we must fetch in ftrength from God in Chrift by prayer, left we fall and be overcome by the temptations in our way. Thus it appears from these confiderations, that prayer is a neceffary duty incumbent on all. And furely all who have tafted that the Lord is gracious will make confcience of this important and useful exercise. long aid vol

III. I proceed to answer fome cafes concerning this duty, which will tend to clear it further unto you.

Quest. 1. What is the proper season of this duty of fecret prayer? or when are we called to this exercife?

Anf. 1. We are doubtless to be very frequent in this duty. Thus we are called to "pray always," Eph. vi. 18.; and "without ceasing," 1 Theff. v. 17.; that is, at all proper times, and to be continually in a praying frame, or to pray inwardly, though we utter not a word with our lips.

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2. Whenever God calls us to it, putting an opportunity in our hands, and moving and inciting us to it, then we to go about it. Thus, when the Lord Jefus fays," Seek ye my face," our hearts fhould fay unto him," Thy face, Lord, will we feek," Pfal. xxvii. 8. And thus we have daily calls and invitations to this duty, which we should carefully regard, and confcientiously embrace, left we quench the Spirit, and provoke the Lord to harden our hearts from his fear.

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3. The faints in fcripture have fometimes been more, fometimes lefs frequent in this exercise. Thus David was sometimes employed thrice, fometimes seven times a-day in prayer, Pfal. Iv. 17. and cxix. 164. ; and Daniel three times, even at a very perilous juncture, Dan. vi. 10. From whofe practice the frequency of performing this duty evidently ap

pears.

4. Morning and evening at least we fhould pray, and not neglect this duty. This appears from our Lord's practice, Mark i. 35. Matth. xiv. 23. both cited above; from the practice of the faints in fcripture, Pfal. ly. 2. and v. 2. for merly quoted; and from the morning and evening facrifice under the legal difpenfation, which were daily offered, and fhould excite us to offer up unto God daily the morning and evening facrifice of prayer and praife. And the very light of nature teaches us fo much, that when we are preferved through the filent watches of the dark night, and from the

perils we may be expofed unto in that gloomy feafon, we fhould acknowledge the goodness and kindness of God therein; and that when we are preserved through the day, from the many fnares and temptations we are liable to amidst the cares and distractions of our bufinefs, we should blefs God for his preserving and protecting mercy, and commit ourfelves, and all our concerns, into the hand of God, when we are going to take neceffary reft, that we may fall asleep under a sense of his love, and may rise again to resume the bufinefs of our callings with his bleffing and favour.

Quest. 2. What is the proper place for fecret prayer?

Anf. A fecret place is the most proper place for this exercife; and though every body has not a closet, or retired apartment, into which he may go in and fhut the door, yet any place where we may be retired from the view and observation of others, anfwers the purpofe; though in other refpects it be a public place, yet if it be dark, and the voice kept low, it is juftly a fecret place. And to a place of that fort did our Lord retire for fecret prayer, Matth. xiv. 23. perhaps not having proper conveniency in the place where he lodged all night. And indeed there is not a perfon but may meet with fuch a fecret place every day, if he have a difpofition for this exercife. muro e salget vildt. Quest. 3. What gefture are we to use in fecret prayer?

Anf. 1. Holy fcripture does not bind us to any gefture particularly; but we find thefe four geftures of the body in prayer spoken of there, viz. ftanding, Mark xi. 25.; lying along on the face, Matth. xxvi. 39; kneeling, Dan. vi. 10. Eph. iii. 14.; and fitting, 2 Sam. vii. 18.

2. Whatever the gesture be, let it be a reverent one, that may exprefs a humble and reverent frame of fpirit. Hence we are commanded to "glorify God in our bodies," 1 Cor. vi. 20. C YOM

3. I fhall fay these two things for the further determination of this question. (1.) Let it be fuch a gefture as is con formable unto, or flows natively from, the prefent difpofition of the heart. Thus in extraordinary cafes we find the faints were wont to fall on their faces, 2 Sam. xii. 16. And fo likewise did the Lord Jefus in the garden, on the eve of his fufferings, Matth. xxvi. 39. (2.) Yet let it be always to edification; and let that gesture be chofen which is most conducive to devotion, and occafions leaft diftraction in the

duty! As if kneeling be dangerous for the body, and so may tend to difturb the mind, let another gefture be chofen that is not attended with thefe inconveniencies; though kneeling is certainly the most eligible gefture, and expreffive of that must humility which muft ever accompany this exercife. And the fame thing we may fay of clofing the eyes, or keeping them open; though praying with the eyes fhut is certainly to be preferred.

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Queft. 4. What are we to say of the voice in fecret prayer? Anf. 1. The duty may be performed without ufing the voice, as was done by Mofes in the ftrait the children of Ifrael were reduced to, after their efcape from Egypt, when high and inacceffible mountains were on each fide of them, the Red Sea before them, and the Egyptian hoft at their heels ready to cut them off. In this dilemma we find that great man crying to the Lord, though not with an audible voice, Exod. xiv. 15. Thus the voice is not to be used when people cannot do fo without being heard, or when through weakness of body, or difquiet of mind, they are unfit for fpeaking with the tongue.

