The Privy Key of Heaven, Section 4
I have now but one thing more to do, before I ſhut up this diſcourſe, and that is to lay down ſome means, rules, or directions, that may be of uſe to help you on in a faithful and conſcientious diſcharge of this great duty, viz. Cloſet-prayer. And therefore thus.
Firſt, As ever you would give up your ſelves to private prayer, Take heed of an idle and ſloathful ſpirit. If Adam in the ſtate of Innocency muſt work and dreſs the Garden; and if after his fall, when he was Monarch of all the world, he muſt yet labour, why ſhould any be idle or ſloathful? Idleneſs is a ſin againſt the law of Creation: God creating man to labour, the idle perſon violates this Law of Creation, for by his idleneſs he caſts off the authority of his Creator, who made him for labour. Idleneſs is a contradiction to the Auguſt. de Gen ad. lit. lib. 8. cap. 8.principles of our Creation. Man in Innocency ſhould have been freed from wearineſs, but not from employment; he was to dreſs the Garden by divine appoyntment; And the Lord God took the man, and put Gen. 2. 15.him into the Garden of Eden, to dreſs it, and to keep it. All wearineſs in labour, and all vexing, tyring and tormenting labour came in by the fall, In the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eat Gen. 3. 19.bread The bread of idleneſs is neither ſweet nor ſure. An idle perſon ſhall ſuffer Pro. 19. 15.hunger, ſaith Solomon. An idle life, & an holy heart are far enough aſunder. By doing nothing (ſaith the Heathen man) men learn to do evil things: It is eaſie ſlipping out of an idle life into an evil and wicked life; yea, an idle life is of it ſelf evil; for man was made to be active, not to be idle. The Cyclopes thought mans happineſs did conſiſt in nihil agendo, in doing nothing: But no excellent thing 1 Cor. 1. 17. Eph. 4. 28. 2 Theſ. 3. 10, 12.can be the child of idleneſs. Idleneſs is a mother ſin, a breeding ſin, 'tis pulvinar diaboli, the devils cuſhion on which he ſits; & the devils anvile, on which he frames very great, and very many ſins. Look as Toads and Serpents breed moſt in ſtanding waters, ſo ſin thrives moſt in idle perſons. Idleneſs is that which provokes the Lord to forſake mens bodies, and the Devil to poſſeſs their ſouls.
No man hath leſs means to preſerve his body, and more temptations to infect his ſoul, than an idle perſon. O ſhake off ſloth. The ſluggiſh Chriſtian will be ſleeping or idling, or trifling, when he ſhould be in his cloſet a praying. Sloth is the Green-ſickneſs of the ſoul; get it cured, or 'twill be your eternal bane. Of all Devils, 'tis the idle Devil that keeps men moſt out of their Cloſets. There is nothing that gives the devil ſo much advantage againſt us as idleneſs. 'Twas Hierom. ep. 4.good counſel that Jerom gave to his friend, Facito aliquid operis, ut te ſemper Diabolus inveniat occupatum, that when the Devil comes with a temptation, you may anſwer him, you are not at leaſure.
It was the ſpeech of Mr. Greenham (ſometimes a famous & painful preacher of this nation) that when the Devil tempted a poor ſoul, ſhe came to him for advice, how ſhe might reſiſt the temptation, and he gave her this anſwer, Never be idle, but be alwayes well employed, for in my own experience I have found it; when the Devil came to tempt me, I told him that I was not at leaſure to hearken to his temptations, and by this means I reſiſted all his aſſaults. Idleneſs is the hour of temptation, and an idle perſon is the Devils Tennis-Ball, toſſed by him at his pleaſure.
He that labours (ſaid the old Hermite) is tempted but by one Devil, but he that is idle is aſſaulted by all. Cupid complained, that he could never faſten upon the Muſes, becauſe he could never find them idle. The Fowler bends his bow and ſpreads his net for Birds when they are ſet, not when they are upon the wing: So Satan ſhoots his moſt fiery darts at men, when they are moſt idle and ſloathful: And this the Sodomites found by woful experience, when God rained Ezek. 16. 49.hell out of heaven upon them, both for their idleneſs, and for thoſe other ſins of theirs, which their idleneſs did expoſe them to.
It was ſaid of Rome, that during the time of their wars with Carthage and other enemies in Africa, they knew not what vice meant; but no ſooner had they got the conqueſt, but through idleneſs they came to ruine. Idleneſs is a ſin, not only againſt the Law of Grace, but alſo againſt the light of nature. You cannot look any way but every creature checks and upbraids your idleneſs and ſloth; if you look up to the heavens, there you ſhall find all their glorious Lights conſtant in their motions: The Sun rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run a race, the Winds Pſal. 19. 5. Pſal. 104. 23.blow, the Waters run, the Earth brings forth her pleaſant and delightful fruits, all the Fiſh in the Sea, Fowls in the Air, and Beaſts in the Fields, and on the Mountains, have their motions and operations, all which call aloud upon man not to be idle, but active. Solomon ſends the ſluggard to the Prov. 6. 6.Ant to learn induſtry. The Ant is a very little creature, but exceeding laborious; nature hath put an inſtinct into her to be very buſie and active all the Summer; ſhe is early and late at it, and will not loſe an hour unleſs the weather hinder. And the Prophet Jeremiah ſends the Jews to ſchool to learn to wait, and obſerve of the Stork, Jer. 8. 7.the Turtle, the Crane, and the ſwallow. And our Saviour ſends us to the Sparrows and Lillies, to learn attendance Mat. 6. 26, 28.upon providence. And let me ſend you to the buſie Bee, to learn activity and induſtry; though the Bee be little in bulk, yet 'tis great in ſervice; ſhe flyes far, examines the fields, hedges, trees, orchards, gardens, and loads her ſelf with honey and wax, and then returns to her Hive. Now how ſhould the activity of theſe creatures put the idle perſon to a bluſh. O Sirs, Man is that moſt noble creature, into whom God hath put principles of the greateſt activity, as capable of the greateſt and higheſt enjoyments; and therefore idleneſs is a forgetting mans dignity, and a forſaking of that rank that God hath ſet him in, and a debaſing of himſelf below the leaſt and meaneſt creatures, who conſtantly in their order obedientially ſerve the Law of their creation. Nay, if you look up to the bleſſed Angels above you, you ſhall ſtill find them active and ſerviceable; Are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent Heb. 1. 14.forth to miniſter for them, who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation? And if you look down to the Angels of darkneſs below you, O how laborious and induſtrious are they, to deſtroy and 1 Pet. 5. 8.damne your precious and immortal ſouls!
For a cloſe remember, that idleneſs is ſo great an evil, that it hath been condemned and ſeverely puniſhed by the very worſt of men. Among the Egyptians, Idleneſs was a capital crime. Among the Lucans, he that lent money to an idle perſon was to loſe it. By Solons Law, idle perſons were to ſuffer death. And Seneca had rather be ſick than idle. The Lacedemonians called men to an account for their idle hours. Among the Corinthians, idle perſons were delivered to the Carnifex. Antonius Pius being Emperour, cauſed the roofs & coverings of all ſuch houſes to be taken away, as were known to receive an idle people, affirming, that nothing was Capitolinusmore uncomely, or abſurd to be ſuffered, than ſuch idle Caterpillars & ſlow worms to have their food and nouriſhment from that Commonwealth, in the maintenance of which there was no ſupply from their induſtry & labour. All which ſhould ſteel us, & arm us againſt ſloth and idleneſs. I have the longer inſiſted on this, becauſe there is not agreater hinderance to Cloſet-prayer than ſloth and idleneſs. Slothful and idle perſons commonly lye ſo long a bed, and ſpend ſo much precious time between the comb and the glaſs, and in eating, drinking, ſporting, & trifling &c. that they can find no time for private prayer. Certainly ſuch as had rather go ſleeping to Hell, than ſweating to Heaven, will never care much for Cloſ…t prayer: And therefore ſhun ſl…th and idleneſs, as you would ſhun a Lyon in the way, or poiſon in your meat, or coales in your boſome, or elſe you will never find time to wait upon God in your Cloſets.
