Of Closet Prayer, Title page – Preface

Of Closet Prayer · Title page – Preface

A DISCOURSE OF CLOSET (or SECRET) PRAYER, FROM MATT. VI. 6. First Preached, and now Published at the Request of those that heard it. BY SAMUEL SLATER, Mininister of the Gospel.

LONDON: Printed for Ionathan Robinson, and Tho. Cockerill, at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard; and at the Three Leggs in the Poultry, over against the Stocks-Market. MDCXCI.

To that Flock of Christ, over which the Holy-Ghost hath made me an Overseer.

Beloved in the Lord,

IF Sins and Troubles make times bad, those have been so in which our lines have been cast; as great and glorious light hath shin'd in our Horizon, as in any since the Apostle's Age, yet the works of darkness have abounded among us, Superstition, Persecution and Prophaneness. Great numbers among us hate the light of Truth, and gladly would have it extinguished; And who can count those who walk as enemies to the Cross of Christ, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame? We have had fierce disputes, and hot contentions (Veluti pro aris & foc…s) for lifeless Forms and Ceremonies not worth a button, which have been bones of Contention in the Church of God ever since the Reformation, and will continue so to be, till Men are grown wise enough to cast them out; but at the same time, the Vitals of Christianity, and Power of Godliness have been forgotten and neglected, nay, by the generality, (such Christians there are in our days) ridicul'd and hated; so that many live direct contradictions to the Profession they make, and throw dirt upon that Name in which they would be thought to Glory. The grand design, indeed, driven on among us, hath been to reduce these Nations to the See of Rome▪ and to bring in Popery among us; in order whereunto; Men taught by the Devil, and wise to do evil, have by their Hellish and Cursed Examples introduc'd prophandenss; for none so fit to make a Doctrinal Papist, as one that is a Practical Atheist. How far these persons have prevailed, and this Nation hath been by them immoralized and debauched, and all ranks of Men among us, Clergy as well as Laity, Nobility and Commons, Gentlemen and Peasants, vitiated both in Principles and Life, is, alas! too obvious and visible to any one that hath an eye in bit head. And if ever God hath a purpose to do this Nation good, and to deliver us form implacable enemies, and menacing dangers, and after all ou fears, and convulsions, and shakings, to settle …u… upon sure and lasting foundations, he will reform us. I wish that every one would reform himself and save cur Rules a labour; if they will not I wish that our Governours would imploy then power; and as they are providing (as necessity requires) against a potent Adversary abroad, they would, by the vigorous execution of wholeso… Laws against overflowing sins within, which most expose us to ruin, because to Divine wrath and thereby (if I may so speak) save God a labour: But if they will not do their work, God will do his. It is my hope, that he will not for sake this pleasant Land, in which he hath so great an interest; but mend it, that he might delight in it, though in what way, and by what means, whether by some smarting Rod, or sti…ging Scorpion, teaching us by Briars and Thorns, letting out the corrupt Blood by tremendous Iudgments, or more gently by the Word, it is not for me to determine, that we must leave to him whose wisdom is unsearchable, and his ways past finding out. Though I cannot but hope well from his gracious opening such a wide and effectual door to hi… glorious Gospel, and giving to it so free a passage, as blessed be his name, we see at this day; and restoring a desired and welcome liberty of Preaching to many of his faithful and eminent Servants, who had by severe Laws been driven, and kept out of the Vineyard; for which many of them who had an hand in making those Laws, have answered at the highest and most dreadful Tribunal; and the rest shall in due time, too soon for them. The good Lord grant, that while the Gospel runs, it may be glorified, by attaining is most excellent and noble end in the hearts and lives of those who sit under the joyful sound thereof; that so Religion may recover its pristine Lustre, yea, shine forth with a greater glory than it did in the days of our most famous Predecessors.

Altogether unexpectedly to me, It pleased the great God (whose right it is to dispose of us according to his good pleasure) to call me to Minister to you in the Gospel of his Son, after he had taken home to an everlasting Rest, and fulness of Ioy, in and with himself, your former, Learned, and every-way accomplished Pastor, whose death was as it deserved to be, bitterly bewailed by you. In the same Relation to you he hath continued me for almost these Fifteen years during which space of time, variety of Providences have passed over our heads, we have met with both Halcion and Tempestuous days; but we must, we are obliged togive an honourable report of him, as having been to us a shadow from the heat, and a shelter from the storm; so that few of our Sabbaths have been, in the fury of the times, Fasting-days throughout, and very f…w of our Meeting disturbed and violently broken up: But as he was pleased to give me an heart to Preach, so you had from him an heart to hear; and however some that went off from us have tack'd about, and defiled their Garments, the most of you have weathered the point, born the burnt, kept your ground, and found mercy to be faithful to the Cause you owned, not sinfully complying with the Lusts of Men, nor submitting to their impositions, and unscriptural mixtures with, and in things pertaining to Divine Worship; upon which account among many others, I can look upon you as those that have been, and yet are, and will, I hope, go on to be my Ioy and Crown.

I can call God to witness, that I love you in truth, and have both sincerely and earnestly desir'd your good, endeavouring to the utmost of my ability, to make known unto you the whole Counsel of God; not putting you off with Rhetorical flourishes, the enticing words of Man's wisdom, new and empty notions, Philosophical strains, and inventions of Men; but with that Bread that came down from Heaven, nourishing you up to Eternal Life; determining to know nothing among you, but Iesus, Christ, and him Crucified, who is the admiration of Angels, and worthy to be the desire of all Nations; but too little Preached in England, in London at this day; and too little valued and believed in. He hath been the great subject of my Discourses among you, while, as you will bear me testimony, I have not sought yours, but you. And as you did chuse your Cook, so you have liked the Provision be drest and set upon your Board, having been, for the greatest part, as constant in your attendance upon my Ministry, as any in London; and not like many, given to change, wandering up and down from place to place, by means whereof their itching Ears have been more tickled, that their precious Souls advantaged; yed, some of them running from the Flock to which they-belong, and not keeping the place in which God by his Providence had▪ set them, have fallen into the hands of Seducers, who have led them out of the way Everlasting, and then robbed them of their Light and Heat, the precious Truths of God, and their Zeal for him, leaving them wounded both in Head and Heart, and wallowing in the Blood of their Apostacy.

I was, in a prudent and very modest Letter desired to preach upon that excellent Duty of Secret Prayer, by one of your number, who had with grief taken notice what strangers some Professors are to the practice of it, yea, how some do live in the total neglect of it, as if it were altogether unnecessary and unprofitable. The motion being made, did meet with a very ready and chearful entertainment: I stood not debating, but presently closed and buckled to the business, and the very next Lord's Day begun it. A single Sermon only was desired, and I intended no more: but having once engaged my thoughts, they multiplied, and grew up into four. As soon as I knew the person that sent me the Letter, and made the Motion, I gave her my Thanks, and I do here repeat them, because I find that many, through the Blessing of God, have got good by it. When I had finished the Discourses, a Letter, subscribed by several, was presented me, desiring, That what had been Preached, might be Printed; which was granted as soon as asked; though the Great Work which lieth upon me, doth render Printing very tedious to me, and alloweth me not that exactness which I delight in, and should otherwise endeavour. But I am Yours, and take pleasure in being so, and know not how to deny you any thing. And now I wish, That what is here sent abroad into the open World, might find acceptance there, and meet with a kind reception from Others, as it did from You; and also, That it may bring forth much fruit, and accomplish that for which it hath been designed, even the good of precious Souls, the awakening to, and quickening in this great piece of practical Godliness, those who have totally neglected it, or been exceeding remiss.

Little do Men and Women think how greatly they prejudice themselves by carelesness touching matters of this nature: they had better act by halves, and tri…le in the Affairs of this World, than in those of Religion. How can any think to be supplied fresh that Stock which is laid up in the hand of Christ, or to be enriched by his inexhaustible fulness, if they do not seek him? How can any expect the performance and making good of the Promises to them▪ unless they put them in suit? How can any rationally hope, that they shall with Ioy draw Water out of the Well of Salvation, when they will not take so much pains as to let down their Bucket into it? Though great and glorious things be in the heart and purposes of God concerning his People, and he hath passed his Word for them, which is better than Man's Bond, Security sufficient; yet he will be enquired of by them to do them for them. Well, whoever they be who undervalue God, making him the Object neither of their Love nor of their Fear; whoever they he that say unto God, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, nor to maintain any fellowship with thy Majesty; whoever they be that taste no sweetness in holy Exercises, and see not that God is necessary, but hope to pick up a satisfaction for themselves out of inferior and transitory Goods: Let your wants drive you to God, and your love draw you to him; do you seek the Lord, and his strength, yea, seek his face evermore; lay hold upon all opportunities of meeting with him, bearing from him, and pouring out your Souls before him; go with Zacheus into the High-way, that there you may get a sight of Christ; and with the Spouse into the secret places of the stairs, and there let him hear your voice. Certainly, all those that are born of God, have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, are entitled to the Glory above, and Ioint-heirs with Christ; have received and are acted by the Spirit of Adoption, which is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, and puts them upon going to him in all cases, as to their Father in Christ, their God in Covenant. They are in the Scripture called, The Generation of them that seek him. And let men say what they will, it will be found, That the most praying Christians are the most thriving Christians; They are the persons that now get most of Heaven, and make the happiest progress in the way thither. Do you therefore in the morning direct your Prayer to God, and look up; do you present Him with the First-fruits, so will the whole be sanctified; by that means you will secure to your selves his direction in the difficulties of the day, his defence against the temptations of it, his support under the afflictions of it, his assistance in the work and duties of it, together with his blessing upon your endeavours to succeed them, and upon your enjoyments to sweeten them to you. When the evening comes, end your day with God, make him the Omega as well as the Alpha; pay him the tribute of Praise for the Mercies you recieved, beg the continuance of his favour; so may you lie down in peace, and comfortably expect a being shadowed with his wing, and having sleep given you as to his beloved Ones, while the Hedge of his Protection is set about your Persons, Families, and all that you have. Upon the Lord's day, get alone, and do all you can to pray your selves into an holy and heavenly frame, fit for the Duties and Ordinances of it; beg his Presence with you, and in them, and a sight of his Power and Glory; and that there he would give you of his Loves, and Kiss you with the Kisses of his mouth. Never dare to come to the publick Assemblies, till you have been with the Great Master of them, who alone can bless his Provisions to your refreshing and nourishment, and fasten his Truths in your Heads and Hearts, as a Nail in a sure place. Pray that he who hath the Key of David, would open the Minister's mouth, and your hearts, giving him the Tongue of the Learned, and you the Ear of the Obedience; both prepare the Seed, and likewise fit the Soil. And when you return from the Congregation to your own Houses, there set upon Prayer again, and so cover the Seed that is sown, and earnestly desire of God, That as he did enable you to mingle Faith with the Word that was delivered, so he would grant you to live and practice it. The Life in Heaven will be a Life of Praise; O let our Life on Earth be a Life of Prayer: There our Souls will have an Eternal Repose in him; Here let our Souls f…llow hard after him.

But this Epistle s…vells too big, 'tis high time to draw to a Close. My hearts desire and Prayer for you all is, That you may be saved, and that you may work out your Salvation with fear and trembling. If you and I get to Heaven at last, it matters not what storms we meet with here. It is but a little while, and all our hard work▪ and sharp conflicts, and sour afflictions▪ will have an end; and then we shall see God, and manage Everlasting Triumphs; sinning and sighing▪ wanting and weeping no more. Watch while you live in the midst of Enemies▪ walk while you have the light, and mind your work while you have any to do. Husband your time, improve your seasons, trade with your Talents, fill your Relations with Duty, and in all things adorn the Doctrine of our God and Saviour. It is your professed desire to enjoy pure Ordinances and an holy Communion: Oh that there may be none among you that profane those Ordinances, and pollute that Communion! First look to your hearts, then to your ways, and make and keep both as clean as you can. Be much in minding your selves, not in censuring others; their infirmities do you pity, and labour to get your own healed. Your stay and mine here is not like to be long; and we mine here is not like to be long; and we need not care how short it is, so the great work for which we were sent, be finished before we go. When we are once in Heaven, we shall not need the World, and the Church will not need us; for God hath the residue of the Spirit, and can set others in our places, who shall fill them better than we have done. While I am continued among you. I shall, by Grace assisting, make it my business to help your Faith and Ioy; do you work together with me, and God with us all. Be friends to your selves, and one another; why are you brought into an holy Communion, but in order to mutual edification? And our life is not to be measured so much by the multitude of days, or plenty of enjoyments, as by usefulness▪ He that doth most service, shall have the greatest commendation, and weightiest Crown. Now commending you to God, and the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheritance among all them which are satisfied, I rest

Your Servant for Jesus sake, SAMUEL SLATER. From my Study, Novemb. 24. 1690

p. 1MATTHEW VI. 6.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy Closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.

THese words are a little part of our dear Saviour's first Sermon, and the longest that ever he Preached; full of excellent matter, most worthy of the Preacher, most proper and profitable for the Hearers; it abounds with wholesom and excellent Counsels, and affords most precious and cordial Comforts. They that would taste his Comforts, must follow his Counsels; and as they desire that Christ would admit them into Heaven when they dye, they must be very careful while they live, to observe and practice what he taught while he was here upon Earth: Learn of him as a Prophet, if you would be advanced by him as King.

p. 2In the beginning of this Chapter, he commands his Disciples and Followers to take heed. Caution becomes Christians, their Case calls loudly for it; the life which they live in the flesh, requires a great deal of caution for the leading of it, that it might not be a vain and empty life, a low and unworthy life; and the duties of Religion, to the doing of which they are engaged, requires as much, that they may not be spoiled by them, nor rejected by God; nor thrown as dung into their faces. Take heed, O Professors, how you live, and walk and carry in the World; weigh all your actions, and ponder the path of your feet. Take heed what you hear, and how you hear; take heed how you pray, for what, and in what manner; take heed how you converse, and with whom; take heed how you eat and drink, and buy and sell; how you think and speak: Take heed that you avoid all sinful things, and that you do not sin in any lawful things. There is a great deal of unseen danger, there is a multitude of snares subtilly and privily laid; and we are very prone to miscarry, to fall into those dangers, and be caught in those snares: We have need to be circumspect and wary. Take heed therefore, remembering and considering, He gives the charge, p. 3who loves you dearly, and knows better than you what need there is of it.

Our Lord in particular gives this direction and caution concerning the ordinary works of Alms-giving and Prayer, and that extraordinary duty of Fasting: all which are so good and excellent in themselves, that he would not have them spoil'd by any of his Servants, whatever they are by others, who will needs pretend to him, while they have no more of him than the name; and that which as to these things he doth in general caution them about, is, That they be not as the Hypocrites. Hypocrisy is a thing exceeding odious unto God. An Ape is most like a Man, but is not one; and of all creatures he is most deformed. An Hypocrite is of all others most like a Saint, but is not; and of all Sinners he is most hateful. He shall not stand before God, but be banished furthest from him: The worst, darkest, hottest place in Hell, is his apartment. God doth so much loath Hypocrites, that he doth not allow his Children to resemble them. He would not have them to be Hypocrites; nay, he would not have them to be as Hypocrites: When thou gi…est Alms, do not sound a Trumpet as the Hypocrites do: Instead of letting the world, do not let thy left hand know what thy …ight p. 4hand doth. When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues: They do not love to do good without having many Witnesses of the good they do: As if that Duty were lost from which they do not reap the praise of Men. When thou fastest, be not as the Hypocrites, of a sad countenance: They love to put on a sour face; but never look after nor care for a broken and contrite heart. Thus our Lord and Master would not have his followers to conform to them; Do not fashion your selves like them; get not into their mode and dress, though it seem great and handsome; Be ye followers of God, as dear Children, in all things; Keep as close to him as ever you can. Put on the Lord Jesus, be ye cloathed all over with Christ; That as near as may be, nothing but Christ, and his Spirit, and Vertues, may be seen in you; but be not like the Hypocrites in any thing. An Hypocrite loseth all he doth, and will be himself rejected.

In the words which we have under our consideration, you find the direction which our Saviour gives concerning Prayer afterward, an excellent pattern to frame it by; here's an excellent Rule. In the former Verse, He had taken notice of the guise or p. 5manner of the Hypocrites in those days, They loved to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, in open and frequented places, where they were sure not to fail of Spectators and Observers of their Devotion, who would, as they hoped, tell what they had seen, and cry them up as persons eminent for their Piety, though that was a thing of which they had no more than the shew. Thus they had meerly an external Religion, unto the practice whereof, they were carried out only by external considerations. It was not a Spring within, but Weights without, that set their Wheels a going. The end that they in all aim…d at▪ was to be seen of men, that among them they might raise a name, obtain credit and applause, and be accounted somebodies for Religion, though they knew themselves to be no other than Cheats. Christ tells us the issue hereof; they do not miss the mark, but catch what they fish for. Verily they have their reward; there is none to come, none laid up for them in Heaven, they have it now, in this present time, all that is good of it; Glory, but a vain glory; a Name, but nothing else; they get an esteem with ignorant men, who are as empty as themselves; they are reckoned great Men, Who but they for their Sanctity? p. 6And let them have it, and bless themselves in it: But thou who lovest thy Soul, and desirest to be indeed a gainer by thy Religion, enter thou into thy Closet when thou prayest; run not into a corner of a Street, but some nook or corner of the House; and when thou hast (not opened thy Casement, but) shut thy door, pray to thy Father.

We may rationally look upon Christ, as supposing that all who call themselves, and would be by others accounted Christians, do pray; that every one who counts it his honour to take up that Name, will also reckon himself obliged to take up that work. And indeed it is a contradiction for any Man to say that he is a Christian, and yet live a Prayerless Life; no Man can have a Spirit of Holiness given him, who doth not pour out his Soul unto God in Prayer. It is as possible to find an Holy Devil in Hell, as a prayerless Saint upon Earth. Paul was no sooner thrown to the ground, but we have him upon his Knees; no sooner a Convert, but a Supplicant: Grace cannot possibly be in that Man's heart, who lives without Prayer in the World. Christ takes it then for granted, that Disciples will pray; when they can do nothing else, they will do that: If they be in the furthermost parts of the Earth, they will from thence send up a cry p. 7to Heaven. Ionah thought the Belly of the Fish, in which he was, to be the Belly of Hell; yet there he did pray, and resolve to look toward God's Holy Temple. So then, I say, our Saviour takes it for granted, that those who are his Disciples do pray; and therefore here he only gives them counsel and advice for the right management of it, that they might not, through some fatal mistake, lose their labour, spend their breath to no purpose, offend the God whom they seek; and instead of obtaining a blessing from him, pull down wrath and a curse upon their own heads. Do not you in your Prayer fly so low a pitch as to make esteem with Men your end, either the whole or any part of your end. Do not aim at vain glory; suppose by that means you may get a Name, that gain will not make you rich; a Name you may have, but such an one as will rot and perish. A great noise you may make in the World, but it will be an empty sound: And what will you be the better for that? A little popular breath may swell and puff you up; but it will not raise you any thing nearer to God and Heaven, nor blow you on any faster to the Port of Glory. It is no matter how much there is of privacy in your Prayer, so that there be sincerity and purity p. 8too, nor how secretly it goeth up to God, so that it doth not go out of feigned Lips. When others are altogether for the Synagogues and Streets, Do thou, O Christian, enter into thy Closet, or Chamber, and shut thy door about thee; do thou take pleasure in thy retirements. When no body sees, thy God doth, yea, and he loves to see; and when no body hears, thy God doth; and what he hears, he likes; thy Prayers, thy Sighs, thy Groans are his Musick: Only I desire that this may be remembred, That while Christ doth here command and enjoyn secret duty, it is not any part of his purpose to exclude or take us from publick; only he would shut out and separate Vanity and Pride from both. That point of Doctrine, which from hence I shall raise and discourse upon, is this:

