3. I might argue from God's end in pouring out the Holy Ghost ; Avherefore hath God poured out his Spirit? Zech. xii. 11-14, ' I will pour out the Spirit of grace and of supplication,' &c. He poureth out the Spirit, that it may break out by this vent : the Spirit of grace will presently run into supplication ; the whole house of Israel shall mourn. There is the church, they have the benefit of the pouring out of the Spirit ; and every household hath benefit, that he and his family may mourn apart, and every person apart ; that we may go and mourn over our case and distempers before God, and pour out our
12 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE [MaT. VI. G-8.
hearts ia a holy and affectionate manner. This argument I would have 3'ou to note, that this was God's end in pouring out his Spirit, for a double reason, both to take off excuses, and to quicken diligence. Partly, to take off excuses, because many say they have no gifts, no readiness and savouriness of speech, and how can they go alone and pray to God ? Certainly men which have necessities, and a sense of them, can speak of them in one fashion or other to God ; but the Spirit is given to help. Such is God's condescension to the saints, that he hath not only provided an advocate to present our petitions in court, but a notary to draw them up ; not only appointed Christ for help against our guilt and unworthiness, but likewise the Spirit to help us in prayer. When we are apt to excuse ourselves by our weakness and insufficiency, he hath poured out the Holy Ghost, that we may pray apart. Partly to this end, the more to awaken our diligence, that God's precious gift be not bestowed upon us in vain, to lie idle and unemployed, he hath poured out the Spirit ; and there- fore we should make use of it, not only that we may attend to the prayers of others, and join with them, but that we may make use of our own share of gifts and graces, and open and unfold our own case to God.
4. That it is a necessary duty, I plead it from the practice of saints, who are a praying people. Oh how often do we read in scrip- ture that they are alone with God, pouring out their souls in com- plaints to him ! Nothing so natural to them as prayer ; they are called a 'generation of them that seek God: ' Ps. xxiv. 6. As light, bodies are moving upward, so the saints are looking upward to God, and praying alone to him. Daniel was three times a day with God, and would not omit his hours of prayer, though his life was in danger, Dan. vi. 10 ; and David, ' Seven times a day do I praise thee,' Ps. cxix. 164 ; and Cornelius, it is said that he prayed to God always. Acts X. 2, not only with his family, but alone in holy soliloquies. He was so frequent and diligent, that he had gotten a habit of prayer — he prayed always. Well, then, if this be the temper of God's jieople, then to be altogether unlike them — when we have no delight in these private converses with God, or neglect them, it gives just cause of suspicion.
5. Our private necessities show that it is a necessary duty, which cannot be so feelingly spoken to and expressed by others as by our- selves ; and, it may be, are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to others. We cannot so well lay forth our hearts with such largeness and comfort in our own concernments before others. There is the plague of our own hearts, which every one must mourn over : 1 Kings viii. 38. As we say, no nurse like the mother ; so none so fit humbly with a broken heart to set forth our own wants before the Lord as our- selves. There is some thorn in tlie flesh that we have cause to pray against again and again : ' For this I sought the Lord thrice,' saith St Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8. We should put promises in suit, and lay open our own case before the compassions of God. It is a help sometimes to join with others ; but at other times it wovdd be a hindrance. We have peculiar necessities of our own to commend to God, therefore must be alone.
Mat. VI. 6-8.] exposition of the lord's prayer. 13
Secondly, This closet and solitary prayer, as it is a necessary duty, so it is a profitable one.
1. It conduceth much to enlargement of heart. The more earnest men are, the more they desire to be alone, free from trouble and dis- traction. When a man weeps, and is in a mournful posture, he seeks secrecy, that he may indulge his grief. They were to mourn apart: Zech. xii., and Jer. xiii. 17, ' My soul shall weep sore for your pride in secret places.' So here, when a man would deal most earnestly with God, he should seek retirement, and be alone. Christ in his agonies went apart from his disciples. When he would pray more earnestly, it is said, ' He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast : ' Luke xxii. 41. It is said, 'He went apart.' Strong affections are loth to be disturbed and diverted, therefore seek retirement. And, it is notable, Jacob, when he would wrestle with God, it is said, Gen. xxxii. 24, ' And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.' When he had a mind to deal with God in good earnest, he sent away all his company.