05.14. Important Questions concerning Secret Prayer stated and answered.

Important Questions concerning Secret Prayer stated and answered.

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

Ans. 1. We are doubtless to be very frequent in this duty. Thus we are called to " pray always," Ephesians 6:18, and "without ceasing," 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 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.

2. Whenever God calls us to it, putting an opportunity in our hands, and moving and inciting us to it, then we are to go about it. Thus, when the Lord Jesus says, "Seek ye my face;" our hearts should say unto him, " Thy face, Lord, will we seek," Psalms 27:8. And thus we have daily calls and invitations to-this duty, which we should carefully regard, and conscientiously embrace, lest we quench the Spirit, and provoke the Lord to harden our hearts from his fear.

3. The saints in scripture have sometimes been more, sometimes less frequent in this exercise. Thus David was sometimes employed thrice, sometimes seven times a-day in prayer, Psalms 55:17. and Psalms 119:164, and Daniel three times, even at a very perilous juncture, Daniel 6:10. From whose practice the frequency of performing this duty evidently appears.

4. Morning and evening at least we should pray, and not neglect this duty. This appears from our Lord’s practice, Mark 1:35. "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed;" Matthew 14:23. "And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray, and when the evening was come, he was there alone;" from the practice of the saints in scripture, Psalms 55:2. "Attend unto me, and hear me : I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;" and Psalms 5:2. "Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God : for unto thee will I pray ;" and from the morning and evening sacrifice under the legal dispensation, which were daily offered, and should excite us to offer up unto God daily the morning and evening sacrifice of prayer and praise. And the very light of nature teaches us so much; that when we are preserved through the silent watches of the dark night, and from the perils we may be exposed unto in that gloomy season, we should acknowledge the goodness and kindness of God therein ; and that when we are preserved through the day, from the many snares and temptations we are liable to amidst the cares and distractions of our business, we should bless God for his preserving and protecting mercy, and commit ourselves, and all our concerns, into the hand of God, when we are going to take necessary rest, that we may fall asleep under a sense of his love, and may rise again to resume the business of our callings with his blessing and favour.

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

Ans. A secret place is the most proper place for this exercise; and though every body has not a closet, or retired apartment, into which he may go in and shut the door, yet any place where we may be retired from the view and observation of others, answers the purpose ; though in other respects it be a public place, yet if it be dark, and the voice kept low, it is justly a secret place. And to a place of that sort did our Lord retire for secret prayer, Matthew 14:23. perhaps not having proper conveniency in the place where he lodged all night. And indeed there is not a person but may meet with such a secret place every day, if he have a disposition for this exercise.

Quest. 3. What gesture are we to use in secret prayer ?

Ans. 1. Holy scripture does not bind us to any gesture particularly; but we find these four gestures of the body in prayer spoken of there, viz. standing, Mark 11:25; lying along on the face, Matthew 26:19; kneeling, Daniel 6:10. Ephesians 3:14; and sitting, 2 Samuel 7:18.

2.Whatever the gesture be, let it be a reverent one, that may express a humble and reverent frame of spirit. Hence we are commanded to "glorify God in our bodies," 1 Corinthians 6:20. 3. I shall say these two things for the further determination of this question. Ist, Let it be such a gesture as is conformable unto, or flows natively from, the present disposition of the heart. Thus in extraordinary cases we find the saints were wont to fall on their faces, 2 Samuel 12:16. And so likewise did the Lord Jesus in the garden, on the eve of his sufferings, Matthew 26:39. 2d, Yet let it be always to edification; and let that gesture be chosen which is most conducive to devotion, and occasions least distraction in the duty: As if kneeling be dangerous for the body, and so may tend to disturb the mind, let another gesture be chosen that is not attended with these inconveniences; though kneeling is certainly the most eligible gesture, and expressive of that humility which must ever accompany this exercise. And the same thing we may say of closing the eyes, or keeping them open; though praying with the eyes shut is certainly to be preferred.

Quest. 4. What are we to say of the voice in secret prayer?

Ans. 1. The duty may be performed without using the voice, as was done by Moses in the strait the children of Israel were reduced to, after their escape from Egypt, when high and inaccessible mountains were on each side of them, the Red Sea before them, and the Egyptian host 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, Exodus 14:15. Thus the voice is not to be used when people cannot do so without being heard, or when through weakness of body, or disquiet of mind, they are unfit for speaking with the tongue.

2. Yet where the voice may be used, and that with convenience and propriety, it should be made use of; and that, Ist, because we are to glorify God with our bodies ; and particularly our tongue is given to be an instrument of glorifying God; I Awake, my glory, says David, Psalms 57:8. 2d, Because the voice is of good use in secret prayer, to stir up the affections, and to stay the mind from wandering. Yet an affected loudness of the voice, whereby the secret prayer is made public, is a sad sign of great hypocrisy, which every serious Christian will guard against.

Quest. 5. Is secret prayer a sure mark of sincerity ? or can one pray in secret, and yet be an hypocrite ?

Ans. This is not out of the reach of the hypocrite ? A hypocrite may come this length, and much farther. Judas was among the rest whom our Lord taught to pray in secret, and ye all know what was his fate. But though a hypocrite may continue a long time, nay, many years, in the practice of secret prayer; yet it is scarcely to be thought that he will always do so, if he live a long life : For, says Job, "Will he [the hypocrite] always call upon God ?" Psalms 27:10. It is not to be thought that he will, as he has no communion with God in the duty. And therefore adds the same holy man, "Will he always delight himself in the Almighty ?" It is communion with God that is to be enjoyed in secret prayer, and the delight the soul has in it, that inclines a person to persevere in that exercise.

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

Ans. Yes, he may. For the terrors of God scalding the conscience, and a desire to lay the ferment thereby brought into the mind, may excite one to the duty, and put the applause of men entirely out of the mind. But secret prayer, conscientiously practised, and attended with manifestations of the Lord’s love and favour, smiles of his face, returns of what was asked, and continued faith and fervency, are undoubted signs of sincerity.