many weeks and months, O that I may not say many years! Though it be a very fit season to pray when the spirit moves us to pray. He that makes religion his business, will pray as daily for daily grace, as he doth pray daily, for daily bread. Luke xviii. 1. “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. 1 Thes. v. 17. Pray without ceasing." Eph. vi. 18. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints." Rom. xii. 12. "Continuing instant in prayer." The Greek is a metaphor taken from hunting dogs, that never give over the game till they have got their prey. A christian must not only pray, but hold on in prayer, till he hath got the heavenly prize. We are daily in want, and therefore we had need be praying daily. The world is always alluring, therefore we had need be always praying; satan is always tempting, therefore we had need be always praying; and we are always sinning, and therefore we had need be always praying, and we are in danger always, and therefore we had need be praying always. When one was asked why he prayed six times a day, he only gave this "I must die, I must die, I must die." Dying christians had need be praying christians, and they that are always dying, had need be always praying. Certainly, prayerless families are grace-` less families, and prayerless persons are graceless persons. It were better ten thousand times, that we had never been born into the world, than that we go unrenewed out of the world. But,

answer,

L

2nd. This truth reproves those that pray not, neither in their families, nor in their closets. Among all God's children, there is not one possessed with a dumb devil. Prayerless persons are forsaken of God, blinded by satan, hardened in sin, and every breath they draw, liable to all temporal, spiritual, and eternal judgments. Prayer is that part of natural worship due to God, which none will deny but atheists, Psalm xiv. 1.

It is observable, that amongst the worst of men, Turks; and the worst of Turks, the Moors, it is a just exception against any witness by their law, that he hath not prayed six times in every natural day, it being usual for them to pray six times a day.

1. Before the day break, they pray for day. 2. When it is day, they give thanks for day. 3. At noon they thank God for half the day past. 4. After that, they pray for a good sun-set. 5. And after that they thank God for the day past. 6. And lastly, they pray for a good night after their day.

Certainly, these very Moors will one day rise in judgment against them who live in a total neglect of prayer, who suffer so many suns and moons to rise and set upon their heads, without any solemn calling on God. I have read of a man, who being sick and afraid of death, fell to his prayers, and to move God to hear him, told him, “That he was no common beggar, and that he had never troubled him with his prayers before, and if he would but hear him at that time, he would never trouble him again."

This

world is full of such prophane blasphemous, atheistical wretches.

But,

3rd. This truth reproves such as are all for public prayer, but never regard private prayer; who are all for going up to the temple, but never care for going into their closets. This is most palpable hypocrisy, for a man to be very zealous in public prayer, but very cold and careless as to private prayer. He that pretends conscience in the one, and makes no conscience of the other, is an hypocrite in grain, Mat. vi. 1, 2, 5. xxiii. 5. And the devil knows well enough, how to make his markets of all such hypocrites, that are all for the prayers of the church, but perfect Gallio's as to private prayer. Acts xviii. 17. Such as perform all their private devotion in the church, but not in the chamber, put too great a slight upon the

enter into thy closet," he doth not say, when thou prayest, go to the church,' but, "when thou prayest, go into thy closet." But,

4th. This truth reproves such, who in their closets pray with a loud voice. A christian should shut both the door of his closet, and the door of his lips so close, that none should hear without, what he saith within.

Enter into thy closet, (saith Christ) and when thou hast shut thy door, pray." But what need a man shut his closet door, if he may pray with a loud voice? But some will object and say,

Objection 1‚—

We have no time for private prayer.

Our business

must be attended to, we are in such circumstances that it is utterly impossible for us to attend to closet duties.

O Sirs, good hours, and blessed opportunities for closet prayer, are merchandise of the highest rate and price; and therefore, whosoever hath a mind to be rich in grace, and to be high in glory, should be always redeeming precious time. O Sirs, we should redeem time for private prayer, out of our eating time, our drinking time, our sleeping time, our buying time, our selling time, our sinning time, our sporting time, rather than neglect our closet communion with God.

When Titus Vespasian, who revenged Christ's blood on Jerusalem, returned victor to Rome, remembering one night as he sat at supper with his friends, that he had done no good that day, he uttered this memorable and praise-worthy Apothegme, Amici diem perdidi, My friends, I have lost a day.

Chilo, one of the seven sages, being asked what was the hardest thing in the world to be done, answered, To use and employ a man's time well.

Chilo held, That an account must be given not only of our labour, but also of our leisure. And Ælian gives this testimony of the Lacedemonians, that they were very covetous of their time, spending it all about necessary things, and suffering no citizen either to be idle, or play. And, saith another, We trifle with that which is most precious, and throw away that which is our greatest interest to redeem.

Certainly heathens will rise up in judgment against many who call themselves christians, that trifle and fool away their precious time at the glass, the comb, the lute, the viol, the pipe, or at vain sports, and fool

ish pastimes, or by idle jestings, immoderate sleeping, and superfluous feasting.

Closet prayer is either a duty, or it is no duty. Now that it is a duty, I have so strongly proved, I suppose, that no man nor devil can fairly or honestly deny it to be a duty. And therefore why do men cry out as to great business? Alas, whatever business is left undone, duty must be done, or the man that neglects it will be undone for ever, 'Tis a vain thing to object business, when a required duty is to be performed; and indeed, if the bare objecting of business were enough to excuse men from duty, I am afraid, that there are but few duties of the gospel, but men would endeavour to evade, under a pretence of business, of much business. He that pretends business to evade private prayer, will be as ready to pretend business to evade family prayer; and he that pretends business to evade family prayer, will be as ready to pretend business to evade public prayer. Well sirs, remember what became of those that excused themselves out of heaven, by their carnal apologies, and secular business. "I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it; I pray thee have me excused, (saith one.) I have bought (saith another) five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And, I have married a wife, (saith another) and therefore I cannot come". The true reason why they would not come to the supper that the King of kings had invited them to, was not because they had bought farms and oxen, but because their Farms and oxen had bought them. The things of the world d their carnal relations had taken up