Thomas Manton · 6 of 60

Introduction. · Part 2

5. Our private necessities show that it is a necessary duty, which cannot be so feelingly spoken to and expressed by others as by ourselves; and, it may be, are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to others. We cannot so well lay forth our hearts with such largeness and comfort in our own concernments before others. There is the plague of our own hearts, which every one must mourn over: 1 Kings viii. 38. As we say, no nurse like the mother; so none so fit humbly with a broken heart to set forth our own wants before the Lord as ourselves. There is some thorn in the flesh that we have cause to pray against again and again: ‘For this I sought the Lord thrice,’ saith St Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8. We should put promises in suit, and lay open our own case before the compassions of God. It is a help sometimes to join with others; but at other times it would be a hindrance. We have peculiar necessities of our own to commend to God, therefore must be alone.

Secondly, This closet and solitary prayer, as it is a necessary duty, so it is a profitable one.

1. It conduceth much to enlargement of heart. The more earnest men are, the more they desire to be alone, free from trouble and distraction. When a man weeps, and is in a mournful posture, he seeks secrecy, that he may indulge his grief. They were to mourn apart: Zech. xii., and Jer. xiii. 17, ‘My soul shall weep sore for your pride in secret places.’ So here, when a man would deal most earnestly with God, he should seek retirement, and be alone. Christ in his agonies went apart from his disciples. When he would pray more earnestly, it is said, ‘He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast:’ Luke xxii. 41. It is said, ‘He went apart.’ Strong affections are loth to be disturbed and diverted, therefore seek retirement. And, it is notable, Jacob, when he would wrestle with God, it is said, Gen. xxxii. 24, ‘And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.’ When he had a mind to deal with God in good earnest, he sent away all his company.

A hypocrite, he finds a greater flash of gifts in his public duties, when he prays with others, and is the mouth of others; but is slight and superficial when alone with God; if he feels anything, a little overly matter serves the turn. But usually God’s children most affectionately pour out their hearts before him in private; where they do more particularly express their own necessities, there they find their affections free to wrestle with God. In public we take in the necessities of others, but in private our own.

2. As it makes way for enlargement of heart on our part, so for secret manifestations of love on God’s part. Bernard hath a saying, ‘The church’s Spouse is bashful, and will not be familiar and communicate his loves before company, but alone.’ The sweetest experiences which God’s saints receive many times are when they are alone with him. When Daniel was praying alone with great earnestness, the angel Gabriel was sent, and caused to fly swiftly to him to tell him his prayers were answered: Dan. ix. 21. And Cornelius, while he was praying alone, an angel of God came unto him, to report the hearing of his prayers: Acts x. 3; and, ver. 9, Peter, when he was praying alone, then God instructs him in the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles: then had he that vision when he was got upon the top of the house to pray. Before we are regenerated, God appeareth to us many times when we do not think of it; but after we are regenerated, usually he appeareth upon more eminent acts of grace—when we are exercising ourselves, and more particularly dealing with God, and putting forth the strength of our souls to take hold of him in private.

3. There is this profit in it: It is a mighty solace and support in affliction, especially when we are censured, scorned, and despised of men, and know not where to go to find a friend with whom we may unbosom our sorrow. Then to go aside, and open the matter to God, it is a mighty ease to the soul: Job xvi. 20, ‘My friends scorn me; but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.’ When we have a great burden upon us, to go aside and open the matter to God, it gives ease to the heart, and vent to our grief; as Hannah in great trouble falls a-praying to God, and then was no more sad: 1 Sam. i. 13. As the opening of a vein cooleth and refresheth in a fever, so when we make known our case to God, it is a mighty solace in affliction.

4. It is a great trial of our sincerity, of our faith, love, and obedience, when we are alone, and nobody knows what we do, then to see him that is invisible: Heb. xi. 27;—when we are much with God in private, where we have no reasons but those of duty and conscience to move us. Carnal hypocrites will be much in outward worship. They have their qualms, and pray themselves weary, and do some thing for fashion sake when foreign reasons move them; but will they so pray as to delight themselves in the Almighty? Will they always call upon God? Job xxvii. 10. That delight in God, which puts us upon converses with God, affects privacy.

5. It is a profitable duty, because of the great promises which God hath made to it. This secret and private prayer in the text shall have a public reward; it will not be lost, for God will reward it openly. So Job xxii. 21: ‘Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.’ Frequent correspondence with, and constant visits of God in prayer, what peace, comfort, quickening brings it into the soul! So Ps. xlix. 32: ‘His soul shall live that seeks the Lord.’ Without often seeking to God, the vitality of the soul is lost. We may as well expect a crop and harvest without sowing, as any liveliness of grace where there is not seeking of God. Could a man take notice of another in a crowd, whose face he never saw before? So, will God own and bless you in the crowds of the assemblies of his people, if you mind not this duty when you are alone?