Doct. Closet, on Secret Prayer, is an excellent and advantageous duty, which all the People of God ought to be very much in the performance of; when you are alone, and have no body with you, then be you with God. At a night, when you are in Bed, commune with your hearts, and be still; turn your eyes inward before sleep closeth them; and before you go to Bed, spend some time in seeking of, and communing p. 9with your God. Take your leave of your Friends and Relations; or if you please, steal away from them, that you and your God may be together. When upon an express command given him by God himself, Abraham went to offer up his only and dearly beloved Son Isaac, Genesis 22. 5. He said unto his young men, Abide here with the Ass, and I and the Lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. He feared that if they went with him, they would be an hinderance to him, and therefore would not admit of their Company. So let worldly business be laid aside, and acquaintance set at a distance, while you go by your selves to perform acts of Worship, and to pour out your requests into the bosome of your Heavenly Father. Think not that I speak against Publick Prayer, for God loveth the Gates of Zion, and Christ walks in the Golden Candlesticks; when his people are met together in his name, he will be in the midst of them. Nor am I for your casting off Family Prayer; there is a Prayer upon record in Scripture against prayerless Families, calling for wrath to be poured out by God upon them. Both these kinds of Prayers ought to be presented, let them not be neglected. Secret Prayer is a choice part of your work too, be not any of you wantings. p. 10to it. In the handling of this point, I shall first lay down these four propositions:

1. First, Prayer in general is the Christians duty; a burthen laid upon us by God himself. It is very much commanded in the Word, and the Precept of it frequently repeated, Matt. 26. 41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. 1 Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing. 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where, without wrath or doubting. And in Matt. 18. 1. Our Saviour spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to saint. You should be continually in a praying frame, having your Graces and Affections ready; and you should be frequent in the Work. This is a piece of natural worship, the very Law of our Creation doth oblige us to it; and the light of Nature (though it be now since the Fall exceeding dim, and like a Candle burnt down into the Socket) hath directed the Heathens themselves to the performance of it: They, when in a menacing Storm, and Ionah fast a-sleep in the Ship, could go and awaken him, and bid him to call upon his God.

Prayer is what we owe to God, not only as we are Christians, but likewise as we are p. 11creatures; not only as Saints, but also as Men and Women. It is a part of that homage which we ought to pay to him, as we had our Being from his Power, and as we have that Being continued and sweetned to us by his Goodness. In a word, It is a practical acknowledgment of that necessary and constant dependence we have upon him. So that the Man or Woman who doth not pray, is no better than an Atheist, both in Heart and Life. He doth first cast off God who casts off Prayer, Psal. 14. 1. The fool first saith in his heart, there is no God; and then you find in vers. 3, 4. That he doth not seek God, nor call upon him. Let Men and Women make never so great and fair a profession, attribute to themselves what they will, and lay their claim to as many glorious Names and Titles as they please, their Profession is no better than a Lye; those Names and Titles do not at all belong to them; and the Religion unto which they pretend, is no other than a lifeless Image, which God, when he awakes, will most certainly despise, in case they live without this excellent duty. You may call and count them Atheists, without doing them any injury. Those that live without Prayer in the World, are the Men and Women that live without God in the World; and if p. 12they live without God in this World, you may easily know with whom they shall live in that World which is to come.

Some may be apt to think it a thing impossible for any Atheists to be found in London, where there is so much Knowledg, such plenty of Means, such a great and glorious Light shining; but I fear, if there were an enquiry made, it would plainly appear there are more of them than we do imagine; yea, I am not in the least afraid to affirm, that in this famous City there are the greatest and vilest Atheists in the World. The Lord himself saith, Isa. 42 14. Who is blind but my servant? or deaf as my messenger that I sent? Who is blind as He that is perfect, or blind as the Lord's servant? As if he should have said, There is no reason to wonder at the ignorance and blindness which is among the Heathen who live in the dark places of the Earth, when there is such blindness among my Servants, both Prophets and People, who have their habitations in a Land of Light, a Valley of Vision. There are none so blind, as those who are blinded by the Sun, and have their Eyes put out by that very light by which they should see. None so blind as those that will not see; none so ignorant as those that will not learn and know. First Men do wickedly p. 13shut their own eyes, and then God doth in just judgment put them out, Isa. 6. 9. Go, and tell this People, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; see ye indeed, but perceive not; make the heart of this People fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert and be healed.

But know that in the first place; remember and consider it. Prayer is absolutely your duty: charge it upon your selves, and make conscience of minding and doing it: you are obliged to it both as you are Christians and Creatures; it is a part of your reasonable service: and your neglect of it will never discharge and deliver you from your engagement to it. If you do not pay it, the Debt goes on; the Sin increases; and how great a sum will it at last amount to! every day that you pass without your Morning and Evening Sacrifice, you do feloniously rob God of that glory which is due to his Name, and wickedly transgress the Law of your Creation.

2. Secondly, As Prayer it self is your duty, so a liberty to pray is your choice privi…ege. It is God's mercy, and your happi…ess, that he gives you leave to knock at his Door, and lie begging there. Sit down …ere, and pause a little, and seriously think p. 14with your selves, how great a matter it is for a poor contemptible Worm to have the Ear of the Infinite and Glorious God open to its cry: for you; who are no better (as Abraham freely acknowledged) than dust and ashes, to have the door of Grace opened to you, and leave to approach, and make your application to the Majesty of Heaven, and to state your case to him, and to spread all your desires before him, and to pour out your requests and groans into his Bosome at any time, and as often as you please, so that you come in a right manner, and behave your selves with a becoming reverence, and godly fear. Converse and Communion with God was the happiness of innocent Man. So long as our first Parents persisted in that pure and perfect state in which they were created, they could think of God with rejoycing, contemplate his Glory with delight, and walk with him as Friends: But all this was forfeited and lost by the Fall. Sin, at its first entry, broke that harmony; it cloathed God with terror, and Man with shame; his confidence was gone, and horror took its place; so that instead of fellowship with God, man fled from him, and would have hid, had he known how, and where. Sin presently erected a middle-wall of partition between them. It would have p. 15been fatal to man, and as much as his life was worth, to have adventur'd in his lapsed state into the presence of God, whom he had highly provoked, had there not been help laid upon one that is mighty, and the gracious interposition of a powerful and prevailing Mediator.

God is in himself a devouring fire, and everlasting burnings. How then is it safe for man to approach to him, or to dwell with him, since he is of a plasant Plant become no better than a Briar, a Thorn, dried Stubble, fit for the burning? how well might guilty Sinners call (with them in the 6th of the Revelutions, v. 16.) to the Mountains and Rocks to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne? But the beloved and ever-blessed Son of God, in a most gracious compliance with, and pursuance of his Father's will, hath restored unto man freedom of access to God. Jesus Christ, though He knew full well how great the attempt was, and how much it would stand him in, did put his life in his hand, and engaged his heart to approach unto God; and being our peace, hath procured for us a liberty of approaching too, and of drawing nigh, going as near as we will, even to his very Throne, Heb. 10. 19, 20. Having therefore, brethren, p. 16boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. Christ entred into the holiest of all, he entred in triumph as one that had conquered all his Enemies; He entred with joy as one that had finished the work, and sate down at the right hand of God, to take there his everlasting rest; and (as you have it in the 9th of the Hebrews, v. 12.) He entred not by the blood of Calves and Goats, but by his own blood. He carried that along with him; and now by that Blood we may enter too, we may enter with safety, there is no danger for a gracious person, a believing Soul: Though the Throne of God be a Throne of Glory, yet is it a Throne of Grace, a Mercy-seat, that hath a Rain-bow round about it; and because we enter with safety, therefore we may enter with boldness, both with a freedom of speech, telling God all that is in our hearts; and with the full assurance of Faith, as those that shall find mercy and grace to accept, and help in time of need. Now if that any of you do not value this privilege at an high rate, if you do not carefully improve it, and make use of it now it hath been purchased by Christ for poor Sinners; you deal very disingenuously, do not well consider the inestimable price which it p. 17cost, and you offer a most vile and wretched affront to the precious Blood of Iesus, as if it were an unholy thing, of no more excellency than that of a Beast, a common and ordinary man, or of a guilty and deathdeserving Criminal.

3. Thirdly, All the sorts of holy Prayer are to be made use of, Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all Saints. Your Prayers must be in the Spirit: that is, with your Spirit; Prayer must not only be a Lip-labour, but the work of the heart; the words in Prayer are but the carcase of the duty; the fervour and heat of the Affections, are the life and soul of it: and also it must be with the Holy Spirit; whose work it is to help his peoples Infirmities, and to make intercession in them: Prayer must be by the influence and assistance of the Divine Spirit, and with the heat and earnestness of our own spirits: so then we are to pray in the Spirit, or, as Iude saith, in the Holy Ghost: and happy they who have not fallible men to make their Prayers for them, but the Spirit of God: but there are two other Expressions in the forementioned Scripture we ought to take a little notice of. Praying always, Do not understand it as if you were to be day p. 18and night at it, as if praying were the whole of your duty, for you have a great deal of other work to do, which must be carefully attended, and therefore the Original is, foreign. in all opportunities, in every fit and proper season for prayer: in every condition into which Providence casts you, and upon every occasion that calls for it: The other Expression most pertinent to our present business, is, foreign, with all prayer and supplication, i. e. with ordinary prayer, and with extraordinary too, that which hath fasting joined with it: private prayer and publick too; ejaculatory prayer, when the Soul …allies out on a sudden unto God, gives him a visit, and away, knocks at his door, puts in a short Petition, and is gone, like one that is engaged about some other business, and cannot stay: and also composed Prayer, in which the Soul fixeth and abides some considerable time with God: Family-prayer, and Closet-prayer; Prayer in conjunction with others, and alone by our selves. We may, and must, make use of all these kinds of Prayers as opportunity offers, and occasions do require. But to come more close to the matter in hand.

