we have refused the cleare counsel and pure comforts of the Holy-Ghost in the day of his gracious visitation what strong delusions and strange declinings to the right hand or the left since we have forsaken the guide of our spirits 3. Watch your spiritual enemies they watch us Luk. 4.13 as Satan did Christ when the Tempter is gone and his temptation seemes to be quite over he does but watch another season and therefore we must watch in season and out of season As Nehemiah and the people of God with him did with Sanballat and the enemies of God Neh. 4.7.8.9 they prayed and set a watch day and night the enemie was very wroth and they were very watchfull a sword in one hand when at work with the other So should we at this day watch at the Lords work Watch and Pray watch and heare watch and speak c 'T is very seasonable that counsell of the mightie Counsellour Take heed no man deceive you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ deceive many Oh how much are we concerned in that blessed caution upon whom the ends of the World are come Math. 24.4 5 11 24 25. How affectionate and importunate was Paul the aged and experienced in warning the people night and day and that with teares to beware of such as should seeke to withdraw them from the Gospel of Christ Do not spiritual dangers multiply upon us every day whiles we are under a Spirit of slumbring securitie from our soul-enemies and that on every side Oh what need of the whole Armour of God on the right hand and on the left what need of a diligent spiritual watch over our heads and hearts words and wayes teachings and hearings Oh gather up your spiritual forces every day and call in auxiliaries from Heaven and follow the Captain of your salvation Watching and Praying as the armour-bearer did Jonathan climbing upon heads and feet contend eamestly for the faith which was once given to the Saints and as you 're fighting the good fight of faith be ever looking up to Jesus 1 Pet. 1.5 and you shall be kept as in a Garrison so the word imports by his power through faith unto salvation 4. Watch over and for one another for good in an evil time 't is very seasonable to be knocking at one anothers doores and jogging at each others elbowes in the Spirit of meeknesse to keep as many awake as you can in this slumbring time through the good hand of God upon you and surely they whose hearts are awakened in such a day as this by the Lords speaking from heaven to them cannot keep silence but must be speaking to their brethren in the name of the Lord saying awake awake As our hearts should dwell much upon awakening meditations so our mouths should be filled with awakening salutations and exhortations when we meet with the servants of Christ as it was with the lively Christians in the primitive times saying behold he comes like a thief and The Judge standeth at the door and the like When so many watch one anothers haltings let us watch to be helpers of one anothers faith and joy by provoking one another to Watching and Prayer when many fellow-servants are smiting one another with words of violence and verulency let us smite one another with words of truth soberness and the deeper they pierce the heart in the Spirit of Love the better could we hit one another o' th heart-vein 't would be a mercy Oh that the righteous would thus smite one another with gracious words of reproof to restore one another and all in much mutual soul-love what a kindness would this be Such precious oyntments would not break the head but mollifie and meeken the heart Such wounds would be welcome from the hand of a friend Alas we complain every where of the Saints slumbring wandring and wantonnesse 't were better we turned our complaints inward and left them upon our selves that we do not stir up one another to Watching and Prayer we do but bear one another as burthens upon our spirits when we should beare one anothers burthens and help at a dead lift as with one shoulder we see poore Christians in a dead sleep on every hand and we lie dying by them but who calls upon them to be watchfull and strengthen the things that are readie to die Rev. 3.2 How many have our eyes beheld lying as a man asleep upon the top of a Mast and floods of temptation under them too prov 7.23.34 readie to swallow them up but how few have we laboured to awaken to this day 2 Sam. 16.17 may we not reflect upon our selves in the words of Absalom to Hushai Is this our kindnesse to our friends Is this nothing to you all ye that passe by do you not take notice how many foolish Virgins lie slum-bring and languishing upon beds of sensualitie and securitie and the house readie to be set on fire over their heads and do you take no care to awaken them would it not pitty your very heart to see the flames seize upon them while they are asleep How long has the keeper of Israel watched over them and kept them as the apple of his eye notwithstanding all their slumbrings and wandrings and does he not expect think you that you should be your brethrens keeper for his sake and cry unto them in all haste to prepare to meet him least he withdraw the wing of his protection from them and leave them naked if you see your brethren sleeping starving dying and shut up the bowels of your compassions from them in such a case how dwels the love of God in you And if you say 't is not in mans power to awaken anothers heart who cannot awaken his own can a man raise the dead T is true the low voyce of a weak man can never make those hearts heare which can sleep under the loud thundrings of Heaven why but can you weep over them as the Jewes did over Lazarus in his grave yea can feelingly sigh over them saying Can these drie bones live Who shall roul away the stone and open their graves why he that is the resurrection and the life can awaken them out of the deepest sleep and quicken them with a word of his mouth If Jesus will but groan in Spirit with you and say awake arise come forth the dead shall heare his voyce and live You cannot lift up their sleepie hearts no alas they are too heavie for you but cannot you lift up a prayer for them If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death he shall ask 1 Ioh. 5.16 and he shall give him life what high encouragement is here to praying-souls to lift up their voice on high for such as are sinning and sleeping in sin almost to death oh then if the Spirit of prayer were raised again from the dead as one may say what blessed
As iron sharpneth iron so doth the face of a man his friend Watchful servants will be calling off the slumbring ones from beds of security they will be whetting up the dull and lazie spirits of others who have a good edge upon their own Amongst sluggish Christians 't is a thousand to one you 'l grow sleepy too for company Sluggards will infect one another with the sleepy Evill they 'l lay a Cushion for you to sit dovvn by them and take your fill of this false rest There 's no spiritual noyse amongst them nor heavenly nevves no heart-awakening words All 's either finfull silence or smooth words hushing one another asleep with their soft language Livelesse Christians are like dying coals which deadden one another till there be never a coal to warm at Oh then if thou wouldst have a Watchfull spirit in this slumbring age look after communion in spirit with the most quick and lively-spirited Saints heavenly sparks that are ever flying upward as to their proper Region they will be warm avvakening enlivening company being well heated by the fire of the Spirit for luke-warm drowsie livelesse Christians 5. Be ever setting on work avvakening Graces by the assistance of the Spirit of Grace Stir up the Graces of Christ that are most stirring 2 Tim. 1.6 and they 'l stir up thee quicken thee and set thee on fire as sparks blown up c As 1. Lively Faith This is the new Creatures eye quicker then the Eagles excellent at Watching 'T is the spiritual mans Secr and the overseer of his watchings and workings If this active grace be at work it will keep the heart awake the Watch cannot fall down whilest Faith is up It 's a very busie grace which will keep us from sleeping if it sleep not Faith will be daily improving avvakening Providences quickening ordinances melting mercies searching tryals It will be ever taking in awakening considerations of the majestie of the Creatour the mutabilitie of the Creature of Mortalitie Eternitie c It will be presenting awakening manifestations of the unconceiveable love of God the incomparable lovelinesse of Christ the admirable beauty of holinesse the unspeakable blessednesse of Heaven It will be looking out at the eye to see the King in his beauty listning at care to heare that voyce which his companions heare waiting at heart to welcome his Spirit there Faith is all life full of Spirit a quick Spring which will set all on motion 'T will set the whole man on work and actuate every habit of grace Its operations are full of efficacie and varietie upward inward outward it has a large sphere of activitie Oh could we live the life of Faith at a higher rate how lively should we be how watchfull 2. Warme Love It 's all heart and heat there 's a flame in it which will enliven and awaken the most drowsie and heavie heart There 's much life in love much action in this affection it 's activitie will keepe thee from securitie Love is good at watching it will sit up long for the Beloved It cannot rest till he rest in his love upon it Zeph. 3.17 it would not sleepe with its good will till it may lie in his bosom Psa 127.2 and there it may rest safely and sweetly when he gives his Beloved sleep Love will wait and watch long endure much hard duty is easie to it as Jacob's service for Rachel Love