Chapter 6: The Circumstances of Secret Prayer, Opened

SECT. 1.

The third head of instructions concerning Closet-Prayer is the circumstances that attend it, which may be a great furtherance or hindrance in this performance. These are four: referring either to the 1. Place. 2. Posture. 3. Season. 4. Voice.

I shall but briefly touch at these.

1. For the place, I advise you to choose the most retired room, where you may be freest from disturbance, that you may not hear the noise of the family or distracting commotions of a tumultuous world: be not curious in the choice of a place, so it accomplish your end for secrecy or retirement; no matter how homely it be, the sweetness of the company will compensate the meanness of the place; lovers care not where they meet, so they may conveniently be together: If you have not a convenient room within doors, yet a good heart will not disdain to go meet its Beloved in any cote, or barn, or wood: Isaac walked out into the fields to pray and meditate: See you choose a private place wherever it be, according to the nature of the duty, before opened to you; observe God's providence in disposing of you, and accept such place as he shall offer to you.

2. For posture; in general, see that you use a humble gesture, there are examples of several laudable gestures in prayer; sometimes we find saints standing, ordinarily kneeling, spreading forth their hands, lifting up their eyes towards Heaven; sometimes prostrating the body all along upon the earth before the Lord; you may do in this as you find most advantageous in your experience: no universal rules can be given as to these particular circumstances; only see that your Closet-Prayers be with as much reverence as if you were before others, consider, your bodies are God's, and must be presented as a sacrifice to God: He will be worshipped with the outward as well as inward man; you cannot without dangerous sacrilege rob him of either: Besides, observe it, there is both evidence and assistance in the body's humble gesture; it is a help to make you humble, and it is a sign that you are humble: But on the contrary, an unsuitable sight and position of the body in God's service, is a sad sign of an unhumbled soul, and hinders humiliation: Therefore though you be never so solitary, yet remember, your Father in Heaven sees you. Therefore (as Cyprian exhorts) let us consider we stand under the presence of God, and seek to please the [reconstructed: Divine eyes] in the habit of our body, and manner of [reconstructed: the voice]. Think of this rule.

3. For the season, the Apostle says: Pray continually, or without ceasing, yet there are some (as it were) canonical hours of prayer, wherein a Christian's discretion must interpose: only in this case, take the fittest seasons for secret prayer, as when you are most at leisure from worldly business, most free from company, least in danger of drowsiness: Oh Christians, if it be possible, put not off your secret devotions too long, till you go to bed; then you are fitter for rest and sleep than for wrestling with God on your knees: And then, for the frequency, no certain rule can be given: David and Daniel prayed three times a day, morning, noon, and night (Psalm 55:17; Daniel 6:10): Noon-time was the sixth hour, which was also a time of prayer (Acts 10:9.) others also observed the ninth hour, which was three o'clock in the afternoon (Acts 3:1.) Certainly the third hour, that is, nine in the morning, was an hour of prayer (Acts 2:15.) and so was evening, six at night, say some. David adds a seventh in (Psalm 119:164.) Seven times a day will I praise you, which may only denote frequency in the duty: Some of these may seem extraordinary cases: The ordinary seasons the saints have taken have been morning and evening, according to the Jews' sacrifice of a lamb at those seasons. In the morning our spirits are fresh and lively: at evening we may find the by-past matters of the day, a fit occasion for prayer and praise: it would do well to take Isaac's season for devotion, even about sun-set, or the shutting in of the day; but I shall not too peremptorily impose in these undetermined circumstances, only take that general rule (1 Peter 4:7.) Watch to prayer: That's the third.

4. For the voice, the articulate sound of words is not absolutely necessary in prayer, and it may be not so convenient in Closet-Prayer, which should be managed privately between God and a man's own soul, approving the heart to God as sole witness of his sincerity; except through some ecstasy and strong motion of the affections, the soul's desires break out in the lips beyond its first intentions: I know, Mr. John Carter, that eminent man of God, did purposely use his voice in secret prayer for these two reasons, 1. Because he found it a help to his affections, 2. Because it was an example to his family: I must not therefore lay any necessity in these variable circumstances, only I humbly conceive, it is most suitable to the nature of Closet-Prayer, to perform it so as none else may take notice thereof: Give me leave to mention a few passages out of Cyprian to this purpose, it is a token of unmannerly impudence, to make a noise with loud clamors, but it is most suitable to a modest spirit, to pray with silent groans. For God is the hearer not of the voice, but of the heart: He makes Hannah a type of the Church, who prayed not with clamorous petitions, but with working affections within the lurking holes (as it were) of her breast; she spoke with hidden prayer, but manifest faith: So he.

