Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 6 · Verse 6
Verse 6. But thou when thou praiest, enter into thy …, &c.]
Act. 10 9.Act. 10 3.The proper place for secret … (as the family is for private praier, and the Church for publike, Luk. 4. 16.) that being … from company, we may more … descend into our own hearts, and be the freer from ostentation and hypocrisie, and from discursation and wandering of minde (Anima … fit …:) As also for the demonstration of our faith, whereby we believe the omnipresence of God, Who seeth in secret, and … openly. Daniel indeed opened his windows, and prayed…. in Dan. 6. …. in an … room; not to be more secret (as Pintus mistaketh it) but to be more seen: and yet not of vain ostentation, but ofAct. 5. 29. … and constant profession. The King had forbidden it (soSic … in …, foreign. did Henry the third, King of France, forbid housholders to pray with their families.) Daniel did it notwithstanding, as aforetime. God must be obeyed rather then men, as not Scripture only, but nature teacheth. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed; That had been his custome, and should be. … also at morning, at evening, and at noon called upon God, and had his set times for such devotions. But the devil, as it is probable, 2 Sam. 12. 2. had caused him to come from his trench, and then … wound him. He knows well enough that a Christians strength lies in his praier (as Samsons did in his hair)Ephes. 6. 18. that it buckleth all our spirituall armour close to us, and makes it usefull: that a Christian can never want help, whiles he can pray; as they were wont to say, the Pope can never want money, so long as he can hold a pen in his hand, to command and send for it: That secret prayer is a soul-fatting exercise, as secret meals, we say, feed the body. The old Serpent feels himself charmed and disabled to doe hurt by these kinde of duties. They have poured forth a charm, when thy chastening was upon them, Isa. 26. 16. Yea, he is deeply wounded and driven out of the field, by these Isa. 26. 16.arrows of deliverance, as the King of Syria was, 2 King. 13. 17. which therefore he keeps (what he can) from being multiplied1 … 2. …. foreign, …. and enlarged. Fervent praiers are the pillars of smoke, wherein the Church ascendeth to God out of the wildernesse of this world,… Pet 3. 21. foreign, …. in …, … electorum cum Deo …. … Pasor. and by an humble familiarity converseth, yea … with him, as Abraham and Moses did (especially, when Satan, sinne and conscience accuse) and standeth, as it were, upon interrogatories; such as are those, Rom. 8. 33, 34, 35.
And when thou hast shut thy door]
So to shut out distractions, which yet will grow upon us, doe what we can. For though the spirit is willing to wait upon God, all the while of the duty, yet the flesh is weak. It being but partly mortified, draws away … Rom. 7. 21.thoughts many times; and putteth us to St Pauls complaint, When I would doe good evil is present with me. Satan also will be jogging and interrupting us; and will needs be talking to us when we are most busily speaking to God, as the Pythonisse troubled St Paul, as he went to praier, Act. 16 16. Worldly things likewise are so naturall to us, and so near our senses, heavenly things are so supernall and supernaturall, that we cannot without watching our senses, and travell of soul, stay our spirits long upon them.Fratres … & … uti vo …, ne per …, & … intentio For help herein: S. Augustine … us, that the ancient Christans of AEgypt were wont to use only short and pithy praiers and ejaculations: such as was that of Elias, when he contended with the Priests of Baal, charging God (in two words) with the care of his …, of his truth, and of his glory. Many other helps there are for the curing and casting out (in a comfortable …) these by-thoughts; these birds that would rob Abraham of his sacrifice; these swarms of AEgypt, that our hearts … be as so many Goshens; these creeping things …, as David hath it. This among the rest, that our Saviour here presenbeth, to … into a secret place, as Abraham did into his … at Beersheba Gen. 21. 33.planted for the purpose (though that was afterwards abused by the Heathens, and therefore forbidden the Israelites, Deut. 12. 3) … had his Oratory in the fields, where he praied with deep meditation or soliloquie, as the word there signifieth, Rebeceah upon the strugling of the babes, went to enquire of the Lord, Gen. 25. 22. that is, she went to some secret place to pray, and receive some revelation from God, say Calvin, Musculus, Mercer, others. Jacob had visions of God, when he was all alone upon the way: Elias praid under the Juniper, our Saviour in the garden of Gethsemane, Acts 9, …. Act. 10 10. foreign … a …, cum Deo colloquitur. ….and many times in the mount: Cornelius in some corner of his house, … on the leades, where also he fell into an extasie or trance, and saw heaven open. His soul was separated (after a sort) from his body for the time, whilest he was talking with God, he was so transported and carried out of himself, ut … esset paenè nescia carnis, as S. Jerome testifieth of certain devout women of his time. For the place we pray in, no matter how mean it be, so it be secret. Where there is a Jeremy, a Daniel, If ye will not hear me …, … me to my prison again among my … and froggs, which will not … me while I talk … my … God. Peter ….