lyes with eyes and heart open too as loath to shut out Christ at either It will wait long and longingly for a look of his eye a kisse from his mouth the breathings of his love An heart toucht with Christs love cannot rest as the needle touched with the Loadstone but when and where it should Love has a single eye and will watch well 't is clear and quick as the Doves it will spie out its Beloved Cant. 4.9 and pierce his heart Oh could we but love much we should watch much and wait to meet our Beloved at every turn Cant. 7.12 in his garden in his banqueting-house in his vineyards to give up our loves to him Earnest love will be early and late at work and watch for Jesus Christ 3. Holy Fear It will keep strict watch and strong guard for fear of surprisall It is a wary and watchful grace and cannot endure to be taken at unawares It 's ever attended with a godly jealousie which will marvellously prevent carnal security Indeed they that have not this fear of God before their eyes and upon their hearts they 'l cloze their eyes stop their ears harden their hearts and grow carelesse and secure as the men of Laish even till fearfulnesse and trembling come upon them and they of all others are in greatest danger of the fear and the snare who fear least the deepest fear-lesse security will bring on the heaviest fearful calamity Oh then let all the servants of the Lord watch over their own hearts lest they forsake the fear of the Almighty and he leave them to a common carelesse fearlesse spirit and they be insensibly overtaken with spiritual security Isa 8.12 13. Oh Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself let him be your fear let him be your dread that you may neither fear their fear nor be afraid And indeed the more full thine heart is possessed with a filial reverential fear of that glorious and fearful Name The Lord thy God Deut. 28.58 the lesse wilt thou be disquieted with false heart-tormenting Feares and Cares Blessed is he that feareth alwayes he will be alwayes upon his Watch to the preventing of much sin and sorrow slumbring and wandring sensuality and security 4. Heavenly Joy 'T is very enlivening and heart-awakening Like that of the best wine Cant. 7.9 which goes down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak Where the spirit can rejoyce comfortably in the Lord there his work will go on merrily his Watch will be kept chearfully such a soul can sing in the wayes of the Lord and upon his watch even at midnight as Paul and Silas Act. 16.25 Whereas an heavy heart drives heavily in all its watchings and workings Job's soon out of heart and cryes What a wearinesse and Why should I wait on the Lord any longer Every Command is grievous to one that is grieved in spirit and every word and work though easie seems a burthen to one that is a burthen to himself Now Spiritual Joy is like aqua coelestis it will recover a languishing swooning spirit This refined wine drunk out of the cup of salvation is full of quickening spirits and will make a Christian hearty spiritfull and watchful They that suck and are satisfied with the breasts of consolation as they are cast into a sweet and sound sleep in the arms of Christ so they will cast off sinful sluggish security 6. Let Watching and Prayer go hand in hand and they will lend an helping hand to one another they are
lively lovely companions joyned together by Christs own hand and would be linked together as with a chain of gold in every Christians heart Watching and prayer are mutually helpful and successeful First Watchfulnesse helps to lift up and keep up Prayer as Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses Exod. 17.12 1. It helps us to opportunities of Prayer A slumbring spirit loses many seasons of Prayer sleeps out sweet breathing-times of supplication Where there is deep spiritual sleep there 's deep silence a dumb spirit is there The Sluggard is folding his hands to rest when he should be lifting up his heart with his hands unto God in the Heavens If we watch not Satan will make a prey of our praying-times the World will be stealing away our time and hearts too Our praying times are precious times our enemies envy them and of all times will be interposing when we are any thing disposed this way they 'l lose no time to make us lose our best times and if they can but take us off the duty of the day they get the day Now a watchfull Spirit will keep time with God in whose hands all our time is who ever sayes Nay It thinks much to lose one meeting with him he must not be put off what ever is put by Vigilancie helps much as to constancie and frequencie in prayer an awakened heart will cry with David morning evening and at noon It will prevent the dawning of the Morning and the Night watches such a Soul only can continue in prayer Psal 55.17 Psa 119.147.148 and pray continually that is continually upon its Watch. Besides as watchfulnesse helps to find out time for prayer so to chuse out the fittest when we are most at leasure for Heaven in the best posture for prayer As Jesus Christ was much at fasting and prayer and best at it so he watched seasons and secrecie for prayer Mark 1.25 Hee 's early at it and solitarie And as he counsels us to pray daily so he cautions us to pray duly solemnly and secretly Math. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which seeth in secret c We should have nothing else to doe when we have to do with God in prayer T is work enough alone and he loves to have us much alone at this work A man that is wise for his Soul will watch a finding time in all his seekings and speak most to the Lord when ther 's most hopes he will be spoke with Psal 32.6 and he shall speed best Now a sleepie heart is for any time or no time 'T is apt to put God off with the least and last when it's Spirit 's low strength spent affections earthly when all out of frame no help at it no heart to it no time for it He neither looks for Gods Spirit in prayer nor at his own And thus the Lord of all must be served with anything or nothing by a sloathful servant whereas a vigilant soul watches Golden-Gospel-seasons when it may offer up incense in Golden censers When the heart 's ful as the Clouds then to be pouring it out when 't is as a bottle of new Wine wanting vent then to speak that it may be refreshed as Elihu did when the Spirit moves Job 32.18 19 20. when the heart is fixed when the affections are warme when most retired and inward These are the heavenly breatheing times with the awakened Virgins for this holy exercise These are the living lively Saints dayes for pure Spiritual recreation these are their extraordinary times on earth upon which they pray down more then ordinary blessings from Heaven 2. Watchfullnesse helps us to Importunitie in prayer A watchfull Soul is good at holding out with Gods sits up with him for him It will not keepe silence while God is silent It can take no rest and will give the Lord no rest till he heare in Heaven and speak to its heart Take an awakened heart upon deep conviction and how mightily will it cry unto the Lord saying Awake awake heare me speedily and How long Lord 'T is in great haste now Psa 40.1 Hebr. for an answer from Heaven and the more haste the better speed in this sense Now it cannot but wait in waiting pray with a prayer Jam. 5.14.17 Gr. cry all the day While its watch is up its soul is lift up that God would rejoyce the soul of his servant Psa 86.3.4 It s hard at work within at this heart-duty Now a slumbring spirit has soon done shortest prayers are sweetest to it It cares not for awakening the Lord lest he should awaken it It would be let alone and therefore 't will let him alone it likes well to give the Lord rest and it self too A sleepy heart cannot lift up the hands that hang down Heb. 12.12 and the feeble knees 'T is the awakened Soul which stretcheth forth the hand towards God whose eyes fail with looking up that wrastles with him as for life Jacob-like and will not let him go without a blessing Now importunity does much with God in prayer Luk. 18.1.7.8.82 Gr. Will not God avenge his Elect that cry unto him day and night I tell you sayes Christ who knevv his Fathers heart coming from his bosome he will Speedily assoon as may be Fervent prayer though long at it loses no time life and length in this duty will carry it at last It will not be put off not away till it has got an alms it has got the skill on 't and will not leave knocking till the door be opened It will have its will of God as one may say because it would have nothing but what God will What a great word was that from Christ to great faith and fervency in prayer Be it unto thee as thou wilt Mat. 15 28. Gr. Shee could wish no more and she must have no lesse 3. Watchfullness helps to idoneitie in prayer Awakened hearts are readiest to cry to the Lord and to heare him speak ' Its an instrument in tune to pray with such an heart God himself has prepared for himself and he will cause his eare to heare and prepare of his goodnesse for it too A Christian upon his spirituall watch may say My heart is readie O God my heart is readie Psa 10.17 'T is an excellent frame of spirit for any spiritual duty at any time A slumbring Spirit is most unfit for holy strivings and struglings with God none more indisposed to this stirring duty or lesse affected at it When the heart is asleep prayer is but a dream 'T is phansie works then not faith there 's onely a sound of words no sound words All 's but as sounding brasse or as a tinkling Cymball it makes no musick in Gods eare All 's to seeke in such a heart faith desires hope c it 's ever at a losse
