Seven Treatises, Treatise 4 · Chapter 12
CHAP. 12. Of the declaration of the firſt dutie of awaking with God.
The fourth part of this treatiſe.AND of the firſt three parts of this treatiſe, thus much. Now for the better vnderſtanding of the nine laſt mentioned duties, and more cleare inſight into them, (eſpecially for the helpe of them, which cannot ſo eaſily gather ſo large a matter out of ſo few wordes) I will more fully open eueryevery branch thereof one after another. And whereas I teach Chriſtians in this place firſt, when they awake to be with God,VVe ſhould accuſtome our ſelues to good thoughts at our awaking with God. and to accuſtome their thoughts to be holy, I meane indeed ſo much: that ſo ſoone as they awake, they ſhould be taken vp about heauenly things, (for where their treaſure is, there ſhould alſo their hearts be) as to thinke of Gods kindneſſe and louelove towards them, and that they abide ſtill in his fauour, as at any time before: the remembrance whereof at our firſt breaking off our ſleepe, what can be like ſweet and comfortable? euen as a priſoner condemned but to temporall death, doth on the contrarie, at his awaking out of ſleepe, fall into moſt dreadfull thoughts and feare. They are alſo to thinke how they hauehave bene refreſhed by their reſt, and kept from the manifold dangers of the night, &c. by the which many hauehave miſcaried. And all theſe and ſuch like meditations ſhould ſalute them, when they firſt awake, to this end, to reuiue that foundneſſe of heart, wherwith they lay downe the night before (if they lay downe as became them:) and alſo that no roote of bitterneſſe breake out of them to ſtaine their actions at their firſt entring into the day: which were very like to be, if it ſhould not be preuented, and held out by ſome ſuch gracious thoughts.Three good fruites of holy awaking with God. Alſo by this meanes, they prouide well for the better keeping their liues in frame all the day after: without the which regard had, in purpoſe to performe it aſſoone and as well as they can, they are ſo ready to range and go aſtray one way or other, that although they did lye downe the night before in peace, and with quiet and meeke hearts; yet, the diuell (as we know it well) watching his oportunitie, they may eaſily be vnſetled; and ſo, runne into ſundrie euils, which cannot be auoided.
All which being conſidered, who doth not ſee, how great a meane this kind of awaking with God is, and how worthily it may be reckoned for one of our duties, to indeuour to take vp ſome time thus when ſleepe departeth? Neither let any obiect, that this is more then poore Chriſtians can attaine to (for all ſuch would faine attaine to that grace, if they were taught how, and directed) the Lord hauing framed and fitted them for it, euen by this, that he hath made them Chriſtians, and therewithall hath giuen them hearts, which are willing thereunto: but yet eueryevery man in his meaſure, and as he hath receiued of God, which giueth to no man nigardly, who ſeeketh heartily. And if this ſatisfie not ſome, who deſire to begin the day aright after their firſt perfit ſhaking off of ſleepe and awaking: let ſuch for their better direction, breake their minds to thoſe who through longer experience are better exerciſed in the wayes of the Lord then themſelues.
OnelyOnly this caueat and watch-word I giuegive, that if through barrenneſſe in good things thou art not able to ſet thine heart a worke (when ſleepe is gone from thee) to faſten vponupon ſomewhat that is profitable to thy ſoule,Vſe vvhat meanes may be, to giuegive to God the firſt thoughts. or to thy companion, if thou haſt any with thee: ariſe, if it be conuenient: if not, and that thou feeleſt thy heart to be caried vntounto prophaneneſſe, or to cauſe thy mouth to ſinne any way, checke thy ſelfe, rebuke thine heart, and ſo take occaſion, euen by thy euill, to do good: And remember him, who at his firſt awakings in the morning, did thus giuegive vntounto the Lord the firſt fruits of the day, as I hauehave taught thee to do; as in the Pſalme, where he ſaith: O Lord, Pſal. 5.3.4. & 119.147.thou wilt heare my voyce early in the morning. Early in the morning will I direct my words vntounto thee and will looke vp: and in the Prouerbes,Prou. 6.22. Wiſdome ſhall commune with thee when thou wakest, and guide thee when thou walkeſt.