Thus much for circumstances of Closet-Prayer, wherein I am more short and shy in imposing anything on the people of God, which God has left free in his Word: Only in general take notice, that though accidental circumstances that concern a duty be mutable, yet by the wise ordering of those circumstances, they will become singular helps in the managing of a duty.

SECT. 2. Duties concomitant to Closet-Prayer.

4. The last sort of duties and directions concerning Closet-Prayer are such as are to be practiced after the duty is performed, which I call consequent, or concomitant duties. These are four, namely: 1. Observing God's appearances. 2. Walking suitably. 3. Waiting for returns. 4. Communicating experiences.

1. When you have been before the Lord in closet prayer, observe how God has been dealing with your hearts, that you may be suitably disposed and affected. If the Lord has withdrawn himself from you, left you under hardness, deadness, distraction, uncomfortableness; you are to mourn for it, inquire the cause of it, reflect upon yourselves, see what guilt there is upon conscience, which separates between God and your souls. And then (if time permit) fall to it again, lament the sin; be ingenuous in confession, make stronger resolutions, remove all obstructions, that God and your souls may not be at any distance, reckon straight, and make up your accounts, part friends, that you may meet friends the next time you go to him. If you find that God has helped, melted, and graciously manifested himself to your souls, take special notice of it, record that for time to come, slight not the least appearances of God, own him in, praise him for these sweet manifestations of his love. Learn this lesson even of Hagar the bond-woman: when she was in a solitary wilderness, the Angel of the Lord comforts her, tells her God had heard her affliction, she was with child, her seed should be multiplied, she in an answerable return to God for his kindness, sets an asterism of observation upon the place, as a memorial of God's seeing, and looking after her, so the well was called Beer-la-hai-roi, that is, the well of him that lives, and sees me (Genesis 16:13-14). Thus do you: think and think again, Oh, who, or what am I, that God should look after me, or take notice of me in this desolate state and place! I shall remember this time of love while I live, in such a room I met with God, such a chamber or [reconstructed: closet] was a Bethel, a Mount Nebo, a Sycomore-tree, where I beheld my Jesus, and took a blessed view of the promised land. Thus Christians, reflect upon, and recollect your experiences in God's presence; which may be of use to you all your days.

2. Let your carriages at all times be suitable to your closet prayers; let it appear that you are wholly devoted to God. Cross not your prayers with your practices, pray much and live well. Let it appear you have been with God, that you have been drawing your influences from the spring-head; walk with men as those that walk with God. Let the smell and savour of your heavenly conversings break forth in your gracious expressions, and exemplary conversations. Live not after the ordinary rate of professors: as your heart is God-ward, so let your light be men-ward, that they may see your good works, and glorify God. Carry something out of your closets, that may hold forth the word of life and work of grace; be able to say in works what David speaks in words (Psalm 119:55-56). After he had said, he remembered God's name in the night, he adds, This I had, because I kept your precepts: he tells not what it was, but certainly something it was, worth having. Possibly, it was some strength to obey the will of God, some power over a corruption. Oh Christians, let your actions demonstrate what you get in God's presence. What a sin and shame is it, when persons do that morally that Moses did literally, even come down from the mount, and break the tables of God's law, as soon as they are off the place? Oh how sad is it for a soul to come down from closet prayer, and be proud, passionate, envious, or covetous? And observe it; then you are most in danger: for then does Satan tempt most, and your hearts are then most apt to be secure, conceited, and carnally confident, as though you had done enough, and might now sit down and take your ease. And having sweat at duty, and suddenly cooling, the gracious soul does contract a dangerous surfeit, and fall into a languishing condition. Be jealous therefore of yourselves when you have been with God in secret, and have an eye upon the devil, who is like a cheater who strikes in with a young heir, when he has newly received his rents, and never leaves him till he has eased him of his money. Oh now walk warily and watchfully, consider where you have been, and do nothing contrary to your communion or profession. Let it never be said of you as some are apt to say, I wonder what such persons do so much alone! unless they lived better, and carried themselves after another order: they pretend devotion, but there is little seen in their conversation, they will talk as vainly, live as wantonly, be as hard and false in their way of trading, and be as proud, scornful, perfidious and injurious as others are. Ah Christians, let it never be said thus; at least give no occasion of such speeches. Let the world see, your prayers have some efficacy; that you get some strength in duties which you lay out in your practices.

Section 3. Further duties after Closet-Prayer.