upon him to keep him with them as the Keeper of their heads and hearts for ever 3. Prayer helps a Christian to Watch as it brings him in to commune with God who is glorious in holinesse fearful in praises doing wonders When a poor silly sinful Wretch comes to present himself before the Holy One who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity How will the serious thoughts of the transcendent majesty and resplendent purity of Jehovah awaken him Will not his excellency make him afraid Job 13.11 and his dread fall upon him When Abraham drew near to commune with the Lord what awakened posture does he appear in Gen. 18 27. Behold sayes he I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but dust and ashes Oh let not the Lord be angry c. When a Child of God finds in his heart to plead with his Father in Heaven he first pleades with himself in these or the like words Mic. 6.6 Wherewithall shall I appear before the Lord or bow my self to the mighty God of Jacob Awake O my soul awake and offer not the dead the lame and the sick in sacrifice to the living God Hee 's a great King Mal. 1.14 and his Name is dreadfull And as a gracious spirit communes with its own heart before it commune with him that tryes the heart so the Lord communes with it in and after prayer now the voyce of the Lord is a glorious voyce which shakes the Cedars and will it not then shake a bruised reed and make it tremble at his Word A broken heart that can speak its mind freely and feelingly to the Lord and hears him speaking home to his heart must needs be effectually awakened such heavenly entercourse maintained by a spirit of prayer will keep up a Christians spirit in a watchful frame till it go up to God that gave it 4. Prayer helps exceedingly at this heart-watch as it is marvellously heart-affecting In fervent prayer how does the softned heart melt in godly sorrow as snow before the Sun or wax by the fire mourning over the Lord and after him how does the thirsting soul pant and breathe and break with longings after the living God as a thirsty land how are the affections carried up towards heaven in a pure flame of Divine life and love ascending as pillars of perfumed smoke And will not such unconceiveable Soul-stirrings strugglings as these awaken the heart Sure there is a mighty spirit of activity goes forth in this Saints-exercise when performed in the power of the holy Spirit which will prevent heart-benumming security when a man of God wrastles with the Allmighty in his might as a Gyant refreshed with Wine what heart-raising and rowsing work must there needs be think ye 'T is too busie a time this to sleep in when an immortal soul is working as for life with the ever-living God about the things of Eternity A double ground in the Text why we should double our duty in Watching and Praying First Because we are exposed to temptation if we do not Watch and Pray For 1. We provoke the Lord to tempt us while we tempt him by neglect of these Gospel-Duties of his own appointment as 1. To lead us into temptation when we will not follow the leading and guidance of his Holy Spirit and Word 'T is that which Jesus Christ in tendernesse to our weak wandring spirits would have daily upon our hearts in prayer to beseech our Father not to lead us into temptation 'T is true as the Spirit of truth testifies that God cannot be tempted to evill neither tempteth he any man He is infinitely holy and righteous and cannot tempt any to sin and unrighteousnesse He is the chief good and cannot lead any into any evil temptation or temptation to evil And he is unchangeably and eternally holy and cannot possibly be tempted to unholinesse the just Lord will can do nothing that is unjust no iniquity Yet the Lord may be said in his own sense to lead us into temptation for himself hath said it As 1. By way of Probation When he tryes us like gold i' th fire as he did Job When he leads us into the Wildernesse to prove us as he did Israel of old when we fall into the hands of God as David and his Servants did Jam. 1.2 And though we are to account it all joy when we fall into manifold temptations for as the temptations and sufferings of Christ abound in us 2 Cor. 1.5 so our consolations also will abound by Christ 't is his peculiar method with which his secret ones are well acquainted to bring good out of evill and sweet out of bitter yet it is upon the account of his sympathy with us in sufferings and sanctifying them to us by keeping up the spirituall exercise of watching and prayer while we are exercised therewith otherwise as afflictions are never joyous in themselves so they will be ever grievous to those who have grieved the Holy Spirit by laying aside their spiritual watchfulnesse and prayer Those sufferings must needes befull of vexation and perplexitie which find us under presumption and securitie for First what bitternesse will it be to the soul when awakened in a day of adversity that it slept and slumbred out it's dayes of prosperitie that which was then a bed of ease to the flesh will be now a bed of thorns to the Spirit There cannot chuse but be much heart-aking under heart-awakening tryals to all slumbring Virgins and that is the pain of all paines the sharpest sting in sufferings sad thoughts of sinfull slumbrings will break ones sleep false rests will fearfully disquiet us when we find them out or they us in the day of calamity Affliction will be a root of bitternesse bearing gall and wormwood at such a time oh what an heavie burthen has the carelesse neglect of watching and praying been to some slumbring Christians in our dayes who have lived at ease in Zion while she has been in pain travelling to be delivered How have they mourned like Doves and chattered as a Crane or Swallow for want of that Spirit of grace and supplication which they had so long restrained and so much extinguished under a spirituall Lethargie how have their hearts been ready to dye within them like Nabals for want of life in and love to those holy duties wherein sometimes they had been lively and full of affection How will the hearts of all the slumbring Virgins smite them one day when distresse shall come upon them as sorrow upon a woman in travell will they not then weep out their sleepy eyes and sigh out their sluggish spirits crying Ah we fools that had a price in our hands and no hearts to use it We have lost many a good day trifling out choyce breathing times in the sight of the Sun and now the night is come upon us and we cannot work Alas alas for those daies of the Son of
hopes would there be of a spiritual resurrection to many poor hearts that are even dead and buried in the grave of securitie Secondly double your duty of Prayer Pray Pray 1. For a plentifull and powerful effusion of the Holy Spirit to counsel comfort our foolish fainting Spirit in this hour of temptation T is sad to behold since we have caused the good Spirit to withdraw his gracious influences how the glory is departed in a great measure from Churches ordinances communions c in most places may we not sadly sigh out that heart-breaking word Ichabob and say Where is the glory how many choyse Gardens of the Saints are withered since the Lord has withheld the spiritual dewes of Heaven How thin and lean is Jacob become and waxen pale since a famine of the Spirit has been amongst us How spiritlesse faithlesse heartlesse fruitlesse lovelesse are most Christians grown since we have slumbred and sinn'd away the spirit of faith life love power c How is the Gold become dimme the fine Gold changed now he that has the seven Spirits is turned aside from the Golden Candlesticks Oh it is high time then to begge as for life that the Spirit would come down as floods upon the drie ground that the Churches may be as watred Gardens and the Saints may grow up as willowes by the water courses oh let all the awakened Servants of Christ cry as with one heart and mouth Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon the Gardens that the spices thereof may flow out that our beloved may come into his Garden and eate his pleasant fruits oh when when shall a precious box of oyntments be broken over us to fill our hearts with its savour Oh when will the spirit come down amongst us as a refiners fire or fullers sope Mal. 3.3 4. to purifie us as Gold and Silver that we may offer up pure offerings of righteousnesse which may be pleasant to the Lord as in the dayes of old Oh that we could wait in the Spirit as old Simeon did for the consolation of Israel for that power from on high that so strengthens weak hearts hands that the feeble may be as David for such an anointing with fresh oyle as may cause us to move swiftly and sweetly after Jesus Christ And we have many precious cords of love let down to pull at for this gracious Gospel-promise Joh. 14. 