The Practice of Piety

3 Remember, that as loathing of meat, and painfulness of speaking, are two Symptoms of a sick body: so irksomeness of praying when thou talkest with GOD, and carelessness in hearing, when GOD, by his Word, speaks unto thee: are two sure signs of a sick soul.

3 Remember, that as loathing of meate, and painefulnesse of speaking, are two Symptomes of a sicke body: so irkesomnesse of praying when thou talkest with GOD, and carelesnesse in hearing, when GOD, by his Word, speakes vnto thee: are two sure signes of a sicke soule.

4 Call to mind the zealous devotion of the Christians in the Primitive Church: who spent many whole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiveness ⟨p. 339⟩of their sins: and that they might be found ready at the coming of Christ. And how that David was not content to pray at morning, at evening, and at noon: ¹but he would also rise up at mid-night to pray unto GOD. ²And if CHRIST did chide his Disciples,³ because they would not watch with him one hour in praying; what chiding dost thou deserve, who thinkest it too long to continue in Prayer but one quarter of an hour? If thou hast spent divers hours in seeing a vain Mask or a Play; yea, whole days and nights in carding and dicing, to please thy flesh, be ashamed to think a Prayer of a quarter of an hour long, to be ⟨p. 340⟩too long an exercise for the service of GOD.

4 Call to minde the zealous deuotion of the Christians in the Primitiue Church: who spent many vvhole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiuenesse