldly businesses let me alone with my God every thing is beautiful in its season Communion with God is as much as I can attend at once I must not be diverted by other objects the business I am about is of the greatest importance I must consult how I may attend upon the Lord without distraction and worldly matters have distracted me in God's service and have cost me many a tear therefore get away from me Why should the work of the Lord cease Why should I be hindred from my God What can you afford me that can be worth one hours communion with my God Thus do you actually renounce the world for you cannot mind two things at once And observe it If
will not practise it Your own mouths will condemn you What needs any more Witnesses But if you be real Saints I dare say you do approve of it and practise it sometimes and why are you not constant in your obedience Is it not the property of a Saint to do righteousness at all times Psal 106.3 Oh consider this and do not either neglect a command or omit this known duty 2. Would you not have the truth of grace cleared up in your souls Surely there 's no Christian but would arrive at Assurance and this is one way to evidence sincerity being much with God in secret duty As he grieves truly that grieves without witness Ille doâ—…t vere qui sine teste dolet so those religious actings are most evidential of grace that are least obvious to the view of men and whereby a Christian approves his heart only to the heart-searching God Here 's the true Israelite that can Rom. 2.28 with Jacob converse with God alone and seeks his praise not of men but of God Observe it a Christian ordinarily hath not that comfort in a duty exposed to others view which he hath in that he performs betwixt God and his own Soul For there 's most danger of selfishness in the former and more self-denial in the latter The wind of applause may blow men far in a creditable performance but humility and sincerity is most evident in secret Appeals to God Consider this Christians you run to Sermons Ministers good Books and take much pains to try your state by marks and signs make tryal of this more compendious course to clear your state be much with God in Closet-Prayer 3. Would you not be found in the practice of the power of godliness Oh then fall closs to Closet-Prayer Alas sirs hearing Sermons reading Scriptures discoursing religiously praying in the family may be done only for fashion sake and the person that doth them may have no more than the form of godliness Mistake me not I do not condemn the practice of these nor them that do them as formalists for that God forbid they are Scripture duties but the outward part of these may be done without the power of godliness but to struggle with a man 's own heart to wrestle with God in a Corner to meditate and give up a mans self to these duties as in the presence of God oh this shews something of the power of grace and life of holiness This is heart-work and that 's hard work costly duties spiritual exercises which is more than to offer God thousands of Rams or a first-born Son David would not offer that to God that cost him nothing and shall we be content with the ordinary duties which may be consistent with an easie plodding formality 4. Would you not have your hearts cased under pressing burdens Are you in love with your sorrows would you not be rid of them Behold I shew unto you an excellent way to get ease which is a recourse to God in secret Prayer I have heard some precious Christians say that when any thing hath lyen upon their hearts ready to overwhelm them they have run to God in a corner and there have left their load and thence have gone with good Hannah and have been no more sad And experience tells us that when any pressing affliction lies upon us if we can unbosom our selves to an intimate friend though not a word of counsel or comfort pass from him yet that opening of our hearts doth ease as vomiting doth an oppressed stomack And hence saith Job I will speak that I may be refreshed And Scripture backs this in Phil. 4.6 Be careful in nothing but in every thing make your requests known to God and unload your cares and fears into the bosom of God but how Why by Prayer and Supplication in Thanksgiving lay your load on God by Prayer and he will bear it 5. Would you not obtain boldness in access to God and familiarity with him Oh go often to God in Closet-Prayer Princes take more state upon them when conversing with their favourites before others but when none are present they open their hearts more familiarly to them I know Abraham saith God he and I are well acquainted he is my friend he visits me often and shall I hide any thing from Abraham I 'll take him to a side and tell him my whole heart so will God to you he will communicate much to you and you may say any thing to him you are not strangers to him but may come into his presence boldly and he will make you welcom Heb. 4.16 On the