Imatges de pàgina
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able worth and excellency; and the passion is to be measured by the dignity of his person. But,

2. A proportion was to be observed betwixt the punishment due to men, and that which was suffered for man! that his sufferings, might be satisfactory, two things were necessary, Poenae gravitus, as well as Persone dignatas. That the least drop of Christ's blood was not sufficient for the redemption of our souls, may thus appear,

1. If it were, then the circumcision of Christ was enough, for there was a drop, if not many drops of blood shed.

2. Then his being crowned with a crown of thorns was sufficient; for it is most probable, that they drew blood from him.

3. Then all Christ's sufferings besides were superfluous and vain.

4. Then God was unjust and unrighteous to take more than was due to his justice. But for any man to affirm that God hath taken beyond what was his just due, is high blasphemy.

5. Then Christ was weak and imprudent to pay more than he needed; for what need was there for his dearest heart blood, if a drop from his hand would have saved our souls? Let Schoolmen fancy what they please, 'tis certain that no one dram of that bitter cup that Christ drank off, could be abated, in order to his Father's full satisfaction, and man's eternal redemption. Christ hath given under his own hand, that it was necessary he should suffer many things. Mark viii. 3. Luke xxiv. 26. O sirs, shall Christ shed not only a few drops of blood, but his

very heart's blood, to purchase you a freedom and. liberty to be as often in your closets with his Father. as you please; and will you only now and then give God a visit in private? the Lord forbid.

My second advice and counsel is this, Take the fittest seasons and opportunities that possibly you can for closet prayer. Many take unfit seasons for private prayer, which obstruct more the importunity of the soul in prayer, than all the suggestions and imagi'nations of satan. As,

1. When the body is drowsy and sleepy, this is a very unfit season for closet prayer. Take heed of laying cushions of sloth under your knees, or pillows of idleness under your elbows, or of mixing nods with your petitions, or of being drowsily devoted when you draw near to God in your closets.

2. When a man's head and heart is filled with worldly cares and distractions, this is a very unfit season for closet prayer.

When Dinah must needs be gadding abroad for fashions, Shechem, prince of that country, meets with her, and forces her virginity. So when our hearts Dinah-like must needs be a roving and gadding abroad after the things of the world, then satan, the prince of the air, usually seizes upon us, commits a rape upon our souls, and either leads us off from prayer, or else he doth so distract us in prayer, that it were better not to have prayed at all, than to have offered the sacrifice of foolish and distracted prayer..

I have read a story, how that one offered to give a horse to his fellow, upon condition that he would but say the Lord's prayer, and think upon nothing but

God; the offer was accepted, and he began, "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.“ But I must have the bridle too, (said he) no, nor the horse neither, said the other, for thou hast lost both already. The application is easy.

Certainly, the most free and lively season for closet prayer is the morning, before a man's spirit's be blunted, cooled, or damped by worldly business, A man should speak with God in his closet, before he speaks with his worldly affairs. A man should say to all his worldly business, as Abraham said to his young men, when he went to offer up his only son Isaac," abide you here, and I will go yonder and worship, and then return to you again." He that will attend closet prayer without distraction, or disturbance, must not slip out of the world into his cle set, but he must first slip into his closet, before he be compassed about with a crowd of worldly employments.

It was a precept of Pythagoras, that when we enter into the temple to worship God, we must not so much as speak or think of any worldly business, least we make God's service an idle recreation: The same I may say of closet prayer.

Jerome complains very much of his distraction, dulness, and indisposedness to prayer, and chides himself thus, "what dost thou think that Jonah prayed thus in the whale's belly; or Daniel when he was among the lions; or the thief when he was upon the cross?"

3. When men or women are under rash and passionate distempers; for when passions are up, holy

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affections are down; and this is a very unfit season for closet prayer: for such prayers will never reach God's ear, which do not first warm our own hearts. In the Muscovy churches, if the minister mistake in reading, or stammer in pronouncing his words, or speak any word that is not well heard, the hearers very much blame him, and are ready to take the book from him, as unworthy to read therein: And certainly, God is no less offended with the giddy, rash, and inconsiderate prayers of those, who without a deli berate understanding, send their petitions to heaven in post-haste. Solomon's advice is worthy of all commendation and acceptation, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God:" or, as the Hebrew may be read, “Let not thy heart through haste be so troubled or disturbed, as to tumble over, and throw. out words without wisdom or premeditation." Good men are apt many times to be too hasty, rash, and unadvised in their prayers, complaints and deprecations; witness David, Job, Jeremiah, and the disciples. No christian is like him that doth wisely and seriously weigh over his prayers and praises, before he pours out his soul before the Lord. He never repents of his requests, who duly deliberates what to request; but he that pours out whatsoever lies uppermost, and that brings into the presence of God his raw and undigested petitions, doth but provoke God, instead of praying to, and wrestling with him. Suitors at court observe their fittest times and seasons of begging, they commonly take the time they have the king in a good mood, and so seldom or never come off but with good success.

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Sometimes God strongly inclines the heart to closet prayer, sometimes he brings the heart beforehand to a praying frame, sometimes both body and soul are more enlivened, quickened, raised, and divinely enflamed than at other times; sometimes conscience is more stirring, working, and tender. O! now strike while the iron is hot :-now lay hold of all those opportunities, by applying thyself to private prayer. O sirs, can you take your fittest times, seasons, and opportunities for ploughing, sowing, reaping, buying, selling, eating, drinking, and marrying; and cannot you as well take your fittest times and seasons to seek the Lord in your closets? Must God be put off with the least and worst of your time? the Lord forbid it. Neglect not the seasons of grace, slip not your opportunities for closet prayer; thousands have lost their seasons and their souls together.

3. Be careful that you do not perform closet duties merely to still your consciences: you must perform them out of conscience, but you must not perform them only to quiet conscience. Some have such a light set up in their understandings, that they cannot cmit closet prayer; but conscience is upbraiding and disquieting of them, and therefore they are afraid of neglecting closet prayer, least conscience should question, arraign, aud condemn them for their neglect. Sometimes when men have greatly sinned against the Lord, conscience becomes impatient, and is still accusing, condemning, and terrifying of them; and now in these agonies they will run to their closets and cry, and pray, and mourn, and confess, and bitterly wail their transgressions, but all this is only

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