The point is this : —
Doct. That private, solitary, and closet-prayer is a duty very neces- sary and j)rofitable.
It is a necessary duty ; for Christ supposeth it of his disciples, to whom he speaks : ' But thou, when thou prayest,' &,c. And it is pro- fitable, for unto it God makes promises : You have a Father which seeth in secret, and one day shall be owned before all the world.
First, It is a duty necessary ; and that will appear : —
1. From God's precept. That precept which requireth prayer, requheth secret and closet-prayer ; for God's command to pray first falls upon single persons, before it falls upon families and churches, which are made up of single persons. Therefore where God hath bidden thee to pray, you must take that precept as belonging to you in particular. I shall give some of the precepts : Col. iv, 2, ' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;' and 1 Thes. v. 17, 'Pray without ceasing.' These are principally meant of our personal addresses to God, every man for himself ; for in joining with others, the work is rather imposed upon us than taken up upon choice. And that can only be at stated times, when they can conveniently meet together ; but we our- selves are called upon to continue to pray, and that without ceasing ; that is, to be often with God, and to keep up not only a praying frame, but a constant correspondence with him. Surely every man which acknowledgeth a God, a Providence, and that depends upon him for blessings, much more every one that pretends he hath a Father in heaven, in whose hands are the guidance of all the things of the world, is bound to pray personally and alone, by himself to converse with God.
2. I shall argue it from the example of Christ, which bindeth us, and hath the force of a law in things moral. As Christ's word is our rule, so his practice is our copy. This is true religion, to imitate him whom we worship. In this you must do as Christ did. Now we often read
Mat. VI. Q-S.] exposition of the lord's prayer. 11
that Christ prayed alone — he went aside to pray to God ; tlicreforc, if we be Christians, so it should be with us : Mark i. 35, ' And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.' He left the company of his disciples, with whom he often joined, that he might be alone with God betimes in the morning. And again you have it : Mat. xiv. 23, ' And when he had sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray ; and when the evening was come, he was there alone.' And, Luke vi. 12, it is said, ' He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.' You see Christ takes all occasions in retiring and going apart to God. Now the pattern of Christ is both engaging and encouraging.
It is very engaging. Shall we think ourselves not to need that help which Christ would submit unto? There are many proud persons which think themselves above prayer. Christ had no need to pray as we have ; he had the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily ; yet he was not above prayer. And if he had need of prayer, he had no need of retirement to go and pray alone ; his affections always served, and lie was not pestered with any distraction, and all places and companies were alike to him ; and yet he would depart into a solitary place that he might be private with God.
Then the pattern of Christ is very encouraging ; for whatever Christ did, he sanctified in that respect — his steps in every duty leave a blessing. Look, as Christ sanctified baptism by being baptized himself, and made the water of baptism to be saving and comfortable for us; and the Lord's supper, by being a guest himself, and eating himself at his own table, so he sanctified private prayer : when he prayed, a virtue went out from him, he left a strength to enable us to pray. And it is encouraging in this respect, because he hath experi- mented this duty. He knows how soon human strength is spent and put to it, for he himself hath been wrestling with God in prayer with all his might. His submitting to these duties gave him sympathy ; he knows the heart of a praying man when wrestling with God with all earnestness ; therefore he helpeth us in these agonies of spirit. Again, his praying is an encouragement against our imperfections. Christians, when we are alone with God, and our hearts are heavy as a log and stone, what a comfort is it to think Christ himself prayed, and that earnestly, and was once alone wrestling with God in human nature ! Mat. xiv. 23. And when the enemy came to attack him, he was alone, striving with God in prayer. He takes all occasions for intercourse with God ; and if you have the Spirit, you will do likewise.