power. Therefore when God commands man, to love God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself, he does not fuppofe man can do this by his natural power, but he gives him new power from on high,

This may be illuftrated by, the cafe of Mofes, who when God commanded him, Take thy fhoes from off thy feet, he obeyed without any hesitation, as knowing he was able fo to do. But when God commanded him to bring the Ifraelites out of Egypt, he hesitated, as being conscious of his own inability to do it. Therefore God gave him new power to work miracles: as if he had faid, "Do what thou canft, and I will enable thee to do what thou canft not do now. Go into Egypt Thou canst do this. And I will fupply what thou canst not do." Hence it appears, that God enjoins what a man can do, before he enjoins what he cannot do. And thus man, being convinced of his weakness, will be truly thankful to God, for

giving him the power which he had not. And the work of God will be carried on, in its natural order, from its begin ning, to its perfection.

9. IN

N'how beautiful a manner does that great man, Mr. Law, treat this important fubje&t!* Part of his words I cannot but here fubjoin, for the use of every fenfible reader.

"I take it for granted, that every Chriflian who is in health is up early in the morning. For it is much more reasonable to fuppofe, a perfon is up early, because he is a Chriftian, than because he is a labourer, or a tradefman, or a fervant.

*Viz. Redeeming Time from Sleep.

We

We conceive an abhorrence of a man that is in bed, when he should be at his labour. We cannot think good of him, who is fucha flave to drowsiness, as to neglect his business for it,

Let this therefore teach us to conceive, how odious we must appear to God, if we are in bed, fhut up in fleep, when we should be praifing God; and are fuch flaves to drowsiness, as to neglect our devotions for it.

Sleep is fuch a dull, ftupid ftate of exiflence, that even among mere animals, we defpife them moft which are moft drowsy. He therefore that chufes to inlarge the flothful indolence of fleep, rather than "be early at his devotions; chufes the dulleft refreshment of the body, before the nobleft enjoyments of the foul. He chufes that state which is a reproach to mere animals, before that exercise which is the glory of angels.'

10. Befides, he that cannot deny himself this drowsy in dulgence, is no more prepared for prayer when he is up, than he is prepared for fafting or any other act of felf-denial. He may indeed more easily read over a form of prayer, than he can perform thefe duties but he is no more difpofed for the fpirit of prayer, than he is difpofed for fafting. For fleep thus indulged gives a foftnefs to all our tempers, and makes us unable to relish any thing but what fuits an idle state of mind, as fleep does. So that a person who is a flave to this idleness, is in the fame temper when he is up. Every thing that is idle or fenfual pleases him. And every thing that requires trouble or self-denial is hateful to him, for the fame reafon that he hates to rife.

11. It is not poffible for an Epicure to be truly devout, He must renounce his fenfuality, before he can relish the happiness of devotion. Now he that turns fleep into an idle indulgence, does as much to corrupt his foul, to make it a flave to bodily appetites, as an Epicure does. It does not diforder his life, as notorious acts of intemperance do; but like any more moderate courfe of indulgence, it filently and

by

by fmaller degrees, wears away the spirit of religion, and finks the foul into dulnefs and fenfuality.

Self-denial of all kinds is the very life and foul of piety. But he that has not fo much of it as to be able to "be early at his prayers, cannot think that he has taken up his cross, and is following Christ.

What conqueft has he got over himself? What right hand has he cut off? What trials is he prepared for? What facrifice is he ready to offer to God? Who cannot be fo cruel to himself as to rife to prayer at fuch a time, as the drudging part of the world are content to rife to their labour?

12. Some people will not fcruple to tell you that they indulge themselves in fleep, because they have nothing to do: and that if they had any business to rife to, they would not lofe so much of their time in fleep. But they must be told, that they mistake the matter: that they have a great deal of buftnefs to do: they have a hardened heart to change; they have the whole spirit of religion to get. For furely he that thinks he has nothing to do, because nothing but his prayers want him, may justly be faid to have the whole fpirit of religion to feek.

