A Guide to Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 11
CAP. XI.
Of the ends at which we muſt ayme in the Chriſtian watch.
§. Sect. 1 Of three ſpeciall ends of our Chriſtian watch.
ANd theſe are the things wherein our Chriſtian watch chiefly conſiſteth, and about which it is exerciſed. The next point to be conſidered, is, the ends at which wee muſt principally ayme in it, the which are diuers. The firſt and chiefe is, that we may pleaſe God in all things, for which vſe, this watch is moſt profitable and neceſſary. For ſeeing naturally our wayes are wholly corrupt, ſo as wee can pleaſe him in nothing, it is not poſſible, without ſingular care and circumſpection, that wee ſhould ſo carry our ſelues in our whole conuerſation, as that all our actions may bee acceptable in his ſight. Secondly, wee muſt thus watch ouer our ſelues, that wee may daily more and more mortifie our corruptions, eſpecially thoſe which beare greateſt ſway in vsus; and that wee may auoyd all manner of actuall tranſgreſſions, and thoſe, aboue all the reſt, wherewith wee hauehave beene moſt often ouertaken, becauſe Satan and our owne corruption are moſt ready to vſe thoſe weapons of iniquity to foyle and ouercome vsus, which they hauehave found by experience moſt potent to preuaile againſt vsus. Nor muſt we thinke any ſinne ſo ſmall that wee may neglect it, ſeeing the leaſt is ſtrong enough to make way for greater. Neither muſt we onelyonly watchfully auoyd the ſinnes themſelues, but alſo all the occaſions and meanes which may allure and draw vsus vntounto them. For where God hath forbidden any vice, there hee alſo forbiddeth the occaſions and meanes of it, which if wee neglect and runne wilfully into tentations, it is iuſt with God, when we thus tempt him, to withdraw his grace, and to leaue vsus to the Tempter; and then what can follow but our ſhamefull foyles and falls? For who can carry fire in his boſome, and not bee burnt? who can hope to liue vntounto old age, that maketh it his daily ſport, to bee dallying Pro. 6. 27.with the meanes and occaſions of death? And therefore if we would preſerue our ſoules from being defiled with the filthy ſtrumpet of ſinne and vice, let vsus carefully ſhunne her vnchaſte imbracements; yea (as Salomon ſpeaketh) let vsus remooue our way farre from her, and come not neere the doore Pro. 5. 8.of her houſe. And if we would not walke in the wayes of ſinne which lead to deſtruction; Let vsus not ſo much as once enter into the path of the wicked, Pro. 4. 14, 15.nor goe in the way of euill men, but auoyd it, paſſe not by it, turne from it, and paſſe away. If wee would not doe the deuils workes of vniuſtice, wee muſt not ſo much as receiue his wages, but ſhake our hands from holding of bribes. If wee would not become euill and vaine in our thoughts and actions, Eſa. 33. 15.wee muſt ſhut our eyes from ſeeing euill, and turne them away from beholding vanity. Thirdly, wee muſt keepe this watch, not onelyonly that we Pſal. 119. 37. Inutile eſt crebrò videre per quae aliquando captus ſis. Hyer. ad Jouinian. lib. 2.may auoyd all ſinne; but alſo that wee may performe all Chriſtian and holy duties with all diligence and conſtancie, not contenting our ſelues to doe ſome, and neglect others, or to bee earneſt in them ſometimes, and ſoone after careleſſe and ſlothfull; but obſeruing all, and in all ſeaſons. Yea, this watch muſt extend it ſelfe, not onelyonly to the matter of Chriſtian duties, but alſo to the maner; as that they be done in louelove and obedience to God, that wee may thereby glorifie him in faith and with a good conſcience, with alacrity and cheerefulneſſe, in ſincerity and truth, without all hypocriſie, dulneſſe, and wearineſſe; And finally, that wee doe them prudently and ſeaſonably, with due reſpect to all circumſtances of perſons, time, and place. In all which reſpects, if wee doe not carefully keepe the Chriſtian watch, it is not poſſible but that wee ſhall continually faile, both in the matter and manner of our duties: ſeeing wee are naturally auerſe and backward vntounto them, ſluggiſh and ſlothfull, raſh and vndiſcreete in doing of them; and therefore if wee doe not carefully watch ouer our hearts, wee ſhall vponupon eueryevery ſlight occaſion neglect them altogether, or grow cold and careleſſe, ſlacke and remiſſe, drowzy and ſoone weary in performing them. Whereas, if keeping this watch, wee ſtirre vp and re-enliue Gods graces in vsus, when they are ready to languiſh and die, and (with the Oſtridge) haſten our ſpeed, by adding vntounto our wings of faith and louelove, the ſpurres of Gods feare, wee ſhall, without thinking of wearineſſe, run much more ſwiftly and ſurely in the wayes of Gods Commandements.