Secondly, Take heed of ſpending too much of your precious time about circumſtantials, about the little things of Religion, as mint, aniſe, and cummin, or in ſearching Mat. 23. 23.into the circumſtances of worſhip, or in ſtanding ſtoutly for this or that ceremony, and in the mean while neglect the ſtudying of the covenant of grace, or about enquiring what fruit that was that Adam eat in Paradiſe, or in enquiring after the Authors of ſuch and ſuch books, whoſe names God in his infinite wiſdome hath concealed, or in enquiring what God did before the world was made; when one asked Auſtin that Queſtion, he anſwered, that he was preparing Hell for ſuch buſie Queſtioniſts as he was. It was a ſaying of Luther, From a vain-glorious Doctor, from a contentious Paſtor, and from unprofitable Queſtions, the good Lord deliver his Church. 'Tis one of Satans great deſigns, to hinder men in the great and weighty duties of Religion, by buſying them moſt about the loweſt and leaſt matters of Religion. Satan is never better pleaſed, than when he ſees Chriſtians puzzled and perplexed about Col. 2. 21.thoſe things in Religion that are of no great moment or importance. Such as negotiate and trade in Religion more for a good name, than a good life, for a good report than a good Conſcience, for to humor others than to honour God, &c. ſuch will take no pleaſure in loſet-duties: Such as are more 2 Tim. 3. 5.buſied about ceremonies than ſubſtances, about the form of godlineſs than the power, ſuch will never make it their buſineſs to be Mat. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.much with God in their Cloſets, as is evident in the Scribes and Phariſees: Such as are more taken up with the outward dreſs and garb Luke 11. 34. 40.of Religion than they are with the ſpirit, power, and life of Religion, ſuch will never affect to drive a ſecret trade heaven-wards. There can't be a ſurer nor a greater character of an hypocrite, than to make a great deal of ſtir about little things in Religion, and in the mean while neglect the great and main things in Religion. Such as theſe have all along in the Scripture diſcovered a ſtrangneſs, and a perfect careleſneſs, as to Cloſet-duties. I never knew any man hot and zealous about circumſtantials, about the little things of Religion, that was ever famous for Cloſet-prayer. But,
Thirdly, Take heed of curioſity, and of ſpending too much of your precious time in ſearching into thoſe dark, abſtruce, miſterious, and hidden truths & things of God and Religion, that lye moſt remote from the underſtanding of the beſt and wiſeſt of men. Curioſity is the ſpiritual adultery of the Soul. Curioſity is a ſpiritual drunkenneſs: for look as the drunkard is never ſatisfied, unleſs he ſee the bottome of the cup, be it never ſo deep; ſo thoſe that are troubled with the itch of curioſity, will ſay they can never be ſatisfied, till they come to the bottome of the moſt deep and profound things of God; they love to pry into Gods ſecrets, and to ſcan the myſteries of Religion by their weak, ſhallow reaſon, and to be wiſe above what is written. Curious ſearchers into the deep myſterious things of God will make all Gods depths to be ſhallows, rather than they will be thought not able to fathom them by the ſhort line of their own reaſon. O that men would once learn to be contentedly ignorant, where God would not have them knowing. O that men were once ſo humble, as to account it no diſparagement to them, to acknowledge ſome depths in God, and in the bleſſed Scripture, which their ſhallow reaſon cannot fathom. They are only a company of fools in Folio, that affect to know more than God would have them. Did not Adams Tree of knowledge make him and his poſterity meer fools? He that goes to ſchool to his own reaſon, hath a fool for his ſchool-maſter. The ready way to grow ſtark blind, is to be ſtill prying & gazing upon the body of the Sun: So the ready way to ſpiritual Deut. 29. ult.blindneſs, is to be ſtill prying into the moſt ſecret and hidden things of God. Are there not many, who by prying long into the ſecrets Rom. 9. 20.of nature, are become arch-enemies to the grace of God? O that we were wiſe to admire thoſe deep myſteries which we cannot underſtand, and to adore thoſe depths and counſels which we cannot reach. O let us check our curioſity in the things of God, and ſit Rom. 11. 33down ſatisfied and contented to reſolve many of Gods actions into ſome hidden cauſes which lye ſecret in the Abyſs of his eternal knowledge and infallible will. Chriſt, when he was on earth, very frequently, ſeverely, & ſharply condemned John 21. 22 Acts 1. 6, 7. Luke 1…. 23, 24.curious enquirers, as is evident by the Scriptures in the margent; and the great reaſon why our Saviour did ſo frequently check this humor of curioſity, was becauſe the great indulgers of it, were too frequent neglecters of the more great, neceſſary, and important points of Religion. Curioſity is one of Satans moſt dangerous engines, by which he keeps many ſouls out of their Cloſets, yea, out of Heaven: when many a poor ſoul begins in good earneſt to look towards heaven, and to apply himſelf to Cloſet-duties, then Satan begins to beſtir himſelf, and to labour with all his might, ſo to buſie the poor ſoul with vain enquiries, and curious ſpeculations, and unprofitable curioſities, that the ſoul hath no time for Cloſet-prayer. Ah how well might it have been with many a man, had he but ſpent one quarter of that time in cloſet-prayer, that he hath ſpent in curious enquiries after things, that have not been fundamental to his happineſs!
The Heatheniſh Prieſts affected curioſity, they had their Mythologies, and ſtrange canting expreſſions of their imaginary unacceſſible Deities, to amaze and amuſe their blind ſuperſtitious followers, and thereby to hold up their Popiſh and apiſh Idolatries in greater veneration. O that there were none of this heatheniſh ſpirit among many in theſe dayes, who have their faces toward heaven. Ah how many are there that buſie themſelves more in ſearching after the reaſons of the irrecoverableneſs of mans fall, than they do to recover themſelves out of their fallen eſtate. Ah how many are there that buſie themſelves more about the apoſtaſie of the Angels, than they do about ſecuring their intereſt in Chriſt! And what a deal of precious time have ſome ſpent in diſcovering the natures, diſtinctions, properties, and orders of Angels!
That high-foaring (counterfeit) Peter Martyr ſaith, that to enquire of the Angels accurately and ſubtilly, is Magis ad curioſitatem noſtram, quam ad ſalutem. And he wiſheth, that the ſchool-men in their knotty, thorny, and unprofitable diſcourſes had obſerved this.Dyoniſius deſcribes the Hierarchy of Angels as exactly as if he had dwelt amongſt them; he ſaith there are nine orders of them, which he grounds upon nine words, which are found partly in the Old Teſtament, and partly in the New, as Seraphims, Cherubims, Thrones, Powers, Hoaſts, Dominions, Principalities, Arch-Angels and Angels, and at large he deſcribes their ſeveral natures, diſtinctions, and properties, as, that the firſt three orders are for immediate attendance on the Almighty; and the next three orders, for the general government of the creatures; and the laſt three orders for the particular good of Gods Elect: That the Arch-Angels ſurpaſs the beauty of Angels ten times, Principalities ſurpaſs the Arch-Angels twenty times, and that Powers ſurpaſs the Principalities fourty times, &c. How he came by this learning is not known; and yet this Hierarchy in theſe nine ſeveral orders hath paſſed for currant through many Ages of the Church.
The Platonicks were the firſt that divided the Angels into three Orders; as, ſome above Heaven, called Supercaeleſtes; others in Heaven, called Caeleſtes; and others under Heaven, called Subcaeleſt…, and accordingly they aſſign them ſeveral Offices. As,
Firſt, They above Heaven (I mean this viſible heaven) continually ſtand before God (as they ſay) praiſing, and lauding, and magnifying of his name.
Secondly, They in Heaven are there ſeated to move and rule, and govern the Stars.
Thirdly, They under Heaven, are ſome to rule Kingdomes, others Provinces, others Cities, others particular Men.