…, a dungeon, a Lions den, a whales-belly are goodly oratours. Shut the door to thee, remembring the weaknesse of thy flesh and the malice of the devil, watching how. to distract thee. Covenant with thy senses, and binde them to the good abearance all the while: look God full in the face, as David did, Psal. 57. 7. call in, and concenter thy thoughts, as men doe the Sun-beams into a burning glasse: serve God with thy spirit, as Paul did, Rom. 1. 9. say, All that's within me praise his holy name. Have thy heart at thy right hand, with Solomons wise-man, lay Gods charge upon it to attend upon him: when it roves and wanders, call it in, andAct. and …. fol. …. … it; judge and shame thy self for thy distractions, and strive to doe better, so shall they never be imputed unto thee. To bePsal. 13. 2. wholly freed from them, is a priviledge proper to the estate of perfection.Eccles. 7. Some diseases will not be cured near home, but men must repair to the Bath, or City for help. This infirmity is not to be healeo, till we come to heaven. No shutting of the door will doe it, nor any thing else, till the everlasting doors be opened unto us, till weRev. 21. enter in by the gates into the City of the living God.
Pray to thy father which is in secret]
There are no dumb children in Gods house; the least he hath can aske him blessing. All are not alike gifted, but every godly man prayeth unto thee, saithPsal. 32. 6. David: S. Paul was no sooner coverted, but he was praying presently, Acts 9. 11. The spirit of grace, is a spirit of supplication, and teacheth to cry Abba, father, or Father, Father. And this veryGal. 4. 5. naming of the Name of God in prayer (though it be no more,) so it be done in faith, entitles a man to heaven, 2 Tim. 2. 19. if withall he depart from iniquity: When such as have the gift of Prophecy, and of doing miracles shall miscarry, and be turned off at last day, because workers of iniquity, Matth. 7. And albeit Gods weaker duplicate page duplicate page children cannot utter their minde unto him in wel couched words, and variety of expressions, yet, … their broken … come from a broken heart, it avails more then affectation of Rhetorike, without affection of prayer. Men are better pleased with the stammering and lisping of their own little ones, then with all the … speech of all the children in the Town besides. Yea, because the soul is sick, the service is twice welcome. As, if a sick childe reach us up a thing, we count it more then to send another of a … errand. I will spare them, saith he, as a man spares his … … 3. 18.sonne that serveth him. The businesse of prayer is more dispatched by sighs then speeches, by desires and groans of the heart, … our father which is in secret, whether we can expresse them … words or no. The Spirit also helpeth our … (he … foreign …. …. ….with us, and before us, as the word signifies) and maketh … in us and for us with groans unutterable. And be that … the hearts, knoweth what is the minde of the spirit: As … heareth us without ears, so he understandeth us without our words. If we can but groan out, Ah father, it is an effectuall prayer. The voice is not simply required, Joh. 4. 24. There is great dispute (… D … of ….one) among the school-men, about the speech of Angels; … this they agree in, that one Angel speaketh thus to another, … any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing, with a will … another should understand it, and that God should understand … that's enough for the expression of it. So is it with the spirit of man in speaking to God: for the spirit agreeth to the Angels. Yet we must pray for fit words also. Hos. 14. 2. and strive to be … in all utterance, and in all knowledge, 1 Cor. 1. 5. get … …habit of heavenly-mindednesse, let the heart meditate a good matter, and then the tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 45. 1. first prepare the heart, and then stretch out the hands, Job 11. 13. The heart should be praying a good while before the …; … before the seven … were sounded at the … …… seal, there was halfe an hours silence in heaven. … if there be an honest heart, and a good …, an … of prayer usually is in us, though we know it not; as a man may have money about him, and not know so much, till … him willing to search, and glad to finde it: Remember, …, … promise of the Spirits assistance, and Gods acceptance, and know, that as in singing, so in praying, the pleasing melody is in the heart. The voice which is made in the mouth, is nothing so sweet… 16. … that which comes from the depth of the brest. As the deeper or hollower the belly of the lute or violl is, the pleasanter is the sound: the fleeter, the more grating and harsh in our ears.
