Chapter 2: The Reasons to Prove that Closet-Prayer Is a Christian Duty

SECT. 1. The first reason of the point.

All the reasons that I shall make use of at this time for the proof of this doctrine, and clearing secret prayer to be a duty, shall be fetched out of the text, and they are these.

4 reasons: - 1. The convenience of privacy for prayer. - 2. The relation between God and a saint. - 3. God's omniscience, seeing in secret. - 4. God's munificence, rewarding.

1. The great convenience there is in privacy for prayer, and the good providence of God, bestowing upon us private rooms which implicitly call us to the performance of that duty. For there is in retirement a great advantage for the managing of any work of wisdom (Proverbs 18:1). Through desire a man having separated himself, seeks and intermeddles with all wisdom, that is, he that is really studious of true piety, will voluntarily sequester himself to prosecute it. This was anciently the well-meaning design of a monastic life, which since has been woefully abused. But yet certainly there is a very great advantage in solitariness for carrying on a religious business. Take only two at present, which are advantages particularly referring to this duty of prayer, to which secrecy contributes.

1. Self-expostulations, and self-abasing gestures and expressions: when a Christian in prayer finds his heart hard, dead, dull, distracted, or any way out of order he may in secret make a pause, and begin to commune with his own heart, examine the matter, lament the cause, chide his untoward heart, and charge his wanton spirit to keep close to his God in duty. Thus David, Why are you cast down, O my soul? Awake Psaltery and Harp, I myself will awake early: My soul wait you upon God. Nothing more familiar in the Psalms than such intercessions and diversions from the work in hand, to raise up the heart to a higher tune in prayer and praises. And this may be of singular use; for by such heart-reasonings and debates a saint may wind up his spirit, and get better prepared for the remaining part of the exercise. Now such a work as this would not be so seasonable and convenient, when others join in the duty. So also for bodily postures; sometimes for an evidence of greater humiliation, a Christian finds it requisite to prostrate himself before the Lord, and use such gestures as would not be fit in the sight of others. Therefore closet prayer is very necessary, where a Christian may use his discretion as God shall direct him, for the humbling, quickening, raising and melting of his heart before the Lord alone. That's the first advantage.

2. It is a wonderful help against distraction. When we are (as it were) out of the noise of the world, we are then fitter for attendance upon God. The affairs, discourses, troubles, and confusions of a family (if within hearing) are a great hindrance to the duties of meditation and prayer. Experience testifies this; a man cannot study or cast accounts in a crowd or throng of people. When we are intent upon any business, how little a noise diverts us? It may be this was the reason why that hospitable gentlewoman in (2 Kings 4:10) would have a chamber built for her welcome guest the prophet Elisha, indeed built upon the wall; for she might judge him to be a contemplative man, and though she might have lodging rooms in her house, yet she might look upon that at a little distance, as more commodious for his devotions and meditations, as being out of the noise of household business and hurryings. An active fancy quickly closes with any diversion in our attendance upon God. Therefore ought we to study to attend upon the Lord without distraction. When Abraham went to worship in the mount, he left his servants below in the valley, lest they should obstruct his communion with God. When Moses was to go up to the Lord, though Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders went further than the people, yet the text says, they should worship afar off; but, says God, Moses alone shall come near the Lord (Exodus 24:1-2). Observe it, when Moses had parted with his company, and was alone, then he should come near the Lord. Common professors worship not God at all acceptably; sincere saints worshipping God with others are comparatively far off; but souls in a corner or closet are admitted to come near God, and have sweet intimacy with him, as I shall show anon. Yet mistake me not — not as though I preferred secret prayer alone, before public prayer with others; for as God delights in the joint prayers of his people, so a soul may enjoy God in communion of saints, and is ordinarily more carried out to God than in private, according to the helps and advantages he has with others. Yet when the heart is in frame, there is usually more intimacy expressed between God and the Christian in secret, than with others. Yet further, mistake not — not as though solitariness freed us from all distractions. [reconstructed: If] we take our hearts with us, we shall have a principle of diversion, and need neither noise nor visible objects to hinder us from God. And this those that have magnified solitariness most, have found by sad experience, and left upon record. Take an instance: Cyprian speaking of Christ's fasting and being tempted in the wilderness, choosing that place for its secrecy, because, says he, fastings are to be observed so as God alone may be judge, and in such contests as these we are to call on God alone as spectator and helper. And he shows notably the danger of vain-glory, and advantages of secrecy; yet adds, Let not a man imagine he has escaped all dangers, when he comes into a wilderness or solitary place: because he is invaded by the tempter, so much the more difficulty, because more subtly, who sitting before the doors of the thoughts, seeks to strangle all the buds of virtue in their very birth. Yet the disentangled soul will more freely resist its enemy, when the fetters of impediments are wanting, and the sight discerns no allurements, and the conflict is more secure; when particular affairs pluck not back the combatant, nor the delights of enticing pleasures inebriate (or make drunk) the mind. Thus he: But this is the first reason, from the advantages of [illegible].