contrary what a dreadful thing will it be to have strange thoughts of God in duty or at death Strangeness betwixt God and a soul is a sad uncomfortable thing Wicked men are total strangers to God gracious souls little imployed in secret prayer are little acquainted with God and worship afar off but sincere souls conversing much with God in secret attain to abundance of intimacy with the Lord and is not that a mercy worth a World 6. Would you not have the sins of others to bring wrath and judgment on the place Oh then let your souls weep and pray in secret places as Jeremiah did Chap. 13.17 This is the last and safest way to be delivered from the guilt of open crying sins in the Land even a mourning for them in prayer before the Lord thus did Lot and David Paul and all Saints Yea Moses's solitary prayer interposed betwixt flaming wrath and offending Israel thus did he stand in the gap and you may make an attonement for the Nation a gift in secret may pacifie that wrath that 's already broken out against us Wicked men sin in secret let us mourn in secret yea they sin openly let us lament privately The truth is 2 Kings 17.9 secret sins may undo a Nation except the cry of the Saints secret prayers be louder than the cry of wicked mens secret sins Oh fall to it Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord Lam. 2.19 7. Would you not have your own secret sins set in the light of God's countenance Psal 90.8 then repent and pray alone humble your souls in secret for your secret sins Are you not conscious to your selves of much secret guilt And doth not God expect that you should set your selves to mourn over them and cry to God for pardoning grace in secret Eccl. 12.13 Do you not know that God will bring every secret thing to light in the great day of accounts Nay God may punish you openly 2 Sam. 12.12 as he did David for his secret sin Well then anticipate that sad severe judgment by judging your selves and deprecating his righteous judgment I may say to thee Soul as Solomon bespeaks Shimei Thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to and where are thy prayers and
joy i. e. No creature on earth is privy to the secret groans or sweetest solace of a retired Saint That 's the second Reason SECT III. The third Reason is drawn from God seeing in secret ANother Reason is drawn from Gods Omniscience and Omnipresence the Text saith Thy Father sees in secret And the strength or force of this argument lyes in these four particulars 1. God sees in secret Therefore he takes notice whether thou pray in secret yea or no He looks after thee as it were when thou goest into such a chamber and solitary place and saith That soul hath now an opportunity a convenient place and fit occasion to wait upon me and will he not Will he be always so busie in other company that I must have none of his fellowship Must his converse be so much with men that he can spare no time for communion with God Nay will he go so often into such a room to do such and such a business and can he never find a time to go down upon his knees and visit me Hath he so much to do in the world that he hath no leisure to look up to Heaven Do his worldly occasions still thrust out spiritual meditations Will he never set himself solemnly to transact betwixt my self and him in Prayer and Meditation the most important business of his soul Ah sirs the Omnipresent God takes notice of all your motions into and out of your chambers and expects that sometimes at least your souls should wait upon him And why should Christians frustrate his expectation 2. God sees in secret Therefore he hath seen thy secret sins and sins in secret Thy closs and Closet-wickedness is naked and open before the piercing eyes of an all-seeing God therefore should thy Closet-tears and Prayers testifie thy sound and saving repentance For this is a rule in practical divinity that sorrow for sin must bear some proportion to the nature and circumstances of the sin both as to degree and circumstances of time and place Manassch humbled himself greatly for his great abominations So for place and manner them that sin openly must be rebuked before all and testifie their repentance before the Church 1 Tim. 5.20 So if the sin be private or less known the rule in Mat. 18.15.16 is to be observed for private admonition and confession And consequently secret sins must be secretly mourned for When thy sins are known to none but to God and thine own conscience thou art not bound to discover them to any other but to God in an hearty secret repentance except in some few cases Here then comes in secret prayer and godly sorrow Well then there 's none of us without our secret sins and God sees them all though never so privily committed we may hide sin from men we cannot hide it from the Lord he sets our secret sins in the sight of his countenance Psal 90.8 His eyes are open upon all the wayes of man and who knows all the errors of