And thy father which seeth in secret]
And heareth too: asExod. 14. 15. … corde …. Aug. he did Moses when he cried to God, but said nothing; and …, when she moved her lips, but uttered not her self in an audible voice: and Nehemiah, when he lift up his heart to God, as he spake to the King: and as he doth still his praying people. His ears … into their prayers, saith S. Peter, after David: that though… Sam. 1. 13. …. 2. 4. their prayers are so weak, they cannot ascend to him, he will … …. 3. 12. foreign.to them. He hearkned and heard, those good souls in …, chap. 3 16. as loth to lose any part of their precious language. Thus the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (when they are praying especially) and his ears are open to their prayers.Psal. 34. 25. He seeth his Church when she is in the clefts of the rocks, …. 2. 14.when she is gotten into a corner and praying, he looks upon her with singular delight, and with speciall intimations of his love (as Ahashuerosh dealt with Esther) and saith unto her, as he, what Esth. 5. 3.… thy petition, and it shall be given thee? And oh that every faithfull soul, whiles it is sitting and feasting with God by secret prayer, and other holy duties, would bethinke it self what speciall boon it hath to beg, what Haman to hang up, what corruption to be subdued, what grace to be encreased, &c. How should they be gratified, and their request granted, even to the whole of Gods kingdom? The truth is, they might have any thing: and that which … said to his Courtiers flatteringly, God performeth to his people really, The King is not he that can doe any thing against …. 38. 5.you. Luther was wont to say, that prayer was after a sort omnipotent: for whatsoever God can doe, that prayer can doe. Of Luther Iste vir …?himself, for his wrestling with God and prevailing (as he wasDe … Iustus …. mighty and happy that way) it was said, That man can have any thing at Gods hands.Isa. ….
Will reward you openly]
Here in part, hereafter in all perfection.…. 34. 6. He never said to the house of Israel, Seek … me in vain. This poor man (for instance) praid, saith David, pointing to himself, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his distresses. God is known by hearing of prayers, 'tis one of his Titles, Psal. 65, 3. 'tis his praise above all Heathen gods, Isa. 45. 19, 20. By this Manasses knew him to be God, 2 Chron. 33. 15. and all Israel, 1 King. 18. 37, 39. when it came to a matter of competition: Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shal … …. …. …… father in my name, he will give it you. If we can finde a praying heart, he will finde a pitying: if we open our mouthes, God will fill them: and he is worthily …, that will not make himself happy by asking. Of some Heathen Princes it is said, … they never … away their suitors sad or discontented: this is most true of God; let a man bring right petitions, … clear conscience, faith in the promises, and hope to wait the accomplishment, and … shall not fail of the thing he asketh, or a better: As when God … David the life of the childe, but assured him of his …, I shall go to him, &c. So he denied his Mother her particular2. … 12. 23. … for that time: and when his Disciples asked him:Joh. …. curious question, Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom … Acts 1. 7, 8.Israel, &c? That's not for you to know, saith he; but a better thing I can tell: you shall receive power after that the holy … …. …. 4.is come upon you. But many times God is graciously pleased, not only to grant a mans prayer, but also to fullfill his counsell; that is,… à Deo sertas preces quam sine precibus … sum … Rol. …. in Joh. 6. 23. in that very way, and by that very means that his thoughts … on. But say he doe neither of …; yet the very ability to pray … the … Ghost, is a sweet and sure signe of salvation, Rom. 10. 13. And a very grave Divine writeth thus: I cannot but prefer … prayers for some temporall mercy, far before that mercy for which I pray. Yea I had rather God should give me the gift of…. in Luk 6. 12 prayer, then (without that gift) the whole world besides. As … that are ita congregabiles (saith another Divine of goodforeign note,) so very good-fellows, that they cannot spare so much time out of company, as to seek God apart, and to serve him in secret,foreign. they sufficiently shew themselves thereby, to have little fellowship… or … with God, whom they … seldom come at.