N00254:182
Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness
Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness: wherein several important duties, are urged, and the evil of divers common sins, is evinced; delivered in sundry sermons. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Ten lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Samuel Green upon assignment of Samuel Sewall, 1682
The Sincere Servants of God will make Conscience of Secret Prayer.
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.
Reas 2. Because there are many requests fit and necessary to be mentioned before the Lord in secret, that may not be expressed before other, e. g. Requests concerning a mans particular wants, which may press him, and oppress him: and concerning his ecret sins which he hath been guilty of before the Lord. It God by his providence hath kept a mans sins from the knowledge of the world he would sin grievously in divulging his own secret sins, and yet as ever he doth desire the pardon of them, or the salvation of his soul, he must confess and bewail them before God in in secret places: in which respect, secret prayer is necessary. Again, a child of God may be molested with the prevalency of some particular corruption or temptation, which it is no meet to ⟨p. 85⟩speak of before others yet it concerns him to cry unto God day & right for power against it. There are also requests which may respect particular persons, whose cases and circumstances may be such as others should not know of; upon which account also prayer in secret is necessary. There are some that a man may have special reason to pray for them in his secret addresses to the Throne of grace; as Paul for Timothy. There are also some that we ought to pray against them, viz. special and implacable Enemies of the Lords name & People, whom•• may no be convenient to mention whilst others are in hearing, but we should put he Lord in mind of them, and those arrows which are shot out of closets, will at last fall upon them, and smite them down into the pit.
Reaf. 3. Equity requireth this from the Lords Servants. He brings them into his chambers, Cant. 14. The King has brought me into his Chambers. Therefore they ought to bring him into their chambers. There is a secret providence of God at work for them continually, Psa. 31. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence, thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion. Shall the Lord hide his Servants in these chambers of safety which he hath prepared for them? & shall not they pray unto him and praise him in their secret Chambers? yea, and as for sincere Believers, the Lord hath provided chambers for