Closet Prayer a Christian Duty, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Reaſons to prove that Cloſet-Prayer, is a Chriſtian-Duty.
SECT. I. The firſt Reaſon of the Point.
ALl the Reaſons that I ſhall make uſe of at this time for the proof of this Doctrine, and clearing ſecret Prayer to be a duty, ſhall be fetcht out of the Text, and they are theſe.
4. Rea.
1. The conveniency of privacy for Prayer.
2. The Relation betwixt God and a Saint:
3. Gods Omniſcience, ſeeing in ſecret.
4. Gods Munificence, rewarding.
1. The great conveniency there is in privacy for Prayer, and the good providence of God, beſtowing upon us private Rooms which implicitly call us to the performance of that duty. For there is in retirement a great advantage for the managing of any work of wiſdom, Prov. 18.1. Through deſire a man having ſeparated himſelf, ſeeketh and intermeddleth with all wiſdom, i. e. He that is really ſtudious of true Piety, will voluntarily ſequeſter himſelf to proſecute it. This was anciently the well-meaning deſign of a Monaſtick life, which ſince hath been wofully abuſed: But yet certainly there is a very great advantage in ſolitarineſs for carrying on a religious buſineſs: Take only two at preſent, which are advantages particularly referring to this duty of Prayer, whereunto ſecrecy contributes.
1. Self-expoſtulations, and ſelf-abaſing geſtures and expreſſions: when a Chriſtian in Prayer finds his heart hard, dead, dull, diſtracted, or any way out of order he may in ſecret make a pauſe, and begin to commune; with his own heart, examine the matter, lament the cauſe, chide his untoward heart, and charge his wanton ſpirit to keep cloſe to his God in duty: Thus David, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? Awake Pſaltery and Harp, I my ſelf will awake early: My ſoul wait thou upon God. Nothing more familiar in the Pſalms than ſuch interciſions and diverſions from the work in hand, to raiſe up the heart to an higher tune in Prayer and Praiſes. And this may be of ſingular uſe; for by ſuch heart-reaſonings and debates a Saint may wind up his ſpirit, and get better prepared for the remaining part of the exerciſe: Now ſuch a work as this would not be ſo ſeaſonable and convenient, when others joyn in the duty: So alſo for bodily poſtures; ſometimes for an evidence of greater humiliation, a Chriſtian finds it requiſite to proſtrate himſelf before the Lord: And uſe ſuch geſtures as would not be fit in the ſight of others; therefore Cloſet-Prayer is very neceſſary, where a Chriſtian may uſe his diſcretion as God ſhall direct him, for the humbling, quickning, raiſing and melting of his heart before the Lord alone: That's the firſt advantage.
2. It is a wonderful help againſt diſtraction. When we are (as it were) out of the noiſe of the world, we are then fitter for attendance upon God: The affairs, diſcourſes, troubles, and confuſions of a family (if within hearing) are a great hindrance to the duties of Meditation and Prayer: Experience teſtifies this, a man cannot ſtudy or caſt accounts in a croud or throng of People. When we are intent upon any buſineſs, how little a noiſe diverts us? It may be this was the reaſon why that hoſpitable Gentlewoman, in 2 King. 4.10. would have a Chamber built for her welcom-gueſt the Prophet Eliſha, yea built upon the wall: for ſhe might judge him to be a contemplative man, and though ſhe might have lodging-rooms in her houſe, yet ſhe might look upon that at a little diſtance, as more commodious for his devotions and meditations, as being out of the noiſe of houſhold-buſineſs and hurryings: An active fancy quickly cloſeth with any diverſion in our attendance upon God: Therefore ought we to ſtudy to attend upon the Lord without diſtraction: When Abraham went to worſhip in the Mount, he left his ſervants below