15 16 As the special promise of the Father of mercies to send the comforter oft repeated for our better assurance and he is faithfull that hath promised he will not deny his people long nor alwaies for he cannot deny himself And the effectual prayer of our Lord Jesus who never prayes amisse but is heard alwaies of his Father This was that sweetest myrrhe which dropt from the lips of Christ as he was ascending up to Heaven his greatest last Testament-promise of a double portion of his Spirit Now is it so much upon the Lords heart to bestow this peculiar blessing and should it not be much upon our heart to aske it especially being that glorious ministration which is to continue for the support supply and solace of the Saints till the appearance of Jesus Christ without which no outward administration can be effectuall 2. Oh Pray Psa 2.6.8 Pray that Jehovah would set his King upon his holy hill of Zion that the Heathen may be his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth his possession that the government may be upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 who is clothed with a vesture dipt in blood Rev. 19.13.16.14 and hath on his thigh a Name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords that all things may be opened and shut by the Key of David Isa 2.11 17. The Lord is arising to shake terribly the Earth the loftinesse of man must be bowed down and the haughtinesse of men made low that the Lord alone may be exalted in his day Oh that the Sun of righteousnesse were at this height once there would be a glorious Sun-shine day indeed The God of heaven and earth has promised Heb. 12 26 27 28. he will once more shake heaven and earth to bring in that Kingdom that cannot be shaken and the things that shall remain and Heaven and Earth shall passe away rather then one tittle of his good promise shall fall to the ground The Fathers heart is all upon his beloved Son in whom his Soul delighteth to exalt Him highly Phil. 2.9 give Him a Name above every Name And shall not the hearts of his Children go in with him and work strongly that way It was for their sakes he humbled himself so low even to the death of the Crosse Oh how should their hearts break with longings that he may be extolled and be very high crowned with majesty and glory Why then let all the Lords Remembrancers make mention of this good thing promised Jer. 33.14 of which he loves to be put in remembrance before him night and day that Jesus Christ may take to himself his great power and reign On when shall the sounding of the seventh Angel be heard as the great voyces in Heaven all the world over saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 and he shall reign for ever and ever Cant. 3.10 Oh that King Solomon would send his Chariot that is paved with love for the Sonnes and Daughters of Zion that they may enter with joy and gladnesse into the Kings Palace how would their spirits revive within them and they would say It is enough 3. Improve the Spirit of grace to the utmost for the chaining up the unclean spirit Oh try what power you have with the Father of Lights to set his power on work to shake the powers of darknesse If Fervent Prayer lift up by the hand of faith bind Gods hand and put him to say Let me alone will it not overcome him to bind up Satan and to bruise him under the feet of his Saints shortly The Devill is come down with great wrath because he knoweth he hath but a short time He followes his Kingdom with greatest violence towards its period hee 's hot upon 't throwing with fury his fiery darts round about The Adder's poyson is boyling up to the height This enemy is comming upon us like a flood Oh 't is high time to set upon the gates of Heaven with an humble and holy violence knocking day and night till the holy Spirit come down with prayer and lift up a Standard against him The old Serpent has now above 5000. years experience upon his back hee 's now master indeed of his black Art Oh what multifariety and Variety in his methods what Subtletie and secrecy in his snares how destructive and obstructive are his devices and depths Oh when will the Angel come down from Heaven with that great chain and lay
A VVarning-Piece FOR THE Slumbring Virgins OR AN ALARM TO THE Friends of the Bridegroom IN Some Awakening Meditations upon Christ's own Watch-word Matth. 26.41 Watch and Pray that ye enter not into temptation c. By Geo Scortreth Preacher of the Gospel in Lincoln Revel 16.15 Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that Watcheth keepeth his garments lest he walk naked c. London Printed for Thomas Brewster at the Three Bibles in Paul's Church-yard near the West End 1657. To the Friends and followers of the Lamb. Beloved in our Lord I Had not thought to have printed any of my poor Labours in the Lord though i'has been much upon my heart they might be imprinted upon the hearts of the hearers by the Spirit of the living God But some late impulses have been upon my spirit since infirmities have grown upon me to leave a few Words with the servants of Christ before I leave them looking up to him to leave his blessing with them and that upon these and the like Considerations 1. The strange Slumbrings of so many backsliding Christians at this day have somewhat awakened my drowsie spirit and my eye hath affected my heart to see so many sleepy eyes and heavy hearts so that I am not at rest till I have eased my own soul in warning them openly as in weeping for them in secret 2. The Lord hath been following me with awakening dispensations morning by morning awakening my ear to receive instruction and while he hath shaken his rod of Fatherly Correction over me a deep Conviction hath fallen from Heaven upon me that it is the work of the day in its day for the Watchmen to cry aloud saying Awake Awake 3. I have some sweet perswasions through mercy that whiles I am at the Lords work stirring up others to watch and pray I shall find him at work within stirring me up to take hold of him and giving in some awakening heart-reflexions upon these Meditations of Watchfulnesse and my heart tells me the Watchmen of all others would be well awakened and ever upon their Watch at such a day as this 4. Pity to slumbring Saints who hear not the sounding of their own bowels to make them pity themselves hath moved me to knock at their doors and ask them how they do at heart They little think alas now their hearts are asleep of the sorrowes that are coming upon the men and women that are at ease in Zion as sorrow upon a woman in travell 5. The love of Christ constrains me to call upon his sloathfull Servants to arise and fall to their Masters work who hath most to do i' th last dayes and would not be left alone at it many heads hands and hearts busie together would make light work 't would go merrily on and not so heavily as now it does whiles so many heads and hearts are heavy with sleep 6. The stirring Appetites of some hungry craving ones indeared to me in the bonds of the Gospel who are daily waiting with longing for one cluster of grapes or other from the Celestial Canaan have made me the more willing to presse this one grape for their sakes happily they may find a little sweetnesse in it though none else should as taking and tasting it with a good will from his hand whose heart is towards them And if any of these should unhappily be overtaken with that dead sleep of midnight-security which hath surprized so many at this day who knowes but the importunities of one that is their friend may prevail with them to rise and open the door of their hearts when the Bridegroom himself shall knock who is their best and dearest Friend i' th World These being the wheels which have set this Watch on motion you may not expect any Eye or Ear-affecting curiosity but heart-awakening Gospel Simplicity the entising words of mans wisdome have lull'd many asleep and ' tmust be plainnesse of speech in the demonstration of the Spirit that must awaken them I have most to do in this Work with Wisdomes Children who have learnt to become fooles that they may be wise and had rather hear one word spoken to the understanding then a thousand words in an unknown tongue The corporal weaknesses and spiritual wants of one groaning under an heap of infirmities will make a sufficient Apology for all wants and weaknesses as to matter or method 'T is broken meat this for broken hearts who will be gathering up a few Crums here and there and if it be well digested within 't will be the lesse matter though it be so indigested without I am very sensible 't is sowen in great weaknesse alas how can so poor a nothing Creature do otherwise yet I am not out of heart or hopes through grace but it may rise up in power to the raising up of some that are asleep in sin and the rowsing up of others that are under a sinful slumber by the power of the Spirit which is his hearts design and desire who would willingly bespeak your heart-remembrances while he takes the humble boldnesse to be one of your weak though willing Remembrancers in the Name of the Lord that he may be accounted worthy to be found a Watchful Servant of Christ Jesus our Lord and Your faithful Servant for Jesus sake G. S. From my Chamber in little Queenstreet Lond. M. 7. 1656. To my welbeloved Friends endeared to me in the love and bonds of the Gospel at Lincoln or elsewhere Dear Friends BEing laid aside by the hand of my righteous Father as to the publique work of the Ministry amongst you you have been much upon my heart in my private Meditations to stirre you up and put you in remembrance to wait upon our Lord and for him who will meet those with rejoycing Isa 64.5 that remember him in his wayes The openings of your hearts to me in much affection and compassion as many of your eyes witnessed at our parting not knowing whether we should see the faces of one another any more and as your affectionate remembrances of me while absent and under present bodily pressures do sufficiently testifie have much bespoke my heart on your behalf to leave this Watch-word with you if I should now take my Rest and sleep in Jesus And if the Father of mercies should graciously raise me up by his strength to spend and be spent amongst you 't would be a sweet mercy to find you in a waiting watching posture 'T will be the more seasonable to knock where they are awakened and to strike while the iron 's hot The Word of Life will be most welcome to quickned spirits That you may read these following awakening Meditations with open eyes and hearts let me present you with a few preparatory hints to an awakened posture happily your sight may be a little cleared by this foretaste as Jonathans was upon his tasting a little honey from the end of his rod if you look up for eye-salve from Heaven
