The works of George Swinnock, M.A

How frequent is Christ in his Precepts to this duty? as knowing fully the weight and concernment of it; Watch ye therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh. Watch and Pray, lest ye enter into temptation. What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch. And he is as frequent in his promises to it, Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh shall find watching; Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments; and if he shall come in the second or third watch, and find him so, blessed is he, Luk. 12. 37, 38, 43. Surely, Blessedness is worthy our waking; Bliss is worth keeping our eyes open a few days for. Apollonius, held in his time for an Oracle, coming early in the morning to Vespasians gate,¹ and finding him (then a private person) up and at study, he said to his Companion, This man is worthy to reign and command an Empire, which afterwards came to pass; He that watcheth with Christ the short hour of this life, shall be counted worthy to reign with him in his Kingdom for ever. Zion, which is frequently put for the Church of God, signifieth a Watch-Tower, because from that hill, a man might see the Holy Land, and all ⟨p. 745⟩the Countries thereabout, but the spiritual signification of it may be this; that all the members of Gods Church must be like Soldiers in a watch-tower, observing who cometh in and who goeth out, lest Traitors should steal into the fort of the heart undiscovered.

How frequent is Christ in his Precepts to this duty? as knowing fully the weight and concernment of it; Watch ye therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh. Watch and Pray, lest ye enter into temptation. What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch. And he is as frequent in his promises to it, Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh shall find watching; Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments; and if he shall come in the second or third watch, and find him so, blessed is he, Luk. 12. 37, 38, 43. Surely, Blessedness is worthy our waking; Bliss is worth keeping our eyes open a few days for. Apollonius, held in his time for an Oracle, coming early in the morning to Vespasians gate,