in the valley, leſt they ſhould obſtruct his communion with God: When Moſes was to go up unto the Lord, though Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the ſeventy Elders went further than the People, yet the Text ſaith, They ſhould worſhip afar off; but, ſaith God, Moſes alone ſhall come near the Lord, Exod. 24.1, 2. Obſerve it, when Moſes had parted with his company, and was alone, then he ſhould come near the Lord; common profeſſors worſhip not God at all acceptably, ſincere Saints worſhipping God with others are comparatively far off; but ſouls in a corner or Cloſet are admitted to come near God, and have ſweet intimacy with him, as I ſhall ſhew anon: Yet miſtake me not, not as though I preferred ſecret Prayer alone, before publick Prayer with others; for as God delights in the joint prayers of his People, ſo a ſoul may enjoy God in communion of Saints, and is ordinarily more carryed out to God than in private, according to the helps and advantages he hath with others; yet when the heart is in frame, there is uſually more intimacy expreſt betwixt God and the Chriſtian in ſecret, than with others: Yet further, miſtake not, not as though ſolitarineſs free'd us from all diſtractions: i… we take our hearts with us, we ſhall have a principle of diverſion, and need neither noiſe nor viſible objects to hinder us from God: And this thoſe that have magnified ſolitarineſs moſt, have found by ſad experience, and left upon record: Take an inſtance;Locus ſecretus eligitur, quia ſolus Dei judicio …e…unia ſuut agenda, & ſingularem inſpectorem, adjutorem que Deum volunt haec habere c…tamina, ne que in agon bus aliquibus periculoſus militatur: — Prop…er hoc, Solitudo carent arbitris, & Eremus, aſſentaterum ſatellitio vacua, à jejunan…e Chriſto el gitur, ut non cum carne & ſanguine, ſed cum ſpiritualibus nequi…iis dimic…tur, & amotis minorum occaſionibus homo cum Diabolo colluctetur, & ſoli ſint in palaſtra Chriſtus & Antichristus, Spiritus & Antiſpiritus: Ne que putet homo, ſe evaſiſſe pericula cum in eremum venerit, quia quanto ſaltilius tanto difficilius à Te…tatore invaditur, qui cogitationum foribus aſſilens omnia virtutum germina in ipſo ortu ſtrangulare molitur: Cyp. De jejun. & te…tat. Chriſti: Prope init. pag. 300, 301. Verum ſiberius, anima expedita obviat impugnanti, ubi compedes impedimentorum defueriat & aſpectus irritamenta non noveriat: Securior que eſt congreſſus, ubi ſingu…a non vellicant dimicante nec inebriant animum lenocinio voluptatum, vid. plur. Cyprian ſpeaking of Chriſts faſting and being tempted in the Wilderneſs, chuſing that place for its ſecrecy, becauſe, ſaith he, Faſtings are to be obſerved ſo as God alone may be Judge, and in ſuch conteſts as theſe we are to call on God alone as ſpectator and helper: And ſhews notably the danger of vain-glory, and advantages of ſecrecy; yet adds, Let not a man imagine he hath eſcaped all dangers, when he comes into a Wilderneſs or ſolitary place: becauſe he is invaded by the tempter, ſo much the more difficulty, becauſe more ſubtily, who ſitting before the doors of the thoughts, ſeeks to ſtrangle all the buds of vertue in their very birth. Yet the diſentangled ſoul will more freely reſiſt its enemy, when the fetters of impediments are wanting, and the ſight diſcerns no allurements, and the conflict is more ſecure; when particular affairs pluck nor back the combatant, nor the delights of inticing pleaſures inebriate (or make drunk) the mind: Thus he: But this is the firſt Reaſon, from the advantages of ſ…
SECT. II. The ſecond Reaſon, is, From the relation betwixt God and a praying Soul.
2. ANother Reaſon held forth alſo in the Text, is drawn from that relation which is betwixt God and a believing Soul: therefore our Saviour bids, pray to Thy Father: and this Reaſon hath two parts.