Several Chriſtian writers that have written of the Hierarchy of Angels, follow theſe opinions. Now if we ſhould take theſe ſurmiſes for real truths, then it will follow, that the higheſt Angels do not miniſter to the Saints, but only and immediately to God himſelf, which is Jude 9. v. Luke 1. 19, 26. Zech. 4. 10. Rev. 5. 6. Heb. 1. 14.expreſly contrary to ſeveral Scriptures, as you may ſee by them in the Margent among others. When I was upon the Miniſtration of the bleſſed Angels, I did then prove in ſeveral exerciſes (as ſome of you may remember) That all the Angels in Heaven, were commanded and commiſſionated by God, to be ſerviceable and uſeful to the heirs of Salvation. Are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them, who ſhall be heirs of Salvation? The Devil knows he is no loſer, and the curious ſoul but a very little gainer, if he can but perſwade him to ſpend moſt of his precious time in ſtudying and poring upon the moſt dark, myſterious and hidden things of God. He that affects to read the Revelations of John, more than his plain Epiſtles; or Daniels propheſies, more than Davids Pſalms, and is more buſie about reconciling difficult Scriptures, than he is about mortifying of unruly luſts, or that is ſet more upon vain ſpeculations, than upon things that make moſt for edification, he is not the man that is cut out for Cloſet-prayer. Such as affect ſublime notions, obſcure expreſſions, and are men of abſtracted conceits, are but a company of wiſe fools, that will never take any delight to be with God in a corner. Had many men ſpent but half that time in ſecret prayer, that they have ſpent in ſeeking after the Phyloſophers Stone, how happy might they have been! O how holy, how happy, how heavenly, how humble, how wiſe, how knowing, might many men have been, had they ſpent but half that time in Cloſet-prayer, that they have ſpent in ſearching after thoſe things that are hard to be underſtood! 2 Pet. 3. 16. But,
Fourthly, Take heed of engageing your ſelves in a crowd of worldly buſineſſes. Many have ſo much to do on earth that they have no time to look up to Heaven. As much earth puts out the fire, ſo much worldly buſineſs puts out the fire of heavenly affections. Look as the earth ſwallowed up Korah, Dathan and Abiram, ſo much Num. 22. 32▪worldly buſineſs ſwallows up ſo much precious time, that many men have no leaſure to be with God in their Cloſets; this buſineſs is to be done, and that buſineſs cannot be omitted, and t'other neceſſary occaſion muſt be attended, ſo that I have no leaſure to ſtep out of my ſhop into my Cloſet, ſaith Phil. 3. 19.the earthly minded man; thus a crowd of worldly buſineſſes crowds Cloſet-prayer quite out of doors. Many drive ſo great a trade in their ſhops, that their private trade to Heaven is quite laid by. There is nothing that hath kept men more from Chriſt and Cloſet-prayer, than the ſhop, the Exchange, the Farm, and the Oxen, Luke 14. 16.—22.&c. The Stars which have leaſt circuit are neereſt the Pole; and men that are leaſt perplexed with worldly buſineſſes are commonly neereſt to God, to Chriſt, to Heaven, and ſo the fitter for Cloſet-prayer. 'Tis ſad when men graſp ſo much buſineſs, that they can have no leaſure for Communion with God in a corner. The noiſe is ſuch in a mill, as hinders all private intercourſe between man and man; and ſo a multitude of worldly buſineſſes make ſuch a noiſe, as that it hinders all private entercourſe between God and the ſoul. If a man of much buſineſs ſhould now and then ſlide into his Cloſet, yet his head and his heart will be ſo filled and diſtracted with the thoughts of his employments, that God ſhall have little of him but his bodily preſence, or at moſt, but bodily preſence, or at moſt, but bodily exerciſe, 1 Tim. 4. 8.which profits little. If Chriſt blamed Martha for the multitude of her domeſtical employments, Luke 10. 40, 41, 42.though they were undertaken for the immediate ſervice and entertainment of himſelf, becauſe they hindred her in her ſoul-concernments; Oh how will he one day blame all thoſe, who by running themſelves into a crowd of worldly buſineſſes, do cut themſelves off from all opportunities of pouring out their ſouls before him in ſecret. But,
Fifthly, Take heed of ſecret ſins. There is no greater hinderance to ſecret prayer in all the world than ſecret ſins; and therefore ſtand upon your watch, and arme your ſelves with all your might againſt them. There is an Antipathy betwixt ſecret ſinning, and ſecret praying, partly from guilt, which makes the ſoul ſhy of coming under Gods ſecret eye; and partly from thoſe fears, doubts, diſputes, and diſorders, that ſecret ſi… raiſe in the heart. Light is not more oppoſite to darkneſs, Chriſt to Belial, nor Heaven to Hell, than ſecret prayer is to ſecret ſins; and therefore what ever you do, look that you keep clear of ſecret ſins: To that purpoſe conſider theſe four things.
Firſt, That God is privy to our moſt ſecret ſins; his eye is as much upon ſecret ſins, as it is upon open Pſal. 139. 1, 2, 3, 4. Jer. 13. 27. Chap. 29. 23. Pſal. 39. 1. 1 Kings 20. 39. Jer. 20. 20 Job. 10. 12.ſins, Pſal. 90. 8. Thou hoſt ſet our iniquities before thee, our ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance. God hath an eye upon our inmoſt evils, he ſeeth all that is done in the dark, Jer. 23. 24. Can any hide himſelf in ſecret places, that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? do not I fill Heaven and Earth, ſaith the Lord? Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. To ſay that God doth not ſee the moſt ſecret ſins of the children of men, is not only derogatory to his omniſcience, but alſo to his mercy; for how can God pardon thoſe ſins, which he doth not ſee to be ſins? There is no cloud, nor curtain, nor moment of darkneſs, that can ſtand betwixt the eyes of God and the wayes of men, Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of men are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. In this Scripture Solomon mainly ſpeaks of the wayes of the Adulterer, which uſually are plotted with the moſt cunning ſecrecy; yet God ſeeth all thoſe wayes. Look as no boldneſs can exempt the Adulterer from the juſtice of God; ſo no ſecrecy can hide him from the eye of God. Though men labour to hide their wayes from others, and from themſelves, yet 'tis but labour in vain to endeavour to hide them from God. Men that labour to hide God from themſelves, can never hide themſelves from God.
I have read that Paphnutius converted Thais and Ephron, two famous Strumpets, from uncleanneſs, only with this Argument, That God ſeeth all things in the dark, when the doors are faſt, the windows ſhut, and the curtains drawn. Heb. 4. 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight; but all things are naked and opened (anotamized) even to the eyes of him, with whom we have to do: 'Tis an alluſion to the Prieſts under the Law, who when they killed a beaſt, all things that were within the beaſt were laid open and naked before the Prieſt, that he might ſee what was ſound, and what was corrupted. Though evil be done out of the eye of all the world, yet it is naked and manifeſt in his ſight with whom we have to do.
Thoſe ſins which lye cloſeſt, and are moſt ſecretly lurking in the heart, are as obvious and odious to God as thoſe that are moſt fairly written upon a mans forehead. God is foreign all eye; ſo that he ſees all, the moſt ſecret, turnings and windings of our hearts. Our moſt ſecret ſins are as plainly ſeen by him, as any thing can be by us at noon-day, Pſalm. 139. 11, 12, If I ſay, ſurely the darkneſs ſhall cover me, even the night ſhall be light about me. Yea, the darkneſs hideth not from thee, but the night ſhineth as the day; the darkneſs and the light are both alike to thee. 'Tis not the thickeſt Clouds that can bar out his obſervance, whoſe eyes fill Heaven and earth. What is the Curtain, or the darkeſt night, or the double lock, or the ſecret Chamber, to him who cleerly obſerves all things in a perfect nakedneſs. God hath an eye upon the moſt inward intentions of the heart, and the moſt ſubtile motions of the ſpirit. Thoſe Philoſophers were out, that held the eye and care of God deſcended no lower than the heavens. Certainly there is not a creature, not a thought, not a thing, but lyes open to the all-ſeeing eye of God. The Lord knows our ſecret ſinnings, as exactly as our viſible ſinnings. Pſal. 44. 21. He knoweth the ſecrets of our hearts. Would not a malector ſpeak truly at the Bar, did he know, did he believe that the Judge had Windows that did look into his breaſt.
Athenodorus a Heathen could ſay, that all men ought to be carefull in the actions of their life, becauſe God was every where, and beheld all that was done.
Zeno a wiſe Heathen affirmed, that God beheld even the thoughts.
'Twas an excellent ſaying of Ambroſe, If thou canſt not hide thy ſelf Ambroſ. Offic. l. 1. c. 14.from the Sun, which is Gods Miniſter of light, how impoſſible will it be to hide thy ſelf from him, whoſe eyes are ten thouſand times brighter than the Sun! Though a ſinner may baffle his Conſcience, yet he cannot baffle the eye of Gods omniſciency. Oh that poor ſouls would remember, that as they are never out of the reach of Gods hand, ſo they are never from under the view of his eye. God is totus oculus, all eye; Jer. 16. 17. For mine eyes are upon all their wayes; they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. Job 34. 21, 22. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man, and he ſeeth all his goings. There is no darkneſs, nor ſhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themſelves. Jer. 32. 19. For thine eyes are open upon all the wayes of the ſons of men, to give every one according to his wayes, and the fruit of his doings. You know what Ahaſuerus that great Monarch ſaid concerning Haman, when coming in he found him caſt upon the Queens Bed, on which ſhe ſate, What (ſaith he) will he force Eſt. 7. 8.the Queen before me in the Houſe? There was the killing emphaſis in the words before me; will he force the Queen before me? what will he dare to commit ſuch villany and I ſtand and look on? O Sirs, to ſin in the ſight of God, to do wickedly under the eye of God, is a thing that he looks upon as the greateſt affront, and as the higheſt indignity that can poſſibly be done unto him: What (ſaith he) wilt thou be drunk before me? wilt thou ſwear and blaſpheme before me? wilt thou be wanton and unclean before me? wilt thou be unjuſt and unrighteous under mine eye? wilt thou prophane my Sabbaths, and polute my Ordinances before my face? wilt thou deſpiſe and perſecute my Servants in my preſence? &c. This then is the killing aggravation of all ſin, that it is done before the face of God, that it is committed in the Royal preſence of the King of Kings; whereas the very conſideration of Gods Omnipreſence ſhould bravely arm us againſt ſin and Satan; the conſideration of his all-ſeeing eye ſhould make us ſhun all occaſions of ſin, and make us ſhy of all appearances of ſin. Shall the eye of the Maſter keep the Scholar from blotting his Copy? ſhall the eye of the Judge keep the Malefactor from picking and ſtealing? ſhall the eye of the Maſter keep the Servant from idling and trifling? ſhall the eye of the Father keep the Child from wandring and gadding? ſhall the eye of the Husband keep the Wife from extravagancies and indecencies? ſhall the ſharp eye of wiſe Cato, o… the quick eye of a neer Neighbour, or the ſevere eye of a boſom Friend, keep thee from many enormities & vanities? & ſhall not the ſtrict, the pure, the jealous eye of an All-ſeeing God, keep thee from ſinning in the ſecret Chamber, when all Curtains are drawn, doors bolted, and every one in the houſe a bed or abroad, but thee & thy Dalilah? Oh what dreadful Atheiſme is bound up in that mans heart, who is more afraid of the eye of his Father, his Paſtor, his Child, his Servant, than he is of the eye, the preſence of the eternal God? O that all whom this concerns, would take ſuch ſerious notice of it, as to judge themſelves ſeverely for it, as to mourn bitterly over it, as to ſtrive mightily in prayer with God, both for the pardon of it, and for power againſt it.
