Shut the door
But when you pray, enter your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in secret. There is a time when you are openly to glorify God, to pray to him and praise him in the great congregation. But when you desire more largely and more particularly to make your requests known to God, whether in the evening, or in the morning, or at noon, enter your closet and shut the door. Use all the privacy you can. Only do not leave it undone, whether you have any closet, any privacy, or not. Pray to God, if it is possible, when none sees but he. But if otherwise, still pray to God. Thus pray to your Father who is in secret. Pour out all your heart before him. And your Father who is in secret shall reward you openly.
1771 text
3. But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. There is a time, when thou art openly to glorify God, to pray and praise him in the great congregation. But when thou desirest more largely and more particularly to make thy requests known unto God, whether it be in the evening or in the morning or at noon-day, enter into thy closet and shut the door. Use all the privacy thou canst. (Only leave it not undone, whether thou hast any closet, any privacy or no. Pray to God if it be possible, when none seeth but he: but if otherwise, pray to God.) Thus pray to thy Father which is in secret; pour out all thy heart before him. And thy Father which is in secret, he shall reward thee openly.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 26 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 6:1-15.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.