SECT. 2. The second reason, is, from the relation between God and a praying soul.

2. Another reason held forth also in the text, is drawn from that relation which is between God and a believing soul. Therefore our Savior bids, pray to your Father. And this reason has two parts.

- 1. The poor soul can more freely open his heart to God in a closet. - 2. God will more clearly manifest himself to the soul in secret.

1. A soul in secret making its addresses to God, goes to him as a Father: Now, we know children cannot be so free in their addresses to their Father, in company and before strangers, as when nobody is present: Hence it is, that when a child has any special business to his Father, he takes him aside, or whispers to him, that none may overhear him: And observe it, God's children have an errand to God that none must know of: As Ehud said to Eglon, I have a secret errand to you, O King (Judges 3:19). So a gracious soul may say, Oh my King, my God, my Father, I have a secret errand to you. A lust to confess, or mercy to beg or bless you for, that I would not have others to know of: It is not fit any should be privy to that which a gracious soul tells God of: In this case it may be said, Discover not your secret to another (Proverbs 25:9). Two may keep counsel, but three cannot: God and a gracious soul will be faithful to each other, but a third must not know of these matters; or rather in this case we may say, Keep the doors of your lips from her that lies in your bosom (Micah 7:5). There are many things a saint tells God of, that he will not acquaint either Father, or Wife, or Friend with, that is as his own soul, but only his heavenly Father; he opens his bosom freely to him, and tells him his whole heart, best and worst; hides nothing from him, because he only knows the heart: And truly I have often in this admired the wisdom of God, that has so far consulted his people's credit and modesty as to appoint them place and ways of speaking to him privately, designing secret prayer for this very end, that the soul may spread its letter of wants and complaints before its Father, and present its petition to the King of Heaven: The spouse of Christ is modest (says an Ancient) and cannot so freely let out herself to her beloved before others as in a corner: here then comes in the use and advantage of closet prayer, that a Christian may (as Jonathan and David did, unbosom themselves to each other alone) open his heart to God where no eyes see, or ears hear his secret groans and tears: But further.

