3.  The publican, in his thus putting himself upon mercy, showeth that in his opinion there is more virtue in mercy to save, than there is in the law and sin to condemn.  And although this is not counted a great matter to do, while men are far from the law and while their conscience is asleep within them, yet when the law comes near and conscience is awake, whoso tries it will find it a laborious work.  Cain could not do thus for his heart, no, nor soul; nor Judas neither.  This is another kind of thing than most men think it to be, or shall find it whenever they shall behold God’s angry face, and when they shall hear the words of his law.

However, our publican did it, and ventured his body, soul, and future condition for ever in this bottom, with other the saints and servants of God; leaving the world to swim over the sea of God’s wrath, if they, will, in their weak and simple vessels of bulrushes, or to lean upon their cobweb-hold, when he shall arise to the judgment that he hath appointed.

“He would not lift up his eyes to heaven.”  Why?  Surely because shame had covered his face.  Shame will make a man blush and hang his head like a bulrush.  Shame for sin is a virtue, a comely thing, yea, a beauty-spot in the face of a sinner that cometh to God for mercy.

Oh, to stand, or sit, or lie, or kneel, or walk before God in prayer, with blushing cheeks for sin, is one of the excellent sights that can be seen in the world.

Posture in prayer.

There is no stinted order presented for our behaving ourselves in prayer, whether kneeling, or standing, or walking, or lying, or sitting; for all these postures have been used by the godly.  Paul kneeled down and prayed; Abraham and the publican stood and prayed; David prayed as he walked; Abraham prayed lying upon his face; Moses prayed sitting.  And indeed prayer, effectual fervent prayer, may be and often is made unto God under all these circumstances.  For God has not tied us up to any of them; and he that shall tie himself or his people to any of these, doeth more than he hath warrant for from God.  And let such take care of innovating; it is the next way to make men hypocrites and dissemblers in those duties in which they should be sincere.  Acts 20:36; 2 Sam. 15:30, 31; Gen. 17:17, 18; Exod. 17:12.

Closet-iniquity.

Let those that name the name of Christ depart from the iniquity of their closet—­when men have a closet to talk of, not to pray in; a closet to look upon, not to bow before God in, a closet to lay up gold in, but not to mourn in for the sins of the life; a closet that, could it speak, would say, My owner is seldom here upon his knees before the God of heaven, seldom here humbling himself for the iniquity of his heart, or to thank God for the mercies of his life.

Then also a man is guilty of closet-iniquity when, though he doth not utterly live in the neglect of duty, he formally, carnally, and without reverence and godly fear, performs it.  Also when he asketh God for that which he cannot abide should be given him; or when he prayeth for that in his closet, that he cannot abide in his house nor his life.