'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 11

God reveals himself most to his people when they have been in secret prayer. O the sweet meltings, the heavenly warmings, the blessed cheerings, and the choice communions with God, that Christians have found when they have been alone with God in a closet! God loves to load the wings of private prayer with the sweetest and choicest blessings. Ah! How often has God kissed a poor Christian at the beginning of private prayer, and spoken peace to him in the midst of private prayer, and filled him with light and joy and assurance upon the close of private prayer! Private prayer is a golden key to unlock the mysteries of God's Word to us. The knowledge of many choice and blessed truths are but the returns of private prayers. God delights to make known his truth and faithfulness, his grace and goodness, his mercy and bounty, his beauty and glory to poor souls in their private prayers. God crowns private prayer with a discovery of those blessed weighty truths to his servants that are a sealed book to others. Private prayer crowns God with the honour and glory due his name, and the soul enjoys most communion with God in secret. When a Christian is in a wilderness, which is a very solitary place, then God delights to speak friendly and comfortably to him. A husband imparts his mind most freely and fully to his wife when they are alone, and Christ also to the believing soul. O the secret embraces, visits, whispers, cheerings, and discoveries that God gives his people when alone! Ambrose often said; ‘I am never less alone, than when I am alone; for then I can enjoy the presence of my God most freely, fully, and sweetly, without interruption.’ Christ loves to embrace us not so much in the open street, as in a closet. Christ gives his richest gifts in secret when we are alone.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Thomas Brooks, Works, II:174-177
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