The words of the Pſalme, although they be not to be vnderſtood only of the time of our firſt awaking, yet they include that time, as well as any other in the day: but that place of Salomon doth plainely ſhew, that it ought to be as vſuall and ordinary, to ſet our hearts on worke about ſome holy and heauenly things when we firſt awake, as it ſhould be, to looke to be guided by Gods word all the day through. And there is no doubt, but if this Scripture and ſuch like were beleeued, and well weighed, directly tending to this end, to teach Chriſtians to take vp their hearts in holy cogitations and heauenly deſires, before the diuell hath poyſoned them, and euilly imployed them: and further, if they would be willing to ſee this firſt letting looſe their hearts to ſundry ſinnes (as ieſting, vaine laughter, light and looſe talke, iarring, contention, depth of worldlineſſe, and ſuch like) to be one chiefe cauſe of an vnprofitable, yea an offenſiue life in the day afterwards; it ſhould be farre better with them then it is.
I meane, if they would thus do, they ſhould find much more eaſe in ſeruing of God, and fruite therein, and comfort thereby, both in the morning and all the day after: whereas I ſee with mine eyes, & heare it with mine eares, that many paſſe the day very vnbeſeeming Chriſtians, who hauehave long ſought the Lord (though only in a generall manner indeed:) and others ſee, that it is not with them ſo well as both it might and they themſelues know it ſhould be: who do perhaps ſome one time in the day now and then go to prayer, but otherwiſe they hauehave litle regard of many their actions: & yet their prayers which they make, are not, for the moſt part, powred out to God, till their heads and harts both are ſo filled and fraught with the world and other matters, that they hauehave made themſelues in a maner vnfit to pray.
And as for ſuch as ſay, they hauehave other matters to thinke on as ſoone as they be awake, and they cannot beſtow their time after that manner, it may pleaſe them to know, that as for the time (if their heart were ready and did know how to do this duty) it might very ſufficiently and well-nigh be performed in ſo much time (for a need) as the Lords prayer diſtinctly vttered might be ſayd ouer in. For in ſuch a ſpace might a Chriſtian lift vp his heart to God, and ſalute him with an holy remembring of his fatherly kindneſſe, and namely, for preſent preſeruation in ſoule and body, and confirme himſelfe in his former ſound-hartedneſſe: which, if he did no more, were a true and right awaking with God, and the onelyonly right way to thinke of other things as they ought.
Therefore with thine heart thus ſeaſoned (if it may be) addreſſe thy ſelfe to be ready to any duties which thou haſt to do, and be ſtrongly perſwaded and confident, that God, who loueth thee ſo dearly (as in thy prayer thou beleeuedſt, and in thy thankſgiuing thou didſt acknowledge) that he (I ſay) will be with thee, to guard thee from all aduerſary power of Sathan and his inſtruments,Ioh. 14.16. which might riſe vp againſt thee, and by the comfort of his holy ſpirit keepe thee from euill: for he which hath all power in his hand looketh downe from heauen, 2. Chro. 16.9.and beholdeth all the earth, to ſhew himſelfe ſtrong with them, which are of an vpright heart towards him: and therefore be incouraged thereby, with confidence to ſet vponupon any duty, and to withſtand any euill.
And further, remember that thou art armed by God with all furniture meet for the ſeruant of God, with faith to beleeue all Gods promiſes, with hope to be kept from fainting, with righteouſneſſe to performe all duty, with ſincerity to do it with a ſingle heart, with knowledge of the word of God to direct thee aright, and with the preparation of the Goſpell of peace to be ſhod againſt troubles and dangers in thy voyage to Gods kingdome. Remember all theſe, and that thou haſt not the right vſe of theſe, except thou beeſt ſetled againſt the diſcouragements, which might ſtand vp in thy way. And therefore be chearfull and of good courage, although there are many things which may, one time or other, put thee to trouble; and many occaſions of vnquietneſſe and vnſetledneſſe may ariſe, which alſo would otherwiſe vndoubtedly ſoreſhake thee. Thus before thou goeſt about any thing, it is requiſite for thee to renew thy faith, that thou mayeſt reſt freſhly on God for his protection throughout the day, and waite to ſee it ſo, and obſerue that thou mayſt be guided by him, and make thy heart mery in him: conſidering, that he is more to thee then all the world beſide. And this for the declaration, and further laying open of this firſt duty, as with any conuenience it may be done, to teach vsus, how to awake with God.