Think not any business or haste, though never so great, a sufficient excuse to omit prayer in the morning: But meditate -- 1. That the greater thy business is, by so much the more need thou hast to pray for God's good speed and blessing upon it, seeing it is certain that nothing can prosper without his blessing. 2. That many a man, when he thought himself surest, has been soonest crossed; so mayest thou. 3. That many a man has gone out of his door, and never come in again: many a man who rose well and lively in the morning, has been seen a dead man ere night. [44] So may it befall thee: And if thou be so careful, before thou goest abroad, to eat and drink, to fence thy body from ill airs, how much more careful shouldst thou be to pray to preserve thy soul from evil temptations? 4. That the time spent in prayer never hinders, but furthers and prospers a man's journey and business. 5. That in going abroad into the world, thou goest into a forest full of unknown dangers, where thou shalt meet many briers to tear thy good name, many snares to trap thy life, and many hunters to devour thy soul; it is a field of pleasant grass, but full of poisonous serpents: adventure not, therefore, to go naked amongst these briers, till thou hast prayed Christ to clothe thee with his righteousness; nor to pass through these snares and ambushments, till thou hast prayed for God's providence to be thy guide; nor to walk barefoot through this snaky field, till having thy feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, thou hast prayed to have still the brazen serpent in the eyes of thy faith; that so if thou comest not home holier, thou mayest be sure not to return worse than when thou wentest out of thy door. Therefore, though thy haste be never so much, or thy business never so great, yet go not about it, nor out of thy doors, till thou hast at least used this or the like short prayer: -- Footnotes: [44] Quem dies vidit veniens superbum: hunc dies videt fugiens jacentem.--Senec. Nescis quid vesper serus vehat.--Varro. |
    |