his life Job 34.21 21. Jer. 32.19 Pro. 5.10 Therefore must we get alone and enumerate all the sins we know of and desire God to shew us what we do not know and with holy David breath out that devout Petition Psal 19.12 Cleanse thou me from secret faults 3. God sees in secret Therefore thou dost not lose thy labour though men know not where thou art or what thou art a doing yet thy God takes notice of thee thou dost not thy good works incognito though thy groans are not seen or heard by men yet they are well known to thy God Psal 38.9 Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee As if David should say Lord I many times withdraw my self into a Closet or retired place and there I open before the Lord the sorrows of my soul I pour out my heart like water before the face of the Lord Lam. 2.19 Sometimes in the night-watches or in solitary places none knows what I am doing no eye sees no ear hears my briny trears or bitter out-cryes but the all-seeing God hides not his eyes from my tears stops not his ears to my cryes but knows my groans yea my very desires Observe it There is not a believing Prayer but it is upon the file and on record in Heaven though offered up by an obscure person in an obscure place yea God knoweth the meaning of his spirit in the hearts of his people Rom. 8.17 though the troubled Saint cannot tell whether it be indeed the spirit of God or no But this know that secret prayers in a chamber are as well known to God as open prayers in a publick Church heart-ejaculations are owned by God as well as loudest acclamations God took notice of Hezekiah when he turned his face toward the wall and wept and prayed and saith God I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears Isa 38.5 Though men did not much take notice God did yea more he expresseth his approbation and acceptation of these sacrifices in secret But of that anon 4. God sees in secret Therefore Closet-Prayer is a solemn acknowledgment of Gods omniscience and omnipresence When you pray in a corner you testifie your faith in Gods ubiquity and look upon him as filling Heaven and Earth and this God commands us to believe yea would have us to lye under the sense hereof Hence that vehement expostulation Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Yes saith the believing soul I know thou art every where no thought can be with-holden from thee therefore I wait on thee here all 's one where I am for wherever I am I cannot run away from thee and wherever I am I may approach unto thee And the Lord is nigh to broken hearts and praying souls Psal 34.15 17 18. He is not far from every one of us but his special presence is with his Saints in duty David composeth a Psalm of God's Immensity Psal 139. Wherein he shews 1. Gods omniscience in the six first verses Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up rising c. 2 Gods omnipresence ver 7. to ver 14. Whither shall I go from thy spirit If to Heaven thou art there c. Darkness and light are both alike to thee And what use doth holy David make of this Heavenly doctrine surely if God will be with him wherever he is he is resolved to be with God v. 18. When I awake I am still with thee i. e. by secret prayer and meditation when I lye down I commend my soul and body to thee and when I rise up I meditate of thee when I go to sleep I pray when I awake I am with God by holy and precious thoughts So that I am still with God all my dayes in all places conditions relations companies I am still with my God and as a good man
and are safe Prov. 18.10 A soul hid with God cannot be hurt by men If any be secured in a day of danger 't is those that are most with God in a corner Floods of great Waters shall not come nigh to praying Saints Psal 32.6 Hence saith David ver 7. Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble Some way or other God will attest and testifie the integrity of his praying servants before the World See Psal 31.19 20 91.15 Thus he dealt in the case of Job God's Children may be long concealed from the view of men both as to their persons and actions but in God's good time he brings them out with honour as he did with Elijah Sometimes God gives clear demonstrations of his tender affection to his despised Saints in the view of the world Rev. 3.9 I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee This is not a religious adoration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sese ad pede◠alicujus subjectionis causa provolvere qualiter catelli heris suit adblandiuntur but a civil reverence due to real Saints as an evidence of repentance or special respect as dogs fawn upon their Masters laying themselves at their feet As the word imports Natural conscience sometimes doth homage to the image of God in the Saints However this is a well-known truth that as God hath brought forth wicked mens secret works of darkness into open light to their confusion in this world So he hath clearly