God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. A greater purpose, or nobler end, cannot be conceived; a higher or richer felicity cannot be desired. If the very first sentiment of religion which rises in the human mind, be, that a God exists, the second is, that this God must be worshipped. The dictates of reason prove, that, as creatures, a suitable and stated tribute of homage, and a humble, devout acknowledgment of dependence, are due from us to Him, in whom we every moment live, and move, and have our being; and both reason and conscience declare, that, as sinful, condemned creatures, confession and supplication are indispensably necessary. He, who has gone so far as positively and daringly to deny the duty or the importance of prayer, is not many steps from the door of Atheism, and in a rapid course to be soon immured in its dark horrid caverns, and eternally confounding labyrinths. And whoever owns the obligation to prayer in general, must do so on principles, which clearly enforce the necessity of secret prayer in particular. We may truly affirm, that devotion is a matter which lies between God and a man's own soul. When this idea is once lost, the outward signs and circumstances of religion are a dead letter, or, at best, a form maintained, for the sake of decency: while this idea possesses the mind, and affects the heart, we feel

the vital spirit of religion, and pant for a place of retirement, to indulge its holy aspirations. Secret prayer is a direct appeal to that Being, who fills heaven and earth, to whom all hearts are open, and all desires known, who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked. In a transaction of such solemnity and importance, surely, every thought should be summoned, every faculty employed, every affection engaged.

But if reason dictates the propriety and necessity of secret prayer, we can refer to higher authority. He who came down from heaven, to reveal the will of God, and accomplish his eternal purposes; who perfectly knew all the powers and infirmities of man, with the dangers, allurements, temptations, and evils of the world, plainly taught us this duty, and recommended it by his own practice. It rests not on vague tradition, or specious theory, but on authority, to which every Christian must bow with implicit deference. "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet; and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." (Matt. vi. 6.) Though Christ was so much engaged in healing the sick, in casting out demons, and instructing the multitudes that followed him from place to place, yet he did

not pass all his time amidst crowds. He had not only his seasons of privacy with his disciples, but his hours of secret intercourse with God. "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark i. 35.) At another time, after he had healed the man whose hand was withered, and the Jews were filled with madness and rage against him, it is said, "In those days he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Luke vi. 12.

2. The great importance of closet prayer may be proved from the happy influence it has on the divine life in the soul. It is the best means we can use, both for evidencing the reality of grace, and increasing the measure of that grace. It is certainly a condition. greatly to be deplored, when the Christian. goes on halting and hesitating at every step of his progress; when his sky is always clouded, and his comforts seem to wither at his touch. Yet such must be the condition of the man, who is continually in doubt whether he be in a state of grace, or still in a state of nature; whether he be a servant of God, or a slave of Satan; an heir of heaven, or a child of hell. While any one remains in such a state of uncertainty, and his hopes are often outweighed by his fears, the crafty enemy gets an advan

age over him, whispering his infernal suggestions, and insinuating that he has no right to this promise, or that ordinance, or the other privilege; and thus, as it were, dashing away the cup of consolation, when just raised to his lips. How often does the weak trembling believer exclaim, O that I had a fair title to the inheritance of the heavenly land! Happy, thrice happy, should I be, in the lowest station here, had I a good hope of filling some humble place in the glorious kingdom of God! Now I will venture to say, that nothing so much brightens a Christian's evidences as prayer; and nowhere can this beneficial effect be more clearly discerned than in the closet. The specious dissembler and the self-righteous formalist are strangers to secret devotion. Their religion is confined to public rites; as though they concluded that their having a pew in some church or chapel on earth, where Christ is preached, would ensure them a place in the church above, where Christ is seen in all his glory. Our Lord casts an angry frown upon the vain ostentation of the Pharisees, in the very passage which calls his disciples to closet devotion. (Matt. vi. 5, 6.) The total neglect of secret duty is not the spot of God's children; it is the dark stain of the artful deceiver, though none but the eyes of Jehovah may see it. He who conscientiously frequents

>

his closet, to seek and serve God there, whatever he may be, is no hypocrite. Let then the humble Christian, who longs for a clearer evidence of his interest in the New Covenant, retire often, to pour out his heart to God. It was after the prophet had set his face to seek the Lord, by prayer and supplications, with fasting and mourning, three full weeks, that the angel was sent with a cheering message, and said, "O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee." As intimate friends are most familiar, and usually open their very hearts when all other company is absent; so it is in the gracious intercourse between God and his people. It is generally in retirement, when they are waiting for Him, and walking to and fro in the gallery of devotion, and praying, and panting, and hoping to enjoy his presence, that he manifests himself to them as he does not to the world. The good Shepherd watches and keeps all his sheep, yet puts his mark in stronger colours on some than others; and though men may mistake, he cannot. Seek then the evidence of salvation from the Author of salvation. The Sun of Righteousness alone can scatter your clouds, and banish your fears. Secret prayer carries the soul to heaven, and brings down a portion of heaven into the soul. Observation and experience evince that the