3. It is the omission of personal and secret prayer, which in some respects should be more prized than other prayer.
Partly, because here our converse with God is more express as to our own case. When we join with others, God may do it for their sakes, but here, Ps. cxvi. 1, 'I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication.' When we deal with him alone, we put the promises in suit, and may know more it is we that have been heard. We put God more to the trial ; we see what he will do for us, and upon our asking and striving.
Partly, here we are more put to the trial what love we will express to our Father in secret, when we have no outward reasons, no induce- ments from respects of men to move us. In public duties (which are liable and open to the observance of others), hypocrites may put forth themselves with great vigour, quickness, and warmth, whereas in private addresses to God, they are slight and careless. A Christian is best tried and exercised in private, in those secret intercourses be- tween God and his own soul ; there he finds most communion with God, and most enlargement of heart. A man cannot so well judge of his spirit, and discern the workings of it in public, because other men's concernments and necessities, mingled with ours, are taken in, and because he is more liable to the notice of others. But when he is with God alone, he hath only reasons of conscience and duty to
Mat. VI. G-8.] exposition of the lord's prayer. 17
move him. When none but Grod is conscious and our own hearts, then we shall see what we do for the approbation of God, and accept- ance with him.
And partly, in some respects, this is to be more prized, because privacy and retiredness is necessary, and is a great advantage, that men's spirits may be settled and composed for the duty. Sinful dis- tractions will crowd in upon us when in company, and we are thinking of this and that. How often do we mingle sulphur with our incense — carnal thoughts in our worship ! How apt are we to do so in public duties ! But in private we are wholly at leisure to deal with God in a child-like liberty. Now, will you omit this duty where you may be most free, without distraction, to let out the heart to God ?
And partly, because a man will not be fit to pray in public and in company, which doth not often pray in secret : he will lose his savour and delight in this exercise, and soon grow dry. barren, sapless, and careless of God. Look, as in the prophet Ezekiel, you read there that the glory of the Lord removed from the temple by degrees : it first removed from the holy place, then to the altar of burnt-offerings, then to the threshold of the house, then to the city, then to the mount which was on the east side of the city ; there the glory of the Lord stood hovering a while, as loth to be gone, to see if the people would get it back again ; this seems to be some emblem and representation of God's dealing with particular men. First, God is cast out of the closet, private intercourses between God and them are neglected ; and then he is cast out of the family, and within a little while out of the con- gregation ; public ordinances begin to be slighted, and to be looked upon as useless things ; and then men are given up to all profaneness and looseness, and lose all : so that religion, as it were, dieth by de- grees, and a carnal Christian loseth more and more of the presence of God. And, tlierefore, if we would be able to pray in company, we must often pray in secret.
4. Consider the mischief which followeth neglect of private con- verse with God. Omissions make way for commissions. If a gar- dener withholds his hand, the ground is soon grown over with weeds. Restrain prayer and neglect God, and noisome lusts will abound. Our hearts are filled with distempers when once we cease to be frequent with God in private. It is said of Job, chap. xv. 4, ' Thou re- strainest prayer before God.' That passage is notable, Ps. xiv. 4 : ' They eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.' Omit secret prayer, and some great sin will follow ; within a little while you will be given up to some evil course or other : either brutish lusts, oppression, or violence ; to hate the people of God, to join in a confederacy with them which cry up a confederacy against God. The less we converse with God in private, the more is the awe of God lessened. But now, a man which is often with God dareth not offend him so freely as others do. As they which are often with princes and great persons are better clothed and more neat in their apparel and carriage, so they which are often conversing with God grow more heavenly, holy, watchful, than others are ; and when we are not with God, not only all this is lost, but a great many evils to be found. It is plainly seen by men's conversations how little they converse with God.