Then & Now · 8 of 28

5. Secret Duties Shall Have Open Rewards

Fifthly, Secret duties ſhall have open rewards, Matth. 6. 6. And thy Father which ſeeth in ſecret ſhall reward thee openly. So Verſ. 18. God will reward his people here in part, & hereafter in all perfection: He is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him in a corner. They that ſow in tears ſecretly, ſhal reap in joy openly. Private prayer ſhall be rewarded before men and Angels publickly. How openly did God reward Daniel for his ſecret prayer? Dan. 6. 10. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. Mordecai privately diſcovered a plot of treaſon againſt the perſon of King Ahaſuerus, and he is rewarded openly, Eſther 2. 21, 22, 23. with Chap. 6. Darius before he came to the kingdom, received privately a garment for a gift of one Syloſon; and when he came to be King, he rewarded him openly with the command of his Country Samus. God in the great p. 35 Day, will recompenſe his people before all the world, for every ſecret prayer, and ſecret tear, and ſecret ſigh, and ſecret groan that hath come from his people. God in the great day will declare to men and Angels, how often his people have been in pouring out their ſouls before him in ſuch and ſuch holes, corners, and ſecret places, and accordingly he will reward them.

Fifthly, secret duties shall have open rewards‸‸. “‸And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly‸‸‸‸” (Matt 6:6). God will reward His people here in part, and hereafter in all perfection (v. 18). He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him in a corner. They that sow in tears secretly‸ shall reap in joy openly. Private prayer shall be rewarded before men and angels publicly. How openly did God reward Daniel for his secret prayer (‸Dan‸ 6:‸10, 23–‸28)! Mordecai privately discovered a plot of treason against the person of king Ahasuerus, and he is rewarded openly (‸Esth 2:‸21–‸23; with chapter 6). Darius, before he came to the kingdom, received privately a garment for a gift of one Syloson; and when he came to be a king, he rewarded him openly with the command of his country Samos. God, in the great day, will recompense His people before all the world‸ for every secret prayer, and secret tear, and secret sigh, and secret groan that hath come from His people. God, in the great day, will declare to men and angels how often His people have been in pouring out their souls before Him in such and such holes, corners, and secret places; and accordingly He will reward them.

Ah Chriſtians, did you really believe this, and ſeriouſly dwell on this, you would

Ah, Christians! Did you really believe this, and seriously dwell on this, you would

1. Walk more thankfully.

2. Work more chearfully.

3. Suffer more patiently.

4. Fight againſt the world, the fleſh, and the devil, more couragiouſly.

5. Lay out your ſelves for God, his intereſt and glory, more freely.

6. Live with what Providence hath cut out for your portion, more quietly and contentedly. And,

7. You would be in private prayer more frequently, more abundantly.

walk more thankfully;
work more cheerfully;
suffer more patiently;
fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil‸ more courageously;
lay out yourselves for God, His interest, and glory‸ more freely;
live with what providence hath cut out for your portion‸ more quietly and contentedly; and,
you would be in private prayer more frequently, more abundantly.