§. Sect. 2 That we muſt watch ouer our ſelues, that we be not circumuented by our ſpirituall enemies.
Finally, in this our watch we muſt carefully take heed, that whileſt wee ſet our ſelues to performe the duties of a godly life, wee be not hindred by Mat. 26. 41. Mar. 13. 33. Eph. …. 18.the tentations of our ſpirituall enemies, or at leaſt ſo diſturbed and diſabled, that not doing them in that manner as we ought, we loſe all the fruit of our labours. In which reſpect, our Sauiour exhorteth his Apoſtles to ioyne watching with their prayer, that they might not fall into tentation, not onelyonly vnderſtanding thereby a bodily watchfulneſſe oppoſed to naturall ſleepe, but alſo the ſpirituall watching oppoſed to carnall ſecurity, the ſleepe of the ſoule, with both which they were at that time ouertaken. For howſoeuer the conſideration of the multitude, might, and malice of our ſpirituall enemies, is a motiue ſufficient to make vsus ſtand watchfully vponupon our gard, ſeeing they aſſault vsus on all ſides with their engines of battery, lay ſecret ambuſhments in eueryevery corner, and fill all places ſo full of their nets and ſnares, that without ſingular circumſpection we cannot auoyd them: yet ſeeing they neuer bend their malice and might ſo furiouſly againſt vsus, as when they ſee vsus exerciſed about Chriſtian duties, that they may either diſcourage vsus, or make them vnprofitable; who ſeeth not that wee had heere need to keepe a double watch? Like wicked theeues, often fleſhed with blood and cruelty, they are alwayes ready to doe vsus a miſchiefe, and to beate vsus euen to the death when they find nothing about vsus; but then they double their watch and diligence, in ſurprizing vsus by the way, when as we are going about the ſeruice of our heauenly Maſter, and carry with vsus the rich treaſures of his graces; in which regard, wee muſt be no leſſe vigilant for our owne ſafety, then they for our deſtruction; for our perſeuerance in the wayes of godlineſſe, and preſeruing of our ſpirituall riches, then they to ſtop vsus in our courſe, and to ſpoile vsus of all our wealth. The deuill, like a roring Lyon, goeth alwayes about, ſeeking to deuoure 1. Pet. 5. 8.vsus, and therefore it behooueth vsus continually to watch and to be ſober; but Mat. 13. 25. Ioh. 15. 9. Exod. 5. 1, 6.then he is moſt watchfull in ſowing his tares, when he ſeeth that our heauenly Husbandman hath ſowne his good ſeed and wheate of ſauing graces in our hearts. The world alwayes maligneth thoſe whom Chriſt hath choſen out of it; but in nothing doth it ſhew greater malice againſt them, then when they moſt ſeriouſly ſet themſelues to doe God faithfull ſeruice, as we ſee in the examples of all ages. The fleſh is alwayes ready to betray vsus into the hands of them both; but neuer doth it more ſpitefully play its prizes, then when it ſeeth vsus exerciſed in religious duties; carrying away our hearts with a thouſand diſtractions, and like a maſſie and heauy waight preſſing vsus downe, maketh vsus lumpiſh and heauy, vnweildy and ſoone weary in our Chriſtian race. In which regard, we muſt at all times watch to defeate their malice, but we muſt double and triple it, againſt this triple oppoſition of the deuill, the world, and our owne fleſh, when we intend to performe any Chriſtian duties.
§. Sect. 3 That we muſt keepe this watch in all places, and at all times.
