The Remedy against this neglect is, To be throughly convinced of the absolute necessity of constant watchfulness, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, as a castle is kept from scaling, an house from robbing, or a Jewel from defacing, so the Critics; and all these are kept constantly, one hours negligence would hazard any of them *— And then with all diligence, Heb. with all keeping, or as some, above all keeping. The eye we watch from harm all the day, the vitals we defend and guard with constant care; we know that a touch there is mortal; but above all keeping keep the soul: Be persuaded, that watchfulness is as necessary as prayer; you think, without prayer you shall go to hell, and I aver, that without watchfulness you cannot go to heaven. Mans life in this sense is a continued Ordinance. Hos. 12.6. wait on thy God continually; not only at thy prayers, but at thy plough; while on your knees you are waiting on God, and when you rise from your knees, you are going to wait on him in your calling, and an unbecoming thought is displeasing to him every where; he is sensible ⟨p. 109⟩of an affront in the kitchen as well as in the parlour, and hates vanity all the day long. 1 Pet. 4.7. Be sober, and watch unto prayer. Sober and watch, as if they that do not watch are mad. To watch unto prayer is duty, as well as to watch in it. He that watches not to duties, doth not do his duty: a wise Christian should have always something in store for God; work and look at God, eat, and drink, and talk, and still look at God, and at the soul*. This is to walk with God all the day long. As the careful Be must needs leave her hive, and fly abroad, but she dwells no where else, she lights on this •lower, and then on that, exhausts their sweetness, deflowers them, and gets away; she never rests till she return to her hive, there she rests and enjoys her self. So an holy heart must needs out into the world, and business must be done, but he rests at nothing, till he return to the enjoyment of God again, no flower gives him content, no business, no company satisfies, but he retires to God, looks at him, and is lightened, and steps out again. This, Sirs, this is the Religion of Religion. *I know it's hard, but it's possible, the ice is broken for you, and the way is trodden. ⟨p. 110⟩Act. 24.16. Herein do I exercise my self, to have always a conscience void of offence.
The Remedy against this neglect is, To be throughly convinc'd of the absolute necessity of constant watchfulness, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, as a castle is kept from scaling, an house from robbing, or a Jewel from defacing, so the Criticks; and all these are kept constantly, one hours negligence would hazard any of them *— And then with all diligence, Heb. with all keeping, or as some, above all keeping. The eye we watch from harm all the day, the vitals we defend and guard with constant care; we know that a touch there is mortal; but above all keeping keep the soul: Be perswaded, that watchfulness is as necessary as prayer; you think, without prayer you shall go to hell, and I aver, that without watchfulness you cannot go to heaven. Mans life in this sense is a continued Ordinance. Hos. 12.6. wait on thy God continually; not only at thy prayers, but at thy plough; while on your knees you are waiting on God, and when you rise from your knees, you are going to wait on him in your calling, and an unbecoming thought is displeasing to him every where; he is sensible ⟨p. 109⟩of an affront in the kitchen as well as in the parlour, and hates vanity all the day long. 1 Pet. 4.7. Be sober, and watch unto prayer. Sober and watch, as if they that do not watch are mad. To watch unto prayer is duty, as well as to watch in it. He that watches not to duties, doth not do his duty: a wise Christian should have always something in store for God; work and look at God, eat, and drink, and talk, and still look at God, and at the soul*. This is to w•lk with God all the day long. As the careful Bee must needs leave her hive, and fly abroad, but she dwells no where else, she lights on this •lower, and then on that, exhausts their sweetness, deflowers them, and gets away; she never rests till she return to her hive, there she rests and enjoys her self. So an holy heart must needs out into the world, and business must be done, but he rests at nothing, till he return to the enjoyment of God again, no flower gives him content, no business, no company satisfies, but he retires to God, looks at him, and is lightned, and steps out again. This, Sirs, this is the Religion of Religion. *
- *Let us imagine a City not only begirt with a strait siege of blood-thirsty enemies, but also within infested with lurking Commotioners, how much would it stand that City upon to stand upon its guard, &c. M. Bolton's discourse of true Happiness, p. 146.Let us imagine a City not only begirt with a strait siege of bloud-thirsty enemies, but also within infested with lurking Commotioners, how much would it stand that City upon to stand upon its guard, &c. M. Bolton's discourse of true Happiness, p. 146.
- *You see the Angels sent about God's messages to th•s earth, yet never out of their heaven, never without the vision of their Maker; and so should you strive when you are up and down in your business, yet be within sight of God. D. Hall's Contemp.
- *Its a thousand times easier to keep the floodgates shut, than to drain the lower grounds when they are overflown. Idem.Its a thousand times easier to keep the floudgates shut, than to drain the lower grounds when they are overflown. Idem.