while you are looking on them And first by way of Counsel 1. Hearken as with both Ears to the glad-tydings of the Gospel you 'l find that good reports from Jesus Christ under Evangelical dispensations will exceedingly affect and effectually awaken your hearts The sweetness of the bunch of grapes upon that staffe of beauty feelingly tasted will set you a longing after the choice fruits of the heavenly Canaan and hungry souls will not easily sleep over their spiritual food 2. Walk up to light received in the love and power of it you 'l find it a good thing indeed to behold the pure heart-quickening beams of the Sun of Righteousnesse It 's Soul-taking too 'T will follow you as you follow it Then shall you know Hos 6.3 if you follow on to know the Lord his goings forth will be prepared as the morning shining upon you and within you and causing your path to shine more and more to the perfect day And you will find this Sun-shine marvellously clearing and quickening the eyes of your understanding 3. Knock oft at your own doors you may be bold at home and ask every day How all does within what strength of faith what warmth of love what growth in grace c. much Soul-searching will very much prevent Soul-slumbring Communing with Conscience will keep it awake and it will cry loud in your ears to keep you awake 4. Stir up one another and that with importunity to stir up the grace of Christ that is in you to do good to all c. and all the good you can and to do what you find in your hands to do for God with all your might and that while you have opportunity Eccles 9.10 for there 's no work i' th grave whither we are going 'T will be one of the best deeds of pure charity at this day to visit crazy sickly soules that lie languishing and slumbring under spiritual Consumptions in the Name of the Lord and to propound heart-searching Questions to quicken them instead of heart separating Queries which have deaden'd them And sure it would be a very seasonable work in this hour of temptation amongst Christian friends at distance to take up that Primitive practice of the blessed Servants and Martyrs of Jesus by quickening up one anothers spirits with heart-awakening Letters I cannot but commend this labour of Love to such as are present with one another in spirit and love when absent in body as that which some in our dayes have found a sweet blessing in even as in that cluster mentioned Isa 65.8.5 Give all diligence in the frequent and fervent performance of all Gospel-duties with a Gospel-spirit setting grace on work in all by the supply of the Spirit and if you find your hearts ready to follow the Lord fully in all the work he has cut up for you you 'l find work enough ready at your hands and hearts to keep you awake 6. Cast up your spiritual accounts every day with an eye to that great Day when every one must give an account of himself to the Judge of quick and dead oft Soul-reckonings will rowse up your spirits much to wait for the Bridegroom with loyns girt and lamps burning Matth. 25.6 as if you heard the cry at midnight Secondly by way of Caution 1. Take heed of an heavy Ear under the Sound of the Gospel lest your ears should tingle for it another day The Seers eyes must needs weep in secret for you if they behold you sleeping openly under the Lords all-seeing eye 'T will sadden the hearts of weak Christians to see you heavy-hearted under that Gospel of grace by which they and you have been often awakened and carnal hearts will be the more apt to slight that spirituall food which they see you sleep over 2. Take heed of resting in a form of godlinesse without power of taking up with the letter without the Spirit or being contented with a Name to live without that new Name and a new heart and life you may lie dead at the letter till you die but the Spirit will quicken you and put life into your spirit you may easily slumber under the form of an outward profession but the constant exercise of the power of godlinesse will effectually awaken you 3. Dally not with any beloved lust nor be dandled upon any Dalilahs lap least you fall asleep upon 't and be betrayed if your hearts go after any strange lovers you must needs lose your first love to your first husband and be left heartlesse and spiritlesse if you indulge any right eye or right hand how dark will the right eye be and how dead the right hand of your inward man you must watch over your own iniquity yea over every sin so as ever you would be found watchfull at Gods Word or chearful in his way Sensuality in any kind will breed spiritual security at first and bring perplexity of spirit at last Sin 's calm must needs end in a sad storm 4. Take heed of self-seeking and seeking great things to your selves A selfish spirit will be sluggish in spirituals if you once begin to take your fill of creature-comforts you 'l have no stomack to the things of Christ but even sleep at his breast The love of the world will eat out your love to God his Word his work his people c. If you be all upon 't rising early to eat the bread of sorrows Psal 127.2 you 'l lose that sweet sleep he gives his beloved and be cast into a false slumber feeding your selves with foolish fancies saying Soul take thine ease where little ease is to be found when the heart is drunk with the strong wine of the Worlds cup or drown'd in the sweet waters of its own Cistern 't will certainly fall into a dead sleep and Christians overloaden with thick clay we see with sorrow how heavily they drive 5. Take heed of slighting any holy duties and of a slight frame of spirit in them 'T is a slighting of God himself who will lightly esteem such and leave them to their own slothful spirits A sluggish indisposition will ever attend sinfull omissions and such as dare be bold in the omiting of good are in danger to become base and vile in the committing of evill if your hearts backslide in secret from humble communion with God in his holy wayes he will turn his back upon you and leave you to eat the fruit of your own wayes and then alas how weak will your hearts be in and to any thing that 's good how wofully evill 6. Take heed of grieving the good Spirit of God lest he go away sadly and leà ve you to the heavinesse of your own spirits Oh if you quench the heavenly sparks of his holy motions the fire of your love and zeal will quickly be going out and you 'l grow cold at heart Oh do not do not tempt the Holy Ghost no not for a world lest he withdraw his light
They that had seen his glory in the Mount when his Countenance shined as the Sun c must now see him under a Cloude his glory vailed they beheld him in his Triumph and must see him in his trouble 'T is Christs familiar way to be before-hand with his suffering Servants to give them some hearty draughts of the Cup of consolation before he put into their hands the Cup of trembling And 't is a sweet heart-taking method well-becoming our tender-hearted Physitian who loves to be preventing his poore ones with tender mercies so preparing them for sufferings for him by declareing his lovelinesse and love to them In the 40th verse Vers 38 Christ finds his Disciples asleep when he had newly called upon them to watch so apt are we to sleep under awakning teachings when he was heavie and sorrowfull even to the death how heavie were their eyes how heartlesse they at such a time even as dead men they cannot watch with him or for him Vers 40. when his enemies were watching to take him Ah poore helplesse Spirit-lesse friends to him who had so befriended them His own disciples have least care to watch when greatest cause to watch now was their time if ever to watch when he so awakened and now they let their watchfall What not watch with me one houre Is it come to this no better Souldiers under so good a Captain what deale so ill with mee who have dealt so well with you Yea not watch with me one houre who have watched so long over you for good And now the houre is come too If not for mee yet for your selves for when the Shepherd is smitten the Sheep will be scattered But no warning will keepe them awake when the heart 's asleepe he comes once and againe yea the third time and finds them sleeping thus the sleepie evill growes upon us we are usually most secure when least safe and heaviest with sleep under heaviest awakning providences In the Text we have Christs faithfull watch-word or friendly alarme to his slumbring Disciples where observe 1. A double duty commanded 2. A double reason commended 1. A double duty commanded watch and pray an excellent present remedie against spirituall security A word in season an happie conjunction a blessed paire joyned together by Christ himself let no man put them asunder watching without prayer will be helplesse and prayer without watching will be heartlesse but both together heartfull and helpfull Prayer without watching will never awaken us and watching without prayer will never awaken the Lord to watch over us for good but both togeather will bring in many awakening quickning and comforting visits betwixt God and our Souls watching in prayer makes it a good watch and prayer in watching makes all things work for good 2. A double reason commended Lest ye enter into temptation The Spirit indeed c. 1. Ye are exposed to temptation 2. Ye are indisposed to opposition 1. Yee are exposed to temptation if you do not watch and pray you tempt the Lord to lead you into temptation and leave you there you tempt the tempter to tempt you if you do not watch and pray he 'l watch to make a prey of you And you tempt your selves you lie neerest to and fairest for temptations when you are farthest from watchfull supplication 1. You close with temptations you are in the mid'st of them before you be aware if you watch not to shut the doore against them you open the doore to them there will be temptations upon you within and without and you will be within them while you lie sleepie and prayerlesse upon a bed of ease you even lay a Cushion for Satan to lie down by you you enter into temptation and temptations will enter into you 2. Temptations will enclose you you 'l not know how to get out when once in you are in danger to be lost i' th croud you may be easily ensnared but not so easily enlarged 't is hard getting out of the Devills labyrinth 2. Ye are indisposed to opposition the flesh is weak and your temptations strong here observe 1. Christs candid concession the Spirit c. 2. His cleare conviction the flesh c. 1. His Concession the Spirit is willing your heart is good though your hand be short there 's sinceritie in you though you want abilitie Christ cannot find in his heart to break the bruised reed the broken heart he owns their willingnesse with a good will though much weaknesse in them 't may do one good at heart to see how his heart was upon their hearts when their heads were heavie how sweetly his Spirit sympathizeth with their Spirits 't is like himself the Spirit is willing saith he 2. His Conviction the flesh is weak Christ is willing to overlook their infirmities but will have them look upon them they must not indulge themselves for his indulgencie towards them Here 's Counsel implyed to take care of their Spirits that they may be quickned cherished and strengthened by his Spirit who helps to will and do of his good pleasure that to will may be present with them and to perform too And here 's Caution intimated to take heed to the flesh to keep them humble and sensible of their weaknesse that he might perfect his strength in weaknesse I shall summe up all under this one word and 't is Christs own Watch Oh that he would own it and follow it home to our hearts by his Spirits that we may own it for his sake Obs 'T is an Evangelical Duty to Watch. This is wisdoms own Counsel and must be her Childrens care The Captain of our salvation gives this word to his Souldiers to awaken them to work out their salvation c Now Souldiers upon pain of death must be at a word of command The watchfull Shepherd of Souls calls upon his sheep to watch and his voyce they most heare How oft is this hammer lift up to knock at the everlasting doors of our hearts even by the King of glory himself Ten times at the least we have this word expressed by the Evangelists from Christs own Mouth How apt are we to sleep on both eares that he must cry so hard and call so oft upon us saying Watch watch watch c how hardly are we awakened what a dead sleep is upon us that there must be such crying jogging knocking c How dangerous is carnal security that Christ should so importunately warn us and affectionatly watch over us as to this spiritual duty of watching there must needs be much in it when hee 's so much upon it and sure watching well will tend greatly to our best welfare and happinesse seeing our good Lord and Master makes it so much our businesse But what is this Gospel duty of Watching First in general 't is a busie work much goes to the doing of it in a Gospel way This one work well understood will find us all work enough The word is
over every thought of thy heart every word of thy tongue c Oh say oft within thy self in the goings out and comings in Whither shall I goe from thy presence c The keeper of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleepes looks upon thee in all thy slumbrings with a broad eye thou art never out of his sight sleeping or waking hee never looks off of thee How soundly was Jacob rowsed out of sleep upon the apprehension of Gods dreadfull presence Gen. 18.16 17. He awaked out of sleep and said The Lord is in this place and I knew it not c Had I been aware of him I had been awake Serious thoughts of approaching glory will put one beside their sleep and startle one to purpose Jer. 5.21.22 Heare yee not mee saith the Lord and will you not tremble at my presence Why then 't is because you have eyes and see not eares and heare not holy tremblings will prevent heavie slumbrings Oh that our drowsie Spirits were continually over-awed with the deep meditations of the omniscience and omnipresence of the Father of Spirits how effectually would they be awakened out of carnall and formal securitie The eyes of Gods glory looking full upon us will keep open the eyes of our heads and hearts too visions of God will cleare up our spiritual sight and quicken it Well his eyes are alwaies upon ours and his heart goes along with ours what need have we of Watchfull eyes and hearts 2. Wait for the glorious ministration of the Spirit under every outward administration This charge is given to the seven Churches Rev. 2.3 by him which had the seven Spirits of God walking in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks when he would earnestly provoke them to watchfullnesse threatning to come upon them as a thief if they did not watch Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches This blessed Counsel is recommended seven times in two Chapters to adde the greater weight to it and to make deeper impression Oh set that stone with seven eyes before thine eyes to awaken them and spirit them Zech. 3.9 All the workings of the eternal Spirit upon our spirits are awakening when ever the word comes with life in the power of the Spirit it will raise us out of spiritual slumbers Indeed a lower or lesse dispensation will not doe it Oh how dead we lie at prayer hearing reading c till the Spirit of life breathe upon us we are little moved when the Spirit moves not All 's but as Elisha's staffe upon the Child there was neither voyce nor hearing 2 Kings 4.31 but if the holy Spirit stretch himself upon us his eyes upon ours as it were then our eyes will be opened How easie a thing is it to lie sleeping and slumbring in and under any Forme where there is no power how dead we lie by the letter and it by us without the Spirit Ezek. 1.37.1.2 Oh how heartlesse and Spiritlesse are most professors at this day as the very dry bones in the open valley resting and rusting in outward forms not feeling inward povver and there they may rest till they rot and lie till they die if the Spirit do not breathe upon them as upon those dry bones How many of Christs witnesses are spiritually dead taking up in the letter without life and in this unsuitable uncomfortable posture will they lie languishing under spirituall Lethargies and Consumptions till the spirit of life from God enter into them That blessed resurrection of the spirits of the Saints out of the grave of formality and security which is more to be desired a thousand times then their raising up in power and glory it 'h world without a plentiful effusion and powerfull operation of the holy Spirit may not be expected cannot be effected If the Spirit of judgment and burning fall upon their hearts it will fire them out of formalitie and startle them out of securitie when he shall come down with a sound from Heaven as with a mighty rushing wind upon the sluggish Spirits of the Slumbring Virgins how will they be awakened to astonishment as the Apostles were when the Holy Ghost rested as fire upon them c 3. Be diligent frequent and fervent in spiritual Exercises if you would keep up your spirituall Watch. Constant conscientious discharge of duty will be a special remedy against customary formality and carnall security pure Religion is no idle Trade 't will find us work enough can we but find in our hearts to fall to it and that full of variety and excellency to keep us awake and at work all our dayes 'T is not for want of work that any stand idle in the Lords vineyard but for want of will to it 'T is a very busie time with Jesus Christ his heart is upon his work and 't is so with his waiting-servants too for his work is upon their hearts and they that are lazie and sleepy-headed now are like the Sluggard that sleeps in harvest finding least to do where there is most work And they are slothfull servants above all other who are most sleepie when they should do the most and best service How busie will the Devil be with such drousie ones and hardest at work with them while they are at easie work to cast them into a dead sleep His work goes on where ours ceases how much Work have we found Satan in these dayes by neglecting Gods work Since we have left our first Work we have left our first Watch and we find it now vvork more then enough to keep our souls awake Omission of spirituall duties hath brought upon us an habitual indisposition to duties that we find no heart to them feel little heart or heat in them Since Christians have ungirt their loyns and ceased from spirituall motions and actions their vessels are empty their lamps going out and themselves laid down to sleep How dull and heavy are their spirituall senses grown for want of holy exercises how listlesse and livelesse are their Spirits Oh then 't is high time that all the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ should fall afresh upon their Masters work with double diligence to redeem that time which stole away while they slept and can never be recalled And indeed Christians of all the men i' th world should not lose time who have the best and most imployment Oh then out of hand take up that old thriving trade of the practice of Piety in all Gospel-duties from a pure principle as ever these would be found vvatching at the coming of their Lord. 4. Converse much with lively Saints who are much upon their Spiritual Watch their company will be very awakening who are well avvakened They will be knocking at the door of thy heart feeling thy spiritual pulse and asking thee if all be well within they cannot but be jogging at thy elbow if thou keep thy hands in thy bosome and lie slumbring with folded arms