The Apoſtle ſadly complains of ſome in his time who wallowed in ſecret ſins. Epheſ. 5. 2. For it is a ſhame even to ſpeak of thoſe things which are done of them in ſecret: He ſpeaks of ſuch as lived in ſecret fornications and uncleanneſs, there were many that had put on a form of godlineſs, who yet did allow themſelves in the ſecret actings of abominable wickedneſs and filthineſs, as if there were no God to behold them, nor Conſcience to accuſe them, nor Judgement day to arraign them, nor Juſtice to condemn them, nor Hell to torment them. O how infiniitely odious muſt they be in the eyes of a holy God, who can highly court and complement him in publick, and yet are ſo bold as to provoke him to his face in private; theſe are like thoſe whores, who pretend a great deal of affection and reſpect to their Husbands abroad, and yet at home will play the Harlots before their Husbands eyes.
Such as perform Religious duties only to cloak and colour over their ſecret filthineſſes, their ſecret wickedneſſes; ſuch as pretend to Pro. 7. 13, 14, 15. Job. 24. 15.pay their vows, and yet wait for the twilight; ſuch as commit wickedneſs in a corner, and yet with the Harlot wipe their mouths, and ſay, What have we done? ſuch ſhall at laſt find the Chambers, the Stones, Hab. 2. 11.out of the Wall, the Beame out of the Timber, the Seats they ſit on, and the Beds they lye on, to witneſs againſt all their want on daliances, and laſcivious carriages in ſecret. Heb. 13. 4. Who remongers and Adulterers God will judge: He will ſentence them himſelf; and why? but becauſe ſuch ſinners carry it ſo cloſely and craftily, that oftentimes none but God can find them out. Magiſtrates often neglect the puniſhing of ſuch ſinners, when their ſecret wickedneſs is made known; and therefore God himſelf will ſit in judgment upon them. Though they may eſcape the eyes of men, yet they ſhall never eſcape the judgment of God. Heart-iniquities fall not under any humane ſentence. Uſually Whoremongers and Adulterers are marvelous cloſe, and ſecret and ſubtile to conceal their abominable filthineſs; therefore the Harlot is ſaid to be Rab. Sol. in hunc verſ.ſubtile of heart, Prov. 7. 10. The Hebrew by Rabbi Solomon is tranſlated munito corde, and having her heart fenced; for, ſaith he, as a City is environed with fortifications, ſo her heart is fertified round about with ſubtilty: or elſe it may be rendred occluſa corde, faſt ſhut up in the heart, even as cloſe as a beſiedged City, that is, moſt ſecret in the ſubtilty of her heart, how open ſoever ſhe be in the boldneſs of her outward carriage. So the Prophet Agur reckoneth the way of a Man with a Maid, and the way of an adulterous Woman, among thoſe things which neither himſelf nor any other man was poſſibly able to diſcover and find out, and compares it to the way of three things, which no wit nor induſtry of man is able to deſcry; but yet God ſeeth all, and will bring them Prov. 30. 19, 20.to the Bar for all. But,
Secondly, Conſider, That ſecret In my Treatiſe called Apples of Gold, &c. I have proved by many arguments, that the ſins of the Saints ſhall not be brought into the judgment of Diſcuſſion and diſcovery in the great day, pag. 155, to pag. 172. and therefore underſtand this ſecond particular of ſuch who live and die in their ſecret ſins without Repentance and faith in the blood of Chriſt.ſins ſhall be revealed. The moſt hidden works of darkneſs ſhall be openly manifeſted; for though the actings of ſin be in the dark, yet the judgings of ſin ſhall be in the light, Luke 8. 17. For nothing is ſecret that ſhall not be made manifeſt; neither any thing hid, that ſhall not be known, and come abroad. The ſlanders of the Jews concerning the magical arts of Chriſt and his Apoſtles; the horrible lyes of the Pagans concerning the inceſtuous copulations of the Chriſtians, and their drinking mans-blood, were in time diſcovered what they were, Eccl. 12. 14. God ſhall bring every work into judgement, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil: Mark, he doth not ſay ſome work, but every work; and not only works, but ſecrets; and not only ſecrets, but every ſecret; and not only ſecret good things, but evil to; whether good works or ill works, whether ſecret or open, all muſt be brought to judgement. The Books of Gods Omniſcience, and mans Conſcience, ſhall then be opened, and then ſecret ſins ſhall be as legible in thy forehead, as if they were written with the moſt gliſtering Sun-beams upon a wall of Chryſtal. All mens ſecret ſins are printed in Heaven, and God will at laſt read them aloud in the ears of all the world, 1 Cor. 4. 5. Judg nothing before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the heart. Look as there are a world of flies and motes in the Aire, which we never ſee till the Sun ſhines; ſo there are many thouſand thouſands of proud thoughts, and unclean thoughts, and worldly thoughts, and malicious thoughts, & envious thoughts, and bloudy thoughts, &c. which the world ſees not, knows not; but in the great day, when the counſels of all hearts ſhall be manifeſt, then all ſhall out, then all ſhall appear, both to the upper and the lower world. In the great day all Masks, Vizards, and Hoods ſhall be pulled off, and then all ſhall out; all that ever thou haſt done in the ſecret Chamber, in the dark corner, ſhall be made known to men and Angels, yea, to the whole Court of Heaven, and to all the world beſide, Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt: In this great day God will judge not only our words but our works, not only our open works, but alſo our ſecret works and wayes. When Jehoiakim 2 Chron. 36 8.was dead, there was found the characters, ſuperſtitious marks, and prints of his ſorcery upon his body; which ſhews how deeply Idolatry was rooted in his heart, ſeeing he bare the marks in his fleſh: during his life, he being a King bore it out bravely, and kept all cloſe, but when he was dead, then all came out, then the marks of his abominable Idolatry appeared upon his body: Though ſinners, though the greateſt of ſinners may hide and keep cloſe their horrid abominations for a time, yet there will come a time when all ſhall out, when all their ſecret marks and ſecret abominations ſhall be obvious to all the world.
But ſinners may be ready to Object and ſay, Let us but alone in our ſecret ſins till that day, and then we ſhall do well enough. And therefore in the
Third place, Conſider, that God many times doth, even in this life, Iſa. 41. 21, 22, 23.diſcover and make known to the world mens ſecret ſins.
God loves to act ſuitable to his own names: Now to be a revealer of ſecrets is one of his Names, Dan. 2. 47. and accordingly, even in this world, he often brings to light the moſt hidden things of darkneſs. Of all the glorious Attributes of God, there is none that ſuffers ſo deeply by ſecret ſins, as the Attribute of his Omniſcience; and therefore in this world God often ſtands up to vindicate the Honour of that Attribute, by unmasking of ſinners, and by bringing to the light all thoſe ſecret paths and wayes of wickedneſs, wherein they have long walked undiſcovered. 'Twas for the honour of this bleſſed Attribute of God, that the ſecret plotted Acts 5. 1,—12.ſin of Ananias and Saphira was ſo openly diſcovered; And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard theſe things. Joſephs Brethren for a long time hide their malice, their craft, their Gen. 42. 21, 22. Chap. 50. 15,—22.cruelty, their envy, their tretchery, in ſelling their Brother into Egypt; but at laſt by amazing and amuſing providences all was brought to light. Conſcience that for a time may ſeem to be aſleep, yet will in time awake, and make the ſinner know, that he is as faithful in recording, as he is fearful in accuſing, and this Joſephs Brethren found by ſad experience. So Gehazi, 2 Kings 5. 20. ▪ult.he ſins ſecretly, he lyes fearfully, and after all he defends it ſtoutly; but at laſt all comes out, and inſtead of being cloathed richly, he and his poſterity was cloathed with a Leproſie for ever; and inſtead of two changes of Garments, God hangs him up in Chains, as a Monument of his wrath to all Generations. So Achan ſecretly and ſacriledgiouſly ſteales a goodly Babyloniſh Garment, and two hundred Shekels of Silver, and a Wedge of Gold of Fifty Shekels Weight, and hides them in the earth in the midſt of his Tent, and by reaſon of this Iſrael flyes before their enemies; but at laſt Achan is taken, and all comes out, and his Golden Wedge proved a Wedge to cleave him, and his Babyloniſh Garment a Garment to ſhrowd him: Joſhua makes a bonfire of all that he had ſecretly and ſinfully ſtoln, and burns him, and his children, and all that he had, in it. Oh how openly, how ſeverely doth God ſometimes puniſh men for their moſt ſecret iniquity! The ſame you may ſee in that great inſtance of David, 2 Sam. 12. 9, 10, 11, 12. Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the Commandement of the Lord, to do evil in his ſight? thou haſt killed Ʋriah the Hittite with the ſword (this was done in a ſecret Letter) and haſt taken his Wife to be thy Wife. Now therefore the ſword ſhall never depart from thy houſe, becauſe thou haſt deſpiſed me, & haſt taken the Wife of Ʋriah the Hittite to be thy Wife. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I will raiſe up evil againſt thee out of thine own houſe, and I will take thy VVives before thy eyes and give them to thy Neighbour, and he ſhall lye with thy VVives in the ſight of the Sun. For 2 Sam. 16. 22.thou didſt it ſecretly, but I will do this thing before all Iſrael, & before the Sun. David was very ſtudious & very induſtrious to hide his ſin, and to ſave his credit; but the covering made of Ʋriah's blood was too ſhort, and too narrow to hide his folly with Bathſheba, and therefore when he had done all he could, his ſin was toſt like a ball, from man to man, through Court, City and Country.
