ed in those Matth. vi. 6. words of our blessed Saviour, "But thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet," &c. In which He doth not exclude public Prayer; but only forbids ostentation in it; and commands us out of love to God, not out of love to popular applause; that we may be truly good, and not merely thought so, to open our hearts to Him, when nobody sees us, but He alone. That is the thing I intend to evince; that it is the duty of every Christian to retire himself from business and from company, that he may pray to God. In treating of which, I think it will be useful, if I distinctly shew, first, the nature of this duty; secondly, the necessity of it; thirdly, the great benefits we may derive from its serious performance. |