1. The poor Soul can more freely open his heart to God in a Cloſet.
2. God will more clearly manifeſt himſelf to the Soul in ſecret.
1. A Soul in ſecret making its addreſſes to God, goes to him as a Father: Now, we know children cannot be ſo free in their addreſſes to their Father, in company and before ſtrangers, as when no body is preſent: Hence it is, that when a child hath any ſpecial buſineſs to his Father, he takes him aſide, or whiſpers to him, that none may over-hear him: And obſerve it, Gods children have an errand to God that none muſt know of: As Ehud ſaid to Eglon, I have a ſecret errand to thee, O King, Judg. 3.19. So a gracious ſoul may ſay, Oh my King, my God, my Father, I have a ſecret errand to thee. A luſt to confeſs, or mercy to beg or bleſs thee for, that I would not have others to know of: It is not fit any ſhould be privy to that which a gracious ſoul tells God of: In this caſe it may be ſaid, Diſcover not thy ſecret to another, Prov. 25.9. Two may keep counſel, but three cannot: God and a gracious Soul will be faithful to each other, but a third muſt not know of theſe matters; nay in this caſe we may ſay, Keep the doors of thy lips from her that lyeth in thy boſom, Mic. 7.5. There are many things a Saint tells God of, that he will not acquaint either Father, or Wife, or Friend with, that is as his own ſoul, but only his heavenly Father; he opens his boſom freely to him, and tells him his whole heart, beſt and worſt; hides nothing from him, becauſe he only knows the heart: And truly I have often in this admired the wiſdom of God, that hath ſo far conſulted his peoples credit and modeſty as to appoint them place and ways of ſpeaking to him privately, deſigning ſecret Prayer for this very end, that the ſoul may ſpread its letter of wants and complaints before its Father, and preſent its petition to the King of Heaven: The Spouſe of Chriſt is modeſt (ſaith an Ancient) and cannot ſo freely let out her ſelf to her beloved before others as in a corner: here then comes in the uſe and advantage of Cloſet-Prayer, that a Chriſtian may (as Jonathan and David did, unboſom themſelves to each other alone) open his heart to God where no eyes ſee, or ears hear his ſecret groans and tears: But further.
2. God will more familiarly communicate himſelf to the ſoul in a corner: he alſo hath ſomething to whiſper in the believers ear, that none muſt know of; and therefore gets it by it ſelf: a lively emblem whereof we have in Joſephs making himſelf known to his Brethren, when his bowels were working, and he could not refrain himſelf, he cryed, Gen. 45.1, 2, 3, 4.Cauſe every man to go out from me. — Then he wept aloud, and ſaid, I am Joſeph. And, oh what endeared reciprocal affections did work in all their breaſts towards each other! Juſt thus, is it betwixt our Joſeph and his brethren, Jeſus Chriſt and his members; there ſtands none with him while Jeſus makes himſelf known unto his Brethren: And though at firſt they be (as it were) troubled at his preſence, yet when he ſpeaks lovingly, and paſſeth by former unkindneſſes, and ſaith, Come near unto me I pray you, then they come near, and he ſaith convincingly, I am Jeſus whom ye ſold and crucified: This melts and humbles their rocky hearts, and being broken, he pours oyl into their troubled ſpirits, and ſpeaks many ſweet heart-reviving words unto them: Then, then the child of God hath moſt ſweet refreſhing in-comes:Hoſ. 2.14. When God hath allured the ſoul into the Wilderneſs, he ſpeaks to its heart.foreign Deſertum, ſic dictum per Antiphr. quaſi locus à ſermone remotus. A Wilderneſs is a ſolitary place, where other ſpeech is not heard, (as the word imports:) then ſpeaks God to the ſoul when men cannot ſpeak to it: When men are remote, God is near at hand; yea neareſt to help, melt, comfort, quicken, when men are furtheſt off: Our Saviour ſaith of himſelf, Joh. 16.32. You leave me alone, yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. q. d. When you go away, my Father comes to viſit me with moſt familiar endearings, Oh bleſſed exchange! Thus it is often with the Saints: when men leave them, or they withdraw from men, they have many times moſt of God: and, Is it not infinitely better, to have the preſence of God, than the company of men? 