I have read of one Parthenius an homicide, treaſurer to Theodobert King of France, who having traiterouſly ſlain an eſpecial friend of his, called Auſanius, with his Wife Papianilla, when no man ſuſpected or accuſed him thereof, he detected & accuſed himſelf after this ſtrange manner: As he ſlept in his Bed, ſuddenly he roared out moſt pitifully, crying for help, or elſe he periſhed; and being demanded what he ailed, he half aſleep anſwered, That his friend Auſanius and his wife, whom he had ſlain long ago, ſummoned him to judgment before God: Upon which confeſſion he was apprehended, and after due examination ſtoned to death: Thus the terrors and horrors of his own conſciences diſcover that ſecret wickedneſs, which none could prove againſt him.
I have read how that Mahomet Turk Hiſt. Fol. 400.the great Turk had with great rewards procured two Turks to undertake to kill Scanderbeg: Theſe Traytors came to Scanderbeg making ſuch a ſhew of the deteſtation both of Mahomets Tyranical Government, and vain ſuperſtition, that they were both by Scanderbeg and others reputed to be indeed the men they deſired to be accounted, and ſo after they had learned the Principles of the Chriſtian Religion, they were both by their own deſire Baptized: Soon after by a providence it ſo fell out, that theſe two Traytors fell at variance betwixt themſelves, by which meanes the plot came to be diſcovered, and after due examination and confeſſion of the fact, they were preſently condemned and executed.
Conſcience is Gods ſpy in the Conſcience, ſaith Philo, is the little conſiſtory of the ſoul. Conſcience is mille teſtes, a thouſand witneſſes, for or againſt a man. Conſcience is a Court of Record, and whatſoever it ſees it writes down; and Conſcience is alwayes as quick in writing as the ſinner can be in ſinning. The very Heathen could ſay, that Conſcience was a God to every man.boſome. Conſcience as a Scribe, a Regiſter, ſits in the Cloſet of your hearts with Pen in hand, and makes a Diurnal of all your ſecret wayes, and ſecret crimes, which are above the cognizance of men. Conſcience ſets down the time when, the place where, the manner how, and the perſons with whom ſuch and ſuch ſecret wickedneſſes have been committed, and that ſo clear and evident, that go where you will, and do what you can, the characters of them ſhall never be cancelled or raſed out, till God appear in judgment. Let a man ſin in the cloſeſt retirement that humane policy can contrive; let him take all the wayes he can to hide his ſins, to cloak and cover his ſin as Adam did; yet Conſcience will ſo play the Judge, that it will bring in the evidence, produce the Law, urge the penalty, and paſs the ſentence of Condemnation upon him. There is many a man who makes a fair profeſſion, and who hath a great name in the world, who yet is foreign ſelf-condemned for thoſe ſecret ſins which are not obvious to the eyes of man, nor puniſhable by the Laws or hands of men; yea, many times in this life God raiſeth ſuch a hell of horror & terror in many mens Conſciences, by reaſon of their ſecret ſins, that they can have no reſt nor quiet, neither at bed nor at board, neither lying down nor riſing up; fain they would conceal their ſins, unwilling they are that the world ſhould know how vile they have been in ſecret; but Conſcience being upon the rack, and ſtill a gnawing, accuſing, & condemning of them, they can hold no longer; now all muſt out; and now thoſe ſins that were moſt ſecret & concealed come to be publiſhed upon the houſe-top.
Some that have been under anguiſh of Conſcience, others that have been ſmitten with a Frenſie, and many in their very ſleep have been often the blazers and proclaimers of their own ſecret filthineſs and wickedneſs. In thoſe caſes God hath made many a ſecret ſinner to cry out with the Leper, unclean, unclean; and with Judas Lev. 13. 45. Mat. 27. 4.(before all preſent) I have ſinned, I have ſinned. Many times in this life, God doth very ſtrangely and wonderfully diſcover thoſe ſecret works of darkneſs, in which perſons have lived long undiſcovered.
A Pythagorean bought a pair of Shooes upon truſt, the Shoomaker dies, he is glad, thinks them gained; but a while after his Conſcience flyes upon him, and becomes a continual chider and tormentor of him; he hereupon repairs to the houſe of the dead, caſts in his money with theſe words, There, take thy due; thou liveſt to me, though dead to all beſides. But,
Fourthly, Conſider, That ſecret ſins are in ſome reſpects more dangerous than open ſins. Many a man bleeds to death inwardly, and no man perceives it. The more inward and ſecret the diſeaſe is, the more the man is in danger to loſe his life. There are no Fevers ſo dangerous, as thoſe that prey upon the ſpirits and inward parts; ſo there are no ſins ſo dangerous and pernicious to the ſouls of men, as thoſe that are moſt inward and ſecret. ſecret ſins often reign in the ſouls of men moſt powerfully when leaſt apparently.
Firſt, Conſider, That he that ſins ſecretly deprives himſelf of thoſe helps and remedies, which by a divine bleſſing might arm him againſt ſin, yea, make him victorious over ſin, to wit, the Prayers, Counſels, Reproofs, Examples and Encouragements of Friends, Relations, &c. A mans houſe may be on fire; but whileſt 'tis all inward help comes not in; but when the fire flames out, when it catcheth the outſide of the houſe, then help runs in, then help on all hands is ready. He that ſins in ſecret debars himſelf of all publick Remedy, and takes great pains to damn his ſoul in a corner, and to go to Hell in the dark. But,
Secondly, Secret ſins will make way for publick ſins. He that makes no Conſcience of ſinning in the ſecret Chamber, will e're long with Abſolom be ready to ſpread a Tent upon the top of the 2 King. 16. 21, 22,houſe, and to go in to his Concubines in the ſight of all Iſrael. Such as have made no Conſcience of ſtealing a few pins or pence, or a few ſhillings in private, have in time come to be ſo bold, as to take a purſe on the road at high-noon. The Cockatrice muſt be cruſhed in the Egge, elſe it will ſoon become a Serpent. The very thought of ſin, if not thought on, will break forth into action, action into cuſtom, cuſtom into habit, and then both body and ſoul are irrecoverably loſt to all eternity.
If Satan can but wound our heel (as the Poets feign of Achilles) he will make a hard ſhift but he will ſend death from the heel to the heart. If this ſubtile Serpent can but wriggle in his tayl by an ill thought, he will ſoon get in his head by a worſe action. Hence it is that Chriſt calls hatred murder, and a wanton eye adultery. Secret hatred often iſſues in upon murder, and ſecret wanton glances of the eye do often iſſue in viſible adultery. If Ammon be ſick with the ſinful conceptions of inceſtuous luſt, how will his ſoul be in pain and travail till he hath brought forth! And how many are there that in ſecret have taken now and then but one Cup more than enough, who now may be ſeen at high-noon reeling againſt every Poſt. Look as ſecret diſeaſes in the body (if not cured) will in time openly break forth; ſo ſecret ſins in the ſoul (if not pardoned and purged) will in time be openly revealed. Covetouſneſs was Judas his ſecret ſin; and no ſooner doth an occaſion, or a temptation preſent it ſelf, but he is very ready and forward to betray and ſell his Lord and Maſter, for thirty pieces of Silver before all the world. Luſt having conceived brings forth ſin; and James 1. 15.that thus, Firſt, Sin hath its conception, and that's delight; and then its formation, and that's deſign; and then its birth, and that's action; and then its growth, and that's cuſtome; and then its end, and that's damnation. But,
Thirdly, Secret ſinning puts far more reſpect & fear upon men than upon God. Thou wilt be unjuſt in ſecret, and wanton in ſecret, and unclean in ſecret, and treacherous in ſecret, &c. and why? but becauſe thou art afraid that ſuch or ſuch men ſhould know it, or that ſuch and ſuch Friends ſhould know it, or that ſuch and ſuch Relations ſhould know it: Ah poor wretch, art thou afraid of the eye of a man, of a man that ſhall Iſa. 51. 12.dye, and of the Son of man, which ſhall be made as Graſs? and yet not tremble under his eye, whoſe eyes are as a flame of fire, ſharp and terrible, ſuch as pierce into the inward Rev. 1. 14. Heb. 4. 13.parts? Ah how full of atheiſme is that mans heart, that tacitly ſaith, If my ſins be but hid from the eyes of the world, I do not care though the Lord knows them, though the Lord ſtrictly obſerves them, though the Lord ſets a mark, a Memorandum upon them. What is this, O Man, but to brave it out with God, and to tempt him, and provoke him to to his very face, who is Light, and in whom there is no darkneſs at all? Ah ſinner, ſinner, can man 1 John 1. 5, 6.damn thee? can man diſ-inherit thee? can man fill thy Conſcience with horrors and terrors? can man make thy life a very Hell? can man bar the gates of Glory againſt thee? can man ſpeak thee into the Grave by a word of his mouth? and after all, can man caſt thee into endleſs, eaſeleſs, and remedileſs torments? O no; can God do all this? O yes; why then doth not thy heart ſtand more in awe of the eye of the great God, than it doth of the eye of a poor, weak, mortal man.
