fuch objects as are much more noble, and more agreeable to our rational faculties. But the world is an utter enemy to any thing that is good; it ties our thoughts and affections faft to it self, and it is in vain to think of heaven without renouncing earth. Adieu therefore thou perpetual enemy of all chriftian duties, but more especially of religious meditation. Behold! I leave and forfake thee, that I may cleave entirely to my God; that my thoughts and affections may follow him alone, and that I may feaft my felf with the fweet and comfortable contemplation of him and his glories.

Thus must every christian say, who intends to perform the duties I have been treating of. For they all require great care and thoughtfulness, and therefore are only fit works for that place, where men ufually, that ever confider, call their thoughts together, I mean the closet.

But, befides the duties juft mentioned, which are proper only to the clofet; there are others both publick and private: that is, fuch as are to be performed by us, both publickly in our churches and families, and privately in our closets too.

Of

Of this fort are confeffion of fins, prayer, thanksgiving, and humiliation or mourning, both for our own and other mens fins. These are by all allowed to be duties of the church and family; and I make no doubt, but that they will appear to` be duties of the closet too, to all who give themfelves leave to confider what follows.

First, That every man has particular fins to confefs, particular bleffings to ask, particular mercies to give thanks for, and particular failings both of his own and other mens to bewail; which there neither ought to be, nor indeed can there be, any provision made for in the devotions of the church, or family.

There ought to be no provifion for them, because, if it could be, it would be a thing of very ill confequence. It would oblige us to reveal all, even our moft hidden, faults to the world; to publifh all our wants and neceffities, of what nature or kind foever; to make known to every body, who were the greatest favourites of heaven, and received the largest gifts from God; which, to fay no more of it, would be ve venient.

very incon

But,

But, befides the inconvenience, it is a thing impracticable; for it is impoffible to make any publick form of prayer, which fhall fuit all mens particular and private occafions. And therefore our publick confeffions, prayers, thanksgivings, and humiliations, all run in general terms, which are fuitable to the common conditions of men, but will not answer all their private occafions. Every day almoft brings fome new unforeseen accident upon us, which could not poffibly be provided for in our publick devotions. And befides, the particular and cafual wants of men, and their particular fins and mercies, are so numerous and various, that, were it poffible to reckon them up, and to digeft them under proper heads, and infert them into our publick devotions, it would make them endlefs.

The closet therefore is the proper place for thefe duties. Here, every private man has time enough for his work, and may do it without the leaft inconvenience. Here, he may fafely acknowledge his moft fecret fins, and not fuffer in his reputation, by this his acknowledgment. Here, he need not be ashamed to own all his wants and ne

ceffities,

ceffities, and to ask a fupply for them. Here, he may freely return thanks to God for all his mercies, without being envied for them. Lastly, Here, he may pour out his foul in tears and lamentations for his own and other mens fins, and need not fear being derided for them.

But, that these are duties of the closet, as well as of the church and family, will appear farther.

Secondly, From the practice of inspired men of old, who conftantly performed these duties in private as well as in publick. Thus we may find Daniel making a confeffion of his fins in private, Dan.ix. Thus David, Daniel, St. Peter, St. Paul, nay, and our bleffed Saviour himself too, offered up their petitions to God in private, as we may read, Pfal. lv. 17. Dan. vi. 10. Acts

9. 1 Cor. xxii. 8. Ephef. i. 16. Matt.xiv. 23. Thus are we told, that Daniel gave. thanks to his God in his chamber three times a day, Dan, vi. 10. And thus did the foul of pious Jeremiah weep in fecret places for the fins of his people, as we may read, Jerem. xiii. 17. So that, if any argument may be drawn, for the practice of any duty, from the examples of men (as

certainly

certainly from those of inspired men, who were immediately directed by God's Holy Spirit, they justly may) we have here a plain and cogent argument, for the performance of these duties in private, taken not only from the examples of good men, but of men inspired; nay, of Chrift himself, who was God as well as man.

Thirdly, We have the express command of God for the performance of some of thefe duties in private. And therefore, were there no other obligation, this would be fufficient. Thus Matt. vi. 6. But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy closet, and when thou haft fhut the door, pray to thy father which is in fecret. Where the word pray is to be taken in its largest fense, as comprehending confeffion and thanksgiving. For these being the constant companions of our prayer (though they are not, properly fpeaking, parts of it, the word prayer fignifying only a petition or request) it is very usual, both in scripture and in the writings of holy men, to conclude both these under the name of prayer. Again, 1 Tim. ii. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where; not only in the church,