4. Fourthly, Secret Prayer is a duty incumbent upon Christians. Now that we p. 19call secret Prayer, when a person gets alone by himself, and makes his requests known to God. When being sequestred from all company whatsoever, and withdrawn from his nearest and dearest Relations, his most familiar and intimate Friends, and by himself in a most close and private retirement, he sends out his Soul upon the wings of holy and servent desires, and labours with all his might to fetch down his God to him by his gracious presence, and to obtain of him those favours and blessings of which he finds a sensible want, either in whole, or in part. It is that by which he knocks at the gate of Heaven, and goeth into the Holiest of all, and gives his heavenly Father a visit in such a manner as that no body may know of it. No… that he is ashamed of what he doth, for he is free to own God for his Sovereign Lord, Christ for his dearly beloved, Prayer as his duty and work, before all the World, though he be reproached, scorned and maligned for it; but because he would avoid the suspicion of a Pharisaical vain glorious Spirit, and also that he might get as far as ever he can, out of the reach of Impediments and Diversions: He enters into his Chamber, and there shuts his Door upon him, that so he might shut out all that would interrupt and p. 20disturb that fellowship with his God which he hath so often found an incomparable sweetness in, as that he counts it his Heaven upon Earth. At other times he will make one of the great Congregation, and go to the House of God with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that keep holy-day, Psal. 42. 4. he loves the Gates of Sion, and to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple, Psal. 27. 4 and also he knows how to go out, as Isaac did, into the Fields to meditate; and in the night season to be abroad, and consider, with David, the Heavens, which are the works of God's hand, the Moon and the Stars which he hath created, and so take some turns in an holy fellowship; and, as Enoch did, walk with God, before he be removed from hence, and taken up to the habitation of his Holiness and Glory, the Chamber of his presence; and in these Walks he finds his heart warmed, and an holy fire kindled, and then returns with that burning within him; then he speaks with his Tongue, and sends up a pure flame of earnest supplications.

Confident I am, The excellency of this course will not be in the least question'd by any who believe there is a God, and own that absolute and necessary dependence, which both as Creatures and Christians we p. 21have upon him, and who have any sense of Religion upon their Souls: yea, I believe it will be acknowledged a duty by many, very many of those who yet do not themselves live in the performance of it: there hath such a clear light broken in upon them, as hath convinced their Judgments, though that conviction hath not had power enough upon their wills, as to bring them to the practice of it. And for my own part, I do not know so much as the shadow of a reason why it should be question'd, and made a point of controversie: This I do with a fulness of persuasion assert, That if there be any such thing in the World as a duty which we owe to God, secret Prayer is so. And I do add this, wishing those (into whose hands this little Piece shall come) seriously to think of it; those persons that do not make conscience hereof, let them make never so great a noise, do indeed make conscience of nothing. He is not a true Christian that is not a through Christian; nor he a real Disciple that hath not a cordial respect to all that Christ commands him; and I shall not at all wonder to see or hear that man is remiss and careless and negligent in other things, for which at present he pretends a zeal, and at the long run to throw up all. Yea, and I will venture p. 22to add this one thing further; He that doth not seek God when he is alone, hath no reason to promise himself God's gracious meeting with him when he is in Company; but if you will exclude, and shut God out of your Chamber and Closets, you will not to your comfort, though indeed you may to your terrour, find him in the Congregation. The only thing which I shall do more in the doctrinal part, will be to prove the Point; and in order thereunto, I shall endeavour with all convenient brevi…y to shew, That secret Prayer is,

I. A Duty.

II. An Advantage.

I begin with the former of these. Private or secret Prayer is a great duty, which all that call themselves Christians, ought to be much in the performance of. For the evidencing of this to you, I shall lay down these four things.

1. First, Secret Prayer was the practice of our blessed Lord Jesus; as he came into the World to redeem us, so to direct us: as his Death was an expiatory Sacrifice, so his Life was a leading Example. He is that excellent Copy without blot, after which we are to write; and that most exact and perfect Pattern, without blemish or defect the imitation whereof we are obliged to study p. 23and endeavour, and that to our utmost; we must lead his Life as near as ever we can, and tread in his steps, for that is to foot it right; and we must shew forth his virtues; there must be an impress of them upon our dispositions and conversations. The same mind ought to be in us that was in him, Phil. 2. 5. Then is a Christian in his beauty and glory, when he is cloathed with Christ, and shines with the beams of Christ.

Now Christ was very much in the work of secret Prayer, and exceedingly frequent at it. How did his perfectly pure and precious soul delight to be on the wing, and mounting up to his and our Father in his recesses? He did not only teach his Disciples to pray, giving them in this Chapter a most excellent pattern for them to draw theirs by; nor did he only pray with them, as Master of the Family; but he likewise did many and many a time pray by himself alone, a great deal oftner than we do, or any in the world ever did know of; but something to this purpose, hath been by the Divine Spirit (who guided the Holy Penmen) put upon Record in the Sacred Scripture, Thus in Matt. 14. 23. after he had wrought that great and amazing Miracle of feeding five thousand Men, beside Women and Children, when he had no more provision than p. 24five Loaves, and two Fishes: He sent the Multitude away; and not being satisfied with their absence alone, he would have his very Disciples go by Ship to the other side: it is said, he constrained them to go: poor hearts! they loved him dearly, and nowhere enjoyed themselves so well as they did when they were in his company, and therefore they were loath to leave him; but he would have it so, he order'd and commanded them to be gone; but what was the matter? what did our Lord do when they were all gone? That Text tells you, He went up into a mountain a-part to pray, and when the evening was come, he was there alone. He had his Father with him, and doubtless a multitude of the heavenly Hoast, the glorious Angels attending and waiting, but nobody else: none of the multitude, not so much as one single Disciple. Now let me desire you to think seriously of this; that it was far otherwise with Christ, than it is with the best of us. He had another manner of command over his mind and heart, his thoughts and Affections, than the most gracious Man or Woman upon Earth hath. He could with the greatest ease imaginable keep his Soul close to, and intent upon the business which was before him, without the smallest diversion and extravagancy; and p. 25yet he chose to be a-part from all, and alone by himself when he prayed unto his Father: and shall not we go and do likewise? Sure that which Christ did, was very well done▪ You have another Scripture which holds out the same, and refers to another time, when he had healed Simon's Wife's Mother, who lay sick of a Fever, and many others that were diseased, and had cast out many Devils. Mark 1. 35. In the morning, rising up a great while before day, …e went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Hypocrites, as you have heard, chuse the corners of the Streets, places of concourse; go into the Abbeys and Cathedrals, and there you will see them by a Pillar at their devotion; but Christ chose solitariness, foreign, a desert, lonely place, where there was no body, there he loved to meet his Father. Take but one Text more, which you have in Luke 22. 39, 40. He came out, and went, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives, and his Disciples followed him; and when he was come to the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. First, he set them to their work: he knew that the Devil would quickly be at his work, and Christ would have his Disciples be at their work first. We are then least in danger, when a danger comes and finds us p. 26at our work. Christ knew that an hour of temptation was coming, and he would have them lay up-Prayer against that hour. Will Satan tempt? then do you pray; thus he setteth them at work: if you ask what Christ did then do himself? I answer, You may be sure he was not idle; what he bid them do, he did; but he did it alone; He was withdrawn from them about a stones cast, and kneeled down and prayed. This was Christ's wont, as to go to the Mount of Olives, so to get alone and pray, not having so much as any of his Disciples with him. Now is not this a plain evidence of the thing? and shall not this be a prevailing motive with you? In my mind, the practice of Christ should be a powerful and cogent Argument with all those that call themselves his people.

2. Secondly, The people of God in their several Ages and Generations have taken the same course, and walked in the same way; I mean, all those whose hearts have been upright with God; and the desires of their Souls have been to his name, and the remembrance of him, and communion with him. Iasob was a plain man, but a great wrestler, and very famous for his skill in that holy and excellent Art, and crowned he was with admirable success. He wrestled with God, and prevail'd like a Prince; tho p. 27he got a lameness, which he carried with him to his Grave, yet he got a blessing which kept him company into the other World, and he was alone at the work, Gen. 32. 22, &c. He took his two Wives, and his two Women-servants, and his eleven Sons, and sent them over the Brook; and being left alone, he wrestled with the Angel till the break of day: it is, by the way, said, there was a man wrestled with him, who was no other than the Lord Christ, who, saith Dr. Lightfoot, sought to kill him for his diffidence, and for his sending a Present to his Brother Esau, before he had, according to his Vow, paid the Tythe to God: But be that how it will, this is plain, He prayed when he was alone; then he wept, and made supplication. When that Rebeccah had conceived, and there were Twins in her Womb, which fell to struggling, God thereby shewing that Contention which would afterward be between them: and it is said, Gen. 25. 22. She went thereupon to enquire of the Lord: which indeed, according to the Opinion of some Learned Men, was by consulting of some Prophet; but I rather think, according to the judgment of others, she did apply her self to God immediately, and consulted, or enquired of him in a way of Secret Prayer: And that it was so, seems to be evident p. 28from the 25th verse, which tells us, she had her answer from God himself; The Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb; i. e. two Heads of Nations: and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; so that the good Woman got alone to pray and seek the Lord. We do also read in Gen. 25. 22. That Abraham planted a Grove in Beersheba, and there he called on the Name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. He singly, and by himself. Ionathan saith, that Grove was an Orchard full of Fruit-trees, which did afford both what was pleasant and grateful to the taste, and a comfortable refreshing shade in that hot Countrey; but that is only a Iewish Tradition: This we learn form the Text, That thither he was wont to retire himself for prayer; that was his Ora…ory when he had a mind to be alone. When Elijah was by Iezabel threatned with death, he came to Beersheba, and left his Servant there; but 1 Kings 19. 4. He himself went into the Wilderness a days journey, and sate under a Iuniper-tree, and be requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough now, O Lord, that I die, for I am not better than my Fathers. He would have no body with him, not so much as a Friend, no not his Servant. Once more, in Acts 10. 9. it is said, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, p. 29about the sixth hour: not then with the Family in which he was, nor with any of his Brethren; but by himself, at the top of the House, upon the Leads, in the open air, from whence he might look toward the Temple at Ierusalem, and be remote from all Company and Spectators; so that you see what hath been the practice of these gracious persons, whose Names stand upon Scripture-record; and I dare say, all the Saints who have been acquainted with God, have been familiarly acquainted with this work too; and now I say, Do you go and do the same; and in this be ye, as well as in other things, followers of them, considering the most happy end of their holy conversation.

