A Warning Piece for the Slumbering Virgins, Part 1
But what is this Goſpel duty of Watching?
Firſt in general; 'tis a buſie work, & much goes to the doing of it in a Goſpel way: This one work well underſtood will find us all work enough; The word is borrowed from the practiſe of Shepherds watching over their Flocks, as Jacob over Labans; or from Souldiers upon the guard, who keep ſtrict watch; both theſe muſt diſcharge their truſt with great diligence and patience; ſpecial care and conſtancie, they muſt endure the heat by day, and the cold by night; Chriſts experienced Souldiers do find, 'tis hard duty, this; much muſt be done and ſuffered upon this account, ther's no giving over this watch, what ever it coſts us, our life lies on't:
This ſpirituall watch preſuppoſes an awakened heart out of Naturall Stupiditie, and Formall Security.
1. Out of naturall, Carnall ſtupiditie; they cannot poſſibly watch, who were never awakened; the naturall man is ſpiritually dead, and as uncapable of this ſpirituall duty, as a man borne blind is to ſee the Sun, or a dead man to heare the thunder; he muſt firſt heare the voyce of the Son of God ſaying, awake thou that ſleepeſt, &c: before he can watch with him or for him; alas, how can they watch, who have eyes and ſee not? (like the idols in the pſalm). He muſt be a ſpirituall man, that diſcernes ſpirituall things, that is fit to be a ſpirituall watch-man, and to wait in the ſpirit.
2. Out of formal ſecuritie; A ſleepie profeſſor is ever crying, a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, &c. he cannot keep his heart awake if he might have all the world, nor his eyes open; ſluggiſh ſlumbring Chriſtians are in no poſture for watching, they are as ſilly Doves without an heart; they have no heart to this heartty duty, and no heart in it; they are not ſpirited for this work, their ſpirituall ſenſes are bound up, they have let their watch fall, and will never take it up againe without a ſound awakening. The watchmen muſt cry aloud in the eares and conſciences of ſuch, or they'l lie down to ſleep againe and againe; ſwooning Chriſtians can never watch till the Lord rub them up to purpoſe; they had need be living and lively men, that are to watch as for life; 'tmuſt be a raiſed ſinner, and rowſed Saint, that's ſet about this work.
Secondly, more particularly, Evangelical watching implyes theſe things following.
1. Attention;Iſa. 50.… a ſpiritual watchman muſt have his eare awakened morning by morning (as the prophets) that he may heare what the Spirit ſaith;Rev. 2. & 3. this the Spirit calls for, over and over Let him that hath an eare, he are &c: he muſt have an hearing and harkening eare too, that would here the ſtill voyce, the whiſperings of the holy Spirit; he muſt have an eare to heare from God that keepes his watch, or he will have no eye to ſee him, no mouth to ſpeak from him or for him; God has much to ſay to his awakened ones, that are upon his watch, they had need have their eares about them, yea within them; An heavie eare and a ſleepie heart,Jer. 6.10. go together; to whom ſhall we ſpeak and give warning, (ſayes Jeremie ſadly) they have uncircumciſed eares, &c: and cannot heare; alas the ſpeakers may ſhut up their mouths there,Mach. 13.15. where the people ſtop their eares; they are no hearers indeed, who have eares and heare not; And may we not take up that heavie complaint at this day (one of the ſaddeſt in all the Book of God) they have made their hearts and eares heavie;Iſa. 42.19. leaſt they ſhould heare with their eares, &c: Who ſo deafe as many of Gods Servant (to borrow that expreſſion) much preaching (as great ſounds) hath made many deafe, that what they would not heare, they cannot; And what are the wiſeſt charmings to ſuch deafe Adders? well, Chriſts watchmen muſt be ſwift to heare, for his motions are quick; hee's ſomtimes, but a word and away; a knock, and he has done.
