First, The most eminent Saints, ⟨p. 9⟩both in the Old and New Testament, have applied themselves to Private-Prayer. Moses was alone in the Mount with God forty days and forty nights, Exod. 34. 28. So Abraham fills his mouth with Arguments, and reasons the case out alone with God in Prayer, to prevent Sodoms desolation and destruction, and never leaves off pleading and praying till he had brought God down from fifty to ten, Gen. 18. 22-32. and in Gen. 21. 33. you have Abraham again at his private prayers, And Abraham planted a Grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. Why did Abraham plant a Grove, but that he might have a most private place to pray and pour out his soul before the Lord in? So Isaac, Gen. 24. 63. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide. The Hebrew word Lasuach, that is here rendered Meditate, signifies to pray as well as to meditate, and so it is often used. 'Tis a comprehensive word, that ⟨p. 10⟩takes in both Prayer and Meditation. So you shall find Jacob at his private-prayer, Gen. 32. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. And Jacob was left alone: and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. When Jacob was all alone, and in a dark night, and when his joints were out of joint, he so wrestles and weeps, and weeps and wrestles in private Prayer, that as a Prince at last he prevails with God. Hos. 12. 3, 4. So David, Psal. 55. 16, 17. As for me, I will call upon God: and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. So Daniel was three times a day in private prayer, Dan. 6. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the Writing was signed, he went into his house; and his Windows being open in his Chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Daniel had accustomed himself to private prayer; he went to his closet, before he went to his public ⟨p. 11⟩employment and State affairs: and at his return to dinner, he turned first into his Chamber to serve his God, and refresh his soul, before he set down to feast his body: and at the end of the day, when he had dispatched his business with men, he made it his business to wait upon God in his Chamber. So Jonah keeps up private prayer, when he was in the Fishes belly, yea, when he was in the belly of Hell, Jonah 2.
First, The most eminent Saints, ⟨p. 9⟩both in the Old and New Testament, have applied themselves to Private-Prayer. Moses was alone in the Mount with God forty dayes and fourty nights, Exod. 34. 28. So Abraham fills his mouth with Arguments, and reasons the case out alone with God in Prayer, to prevent Sodoms desolation and destruction, and never leaves off pleading and praying till he had brought God down from fifty to ten, Gen. 18. 22-32. and in Gen. 21. 33. you have Abraham again at his private prayers, And Abraham planted a Grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. Why did Abraham plant a Grove, but that he might have a most private place to pray and poure out his soul before the Lord in? So Isaac, Gen. 24. 63. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide. The Hebrew word Lasuach, that is here rendred Meditate, signifies to pray as well as to meditate, and so it is often used. 'Tis a comprehensive word, that ⟨p. 10⟩takes in both Prayer and Meditation. So you shall find Jacob at his private-prayer, Gen. 32. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. And Jacob was left alone: and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. When Jacob was all alone, and in a dark night, and when his joynts were out of joynt, he so wrestles and weeps, and weeps and wrestles in private Prayer, that as a Prince at last he prevailes with God. Hos. 12. 3, 4. So David, Psal. 55. 16, 17. As for me, I will call upon God: and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voyce. So Daniel was three times a day in private prayer, Dan. 6. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the Writing was sign'd, he went into his house; and his Windows being open in his Chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Daniel had accustomed himself to private prayer; he went to his closet, before he went to his publick