discovered his Saints upright services in secret corners to their honour and safety in the nick of time Jaddus hearing of Alexander's approach to Jerusalem set himself to pray then put on his priestly garments and met the Conqueror who fell down on his face before him Parmenio askt him why he adored the Jews High-Priest See Clarks general Martyrol Fol. 5. when as other men adored him Alexander answered I do not adore him but that God whom the High-Priest worshippeth for in my sleep I saw him in such an habit when I was in Macedonia But examples of this nature are frequent everywhere what strange effects prayer hath brought forth both for defence to the Saints and offence to their Enemies so that the clear evidence hereof hath wrested from many stout opposers that acknowledgment of the Queen of Scots that she feared more the prayers of John Knox than an Army of ten thousand fighting men But this is the second branch of this last reason God openly rewards by manifest deliverances in time of danger SECT V. The third way of rewarding secret Prayer is Increase of Grace 3. GOd rewards secret Prayer openly by conferring upon secret wrestlers more eminent gifts and graces of his Spirit and such as shall be taken notice of by others They that are most constant in secret Prayer shall be most eminent in open Prayer Such as with Moses converse with God in the Mount shall have shining faces The beauty of the Lord shall be upon them When a soul hath been with its God in a corner the effects are so remarkable that others shall take knowledge of him that hath been with Jesus And it must needs be so for conversing with God is of a transforming nature 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord God's appointments are as glasses through which we may see the face of God Now there are two sorts of glasses broader and narrower the broader glasses are publick Ordinances and the narrower glasses are these private Duties In both these a soul may seek and see the face of God and so become like him for seeing here is assimilating as the Vision of God hereafter is glorifying Oh 't is a beautifying and beatifical fight to see God! Fulness of grace is the best thing in glory peace and joy are but as it were the gloss and varnish of this fulness of grace Now the more a soul enjoys God the more God-like and Heaven-like he is for his graces shine brighter and he is still mounting higher And private or secret duties are notable wayes of communion with God yea sometimes a soul may miss of Christ in publick Ordinances and find him in secret so some interpret that place in Cant. 3.24 See Mr. Cotton in loc The Soul had sought her beloved in the bed of Temple-worship and publick Ordinances In the streets and broad wayes of Synagogues and communion of Saints still she found not her beloved then she seeks him in conferences and occasional meeting with the watchmen but she can yet hear no tydings of Jesus Christ but saith she It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth Observe it this was not when she was past all means in a way of neglect of or being above Ordinances for she was seeking him still which implyes the use of means only she had past the publick without finding and now she is in the use of private helps the after-duties of Meditation Self-examination secret Prayer and therein the soul finds God not that this reflects disparagement on the publick Ordinances but to shew that God is a free Agent and to be an ingagement and incouragement to us in the use of all Gods appointments And when the soul thus finds God in a corner it carries away something of God that casts a sweet perfume upon his person and acting that is taken notice of by others It may be said of such a soul as Isaac spoke of his son Jacob Gen. 27.27 See the smell of my Son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed So when a serious Christian comes down from his Closet where he hath met with his God oh what a sweet perfume of well-scented graces doth he cast forth The savour of Religion is upon him some breathing odours of holiness break from his lips hands and feet the power of Godliness doth manifest it self in his expressions actions conversation Where hath such an one been Surely he hath been conversing with God there is the lively image and inscription of God upon him and while that blessed frame continues he is not like himself as he excels carnal men at all times so now he excels himself Yea observe it A soul conversing much with God in the duties of Meditation and secret Prayer grows taller by head and shoulders than other ordinary Christians As all godly men are more excellent than their neighbours so a soul that waits much on God in secret Prayer is more excellent than most of his Godly neighbours and it appears so at present by his gifts in Praying and may appear in his support and comfort in the day of suffering Oh what a mighty man in Closet-Prayer was magnanimous Luther And what noble atchievements did he go