'Tis worth noting what God ſaith of Abraham, Iſa. 51.2. I called him alone and bleſſed him. Mark it, when God had inticed Abraham from all his friends, and got him alone, then he bleſſeth him, and you know what the bleſſing of Abraham was, even a Covenant-bleſſing; ſuch God diſtributes to his Saints when he hath withdrawn them from company into a corner:Mihi oppidum carceder, eſt, ſolitudo paradiſus, Hieronym. This is that which made an Ancient profeſs, that a Town was his priſon, a ſolitary place his paradiſe: Cities or numerous ſocieties draw a veil betwixt God and the ſoul, which ſolitarineſs withdraws; and ſo many times becomes moſt ſweet: We often loſe God in a croud of buſineſs or company, but find him when alone: Hence a corner of our houſe may be a little corner of Heaven, and in our cloſets we may find the ſweeteſt cordials and contentment: You know, Friends do moſt familiarly injoy one another when others are not preſent, Jonathan ſent away the lad when he would be familiar with his friend David: And then they kiſſed one another,1 Sam. 20.40, 41. and wept one with another, until David exceeded: Even ſo, husband and wife alone have the ſweeteſt embraces: There lyes a reſtraint (as it were) upon God by company, which is taken off in a ſort by ſolitarineſs. Oh when God finds a ſoul alone by it ſelf, having ſet it ſelf purpoſely to meet him, then he reveals his love, unvails his face, unlocks his bleſſed cheſt, diſtributes doles of love and grace, kiſſes it with the kiſſes of his mouth, and ſends it not away empty, but full of grace and peace. Thus that word of Solomon is verified, Prov. 14.10. The heart knoweth his own bitterneſs, and a ſtranger intermeddles not with his 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 uſed to ſay, My God and I, are good company: This, this is to be thorow-paced in religion; this is Enochs walking with God, a converſation in Heaven, a fellowſhip with the Father, an emblem of glory, and the ſweeteſt, happieſt life a ſoul is capable of in this world; and much of this conſiſts in a converſing with God in the duty of ſecret Prayer: And all this flows from a due apprehenſion of Gods omniſcience and omnipreſence, and this reaſon Cyprian renders,Denique magiſterio ſuo Dominus ſecrete nos orare precepit in abditis & ſecretis vel ſemotis locis, in enbiculis ipſis, quod magis convenit fidei, ut ſciamus Deum ubi que eſſe praeſentem, audire omnes, & videre, & majeſtatis ſuae plenitudine in abdita quo que & occulta penetrare, ſicut Scriptum eſt, Jer. 23.23, 24. & Prov. 15.3. Cypr. Serm. de orat. Dom. p. 409. why Jeſus Chriſt here doth preſcribe our Cloſet-devotions, as moſt agreeable to our Chriſtian Faith, that we may know God is everywhere preſent, hears all, and pierceth with the fulneſs of his Majeſty into the inmoſt rooms, and hidden places according to the Scriptures: And truly, this is a Doctrine worth confirming by ſuch a practice; and this is a practice worthy of ſuch a Doctrine: That's the third Reaſon.
SECT. IV. The laſt Reaſon is drawn from Gods rewarding openly.
4. LAſtly, The Text ſaith, Thy Father that ſeeth in ſecret will reward thee openly: This Reaſon is drawn from Gods munificence: Wherein we have, 1. The promiſe, that's a reward, 2. The manner of performance openly: This is a comfortable Circumſtance, 'tis worth ſomething to know that our labour is not loſt, it ſhall be rewarded, yea it ſhall be rewarded by God, whoſe rewards are great like himſelf, yea it ſhall be rewarded by thy Father. A Father takes in good part a little ſervice from an obedient child, and gives a great reward for a little work; yea Cloſet-Prayer ſhall be openly rewarded. The obſervableneſs of the mercy inhanceth the rates of it; tending more to the Chriſtians comfort, example to others, incouragement to right worſhippers, and glory to God: All theſe things might take up much time, but I ſhall only hint what is that open reward that God gives to ſuch as are conſtant in Cloſet-Prayer: That's theſe four wayes.