2. God will more familiarly communicate himself to the soul in a corner: he also has something to whisper in the believer's ear, that none must know of; and therefore gets it by itself: a lively emblem of which we have in Joseph's making himself known to his brethren, when his bowels were working, and he could not refrain himself, he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. — Then he wept aloud, and said, I am Joseph. And, oh what endeared reciprocal affections did work in all their breasts towards each other! Just thus, is it between our Joseph and his brethren, Jesus Christ and his members; there stands none with him while Jesus makes himself known to his brethren: And though at first they be (as it were) troubled at his presence, yet when he speaks lovingly, and passes by former unkindnesses, and says, Come near to me I pray you, then they come near, and he says convincingly, I am Jesus whom you sold and crucified: This melts and humbles their rocky hearts, and being broken, he pours oil into their troubled spirits, and speaks many sweet heart-reviving words to them (Genesis 45:1-4). Then, then the child of God has most sweet refreshing incomings: When God has allured the soul into the wilderness, he speaks to its heart. A wilderness is a solitary place, where other speech is not heard, (as the word imports:) then speaks God to the soul when men cannot speak to it: When men are remote, God is near at hand; indeed nearest to help, melt, comfort, quicken, when men are furthest off (Hosea 2:14). Our Saviour says of himself (John 16:32), You leave me alone, yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. That is to say, When you go away, my Father comes to visit me with most familiar endearings, Oh blessed exchange! Thus it is often with the saints: when men leave them, or they withdraw from men, they have many times most of God: and, Is it not infinitely better, to have the presence of God, than the company of men? It is worth noting what God says of Abraham (Isaiah 51:2), I called him alone and blessed him. Mark it, when God had enticed Abraham from all his friends, and got him alone, then he blesses him, and you know what the blessing of Abraham was, even a covenant-blessing; such God distributes to his saints when he has withdrawn them from company into a corner: This is that which made an Ancient profess, that a town was his prison, a solitary place his paradise: Cities or numerous societies draw a veil between God and the soul, which solitariness withdraws; and so many times becomes most sweet: We often lose God in a crowd of business or company, but find him when alone: Hence a corner of our house may be a little corner of Heaven, and in our closets we may find the sweetest cordials and contentment: You know, friends do most familiarly enjoy one another when others are not present, Jonathan sent away the lad when he would be familiar with his friend David (1 Samuel 20:40-41): And then they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded: Even so, husband and wife alone have the sweetest embraces: There lies a restraint (as it were) upon God by company, which is taken off in a sort by solitariness. Oh when God finds a soul alone by itself, having set itself purposely to meet him, then he reveals his love, unveils his face, unlocks his blessed chest, distributes gifts of love and grace, kisses it with the kisses of his mouth, and sends it not away empty, but full of grace and peace. Thus that word of Solomon is verified (Proverbs 14:10), The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not intermingle with its joy, that is, No creature on earth is privy to the secret groans or sweetest solace of a retired saint: That's the second reason.

Section 3: The third reason is drawn from God seeing in secret.

Another reason is drawn from God's omniscience and omnipresence, the text says, Your Father sees in secret: And the strength or force of this argument lies in these four particulars.

1. God sees in secret, therefore he takes notice whether you pray in secret yes or no: He looks after you (as it were) when you go into such a chamber and solitary place, and says, That soul has now an opportunity, a convenient place and fit occasion, to wait upon me, and will he not? Will he be always so busy in other company, that I must have none of his fellowship? Must his converse be so much with men, that he can spare no time for communion with God: Or rather, will he go so often into such a room to do such and such a business, and can he never find a time to go down upon his knees, and visit me? Has he so much to do in the world, that he has no leisure to look up to heaven? Do his worldly occasions still thrust out spiritual meditations? Will he never set himself solemnly to transact between myself and him in prayer and meditation, the most important business of his soul? Ah sirs, the Omnipresent God takes notice of all your motions into and out of your chambers, and expects that sometimes at least your souls should wait upon him: And why should Christians frustrate his expectation?

2. God sees in secret, therefore he has seen your secret sins, and sins in secret: Your close and closet wickedness is naked and open before the piercing eyes of an all-seeing God; therefore should your closet tears and prayers testify your sound and saving repentance. For this is a rule in practical divinity, that sorrow for sin must bear some proportion to the nature and circumstances of the sin, both as to degree, and circumstances of time and place. [reconstructed: Manasseh] humbled himself greatly for his great abominations. So for place and manner, them that sin openly must be rebuked before all, and testify their repentance before the church. So, if the sin be private or less known, the rule in (Matthew 18:15-16) is to be observed for private admonition and confession: And consequently secret sins must be secretly mourned for. When your sins are known to none but to God and your own conscience, you are not bound to discover them to any other but to God, in a hearty secret repentance, except in some few cases. Here then comes in secret prayer and godly sorrow: Well then, there's none of us without our secret sins, and God sees them all though never so privately committed; we may hide sin from men, we cannot hide it from the Lord: he sets our secret sins in the sight of his countenance (Psalm 90:8). His eyes are open upon all the ways of man, and who knows all the errors of his life? Therefore must we get alone and enumerate all the sins we know of, and desire God to show us what we do not know, and with holy David, breathe out that devout petition (Psalm 19:12): Cleanse you me from secret faults.

