1. Some plead they want time. Why, if you have time for other things, you should have a time for God. Shall we have a season for all things, and not for the most necessary work ? Hast thou time to eat, drink, sleep, follow thy trading (how dost thou live else ?), and no time to be saved — no time to be familiar with God, wdiich is the great- est business of all ? Get it from your sleep and food, rather than be without this necessary duty. Jesus Christ had no such necessity as we have, yet it is said, Mark i. 35, ' He arose a great while before day, and went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.' There- fore, must God only be encroached upon — the lean kine devour the fat — Sarah thrust out instead of Hagar — and religion be crowded out of doors? Felixilladomus,ubiMart1iaqueriiurde3Iana, — Tliatisaliappy house luhere Martha comjjiains of Mary. Martha, which was cumbered with much service, complained of Mary that she was at the feet of Jesus Christ, hearkening to his gracious counsel ; but in most houses Mary may complain of Martha ; religion is neglected and goes to the walls.
2. Some want aplace. He that doth not want a heartwill find a place. Christ went into a mountain to pray, and Peter to the top of the house.
3. Many say they want parts, they cannot tell how to pray. Where- fore hath God given his Spirit ? In one fashion or other a man can open his case to God ; he can go and breathe out his complaints, the Lord will hear breathings. Go, chatter out thy requests to thy Father : though you can but 'chatter like a crane,' yet do it with fervency and with a spirit of adoption. We have not only Christ given us for an advocate, but the Holy Ghost to help our infirmities. He hath given us 'the Spirit of his Son, whereby we may cry, Abba, Father:' Gal. iv. 6. A child can acquaint a fiither with his wants.
20 AX INTRODUCTION TO THE [MaT. VI. 6-8.
Use 2. To exhort God's children to frequency in this duty, and to much watchfulness and seriousness in the performance of it. First, To frequency. For arguments again to press you : —
1. It arguetli more familiarity to pray to God alone than in com- pany. He that goeth to a prince alone, and upon all occasions hath access to him in private, when company is gone, hath nearer friend- ship and a greater intimacy with him than those which are onh- admitted to a speech with him in the company of others ; so, the oftener you are with God alone the more familiar. He loves to treat with you apart, as friends are most free and open to one another when they are alone.
2. Then you will have a more sensible answer of your own prayers ; you will see what God hath done upon your requests. Dan. ix. 21, 22, Daniel was praying for the church, and an angel comes and tells him, ' It is for thy prayers and supplications that I am come.' There- fore surely a man would take some time to go and plead the promises with God. But further, by way of means : —
[1.] Consider the omnipresence of God, which is the argument in the text : ' He is in secret, and seeth in secret.' If men were con- vinced of that, they would make conscience of secret prayer. Look, as Jesus Christ says of himself, John xvi. .32, ' You leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.' So when you are alone you are not alone ; there is a Father in secret ; though nobody to see and hear, yet God is there. We are apt to think all is lost which men are not conscious to, and done in their sight. Acts x. 4 : ' Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.' God keeps a memorial of your private prayers ; there is a register kept in heaven, and never a prayer lost.
[2.] Consider the excellency of communion with God. Jer. ii. 32 : ' Can a maid forget her ornaments, and a bride her attire ?' Women are very curious and careful of their ornaments, and will not forget their dressing-attire, especially a bride upon the wedding-day, she that is to be set forth in most costly array — she makes it her business to put on jewels, to be seen in all her glory. God is as necessary to us as ornaments to a bride. We should be as mindful of communion with God as a bride of her dressing-ornaments. ' Yet they have forgotten me days without number.' Whatever is forgotten, God must not be forgotten,
[3.] Make God a good allowance ; resolve to be much in the prac- tice of it. It is best to have set times for our religious worship. For persons which are sui juris, at their own dispose, it is lawful and very convenient to dedicate a certain part and portion of our time to the Lord of time. Lazy idle servants must be tasked and required to bring in their tale of brick ; so it is good to task the heart, to make God a fair, and reasonable, and convenient allotment of some part of our time. David had his fixed hours : ' Three times a day will I call upon thee.' And Daniel had his set times ; he prayed three times a day. Though we cannot charge you to observe these hours, yet you should make a prudent choice yourselves, and consecrate such a part of time as will suit with your occasions, j'our course of life, according to your abilities and opportunities. It is an expression of love to God to give