2. Intention, a watchman muſt be very intent upon his duty; corporall watching, much more ſpiritual, ſhould take up our Spirits; God muſt be much heeded, and his whole work well-minded, even with the whole heart, eſpecially this work of watching; Hee's no ſervant for Chriſt that would ſerve him by halves; ther's no being for him almoſt, but altogether, or not at all: all our ſpirituall forces muſt be muſtred up, to keepe this watch; we muſt ſtir up all our ſtrength, and all too little in the diſcharge of this duty; 'twill take up the whole man; ther's no halting here, leſt evil overtake us: a lame Chriſtian will never ſtand to it, but muſt be ſitting down ever and anon. He had need be a man of another Spirit (Caleb-like) that would follow the Lord fully, in this ſpirituall watch. As naturall things act to the uttermoſt, within their Sphear; ſo in this ſupernatural work of evangelical watching, we ſhould act all we can for God,Eccleſ. 9.10. within the Sphear of our ſpirituall activitie; what ever we find in our hands to do for him (eſpecially at ſo weightie and buſie a work as this) we ſhould do it with all our might; there muſt be an holy violence and fervencie, accompanying Goſpel vigilancie; ſpirituall force will doe well here, indeed we can never Watch well without it; If it once come to a Spirit of indifferencie, it will not be long, ere we be ſurprized by a Spirit of ſecuritie: if we care not much (Gallio-like) we ſhall Watch but little; a ſlothfull Spirit will be ſleepie, do what you can. Oh what ſad ſlumbrings amongſt us, ſince Chriſtians have laid themſelves down upon beds of eaſe! a lazie creature, is never likely to Watch with Chriſt or for him. Hee's nimble as a Roe; quick in his turnes; No you muſt ſtirre up your ſelves in Chriſts ſtrength, to quit your ſelves like men in his ſervice.
3. Inſpection. Chriſts Watchmen muſt be all Seers, and have ſeeing eyes, as well as hearing eares; our ſpirituall Watch lies moſt within, 'tis an inward Watch eſpecially: our eyes muſt be in our hearts and upon them; 'Tis a very conſiderable Watch word that,Prov. 42.3 Above all keping keep thy heart; a ſtrong and ſtrict guard muſt be kept there; and indeed if the Watch be not kept ſtrictly there, all our watching will be invain; 'Twil be to little purpoſe to ſet a Watch before our mouths, or make a covenant with our eyes; if the plague of the heart be not watched over, it will be ever breaking forth into putrified ſores. Had we an hundred eyes,Jer. 17.9. they had need be all at watch here, for our hearts are deceitfull above meaſure, who can know them? And he that is not faithfull in inward watching, will never be good for ought, either as to outward waiting on God, or watching over others; How many have been looking ſo much abroad, that they are to ſeeke at home? watching the haltings of others, but not their own, buſibodys in other's mattters, and neglecting the buſineſſe of their own Spirits; they are eſpying motes in the eyes of others, and lay out their eyes at home, or ſee not the beames in them. How oft does the Spirit knock at their doores, and they not within? when he comes to deale with their hearts, they are not to be found; 'Twas ſaid of old, Fooles will be medling: that is, with others, not themſelves; Oh, how many ſuch fools are every where, whoſe eyes are in the Corners of the Earth, ſeldome in the Corners of their own hearts; moſt buſie, where they have leaſt to doe, and leaſt, where moſt; will not the Lord ere long ſearch ſuch as with Candles, who put out their lights within, that they may not ſee themſelves? will he not ſtorme them home, that ſcatter their wayes abroad: will not the Judge (think you) be at their doores, who are all for judging others, but not themſelves: Well; the Lord is about to find the heavie-headed and hearted Virgins work within their own doores, and to ſet them upon heart-watching againe by ſome awakening diſpenſations; Oh, 'tis one chief buſineſſe in our ſpirituall watch to try our own Spirits; and much communing with our ſelves will keep our hearts awake; and indeed ſince the ſervants of Criſt have idled it within, and neglected this inward work of heart-ſearching, they have left their firſt works and watchings.
