Then, an indulgence, a prosperity, of fifty years, will seem to every one, that looks back upon it, as the same short enjoyment, as if he had been snatched away in his first sin.

These few reflections on time are only to show how miserably they judge, who are less careful of the eternal state, because they may be at some years' distance from it, than they would be, if they knew they were within a few weeks of it.

CHAP. XIV.

Concerning that part of devotion, which relates to times and hours of prayer. How we are to improve our forms of prayer, and how to increase the spirit of devo

tion.

HAVING shown the necessity of a devout spirit or habit of mind in every part of our common life, in the use of all the gifts of God; I come now to consider that part of devotion, which relates to times and hours of prayer.

I take it for granted, that every Christian, who is in health, is up early in the morning; for it is much more reasonable, to suppose a person up early, because he is a Christian, than because he is a laborer, or a tradesman, or a servant. We know not, how to think any good of him, who is such a slave to drowsiness, as to neglect his business for it.

Let this therefore teach us to conceive, how odious we must appear in the sight of Heaven, if we are in bed, shut up in sleep and darkness, when we should be praising God; and are such slaves to drowsiness, as to neglect our devotions for it.

For, if he is to be blamed, as a slothful drone, that rather chooses the indulgence of sleep, than to perform his share of worldly business; how much is he to be reproached, who had rather lie folded up in a bed, than be raising up his heart to God in acts of praise and adoration ?

Prayer is the nearest approach to God, and the highest enjoyment of him, that we are capable of in this life. It is the noblest exercise of the soul; the most exalted use of our best faculties.

When our hearts are full of God, sending up holy desires to the throne of grace; we are upon the utmost heights of human greatness; we are in the presence and audience of the Lord of the world.

On the other hand, sleep is so far from being intended as an enjoyment; that we are forced to receive it in a state of insensibility, or in the folly of dreams.

Sleep is such a stupid state of existence, that even among mere animals, we despise them most, which are most drowsy. He therefore, who chooses to enlarge the slothful indulgence of sleep rather, than be early at his devotions to God; chooses the dullest refreshment of the body before the highest, noblest employment of the soul; he chooses that state, which is a reproach to mere animals rather, than that exercise, which is the glory of angels.

You will perhaps say, though you rise late; yet you are always careful of your devotions, when you are up. It may be so. But what then? Is it well done, to rise late, because you pray, when you are up? Is it pardonable to waste a great part of the day in bed, because some time after you say your prayers? It is as much your duty, to rise to pray; as to pray when you are risen. If you are late at your prayers, you offer to God the prayers of an idle, slothful worshipper, that rises to prayers, as idle servants rise to their labor.

If you fancy you are careful of your devotions, when you are up, though it be your custom to rise late; you deceive yourself, for you cannot perform your devotions, as you ought. For he, that cannot deny himself this

drowsy indulgence, is not prepared for prayer, when he is up. He may indeed easily read over a form of prayer; but he is not disposed to enter into the true spirit of prayer. For sleep, thus indulged, gives a softness to our temper, and makes us unable to relish any thing, but what suits an idle state of mind, and gratifies our natural temper. He, that places any happiness in this morning indulgence, would be glad to have all the day made happy in the same manner.

Surely no one will pretend to say he knows the true happiness of prayer, who does not think it worth his while to be early at it.

It is not possible in nature for an epicure to be truly devout; he must renounce this habit of sensuality, before he can relish the happiness of devotion.

Now he, that turns sleep into an idle indulgence, does as much to disorder his soul, to make it a slave to bodily appetites, and keep it incapable of a devout and heavenly temper; as he, that turns the necessities of eating into a course of indulgence.

A person that eats and drinks too much, does not feel such effects from it, as those do, who live in notorious instances of gluttony and intemperance; but yet his course of indulgence, though it be not scandalous in the eyes of the world; nor such as torments his own conscience; is a great and constant hindrance to his improvement in virtue; it gives him eyes, that see not; and ears that hear not ; it creates a sensuality in the soul, increases the power of bodily passions, and makes him incapable of entering into the true spirit of religion.

Now this is the case of those, who waste their time in sleep; it does not disorder their lives nor wound their consciences, as notorious acts of intemperance do; but it silently, and by smaller degrees, wears away the spirit of religion, and sinks the soul into a state of dullness and sensuality.

If you consider devotion, only as a time of so much prayer; you may perhaps perform it, though you live in this daily indulgence; but, if you consider it, as a state of the heart; as a lively fervor of the soul, that is deep

ly affected with a sense of his own infirmities, and desiring the spirit of God more, than all things in the world; you will find that the spirit of indulgence, and the spirit of prayer cannot subsist together.

If our blessed Lord used to pray early before day; if he spent whole nights in prayer; if the devout Anna was day and night in the temple; if St. Paul and Silas at midnight sang praises unto God; are they not so many proofs of the whole turn of their minds?

If you live in a contrary state, wasting a great part of every day in sleep; is it not equally certain that this practice as much shows the whole turn of your mind?

So that, if this indulgence is your way of life; you have as much reason to believe yourself destitute of the true spirit of devotion, as you have to believe the apostles were truly devout.

When you read the Scriptures, you see religion that is all life, and spirit, and joy in God; that supposes our soul risen from earthly desires, and bodily indulgences, to prepare for another world, and other enjoyments. You see Christians represented, as temples of the Holy Ghost; as children of the day; as candidates for an eternal crown; as virgins, that have their lamps always burning. But can he be thought to have this joy in God, this care of eternity, this watchful spirit, who has not zeal enough to rise to his prayers?

When you look into the writings and lives of the first Christians; you see the same spirit, that you see in the Scriptures. All is reality, life, and action.

When there is the same spirit in us, that there was in the apostles and primitive Christians; when we feel the weight of religion, as they did; when we have their faith and hope; we shall take up our cross and deny ourselves, as they did.

Let it now be supposed, that you imagine there is no necessity for you to be sober and vigilant, so fearful of yourself, so watchful over your passions, so careful of your salvation, as the apostles were; that you want less self denial; that you need not have your loins girt, and your lamps burning, as they had; will you therefore

live in a quite contrary state? Will you make your life as constant a course of indulgence, as theirs was of strictness and self denial?

I do not insist much on the crime of wasting so much of your time in sleep, though it be a great one; but I desire you to renounce this indulgence, because it is so contrary to that zealous, watchful spirit, which was not only the spirit of Christ and his apostles, but must be the spirit of all those, who would not sink in the common corruption of the world.

Here therefore, we must fix our charge against this practice; not as having this or that particular evil; but as a general habit, that extends itself through our whole spirit, and supports a state of mind, that is wholly wrong.

It is contrary to piety; not as accidental mistakes in life are contrary to it; but as an ill habit of body is contrary to health.

On the other hand, if you rose early every morning, as a mean of redeeming your time, and fitting your spirit for prayer, you would find a mean of great piety. It would teach you to exercise power over yourself, and make you able by degrees to renounce other pleasures, that war against the soul. This one rule would dispose your mind to exactness, and be very likely to bring the remaining part of the day under rules of prudence and devotion.

But above all, it will best prepare you for the reception of the Holy Spirit. When you thus begin the day; as it puts your heart into a good state; so it will procure the assistance of the Holy Spirit; what is so planted and watered, will have an increase from God. You will then speak from your heart, your soul will be awake, your prayers will refresh you, like meat and drink; you will feel, what you say; and begin to know, what holy men have meant by fervor of devotion.

He that is thus prepared for prayer, is in a very dif ferent state from him, who has no rules of this kind; who rises by chance, as he happens to be weary of his bed, or is able to sleep no longer. If such a one pray