through Clarks general Martyr c. 29. fol. 243. William Gardiner Martyr in Portugal sought out solitary places for prayer before he attempted that strange act of publick opposition to Idolatry in taking the host out of the Cardinals hand trampling it under his feet and with the other hand overthrew the chalice Which act though it may seem scarce warrantable in an ordinary way yet shewed an heroical spirit for the main obtained by a conscientious attendance upon God in the duty of secret Prayer Ibid. fol. 318. Take one instance more it is Mr. George Wischard or Wise-heart one of the holiest men and choicest Reformers that Scotland ever had One night he gate up and went into a yard there he walked in an Alley for some space breathing forth many sobs and deep groans then he fell upon his knees and his groans increased then he fell upon his face Two men watcht him and heard him weeping and praying near an hour so went to bed again As this Saint was much with God so the Lord was much with him in preaching prophesying acting bravely and suffering death chearfully Surely the Spirit of God and of glory rested upon this man of God if ever upon any the adversaries themselves being Judges This is a great truth they have been most eminent that have been most with God in secret Prayer let Scripture and History speak time and room would fail me to enumerate Who more famous for piety and learning of late years than the great Vsher It was his usual practice to sequester himself into some privacy Dr. Bernard the life and death of Dr. Usher p. 27. and to spend it in strict examination penitential humiliation and ardent supplication and this he found sweet to his soul and others saw the effect SECT VI. The last reward of secret Prayer is at the great Day 4. THe last and chiefest reward that our heavenly Father will bestow on those that have waited on God in secret Prayer will be the open acknowledgment and acceptance of them at that solemn day of Judgment when the whole World shall be summoned before the Lord And every one shall receive the things done in his body according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Then our blessed Saviour who shall be Judge will single out this seed of Jacob and tell them they have not sought his face in vain he will now solemnly acknowledge them before his Father and all the holy Angels as persons with whom he hath had familiar acquaintance in a corner Oh the joy and triumph in such a publick acknowledgement When our dear Redeemer shall speak such a language as this before those myriads of creatures This or that soul calling it forth with honour though not taken notice of in the World for Religion much less for worldly Greatness hath yet had intimate familiarity with my self and I with him he hath performed many a solemn duty which none but an omniscient eye hath seen though he hath lived obscurely in the World and hath been little known to eminent Preachers or Professors yet he and I have been long and well acquainted I have had his company many times in a corner and now I cannot but remember the kindness of his youth and old age the love of his espousals when he went after me in solitary places rather than want my presence He hath visited me in duty and I have visited him in mercy Oh what mutual embraces and reciprocal exchanges of love have there been betwixt us He hath owned me and I have owned him in the day of adversity When ever he had any doubt or want or fear or affliction I heard from him in a Closet he sent his winged messenger of a believing Prayer to the throne of grace and I took it well from him I did not despise his person or deny his suit when others have been sporting away time in vain recreations or damning their souls in prophane practices this ransomed Believer when he could steal a little time run into a corner and there did make his moan to me and then I gave him something worth his pains I sent him away with a chearful heart and thankful tongue And now take notice all ye Angels and Men I declare that I accept this Soul's labour of love and pardon all its imperfections set him in my immediate presence in eternal mansions He that separated himself from the world shall now be separated from the goats and be set on my right hand he that longed so much to enjoy me shall everlastingly enjoy me without cessation or interruption Oh blessed day Oh transcendent reward Is not this a rewarding openly You 'l say How do you know that Jesus Christ will thus bespeak a praying Soul I reply though we know not the form of words he will speak yet that a discovery shall be made of the acts of piety and charity Mat. 25. evidently declares Yea that secret duties shall be brought to light as well as secret sins the Scriptures declare 1 Cor. 4.5 Who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God Then good men shall receive open approbation and commendation