3. Another duty after you have been with God in secret, is, to expect a seasonable return: stand upon your watch, hearken what God will speak; To you, says David, will I direct my Prayer, and will look up (Psalm 5:3). So do you: Christians, look up to see what becomes of your Prayers, observe what answers God gives in. It is an unmannerly mocking another, (Pilate-like) to ask a question and expect no answer: and is not this a gross solecism in religion, to speak many things to God, and expect no return? It is certainly a great fault among Christians, to pray and pray, and never to consider or gather up the fruits of Prayer: is it not a strange piece of folly, for men to be always sowing, and never to look for a harvest? Surely Christians have more harvests than they are aware of: therefore, sirs, observe how you reap, take special notice of any thing that looks like a return of Prayer; examine it thoroughly, gather something out of it, catch at what comes from the King of Heaven, as Benhadad's servants did by the King of Israel's words; and if there be but a hint, lay it up, make much of it, improve it, praise God for it, and hope for more. It is the negligence or unwarrantable modesty of some Christians, to think that they can expect no fruit of their Prayers, because of the imperfection of their duties, forgetting God's gracious promise to upright-hearted seekers, by remembering his strict justice to such as seek him not in the due order. But sirs, you must so be humble, as also to believe, so deny your own righteousness, as also to improve Christ's intercession; you are to renounce all conceits of merit in yourselves, and yet look up for mercy from God. God has graciously annexed his promise of acceptance to the performance of the condition; and if God has assisted you to pray right for the main, you may expect his audience: for, God is faithful and merciful, both in forgiving our iniquities, and giving us mercies. God's answers are larger than our askings; when we truly pray for a piece of bread, God gives a whole acre of land: as Luther says, and tells us, that when his wife was sick, he prayed to God that she might live. So says he, He not only granted that request, but also with it he has given us a goodly farm at Zolfdorf, and in addition has blessed us with a fruitful year. Instances of this sort are endless: there's never a sincere Prayer lost; God always gives in returns, only we either do not observe or mistake them, and lose the comfort of them. An answer of Prayer does not always come in the way we expect it; we look for it at the fore-door, and it comes in at the back-door, and while we are still expecting the friend we look for, he is in the house; the mercy we desired is received, only it comes in a way we thought not of, and are therefore apt to overlook it. Therefore take heed of confining God to your way or limiting him to your time: that's the third.

4. Communicate your experiences: and thereby commend this duty to others: Thus David, "Come," he says, "and I will declare what he has done for my soul" (Psalm 66:16). "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him" (Psalm 34:6) — do as I have done, and you shall fare as I have fared. Do not mistake this: I would not have you tell everyone when you go to closet prayer, or when you have been at it (that is a Pharisaical blowing a trumpet) but you must, at some times, to such persons as you can confide in, or that you have some grounded hopes of doing good to, tell them your experiences, for their direction and encouragement; in this case, acquaint them how God is accustomed to deal with your hearts, what good you have found from God in that duty, and you doubt not but upon a conscientious use thereof they may find the like advantage: and this would be of singular use; for hereby they have not only a rule for it, but the exemplifying of it in a precedent; and we know examples are of a prevailing nature. Especially, see that you put your families upon this practice; oh what a blessed thing were it, if every person in several rooms of the house were at work with God in secret prayer! How bravely would that house be perfumed? How well would the trade of godliness thrive? Surely such a house were a more blessed beautiful edifice than any prince's palace under heaven. It is the disposition of gospel-penitents to mourn every family apart, husbands and wives apart (Zechariah 12:11-12). And of gracious souls, to be like doves of the valleys, every one mourning for his iniquity (Ezekiel 7:16). There must be joint prayers and separated prayers together and apart: let not Christians be content to find Christ in a corner for themselves, but let them do what they can that others also may enjoy him. This was the frame of the church or believing soul (Song of Solomon 3:4): when she had found him, "I held him," she says, "and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house," that is, into more public assemblies. And truly, Christians, that man has not found Christ at all that would not have all others find him; oh, thinks the Christian in his retirement, that others did but feel and enjoy what my soul has sweet experience of, would to God, my husband, wife, brother, father, child, neighbor, would but try this course a while; oh what advantage would they get by it? Though I eat these sweet morsels alone, yet I would fain have others to partake with me. In things of this world, persons are apt to grudge others any benefit by what they have stolen from others' view, but in spiritual advantages there is no envy, and if there be, it proceeds not from grace, but from corrupt nature; the more grace the less envy; and when envy is gone, persons will be communicative. Take away envy, and mine is yours, and yours is mine; true grace or charity is kind, does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4). Now this I am persuading to, that they that have found Christ would be so charitable to souls as to communicate the knowledge of him, and the way to enjoy him, to others. Thus does Andrew come to Simon, and Philip to Nathaniel, and both of them were (as a man finding a jewel, and cannot contain) overjoyed, and cry out, "I have found him, we have found the Messiah" (John 1:41, 45). And when the poor woman of Samaria had been privately conversing with Jesus, down she threw (at least, left behind her) her water-pot, and all in haste went to the city, and said to the men, "Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ?" (John 4:28-29). Thus do you, sirs: promote and propagate this choice duty, commend it to others' practice; and so you may be instruments of good.