Bellarmine' and some others turn the text into an allegory. They say that in these words there are two allegories. First, the chamber door is the sense, ' shut the door,' that is, say they, thy sense, lest vain imaginations and worldly thoughts distract thy mind in praying. Secondly, the door, say they, is our mouth, ' shut thy door,' that is, thy lips, say they, and let thy prayer be like the prayer of Hannah, con- ceived in thy mind, but not uttered with thy mouth. It is usual with papists and other monkish men that lie in wait to deceive, to turn the blessed Scriptures into a nose of wax, under pretence of allegories and mysteries. Origen was a great admirer of allegories.^ By the strength
' Bellarm. de Sanct. lib. iii. cap. iv , &c. > Euseb. Ecd. Hist. lib. vi. cap. viii.
Mat. VL 6.] the privy key of heaven. 165
of his parts and wanton wit, he turned most of the Scriptures into alle- gories ; and by the just judgment of God upon him, he foolishly under- stood and absurdly applied that Mat. xix. 12 literally, 'Some have made themselves chaste for the kingdom of heaven,' and sogelded himself And indeed he might as well have plucked out one of his eyes upon the same account, because Christ saith, ' It is better to go to heaven with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire,' Mat. xviii. 9. In all ages heretics have commonly defended their heresies by translating of scriptures into allegories. The apostle speaks of such as, denying the resurrection of the body, turn all the testimonies of the resurrection into an allegory, meaning thereby only the spiritual resurrection of the soul from sin, of which sort was Hymeneus and Philetus, who destroyed the faith of some, saying 'the resurrection was past already,' 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18. And are there not many among us that turn the whole history of the Bible into an allegory, and that turn Christ, and sin, and death, and the soul, and hell, and heaven, and all into an allegory ? Many have and many do miserably pervert the Scriptures by turning them into vain and groundless allegories. Some wanton wits' have expounded paradise to be the soul, man to be the mind, the woman to be the sense, the serpent to be delight, the tree of knowledge of good and evil to be wisdom, and the rest of the trees to be the virtues and endowments of the mind. O friends ! it is dangerous to bring in allegories where the Scripture doth not clearly and plainly warrant them, and to take those words figuratively which should be taken properly.
The word ra.a/sroy that is in the text rendered closet, hath only three most usual significations amongst Greek authors. First, it may be taken for a secret chamber, or close and locked parlour ; secondly, for a safe or cupboard to lay victuals in ; thirdly, for a locked chest or cup- board wherein treasure usually is reserved.
The best and most judicious interpreters that I have cast mine eye upon, both of a former and later date, do all expound my text of private prayer in retired places ; and with them I close ; and so the main doc- trine that I shall gather from the words is this :
Doct. That closet prayer or private prayer is an indispensable duty, that Christ himself hath laid upon all that are not willing to lie under the ivoful brand of being hypocrites.
I beseech you seriously to lay to heart these five things :
1. First, If any prayer be a duty, then secret prayer muit needs be a duty ; for secret prayer is as much prayer as any other prayer is prayer ; and secret prayer prepares and fits the soul for family prayer, and for public prayer. Secret prayer sweetly inclines and strongly dis- poses a Christian to all other religious duties and services. Ergo, — But,
2. Secondly, If secret prayer be not an indispensable duty that lies upon thee, by ivhat authority doth conscience so upbraid thee, and so accuse thee, and so condemn thee, and so terrify thee, as it often doth for the neglect of this duty ? But,
3. Thirdly, TTos it ever the way or method of God to promise again and again a reward, an open reward for that work or service which himself never commanded ? Surely no. Now, to this duty of secret prayer, the Lord hath again and again promised an open reward, Mat.
• Philo Judaeus, and others of a later date.
166 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN. [MAT. VI. 6.
vi. 6, 18. And therefore without all peradventure this is a duty in- cumbent upon all Christians,
4. Fourthly, Our Saviour in the text takes it /o7' granted that every child of Ood will be frequent in praying to his heavenly Father; and therefore he encourages them so much the more in the work of secret prayer. 'When you pray;' as if he had said, I know you can as well hear without ears, and live without food, and fight without hands, and walk without feet, as you are able to live without prayer. And there- fore when you go to wait on God, or to give your heavenly Father a visit, * Enter into your closet, and shut your doors,' &c.
5. Fifthly, If closet prayer be not an indispensable duty that Christ hath laid upon all his people, why doth Satan so much oppose it ? why doth he so industriously and so unweanedly labour to discourage Christians in it, and to take off Christians from it ? Certainly, Satan would never make such a fierce and constant war as he doth upon private prayer, were it not a necessary duty, a real duty, and a soul- enriching duty. But more of this you will find in the following dis- course; and therefore let this touch suffice for the present, &c.
Now, these five things do very clearly and evidently demonstrate that secretly and solitarily to hold intercourse with God is the undoubted duty of every Christian. But for a more full opening and confirmation of this great and important point. I shall lay down these twenty argu- ments or considerations, &c.