A29703:187
The privy key of heaven, or, Twenty arguments for closet-prayer in a select discourse…The privie key of heaven, or, Twenty arguments for closet-prayer in a select discourse…
The privy key of heaven, or, Twenty arguments for closet-prayer in a select discourse on that subject with the resolution of several considerable questions : the main objections also against closet-prayer are here answered ... with twenty special lessons ... that we are to learn by that severe rod, the pestilence that now rageth in the midst of us / by Thomas Brooks.The privie key of heaven, or, Twenty arguments for closet-prayer in a select discourse on that subject with the resolution of several considerable questions : the main objections also against closet-prayer are here answered ... with twenty special lessons ... that we are to learn by that severe rod, the pestilence that now rageth in the midst of us / by Thomas Brooks.
London : Printed for and are to be sold by John Hancock, 1665
THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN, Or, a Discourse of CLOSET-PRAYER. › Argument 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1, 2, &c. So we have Elijah at prayer under the Juniper Tree, 1 Kings 19. 4. So Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 13. Now Hannah she speaks in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. The very soul of prayer lies in the pouring out of the soul before God, as Hannah did, vers. 15. Neither was Rebekah a stranger to this duty, who upon the Babes struggling in her womb, went to enquire of the Lord, Gen. 25. 22. that is, she went to some secret place to pray, saith Calvin, Musculus, Mercer, and others. So Saul is no sooner converted, but presently ⟨p. 12⟩he falls upon private prayer, Acts 9. 11. And the Lord said unto him, arise, and go into the street which is called Strait, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus: for behold he prayeth. Though he was a strict Pharisee, yet he never prayed to purpose before, nor never prayed in private before. The Pharisees used to pray in the corners of the Streets, and not in the corners of their houses. And after his conversion he was frequently in private prayer, as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together, Rom. 1. 9. Ephes. 1. 15, 16. 1 Phil. 3, 4. 2 Tim. 1. 3. So Epaphras was a warm man in closet prayer, Phil. 4. 12, 13. So Cornelius had devoted himself to private prayer, Acts 10. 2, 4. And so Peter gets up to the house top to pray, vers. 9. On the morrow as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the City, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour. Peter got up upon the Leads, not only to avoid distraction, but that he might be