1. By returning a viſible anſwer to ſecret Prayer: None ſaw Jacobs wreſtling hand to fiſt (as it were) with the Angel;Gen. 32.24. with Chap. 33.4. but all might obſerve the loving embraces betwixt that good man and his hoſtile brother Eſau: There was no witneſs of Moſes's interceſſion for Iſrael in the Mount; but all the congregation and the whole world,Exod. 32.10, 11, 14. may bear witneſs of Gods hearing his Prayer, for ſparing an offending people: When Eli obſerved Hanna's lips move, and heard no voice, he misjudged her to be a drunken woman: but the truth is, ſhe was buſie with her God in earneſt Prayer; and though he knew nothing of it then, yet afterwards he ſaw the effect, 1 Sam. 1.13. with ver. 27. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: (Ecce ſignum) behold a ſign of his favour! behold an evident token that I prayed in truth! Many a time, yea many a time was I provoked by my ſcoffing adverſary Peninnah, and as often did I make my moan to my Heavenly Husband; and ſee here the fruit of my ſincere devotions in a corner: None ſaw my Tears, all may ſee my Child; none heard my cryes in Prayer, but the voice of my Samuel may be heard by all Iſrael: He ſhall carry the memorial of anſwer to ſecret Prayer in his name to the grave: And cannot many a ſoul ſpeak the ſame language? Cannot you ſeal to the ſame or like experiment? Cannot ſome of Gods children ſay, This mercy I got from God in ſuch a Room, Chamber, or Cloſet? No creature upon earth knew what I did there. But now all may ſee the happy effects of my hard travel, I find that 'tis not in vain to ſeek God in private; none knows the meaning of the mercy but my ſelf. I may call it Napthali, Gen. 38.8.for with great wreſtlings have I wreſtled with my God and prevailed. This mercy bears a double price to all the reſt, for 'tis won by Prayer, and now may be worn with praiſes and triumphing; ſo that a ſoul may ſay, This is my God, I have waited for him, he will ſave me,Iſa. 25.9. this is [my God] Jehovah, I have waited for him, I will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation: Lo here he is, I can now make my boaſt of my God. Wicked men are wont to ſay, Where is thy God? Now I can anſwer them, Lo this is he that returns ſuch anſwers to my Prayer, that, appears ſo gloriouſly for me, This is my God in whom I have truſted, on whom I have called, and he hath anſwered, I am not diſappointed: Bleſſed be God, theſe appearances are the viſible returns of my ſecret prayers.
2. God rewards ſecret prayer openly, by diſcriminating Providences in a common calamity: God uſually takes them into the chambers of his protection that retired themſelves into chambers of devotion:Iſa. 26.20. They that enjoy moſt of God, ſhall be beſt ſecured by God: Pſal. 91.1. He that dwelleth in the ſecret place of the moſt High, ſhall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty: i. e. He that by faith and prayer hath got moſt intimate communion with God, is lodged in the ſafeſt ſhelter in the day of danger: And who is ſo likely to enjoy God as that Chriſtian that waits much upon God in ſecret; he gets into Gods ſecret place, who is much with God in ſecret places: David put up many a hearty prayer in ſolitary caves; and how remarkably doth God ſecure him in the day of apparent hazard, to the conviction of Saul and his Courtiers? We find the mourners in Sion lamenting ſecretly the abominations committed openly, and God ſets an obvious character upon their foreheads, ſeen diſcernably by the deſtroying Angel, and known apparantly by the effects thereof to the world in their exemption from the general ſtroak of deſolation, Ezek. 9.Jer. 13.17. with Chap. 39.11.4, 6. Jeremiahs ſoul weeps in ſecret for the pride and prophaneſs of Iſrael; and he was ſtrangely ſecured in the day of Iſraels dreadful deſtruction: 'Tis very remarkable, what's recorded in Gen. 19.29. God remembred Abraham; and ſent Lot out of the midſt of the overthrow: Why, what did Abraham? The former Chapter tells us, that Abraham had been with God in Prayer in ſecret, and this was the effect of it, God will ſnatch Lot out of that dreadful burning as a return of ſecret Prayer: God takes a time to put a difference betwixt his praying people and others: Faith and Prayer are two feet of the ſoul, whereby the righteous run into the Name of the Lord which is their ſtrong Tower 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, 'tis 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,foreign 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 'tis 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 Templeworſhip 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 Ʋſher? 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.