ofs})irit in prayer! It creeps insensibly upon tlie soul, as sleep doth upon the body, the heart is gone before the Christian is well aware of it. The more need, therefore, is there to watch against it. Thirdly, Because Satan is so watcliful against prayer, therefore it behoves the Christian to watch rnito prayer. Where should the strongest guard be set, but where the enemy maketh his fiercest assault? This is the fort he batters, and labours with all his might to beat the Christian from. What he doth otherwise against the Christian is on a design to hinder his prayers, 1 Peter iii. 7. Indeed, the soul never falls fully into his hands, till it throws up this duty ; — •' Pray that ye enter not into temptation.' Sometimes the city is taken, and the enemy is forced back again by those in the castle, which connnands the city. Prayer is like such a castle, sometimes the Christian hath nothing left him "but a spirit of prayer, and with this he beats back the devil out of all his advantages.
CHAPTER XV.
SHEWS WHERKIN THE DUTY OF WATCHING IN PRAYER LIES.
We shall now shew the second thing wherein the Christian is to exercise his watchfulness in reference to this duty. Take it in three particulars.
Section I. — -He is to shew his watchfulness before prayer, and that, first, by watching for the fit season to pray in. AVe cannot be always on our knees ; we may serve God all the day, but worship him we cannot; this is a duty that requires set times for its exercise. It is our duty to watch for the season of prayer. The Christian should endeavour to dispose his occasions so that his devotions be not shut out, or crowded up into straits of time, nor interfere with other necessary duties. Many duties are spoiled by being unseasonably per- formed. He is to keep a strict watch over himself in his whole course ; first, by shunning all that may defile his conscience, and so render him unmeet for communion with God. The priest was to watch himself, that he touched no unclean thing, God thereby signifying, that he will have them to be holy in their lives that approach near to him in the duties of his worship. Secondly, By a holy care, to observe and lay up the most remarkable passages of God's providence to him, as also the frame and behaviour of his own heart to God, in the interval between prayer and prayer ; the want of this is the cause why we are so barren in the performaiice of this dut3\ It is no wonder he should want matter for his prayer at night, who did not treasure up what passed in the day between God and him. Though the minister be not making his sermon all the week, yet by observing what may be useful for him in that work, he is fur- nished with many hints that help him when he goes about it ; such an advantage the Christian will find for prayer, by laying up the remarkable instances of God's providence toward him, and of his carriage toward God under them ; these will furnish him with necessary materials for the performance. The bag is filling while the kine are feeding, or chewing the cud, and accordingly yields the milk plentifully at night : truly, thus it is here, — that Christian must needs be most fruitful and plentiful in his devotions, when he comes to pour out his lieart to God in prayer, that halh been thus filling it all the day with medita- tions suitable to the duty. Would he praise God? He hath the preservations, deliverances, and assistances which God hath given to him at hand, in his memory, which another hath lost for want of writing them down in this book of remembrance. Would he humbly confess the sins of the day ? He presently recalls, — In this company I spake unadvisedly with my lips ; in that enjoy- ment I observed my heart to be inordinate ; this duty I omitted, — in that I was negligent. Now, what a wonderful help hath such a saint (above another that walks at random) to get his soul into a melting frame ! The eye aft'ects the heart, the presence of the object actuates the affection. Plow can they mourn for the sins of the day at night, who remember them no more than Nebuchadnezzar his dream? Thirdly, By the frequent exercise of ejaculatory prayer. He doth not watch to pray, who nevgr thinks on God but when he is on ins knees ; for by thus long discontinuing his acquaintance with God, he indisposeth himself for the more solemn addresses to him. The Christian will find, that the oftener he is refreshing his spirit with tliose little sips and short gusts of heaven, the larger draught he will be able to take when he returns to his
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set meal of morning antl evening prayer : for by these he will be prepared for farther coninnmion with God ; these short walks often taken, keep the soul in breath for a longer journey.