for their holy exercises in secret places Then will God wipe off all reproaching calumnies of black-mouthed lyars wherewith they have bespattered the reputation of praying Saints and clear up their uprightness as the noon-day by letting the world see how the Saints spent their time in corners both alone and with their fellow-Christians not in plotting but praying yea pleading for those that persecuted them Oh blessed day Oh happy Resurrection of bodies and of names Surely then praying souls will not then repent themselves of all their pains in private when they poured out their hearts in prayers and tears since now they are rewarded with such a blessed Euge and are openly entertained into their Master's joy and Father's Kingdom CHAP. III. The first Vse of Information SECT I. Concerning Places of Prayer 1. IF Closet-Prayer be a Christian Duty then it shews us that in Gospel-times God stands not precisely upon places this holy Incense may ascend to Heaven with as much acceptance upon the golden Altar the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ as well in a private Chamber as a publick Church Some have scornfully called private devotions by the derogating title of Chimney-Prayers and think to confine all religion to publick places yea a great Scholar said once God heard Prayer in a consecrated place Non quia precatur sed quia ibi not because men pray but because they pray there as though the conceited holiness of the place added some vertue to the Prayer Judaismus est alligare religionem ad certa loca Hospin de orig Temp. lib. 4. c. 2. or rendred it more acceptable to God This is worse than plain Judaism to tye Religion to places The
at last arrive to those mens arrogant demand Who seeth us Or that positive conclusion Psal 97.4 The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard But what saith the Psalmist to these brutish Soâ—s He that planted the ear shall he not hear He that formed the eye shall he not see ver 9. Let these Atheists know that God sees and sets down all their secret wickedness and will bring it forth before Angels and Men at the great day of reckoning The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron Jer. 17.1 and with a point of a Diamond it can never be razed out but by the blood of Christ and though by multiplyed acts of notorious sinning some may blur the engravings of sin on the table of their heart yet it shall be as writing with the juice of Lemmons being held to the fire of Gods wrath 't is as legible to the conscience as the first moment when the sin was committed Oh the secret wickednesses that wicked men have to reckon for But where are the secret Prayers Alas how rarely or how formally do they wait on God alone Custom vain glory and carnal interest may put them on joyning in publick Prayer or Family-duty but they are strangers to this spiritual self-denying duty of Closet-Prayer The carnal hypocrite exposeth all to open view he is like an house with a beautiful Frontispiece but every room within is dark as one saith he is a rotten Post fairly guilded he hath dressed himself in the garb of Religion and will be as devout as the best in Temple-worship but follow him to his Closet he cannot afford God one hour in a week he doth not make conscience of secret Prayer this gains him no credit with men and therefore is little used This rightly performed opens the heart to God which the unsound professor dare not do I shall shew hereafter whether the Hypocrite may use Closet-Prayer and wherein he is distinguisht from a sincere soul in that duty At present I am reproving those that never use it that look upon it as below them they either dare not be alone or scorn to stoop so low and sigh out their hearts to God in a corner as though they would not be beholding to the great God for any mercy but in their hearts and practice speak the language of those proud Atheists in Jer. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more unto thee But let such know they shall dye like Men and be damn'd like Devils that imagine they are gods and will not be beholding to our God for mercy Lord have mercy on these poor prayerless sinners that understand not the necessity and mystery of Closet-Prayer but look upon it as needless and are ready to say It s more ado than needs but let these prepare to make good that desperate assertion at the Bar of Gods justice with flames about their ears and let such know that God will answer their cavils against plain duty after another manner than his Ministers can do now To which dreadful Judgment we leave them except prevented by a speedy and sincere Repentance SECT II. The Godly reproved BUt the persons to be principally reproved at present are the professors of Religion that acknowledge this to be a duty but grievously neglect it I fear God's Children are not so constant and conscientious in the performance of this duty of Closet-Prayer as they ought to be Are not