God in them more than Men; and till the good Things we mention in Prayer, we afterwards ufe our own fincere Endeavours to acquire. And then when Prayers and Endeavours go hand in hand together, as we may have all Assurance that our Prayers are not hypocritical, but fincere, fo we may be confident, that if we patiently hold on, our Labour shall not be without the defired Success, in furnishing us with a plentiful Stock of Grace here, and in bringing us to the Kingdom of Glory hereafter, through the Merits and Mediation of Jefus Chrift our bleffed Saviour and Redeemer. To whom, &c.

SER M.

SERMON V.

MATT. VI. 6.

Ver. 6. But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet, and when thou hast shut thy Door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret; and thy Father which feeth in fecret, jhall reward thee openly.

The Second Sermon on this Text.

U R Saviour having in the preceding Verse, cautioned his Difciples against an hypocritical Way of Devotion, namely, against an Affectation to pray standing in the most publick Places, with a Defign to be seen of Men, comes now, in the Words which I have read, to direct to the oppofite Sincerity and Secrecy: But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet, &c. In which Words we are not to imagine that we are discouraged from publick Prayer, whether in the Church or Family; for neither of these was our Saviour reprehending, but only the undiscreet and hypocritical Sallies of Devotion, at extraordinary Times and Places. The Meaning of his Exhortation then is, as if he had faid, The Pharifees are not contented with the ordinary publick Devotions in the

Church

Church and Family; but because they would be thought godlier than other People, they break out into great feeming Flights of Devotion in the Markets, or wherever they can find any great Number of People affembled; instead of Devotion to God, aiming only at the Applause of Men: But instead of this vain Humour of pretended Devotion, I will teach you a way in which ye fhall vent your real Devotion, and fupprefs your Pride. When thou haft a mind to fhew any extraordinary Devotion, get thee to fome fecret Place, and let thy Devotions be between God and thine own Soul, and fuch Devotions he will reward. In the Words thus explained, we may observe these three Things.

I. We have secret Prayer here recommended, before those undiscreet publick Devotions in the Crowds of Spectators.

II. We have a Defcription of the propereft Preparation for this fecret Prayer, which is by entering into the Clofet, or other fecret Place, and fhutting out all Company and Bufiness.

III. We have a Promife of an open Reward to this fecret Prayer,

These are the three Points which I intend, with God's Affiftance, to treat of in this Discourse, in the fame Order in which I have propofed them.

I. First, I obferve here we have fecret Prayer recommended, before thofe undiscreet publick Devotions, which were used by the Scribes and Pharifees in Crowds of Spectators: But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet; and when thou baft fout thy Door, pray to thy Father which is in Secret. There is nothing here intended against the stated publick Devotions of the Church or

Family;

2

Family; only the undifcreet Sallies of publick Devotion at unfeasonable Times and Places, are either condemned, at least in private Chriftians; (for to them in that private Capacity, I fhewed you formerly this Difcourfe was fpoke) or at least comparatively fecret Prayer is preferred before it. The Word, Tausoy, which we render Clofet, does not fignify a Place only fet apart for Devotion, but it fignifies a Store-house, a Comptinghouse, a Wardrobe, as well as a private Chamber. I take notice of this for two Reasons. First, Because the Secrecy defigned by our Saviour in these private Devotions, is fuch, that he would not have it known or divulged, no not so much as by the Place, what we are about. Now if it were a Place only dedicated to Devotion, every Time we enter into it, this would be a publishing what we are about, and in fome Sort the contriving to be feen of Men, at least that it fhould be known how much Time we fpend in our Devotion, which feems to be far different from our Saviour's Design, which is to have no other Witness of thefe Things but God only. Another Reason for which I take notice of this, is, that I may obviate an Excufe which fome poor People have for neglecting this Duty of fecret Prayer, namely, that they want the Conveniency of a Closet, for their fecret Devotions. But fuppofing this were fo, if they have a Chamber, if they have a Store-house, if they have any other Place where they do their other Bufinefs, if they have but a Door with a Lock or Bolt, any Place, where they can fecretly addrefs themselves to God, this I believe is as much as is defigned by. thefe Words, Enter into thy Clofet.

But

But now to come to the chief Thing here recommended, which is fecret Prayer, preferably to these undiscreet Sallies of publick Devotion, at unfeasonable Times and Places, there appear to to me feveral Reafons for this Injunction.

(1.) First, the Confideration of the Persons to whom our Saviour addreffed this Difcourfe, who were private Persons, and in their private Capacity. This I formerly proved at large, and therefore shall not now spend time about it; that tho' the Perfons of the Apostles were prefent, they were there only as private Christians, and had not as yet received their Apoftolick Commiffion. Now confidering our Saviour's Hearers, I fay, as private Persons, it was very proper to debar them from that way of taking upon them to pray in Publick, which the Scribes and Pharifees took. Publick Prayer, as well as publick Preaching, was proper to be annexed to the Minifterial Office, and so I find it reckoned by the Apostles, Acts vi. 4. Where the two chief Parts of the Province they affign to themfelves, are the Exercise of Prayer, and the Miniftry of the Word; But we will give our felves continually to Prayer, and to the Miniftry of the Word. And it cannot be denied, that private Perfons invading thefe Offices, has been the Occafion of much Disorder in the World. It is no Wonder then, that our Saviour, speaking to private Perfons in their private Capacity, fhould recommend to them, whenever they find themselves in a devout Frame for Devotion, to employ it rather in fecret Prayer between God and their own Souls, than in framing publick Prayers before the Multitude. This then I affign

as