APPLICATION.

Use 1. To reprove those which neglect closet-addresses to God; they wrong God and themselves.

They wrong God; because this is a necessary part of the creature’s homage, of that duty he expects from them, to be owned not only in public assemblies, but in private. And they wrong themselves; because it brings in a great deal of comfort and peace to the soul; and many sweet and gracious experiences there are which they deprive themselves of, and a blessing upon all other things.

But more particularly to show the evil of this sin:—

1. It is a sin of omission; and these sins are very dangerous, as well as sins of commission. Natural conscience usually smites more for sins of commission, than for sins of omission. To wrong and beat a father seems a more heinous and unnatural act, than not to give him due reverence and attendance. We are sensible of sins of commission; but yet God will charge sins of omission as well as commission upon you; and so will conscience too when it is serious, when, against the plain knowledge of God’s will, you can omit such a necessary part of God’s worship: James iv. 17, ‘To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin,’ —that is, it will be sin with a witness. Conscience will own it so, when it is awakened by the word, or by providence, or great affliction, or cast upon your death-bed. How will your own hearts reproach you then, that have neglected God, and lost such precious hours as you should have redeemed for communion with him! Sins of omission argue as great a contempt of God’s authority as sins of commission; for the same law which forbids a sin, doth also require a duty from us.

And sins of omission argue as much hatred of God as sins of commission. If two should live in the same house, and never speak to one another, it would be taken for an argument of as great hatred as to fight one with another. So, when God is in us and round about us, and we never take time to confer with him, it argues much hatred and neglect of him.

And sins of omission are an argument of our unregeneracy, as much as sins of commission. A man which lives in a course of drunkenness, filthiness, and adultery, you would judge him to be an unregenerate man, and that he hath such a spot upon him as is not the spot of God’s children. So, to live in a constant neglect of God, is an argument of unregeneracy, as much as to live in a course of debauchery. The apostle, when he would describe the Ephesians by their unconverted state, describes it thus: Eph. ii. 12, ‘That they lived without God in the world.’ When God is not owned and called upon, and unless the restraints of men, the law of common education, and customs of nations call for it, they live without God. So Ps. xiv. 1: ‘They are corrupt, they have done abominable works; there is none that doeth good, they are altogether become filthy.’ Every unregenerate man is that atheist. There is some difference among unregenerate men. Some are less in the excesses and gross outbreakings of their sins and folly. Some sin more, some less; but they all are abominable on this account, because they do not seek after God. And the apostle makes use of that argument to convince all men to be in a state of sin: Rom. iii. 11, ‘There is none that seeketh after God.’ The heart may be as much hardened by omissions (yea, sometimes more), than by commissions. As an act of sin brings a brawniness and deadness upon the heart, so doth the omission of a necessary duty. Not only the breaking of a string puts the instrument out of tune, but its being neglected and not looked after. Certainly by experience we find none so tender, so holy, so humble, and heavenly, as they which are often with God. This makes the heart tender, which otherwise would grow hard, dead, and stupid.

2. It is not only an omission in general, but an omission of prayer, which is, first, a duty very natural to the saints. Prayer is a duty very natural and kindly to the new creature. As soon as Paul was converted, the first news we hear of him, Acts ix. 11, ‘Behold, he prayeth.’ As soon as we are new-born, there will be a crying out for relief in prayer. It is the character of the saints: Ps. xxiv. 6, ‘This is the generation of them that seek thee,’ a people much in calling upon God. And the prophet describes them by the work of prayer: Zeph. iii. 10, ‘My supplicants’; and, Zech. xii. 10, ‘I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication.’ Wherever there is a spirit of grace, it presently runneth out into prayer. Look, as a preacher is so called from the frequency of his work, so a Christian is one that calleth upon God. ‘Every one that calleth on the name of the Lord, shall be saved:’ Rom. x. 13. In vain he is called a preacher that never preacheth, so he is in vain called a Christian that never prayeth. As things of an airy nature move upward, so the saints are carried up to God by a kind of naturality, when they are gracious. God hath no tongue-tied or dumb children; they are all crying, ‘Abba, Father.’ Then it is an omission of a duty which is of great importance as to our communion with God, which lieth in two things—fruition and familiarity; in the enjoyment of God, and in being familiar and often with him. Fruition we have by faith, and familiarity is carried on by prayer. There are two duties which are never out of season, hearing and prayer, both which are a holy dialogue betwixt God and the soul, until we come to vision, the sight of him in heaven. Our communion with God here is carried on by these two duties: we speak to God in prayer, God answereth us in the word; God speaks to us in the word, and we return and echo back again to him in prayer. Therefore the new creature delighteth much in these two duties. Look, as we should be ‘swift to hear,’ James ix. 19, until we come to seeing, we should take all occasions, and be often in hearing. So in prayer we speak to God, and therefore should be redeeming time for this work. In the word God comes down to us, and in prayer we get up to God; therefore, if you would be familiar and often with God, you must be much in prayer. This is of great importance. You know the very notion of prayer. It is a ‘visiting’ of God: Isa. xxvi. 16, ‘O Lord, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.’ Praying to God, and visiting of God, are equivalent expressions. Now it argueth very little friendship to God, when we will not so much as come at him. Can there be any familiarity, where there is so much distance and strangeness as never to give God a visit?