good Souls guilty of frequent omissions intermissions at least negligent performance of this duty It was one of old Mr. Dod's Instructions that at night we should ask our selves Have I twice this day humbled my self before God in private Who goes to bed and doth not pray Maketh two nights to every day Herbert And again How did I pray in Faith and Love I am afraid many of us should give but a sorry account of these serious inquiries Let 's be ashamed lay it to our hearts and give God glory by repentance and reformation For the humbling of our hearts in this case let me propound these ten awakning Interrogatories that we may mourn for our neglect of this duty of Closet-Prayer 1. Are you not very unlike Jesus Christ Is not he the perfect copy that we should write after And do we not find him often in private Prayer We meet with him in this solitary duty sometimes in the day Luk. 6.12 Mat. 26.36 sometimes in the night sometimes all night in a Garden in a Mountain he took all opportunities to go to his Father All the dayes of his flesh he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears Heb. 5.7 As he was a man of sorrows so he was a man of Prayers and the sharper his sorrows the stronger his cryes Luk. 22.44 Being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly And was not this for our example And for our advantage Should we not learn of him Nay doth not our very Christianity consist in our conformity to Christ Alas how unlike him are most of us Shall we pass for Christians that follow not his steps Was it not blessed Paul's study and ambition to be conformed to this blessed Pattern Can we imitate a better person Was it necessary Christ should wrestle for us and is it not as necessary we should wrestle with God for our own souls Or doth Christs praying for us excuse our pleading for our selves No no as it was for our example and benefit in the days of his flesh so his present intercession in Heaven doth both imply and incourage our praying for we are to ask in his name and imploy our dear Advocate that we may speed And shall not we as it were set him awork and send up our Prayers to be mixt with his sweet incense The Lord humble us for and pardon to us our neglects and omissions 2. Are you not herein very unlike the Saints of God The seed of Jacob are wrestlers with God God hath no Children still-born they all cry Abba Father Jacob wrestled with God in secret Prayer and ever since all the Saints in all ages have born that name Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob Selah i. e. That seek the God of Jacob as Jacob did Psal 32.6 And indeed every one that is godly will thus pray There might be brought a cloud of witnesses in all ages of praying Saints that conversed with God in secret 't is recorded of the Apostle James that his knees were as hard as Camels feet with praying Some have sought out for private places to pray in others have risen out of their beds to pray others have set days apart to humble themselves in secret by Fasting and Prayer others would never adventure on business without seeking God Such as are acquainted with Ecclesiastical Histories or Christian Experiences may find store of instances of this sort And why should we be unlike our Brethren Have we not
all one Spirit as well as all one Father And is not this a Spirit of Grace and Supplication And is it not that which on all occasions draws the Soul to its Father 'T is said of Paul when newly converted Behold he prayeth Act. 9.11 Others do not see it but I know it there he is in a corner sighing and seeking me Go Ananias enquire for him he is now one of you a real Convert for Behold he prayeth A Soul praying in secret is worthy observation there 's an Ecce put upon it Behold he prayeth And why should we that pretend to be Saints be unlike our brethren 3. Are you not herein unlike your selves in former times When God did at first work upon your hearts did you not then run to God in a corner Did you not set your selves intently to the duty of secret Prayer How often did God find you by your selves sighing sorrowing weeping bleeding breathing after God pouring out your hearts like water before the face of the Lord And your heavenly Father pitied you spoke very kindly to you wiped off your tears cheared your hearts heard your prayers and made those dayes of grief times of love Oh the sweet embraces that then were betwixt your souls and God Have you forgotten such a Chamber Such a Closet such a Barn such a Wood Where you sometimes walkt and meditated sometimes fell prostrate and wept before the Lord till you had no more power to weep If you have forgotten those blessed days your God hath not He remembers thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine spousals when thou wentest after him in a solitary Wilderness Jer. 2.2 Canst not thou remember the day when thou wouldst rather have been with thy God in a private Room than upon a Princes