To this objection I shall give these three short answers : (1.) First, / suppose this objection concerns but a few Christians in our days. That God that hath given a Christ to believers doth com- monly give them a convenient corner to enjoy private communion with himself in, Rom. viii. 32. Most Christians, I am afraid, do rather want a heart for private prayer, than a convenient place for private prayer. What men set their hearts upon, they will find time and place to effect it, whether it be good or whether it be evil, whether it concerns tem- porals or spirituals, whether it concerns this world or another world, this life or a better hfe. If most men would but get better hearts, they would quickly find or make convenient places for private prayer. He who hath an inflamed love to God will certainly find out a corner to enjoy secret communion with God, True lovers will find out corners to enjoy one another in. How many men are there that can easily find out private places for their dogs to lie in, and their swine to sleep in, and their horses to stand in, and their oxen to feed in, &c., who can't find out a private place to seek the face of God in ! But did these men but love their God, or their souls, or private prayer, or eternity, as well or better than their beasts, they would not be such brutes but that they would quickly find out a hole, a corner, to wait u£)on the Lord in. B\it,
238 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN. [MAT. VI. 6.
(2.) Secondly, I answer, If a Christian he on the top of a house with Peter, he may pray there ; or if he he walking in the field with Isaac, he may pray there ; or if he on the mountain with Christ, he iriay pray there ; or if he he hehind the door with Paul, he may pray there ; or if he he waiting at table with Nehemiah, he may secretly pray there ; or if he he in a wood, he may pray there, as the primi- tive Chi'istians in times of persecution did ; or if he he hehind a tree, he may pray there ; or if he he hy the sea side, he may pray there, as the apostles did. It was a choice saying of Austin, 'Every saint is God's temple/ saith he, ' and he that carries his temple about him, may go to prayer when he pleaseth.' Some saints have never had so much of heaven brought down into their hearts, as when they have been with God in a corner. Oh the secret manifestations of divine love, the secret kisses, the secret embraces, the secret influences, the secret communion with God, that many a precious Christian hath had in the most solitary places : it may be behind the door, or behind the wall, or behind the hedge, or behind the arbour, or behind the tree, or behind the rock, or behind the bush, &c. But,
(3.) Thirdly, and lastly. Didst thou never in thy unregenerate estate make use of all thy wits, and parts, and utmost endeavours, to find out convenient seasons, and secret corners, and solitary places to sin in, and to dishonour thy God in, and to undo thine own and others' souls in ? Yes ! I remember with shame and blushing, that it was so with me when I was dead in trespasses and sins, and walked according to the course of this world, Eph. ii. 1-3. Oh, how much then doth it concern thee in thy renewed, sanctified, and raised estate, to make use of all thy wits, and parts, and utmost endeavours, to find out the fittest seasons, and the most secret comers, and solitary places thou canst, to honour thy God in, and to seek the welfare of thine own and others' souls in ! Oh that men were but as serious, studious, and industrious, to find out convenient seasons, secret places to please and serve and glorify the Lord in, as they have been serious, studious, and industrious to find out convenient seasons, and secret places to displease and grieve the Spirit of the Lord in. But,
Ohf 6. Sixthly, and lastly, others may further object and say. We would he often in private with God, we would give ourselves up to closet-prayer, but that we can no sooner shut our closet door8,hut a mul- titude of infirmities, weaknesses, and vanities do face us, and Hse up against us. Our hearts being full of distempers and follies, and our bodies, say some, are under great indispositions; and our souls, say others, are imder present indispositions; and how then can we seek the face of God in a comer ? how can we wrestle with God in our closets ? &c.
Now, to this objection I shall give these six answers.
(1.) If these kinds of reasonings or arguingswere sufficient to shut private prayer out of doors, where lives that man or woman, that husband or wife, that father or child, that master or servant, that would ever he found in the practice of that duty /' Where is there a
« Ps. xl. 12 ; Ps. li. 5 ; Rom. yii. 16, 24 ; Pa. cxxx. 8 ; 1 Cor. iv. 4 ; 2 Chron. vi. 86 ; Philip, iii. 12. :
Mat. VI. 6.] the privy key of heaven. 239