Chapter 4: The Second Use, namely, of Reprehension

Section 1. Wicked men reproved.

1. Here is just ground of sharp rebuke to all graceless, prayerless persons, who understand nothing of this duty; they know not what it is to tug and struggle with the Lord in Closet-Prayer. David says, The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God, God is not in all his thoughts (Psalm 10:4). He cannot pray aright anywhere, much less in secret: the same Psalm tells us what he does in secret, verse 8, 9, 10. In the secret places does he murder the innocent, his eyes are secretly set against the poor: The Apostle says, It is a shame even to speak of those things that are done of them in secret (Ephesians 5:12). Oh the abominable practices of profane spirits in a corner! Their consciences can tell them sad stories of secret sins, which none but the God of Heaven and themselves know of, indeed because they see not God, they think God sees not them; like the silly bird, because she thrusts her head into a bush, thinks she is hid from the fowler, though her body be exposed to open view; carnal men's maxim is like that Monkish one, [Caute si non Caste,] Carry it warily, if not chastely, if they can hide their sin from men, they take no notice whether God see them or no; and, from wishing that he did not see, begin to suspect whether he does see or no; and at last arrive to those men's arrogant demand, Who sees us? Or that positive conclusion (Psalm 97:4), The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard. But what says the Psalmist to these brutish [reconstructed: Souls]? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see, verse 9. Let these Atheists know that God sees, and sets down all their secret wickedness, and will bring it forth before angels and men at the great day of reckoning: The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with a point of a diamond, it can never be razed out but by the blood of Christ; and though, by multiplied acts of notorious sinning, some may blur the engravings of sin on the table of their heart, yet it shall be as writing with the juice of lemons, being held to the fire of God's wrath, it is as legible to the conscience as the first moment when the sin was committed: Oh the secret wickednesses that wicked men have to reckon for! But where are the secret prayers? Alas, how rarely or how formally do they wait on God alone? Custom, vain glory, and carnal interest may put them on joining in public prayer, or family-duty; but they are strangers to this spiritual self-denying duty of Closet-Prayer: The carnal hypocrite exposes all to open view; he is like a house with a beautiful frontispiece, but every room within is dark, as one says; he is a rotten post fairly gilded: he has dressed himself in the garb of religion, and will be as devout as the best in temple-worship; but follow him to his Closet, he cannot afford God one hour in a week; he does not make conscience of secret prayer: this gains him no credit with men, and therefore is little used. This (rightly performed) opens the heart to God, which the unsound professor dare not do: I shall show hereafter, whether the hypocrite may use Closet-Prayer, and wherein he is distinguished from a sincere soul in that duty: At present I am reproving those that never use it, that look upon it as below them; they either dare not be alone, or scorn to stoop so low, and sigh out their hearts to God in a corner, as though they would not be beholden to the great God for any mercy; but in their hearts and practice speak the language of those proud Atheists in Jeremiah 2:31. We are Lords, we will come no more to you? But let such know they shall die like men, and be damned like devils; that imagine they are gods, and will not be beholden to our God for mercy: Lord have mercy on these poor prayerless sinners, that understand not the necessity and mystery of Closet-Prayer, but look upon it as needless, and are ready to say, It's more ado than needs: but let these prepare to make good that desperate assertion at the Bar of God's justice with flames about their ears, and let such know that God will answer their cavils against plain duty, after another manner than his ministers can do now. To which dreadful judgment, we leave them, except prevented by a speedy and sincere repentance.

Section 2. The Godly reproved.

But the persons to be principally reproved at present, are the professors of religion, that acknowledge this to be a duty, but grievously neglect it. I fear, God's Children are not so constant and conscientious in the performance of this duty of Closet-Prayer as they ought to be. Are not good souls guilty of frequent omissions, intermissions, at least negligent performance of this duty? It was one of old Mr. Dod's instructions, that at night we should ask ourselves, Have I twice this day humbled myself before God in private? And again, How did I pray, in faith and love? I am afraid, many of us should give but a sorry account of these serious inquiries. Let's be ashamed, lay it to our hearts, and give God glory by repentance and reformation.