3. It is the omission of personal and secret prayer, which in some respects should be more prized than other prayer.

Partly, because here our converse with God is more express as to our own case. When we join with others, God may do it for their sakes, but here, Ps. cxvi. 1, ‘I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication.’ When we deal with him alone, we put the promises in suit, and may know more it is we that have been heard. We put God more to the trial; we see what he will do for us, and upon our asking and striving.

Partly, here we are more put to the trial what love we will express to our Father in secret, when we have no outward reasons, no inducements from respects of men to move us. In public duties (which are liable and open to the observance of others), hypocrites may put forth themselves with great vigour, quickness, and warmth, whereas in private addresses to God, they are slight and careless. A Christian is best tried and exercised in private, in those secret intercourses between God and his own soul; there he finds most communion with God, and most enlargement of heart. A man cannot so well judge of his spirit, and discern the workings of it in public, because other men’s concernments and necessities, mingled with ours, are taken in, and because he is more liable to the notice of others. But when he is with God alone, he hath only reasons of conscience and duty to move him. When none but God is conscious and our own hearts, then we shall see what we do for the approbation of God, and acceptance with him.

And partly, in some respects, this is to be more prized, because privacy and retiredness is necessary, and is a great advantage, that men’s spirits may be settled and composed for the duty. Sinful distractions will crowd in upon us when in company, and we are thinking of this and that. How often do we mingle sulphur with our incense—carnal thoughts in our worship! How apt are we to do so in public duties! But in private we are wholly at leisure to deal with God in a child-like liberty. Now, will you omit this duty where you may be most free, without distraction, to let out the heart to God?

And partly, because a man will not be fit to pray in public and in company, which doth not often pray in secret: he will lose his savour and delight in this exercise, and soon grow dry, barren, sapless, and careless of God. Look, as in the prophet Ezekiel, you read there that the glory of the Lord removed from the temple by degrees: it first removed from the holy place, then to the altar of burnt-offerings, then to the threshold of the house, then to the city, then to the mount which was on the east side of the city; there the glory of the Lord stood hovering a while, as loth to be gone, to see if the people would get it back again; this seems to be some emblem and representation of God’s dealing with particular men. First, God is cast out of the closet, private intercourses between God and them are neglected; and then he is cast out of the family, and within a little while out of the congregation; public ordinances begin to be slighted, and to be looked upon as useless things; and then men are given up to all profaneness and looseness, and lose all: so that religion, as it were, dieth by degrees, and a carnal Christian loseth more and more of the presence of God. And, therefore, if we would be able to pray in company, we must often pray in secret.

4. Consider the mischief which followeth neglect of private converse with God. Omissions make way for commissions. If a gardener withholds his hand, the ground is soon grown over with weeds. Restrain prayer and neglect God, and noisome lusts will abound. Our hearts are filled with distempers when once we cease to be frequent with God in private. It is said of Job, chap. xv. 4, ‘Thou restrainest prayer before God.’ That passage is notable, Ps. xiv. 4: ‘They eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.’ Omit secret prayer, and some great sin will follow; within a little while you will be given up to some evil course or other: either brutish lusts, oppression, or violence; to hate the people of God, to join in a confederacy with them which cry up a confederacy against God. The less we converse with God in private, the more is the awe of God lessened. But now, a man which is often with God dareth not offend him so freely as others do. As they which are often with princes and great persons are better clothed and more neat in their apparel and carriage, so they which are often conversing with God grow more heavenly, holy, watchful, than others are; and when we are not with God, not only all this is lost, but a great many evils to be found. It is plainly seen by men’s conversations how little they converse with God.

But now, to avoid the stroke of this reproof, what will men do? Either deny the guilt, or excuse themselves.