4. Circumſpection; In this ſpiritual watch, as we ſhould have our eyes in our hearts, ſo in our heads; as to looke within, ſo without; As the Dove caſts his head about, this way and that, before ſhe take her flight; So ſhould Chriſts Doves look above them and abou, them, yea every way, before they move any way; As the heart muſt be watched over, above all watchings; ſo there muſt be a watch over the mouth, (as over Davids); over the eye, (as over Iobs): yea over the whole man, and the whole life, As we ſhould be ever upon our Watch-Tower, to Watch at all times (being a work alwayes in ſeaſon) ſo to Watch over all things; and to take a view allwayes, above and below, at the right hand and the left; that we be not ſurprized any where, in any thing, at any time; As the vertuous Woman whoſe price is above Rubies,Prov. 31.10.27. is ſaid to look well into the ways of her houſhold; So muſt the gracious Watch-man do, he muſt bee a ſeer, an overſeer to his own houſe; And as the Children of Iſſachar are ſaid to have underſtanding of the times,1 Chron. 12.32. and to know what Iſrael had to do; So ſhould the generation of ſpirituall Watchers, have an eye upon generation-work, an heart to it, an hand in it, ſerving their owne generation (as David did) till they fall aſleepe;Act. 13.36 The ſpirituall Watchman ſhould have a diſcerning into all things; not be Eagle-eyed only in ſome things and blind as Bats in other things; but as the four beaſts, which were full of eyes within, and full of eyes before and behind too;Rev. 4.6. So ſhould they that are upon the Lords Watch, be full of eyes within and without; Alas poore ſilly Creatures that we be, we meet with a ſnare in every Creature: temptations will be crouding upon us in every condition, we are in danger on all hands, to be defiled, or deceived; and therefore we had need watch at every turne, and have our eyes turning every way, (as the flaming ſword at the Eaſt of the Garden of Eden).Pſal. 139. As the Lord who is (all eye as it were) Watches us all over; over all our thoughts, all our words, all our wayes, &c: So ſhould we Watch over our ſelves, even all over at all times; our goings out and comings in, our down-ſitting and upriſing; we ſhould beſet our ſelves with a ſtrict VVatch behind and before.
5. Exercitation; There is much worth in this VVatch it is a very buſie imployment, full of duty, a duty in every duty; we ſhould watch at every work; a ſlothfull Servant is not fit for this ſtirring ſervice, this is no work for lazy-bodies; It's not carryed on by ſitting ſtill, or looking about us; 'Tis lively work, and requires a living, active, quickened Spirit; grace in the habit is not ſufficient (though in the higheſt and greateſt meaſure) to keep on foot this ſpirituall watch, no not in the leaſt and loweſt work of it; when grace is not at work, ther's no watch kept, it lies ſleeping in the ſoul, and the ſoul's aſleep too; when bodily exerciſe is laid aſide, and there's a ceſſation from motion and action, we find great propenſitie to ſlumbring and heavineſſe. 'Tis even ſo in ſpiritualls, when the acts and exerciſes of grace are ſuſpened, we are eaſily overtaken with the Spirit of ſlumber. Since profeſſors have been idle, and lived at eaſe in Zion, what a ſtrange Spirit of formal ſecuritie, and ſluggiſh ſecure formalitie has ſtolen upon them, and ſtolen away their hearts too? 'Tis ſad, very ſad to ſee, how the Virgins are fallen aſleep, ſince they have been all for eaſy work; careleſſe ones have let their watch fall; they find themſelves little to do in ſpirituals, and ſleepe much in ſpirit; and as they give over working, ſo they give over watching; as they ceaſe from duty, they are ſeazed upon by ſecuritie; graces muſt be exerciſed, and habits actuated, by the help of the Spirit of grace, that our ſpirituall watch may be mannaged and maintained. Buſie heads and hearts are moſt watchfull; if we ſtirre up the grace of Chriſt in us, it will ſtirre us up to watch with Chriſt and for him.
As appeares plainly in new-converts, who are much wrought upon, and work much; they are full of ſpirituall ſtruglings, wraſtlings, ſearchings, pantings groanings, fighings, &c: Oh how watchfull are theſe new creatures when new awakened? Chriſts babes are not like other babes, in this. For they ſleepe leaſt when new-borne, and others moſt; How watchfull in prayer, and watching unto prayer?Pſal. 45. their eyes even failing with looking up; watchfull in meditation, their hearts are ever bubling up, like a quick ſpring; watchfull in hearing the good word of God, to heare a good word from God; how do they hang about Chriſts lips (as it were) with both eares, for ſome drops of ſweet ſmelling myrrhe; how watchfull to enjoy communion with the Father, amongſt his Children, how much upon thewing after the doves of Chriſt? no company now, like the companions of Chriſt, that heare his voyce. Now it is farre otherwiſe, with many ancient Chriſtians, who having un-bent their Bow of holy purpoſes and practiſes, (which at firſt ſeemed to abide in ſtrength like Joſephs) grow remiſſe in Goſpel-dutys,Gen. 49. take their hands off from Chriſts plow and look back, grow looſe in Spirit, loſe time, let their talents lie ruſting by them, and their graces reſting in them; how ſuddenly and ſhamefully their watch falls, as their work failes? the longer they live, the leſſe life in their Spirits and ſervice, and all things are readie to die in them, before they die: how heavily they drive, when they once give over oyling their wheeles with ſpirituall exerciſes.
'Tis an high, hard great work to watch after a ſpirituall manner; they that are upon this work in good earneſt, find a great deale of good work to doe; there's much cut out to their hands; The Lord of the Vineyard will not ſuffer them to be idle upon his watch, hee'l find them awakening work: ther's head-work, hand-work, heartwork, tongue-work, life-worke; ther's work within and without, at home and abroad, their own and others, for this life and a better, there's work enough to keepe one awake; And the more we work, in theſe ſpiritual exerciſes of faith, love, deſires, &c: the more watchfull we ſhall be, and the better watchmen, and workmen.
And therefore the Lord will find new work for old idle profeſſors (if he delight in them) hee'l bring ſlumbring Virgins to Soul-travel again, and awaken them to purpoſe, they'l feele ſuch hard labour therein, as will be hard to ſleep upon; And when loitering Servants fall once to labour again heartily in Gods harveſt, how they'l ſweat at it, and do moſt and beſt at laſt; when they ſee, how much work they have to do in a little time, how they'l work and watch, and watch in work?
6. Expectation. Souldiers upon the watch, wait in expectation, either of an enemie to approach or a friend to appeare, that they may be in a poſture of oppoſition or reception, to reſiſt their enemies and to relieve their friends; ſo in this ſpirituall watch, we muſt be daily in expectation of our enemies, who will be upon us on a ſudden; and if they take us at unawares, we are in an ill taking (as we uſe to ſay) 'twill bee to our great prejudice and their advantage; An enemie not looked for, will be beforehand with us, and will hurt us moſt when we can leaſt help our ſelves; 'Tis a time he would chuſe of all other, when he is leaſt expected; as knowing, he ſhall be leaſt reſiſted. Our adverſary watches our ſlumbring times moſt, that he may take us napping, and take what he pleaſes from us; and therefore we muſt ever watch in expectation of him, that he may never come unlooked for: nothing will more diſhearten and diſappoint him. Our expectation fruſtates his; our unwearied watchings will wearie him out; whereas, it is a faire invitation to the envious one, to lay aſide our expectation of him, who likes beſt to come unlooked for, and is moſt to be ſuſpected, when he is leaſt expected.
We muſt be in expectation alſo of our beſt ſpiritual friend, who comes oft skipping like a Roe, and loves ſomtimes to take us on the ſuddain, to ſee how we are provided: He hath given us a faire warning, ſaying, Behold I come like a thief, that) is, ſecretly, ſuddenly) in the night; that we may ever have him upon our hearts, and he may not come in an hour, when we think not of him. Such a bleſſed gueſt would not come unlooked for, whoſe viſits are ſo gracious, his love ſo precious; we are like to loſe much of the ſweet and comfort of holy and happie communion with him, if we wait little on him and for him; hee'l not tarry long, where he is not long looked for and longingly; there he comes and goes ſuddenly, he thinks himſelf nothing-well or welcom there, where his company is not looked for; he takes it for a great neglect of him, when we doe not expect him, and hee will not be long or much there, where he is little looked for.