3. God sees in secret, therefore you do not lose your labor, though men know not where you are, or what you are doing, yet your God takes notice of you: you do not do your good works incognito; though your groans are not seen or heard by men, yet they are well known to your God (Psalm 38:9). Lord, all my desire is before you: and my groaning is not hid from you. As if David should say, Lord, I many times withdraw myself into a closet or retired place, and there I open before the Lord the sorrows of my soul, I pour out my heart like water before the face of the Lord (Lamentations 2:19). Sometimes in the night-watches, or in solitary places, none knows what I am doing; no eye sees, no ear hears, my briny [reconstructed: tears] or bitter outcries; but the all-seeing God hides not his eyes from my tears, stops not his ears to my cries, but knows my groans, indeed my very desires: Observe it, There is not a believing prayer but it is upon the file, and on record in heaven, though offered up by an obscure person and in an obscure place; indeed God knows the meaning of his Spirit in the hearts of his people, though the troubled saint cannot tell whether it indeed be the Spirit of God or no: But this know, that secret prayers in a chamber are as well known to God, as open prayers in a public church; heart-ejaculations are owned by God as well as loudest acclamations. God took notice of Hezekiah when he turned his face toward the wall, and wept, and prayed, and says God; I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears (Isaiah 38:5). Though men did not much take notice, God did: indeed more, he expresses his approbation and acceptance of these sacrifices in secret. But of that, shortly.

4. God sees in secret, therefore closet-prayer is a solemn acknowledgment of God's omniscience and omnipresence: When you pray in a corner you testify your faith in God's ubiquity, and look upon him as filling Heaven and Earth; and this God commands us to believe, indeed would have us to lie under the sense hereof. Hence that vehement expostulation (Jeremiah 23:24): Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him, says the Lord? Do not I fill Heaven and Earth, says the Lord? Yes, says the believing soul, I know you are everywhere; no thought can be withheld from you, therefore I wait on you here: it's all the same where I am, for wherever I am I cannot run away from you; and wherever I am, I may approach to you: And the Lord is near to broken hearts and praying souls; He is not far from every one of us, but his special presence is with his saints in duty. David composed a Psalm of God's immensity (Psalm 139), wherein he shows, 1. God's omniscience, in the six first verses: You know my down-sitting and my up-rising, etc. 2. God's omnipresence, verse 7 to verse 14: Where shall I go from your spirit? If to Heaven, you are there, etc. Darkness and light are both alike to you: And, what use does holy David make of this heavenly doctrine? Surely, if God will be with him wherever he is, he is resolved to be with God, verse 18: When I awake I am still with you, that is, by secret prayer and meditation: when I lie down I commend my soul and body to you, and when I rise up I meditate of you; when I go to sleep I pray, when I awake I am with God by holy and precious thoughts. So that I am still with God, all my days, in all places, conditions, relations, companies, I am still with my God; and as a good man used to say, My God and I, are good company: This, this is to be thorough-paced in religion; this is Enoch's walking with God, a conversation in Heaven, a fellowship with the Father, an emblem of glory, and the sweetest, happiest life a soul is capable of in this world; and much of this consists in a conversing with God in the duty of secret prayer: And all this flows from a due apprehension of God's omniscience and omnipresence, and this reason Cyprian renders, why Jesus Christ here does prescribe our closet devotions, as most agreeable to our Christian faith, that we may know God is everywhere present, hears all, and pierces with the fullness of his Majesty into the inmost rooms, and hidden places according to the Scriptures: And truly, this is a doctrine worth confirming by such a practice; and this is a practice worthy of such a doctrine. That's the third reason.

SECT. 4. The last reason is drawn from God's rewarding openly.

4. Lastly, The text says, Your Father that sees in secret will reward you openly: This reason is drawn from God's munificence: Wherein we have, 1. The promise, that's a reward, 2. The manner of performance openly: This is a comfortable circumstance, it's worth something to know that our labor is not lost, it shall be rewarded, indeed it shall be rewarded by God, whose rewards are great like himself, indeed it shall be rewarded by your Father. A Father takes in good part a little service from an obedient child, and gives a great reward for a little work; indeed closet-prayer shall be openly rewarded. The observableness of the mercy enhances the rates of it; tending more to the Christian's comfort, example to others, encouragement to right worshippers, and glory to God: All these things might take up much time, but I shall only hint what is that open reward that God gives to such as are constant in closet-prayer: That's these four ways.

