A29703:576
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
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.
My Third Advice and counsel is this, Be marvellous careful that you do not perform Closet Duties merely to still your Consciences: you must perform them out of Conscience, but you must not perform them only to quiet Conscience. Some have such a light set up in their understandings that they cannot omit 1Closet-prayer, but Conscience is upon their backs, Conscience is still upbraiding and disquieting of them, and therefore they are afraid to neglect Closet-prayer, least Conscience should question, arraign and condemn them for their neglects. Sometimes when men have greatly sinned against the Lord, Conscience becomes impatient, and is still accusing, condemning, and terrifying of them; and now in these Agonies they will run to their Closets, and cry, and pray, and mourn, and confess, and bitterly bewail their transgressions, but all this is only to quiet their Consciences; and sometimes ⟨p. 313⟩they find upon their performances of Closet-duties, that their Consciences are a little allayed and quieted; and for this very end and purpose do they take up Closet-prayer, as a charm to allay their Consciences; and when the storm is over, and their Consciences quieted, then they lay aside Closet-prayer, (as the Monk did the net when the fish was caught) and are ready to transgress again. O Sirs, take heed of this, for this is but plain hypocrisy, and will be bitterness in the end. He that performs Closet-prayer only to bribe his Conscience that it may not be clamorous, or to stop the mouth of Conscience that it may not accuse him for sin, he will at length venture upon such a trade, such a course of sinning against Conscience, as will certainly turn his troubled Conscience into a seared Conscience: And a seared Conscience is like a sleepy Lyon, when 2he awakes he roars and tears his prey in pieces: and so will a seared ⟨p. 314⟩Conscience, when 'tis awakened, roar and tear the secure sinner in pieces.
My Third Advice and counsel is this, Be marvelous careful that you do not perform Closet Duties meerly to still your Consciences: you must perform them out of Conscience, but you must not perform them only to quiet Conscience. Some have such a light set up in their understandings that they cannot omit