The Necessity of Secret Prayer

Secret prayer is not necessary in regard of merit, as if we could procure heaven by it. The only ground of eternal life in the mansions of bliss is the righteousness of a crucified Redeemer. Beggars pay no debts, but confess insufficiency, saying with the prophet, “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Thy precepts and from Thy judgments” (Daniel 9:5).

But secret prayer is necessary:

1. In regard to the command of God. He, by a plain and express command, requires it; and that command binds it as a necessary duty upon us. To neglect it, therefore, is a direct violation of the command of the great God and Lawgiver; and to make conscience of it is a necessary and proper act of obedience to the divine will.

2. To give God the glory of His omniscience and omnipresence. When we pray to our Father which is in secret, we plainly declare that we believe He knows and sees all things, that the darkness and the light are alike to Him, that He is the witness and inspector of all our actions, and that He will call us to an account for all our thoughts, words, and actions, which are well known to Him.

3. To evidence our sincerity, that it is not to be seen of men that we pray; that we are not actuated from motives of ostentation and vainglory, but from regard to the divine command and a sincere desire to serve God. Though indeed, it will not hold that all such as pray in secret are sincere; for, alas! men may be very assiduous in this duty and yet be far from being sincere Christians or accepted of God therein.

4. In regard that none know our case so well as ourselves. Therefore, though the master of the family pray in the family, yet we ought to pray by ourselves, in order to make known our particular case and wants unto God, which none other can know, and to ask such blessings and mercies of Him as we stand in need of and are suitable to our circumstances.

5. In regard that, if we know our own hearts, we cannot but have somewhat to say unto the Lord, that we cannot, nor would it be at all proper to say before others, respecting both confession of sins and supplication for mercies. Hence the spouse says, “Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves” (Song of Solomon 7:11-12).

6. In regard of our wants continually recurring on our hands, and daily and hourly temptations, that may call for this exercise, when family prayer cannot be had. What man is so well supplied, both as to temporal and spiritual blessings, as to have no occasion for asking supplies from above? Man is a needy and indigent creature in all respects. As a creature he lives on the bounties of providence, and as a Christian on the grace which is in Christ Jesus; and therefore he must daily apply to the throne of grace for necessary supplies in both. And as we are daily surrounded with temptations, and have no strength to resist or repel them, we must fetch in strength from God in Christ by prayer, lest we fall and be overcome by the temptations in our way.

Thus it appears from these considerations that prayer is a necessary duty incumbent on all. Surely all who have tasted that the Lord is gracious will make conscience of this important and useful exercise.

— Rev. Thomas Boston

(1676–1732)

fromThe Beauties of Boston

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