In all which reſpects, we are to keepe a carefull watch ouer our ſelues in all places, when we are at home, and when we are abroad; when we are alone, and when we are in company; in the Church and open ſtreetes, and in our owne houſes and priuate Cloſets; ſeeing there is no place free from danger, by reaſon of thoſe inward corruptions and ſecret traytors, which we carry eueryevery where about vsus, and thoſe outward enemies, the deuill and the world, which are ready in all places to ſet vponupon vsus. So likewiſe there is no time exempted from this watch, neither youth nor old age, day nor night, but it muſt be kept continually, according to that; Take Deut. 4. 9.heed to thy ſelfe, and keepe thy ſoule diligently, leſt thou forget the things which thine eyes hauehave ſeene, and lest they depart from thine heart all the dayes of thy life. For the cauſes of it are continuall, and therefore the watch muſt not be intermitted. At all times we muſt labour to pleaſe God, and not by fits, and obedience at all times muſt be yeelded to him. At all times ſinne muſt be ſhunned, vntounto which we are prone by nature, and all vertues and Chriſtian duties to be imbraced and practiſed, when any good occaſion is offered, vntounto which naturally we are backward and auerſe. No time is exempted from the Chriſtian warfare, nor ſecure and ſafe from the aſſaults of our ſpirituall enemies. And therefore we muſt continually ſtand vponupon our guard and keepe our watch, that we be at no time vnfit for any of theſe purpoſes, leſt being ſurprized vponupon a ſudden, wee be eaſily vanquiſhed by our ſpirituall enemies. Beſides, through the intermiſſion of our watch, we doe not onelyonly loſe the preſent time, which ſhould be ſpent in the ſeruice of God, but alſo indanger our ſelues to loſe much more, before we can againe ſet our watch in good order. For our hearts hauing broke the bounds of Gods feare, will not without much labour be reſtrained of their licentious liberty; our deuotions being once cooled, will not without much fire and fuell recouer their loſt heate. And ſooner might wee with well ordered hearts, hauehave performed the duties of Gods ſeruice which we intend, then bring them in frame and rightly prepare them, when through neglect of this watch they are out of tune. Finally, wee muſt keepe this watch in all eſtates and conditions, in the time of health as well as in ſickneſſe, as well when we are rich, that our wealth do not wedge and faſten our hearts vponupon the world and earthly things; as in our pouerty, that wee vſe no vnlawfull meanes to become rich. In our proſperity, that we forget not God, nor louelove his gifts better then the giuer; and in our affliction, that we murmure not through impatiencie, but draw neerer vntounto God when he correcteth vsus.
§. Sect. 4 That we muſt watch ouer our brethren.
Neither is it enough that we thus watch ouer our ſelues, but wee muſt alſo with like care and circumſpection watch ouer our brethren; ſeeing the Lord hath not committed vsus to our owne ſingle watch, but hath inioyned vsus to be mutuall obſeruers and keepers one of another; not curiouſly to pry out one anothers faults, to cenſure and aggrauate them, but charitably to take notice of them, that wee may helpe to amend them. Thus the Apoſtle inioyneth vsus, to conſider one another, to prouoke vntounto louelove Heb. 10. 24. & 3. 13.and to good workes, and that we ſhould exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, leſt any of vsus ſhould be hardned through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne. For this care and watchfulneſſe being an inſeparable effect and fruit of Chriſtian charity, extendeth it ſelfe, not onelyonly to our owne perſons (for this were nothing but ſelfe-louelove) but as farre as it ſtretcheth, that is, to all our neighbours. Thus Dauid tooke notice, not onelyonly of his owne ſinnes, to mourne for them, but ſaith that riuers of waters did runne downe his eyes, becauſe Pſal. 119. 136.other men did not keepe Gods Law. Yea, this his care extended to his enemies; My zeale (ſaith he) hath conſumed me, becauſe mine enemies hauehave Verſ. 139.not kept thy Word. But though our care muſt extend to all, yet wee muſt keepe this watch in a ſpeciall manner ouer thoſe who are committed to our ſpeciall charge; as the Houſholder ouer his family, and the Paſtour ouer his flocke, according to that of the Apoſtle, Take heed to your ſelues Act. 20. 28.and to all the flocke, ouer the which the holy Ghoſt hath made you ouerſeers, &c. Which whoſo neglecteth, and taketh care onelyonly for himſelfe, hee is worſe then an Infidell, and plainely diſcouers that hee is of Cains ſpeech and ſpirit, Gen. 4. 9.thinking it enough to looke to himſelfe, and ſcorning to bee his brothers keeper.