All 's dead in a manner here there 's no breathing almost Oh what a distempered distracted spirit in prayer where no watch is kept what aversions from it what diversions in it How will the heart wander up and down and give us the slip if not watched What strange withdrawings misgivings of spirit when we draw nigh to give up our hearts to the Lord what a croud of confused thoughts in a sleepie heart weak and low graces are soon lost in it 'T is such a thorow-fare for Sctans suggestions that Christ has little or no room there Now a watchfull Spirit will be sure to shut the door against all these that Christ may have all to himself the heart must be kept as a closet for him and the Soul to meet in 4. In point of Receptivitie watchfullnesse puts a Soul into a capacitie to take in much from God by prayer as to be much at it and to do much in it so to get much by it God will be ever giving to that Soul that gives it self unto prayer A man that is all prayer to allude to the expression in the original whose heart is all upon it Psa 109 4. Heb. as Davids must needs be a getting growing man hee drives so thriving a trade thoroughly Now there 's none better at it then awakened hearts and so none fitter to wait 1. For supply and support in prayer Spiritual supplications cannot be carryed on but by the supply of the Spirit of Jesus-Christ which Paul reckoned so comfortably on Phil. 1.19 these sweet spices will not flow without the breathings of the holy Ghost It 's well known to an awakened Soul that we cannot think a good thought of our selves 'T is onely Gods good Spirit that can teach us to indite good matter Psa 45.1 Hebr. his quicknings make our Spirits as a living Spring to buble up and boyle over in fervent prayer Isa 6.6 when he touches the lips with a living coale as one of the Seraphims did the Prophet Isaiah then our tongues will be like the pens of a readie writer Rom. 8.26 Gr. An experienced Christian when awake feeles at his heart he cannot help up himself in prayer and therefore he waites for the Spirit to help his infirmities he knows not how to turn his hand or heart to the work without an helping hand from Heaven at every turn and therefore he waits and weeps for the Spirit to help him out with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered and though he have no strength of his own yet he has power with God having power from God 2. For successe and satisfaction after Prayer He that watches unto prayer and in it will wait for the return of prayer day after day as Noah did for the Dove till it returned with an Olive leaf in its mouth when he has sowen in tears he waits for the precious fruits of a spiritual harvest till he reap in joy he looks long and longingly after his prayers and tears with an open eye and heart hee 's ever and anon hearkening what the Lord will say after all his speaking to him and pleading with him by a spirit of supplication he must hear and feel at his heart that God hears in heaven when he has done praying his faith is as busie with God at his promises as the Bee at flowers and will not have done till prayer comes home laden with honey Thus poor beggars that have the skill of waiting in prayer and after it get a good living by it 't is a good stock that brings in great store of new and old Now a slothfull spirit has no heart at all to look after his prayers that had no heart in them they die in the birth and are still-born how can he expect God should hear those prayers which he scarce hears himself They make no noyse in heaven and there can be no good newes of them on earth they 'l find Gods ear heavy who find their hearts so whereas a watchfull heart may reckon much of the incoms of prayers and shall have a good account of them one day Secondly Prayer helps to keep up our Watch it cannot fall down while Prayer is up with faith and fervency 1. It helps up a Christians Watch and keeps it up as it brings in the Keeper of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps to help us to watch The prayer of faith crys loud in his ears and awakens him to a waken us it followes him as for life to quicken up our spirits to this spirituall Watch It has power with God and fetches power from him to strengthen weak hands and feeble knees Isa 40.31 in this holy duty Prayer upon the wings of faith will fetch down Eagles wings in a promise to mount up with in this high and heavenly exercise of waiting on the Lord and watching for him Watching is hard work and long duty and alas we are soon tyred out in any thing of spiritual duty especially if any thing of difficulty in it we are ready at every turn to lie down to rest Now lively prayer stirres up the Lord to stirre us up It will set him awork at our hearts and his heart-workings are heartawakenings while we are knocking at the gates of Heaven and jogging as it were of Christs elbow by stirring and strong cryes his spirit will be knocking at the door of our hearts and jogging our spirits to keep them awake Let a poor heart but cry in the Ears of the Lord and it shall hear a voyce from heaven behind it yea within it saying Arise my Love and come away c. 2. Prayer helps in watching Psal 121. as it engages the Lord to watch over our watchings without whom all our watchings would be in vain he keeps a strict watch over his waiting servants day and night for he neither slumbers nor sleeps Alas we cannot keep our souls alive nor our heart awake but prayer takes the Lord into the Watch-tower with us and he sets a guard upon our hearts a watch before our lips c. Hee 's a tower of salvation to his people and keeps them as in a garrison by his own power 1 Pet. 1.5 while they are upon his Watch and at his Work The Watch must needs be safely and sweetly kept where Jesus Christ is Captain of the Guard we should be certainly surprized even upon our spiritual Watch by those spiritual wickednesses in high places who are too high and too many for us Were we not set upon the Rock that is higher then we Psal 61.2 that is higher then they the Rock Christ we should be taken as naked men even at our arms did not the Captain of our Salvation watch with us and over us now Christs waiting-servants are ever calling him in by the prayer of Faith to keep up their Watch for them by watching over them 1 Sam. 28.2 Achish to David their effectual prayers lay strong hands
Man Job 29.2 3. Oh that it were with us as in the moneths of old when the candle of the Lord shined upon our heads c. What slothful servants have we been hiding our Masters Talents in a napkin when we should have ministred one to another 1 Pet. 4.10 as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God And now the rust of them witnesses against us as the worldlings gold and silver We have shut our ears and hearts against the Lord and his good Word and now the Word of the Lord is against us We have slighted the sweet counsell and comforts of the holy Spirit and now we feel its sharp Convictions We would not hear the checks of Conscience and now we must hear its chidings Oh the sting and the smart of a self-condemning Conseience when it is once awakened out of self-pleasing and self-easing security by the scourging rod of the Almighty Secondly what Aversenesse and frowardnesse will fill thy Spirit in sad houres who hast sinfully slipt and slept out so many good ones When thou feelest thy sufferings weightie and thy shoulders weake thy pressures great and thy patience small thy body languishing thy soul fainting thy faith failing How will thy Spirit be distempered thy peace disturbed thy heart will be readie to fret against the Lord Pro. 14.3 thou 'l be angrie as Jonah even to the death to see death looking thee in the face when thou last looked for it and the evill day neerest when thou puts it farthest from thee And now thy slumbrings and wandrings will be set in order before thee and thou hast neither set thy house or heart in order before the Lord and now the Judge standeth at the door to call thee to an account and thou hast not made up thy reckonings for many a day thy time misspent thy stock spent thy experiences lost thy evidence to seek Oh how discontented will thy disappointed heart be at such a day Thou hast long neglected the ruling of thy own spirit and now 't will be too unruly for thee as a wild bull in a net how apt wilt thou be to kick against the pricks Ephraim-like as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke An heart not watcht over will be much out of frame for doing well much more for suffering When the weight of affliction falls upon a lazy lame spirit what haltings will be discovered and uneaven carriage under the rod 2. By way of Permission As the Lord may be said to lead us into temptation by way of Probation when he takes us into his own hand so by way of Concession when he takes off his own hand and suffers Satan to put forth his hand against us 'T is true the evil one is alwaies limited by the Holy One that he cannot do his worst or else he would play the devil indeed he 's under Divine restraint and in a prison as it were when most at liberty this strong man armed is reserved in chains by a stronger then he Yet his heart is set upon the servants of God Job 1.8 Hebr. as 't was upon Job with as much ill will as it can hold though through mercy he cannot have his will on them The roaring Lyon gapes with open mouth to swallow them up How earnestly did he desire to sift the Disciples of Christ Luk. 22.31 Gr. he was greedy of such a prey as this and if the Lord did not put an hook in the nostrils of this Leviathan what a piercing Serpent would he be How ready was the evil spirit to offer his service Isa 27.1 to be a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets he would fain be deceiving 1 King 22.22 that he might be destroying Now if we neglect our spiritual Watch we grieve the Spirit and tempt him to leave us to the temptations of the evil spirit who will be ever grieving and vexing our spirits and doing us all the mischief he can and 't is much he can do with Gods leave if the Lord take away the hedge this wild Boor will be in upon us and root up all 2. We tempt the Lord to tempt us when we give over watching and praying by leaving us in temptation as by leading us into it and that 's a very Sad Case As 1. By withdrawing himself and his holy Spirit from us when we are under tryals And this must needs be a dark time when God covers us with a cloud in his anger and covers himself as with a cloud too What a terrible Eclipse will that be when the light of his Countenance is withheld in a day of darknesse and gloominesse This indeed is the burthen of all afflictions and lyes heaviest upon honest hearts This is plain to see in the severall perplexed cases and distressed conditions of Job Job 13.21 Psa 88.14 Psa 13.1 30.7 Heman David c. under variety of afflictions and temptations The hiding of Gods face was the forest trouble the saddest tryal this struck deepest into their hearts and made their faces gather palenesse how were their spirits drunk up with the terrours of the Almighty Now 't is most righteous with the Lord to leave us in a day of adversity when we leave him in dayes of prosperity to leave us at a losse in our straits when we leave and lose him in liberty He will withdraw from us when evill drawes near if we have withdrawn and wandred from him when he drew near to do us good He will turn his back upon them in times of calamity who have given him the back and not the face in times of tranquillity 2. Psa 81.11 12. By delivering us up to our selves and our own spirits When Gods people would have none of Him He gave them up to their own hearts lusts they would not own the Lord and be his servants and he leaves them to be slaves to their own lusts lording it over them Ah when a people grow weary of God have done with him as to Watching in prayer and let him alone coming seldom at him hee 'l be a stranger to them and leave them alone as he did Ephraim Hee 's joyned to Idols Hos 4.17 18. let him alone sayes God he will not joyn himself to the Lord and the Lord will have nothing to do with him but leave him to himself and to his Idols and now all goes ill with poor Ephraim his drink is sowr or is gone as in the Hebrew all is gone when God is gone and he commits whoredome continually all sowres on his hands and in his heart too Ah when we slight the Lord and slumber in his sight he will let us slip out of his hands and then as a bowl falling out of the hand down a steep hill we follow the Byasse of our own corrupt hearts and run headlong without stop or stay Hell-ward 'T is not to say How fearfully and shamefully the best of men will leave the Lord and lose
not deny thee When Christ trusts him with himself and his own strength but for a little season how fowly he shews his weaknesse and shames himself and very sinfully offends him more then they all by being so shamefully offended because of him denying before them all that he knew his Master upon the word of a damsel that said Thou wast with Jesus And the Holy Ghost sets a brand of Cowardize upon this self-confiding Champion leaving this upon record to all Ages to shake and shame all the Lords people out of themselves that when another Maid said This fellow was with Jesus he denyed with an oath Ver. 71. I know not the man Would any of the Disciples have ever believed such a thing as this of Peter or he of himself that a cursed oath should have ever been found within his blessed lips and that to deny his Lord and Master with those lips that had so oft blessed him that he should so desperately disown him with his mouth whom he owned honoured and loved so dearly at his heart Oh how have the mighty fallen how have the mighty fallen when they have been left to themselves and have fallen into their own hands Such remarkable examples as these taken into our serious consideration may happily if the Lord strike in with them awaken some sleepy hearts from a presumptuous self-full security to a religious watchfull jealousie that they who think they stand may take heed lest they fall as certainly they shall though they seem to be pillars as Peter did if they stand upon their own leggs and not upon his that are as Pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine gold Cant. 5.15 Upon this double Account that they are so exposed to Temptation and so indisposed to Opposition who do no Watch and Pray Let me call for double diligence in the Name of the Lord to this double Duty First Double your Watch Oh watch watch 1. Over your own Hearts Jer. 17.9 for they are most deceitfull and the Deceiver lyes most at catch there the subtle Serpent he knowes where our guile lyes which he would willingly make use of to beguile us with 'T is his Commission onely to bruise the heel Gen. 3.15 but 't is his covetous ambition to break into the heart How he watches day and night works without wearinesse and windes about every way to surprize this Royall Fort of the King of Glory if he carry that he commands all and will lead us captive at his will if he can but get his head into our hearts and keep his hand upon this great wheel he has his hearts desire and will turn all about with it Oh therefore lay to heart that blessed Counsell of our great heart-keeper Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart above all keeping so the Hebrew has it for out of it are the issues of life 'T is matter of life and death this 'T is as much as thy life is worth to watch the heart well and not to watch it is death The Devill knowes if there be any good treasure within thee it is laid up in thine heart and he would fain have the key of this Cabbinet to rob thee of thy Jewels If he can but corrupt this fountain all the streams will be filthy out of it will proceed the worst of Evils when it becomes the worst part which should be the best The Father of spirits doubles his Charge upon our spirits The Lord God of Israel saith Take heed to your spirit Mal. 2.15 16. take heed to your spirit Here the unclean spirits muster up their Forces and therefore here must our main Guard be Watch but the heart so as to keep him out there and put the Devil out of heart hee 'l despair of you 2. Watch the good Spirit of God in all its motions impressions convictions allurings comfortings c. as ever you would escape the temptations and delusions of the evil spirit and therefore First Watch the good Spirit to welcome him make much of his sweet breathings ther 's much life and love in them If the Spirit come to Convince you saying as Nathan did to David Thou art the man say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Be ready to hear of that ear though he speak such things as make it tingle as you love the peace of your own spirits If he come as a Spirit of glory and power to subdue your iniquities to cut off your right hand c. with his two edged sword Oh say Let him go on and prosper till he have slain his thousands c and made all his enemies become his footstool If he come to coast as a Dove upon you to meeken and sweeten your Spirits Oh put forth your hands to take him in as Noah did the Dove with the Olive-leafe make both much of and set much by the good Spirit and Word of God and the evill Spirit will not be able to do you much hurt Oh prize the gracious manuductions of this faithfull guide at an high rate and be as glad of his heavenly conduct as the wise men were to see the starre that pointed out Christ to them Math. 2.10 they rejoyced with exceeding great joy Lie as even as you can under his celestial influences and sweet distillings of the precious dews of grace and peace Attend his glorious ministration all along let him have his whole will upon you and do his work wholly and fully within you say him not Nay in any thing he will work mightily within you and witnesse manifestly to you 2. Watch the workings and witnessings of the Holy Spirit so as you may not hinder him when he comes to help you nor grieve him when he comes to comfort you take heed of tempting him who only can help you against the Tempter oh shut not out his glorious light for all the glory of the World imprison not any of his precious truths for all the specious libertyes under the Sun resist not the stirring power of his grace upon you when hee 's shaking the powers of darknesse within you refuse not the free and familiar tenders of his heart-renewing and reviving love for thousands of Gold and Silver Lose not willingly one syllable of the secret whisperings of this messenger of peace lest he with draw his light love power and peace and leave you to the power of Satan and he lead you into Prison and keep you in darknesse Alas alas we have given the greatest occasion and advantage to spiritual wickednesse in high places to tempt vex disturb and divide us by tempting vexing and quenching the Holy Spirit as ever any in the World have done And are not now the shadowes of the evening upon us for slighting his goings forth as the morning How strangely have the lying Spirits deceived us since the Spirit of truth has been rejected and the truths of the Spirit What a thick black dark hour of temptation is come upon us since