The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Thirdly, Be watchful all the day long; If thou wouldst walk safely, walk as one that hath his eyes in his head; Ponder the paths of thy feet; Every man walketh every day in the midst of traps and gins, and rubs and blocks; now the secure person is as a blind man, stumbling at every stone. When a man goeth upon cords, straitened and fastened on high, it concerns him to look well to his footing, lest he totter and fall, and break his neck; There is no Christian but walks as dangerously as he that danceth on the ropes, it behoves him therefore to walk Watchfully. The Children of God are called to be Soldiers, to fight a good sight of faith under Christ, the Captain of their salvation; but Soldiers must be upon their guard, especially such as are encompassed on all sides, at all times, with enemies of all sorts. Should they who are the mark at which the world and Hell are continually shooting their fiery darts to destroy them, give themselves to sleep? Watch ye, stand fast in the faith; Quit your selves like men, 1 Cor. 16. 3. The Devil watcheth to devour us, and he is politic to ensnare us, and shall we slumber? Machiavel saith, A Prince ought to know the tempers of men, that he may fit them with baits, and wind them to his own ends; Satan hath not waited on men, and observed them so long, but he knoweth the length of their feet, and can fit them to ⟨p. 515⟩their will and woe; as Agrippina the wife of Claudius, gave her Husband poison in that dish which he loved best; so he can give them that meat which they love, with poison for its sauce; He is a Serpent for his subtlety, and can bait his hooks answerable to the love and liking of poor silly •ish; We read of his wiles, of his devices; As the Chameleon that lieth on the ground to catch Flies and Grasshoppers, changeth himself into the colour of the grass, whereby they are deceived and caught; So Satan can transform himself into any shape, even into an Angel of light, for a shift, that he may deceive and destroy. Though he appeared in the form of a Serpent to Eve, he appeared in the form of a Saint to the second Adam; If he should be quiet, yet our own flesh is free and forward to pollute and pervert us.

Thirdly, Be watchful all the day long; If thou wouldst walk safely, walk as one that hath his eyes in his head; Ponder the paths of thy feet; Every man walketh every day in the midst of traps and gins, and rubs and blocks; now the secure person is as a blind man, stumbling at every stone. When a man goeth upon cords, straitned and fastned on high, it concerns him to look well to his footing, lest he totter and fall, and break his neck; There is no Christian but walks as dangerously as he that danceth on the ropes, it behoves him therefore to walk Watchfully. The Children of God are called to be Souldiers, to fight a good sight of faith under Christ, the Captain of their salvation; but Souldiers must be upon their guard, especially such as are encompassed on all sides, at all times, with enemies of all sorts. Should they who are the mark at which the world and Hell are continually shooting their fiery darts to destroy them, give themselves to sleep? Watch ye, stand fast in the faith; Quit your selves like men,