I have inſiſted the longer on this particular, becauſe there is not any one thing in all the world, that doth more hinder ſecret Communion with God, and ſecret prayer, than ſecret ſins. And Oh that you would all make it your great buſineſs, to watch againſt ſecret ſins, and to pray againſt ſecret ſins, and to mourn over ſecret ſins, and deeply to judge and condemn your ſelves for ſecret ſins, and carefully and Conſcientiouſly to ſhun and avoid all occaſions and provocations that may be as fuel to ſecret ſins.
Certainly there are no men or women that are ſo ſincere and ſerious in Cloſet-prayer, or, that are ſo frequent, ſo fervent, ſo conſtant, in Cloſet-prayer, or, that are ſo delightful, ſo reſolulute, ſo undaunted, or ſo unwearied in Cloſet-prayer, as thoſe that keep themſelves moſt cleer and free from ſecret ſins.
For a Cloſe remember this, That though ſecret ſins are in ſome reſpects more dangerous than other ſins are, yet in three reſpects they are not ſo bad nor ſo dangerous as other ſins are.
Firſt, In that they do not ſo ſcandalize Religion as open ſins do.
Secondly, In that they do not ſhame, grieve, and wound, the hearts of the Saints, as open ſins do.
Thirdly, In that they are not ſo infectious to others, nor ſuch provocations to others, to ſin againſt the Lord, as open ſins are. And thus you may ſee, what thoſe things are that you muſt carefully take heeed of, as ever you would adict your ſelves to Cloſet-prayer.
And as you muſt take heed of theſe five things: So there are ſeveral other things that you muſt carefully and conſcienciouſly apply your ſelves to, as ever you would be found faithful and conſtant in this great duty, viz. Cloſet-prayer.
Now they are theſe;
Firſt, Lament greatly, and mourn bitterly over the neglect of this choice Duty. He that doth not make Conſcience of mourning over the neglect of this Duty, will never make Conſcience of performing this Duty. O that Jer. 9. 1.your heads were waters, and your eyes a Fountain of tears, that you might weep day and night, for the great neglect of Cloſet-prayer, He that mourns moſt for the neglect of this Duty, will be found moſt in the practiſe of this Duty. He that makes moſt Conſcience to accuſe, arraign, and condemn himſelf for neglecting Cloſet-prayer, he will make moſt Conſcience of giving himſelf up to Cloſet-prayer. 'Tis ſaid of Adam, that he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden, and from his heart bitterly lamented his great fall: O that you would turn your faces towards your Cloſets, and bitterly lament your rare going into them. But,
Secondly, Habituate your ſelves, accuſtom your ſelves, to Cloſet-prayer: Make private prayer your conſtant trade. Frequency begets familiarity, and familiarity confidence, we can go freely & boldly into that friends houſe whom we often viſit. What we are habituted to, we do with eaſe and delight. A man that is habituted or accuſtomed to write, to read, to ride, to run, or to play on this, or that muſical Inſtrument, &c. he doth it all with delight and eaſe; and ſo a man that doth habituate himſelf to Cloſet-prayer, he will manage it with delight and eaſe. But,
Thirdly, Keep a Diary of all Deut. 7. 18, 19. Pſal. 66. 12.your Cloſet-experiences; O carefully record and book down all your Cloſet-mercies: O be often in reading over your Cloſet-experiences, and be often in meditating and in pondering upon your Cloſet-experiences. There is no way like this, to enflame your love to Cloſet-prayer, and to engage your hearts in this ſecret trade of private prayer.
O remember that at ſuch a time, you went into your Cloſets with hard hearts, and dry eyes; but before you came out of your Cloſets, Pſal. 6. 6. Pſal. 39. 12. Pſal. 56. 8.ah how ſweetly, how evangelically, how powerfully were you melted, and humbled before the Lord! O remember how that at another time you went into your Cloſets clouded and benighted, but came out of your Cloſets with as glorious a ſhine of God upon your ſouls, as Moſes had upon his face, Exod. 34. 28, 29.when he came down from the Mount from communing with God! O remember how often you have gone into your Cloſets Luke 24. 31, 32. Iſa. 4. 4.with cold, frozen ſpirits, but before you come out of your Cloſets what a fire hath God kindled in your ſouls, what a ſpirit of burning have you found in your hearts! O remember how often you have gone into your Cloſets ſtreightned and ſhut up, but before you have come out, how hath your ſouls been like the Charriots of Aminnadab! O remember what Can. 6. 12.power God hath given you againſt corruptions in your Cloſets, and what ſtrenth God hath given you againſt temptations in your Cloſets. O remember the ſweet diſcoveries of divine love that you have had when in your Cloſets: O remember the ſecret viſits, the ſecret kiſſes, the ſecret embraces, the ſecret whiſpers, the ſecret lovetokens that Chriſt hath given you in your Cloſets. O ſeriouſly ponder upon theſe things, and then Cloſet-duties will be ſweet unto you.
'Twas a ſweet ſaying of Bernard, O Saint, knoweſt thou not that thy Husband Chriſt is baſhful, and will Can. 7. 11, 12.not be familiar in company; retire thy ſelf by Meditation into thy Cloſet, or into the fields, and there thou ſhalt have Chriſt's embraces. Meditatio nutrix orationis, Meditation is the Nurſe of Prayer. O the more any man Gerſon.meditates upon his Cloſet-experiences, the more he ſhall find his heart engaged to Cloſet-duties; the more you ponder upon Cloſet-experiences, the ſweeter will Cloſet-experiences be to your ſouls; and the ſweeter Cloſet-experiences are to your ſouls, the more your ſouls will delight to be with God in your Cloſets.
Pliny tells us of one Meſſala Corvinus, lib. 7. c. 24.whoſe memory was ſo bad, that he forgot his own name. And I am afraid that many of your memories are ſo bad, that you forget your Cloſet-mercies, your Cloſet-experiences.
I have read of ſuch a Peſtilential diſeaſe once at Athens, as took away the memories of thoſe that were infected with it, ſo that they forgat their own names: O that I had not cauſe to fear that ſome Peſtilential Diſeaſe or other, hath ſo taken away the memories of many that they have quite forgot their Cloſet-experiences. Well Friends remember this, though ſtony hearts are bad, yet Iron memories are good; and O that you would all labour after Iron memories, that ſo you may remember and ponder upon your Cloſet-experiences. I have read of the Heathens, how they made uſe of white and black ſtones, for theſe two ends, Firſt, They gave them to perſons at their arraignment before the Judges; if any were condemned to death, they gave him a black Stone, but if abſolved and ſet free, a white Stone! (To which cuſtome the Holy-Ghoſt ſeemes to allude, in that Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give a VVhite Stone.) A ſecond uſe of thoſe Stones was this, that by them they might keep an account of all the good dayes, or evil dayes they had met withal in their lives. Hence Giacopo Senzaro having been long in love, and much croſſed about his match, he filled a Pot full of black Stones, putting only one white Stone among them, and being asked the reaſon, anſwered, There will come one VVhite Day (meaning his Marriage Day) which will make amends for all my Black Dayes.
Ah Friends, how often hath God given you the White Stone in your Cloſets! Certainly you have had more White Stones than Black Stones; your Cloſet-mercies and experiences have been more than your publick croſſes and miſeries. O Sirs, did you but reckon your good dayes according to the White Stones you have had in your Cloſets, it would make you more in love with Cloſet-prayer than ever. But,
Fourthly, Be ſure that you do not ſpend ſo much of your precious time in publick Duties and Ordinances, as that you can ſpare none for private Duties, for ſecret ſervices. Though Pharoah's Kine eat up one another, yet our Gen. 41. 4.Duties muſt not eat up one another; publick Duties muſt not eat up family duties, nor familyduties muſt not eat up publick duties, nor neither of them muſt not eat up Cloſet-duties: The wiſdom of a Chriſtian doth moſt eminently ſparkle & ſhine, in giving every duty its proper time and place, I was going to ſay, that either he was Eccl. 8. 5.no Chriſtian, or at leaſt no excellent Chriſtian, that is all eye to read, or all ear to hear, or all tongue to ſpeak, or all knee to bow, to kneel, to pray. Ah how many are there that ſpend ſo much time in hearing of this man and that, and in running up and down from meeting to meeting, that they have no time to meet with God in their Cloſets. O Sirs, your Duties are never ſo amiable and lovely, they are never ſo orient and beautiful as when they are ſeaſonably and orderly performed.
