Secondly, It was an early morning prayer, ' I prevented the dawn- ing of the morning, and cried.' I would not lay a burden upon anjr one's conscience ; so God have his due at any time of the day, it is enough. In colder climates, those of a weaker constitution may not be able to rise so soon, and therefore if any other time of the day be fittest for commerce, all circumstances considered, it cometh to the same issue. Yet that the morning is our golden time, and should not be neglected out of sluggishness, whatever dispensation there be for weakness, these considerations may evince.
1. The example of Christ and his saints. We read of our Lord Jesus Christ, Mark i. 35, ' That in the morning, rising a great while before day, he went out and prayed.' This example bindeth those to receive it that can receive it. If you would take the opportunity of the morning, it deserves to be considered by us how willing Christ was to deny his natural rest to be with God in private. And have not we more need ? And accordingly the saints have practised this : Ps. v. 3, ' My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, 0 Lord ; in the morning I will direct my prayer to thee, and look up.' Upon which Chrysostom saith, Before thou washest thy hands, wash thy soul by prayer. So again, Ps. lix. 1G, ' I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning.' So would David begin his day with praises of God and prayers to him. So 1 Sam. i. 19, ' And they rose up early, and worshipped before the Lord.' That was their first work, and they were betimes at it. So the primitive Christians had their hymnos antelucanos, they sung psalms to God and Christ in the morning early, as their persecutors informed against them. See Tertul. Apol. Euseb., &c. Now this is of some signifiance to Christians.
2. Because whenever we have strong affections to anything, we make it our morning work, be it good or bad. Good ; so Mary and Mary
VeR. 147.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 71
Magdalene came early to the sepulchre of Christ, Mat. xxviii. The disciples, when they came to wait for the promise of the Spirit, they met betimes, for the Holy Ghost fell upon them in the morning : Acts ii. 15, ' For these men are not drunk, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day/ which was about nine of the clock ; and some good time had been spent before, as appears by this speech that was uttered. So Hosea v. 16, 'In their afflictions they will seek me early.' This is their first and chiefest work : that which urgeth the heart most, we shall think of in the morning. The objects that have made deepest impression upon our spirits will present themselves before any images be received from abroad : Prov. vi. 22, ' Bind my law upon thy heart ; when thou walkest, it shall talk with thee,' &c. Abraham, when he went about the work of offering his son Isaac, he rose early in the morning, Gen. xxii. So, for bad things : if a man be worldly, his worldly desires and affections compel him to rise early for their satisfaction, Ps. cxxvii. 3, the drunkard is thinking early of his morn- ing draught, to be filled with wine! Isa. xv. 11, 'Woe to them that rise up early to follow strong drink.' The people, when they were mad upon the calf, Exod. xxxvi. 6, ' They rose up early in the morn- ing and offered burnt-offerings to it.' Whatsoever hath secured its interest in the soul will first urge us. So if prayer be our chief pleasure, it will urge us to be up betimes with God : our delights and affections solicit us in the morning.
3. It is the choicest time of the day, and therefore should be allotted to the most serious and necessary employment. It is the choicest time, partly with respect to the body, because the body is then best refreshed, and our vigour repaired, which is lessened and spent with the business of the day ; our memories quickest, senses readiest, natural faculties most acute. And partly with respect to the mind; our morning thoughts are our virgin thoughts, more pure, sublime, and defecate, usually free from worldly cares, which would distract us in prayer, and will more encroach upon us by our worldly business, and the baser objects which the necessity of our life engages us to converse with, and be employed about. Certainly the best time should be taken up about the best business ; not in recreations to be sure, for this is to knit plea- sure to pleasure, and to wear away the scythe in whetting, not in work- ing. They are brutish epicures that rise up from sleep, not to service, but to their sensual delights and vanities ; as the scripture brandeth them that eat in the morning, not for strength, but excess, Eccles. x. 16, 17. The morning is the fittest time for business. Now what business should we do but the most weighty, and that which requireth the greatest heedfulness of soul, which is our communion with God ?