1. By returning a visible answer to secret prayer: None saw Jacob's wrestling hand to fist (as it were) with the Angel; but all might observe the loving embraces between that good man and his hostile brother Esau: There was no witness of Moses's intercession for Israel in the Mount; but all the congregation and the whole world, may bear witness of God's hearing his prayer, for sparing an offending people: When Eli observed Hannah's lips move, and heard no voice, he misjudged her to be a drunken woman: but the truth is, she was busy with her God in earnest prayer; and though he knew nothing of it then, yet afterwards he saw the effect (1 Samuel 1:13 with verse 27). For this child I prayed; and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of him: (Ecce signum) behold a sign of his favor! Behold an evident token that I prayed in truth! Many a time, indeed many a time was I provoked by my scoffing adversary Peninnah, and as often did I make my moan to my Heavenly Husband; and see here the fruit of my sincere devotions in a corner: None saw my tears, all may see my child; none heard my cries in prayer, but the voice of my Samuel may be heard by all Israel: He shall carry the memorial of answer to secret prayer in his name to the grave: And cannot many a soul speak the same language? Cannot you seal to the same or like experiment? Cannot some of God's children say, This mercy I got from God in such a room, chamber, or closet? No creature upon earth knew what I did there. But now all may see the happy effects of my hard travel, I find that it's not in vain to seek God in private; none knows the meaning of the mercy but myself. I may call it Naphtali, for with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my God and prevailed. This mercy bears a double price to all the rest, for it's won by prayer, and now may be worn with praises and triumphing; so that a soul may say, This is my God, I have waited for him, he will save me, this is [my God] Jehovah, I have waited for him, I will be glad and rejoice in his salvation: Lo here he is, I can now make my boast of my God. Wicked men are accustomed to say, Where is your God? Now I can answer them, Lo this is he that returns such answers to my prayer, that appears so gloriously for me, This is my God in whom I have trusted, on whom I have called, and he has answered, I am not disappointed: Blessed be God, these appearances are the visible returns of my secret prayers.

2. God rewards secret prayer openly, by discriminating providences in a common calamity: God usually takes them into the chambers of his protection that retired themselves into chambers of devotion: They that enjoy most of God, shall be best secured by God: (Psalm 91:1) He that dwells in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty: that is, He that by faith and prayer has gotten most intimate communion with God, is lodged in the safest shelter in the day of danger: And who is so likely to enjoy God as that Christian that waits much upon God in secret; he gets into God's secret place, who is much with God in secret places: David put up many a hearty prayer in solitary caves; and how remarkably does God secure him in the day of apparent hazard, to the conviction of Saul and his courtiers? We find the mourners in Zion lamenting secretly the abominations committed openly, and God sets an obvious character upon their foreheads, seen discernably by the destroying angel, and known apparently by the effects thereof to the world in their exemption from the general stroke of desolation (Ezekiel 9:4, 6). Jeremiah's soul weeps in secret for the pride and profaneness of Israel; and he was strangely secured in the day of Israel's dreadful destruction: It is very remarkable, what's recorded in (Genesis 19:29). God remembered Abraham; and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow: Why, what did Abraham? The former chapter tells us, that Abraham had been with God in prayer in secret, and this was the effect of it, God will snatch Lot out of that dreadful burning as a return of secret prayer: God takes a time to put a difference between his praying people and others: Faith and prayer are two feet of the soul, whereby the righteous run into the name of the Lord which is their strong tower and are safe: A soul hid with God, cannot be hurt by men: If any be secured in a day of danger, it is those that are most with God in a corner: Floods of great waters, shall not come nigh to praying saints. (Psalm 32:6) Hence says David, verse 7. You are my hiding place, you shall preserve me from trouble: Some way or other God will attest and testify the integrity of his praying servants before the world: Thus he dealt in the case of Job: God's children may be long concealed from the view of men, both as to their persons and actions; but in God's good time he brings them out with honor, as he did with Elijah: Sometimes God gives clear demonstrations of his tender affection to his despised saints in the view of the world: (Revelation 3:9) — I will make them to come, and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you: This is not a religious adoration, but a civil reverence due to real saints as an evidence of repentance, or special respect; as dogs fawn upon their masters, laying themselves at their feet: As the word imports. Natural conscience sometimes does homage to the image of God in the saints: However, this is a well-known truth, that as God has brought forth wicked men's secret works of darkness, into open light, to their confusion in this world: So he has clearly discovered his saints' upright services in secret corners, to their honor and safety in the nick of time: Jaddus hearing of Alexander's approach to Jerusalem, set himself to pray; then put on his priestly garments and met the conqueror, who fell down on his face before him. Parmenio asked him, why he adored the Jews' High-Priest, when as other men adored him; Alexander answered, I do not adore him, but that God whom the High-Priest worships; for in my sleep I saw him in such a habit, when I was in Macedonia: — But examples of this nature are frequent everywhere, what strange effects prayer has brought forth, both for defense to the saints, and offense to their enemies; so that the clear evidence hereof has wrested from many stout opposers, that acknowledgment of the Queen of Scots, that she feared more the prayers of John Knox, than an army of ten thousand fighting men: But this is the second branch of this last reason. God openly rewards by manifest deliverances in time of danger.

