CHAP. XII. — The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)

1. HAVING in the foregoing chapters shewn the necessity of a devout spirit, in every part of our common life, in the discharge of all our business, 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, that 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 _labourer_, or a _tradesman_, or a _servant_, or has business that wants him.

*We naturally conceive some abhorrence of a man that is in _bed_, when he should be at his _labour_, or in his _shop_. We can’t tell how to think any thing 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_, 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 chuses the lazy indulgence of sleep, than to perform his proper worldly business, how much more is he to be reproached, that had rather lie folded up in a bed, than be raising up his heart to God in acts of praise and adoration.

2. 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, and the highest imitation of the blessed inhabitants of heaven.

When our hearts are full of God, sending up holy desires to the throne of grace, we are then in our highest state, we are upon the utmost height of human greatness; we are not before _kings_ and _princes_, but in the presence of the _Lord_ of all the world, and can be no higher till death is swallowed up in glory.

On the other hand, _sleep_ is the _poorest_, _dullest_ refreshment of the body; that is so far from being intended as an _enjoyment_, that we are forced to receive it either in a state of _insensibility_, or in the folly of _dreams_.

*_Sleep_, is such a _dull_, _stupid_ state of existence, than even amongst _mere animals_, we despise them most which are most drowsy. He therefore that chuses to enlarge the slothful indolence of sleep, rather than be early at his devotions to God; chuses the dullest refreshment of the body, before the highest, noblest enjoyment of the soul; he chuses that state, which is a reproach to _mere animals_, rather than that exercise, which is the glory of _angels_.

3. *Besides, he that cannot deny himself this drowsy indulgence, but must pass away good part of the morning in it, is no more prepared for prayer when he is up, than he is prepared for _fasting_, or any other _self-denial_. He may, indeed, more easily read over a _form_ of prayer, than he can perform those duties; but he is no more disposed for the _true spirit_ of prayer, than he is disposed for _fasting_. For sleep, thus indulged, gives a _softness_ and _idleness_ to all our tempers, and makes us unable to relish any thing, but what suits with an _idle state_ of mind, and gratifies our natural tempers, as sleep does. So that a person that is a slave to this idleness, is in the same temper when he is up; and tho’ he is not asleep, yet he is under the effects of it: and every thing that is _idle_, _indulgent_, or _sensual_, pleases him for the same reason that sleep pleases him: on the other hand, every thing that requires _care_, _trouble_, or _self-denial_, is hateful to him for the same reason that he hates to rise.

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

Now, he that turns sleep into an _idle indulgence_, does as much to corrupt his soul, to make it a slave to bodily appetites, as he that turns the necessity 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_ gluttony and intemperance; but yet his course of indulgence, tho’ 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.