First, From the nature of feveral chriftian duties, which can be performed no where but in our clofets; fo that we muft either be contented to leave them wholly unperformed, or elfe own the abfolute neceffity of retiring into our clofets, where alone we can discharge ourselves of them.

Of this nature, are reading the fcriptures, self-examination, and divine meditation.

First, Reading the fcriptures, a duty fo abfolutely neceffary, that without it, it is impoffible to know what the duties of a christian are. For in thefe are the conditions of our eternal happiness contained, and if we do not take care to acquaint ourfelves well with them, we fhall never be able to perform them, as we ought to do. And in what place, I beseech ye, fhall' we read thefe holy oracles, upon which the eternal falvation of our fouls and bodies depends? Shall we fatisfy ourselves with looking them over in a croud, and in company? If fo, I think we fhew very little concern for our immortal fouls, and the affairs of another world, little indeed, even less than we exprefs for the trifling affairs

of this life. For where fhall we find a confidering man that will content himself with a flight view of any deed or writing, upon which his whole eftate depends? Will not men in this cafe withdraw themselves from company, and, with the greatest care and attention imaginable, overlook their writings, and weigh every word they read, for fear they fhould commit any oversight or mistake? And is the foul then of less value than the body, or is our eternal inheritance in the heavens lefs worth looking after than the fhort-lived riches of this world? No certainly: We can never read that book, in which are contained the conditions of immortal life, with care and attention enough. We can never need fo much to be void of disturbance and distraction, as when we are going to acquaint ourselves with the narrow way that leads to everlasting happiness, and to learn how we may avoid that broad and well-beaten way, which leads to everlasting ruin and destruction. No mistake can be of like fatal confequence, with a mistake in this point; and therefore now, if ever, ought we to free our felves from all worldly incumbrances, and to withdraw into

fome

fome private place, where, with undisturb'd and watchful thoughts, we may peruse this important book of life and death.

Secondly, Another duty proper to the closet, is felf-examination. A duty of that great usefulness to chriftians, in order to the managing their conversation aright; that, had we no exprefs command of God for the performance of it, as we have, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. yet our own Reason would oblige us to it.

And this can no where be performed but in our closets for it requires the greatest attention of mind, the greatest seriousness and fixedness of thought, that we can poffibly attain to. It is a stating of accompts between God and our own fouls; and if through carelesness we happen to commit a mistake in this our reckoning, the consequence of fuch a mistake may perchance be no less than the eternal ruin of our fouls and bodies. When therefore we fet about this weighty work, we ought to bid adieu to all wordly cares and perplexities, to free our thoughts from all business of this life, and wholly to apply our felves to this great affair. And this is no more than what we our felves own to be neceffary, by our conftant

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conftant proceeding in our worldly conThe merchant, when he has a mind to fettle his accompts, fhuts himself up clofe, and will not be disturbed upon any account whatsoever. And fhall we

then grudge to bestow that care upon our fouls, which we fo freely undertake for our bodies? Shall our paltry accompts of this life, wherein a mistake is of no great confequence, make us call together all our care and attention, and fequefter our felves from noise and company, till our business is finished? And fhall we think it hard to fpend a little time in private, in ftating this grand account between God and our own fouls? No furely: If we have any reafon in us, as we pretend to have, we shall never difpute it. But, whether we difpute it or no, it is moft certainly our duty frequently thus to examine ourselves with the greatest strictness and exactness imaginable, and confequently, it is our duty frequently to retire into our closets, where alone we can be at leisure to attend this weighty work without distraction.

The third and last duty I mentioned, as proper to the closet, was divine meditation, or the contemplation of God and di

vine objects; which is a very confiderable part of that heavenly conversation which christians are obliged to.

And now certainly men ought to fhake off all earthy filth and drofs, when their fouls are preparing to mount to heaven; for thefe will hinder and retard their af cent; at least, they will make their motion lefs brisk and lively; nay, perhaps they will be fuch a dead weight upon the foul, as to keep it from ascending at all towards heaven. When therefore we would fet apart any time for this duty, we must, as 'twere, go out of this lower world, that is, we must for a time free our felves, as much as we can, from the thoughts of this world, or any thing belonging to it. And the only way to do this, is to retire into fome private place, where there fhall be no variety of worldly objects to divert and distract our affections; but our thoughts shall be free and difengaged, and fully and entirely fixed upon the glorious objects of heaven. Solitude is a very great friend to devotion; for it takes our minds off from thofe mean objects, which the affairs of the world generally prefent to us, and makes them fit to foar aloft, and to contemplate