Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 6 · Section 1
Reaſons for ſecret prayer.
1 Examples of holy perſons; Hanna, 1 Sam. 1.13. Cornelius, Act. 10.4. Peter prayed upon the houſe top, Act. 10.9. Abraham, Gen. 18.22. to ver. 3…. expoſtulating all that while in behalf of Sodom. Iſaac, Gen. 24.63. and Chriſt often, Luk. 6.12, 13. and that penitent, Lam. 3.28. and David, Pſal. 55.18. and Daniel, ch. 6.10.
2 There are particular neceſſities which concern particular ſouls, as David when he ſought God for the life of the child, Paul for removing the thorn in the fleſh, 2 Cor. 12.9. There are ſecret occaſions for obtaining perſonal mercies and turning away perſonal judgements.
3 That we may more freely unboſom our ſelves to God to powre out our ſighs and groans to him, Pſ. 142.2. David when he was alone in the cave, powred out his complaint before God, and ſhewed before him his trouble, Pſal. 42.4.102.2. Job 16.20. when alone, his eyes powred out tears to God.
4 That we may be free from outward entanglements, hence Chriſt oft prayed in private for this end.
5 That we may enjoy more of communion with God. The ſoul uſually enjoyes moſt of God in ſecret. God is wont to ſpeak comfortably to the ſoul in the wilderneſs, Hoſ. 2, 14, Jacob, Gen. 32.23. wraſtled with God and prevailed; in theſe prayers God oft ſpeaks peace to his people, Pſal. 85.8. in this the Lord came into Hannas ſoul, 1 Sam. 1.15.18. to Hezekiah, Eſa. 38.5. I will lead you with weeping and ſupplications, Jer. 31.9. Pretend not this will hinder thy occaſions, for David, Job, Cornelius, proſpered much in their affairs, nor that thou art a ſervant, for what ſervant but may find ſome corner to pray in? as thou art the ſervant of men ſo art thou the ſervant of God. again though thou art a ſervant, yet doſt thou own God for thy father, and therefore muſt pray unto him in ſecret, and muſt not forbear though forbid by thy maſter, no more then Daniel did when forbid by the King. Pretend not want of conveniency of place, for we may find many odde corners, fields, gardens, out-houſes: if you have places for your horſes, cows, hoggs, can you not get ſome retiring place wherein to meet the Lord?
For application, let it be thy conſtant practice thus to pray. Satan hath many excuſes and pretences to hinder this ſacrifice, he will tell thee this and that occaſion, that unleſs thou reſolve with a peremptory will, thou wilt be kept from it. Many prove as unſuccesful for want of private prayer, as the diſciples were, who aſſayed to caſt out a devil without praying before hand for it, Mat. 17.21.