3. Thirdly, There is an express and special command that binds this upon you as your duty. Our dear and precious Iesus, who hath bought us, and so is our Lord and Master, hath directed us to this practice, and in plain terms required it at our hands: for the proof of this, we will go no further, for we need no more than the Text before us. Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy Closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, make all as close and private as thou canst, when thou art so alone, as that no body can come at thee, then pray to thy Father. I told you before, and think it worth my while, because p. 30it may be profitable for you, to repeat it, and tell you again, That our Lord Jesus doth suppose thee to be one that feareth God, and that makest Prayer thy business; He takes it here for granted, that the new Nature thou hast received, will act like it self: and therefore though the doth in other places command you to do it, yet He doth not do so here, but supposeth it: and surely every man that is himself, doth pray. He that is a man of sense and wisdom, will be a man of prayer. He that doth not pray, is a Mad-man. He hath not the understanding of a man; he doth not act according to the dictate of his own reason, which, if consulted, would certainly put him upon it, as a thing highly due to God, and every way advantageous to man. Christ therefore doth here suppose you do pray: and therefore doth only direct you as to the manner, and that in this one particular.

And I do likewise desire you to observe, That our Lord Jesus doth here speak in the Second Person, Singular, Thou, in the same language, with the same particular application, and awful Majesty, as the Ten Commandments were given forth: thus you know they run; Thou shalt have no other Gods before me; Thou shalt make to thy self no graven Image; Thou shalt not take the name of the p. 31Lord thy God in vain; Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. So here, Thou, when thou prayest. Christ would have every one that nameth his Name, that takes upon him the Profession of being one of his People, to make a particular application of this to himself, and to look upon this counsel as given, and this charge as laid upon him. Thou, Thomas, when thou prayest, do this; and thou Iohn, when thou prayest, do this; and so, thou Matthew, and thou Andrew; and so every one that was then alive, or that shall live in any Age or place of the World. It is spoken to you, and to me, and to all: do thou enter into thy Chamber, thou alone, and shut the door upon thee, not upon others with thee, but upon thee, and so pray unto thy Father; get alone, saith Christ, and pray alone: do it when there is no body by, none to see thee, none to overhear thee. God and an holy Soul are very good company, when it goes out with tears, and he meets it with smiles: when it draws up its Confessions, and he seals its Pardons: it breathes out holy desires and longings, and he affords it gracious answers, and in them satisfactions: it states its case, tells its Diseases, open its Sores, and he applies easing and healing remedies. In a word, When the Soul fires p. 32its Sacrifice, and then in the holy flame thereof the blessed Angel of the Covenant doth wonderfully. It is oftentimes good for the Saints to go one with another into the presence of their Father; they have been called upon to strive together in prayer, and that in Family duties, or in publick Ordinances, or in cases of common concernment; but there is no Christian, who hath not his own wants, and his own pressures, and his own bitternesses, and upon these accounts it is best for him to go alone: and thou canst not tell, O holy Soul, what special favour God may shew thee, what token of love he may put into thy hand, when there is no body by. When disconsolate Hannah had been watering her plants, weeping greatly alone, pouring out her Soul in tears and prayers before the Lord, she had such an impress upon her Spirit, such a message of peace whisper'd to her, as made her glad at heart, and on a sudden dried up all her tears, so that her countenance was no more sad. Thou, if thou engagest in this work in thine uprightness, mayst believingly and comfortably expect the same in God's time. However, set this down with thy self, and act accordingly, That Secret Prayer is thy unquestionable duty by virtue of a Divine Command.

p. 334. Lastly, There is a very gracious promise made to Secret Prayer: and here I shall lay down this Assertion as worthy your taking notice of; That the great God doth not make promises to any thing, which he doth not require, and which is not acceptable and pleasing to him, and which accordingly is not duty in man: Promises do follow Precepts, and are designed for the, strengthening of our hearts and hands, the encouraging us to Acts of Obedience, and the sweetning those Obediential Acts to us. He is angry at those, who offer to do those things in matters of his Worship, for which they have not his Warrant. Hence such enquiry as this; Isa. 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hands? viz. to come in such a manner. And hence also that Complaint and Charge; That they burn their Sons and Daughters in the fire, made a Sacrifice of them, which as he saith, Ier. 7. 31. He commanded them not, neither entred it into his heart. David's Design was good, and it pleased God that he had an heart so set for his honour, yet it was a rebuke and check to him that God sent him this message by Nathan, 2 Sam. 7. 7. In all the places, wherein I have walked with the Children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the Tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my poople Israel, saying, Why p. 34build ye not me an house of Cedar? From whence, saith Peter Martyr, we learn, that David failed in attempting such a thing, when he had not a word for it from God, from whom he ought to have expected and waited for a peculiar command, as to the thing, and time, and place. Those that run on such Errands as God never sent them on, and presume to do such works as God never set them about, or will venture to do his work in a way of their own, cannot with any shadow of reason expect a reward from his hand, let them get one where they can: Why should God pay them for doing that which is none of his work, or for doing it after their own fashion? Nadab and Abihu did the work of God in offering Incense, but they did it after their own fashion, in making use of strange fire, and it cost them their lives; they found God not a bountiful Rewarder, but a dreadful Revenger. When Promises are made by God to any thing, they do plainly speak that thing, to which those Promises are made, a duty. Now we find here in the Text a great and gracious promise made by our Lord Iesus to secret Prayer: Do this, saith he, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and shut thy door about thee; study all possible privacy and retirement; let no body know of that which p. 35thou goest about, if thou canst help it: do it foreign, in secret; there is Christ's Counsel, and it must needs be good, because given by him, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and whose name is Wonderful, Counsellour: now take with you the Promise annexed to this Counsel. Thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. God will not send one single Petitioner empty from his Throne of Grace: though thou goest begging, yet thou shalt return rejoycing. Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had bowels of compassion yearning over his wicked Neighbours; he prayed in secret for …ilthy Sodom. There was no body to back him in that Suit, nor to plead together with him: that City was indeed so bad, that he was both ashamed and afraid to appear as an Advocate for them, and therefore he did more than once deprecate the Divine displeasure; Oh let not the Lord be angry: yet observe how mighty he was with God. He lifted up prayer after prayer, and God condescended to him again and again. Single and solitary Abraham had such a great interest and success, that the glorious and provoked God did not give over granting, until Abraham had given over praying

p. 36By what hath been said, I hope the first thing promised is performed, namely, it is made plain and evident, That Secret-prayer is the Christian's duty. We now proceed to the Second, which is to prove, That if it be rightly managed, it will be his advantage; and to that end, I shall only shew, that it will afford him these two things:

1. Safety.

2. Comfort.

1. First, Secret Prayer is a choice and excellent means of Security; would a Man be safe when he is alone, then let him pray when he is alone? On this side of Heaven there is not any one place to be sound, in which a person may rationally look upon himself as quite out of the reach of danger. I heard one once wittily say, He did not upon the Road fear Highway-men, so long as be was alone. But there are other enemies from whom we may apprehend mischief when we are most alone. The subtil Serpent wrigled himself into Paradise it self; and there he did mortally sting our first Parents, and undid them and all their posterity in them. Holy Paul was perfectly safe while he continued in the third Heaven, p. 37the malicious Tempter could not come at him there; since he was cast down from that blessed place, He never yet could, and for the future he never shall make a reentry; nor is his Arm strong enough to shoot an Arrow, or throw a fiery Dart so high: But no sooner was that eminent Apostle come down again, but he was desperately set upon, worse than the Philistins were upon him; there was a Thorn stuck in his flesh, which could not but put him to pain; and a Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him, who without peradventure gave him no small blows.

One would conclude a person safe enough when no-body is with him; as there is none to help, so there is none to hurt; yet even then he may be in danger; for though there be no Man with him, yet there is a Devil with him; yea, more than one, possibly more than a Legion. It might have been rationally concluded, That David walking upon the top of his House, did not stand in need of his Life-guard about him; Who was that should or could do the King a mischief there? Yet even there a Naked Woman conquered that Man of War, and a malicious Devil let fly one of his envenom'd Arrows, and wounded him to the very heart by the eye. It had been well p. 38for that good Man, if, instead of gazing about, and viewing every object that presented, he had been looking up to his God, and praying in secret.

Know and consider, O thou poor Soul, the Devil hath a mind to thee, not out of any Love he bears thee, for there is no such thing in Devils; they must cease to be Devils before they can have any kindness for Men: But he hath a mind to you, as a roaring Lion hath to his prey; and in pursuance of his bloody design, he is restless; though he can do himself no good, he reckons it worth his while to do thee a mischief; and therefore he doth not only walk with thee up and down in the Street, and from this private or publick House to that; nor only follow thee to the publick Congregation, there to divert thy thoughts, or deaden thy affections, or direct thine eye to some vain and wanton object, or pick up the seed which is sown, that though it be cast in at the ear, yet it may never reach so far as the heart to root there, and bring forth precious fruit in the Life and Conversation; but he will also dog you into your Chambers, and intrude into your Closets; when the Door is shut, he will get in; you cannot, while here, get clear of the old Man, and the old Serpent; and where-ever he is, p. 39you may be sure, He comes for no good. He is wholly set upon mischief; that is his constant imploy, his beloved work, his heart is set upon it, he follows it close, and with all his might.

Therefore my advice is, That thou wouldest make Prayer thy Closet-business; that when this implacable Enemy of thine finds thee alone, he may not have an advantage against thee. When in Ephes. 6. the Apostle Paul had told you of the Enemies you must contend with, that they are not only flesh and blood, but also principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places; he advised you to put on the whole Armour of God, and over and above he directed you to this excellent and necessary work of Prayer, as knowing that both your security and victory depend as much upon that, as any thing: Your Armour will not do without your God; and him you cannot expect without Prayer. If then you would not fall both into temptation, and by it, your care and work must be to watch and pray; and I do not in the least doubt but Prayer hath laid many a restraint upon the Devil, and kept him off from medling with a Child of God when his fingers have itch'd at him, and blunted his tools often and often, so that he could not do the work he intended with them; p. 40and broken the neck of many a cursed design which he was most industriously carrying on.