Section 5. The third way of rewarding secret prayer is increase of grace.

3. God rewards secret prayer openly by conferring upon secret wrestlers more eminent gifts and graces of his Spirit, and such as shall be taken notice of by others: they that are most constant in secret prayer, shall be most eminent in open prayer. Such as with Moses converse with God in the mount, shall have shining faces: the beauty of the Lord shall be upon them. When a soul has been with its God in a corner, the effects are so remarkable, that others shall take knowledge of him that has been with Jesus. And it must needs be so; for, conversing with God is of a transforming nature (2 Corinthians 3:18). But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. God's appointments are as glasses through which we may see the face of God. Now there are two sorts of glasses, broader and narrower; the broader glasses are public ordinances, and the narrower glasses are these private duties. In both these a soul may seek and see the face of God, and so become like him; for, seeing here is assimilating; as the vision of God hereafter is glorifying. Oh, it is a beautifying and beatifical sight to see God! Fullness of grace is the best thing in glory; peace and joy are but (as it were) the gloss and varnish of this fullness of grace. Now the more a soul enjoys God, the more God-like and Heaven-like he is, for his graces shine brighter, and he is still mounting higher. And private or secret duties are notable ways of communion with God. Indeed sometimes a soul may miss of Christ in public ordinances, and find him in secret; so some interpret that place in (Song of Solomon 3:24). The soul had sought her beloved in the bed of temple worship and public ordinances. In the streets and broad ways of synagogues and communion of saints, still she found not her beloved; then she seeks him in conferences and occasional meeting with the watchmen, but she can yet hear no tidings of Jesus Christ. But, says she, It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loved. Observe it, this was not when she was past all means in a way of neglect of, or being above ordinances; for she was seeking him still, which implies the use of means, only she had past the public without finding, and now she is in the use of private helps, the after-duties of meditation, self-examination, secret prayer, and therein the soul finds God. Not that this reflects disparagement on the public ordinances, but to show that God is a free agent, and to be an engagement and encouragement to us in the use of all God's appointments. And when the soul thus finds God in a corner, it carries away something of God that casts a sweet perfume upon his person and acting, that is taken notice of by others. It may be said of such a soul as Isaac spoke of his son Jacob (Genesis 27:27), See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. So when a serious Christian comes down from his closet where he has met with his God, oh what a sweet perfume of well-scented graces does he cast forth? The savor of religion is upon him, some breathing odors of holiness break from his lips, hands, and feet; the power of godliness does manifest itself in his expressions, actions, conversation. Where has such a one been? Surely he has been conversing with God; there is the lively image and inscription of God upon him, and while that blessed frame continues, he is not like himself; as he excels carnal men at all times, so now he excels himself. Indeed observe it, a soul conversing much with God in the duties of meditation and secret prayer grows taller by head and shoulders than other ordinary Christians. As all godly men are more excellent than their neighbors, so a soul that waits much on God in secret prayer, is more excellent than most of his godly neighbors; and it appears so at present by his gifts in praying, and may appear in his support and comfort in the day of suffering. Oh what a mighty man in closet prayer was magnanimous Luther? And what noble achievements did he go through? William Gardiner, martyr in Portugal, sought out solitary places for prayer before he attempted that strange act of public opposition to idolatry, in taking the host out of the Cardinal's hand, trampling it under his feet, and with the other hand overthrew the chalice. Which act though it may seem scarce warrantable in an ordinary way; yet showed an heroical spirit for the main, obtained by a conscientious attendance upon God in the duty of secret prayer. Take one instance more, it is Mr. George Wischard (or Wise-heart) one of the holiest men and choicest reformers that Scotland ever had. One night he got up and went into a yard, there he walked in an alley for some space, breathing forth many sobs and deep groans, then he fell upon his knees, and his groans increased; then he fell upon his face. Two men watched him, and heard him weeping and praying, near an hour, so went to bed again. As this saint was much with God, so the Lord was much with him in preaching, prophesying, acting bravely, and suffering death cheerfully. Surely the Spirit of God and of glory rested upon this man of God, if ever upon any, the adversaries themselves being judges. This is a great truth, they have been most eminent, that have been most with God in secret prayer: let Scripture and history speak, time and room would fail me to enumerate. Who more famous for piety and learning of late years, than the great Usher? It was his usual practice to sequester himself into some privacy, and to spend it in strict examination, penitential humiliation, and ardent supplication, and this he found sweet to his soul; and others saw the effect.