Oh how wiſe are the men of this world, ſo to order all their civil affairs, that no one buſineſs ſhall interferre with another; they ſet apart for each buſineſs a convenient proportion of time; they allot an hour for one buſineſs, two for another, three for another, &c. O that we were as wiſe for our ſouls, as wiſe for eternity, as they are for this world. O that our hearts would ſo conſult with our heads, that we may never want a convenient time to ſeek God in a corner. That Devil that loves to ſet one man againſt another, and one Nation againſt another, and one Chriſtian againſt another, that Devil loves to ſet one Ordinance againſt another, and one Duty againſt another: Hence tis that on the one hand he works ſome to cry up publick Prayers, in oppoſition to ſecret Prayer; and one the other hand he works others to cry up private Duties in oppoſition to all publick Duties; whereas all Chriſtians ſtand oblieged by God, ſo to manage one ſort of Duties, as not to ſhut out another ſort of Duties. Every Chriſtian muſt find time and room for every Duty incumbent upon him. But,
Fifthly, Love Chriſt with a more enflamed love, O ſtrengthen your love to Chriſt, and your love to Cloſet-duties. Lovers love Can, 7. 10, 11, 12.much to be alone, to be in a corner together. Certainly the more any man loves the Lord Jeſus, the more he will delight to be with Chriſt in a corner. There was a great deal of love between Jonathan 1 Sam. 18. 19. & chap. 20. com.and David, and according to their love, ſo was their private converſe, their ſecret communion one with another; they were alwayes beſt, when in the Field together, or when in a corner together or when behind the door together, or when lockt up together, and juſt ſo it would be with you, did you but love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt with a more raiſed, and a more enflamed love; you would be alwayes beſt when you were moſt with Chriſt in a corner.
Divine Love is like a rod of Myrtle, which as Pliny reports, makes the traveller that carries it in his hand ſo lively and cheerful, that he never faints or grows weary. Ah Friends did you but love the Lord Jeſus with a more ſtrong, with a more raiſed love, you would never faint in Cloſet-duties, nor you would never grow weary of Cloſet-duties. Look as the Iſraelites removed their Tents from Mithcah to Haſhmonah, from ſweetneſs Num. 23. 39.to ſwiftneſs (as the words import): So the ſweetneſs of Divine Love will make a man move ſwiftly on in a way of Cloſet-duties. Divine Love will make all Cloſet-duties more eaſie to the Soul, and more pleaſant and delightful to the Soul; and therefore do all you can to ſtrengthen your love to Chriſt, and your love to Cloſet-work.
It was obſerved among the Primitive Chriſtians, that they were ſo full of love one to another, that they could be acquainted one with another as well in half an hour, as in half a year. O Sirs, If your hearts were but more full of love to Chriſt, and Cloſet-duties, you would quickly be better acquainted with them, you would quickly know, what ſecret communion with Chriſt, behind the door means. But,
Sixthly, Be highly, throughly, and fixedly reſolved in the ſtrength of Chriſt, to keep cloſe to cloſet-duties, in the face of all difficulties and diſcouragements that you may Pſal. 44. 17, 18, 19, 20meet withal. A man of no reſolution, or of weak reſolution, will be won with a Nut, and loſt with an Apple. Satan, and the world, and carnal relations, and your own hearts, will caſt in many things to diſcourage you, and take you off from Cloſet-prayer; but be ye nobly and firmly reſolved, to keep cloſe to your Cloſet, let the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, doe and ſay what they can. Daniel was a man of an invincible reſolution; rather than he would om it praying in his Chamber he would be caſt into the Den of Lyons. Of all the Duties of Religion, Satan is the moſt deadly enemy to this of ſecret Prayer; partly becauſe Secret prayer ſpoiles him in his moſt ſecret deſigns, plots, and contrivances againſt the Soul; and partly becauſe ſecret prayer is ſo muſical and delightful to God; and partly becauſe ſecret prayer is of ſuch rare uſe and advantage to the Soul; and partly becauſe it layes not the ſoul of open to pride, vain glory, and worldly applauſe, as prayer in the Synagogue doth; and therefore he had rather that a man ſhould pray a thouſand times in the Synagogues, or in the corner of the ſtreets, or behind a Pillar, than that he ſhould pray once in his Cloſet, and therefore you had need to ſteel your hearts with holy courage and reſolution, that what ever ſuggeſtions, temptations; oppoſitions, or objections you may encounter with, that yet you will keep cloſe to Cloſet-prayer.
There is not any better Bulwark in the day or battel, than an heroick reſolution of heart before the day of battel. Sanctified reſolutions doe exceedingly weaken and diſcourage Satan in his aſſaults, they doe greatly daunt and diſhearten him in all his undertakings againſt the Soul. That man will never long be quiet in his Cloſet, who is not ſtedfaſtly reſolved to ſeek the Lord in a corner, though all the powers of darkneſs, ſhould make head againſt him. O Sir, Divine fortitude, holy reſolutions, will make you like a Wall of Braſs, that no Arrows can pierce; they will make you like Armour of proof, that no ſhot can hurt; they will make you like that Angel Mat. 28. 2.that rolled away the Stone from before the door of the Sepulchre; they will either enable you to remove the greateſt Mountaines of oppoſition that lye between you and Cloſet prayer, or elſe they will enable you to ſtep over them.
Lather was a man of great reſolution, and a man that ſpent much time in Cloſet-prayer. And ſuch another was Nehemiah, who met with ſo much oppoſition, that had he not been ſteeled by a ſtrong and obſtinate reſolution, he could never have rebuilded the Temple, but would have ſunk in the midſt of his work: Now he was a man for private prayer, as I have ſhewen in the beginning of this Treatiſe. Who more reſolute than David? & who more for ſecret prayer than David? the ſame I might ſay of Paul, Baſil, and many others, who have been famous in their Generations.
O Sirs, Sanctified Reſolutions for Cloſet-prayer, will chain you faſter to Cloſet-prayer, than ever Vliſſes his reſolutions did chain him to the maſt of the ſhip. 'Twas a noble reſolution that kept Ruth cloſe to her mother, when her ſiſter Orpah only complements her, kiſſes her, and takes her leave of her. Be but nobly reſolved Ruth 1. 10,—20.for Cloſet-prayer, and then you will keep cloſe to it, when others only court it, and take their leaves of it.
In the Salentine Country, there is mention made of a Lake, that is ſtill brim full, if you put in never ſo much it never runs over, if you draw out never ſo much it is ſtill full. The reſolution of every Chriſtian for Cloſet-prayer, Plin. Hiſt. l. 2. c. 103.ſhould be like this Lake, ſtill brim full: Tide life tide death, come honour or reproach, come loſs or gain, come liberty or bonds come what can come, the true bred Chriſtian muſt be fully and conſtantly reſolved to keep cloſe to his Cloſet. But,
Seventhly, Labour for a greater effuſion of the Holy Spirit, for the greater meaſure any man hath of the Spirit of God, the more that man will delight to be with God in ſecret, Zech. 12. 10. And I will pour upon the Houſe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, the Spirit of grace and of ſupplications. verſ. 12, 13, 14. And the Land ſhall mourn, every family apart; the family of the Houſe of David apart, and their Wives apart; the family of the Houſe of Nathan apart, and their Wives apart: The family of the Houſe of Levi apart, and their Wives apart; the family of the Houſe of Shimei apart, and their VVives apart: All the families that remain, every family apart, and their VVives apart. Mark, in the Joel 2. 28, 29. Iſa. 44 3.laſt of the laſt dayes, when men ſhall be generally under a greater effuſion of the Holy Spirit than ever, then they ſhall be more given up to ſecret prayer than ever. There will never be ſuch praying apart, and ſuch mourning apart, as there will be when the Lord ſhall pour out moſt richly, gloriouſly, abundantly, of his Spirit upon his poor people; now every one ſhall pour out his tears and his ſoul before God in a corner, to ſhew the ſoundneſs of their ſorrow, and to ſhew their ſincerity by their ſecrecy; for Ille dolet vere, qui ſine teſte dolet, He grieves with a witneſs, that grieves without a witneſs.