You must not therefore confider, how fmall a fault it is, to rife late; but how great a mystery it is, to want the spirit of religion; and to live in fuch foftnefs and idleness as makes you incapable of the fundamental duties of Christianity.

If I was to defire you, not to ftudy the gratification of your palate, I would not infift upon the fin of wasting your money though it is a great one; but I would defire you to renounce fuch a way of life, because it supports you in fuch a ftate of fenfuality, as renders you incapable of relifhing the most effential doctrines of religion."

For the fame reafon, I do not infift much upon the fin of wafting your time in fleep, though it be a great one; but I defire you to renounce this indulgence, because it gives a foftnefs and idleness to your foul, and is fo contrary to that

Fively,

lively, zealous, watchful, felf-denying fpirit, which was not only the fpirit of Chrift and his Apoftles, and the spirit of all the faints and martyrs that have ever been among men, but must be the fpirit of all thofe who would not fink in the common corruption of the world.

13. Here therefore we muft fix our charge against this practice. We must blame it, not as having this or that particular evil, but as a general habit that extends itself through our whole fpirit, and fupports a state of mind that is wholly wrong.

It is contrary to piety; not as accidental flips or mistakes in life are contrary to it: but in fuch a manner as an ill flate of body is contrary to health.

On the other hand, if you was to rife early every morning, as an instance of self-denial, as a method of renouncing indulgence, as a means of redeeming your time and fitting your fpirit for prayer, you would foon find the advantage. This method, though it seems but a small circumftance, might be a means of "great piety. It would conftantly keep it in your mind, that softness and idleness were the bane of religion. It would teach you to exercise power over yourself, and to renounce other pleasures and tempers that war against the foul. And what is fo planted and watered, will certainly have an increase from God."

III. 1. It now only remains, to enquire, in the third place, How we may redeem the time? How we may proceed in this important affair: in what manner fhall we most effectually practise this important branch of temperance?

I advise all of you, who are thoroughly convinced of the unfpeakable importance of it, fuffer not that conviction to die away, but inftantly begin to act fuitably to it. Only do not depend on your own ftrength: if you do, you will be utterly baffled. Be deeply fenfible, that as you are not able to do any thing good of yourselves, fo here in particular, all your Brength, all your refolution will avail nothing. Whoever

trulls

trufts in himself will be confounded. I never found an exception. I never knew one who trufted in his own firength that could keep this refolution for a twelvemonth.

2. I advise you, Secondly, Cry to the ftrong for ftrength. Call upon Him that hath all power in heaven and earth. And believe that He will anfwer the prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips. As you cannot have too little confidence in yourself, so you cannot have too much in Him. Then fet out in faith and surely his ftrength shall be made perfect in your weakness.

3. I advise you, Thirdly, Add to your Faith, Prudence: ufe the most rational means to attain your purpose. Particularly begin at the right end, otherwife you will lofe your labour. If you desire to rife early, fleep early: fecure this point at all events. In fpite of the most dear and agreeable companions, in fpite of their moft earneft folicitations, in fpite of entreaties, railleries or reproaches, rigorously keep your hour. Rife up precisely at your time, and retire without ceremony. Keep your hour, notwithstanding the most preffing business: lay all things by till the morning. Be it ever fo great a cross, ever fo great felf-denial, keep your hour, or all is over.

4. I advise you, Fourthly, Be fteady. Keep your hour of Rifing, without intermiffion. Do not rife two mornings, and lie in bed the third; but what you do once, do always. "But my head aches." Do not regard that. It will foon be over. But I am uncommonly drowfy; my eyes are quite heavy." Then you must not parly; otherwise it is a loft case: but flart up at once. And if your drowsiness does not go off, lie down for awhile, an hour or two after. But let nothing make a breach upon this Rule, Rife and dress yourself at your hour.

5. Perhaps you will fay, "The advice is good; but it comes too late: I have made a breach already. I did rife conftantly, and for a feafon, nothing hindered me. But I gave way by little and little, and I have now left it off for at VOL. V. confiderable

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