Section 6. The last reward of secret prayer is at the great Day.

4. The last and chiefest reward that our heavenly Father will bestow on those that have waited on God in secret prayer, will be the open acknowledgment and acceptance of them at that solemn day of judgment, when the whole world shall be summoned before the Lord, and every one shall receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). Then our blessed Savior, who shall be Judge, will single out this seed of Jacob, and tell them they have not sought his face in vain; he will now solemnly acknowledge them before his Father and all the holy angels, as persons with whom he has had familiar acquaintance in a corner. Oh the joy and triumph in such a public acknowledgment! When our dear Redeemer shall speak such a language as this before those myriads of creatures! This or that soul (calling it forth with honor) though not taken notice of in the world for religion, much less for worldly greatness, has yet had intimate familiarity with myself, and I with him; he has performed many a solemn duty which none but an omniscient eye has seen: though he has lived obscurely in the world, and has been little known to eminent preachers or professors; yet he and I have been long and well acquainted. I have had his company many times in a corner, and now I cannot but remember the kindness of his youth and old age, the love of his espousals when he went after me in solitary places, rather than want my presence. He has visited me in duty, and I have visited him in mercy. Oh what mutual embraces, and reciprocal exchanges of love have there been between us! He has owned me, and I have owned him in the day of adversity. Whenever he had any doubt or want, or fear, or affliction, I heard from him in a closet; he sent his winged messenger of a believing prayer to the throne of grace, and I took it well from him. I did not despise his person, or deny his suit; when others have been sporting away time in vain recreations, or damning their souls in profane practices, this ransomed believer when he could steal a little time, ran into a corner, and there did make his moan to me; and then I gave him something worth his pains, I sent him away with a cheerful heart and thankful tongue. And now take notice all you angels and men, I declare that I accept this soul's labor of love, and pardon all its imperfections, and set him in my immediate presence in eternal mansions. He that separated himself from the world, shall now be separated from the goats, and be set on my right hand; he that longed so much to enjoy me, shall everlastingly enjoy me, without cessation, or interruption. Oh blessed day! Oh transcendent reward! Is not this a rewarding openly? You'll say, How do you know that Jesus Christ will thus address a praying soul? I reply, though we know not the form of words he will speak, yet that a discovery shall be made of the acts of piety and charity (Matthew 25) evidently declares. Indeed, that secret duties shall be brought to light as well as secret sins, the Scriptures declare (1 Corinthians 4:5) — who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then shall every man have praise of God. Then good men shall receive open approbation and commendation for their holy exercises in secret places. Then will God wipe off all reproaching calumnies of black-mouthed liars, with which they have bespattered the reputation of praying saints, and clear up their uprightness as the noonday, by letting the world see, how the saints spent their time in corners, both alone, and with their fellow Christians, not in plotting but praying; indeed pleading for those that persecuted them. Oh blessed day! Oh happy resurrection of bodies and of names. Surely then praying souls will not repent themselves of all their pains in private, when they poured out their hearts in prayers and tears, since now they are rewarded with such a blessed Euge, and are openly entertained into their Master's joy and Father's kingdom.