200 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN. [MaT. YI. 6.
(3.) At noon, they thank God for half the day past.
(4.) After that, they pray for a good sunset.
(5.) And after that, they thank God for the day past.
And then, sixthly and lastly, they pray for a good night after their day.
Certainly these very Moors will one day rise in judgment against them who cast off prayer, who live in a total neglect of prayer, who suffer so many suns and moons to rise and set upon their heads without any solemn calling upon God. I have read of a man who, being sick, and afraid of death, fell to his prayers ; and, to move God to hear him, told him ' that he was no common beggar, and that he had never troubled him with his prayers before; and if he would but hear him at that time, he would never trouble him again.'' This world is full of such profane, blasphemous, atheistical wretches. But,
(3.) Thirdly, This truth looks very sourly and sadly upon such whx) are all for public prayer, but never regard private prayer; who are all for going up to the temple, but never care for going into their closets. This is most palpable hypocrisy, for a man to be very zealous for public prayer, but very cold and careless as to private prayer. He that pretends conscience in the one, and makes no conscience of the other, is an hypocrite in grain. Mat. xxiii. 5, and vi. 1, 2, 5 ; and the devil knows well enough how to make his markets of all such hypo- crites that are all for the prayers of the church, but perfect Gallios as to private prayer. Acts xviii. 17. Such as perform all their private devotion in the church, but not in the chamber, do put too great a slight upon the authority of Christ, who saith, ' When thou prayest, enter into thy chamber :' he doth not say, ' When thou prayest, go to the church,' but, ' When thou prayest, go into thy chamber.' But,
(4.) Fourthly, This truth looks sadly and sourly upon such who in their closets pray with a loud clamorous voice. A Christian should shut both the door of his closet and the door of his lips so close, that none should hear without what he saith within. * Enter into thy closet,* saith Christ, ' and when thou hast shut thy door, pray.' But what need a man shut his closet door, if he may pray with a clamorous voice, if he make such a noise as all in the street or all in the house may hear him ? The hen, when she lays her eggs, gets into a hole, a corner ; but then she makes such a noise with her cackling, that she tells all in the house where she is, and about what she is. Such Christians that in their closets, do imitate the hen, do rather pray to be seen, heard, and observed by men, than out of any noble design to glorify God, or to pour out their souls before him that seeth in secret. Sometimes children, when they are vexed, or afraid of the rod, will run behind the door, or get into a dark hole, and there they will lie crying, and sighing, and sobbing, that all the house may know where they are. Oh it is a childish thing so to cry, and sigh, and sob in our closets, as to tell all in the house where we are, and about what work we are. Well ! Christians, for an effectual redress of this evil, frequently and seriously consider of these five things.
[1.] First, That God seeth in secret.
[2.] Secondly, That God hath a quick ear, and is taken more with » Heil. Mic. p. 876.
Mat. VI. 6.] the peivy key of heaven. 201
the voice of the heart, than lie is with the dainour of the mouth. God can easily hear the most secret breathings of thy soul. God is more curious in observing the messages delivered by the heart, than he is those that are only delivered by the mouth. He that prays aloud in private, seems to tell others, that God doth not understand the secret desires, and thoughts, and workings of his people's hearts.
[3.] Thirdly, It is not meet, it is not convenient nor expedient, that any should he acquainted with our secret prayers, hut Ood and our own sovXs. Now it is as much our duty to look to what is expedient, as it is to look to what is lawful, 2 Cor. viii. 10 ; 1 Cor. vi. 12, ' All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient.' So chap. x. 23, ' All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.' Now it is so far from being expedient, that it is very high folly for men to lay open their secret in- firmities unto others, that will rather deride them, than lift up a prayer for them.
[4.] Fouiihly, Loud prayers may he a hindrance and disturbance to others, that may he busied near us, in some religious or civil exer- cises.
[5.] Fifthly and lastly, Hannah prayed and yet spoke never a word. Her heart was full, but her voice was not heard, 1 Sam. i. 11. Moses prays and cries, and yet lets fall never a word : Exod. xiv. 15, ' And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherfore criest thou unto me ? ' Moses did not cry with any audible voice, but with inward sighs, and secret breath- ings, and wrestlings of soul ; and these inward and secret cries, which made no noise, carried the day with God ; for Moses is heard and an- swered, and his people are delivered. Oh the prevalency of those prayers that make no noise in the ears of others !
[5.] Fifthly and lastly, This truth looks sourly and sadly upon those that do all they can to hinder and discourage others from this duty of duties, private prayer ; and that either by deriding or vilifying of the duty, or else by denying of it to be a duty, or else by their daily neglect of this duty, or else by denying them that are under them, time and opportunity for the discharge of this duty. In Mat. xxiii. 13, you have a woe pronounced against those that wiU neither go to heaven them- selves, nor suffer others to go that are willing to enter into an everlasting rest. And so I say, Woe to those parents, and woe to those husbands, and woe to those masters and mistresses, that will neither pray in their closets themselves, nor suffer their children, nor their wives, nor their servants, to pour out their souls before the Lord in a corner. O sirs ! how will you answer this to your consciences, when you shall lie upon a dying bed ! and how will you answer it to the Judge of all the world, when you shall stand before a judgment seat ? Certainly all their sins, and all their neglects, and all their spiritual losses, that might have been prevented by their secret prayers, by their closet communion with God, will one day be charged upon your accounts. And oh that you were all so wise as to lay these things so to heart, that you may never hinder any that are under your care or charge, from private prayer any more ! But,
^. Secondly, This may serve to exhort us, to keep close to our closets, to be frequent and constant in private prayer, to be often with God in
202 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN. [MAT. VI. 6.
a corner. The twenty considerations already laid down may serve as so many motives to provoke your hearts to this noble and necessary duty.