Eighthly, I answer, That servants should rather redeem time from their sleep, their recreations, their daily meals, than neglect closet duty a day. And certainly those servants that (out of conscience towards God, and out of a due regard to the internal and eternal welfare of their own souls) shall every day redeem an hours time from their sleep, or sports, or feedings, to spend with God in secret, they shall find by experience, that the Lord will make a few hours sleep, sweeter and better than many hours sleep to them, and their outward sports shall be made up with inward delights, and for their common bread, God will feed them with that bread that came down from heaven. Sirs, was not Christ 1his Fathers servant? Isa. 4•. 1. (Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect (or choice one) in whom my soul delighteth! (or is well pleased) I have put my spirit upon him; he shall ⟨p. 183⟩bring forth judgement to the Gentiles) 2and did not he redeem time from his natural rest, rather than he would omit private prayer? Mark 1. 35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Christ spent the day in preaching, in healing the sick, in working of miracles; and rather than these noble works should shut out private prayer, he rises a great while before day, that he might have some time to wrestle with his Father in secret. So Luke 6. 12. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. O sirs, did Christ spend whole nights in private prayer, for the salvation of your souls; and will you think it much to redeem an hours time from your natural rest to seek and to serve him in a corner, and to make sure the things of your everlasting peace? The redeeming of time for private prayer, is the redeeming of a precious treasure, ⟨p. 184⟩which if once lost can never fully be recovered again. If riches should make themselves wings and fly away, they may return again, as they did to Job; or, if credit, and honour, and worldly greatness and renown should fly away, they may return again, as they did to Nebuchadnezzar; If success, and famous victories and conquests should make themselves wings and fly away, they may return again, as they did to many of the Roman Conquerors and others:
Eighthly, I answer, That servants should rather redeem time from their sleep, their recreations, their daily meals, than neglect closet duty a day. And certainly those servants that (out of conscience towards God, and out of a due regard to the internal and eternal welfare of their own souls) shall every day redeem an hours time from their sleep, or sports, or feedings, to spend with God in secret, they shall find by experience, that the Lord will make a few hours sleep, sweeter and better than many hours sleep to them, and their outward sports shall be made up with inward delights, and for their common bread, God will feed them with that bread that came down from heaven. Sirs, was not Christ 1his Fathers servant? Isa. 4•. 1. (Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect (or choice one) in whom my soul delighteth! (or is well pleased) I have put my spirit upon him; he shall ⟨p. 183⟩bring forth judgement to the Gentiles) 2and did not he redeem time from his natural rest, rather than he would omit private prayer? Mark 1. 35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Christ spent the day in preaching, in healing the sick, in working of miracles; and rather than these noble works should shut out private prayer, he rises a great while before day, that he might have some time to wrestle with his Father in secret. So Luke 6. 12. And it came to pass in those dayes, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. O sirs, did Christ spend whole nights in private prayer, for the salvation of your souls; and will you think it much to redeem an hours time from your natural rest to seek and to serve him in a corner, and to make sure the things of your everlasting peace? The redeeming of time for private prayer, is the redeeming of a precious treasure, ⟨p. 184⟩which if once lost can never fully be recovered again. If riches should make themselves wings and fly away, they may return again, as they did to Job; or, if credit, and honour, and worldly greatness and renown should fly away, they may return again, as they did to Nebuchadnezzar; If success, and famous victories and conquests should make themselves wings and fly away, they may return again, as they did to many of the Roman Conquerors and others:
- 1The Evangelist applies these words to Christ, Mat. 12. 15, 16, 17, 18.
- 2Christ is called Gods servant in regard of his humane nature, and in regard of his office of Mediatorship.