For the humbling of our hearts in this case, let me propound these ten awakening interrogatories, that we may mourn for our neglect of this duty of Closet-Prayer.

1. Are you not very unlike Jesus Christ? Is not he the perfect copy that we should write after? And do we not find him often in private prayer? We meet with him in this solitary duty sometimes in the day, sometimes in the night, sometimes all night; in a garden, in a mountain, he took all opportunities to go to his Father. All the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears (Hebrews 5:7). As he was a man of sorrows, so he was a man of prayers, and the sharper his sorrows, the stronger his cries (Luke 22:44). Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and was not this for our example? And for our advantage? Should we not learn of him? Or rather, does not our very Christianity consist in our conformity to Christ? Alas, how unlike him are most of us? Shall we pass for Christians, that follow not his steps? Was it not blessed Paul's study, and ambition to be conformed to this blessed pattern? Can we imitate a better person? Was it necessary, Christ should wrestle for us, and is it not as necessary we should wrestle with God for our own souls? Or, does Christ's praying for us excuse our pleading for ourselves? No, no, as it was for our example and benefit in the days of his flesh, so his present intercession in heaven does both imply and encourage our praying: for we are to ask in his name, and employ our dear Advocate, that we may speed. And shall not we (as it were) set him to work, and send up our prayers to be mixed with his sweet incense? The Lord humble us for, and pardon to us our neglects and omissions!

2. Are you not herein very unlike the saints of God? The seed of Jacob are wrestlers with God. God has no children still-born, they all cry Abba Father: Jacob wrestled with God in secret prayer, and ever since, all the saints in all ages have borne that name (Psalm 24:6). This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek your face, O Jacob, Selah — that is, that seek the God of Jacob, as Jacob did. And indeed every one that is godly will thus pray. There might be brought a cloud of witnesses in all ages of praying saints, that conversed with God in secret: it is recorded of the Apostle James, that his knees were as hard as camels' feet with praying. Some have sought out for private places to pray in, others have risen out of their beds to pray; others have set days apart to humble themselves in secret by fasting and prayer, others would never venture on business without seeking God. Such as are acquainted with ecclesiastical histories, or Christian experiences, may find store of instances of this sort. And why should we be unlike our brethren? Have we not all one Spirit, as well as all one Father? And is not this a Spirit of grace and supplication? And is it not that which on all occasions draws the soul to its Father? It is said of Paul, when newly converted, Behold he prays! (Acts 9:11). Others do not see it, but I know it; there he is in a corner, sighing and seeking me, go Ananias, inquire for him, he is now one of you, a real convert, for, Behold he prays! A soul praying in secret is worthy of observation, there's an Ecce put upon it, Behold he prays! And why should we that claim to be saints be unlike our brethren?

3. Are you not herein unlike yourselves in former times? When God did at first work upon your hearts, did you not then run to God in a corner? Did you not set yourselves intently to the duty of secret prayer? How often did God find you by yourselves, sighing, sorrowing, weeping, bleeding, breathing after God, pouring out your hearts like water before the face of the Lord? And your heavenly Father pitied you, spoke very kindly to you, wiped off your tears, cheered your hearts, heard your prayers, and made those days of grief, times of love. Oh the sweet embraces that then were between your souls and God? Have you forgotten such a chamber? Such a closet, such a barn, such a wood? Where you sometimes walked and meditated, sometimes fell prostrate and wept before the Lord, till you had no more power to weep? If you have forgotten those blessed days, your God has not: he remembers you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, when you went after him in a solitary wilderness (Jeremiah 2:2). Can't you remember the day when you would rather have been with your God in a private room, than upon a prince's throne? Indeed, you thought you were to do nothing else but cry and pray in secret: you were at it every day, indeed many times a day. How comes it to pass that there's such a change? That you do so rarely go to visit your old friend in a corner? Is he changed? Is he not so good and kind, as he used to be? Have you found any fault in God? Or are you not the one to blame? What's become of your ancient spirit of prayer? Why do you forget your sweetest wrestling-place? Why do you not inquire for these good old ways of communion with your God.

SECT. 3. Saints' neglects, further reproved.

4. Let me further expostulate with God's children, that are rarely exercised in this duty of secret prayer.

Do you not deprive yourselves of many sweet refreshments? Have not your souls had sweet experience of ravishing incomings in secret duties? How many pleasant morsels have you eaten alone? Have not these stolen waters been sweet? And would they not be so again, if you would open the same sluice? Oh what intimations of love might your souls have, that no creature would know of! Secret influences are conveyed to souls in secret duties; these you block up by neglect. Ah, sirs, are the consolations of God small to you? Is communion with God of no worth? Why are you so unwilling to take pains to go to your Father? Especially when you know he has a kindness for you? Have you ever lost by such duties? Will not your gains infinitely outweigh your pains? Ask those that use it most, they will tell you, it is the sweetest time they spend. Indeed, cannot your own experience attest it? Did you ever lose your labor when you set yourselves about the work in good earnest? Has not this close and private trading with God brought in much spiritual profit? Beloved friends, you little consider the good you miss, for want of performing this excellent duty: but that's not all.

5. Do you not by neglect of secret prayer expose yourselves to many sad temptations? Watching and prayer are singular helps against temptation (Matthew 26:41). I have heard, that Satan has openly professed, that he has watched when some of God's children have gone out without closet-prayer, and that day he has gotten great advantage against them, sometimes by tripping up their heels, and casting them down from their excellency, into some gross iniquity; sometimes tormenting their hearts with blasphemous, or soul-perplexing injections: sometimes God has left them to fall into some afflictive snare, laid by this subtle fowler, which has cost them many bitter pangs, all this and much more has been the fruit of such neglects. Christians, have you not found this too true by sad experience? When you have gone abroad without calling on God, has not God secretly withdrawn from you? Has not Satan obtained his designs upon you? Have not your hearts been growing out of frame? Some lust increasing, grace decaying, and your souls at the brink of some astonishing fall? When you have gone out in the morning without a good breakfast with God, have you not been apt to gather wind and vanity to the prejudice of your soul's health? If you engage not God by prayer to go with you, what security have you for that day? If God leave you, the Devil may do what he likes with you, and hamper you in a thousand snares and sins.

6. Does not your neglect of secret prayer argue little love to God? Or delight to be in his company? When persons have a dear affection to each other, they love to be together: love delights in union and communion. Indeed, when persons love entirely, they withdraw from other company, that they may enjoy each other with more endeared familiarity; the presence of a third mixes the streams of communication, and mars their intimate communion. And if you did passionately love the Lord, would you not withdraw from others, that your souls might enjoy some fresh and refreshing intercourse with your best beloved? How can you say, you love him, when you have no mind of his company? If you did indeed love him, you would hold him, and not let him go, until you had (with the Spouse) brought him into the chambers of intimate communion, and solitary recesses: love is the weight of the soul, and draws it to the object beloved. If your hearts were ravished with him you would take more pleasure in conversing with him, you would bless God for an opportunity of enjoying him. But this strangeness speaks a great defect in this noble grace. And would you be esteemed such as love not God? What a sad thing is it to be low and scant in love to God under such strong engagements to love? Poor soul! have not those silken silver cords of love which have been cast about you, drawn you nearer, and bound you faster to your God than thus? Have not such bellows and incentives, kindled and increased your spark of love into a flame? Lament your sin, and shame yourself before your God, for this decay of love, and dangerous neglect.

