4410.C PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN, OR TWENTY ARGUMENTS FOR CLOSET PRAYER. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, BY JESUS CHRIST: THE LATE REVEREND THOMAS BROOKS, MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. 人 THIRD EDITION. Llanfyllin: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY R. PUGH, AND SOLD BY HOLDSWORTH, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, LONDON; RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE BY THE REV. GEORGE Lewis, d. d. TUTOR OF THE NORTH WALES ACADEMY. THE REV. THOMAS BROOKS, the Author of the following Treatise, was one of the Ministers ejected from the Church of England in the Year 1662. He was a plain, affectionate Preacher of the Gospel, and his Ministry was rendered eminently useful to many souls. His Publications were numerous; and several of his works have been frequently reprinted. His Heaven upon Earth, The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Apples of Gold, The Crown and Glory of Christianity, and The Privy Key of Heaven, are some of the most considerable of his Works. IN the following Treatise the Author calls the attention of the Reader to a very important, but too much neglected Duty. To enlarge upon this Subject here would be nothing but detaining the Reader, who has now an Opportunity of attending to what the Author states on the Nature and Importance of the Duty. May the present Edition be the Means of exciting and encouhumble boldness to approach raging every Reader, with all the Throne of Grace. Llanfyllin, 20th Sep. 1820. G. LEWIS. HYMAN. HAT various hind'rances we meet WH In coming to a mercy seat! Yet who that knows the worth of pray'r, Pray'r makes the darken'd cloud withdraw, Pray'r climbs the ladder Jacob saw, Gives exercise to faith and love, Brings ev'ry blessing from above.. Restraining pray'r, we cease to fight; Pray'r makes the Christian's armour bright; And Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees, While Moses stood with arms spread wide;' Have you no word? Ah! think again, Were half the breath thus vainly spent, Your chearful song would oft'ner be, Hear what the Lord has done for me.' 8 NQ, 65 PRIVY KEY HEAVEN, OR A DISCOURSE ON CLOSET PRAYER. MATTHEW vi. 6, 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. THESE words of our Saviour are plain, and to be T taken literally, and not allegorically, for he speaketh of shutting the door of the chamber. In this chapter there is a manifest opposition between the Pharisees praying in the synagogues and corners of the streets, and others praying in secret. In the text you have a positive precept for every christian to pray alone; But thou, when thou prayest: he saith not, when you pray, but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet, as speaking not so much of a joint duty of many praying together, as of a duty B 30 |