2. Secondly, Secret Prayer is a special way for the making of your retirement comfortable and pleasant to you. Solitariness is looked upon as having Melancholly for its usual. Companion; and a Life of loneliness and retirement is reckon'd a very disconsolate Life. The Prophet made this a part of his bitter complaint, Psal. 102. 7. That he was as a sparrow alone upon the house top. And Solomon saith, Eccles. 4. 10. Wo be to him that is alone. Hence one said, He that loves to be alone, is either a Beast, or a God. But Secret-Prayer is an excellent way to sweeten solitariness, and take off the uncomfortableness of it. If thou dost but in thine uprightness apply thy self heartily to this work, when thou art without any Company, thou shalt not be without matter of rejoycing; but with Hagar in the Wilderness, find a Spring opened to thee. That was a great saying of one, Nunquam minus solus quam cum maxime solus: I am never less alone, than when I am most alone. He did never find less want of Company, than when he had none; then a Man enjoys his God and himself; and he that hath indeed that enjoyment, needs no body. Iohn 16. 32. Our Saviour spake thus p. 41to his Disciples, The hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, because the father is with me. Not alone when alone. I shall be altogether without you, but not without my Father, who doth more, infinitely more than fill up those vacancies; as at noon-day we do not want the Stars, though they be all obscur'd and disappear, because we have the glorious Light and Beams of the Sun, who doth abundantly supply their absence.

David tells us in Psalm 145. 18. which is a Psalm of Praise, That the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Sincere Prayer will fetch God down from Heaven, to stand at thy right hand. Our Heavenly Father is more ready than the most affectio…ate tender-hearted Mother upon Earth, to arise and come in at the cry of the Child. In Psalm 18. we find that good Man in his distress, called upon the Lord, and cried unto his God, and God heard him: Divine Love is quick of hearing, He heard my voice out of his holy temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. And now observe what haste God made to his Servant; Vers. 9, 10. He bowed the Heavens and came dewn: He rode upon a Cherub and did fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings of p. 42the wind. When Holy David wanted his God, God would be with him presently.

I dare assure thee, O Saint, if thou wilt but get thy Soul upon the Wing, and by the hand of servent believing Prayer knock at Heavens door, thou shalt to thy comfort find, that thy beloved will not be long from thee; no, no, he will be sure graciously to return thy Visit, he will come and drop some sweet smelling Myrrh upon the handles of thy lock; Secret Prayer is the nearest and readiest way to secret and intimate Communion with God; as it is an opening of the heart to God, so it makes way for God's opening of his heart to the Saint; and when that is opened, what blessed discoveries are made, what treasures appear, and riches of Grace, what counsels of Wisdom, and thoughts of good and great designs, the very sight of which is ravishing, and may well put the Soul into a transport! When guilty, but convinced, Ephraim got alone, and made his reflections, and thereupon bemoan'd himself for his former folly, stubbornness and obstinacy, and begged hard for converting, turning Grace, God presently turned toward him, and with yearning Bowels spake his love; this resolution was immediately taken up, I will surely have mercy upon him. In a word, God doth p. 43sometimes in displeasure withdraw from his sinning Children, but it is with a resolution to be found of them when they seek him; and to return to them when he is sent for. Hos. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledg their offence, and seek my face. I will stay away, I will not come near them, I will have nothing to do with them till they do this; but let them do it as soon as they will, and they shall meet with acceptance; I will rise out of my place, and visit them with Salvation. He will be sure to come at Prayers call, if some crying sin or other do not drown the voice of it; and his Presence and Beams will effectually scatter the thickest and blackest Clouds; the light of his countenance, when once lifted up, will make it a day of gladness to the most benighted Soul: Whenever he comes, he will be sure to bring a blessing along with him, and so appear unto its joy. These particulars, to which I have largely spoken, are, I hope, sufficient to prove, that Secret Prayer is both your Duty and your Interest; and so I have done with the Doctrinal part, and shall now proceed to the improvement of it by Application, which will be twofold:

p. 441. For Reprehension.

2. For Exhortation.

The use of Reprehension or Reproof, shall be directed to three sorts of persons, who do indeed deserve to fall under it; and oh that it may come with such power as to make them fall before it, and issue in their amendment of those things, which by the light of Truth breaking in upon them, they shall see to be amiss.

First, They are sharply to be reproved, for they are deeply guilty before God, who instead of making Conscience, and living in the performance of Secret Prayer, are altogether strangers to, and live in the total neglect of all Prayer: They do not know what it is to approach unto the Throne of God, and to pour out their Souls before him; they go to their Beds at night, like Swine to their Sty, not begging Divine protection; and rise out of them in a morning, and go about their business without paying any acknowledgments to their great Benefactor, under the Wing of whose careful Providence they were secured; yea, sit down to their Tables, without asking God's Blessing, as if they had no dependence upon him; and when they have eaten p. 45and are full, rise up to work or play, without giving God Thanks, as if they were not at all beholden to him. And thus they live Prayerless lives in the World: They have passed many days, and escaped many dangers, and received many mercies, and committed many sins, but never set themselves, at least, in good earnest, to put up one Prayer. Oh how do they tumble out by wholesale an innumerable company of execrable Oaths, and tremendous Curses, which speaks their Tongues the Devils Instruments, set on fire with the fire of Hell; but no body ever saw them upon their knees before God, nor heard a word of Prayer drop from their Lips. They have had many Dangers prevented; but never sought refuge, nor took shelter in God. They have every day received multitudes of Mercies; but did never solemnly beg one. God did in the time of the Old Testament, order that the Fire of the Altar should never go out, and appointed the morning and evening sacrifice; but poor creatures, these have no fire, their hearts are as cold as Ice, they know not what true love to God means, and having no fire in themselves, God shall have no sacrifice from them, his Altars shall be empty, they have nothing to lay on from the beginning of the year to the p. 46end of it. How many are there that never made an attempt this way, never tried to Pray, never went about the work? They in the pride of their countenances will not seek after God. He is not in all their thoughts, Ps. 10. 4. In all of them! He is but in few of them; and when he is in any, when he forcibly breaks in upon them, and makes his own way, (for they never invite him, nor study to think of him) he is not welcome nor grateful to them. I fear, if a man should come and ask some of you such a question as this; Friend, Neighbour, what intercourses are there between God and you? what converse and fellowship have you with God? do you pray a-days? do you pray by your selves in your Chambers, or with your Families? are you some of that blessed wrestling Generation who seek the face of the God of Jacob? if you would speak the truth, and not cover your sin and shame with a lie, you must answer, No, not I: God knows, I cannot pray, I do not know how to pray, I never went about it, I see no need of it, I have no heart to it: may we not say of these, what Agur said of himself, Prov. 30. 2. Surely they are more bruitish than any man, they have not the understanding of a man, they have not learned wisdom, nor have they any knowledg of the Holy. Let them be reckoned for p. 47Beasts in human shape. Some have written as if they did not look upon Reason but Religion, as the thing which makes the specifical difference between a Man and a Brute; because there is something in Brutes which, say they, may pass for Reason, to be sure it looks very like it, but there is nothing like Religion in them; and I would fain know, what there is, or at present can be of Religion in that Man or Woman, who lives without Prayer; and how unworthy is such an one of the name, Man? The late Learned Bishop Wilkins, in his treatise concerning the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion, hath these passages: In the Actions of many brute creatures, there are discernable some footsteps, some imperfect strictures and degrees of Ratiocination, such a natural sagacity as at least bears a near resemblance to Reason. From whence it may follow, that it is not Reason in the general, which is the form of humane nature; but Reason as it is determined to actions of Religion, of which we do not find the least signs or degrees in Brutes. Man being the only creature in this visible World, that is formed with a capacity of worshipping and enjoying his Maker. And he adds, This is not any new Opinion, but what several of the Ancient Writers, p. 48Philosophers, Orators, and Poets have attested to, who make the notion of a Deity, and Adoration of him, to be the true difference betwixt Man and Beast. Thou then who hast hitherto lived without God and Prayer in the World, own thy degeneracy, take unto thy self both the name and shame of a Brute, and now begin to act the part of a Man, in falling …pon thy knees before God, and with an humble blush, crying out as good Asaph did, when once got from under the power and fury of an hideous temptation, Psalm 73. 22. So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee.

Besides this, I would have you to consider the disingenuity you discover in living at such a rate, and in such a neglect and contempt of God as this; what▪ will you not so much as thank God for all that good he doth you? will you own him in none of the footsteps of his Providence, and evidences of his care? doth he step in between you and your dangers, hold your Souls in life, lade you with benefits, direct your affairs, assist you it business, succeed your endeavours? doth He day unto day shew his bounty, and night unto night his goodness, and is it not worth the owning? Wilt thou not make any thankful acknowledgment, p. 49nor pay him any tribute of praise: wouldst thou carry thus to thy Fellow-creature? or wouldst thou thy self bear it from another?

Think again how unnatural you are to your own Souls: if a poor Creature wants bread, how will he go out into the Fields and Streets, and ask of every one he thinks able to give, and continue upon his knees hours together? dost thou not see them? While thou dost, thou hast reason to reflect upon thy self with indignation and abhorrency: will he beg for a penny? and wilt not thou pray for a Kingdom and a Crown of Glory far better than those of Gold? When a Criminal hath a Sentence of death past upon him, he will plead hard for his life, and leave no stone unturn'd. Benhadad, though a great King, when in danger, sent his Servants in a most submissive manner, with Ropes about their Necks, to beg for his life: Thou art a Criminal, the Sentence is past upon thee, and none can tell how soon execution may be done; thou canst not promise thy self an hours respite: how unnatural then art thou, how hard is thy heart, and how cruel to thy self, who goest day after day, and year after year, without sending up a Petition for the life of thy Soul, though thou hast often heard that the King p. 50of Heaven is a merciful King, and that there are forgivenesses with him?