First, Some will deny the guilt. They do call upon God, and use private prayer, therefore think themselves to be free from this reproof. Yea, but are you as often with God as you should be?

There are three sorts of persons:—

1. Some there are that omit it totally, cannot speak of redeeming any time for this work. These are practical atheists, ‘without God in the world:’ Eph. ii. 12. They are heathens and pagans under a Christian name and profession. We should ‘pray without ceasing:’ 1 Thes. v. 17; that is, take all praying occasions; therefore they which pray not at all, all the week long God hears not from them, surely come under the force of this reproof.

2. There are some which perform it seldom. Oh, how many days and weeks pass over their heads and God never hears from them! The Lord complains of it, Jer. ii. 32: ‘They have forgotten me days without number.’ It was time out of mind since they were last with

3. The most do not perform it so often as they should. And therefore (that I may speak with evidence and conviction) I shall answer the case; what rules may be given; how often we should be with God and when we are said to neglect God.

[1.] Every day something should be done in this kind. Acts x. 2: Cornelius prayed to God always, every day he had his times of familiarity with God. Daniel, though with the hazard of his life, would not omit ‘praying three times a day:’ Dan. vi. 10. And David speaks of ‘morning, evening, and noon:’ Ps. lv. 17. Though we can not bind all men absolutely to these hours, because of the difference of conditions, employments, and occasions, yet thus much we may gather from hence, that surely they which are most holy will be most frequent in this work.

[2.] Love will direct you. They which love one another, will not be strange one to another: a man cannot be long out of the company of him whom he loveth. Christ loved Lazarus, and Mary, and Martha, John xi. 5, and therefore his great resort was to Bethany, to Lazarus’ house. Surely they which love God will have frequent recourse to him. In the times of the gospel, God trusts love: we are not bound to such particular rules as under the law. Why? For love is a liberal grace, and will put us upon frequent visits, and tell us when we should pray to God.

[3.] The Spirit of God will direct you. There are certain times when God hath business with you alone; when he doth (as it were) speak to you as to the prophet in another case, Ezek. iii. 22, ‘Go forth into the plain in the desert, and there I will talk with thee.’ So, get you to your closets, I have some business to speak with you. ‘Thou saidst, Seek ye my face: my heart answered. Thy face, Lord, will I seek:’ Ps. xxvii. 8. God invites you to privacy and retirement; you are sent into your closet to deal with God about the things you heard from the pulpit. This is the actual profit we get by a sermon, when we deal seriously with God about what we have heard. When God sends for us (as it were) by his Spirit, and invites us into his presence by these motions, it is spiritual clownishness to refuse to come to him.

[4.] Your own inward and outward necessities will put you in mind of it. God hath not stated what hours we shall eat and drink; the seasons and quantity of it are left to our choice. God hath left many wants upon us, to bring us into his presence. Sometimes we want wisdom and counsel in darkness: James i. 5, ‘If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally.’ It is an occasion to bring us to God: God is the best casuist to resolve our doubts and guide us in our way. Sometimes we lack strength to withstand temptations; the throne of grace was set up for a time of need, Heb. iv. 16, when any case is to be resolved, and comfort to be obtained. We want comfort, quickening, counsel, and all to bring us to God. So for outward necessities too. Certainly if a man doth but observe the temper of his own heart, he cannot neglect God, but will find some occasion or other to bring him into his presence, some errand to bring him to the throne of grace. We are daily to beg pardon of sin, and daily to beg supplies. Now, certainly, when you do not observe these things, you neglect God.

Secondly, Others, to avoid it, will excuse themselves. Why, they would pray to God in private, but either they want time, or they want a convenient place, or want parts and abilities. But the truth is, they want a heart, and that is the cause of all; and, indeed, when a man hath no heart to the work, then something is out of the way.

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, which 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.’ Therefore, 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? Felix illa domus, ubi Martha queritur de Maria,—That is a happy house where Martha complains 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 a place. He that doth not want a heart will 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. Wherefore 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 father with his wants.

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 argueth more familiarity to pray to God alone than in company. 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 only 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.’ Therefore 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 convinced 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 practice 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, your course of life, according to your abilities and opportunities. It is an expression of love to God to give him somewhat that is your own; and it will be of exceeding profit to you, and make your communion with him more seasonable and orderly. This will make you careful and watchful how you spend your other hours, that you may not be unfit when times of prayer come. 1 Pet. iii. 7: ‘Husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, that your prayers be not hindered.’ But do not propose a task too great for your strength, and perplex yourselves with such an unreasonable allowance as will not suit with your occasions. Men create a trouble to themselves, and bind themselves with chains of their own making when they propose more duty than they can well discharge.