Mat. VI. G-S.] exposition of the lord's prayer. 9
when you seek another paymaster, you decline God, yea, you make him your footstool, a step to some other thing.
III. Here are the encouragements to this personal, private, and solitary prayer ; and they are taken from God's sight, and God's re- ward.
1. From God's sight : ' Thy Father seeth in secret ; ' that is, ob- serveth thy carriage. The posture and frame of thy spirit, the fervour and uprightness of heart which thou manifestest in prayer, is all knoAvn to him. Mark, that which is the hypocrite's fear, and binds condemnation upon the heart of a wicked man, is here made to be the saints' support and ground of comfort — that they pray to an all-seeing God : 1 John iii. 20, ' If our hearts condemn us, God is gi'eater than our hearts, and knoweth all things.' Their heavenly Father seeth in secret ; he can interpret their groans, and read the language of their sighs. Though they fail as to the outside of a duty, and there be much brokenness of speech, yet God seeth brokenness of heart there, and it is that he looks after. God seeth. What is that ? He seeth whether thou prayest or no, and how thou prayest. (1.) He seeth whether thou prayest or no: mark that passage. Acts ix. 11, * The Lord said to Ananias, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus ; for behold, he prayeth.' Go into such a city, such a street, such a house, such a part, in such a chamber, behold he prayeth. The Lord knew all these circumstances. It is known unto him whether we toil or loiter away our time, or whether we pray in secret ; he knows what house, in what corner of the house, what we are doing there. (2.) He seeth liow you pray: Kom. viii. 27. It is pro- pounded as the comfort of the saints, 'And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit.' God knoweth you thoroughly, and can distinguish of your prayers, whether they be customary and formal, or serious acts of love to God, and communion with him.
2. The other thing which is propounded here is God's reward: 'And he will reward them openly.' How doth God reward our prayers? Not for any worth or dignity which is in them. What merit can there be in begging? What doth a beggar deserve in asking alms ? But it is out of his own grace and mercy, having by promise made himself as it were a debtor to a poor, faithful, and believing supplicant. But ' he will reward thee openly.' How is that ? Either by a sensible answer to thy prayers, as he doth often to his children, by granting what they pray for ; as when Daniel was praying in secret, God sent an angel to him, Dan. ix. 20 ; or by an evident blessing upon their prayers in this world, for the con- scionable performance of this duty. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that were men of much communion with God, were eminently and sensibly blessed ; they were rewarded openly for their secret converse with him ; or it may be, by giving them respect externally in the eyes of others. A praying people dart conviction into the consciences of men. It is notable that Pharaoh in his distress sent for Moses and Aaron, and not for the magicians. The consciences of wicked men are open at such a time, and they know God's children have special favour and
10 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE [MaT. VI. 6-S.
great audience with him ; and he having the hearts of all men in his hands, can manage and dispose respect according as he pleaseth. And when they are in distress, this honour Grod hath put upon you, they shall send for you to pray with them ; and those which honour him, though hut in secret, God will openly put honour upon them: 1 Sam. ii. '30. But chiefly this is meant at the day of judgment ; then those which pray in secret their heavenly Father will reward them openly. When thou relievest the poor, and showest comfort to the needy, they cannot recompense thee ; but then thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrec- tion of the just, Luke xiv. 14. There is the great and most public reward of Christians : 1 Cor. iv. 5, ' Then he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart ; and then shall every man have praise with God ;' that is, every man that is praiseworthy, however he be mistaken and judged of the world ; for the apostle speaks it to comfort them against the censures of men. And mark, this is opposed to the reward which the Pharisees pleased themselves with : it was much with them to be well thought of in such a synagogue, or before such a company of men ; ' but your Father, wliich seeth in secret, will reward you openly ;' that is, not only in the eyes of such a city or town, but before all the world.