What shall I say? if you are resolved to go on at this rate, and persevere in this inhuman neglect, thou mayst e'ven as well renounce thy Allegiance to God, disown thy being any of his Creatures, deny any dependence which thou hast upon him. Call not thy self from henceforth a Man, a Woman, indued with reason, or acting according to the principles and dictates thereof, but acknowledge thy being sunk down and degenerated into a Beast; and truly thou deservest to be sent with Nebuchadnezzar to graze among them, till thou art made better to understand both God and thy self. What, O Man, O Woman, what dost thou mean? live, and not pray? live merely upon God's mercy and patience, and not pray? live upon his goodness, and his cost, and not pray? must thou one day dye and go into the other World, and not send any prayers thither before thee? Must thou go to God, in order to thy being judged by him, and sentenced as to thy everlasting state, and yet not pray? Surely thou hast lost thy reason, and art chargeable with egregious folly and madness. Oh that I could do something in order to thy cure, and bringing thee to thy self, and upon thy knees, and that God p. 51would by his Spirit and Power accompany what I shall to that purpose offer to thy most serious and repeated consideration.

First, That man who spends his days altogether without Prayer, is dead while he lives: though he hath a natural life, yet he hath nothing of the life of Grace, nothing of that divine life of which the Lord Jesus was the Purchaser, and is the Principle, but is to this very day alienated from the life of God thorough the ignorance and perverseness which is in him, and dead in trespasses and sins. New-born Children cry: What! can a person be born spiritually, born of God, and brought forth unto God, and yet not cry, not pray! It is a thing impossible, it cannot be. The work of Prayer, indeed, may be for a while interrupted, sometimes through inward weakness and oppression, as that holy man complained in Psalm 77. 4. I am so troubled, that I cannot speak: sometimes through violence offer'd him by temptation; the Enemy of God and Man comes and stops his mouth: otherwise the very nature which a Saint hath been made a partaker of, doth carry him out hereunto: and that holy fire which is kindled in his Soul, will be ascending up in such a flame; 2 Cor. 4. 13. It is written, I believed, therefore have I spoken: we also believe, p. 52and therefore speak: that is to be understood of speaking in a way of confession; but it is true also, speaking in a way of supplication. In Acts 9. 11. The Lord said unto Ananias, Arise, go into the street, which is called Straight, and enquire in the House of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he prayeth. Poor Ananias was startled at the Order, and not very willing to be sent upon such an Errand, and began to object; Lord, this man hath got a very bad name, I have heard of him by many. He is the talk both of Town and Countrey, as having been a mischievous Instrument; he hath done much evil to thy Saints at Ierusalem, and now he comes armed with Authority from the Chief Priests to bind all that call on thy Name. Well, Ananias, do what thou art bidden; for though it is true, that he hath been a vile Wretch, a cruel and malicious Enemy, fear him not, the Wolf is turned into a Lamb; It is no matter what formerly he was, he is now quite another thing, and is acted by a far better Spirit. He is a new man, and thou mayst take this for a certain and undoubted evidence of it. He is a Praying-man. He that before spake nothing but blasphemies and outrages against Christ, and breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord, did now that he p. 53was converted and sanctified, speak supplications.

It is the fashion of a great many, when the Lord's day comes, they will go out to hear, and they are for variety, this man and that, and twenty more, possibly three Sermons upon a day, peradventure four: and I do not blame any for being swift to hear, it is an excellent thing to see Christians hungry, and of good appetites, so that they do but allow themselves necessary time for concoction, and be not wanting to personal and Family duties; but Conscience, do thou speak, and that loud enough to make guilty Persons hear and feel too: be there not some of these, who at home are never upon their knees before God? If a man could look into their Houses, and into their Chambers, he would find that Prayer is quite shut out from thence. And for my part, I cannot but tell you, That let these Persons hold their heads never so high, and have obtained never so great a name, I can look upon them as being no better than a company of walking Ghosts, such as do really want an inward vital principle, and are carried up and down from one Congregation to another by some external consideration. Prayer is a breathing in Heaven's Air, it is the breathing of the Soul in the bosome of God; p. 54it draws in spirit and life from him, and then again it pours out and empties it self into him: and it is full out as possible for a man to live a natural life without natural breathing, as it is for him to live a spiritual life without spiritual breathing, I mean, without Prayer. You know when God promiseth his Spirit, Zechar. 12. 10. he doth it in these Expressions: I will pour out upon the House of David, and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplications. Wheresoever the Spirit of God comes and dwells in the Soul as a Spirit of Grace, there he doth certainly act as a Spirit of Supplications: and the Apostle Paul saith, Rom. 8. 15. That the Sons of God receive the Spirit of Adoption, whereby they cry Abba, Father. Which imports a filial boldness and confidence in dealing with him by fervent Prayer.

I remember what you may meet in 1 Cor. 13. 1, &c. Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels, though I have the gift of Prophecy, and understand all Mysteries, and all knowledge: though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains; though I bestow all my goods on the poor, and give my body to be burned, yet if I have not Charity, it profits me nothing; I am nothing, but as a meer sounding brass and …inkling cymbal. What he there speaks of p. 55Charity, or Love, which doth indeed make Actions lovely in the sight of God and men, and puts a lustre and beauty upon them; the very same may be affirmed concerning Prayer. Let a man be never so well accomplished▪ never so raised in his attainments, never so fluent and warm in his discourses, never so eminent for his profession, never so frequent and attentive in his hearing, never so abundant in acts of Charity, yet if he be a prayerless Person, he is nothing; nothing in Religion, nothing to purpose; all his parts and performances, though many and specious, will amount to nothing; in Heaven's Arithmetick they will be of no more significancy, than so many Cyphers without a Figure, to put a value into them.

That which I have said, amounts to thus much; To live without Prayer, is utterly inconsistent with a gracious and holy frame; and all that such an one doth, will never turn him to a good account. You may as soon live a spiritual life without Faith, as live by Faith without Prayer: for, as was before observed, they that believe, will speak. When God hath kindled a spark of Grace in the Soul, it will be working in a way of Prayer; that spark will fly upward, and carry the Soul along with it. Thus we find it in p. 56Psal. 39. 3. My heart was hot within me; while I mused, the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue. What did he speak? Prayers. Lord, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days. Therefore my advice is, that you would either take up Prayer, and follow it as a principal part of a Christians work, or else lay down your Profession; boast not of a filial Relation to God, while thou art not possessed with a filial spirit and disposition. Never talk of your being acquainted with God, and some of his Friends, when in all your lives you never spake one serious hearty word to him. If you are resolved to live without Prayer, be so just and reasonable as to put off the honourable name Christian, which doth by no means belong to you, and call your selves Heathens, Beasts, nay, which is worse, though not too bad for you, down-right practical Atheists.

Secondly, Your Condition at the present is very miserable, though you know it not: so long as you live without Prayer, you live without a blessing: whatsoever may light upon you, the blessing of God is the portion of a praying People. If you will look into the Book of God (which, I believe, you seldom do; for those that will not beg his mercy, will not labour to know his will) you may see how much it cost Esau to get a p. 57blessing from his Father Isaac, he shed many tears, and lifted up loud cries; Gen. 27. 33, 34. Isaac told him, that one had brought him Venison, which he had eaten of, and he blessed him, and he should be blessed. It is said, When Esau heard the words of his Father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his Father, Bless me, even me also, O my Father: and when Isaac answered, vers. 37. Behold, I have made him thy Lord, and all his Brethren have I given to him for Servants, and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my Son! Vers. 38. Esau said unto his Father, Hast thou but one blessing, my Father? Bless me, even me also, O my Father; and Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. What, art thou so poor, O my Father, as that in giving one blessing, thou hast given away all? Hast thou not reserved one? And all this he was fain to do, before he could obtain. Yea, and it was not only thus with a profane Esau, who might well be thought to have forfeited the blessing by his selling his Birthright; but even good Iacob himself, when he would have a blessing from Heaven, he was constrained to wrestle with the Angel for it, and to put forth all his strength in the conflict, and to keep his hold, though the Angel se…med willing to shake him off; yea, p. 58and to tell him at last, that he would not let him go until he had got it. Thus it hath, been formerly: Blessings come down from Heaven upon the wings of Prayer.

And what, O man, dost thou think, that the Blessings of God are fallen so much in their price, and grown so cheap at this day, as that they go a begging? Or that men may have them without asking for? God hath been wont to stand more upon his Honour than so: and therefore hath declared his will, that Prayer shall come in between the Promise and the Performance; he would have his People sue out the Promise before they shall have the good which is contained in it; as is evident from that well-known Scripture, Ezek. 36. we find the heart of God greatly inlarged to his People, and Promises flowed in abundance from him, and He gives them the assurance of his fixed resolution in the thing. I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it. Do not you doubt, call not my truth in question, I will be as good as my word. Yet observe what follows in the 37th verse; Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them. All those great and good things had been in the heart and purpose of God from eternity, and now he was graciously pleased for their p. 59comfort to put them into his Promise; but if they had a desire to have them, they must send Prayer to Heaven for them.