Throne Yea thou thoughtest thou wast to do nothing else but cry and pray in secret thou wast at it every day yea many times a in day How comes it to pass that there 's such a change That thou dost so rarely go to visit thy old friend in a Corner Is he changed Is he not so good and kind as he was wont to be Hast thou found any fault in God Or art not thou blame-worthy What 's become of thy ancient Spirit of Prayer Why dost thou forget thy sweetest wrestling-place Why dost thou not inquire for these good old wayes of communion with thy God SECT III. Saints neglects further reproved 4. LEt me further expostulate with Gods Children that are rarely exercised in this duty of Secret-Prayer Do you not deprive your selves of many sweet refreshments Have not your souls had sweet experience of ravishing incomes in secret duties How many pleasant morsels have you eaten alone Have not these stolen waters been sweet And would they not be so again if you would open the same sluice Oh what hints of love might your souls have that no creature would know of Secret influences are conveyed to souls in secret duties these you block up by neglect Ah sirs Are the consolations of God small to you Is communion with God of no worth Why are you so unwilling to take pains to go to your Father Especially when you know he hath a kindness for you Have you ever lost by such duties Will not your gains infinitely countervail your pains Ask those that use it most they will tell you it is the sweetest time they spend Yea cannot your own experience attest it Did you ever lose your labour when you set your selves about the work in good earnest Hath not this closs and privy trading with God brought in much spiritual profit Beloved friends you little consider the good you miss of for want of performing this excellent duty But that 's not all 5. Do you not by neglect of secret prayer expose your selves to many sad temptations Watching and Prayer are singular helps against temptation Mat. 26.41 I have heard that Satan hath openly professed that he hath watched when some of Gods children have gone out without Closet-Prayer and that day he hath gotten great advantage against them sometimes by tripping up their heels and casting them down from their excellency into some gross iniquity sometimes tormenting their hearts with blasphemous or soul-perplexing injections Sometimes God hath left them to fall into some afflictive snare laid by this subtil Fowler which hath cost them many bitter pangs all this and much more hath been the fruit of such neglects Christians Have you not found this too true by sad experience When you have gone abroad without calling on God hath not God secretly withdrawn from you Hath not Satan obtained his designs upon you Have not your hearts been growing out of frame Some lust increasing grace decaying and your souls at the brink of some astonishing fall When you have gone out in the morning without a good breakfast with God Have you not been apt to gather wind and vanity to the prejudice of your souls health If you ingage not God by Prayer to go with you What security have you for that day If God leave you the Devil may do what he list with you and hamper you in a thousand snares and sins 6. Doth not your neglect of secret Prayer argue little love to God Or delight to be in his Company When persons have a dear affection to each other they love to be together Love delights in union and communion Yea when persons love intirely they withdraw from other company that they may injoy each other with more indeared familiarity the presence of a third mixeth the streams of Communication and mars their intimate communion And if you did passionately love the Lord would you not withdraw from others that your souls might injoy some fresh and refreshing intercourse with your best Beloved How can you say you love him when you have no mind of his company If you did indeed love him Cant. 3.5 you would hold him and not let him go Amor meus pondus meum until you had with the Spouse brought him into the Chambers of intimate communion and solitary recesses Love is the weight of the soul and draws it to the object beloved If your hearts were ravisht with him you would take more pleasure in conversing with him you would bless God for an opportunity of injoying him But this strangeness speaks a great defect in this noble grace And would you be esteemed such as love not God What a sad thing is it to be low and scant in love to God under such strong engagements to love Poor soul have not those silken silver cords of love which have been cast about thee drawn thee nearer and bound thee faster to thy God than thus Have not such bellows and incentives kindled and increased thy spark of love into a flame Lament thy sin and shame thy self before thy God for this decay of love and dangerous neglect 7. Do not you by these omissions declare your selves ingrateful to the grace of God It 's Gods