7. Do not you by these omissions declare yourselves ungrateful to the grace of God? It's God's way to hire souls to approach to him, by holding out promises of reward, as we do offer apples, fruit, etc. to children, to entice them to us: nor is it a bait to deceive and ensnare us but real offers of kindness to us, whereof we may partake, and wherewith we may be happy. Suppose a prince desire a beggar's company, with expressions of dear affections, and promises of many kindnesses, is it not gross ingratitude, if she flings away, and scorns the motion? Or suppose a powerful person send to a poor man a loving message, telling him he has considered his case, and has appointed time and place, that they two together may confer about the necessary concerns of this poor man; he shall have free admission and liberty without disturbance to present his petition, and ask what he will, and it shall be granted; none shall be present, but only they two shall converse familiarly together, for the good of the poor man. But instead of a thankful acceptance of this kindness, the poor man picks quarrels with the messenger or message, grows sullen and perverse, runs away and says, I need neither his counsel nor assistance; let him bestow his kindness where he will, I will not meddle with him. Were not this gross ingratitude? And how would it be taken? The case is yours, soul that neglects secret duties: the God of Heaven gives you notice to meet him in such a room, to negotiate freely the main concerns of your precious soul, and you are coy and shy, and will not come near him, but either plainly deny, or heedlessly delay. Oh monstrous folly! Oh gross ingratitude! Be ashamed of it, be humbled for it, your God takes it ill that you are so loath to be happy, that you even forsake your own mercies, and will go twice as far another way to gratify a friend, rather than go alone into your closet to please your God and profit your poor soul. How long must God watch and wait, and strive and sue, to have your company; and you do still neglect and grow averse thereto? Oh be ashamed of it.

Section 6. Three more sad considerations for our humiliation.

8. Do you not, by neglect of secret prayer, resist the motions of the blessed Spirit? And is this no fault? Is it nothing to neglect communion with God the Father, or to improve the intercession of Jesus Christ the Mediator, but you must also slight the motions of God, the blessed Spirit? This is sad: how often does the Holy Ghost knock at your doors, stir you up, spur you forward to duty, and take you by the hand, offering its assistance if you'll go to God, and yet do you refuse? Do you make nothing of quenching, grieving, indeed vexing the good Spirit of God? Consider what you do: as you deal with it, so it will deal with you; if you do not embrace its call, perhaps it will not be present at your call: and what can you do in duty, without it? If you strive against it, it will cease striving with you: be it known to you, you have not this heavenly wind at your command; and you may toss in the boat of duty long, but shall not approach the port without it: nothing but the Spirit of God can carry your soul to God: and what can excite and comfort you when your assistant and Comforter is slighted and saddened? Grieve therefore, Christian, for your grieving of the Spirit, lay to heart your careless quenching of this holy fire; and let those waters of lust or negligence cost you the waters of godly sorrow and repentance, that this sin may not be laid to your charge: say as that divine poet —

And are you grieved, sweet and sacred Dove, when I am sour, and cross your love? Grieved for me? The God of strength and power, grieved for a worm? which when I tread, I pass away and leave it dead:

See the rest in Herbert's Poems, on Ephesians 5:30, page 128.

9. If you can only pray in company, what will you do when your company is gone? A time may come when you may be left alone, as Christ says he was. You had need engage the Father to be with you, that you may say as the Apostle (1 John 1:3): Truly our fellowship is with the Father. It is true, communion of saints is desirable, but external communion is not always attainable: you may be thrust out by divine Providence, now it will be sad to be at a loss when persons are alone. It is a strange expression of some, that they know not how to live, if such and such Christian friends or godly relations be taken away; why, what's the matter? Are they in the place of God? Is your spiritual life maintained by the leaden pipes, or by the living springs that stream through them? Alas, sirs, if you more understood and used this art of drawing influences from God immediately through Christ by secret prayer, you would not be so discouraged with the loss of friends; you would say, Indeed it is true, my loss is great, such a one had a notable gift in prayer, and spoke my very heart to God, but though he be gone, is my God gone? Is prayer gone? Though I cannot get such moving expressions as such had, yet I opened my heart to God as I could in secret formerly; and there's the same refuge now, the same road to this city and sanctuary I went in, and therefore all my comfort is not gone, blessed be my God. But a poor soul that has leaned upon the staff of others' enlargements will be sorely put to it when that staff is gone. And, is it not a great disparagement to a noble and immortal soul, that it cannot treat and entertain its God alone? What, cannot God and a heaven-born soul converse together without auxiliaries? Must another interpose as an instrument, without whom you cannot enjoy communion with God? Be ashamed of it, and chide yourselves, as not acting suitably to your rational spirits, much less to a supernatural principle of grace.