Holy David tells us, Psal. 3. 8. God's blessing is upon his People: and certainly every one will grant that there is a great deal of reason why it should be upon them exclusive to all the World beside; upon them, and upon none but upon them: they only have been by the Lord Iesus redeemed from the curse of the Law, and therefore they only can lay a rightful claim to the Blessings of the Gospel. God may, yea, and he every day doth give bread to his Enemies; but surely as long as they continue his Enemies, he will not give them his blessing; and indeed why should they expect it? But now, O prayerless Soul, how wilt thou prove thy self one of his People? Thou hast upon thee those Spots which are not the Spots of his People, when at the same time thou dost want those Marks which are the Marks of his People: thou who spendest thy days without prayer, dost pay no homage unto God, thou ownest no dependence upon him, thou givest him no reverence, thou dost him no service, thou bringest him no honour, and I pray, tell me, why should his blessing be upon thee? God may deal bountifully with thee; possibly he doth do p. 60so already, and gives thee waters of a full cup; it is his manner; many srcaps and good bits fall under his Table; He lets them fall on purpose for his Dogs to gather up: his Sun shines, and his Rain falls upon barren Wildernesses and noysome Dunghills, as well as upon fruitful Fields, and pleasant Gardens; Outward mercies are therefore called Common Mercies, because all have their share in them, the just and the unjust too, the evil as well as the good; so that the Wise Man tells us, No man can know either love or hatred by all that is before him. Therefore let no man be proud of his temporal Enjoyments, nor of an elated Spirit, because he is of a raised condition, and stands upon the World's upper ground. If thou hast no other arguments to use, but those thou fetchest from the World's Topicks, thou wilt never prove thy self Heaven-born, nor make out thy Title to the happiness and glory which is above. God indeed may fill thy Pocket, and spread thy Table, furnishing it with variety of Dainties; He may cram thy Bags, and make thy Cup run over; He may throw into thy Possession Houses and Lands, as he gave Quales to the Israelites, in his wrath; and if thou wilt take the pains to turn over all thou hast, and make as diligent search as thou canst, thou p. 61wilt not find one blessing in it; many a Creature, and in every one a curse: thy Cloaths have a plague in them, witness thy Pride; thy Table is thy snare, witness thy excess; and Riches are laid up by thee to thy hurt, whilst thou makest them thy God, which should be no more than thy Servants. Thus it is with thee at present, and thy present condition is thy best condition: unless thou growest better, that will not: all that thou canst do, is to rejoyce in sense, thou must leave it to others to rejoice in hope. But however, if it will do thee any good, and the Lord grant that it may, we will enquire what is like to be hereafter. Therefore,

Lastly, Let us look on to the consequence, and consider what will follow this sinful bruitish negect of your unquestionable duty. You know, your own Consciences tell you, that you do not pray; you are not convinced of any need that you have of it: other things there are which you think you cannot be without, such are your Jovial Companions, and your vain antick Dresses, but you can be, and do very well without Prayer; you taste no sweetness in it: ranting and roaring is musick, Healths and Huzza's, Balls and Masques, are ravishingly delicious; but to you, Prayer is a very dull and insipid business. p. 62But, I pray, what will be at the last? I would stain have my best at last, and so would you too, if you be wise: if you have not your best at your latter end, you will be found fools at your latter end. I find an excellent wish concerning Israel of old, whether it was God's wish▪ or Moses's, or both, I am sure it was very good, and carried in it a great deal of love; Deut. 32. 24. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end. By latter end there, according to the judgment of Expolitors, we are not so much to understand their death, as the end and issue of that course which they were then steering. O that they would seriously think with themselves, and wisely foresee whither that way would bring them, in which they were then walking. It was a very smooth and pleasant way, it was paved with delights, but the great business was, whither did it lead them? It is my hearty wish for you, whoever you are, that you would once in a day retire your selves, and get alone, and seriously think what your total neglect of Prayer will produce, when you are on a Death-bed, and after Death, in Eternity.

p. 63First, What fruit you will have from hence, when Sickness Arrests you, and you find that the King of terrors is at your very door; that will be a dismal time, and it will cause many thoughts and tremblings of heart; and then, if ever, you will stand in need of Cordials, and happy the Man that hath his comfortable Reflections and Prospects to support his Spirits; who can look back to his Life past with peace, and look forward to Eternity with hope. When a Child of God, that hath maintain'd a close and intimate Communion with his God, and given himself unto Prayer, comes to lie upon his Death-bed, he is so roughly handled by that last enemy, that he cannot pray; his heart is so faint within him, and his pains are so strong upon him, that he hath not any leisure for that work in which he hath found so much sweetness, and for which he hath so dear a love: Alas then his case! his weakness, his agonies, his tumblings and tossings are such, that he cannot pray as he was wont, only sigh and groan, and lift up an eye, and give a look toward God's Holy Temple, and dart up a short ejaculation: Poor Soul! that is the utmost length he can go, and it is no small grief to him that he is so straitned and confined. Holy Asaph put this among the Reasons p. 64of his bitter complaints, Psal. 77. 4 That he was so troubled, that he could not speak. But at that very time he can relieve and comfort himself with his former praying, and former walking and Communion with God; his former seeking of God, and conversing with him. When there was a message of death, by the Prophet, brought to Hezekiah, he could send this short Petition up again to Heaven, Isa. 38. 3. Remember, now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. He could do but very little then, his strength was gone, and his breath was short; but he could with comfort remember, and desire God himself to remember how he had walked, and what he had done in his Halcion and healthful days. So when a gracious person is disabled for his work, he can think thus, There is a stock of Prayers which I have laid up in Heaven, against such a time of need as this is; and the thought thereof will be a singular support and comfort to him.

But what do you think will become of you at such a time, you that have been all your days strangers to this work? When you come to dye, you cannot pray, your distempers and pains will not l…t you, and you p. 65do not know how to go about it, nor how to do one stroke at it; and it will then be a sting and horrour to you to think, that when you were in health and strength, and all things well with you, you would not pray. You were called upon often, by your godly Ministers, and by your gracious Friends and Relations, but you would not. At a dying hour you will have no fitness for that work; and all the time that you lived before, you had no heart to it. But possibly you will comfort your selves with this, that when you are sick, and full of fears and inward disquiets, and you are not in a capacity of praying for your selves, then you, or some of your Friends for you, will send for some godly Minister or other, and desire him to pray for you. Well, suppose that is done, and the Minister sent for, comes, if he knows what a wretch thou hast been, and how much thou hast neglected God and thy Duty all thy days, What straitnings of Soul must he of necessity be under as to thee? With what holy confidence and hope may we go to God in Prayer on the behalf of a godly person when sick, if we can say to God as they did to Christ on the behalf of Lazarus, John 11. 3. Lord, he whom thou lovest, is sick? But what a damp must it needs be to us, when we think we are going to p. 66God for a sick and dying Man, but such an one as neglected God, and hated him, and lived without him, and in open rebellion against him? I fear, I fear, there are too many among us that befool and deceive themselves with this, That if they can get a Minister to Pray by them (especially if it be such an one as will give them the Sacrament too) oh, then all is well, and their Souls go immediately to Heaven without any stop by the way, and the Gate of Glory is opened to them, and entrance granted; but it is probable that will not do, and that these Men build their high hopes upon a Sandyfoundation that will fail them: And I would fain know what great encouragement, or what sufficient ground we have to believe, that we shall carry them in the Arms of our Prayers safe to Heaven, who would not themselves take one right step in the way that leads thither; would never be humble Petitioners for the pardon of their Sins, or for the Life and Salvation of their own Souls? That I look upon as exceeding worthy of your observation and repeated thoughts, which we meet with in the 1st of Samuel, chap. 12. After that good Man had faithfully reproved the people for their great wickedness in asking a King; and likewise put them into a great consternation p. 67by a Storm of Thunder and Rain in the time of Wheat-Harvest, which was unusual in that Countrey; they became humble Suitors to him, saying in verse 19. Pray for by servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not. That request he was most freely wil…ing to grant; God forbid, saith he, that I should sin in ceasing to pray for you. He had prayed for them, and would continue to pray for them. But now mark and remember that which followeth in vers. 24. Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart. Which is, as if he had said, I will not be wanting to my Duty, you are a people that I dearly love, and heartily wish welfare and prosperity to; I will speak for you, and plead for you, and wrestle with God for you; but do not you lay too great stress upon my Prayers; look to it that you be not found sinning against God, whil'st I am praying to him for you, left you do your selves more mischief than I can do you good. My Prayers will not prevail on your behalf, unless you will resolve to fear God your selves, and to seek and serve him your selves, and pray, and honour and obey him your selves. By warrant of that Scripture, I do now say to you, when you are sick and in distress, and fear you shall dye, you will call the Ministers to p. 68pray for you, and we are ready to do it; when you send for us we will come (only I wish that we may be sent for sooner than we are by some of you, viz. while you are able to give us an account of your selves, and in a capacity of receiving counsel and advice) and when we come, it shall be with bowels of pity and compassion, and we will pray for you heartily, and with all our might; but do not you trust to that, and pass the time of your health and strength in a supine carelesness and neglect, but now make Prayer your business, go to the Throne of Grace upon your own errand, and seek God your selves.

Secondly, Consider what will be the fru…t of this total neglect of Prayer, after Death hath put a period to your sinful careless Life, Enoch, while in the way, walked with God; and then in the end God took him. The Communion was begun here, that shewed the Holiness of Enoch; in Heaven it was perfected, and that made his happiness compleat. A Praying Saint doth at death go up to the Quire of Angels and glorified spirits of just Men, to joyn with them in their loud and never-ending Allelujahs; they lived a Life of Prayer upon Earth, and they shall live a life of Praise in Heaven. p. 69But what will become of you that are altogether strangers to the work? what kind of Eternity is that which you shall launch into? How unspeakably doleful will your condition be in the other World? You are not fit for the work of Praises, for your instruments are not in tune for it, there never was any thing done here for the putting your hearts in frame; from you there would proceed nothing but jarring in the midst of that most pleasant and melodious Consort. You cannot pray to God, which is the work of poor indigent Beggars; How then can you exalt and praise him, which, to do, is the work of holy and ever-blessed Angels? And then if you are not fit for Heaven, you will be fit for Hell; if no company for Angels, then for Devils; if you will not pray here, you shall in the torment and bitterness of Soul roar and howl there; you will not honour God, he will punish you; you cared not for the knowledg of his ways, and you shall not know his rest; you will not seek his face, and you shall not see his face: No, no, down you shall be thrust into that lake where there shall be fire to torment, but no light to refresh; where there shall not be the voice of joy and triumphs, but weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. In this Life you send p. 68duplicate page p. 69duplicate page p. 70up no Prayers to God, but live as if you did not know him, as if you did not need him, as if you had no love for him; and the truth is, you have not. Well, remember this, He lets you alone at present, and carrieth as if he took no notice; but he will deal with you accordingly, when he hath you in the next World, the place of giving out rewards and punishments, rendering unto every one according as his work hath been; there you shall have tribulation and anguish, but God will not be affected with your miseries, nor will he pity your groans, nor have any respect to your tears. Lay these things to your hearts, and be convinced of this, that Prayer is your interest; set upon the work, if you did but get acquaintance with it, you would love it; if you were but once used to it, you would never leave it. Psal. 116. 1, 2. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore I will call upon him as long as I live. And that was long enough; longer he should not pray; so long he would; there is no Praying-work in Heaven: Well, said David, I will ply it here, and follow it hard now. He had found the good; and tasted the sweetness of it.