Certainly the more any man is now under the bleſſed pouring out of the Spirit of Chriſt, the more that man gives himſelf up to ſecret Communion with Chriſt. Every man is more or leſs with Chriſt in his Cloſet, as he is more or leſs under the anointings of the Spirit of Chriſt. The more any man hath of the Spirit of Chriſt, the more he loves Chriſt, and the more any man loves Chriſt, the more he delights to be with Chriſt alone: Lovers love to be alone. The more any man hath of the Spirit of Chriſt, the more his heart will be ſet to pleaſe Chriſt: Now nothing pleaſeth Chriſt more than the ſecret prayers of his people. (Cant. 2. 14. O my D…ve that art in the clefts of the Rock, in the ſecret places of the ſtairs, let me ſee thy Countenance, let me hear thy voice; for ſweet is thy voyce, and thy countenance is comely.) And therefore ſuch a one will be much in ſecret prayer. The more any man hath of the Spirit of Chriſt, the more his heart will be ſet upon glorifying and exalting Chriſt: Now nothing glorifies Chriſt more, nor exalts him more, than ſecret prayer; and therefore the more any man hath of the Spirit of Chriſt, the more that man will be found in ſecret prayer.
There are many perſons who ſay, they would be more in their Cloſets than they are, but that they meet with many hinderances, many occaſions, many diverſions▪ many temptations, many oppoſitions, many difficulties, many diſcouragements, which prevent them. Ah Friends, had you a greater meaſure of the Holy Spirit upon you, none of theſe things ſhould ever be able to hinder your ſecret trade Heavenward: Had you a more rich anointing of the Spirit upon you, you would never plead, there is a Lyon in the way, a Lyon in the Streets; but were there a thouſand Pro. 26. 13.Lyons between you and your Cloſets, you would either ſtep over them, or make your way through them, that ſo you might enjoy Communion with Chriſt in your Cloſets. But,
Eighthly and Laſtly, As ever you would keep cloſe to private prayer, Be frequent in the ſerious Conſideration of Eternity. O ſee Eternity ſtanding at the end of every Cloſet-Prayer, and this will make you pray to purpoſe in your Cloſets.
O Sirs, every work you doe, is a ſtep to a bleſſed, or to a curſed Eternity. Every motion, every action in this life, is a ſtep toward Eternity. As every ſtep that a Traveller takes brings him forward to his journeys end: So every ſtep that a man takes in the ſecret wayes of Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, ſuch as Cloſet-Duties are, they bring him neerer to his journeys end, they bring him neerer to a bleſſed Eternity. Look as every ſtep the ſinner takes in a way of wickedneſs brings him neerer to Hell; ſo every ſtep that a Saint takes in a way of Holineſs brings him neerer to Heaven. Look as every ſtep that a wicked man takes in the wayes of unrighteouſneſs brings him nearer to a curſed Eternity, ſo every ſtep that a godly man takes in a way of Righteouſneſs brings him neerer to a bleſſed Eternity.
Zeuxis the famous Painter was ſo exceeding careful and curious in drawing all his Lines, that he would let no Piece of his go abroad into the World to be ſeen of men, till he had turn'd it over and over, and viewed it on this ſide and that ſide, again and again, to ſee if he could ſpie any fault in it; and being asked the reaſon, why he was ſo curious, and ſo long in drawing his Lines, anſwered, Aeternitati pingo, I paint for Eternity. O Sirs, we all pray for Eternity, we faſt for Eternity, we read for Eternity, we hear for Eternity, we wait for Eternity, we weep for Eternity; and therefore O how curiouſly, how exactly, how wiſely, how faithfully, how carefully, how diligently, how unweariedly, ſhould we be in all our Cloſet-Duties and ſervices; ſeeing that all we do is in order to Eternity! Friends, you muſt all e're long be eternally bleſt, or eternally curſt; eternally happy, or eternally miſerable; eternally ſaved, or eternally damned; eternally accepted, or eternally rejected: And therefore what infinite cauſe have you, frequently to ſhut to your Cloſet Doors, and to plead mightily with God in in a corner, for the lives of your poor, precious, and immortal ſouls, that they may be eternally ſaved in the great day of our Lord Jeſus. O Sirs, when any hinderances to Cloſet-prayer preſent themſelves to you, ſeriouſly remember Eternity, and that will remove them.
It is related of one Pachomius, that whenſoever he felt any unlawful Drex. de Eternit. conſid. 8.deſires to ariſe in his mind. he was wont to drive them away with the remembrance of Eternity.
The ſame Author relates a ſtory out of Benedictus Rhrexanus, of an ungodly fellow, who on a certain Ibid. con. 5.night could not ſleep, who up on the ſerious Conſideration of Death and Eternity, and the damned lying in Hell, could not be at reſt, but Eternity did ſtill run in his mind; fa…n would he have ſhaken off the thoughts thereof, as gnawing worms; therefore he followed ſports, and paſtimes, and merry meetings, and ſought out Companions like himſelf, and ſat oftentimes ſo long at his Cups, that he laid his Conſcience aſleep, and ſo ſeemed to take ſome reſt, but when he was awakened, his Conſcience flew in his face, and would ſtill be a ſuggeſting ſad thoughts of Eternity to him; of all things in the world he could not bear it, to be kept awake in the night; but ſo it happened, that being ſick, he was kept awake one night, and could not ſleep at all, whereupon theſe thoughts riſe in him, VVhat is it ſo tedious then to be kept from ſleep one night, and to lye a few hours in the dark? Oh what is it then to be kept in torments and everlaſting darkneſs! I am here in my own houſe upon a ſoft bed in the dark, kept from ſleep but one night, but to lye in flames and endleſs miſery, how dreadful muſt that needs be! Theſe and ſuch like meditations were the happy means of this young mans converſion.
I have read a notable Story of one Theodorus, a Chriſtian young man in Egypt, who when there was a great deal of feaſting, mirth, and muſick in his Fathers houſe, withdrew himſelf from all the company, and being got alone, he thus thought with with himſelf, Here is content and delight enough for the fleſh, I may have what I deſire, but how long will this laſt? this will not hold out long; then falling down upon his knees before the Lord in ſecret, he ſaid, O Lord my heart is open unto thee, I indeed know not what to ask, but only this Lord, let me not dye eternally; O Lord, thou knoweſt I love thee, O let me live eternally to praiſe thee.
If there be any way or means on earth to bring us upon our knees before God in ſecret, it is the ſerious and ſolemn thoughts of Eternity. O that the fear of Eternity might fall upon all your ſouls: O that you would all ſeriouſly conſider that after a ſhort time is expired, you muſt all enter upon an eternal eſtate. O conſider that Eternity is an infinite, endleſs, bottomleſs gulph, which no line can fathom, no time can reach, no age can extend to, no tongue can expreſſe: it is a duration alwayes preſent, a being alwayes in being; its Ʋnum perpetuum hodie, one perpetual day, which ſhall never ſee light. O Sirs, this is, and muſt be for a lamentation, viz. that Eternity is a thing that moſt men never think of, or elſe very ſlenderly; a ſnatch and away, as Dogs are ſaid to lap and away at the River N…lus. But as ever you would have your hearts chained to your cloſets, and to cloſet-duties, as the men of Tyrus chained their God Apollo to a poſt, that they might be ſure of him, then ſeriouſly and frequently ponder upon Eternity, and with thoſe fourty valiant Martyrs, be ſtill a crying out foreign, O Baſil 40. Martyr.Eternity, Eternity▪
Mr. VVood after ſome holy diſcourſe fell a muſing, and cryed out before all preſent, for neer half a quarter of an hour together, for ever, for ever, for ever. Auſtins Prayer was, Hack me, hew me, burn me here, but ſpare me heareafter, ſpare me hereafter. Certainly if Chriſtians would but ſpend one quarter of an hour every day in the ſolemn thoughts of Eternity, it would make them more in love with Cloſet-prayer than ever, yea, it would make them more fearful of omitting Cloſet-prayer than ever, and more careful and Conſcientious in the diſcharg of all Cloſet-Duties than ever.
And thus according to my weak meaſure, I have given out all that at preſent the Lord hath graciouſly given in to my poor ſoul, concerning this moſt neceſſary, moſt glorious, and moſt uſeful point of points viz. Cloſet-prayer, I ſhall by aſſiſting grace follow this poor piece with my prayers that it may be ſo bleſt from on high, as that it may work mightily to the internal and eternal welfare, both of Reader, Hearer, and Writer.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
In the Epiſtle Dedicatory, neer the middle, for, for are, r. are for corroſives. for appropiating, r. appropriating. In the 3. Leſſon for Mow, r. Now. In the 7. Leſſon, for hang up, r. hang upon. p. 21. l. 28. read thus p. …0 l. 28. read Paul. p. 98. l. 26. dele as well. p. 99. r. in the marg. Deus. p. 149. l. 2. dele muſt. p. 126. l. 7. r. lyes. p. 168. l. 16. r. decree, for degree. p. 170 l. 4. r. evade. p. 175 l. 20. r. Solomon. p. 189. l. ult. r. adreſſing. p. 190. l. 14. r. or, for for. p. 209. l. utl. r. and. p. 224 l. 18. r. drink. l. 22. r. affliction p. 254. l 7. r. he, for the. p. 298. l. 22. r. cum. p. 357. l. 8. r. Marqueſs, for Martyr. p. 371. l. 28. r. a very, for every.