10. Lastly, let me further demand of you, what if our Lord should call you away and find you under the guilt of the neglect of this known duty? What confusion, grief, and jealousy would possess you if death arrest you in such a state? What a hurry was forlorn Saul in, when the Philistines were upon him, and he had not offered sacrifice to God? And what a desperate plunge will you be put to when the King of terrors is upon you, and you have not personally and privately been seeking God? Though you may be right and safe for the main, yet your spirits will be much perplexed, and you will suffer severe rebukes from your own consciences for your omissions, and will be put to that last prayer of a dying saint (eminent in the Church): The Lord forgive me my sins of omission; and possibly may want that spiritual solace in a dying hour that praying souls may have. Oh what a blessed thing will it be, if our dear Redeemer find a soul upon its knees before the Lord? Oh the hearty welcome it will give to its God! This is the time he waited for, he was got into a corner, was sighing for his sins, pleading for mercy, breathing after grace, and panting for glory, and behold, what a quick return does his God make? Even while he is speaking and praying, the Lord does send a guard of angels to conduct the soul into eternal mansions, where God and the soul shall part no more. Blessed, for ever happy is that soul whom its Lord, when he comes, shall find so doing! Now consider of it, which state would you be found in? And do you not know, his coming may be sudden and unexpected? Would you be found under neglect, or in the faithful performance of a duty? Would you not be carried from your closet devotion to eternal communion with God? Oh then take our Lord's most wholesome counsel, Take heed, watch and pray; for you know not when the time is (Mark 13:33).

I might here challenge Christians also, not only for their neglect of, but careless performance of this duty of Closet-prayer: with what sorry shifts do we put off God? How hard, dead, unbelieving, distracted are our hearts in secret? God takes much pleasure in adverbs: it pleases not God that a duty be done, except it be well done. Many satisfy their own consciences that they have prayed, but consider not how they prayed: there's a curse on such as do the work of God negligently; and, that have in their flock a male, and offer to the Lord a corrupt thing: and it's a fearful thing to get a curse upon our knees, when we come for a blessing. Look to it, God takes notice how you pray, the Devil stands under your Closet-window, and hears what you say to God in secret, all the while studying how he may commence a suit against you for your duty. Like those that come to sermons to carp or catch at what the Preacher says; or (as one says) like a cunning opponent in the schools, while his adversary is busy reading his position, he is studying to confute it; and oh, what advantage do we often give Satan to trip us and take us tardy? What occasion do we afford him to accuse us to God and to ourselves, while we have our filthy garments on us? Indeed remissness in our duties brings decay in grace. Tradesmen may go behind hand by being careless in their dealings, as well as by being much out of their shops. Alas, what sad decay is in our souls for want of close and constant communion with God? We have very perverse hearts, we have much ado with them; when we would do good, evil is present: it is our great sin we are so much out of order, even upon our knees. Satan sends his imps to haunt and torment us, he jogs our hand when we are to write a letter to Heaven in our prayers; so that we can scarce make sense of what we present to God. Our thoughts are unfixed, ranging abroad like a spaniel to a thousand objects, so that sometimes we have lost ourselves, and know not where we are. Oh let us lament our vain and trifling spirits in secret duties, and turn us to God for help, as a servant, when the child he tends is troublesome, and will not be ruled by him, calls out to the Father to come to him, who no sooner speaks the word, but all is quiet with him; our God can set in order our unruly spirits, only he will be called upon by earnest Prayer.

Thus much for this use.