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…

Fifteenthly, He that willingly neglects private prayer, shall certainly be neglected in his public prayer; he that will not call upon God in secret, shall find by sad experience, that God will neither hear him nor regard him in public. Want of private duties is the great reason why the hearts of many are so dead and dull, so formal and carnal, so barren and unfruitful under public Ordinances. O that Christians would seriously lay this to heart. Certainly, that man or woman's heart is best in public, who is most frequent in private. They ⟨p. 101⟩make most yearnings in public Ordinances, that are most conscientiously exercised in closet duties. No mans graces rises so high, nor no mans experiences rises so high, nor no mans communion with God rises so high, nor no mans divine enjoyments rises so high, nor no mans springs of comfort rises so high, nor no mans hopes rises so high, nor no mans parts and gifts rises so high, &c. as theirs do, who conscientiously wait upon God in their Closets, before they wait upon him in the Assembly of his people; and who, when they return from public Ordinances, retire into their Closets, and look up to Heaven for a blessing upon the public means. 'Tis certain, that private duties fit the soul for public ordinances. He that makes conscience to wait upon God in private, shall find by experience, that God will wonderfully bless public ¹Ordinances to him. My design is not to set up one Ordinance of God above another, nor to cause ⟨p. 102⟩one ordinance of God to clash with another, the public wth the private, or the private with the public, but that every Ordinance may have its proper place, & right: The desires of my soul being to prize every Ordinance & to praise every ordinance, and to practise every Ordinance, & to improve every ordinance, & to bless the Lord for every Ordinance. But as ever you would see