A Warning Piece for the Slumbering Virgins, Part 6
Directions for Watchfulneſſe.
1. Even ſet before thee; the All-ſeeing eye of Jehovah, which is ever upon thee; His eyes, which are ten thouſand times brighter then the Sun, daily looked upon by an eye of Faith, will be very awakening; Think much upon thoſe heart-ſtirring meditations,Pſa. 139.1.2, 3, 4. of Gods glorious preſence, which were ſo much upon Davids heart; as, Gods encompaſſing thy path and thy bed, beſetting thee behind and before looking thee thorough in all places, at all times; watching 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, 'tis 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; 'twill 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. 'Tis not for want of work that any ſtand idle in the Lords vineyard, but for want of will to it. 'Tis a very buſie time with Jeſus Chriſt, his heart is upon his work; and 'tis 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, 'tis 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: 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, 'tis 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. 'Tis 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; 'Twill 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; 'tis 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; 'Tis 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.