compence, that are not able to look above the praises of men. Woe to that man that with Augustus is ambitious to go off the stage of duty with a plaudit. Peter was not himself when he denied his Lord, and cursed himself to get credit amongst a cursed crew. As ever you would seek and find, see that the glory of the Lord be engraven upon your closet duties. He shall be sure to speed best, whose heart is set most upon glorifying God in all his secret retirements. When God crowns us, he doth but crown his own gifts in us; and when we give God the glory of all we do, we do but give him the glory that is due to his name, for it is he, and he alone, that works all our works, in us, and for us. All closet duties are good or bad, as the mark is at which the soul aims.

He that makes God

the object, but not the end of closet prayer, doth but lose his prayer; and takes pain to undo himself. God will be Alexander or Nero; he will be all in all, or he will be nothing at all. Such prayers never reach the ear of God, or delight his heart, that are not directed to the glory of God. The end must be as noble as the means, or else a man may be undone for all his doings. A man's most glorious actions will at last be found to be but glorious sins, if he hath made himself, and not the glory of God, the end of those actions.

10. Be sure that you offer all your closet prayers in Christ's name, John xiv. 13, 14. " And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any John xv. 16. "That

thing in my name, I will do it."

whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." John xvi, 23-26," Verily, verily,

I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye ask ed nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. At that day ye shall ask in my name : and I say unto you, that I will pray the Father for you." O sirs, this is your privilege as well as your comfort, that you never deal with God but by a Mediator. When you appear before God, Jesus Christ appears with you, and for you; when you invocate, then he advocates; when you put up your petitions, then he makes intercession for you. Christ gives you a commission to put his name to all your requests; and whatsoever prayer comes up with this name upon it, he will procure it an answer. In the state of innocency man might worship God without a Mediator; but since sin hath made so wide a breach between God and man, God will accept of no worship from a man, but what is offered up by the hand of a Mediator: now this Mediator is Christ alone, 1 Tim. ii. 5. "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus." One Mediator, not of redemption only, but intercession also.

The Papists make saints and angels co-mediators with Christ, but in this, they fight against scripture light. The Apostle plainly tells us, that the office of intercession pertaineth unto Christ, as part of his mediation And 'tis certain, that we need no other master of requests in heaven, but the man Christ Jesus s; who being so near and so dear to the Father, can, no doubt, carry any thing with the Father, that makes for his glory, and our good. This was typified in the

Law: the high priest alone entered into the sanctuary, and carried the names of the children of Israel before the Lord, while the people stood without; this pointed out Christ's mediation. In Lev. xvi. 13, 14. you read of two things, of the cloud of incense that covered the mercy seat, and of the blood of the bullock, that was sprinkled before the mercy seat: now, that blood typified Christ's sanctification, and the cloud of incense his intercession.

Some of the learned think, that Christ intercedes only by virtue of his merits; others, that it is done only with his speech, I think, it may be done both ways, the rather because Christ hath a tongue and body glorified in heaven; and is it likely that that tongue which pleaded so much for us on earth, should be altogether silent for us in heaven.

There is no coming to the Father but by the Son. John xiv. 6. Christ is the true Jacob's ladder, by which we must ascend to heaven. Joseph commanded his brethren, that as ever they looked for any good from him, or to see his face with joy, that they should be sure to bring their brother Benjamin with them. O Sirs, as ever you would be prevalent with God,— as ever you would have sweet returns from heaven to your closet prayers, be sure that you bring your Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the arms of your faith; be sure that you treat and trade with God only in the name of the Lord Jesus.

'Tis a notable speech that Luther hath upon the 130 Psalm "Often and willingly saith he do I inculcate this, that you should shut your eyes, and your ears and say, you know no God out of Christ, none

When a man

but he that was in the lap of Mary, and sucked her breast:" He means none out of him. When you go to closet prayer, look that you pray not in your own names, but in the name of Christ; and that you believe and trust not in your own names but in the name of Christ; and that you do not expect to succeed but in the name of Christ, Col. iii. 17. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." Whatsoever we do, we are to do by the authority, by the assistance, and in the name of Christ, for his sake and glory. Christ's name is so precious and powerful with the Father, that it will carry any suit, obtain any request at his hands. Jesus in the China tongue signifies the rising sun. writes the name of Jesus upon his closet-prayers, then he shall be sure to succeed, though God will not give a man a drop, a sip, a crunb, a crust, for his own sake; yet for Jesus' sake he will give the best, and the greatest blessings that heaven affords: that name is still mighty and powerful before the Lord. The prayers that were offered up with the incence upon the altar were pleasing, Rev. viii. 3. and came up with acceptance, verse 4. Josephs brethren were kindly used for Benjamin's sake. O Sirs, all your duties and services are accepted of the Father, not for our sakes but for Christ's sake. There are no prayers that are either heard, or rewarded, but such as Christ puts his hand-to.

11. When you come out of your closets, narrowly watch what becomes of your private prayers; look in what way, and by which hand the Lord shall please to give you an answer to the secret desires of your

souls; it hath been the custom of the people of God, to see what success they have had, to observe: what! entertainment they have found in heaven, Plalm v. 3. "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee," In the words you may observe two things. I. David's posture in prayer, I will direct my prayer unto thee. 2. His practice after prayer, And I will look up. The prophet in these words makes use of two military words: 1. He would not only pray, but martial up his prayers, he would put them in battle array; when he had done this, then he would be as a spy upon his watch tower, to see whether he prevailed, whether he got the day or no; and so much the Hebrew word Tsaphah imports. When David had set his prayers, his petitions, in rank and file, in good array, then he was resolved to see by what door God would send an answer. He is either a fool or a madman, either very weak or very wicked, that prays, and prays, but never looks after his prayers; that shoots many an arrow towards heaven, but never minds where his arrows alight. Psalm lviii. 8. “I will hear what God the Lord will speak; for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints." If David would have God to hearken to his prayers, he must then hearken to what God will speak; and upon this point it seems he was fully resolved. The pros phet's prayer you have in the first seven verses of this Psalm, and his gracious resolution you have in the 8th verse, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak.” As if he had said, Certainly, it will not be long be fore the Lord will give me a gracious answer, à sen