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2. Yet where the voice may be used, and that with convenience and propriety, it fhould be made ufe of; and that, (1.) Because we are to glorify God with our bodies, and particularly our tongue is given to be an inftrument of glo rifying God; "Awake, my glory," fays David, Pfal. lvii. 8. (2.) Because the voice is of good ufe in fecret prayer, ftir up the affections, and to ftay the mind from wandering Yet an affected loudnefs of the voice, whereby the fecret prayer is made public, is a fad fign of great hypocrify, which every ferious Chriftian will guard against.

Queft. 6. Is fecret prayer a fure mark of fincerity?ori can one fecret, and yet be an hypocrite? pray in

Anf. This is not out of the reach of the hypocrite. A hy. pocrite may come this length, and much farther. Judas was among the reft whom our Lord taught to pray in feeret, and ye all know what was his fate. But though a hypocrite may continue a long time, nay, many years, in the practice of fecret prayer; yet it is fcarcely to be thought that he will always do fo, if he live a long life: For, fays Job, Will he [the hypocrite] always call upon God?" chap. xxvii. 10.1 It is not to be thought that he will, as he has no communion with God in the duty. And therefore, adds the fame holy

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nian, Will he always delight himself in the Almighty?" It is communion with God that is to be enjoyed in fecret prayer, and the delight the foul has in it, that inclines a per fon to perfevere in that exercife.

Inft. But if one pray not to be seen of men, can he be a hypocrite?

Anf. Yes, he may. For the terrors of God fcalding the confcience, and a defire to lay the ferment thereby brought into the mind, may excite one to the duty, and put the applaufe of men entirely out of the mind. But fecret prayer, confcientiously, practifed, and attended with manifestations of the Lord's love and favour, fmiles of his face returns of what was afked, and continued faith and fervency, are undoubted figns of fincerity.

I come now to the improvement of this fubject.

USE I. Of information. It fhews us,

1. That they have great reafon to fufpect themselves, who are ftrangers to this duty of fecret prayer; and that on the following grounds.

(1.) Because they come not the length of many hypocrites, who fhall never come the length of heaven. There are many fuch who will not, for any confideration, omit their fecret prayers every day: which is a thing good in itfelf, but they make them the ground of their acceptance with God, and fo will perish notwithstanding. How much more must thofe perifh who live in the habitual neglect of this duty!

(2.) Because they look not like the faints, whofe difpofi tion has been to feek communion with God in fecret, as in the cafe of the fpoufe, Cant. vii. 11. and many others. What can ye pretend to be faints, and yet live so very unlike them?

(3.) Because it feems they are very unacquainted with themselves, that know nothing to confefs to, or afk of God, but what they can do before any. Did men know their mifery and their wants, and had a fuitable fenfe thereof, they would not be ftrangers to fecret prayer.

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(4.) Because it looks too hypocritical-like to have others to be witneffes to all our duties.

2. Then there is much hidden work in religion. True religion is not all expofed to the view of others. Attending VOL. III. No. 29. 3 C

on public ordinances in the church, and going the round of family-worship, is not that in which the whole of religion confifts: for many may be diligent enough in thefe exercifes, and yet ftrangers to vital heart-religion. But they that are truly religious in the eye of God, are fuch who not only perform outward duties, but worship God in fpirit, and hold communion and intercourse with him in fecret prayer, without which they can no more live, than without bread and

water.

USE II. Of exhortation. Be exhorted then, all of you, to fet about this duty of fecret prayer. And this exhortation I addrefs to you who never yet began this exercise, and to you who, though ye have perhaps formerly done fomething this way, yet now have left it off. To prefs this, I offer the following motives.

1. It is a piece of worfhip exprefsly commanded of God in the text, and it is directly required by him, Eph. vi. 18. Will ye then counteract God's exprefs command? If ye do, it will be at your peril.

2. Are ye not engaged to this duty? Are not the vows of God upon you for the performance of it? Were ye not baptifed in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to worship them, and that in all parts of worship, of which prayer is a principal one? Have not fome of you been admitted to the Lord's table, when ye profeffed to renew your baptifmal engagements? And perhaps fome of you have fick-bed vows on you to that purpose.

3. Have ye not fecret fins, fecret wants, and fecret temptations? and fhall ye not have fecret prayers adapted to each, requesting of the Lord the pardon of your fecret fins, the supply of your fecret wants, and grace to refift and overcome your fecret temptations?

4. Laftly, This is your known duty; and therefore remember, that the fervant that knew his master's will, but did it not, fhall be beaten with double ftripes." Wherefore, I charge you, as you will anfwer to God at death and at judgment, and as you love your own fouls, and would not eternally perish, to fet about this neceffary and important duty.

But fome are ready to muster up a variety of objections against this duty; the chief of which I fhall endeavour to obviate.