S. MAR. Xill. 37.

"And what I say unto you, I fay unto all, Watch.

7

T is all our Duties to watch; in Explaining of which, we may confider,

I. What it is to watch.

It is a taking Care and Heed to ourselves, what we do, and fo is oppos'd to Carele fness, (Ephef. v. 15. 1 Pet. V. 8.30 a

II. What is it we must watch over ?

1. Our Understanding.

1. To keep our Judgments clear and found, 2 Petziid noqu guna bit s

2.

our Thoughts pure, Gen, vi. 5. that they be neither finful nor vain, Pfal. cxix. 113.

Confidering,

1. The Lord knows our Thoughts, Pfal. xciv. 11. Pfal. cxxxix. 2.

2. Bad Thoughts beget bad Works, S. Matt. XV. 19.

In order thereto,

1. Think thyfelf continually under the All-feeing Eye of GOD, Pfal. cxxxix. 18.

2. Suppress bad Thoughts at the beginning.

3. Fix them upon fpiritual Objects, Pfal. cxix. 97.

IM 2

4. Or on earthly Objects in a fpiritual manner, Pfal. viii. 3, 4.

2. Our Wills and Affections, Prov. iv. 23. 1. See that each Affection be fixed on its proper Object, Prov. xxiii. 26.

2.

in its due manner, S. Matt. xxii. 37, 39. Prov. iii. 5.

MEANS.

40

1. Endeavour after a right Understanding of Things..

2. Subject thy Will to thy Understanding. 3. Refift evil Paffions at their first appearing.

3. Our Tongues, Pfal. xvii. 3. and xxxix, 1. Confidering,

1. That our Religion is in vain without this, S. Fam. i. 26.

2. We must answer for Words, S. Matt. xii. 36.

3. Many Sins come from the Tongue.. Wherefore,

1. Let thy Reafon guide thy Tongue. Γλῶσα γὺ ὀλιπὸς ἀνθρώποις μὴ λόγῳ κα βερνωμένη, Νaz.

2. Speak not much, Prov. x, 19.r

3. Be flow to speak, S. Jam. i. 19. Prov. XV. 28.

4. Be fure to keep thy Heart right, S.Matt.

xii. 34

5. Speak not when in Paffion, Pfal. cvi.
33. Job iii. 2,.3. S. Joh. iv. 9.

6. Speak of other Mens Vices, only be-
fore their Faces, and of their Ver-
tues behind their Backs, Tit. iii. 2.
7. Speak of GOD only with Reverence,
Deut. xxviii. 58.

4. Our Actions.

*

1. That they proceed from a Principle of Obedience, 1 Sam. xv. 22.

2. Be guided by GOD's Word, Pfal. cxix. 105.

3. Be directed to His Glory, 1 Cor. x. 31. For confider,

1. GOD watches over them, and confiders them, Prov. V. 21.1

2. We fhall be judg'd according to our Actions, 2 Cor. V. 10.

3. The lefs Heed we take of them, the more Sorrow we fhall have for them.

III. What must we watch against?

1. The Temptations of Satan, S. Matt. xxvi. 41. I Pet. v. 8.

2. The Corruptions of our Hearts, Pfal. xviii. 23.

3. The Delufions of the World.

4. The Seductions of Men, who would draw us, 1. Into Sin, Prov. i. x. 15.

2. Into Error, Rom. vi. 17. S. Matt. vii. 15. 2 S. Pet.iii. 17.

1. GOD hates Errors, Rev. ii. 14, 15. 2. They are damnable, 2 Pet. ii. 1. Wherefore,

1. Diligently fearch the Scriptures, and be well grounded in them, S.Matt. xxii. 29. Ephef. iv. 11,

2. Do not easily receive new Opinions, Ephef. iv. 14.

Id verum, quod ubique, quod femper, quod

ab omnibus creditum eft. Vinc. Lyren.

3. Study Humility, S. Jam, iv. 6.

IV. What

IV. What must we watch for?

1. Opportunities of doing Good, Gal. vi. 10. Act. x. 38.

1. To advance GOD's Glory.

2. To farther our Neighbour's Salvation, Hebr. x. 24.

3. To relieve their Neceffities, Gal. vi. 10. 2. For receiving Good, S. Luk. xvii. 5. as, 1. Of getting our Understanding well inform'd, 2 Pet. iii. 18.

2. Our Hearts taken off from Sin.

3.

Our Souls more in Love with GOD and
Goodnefs.

4. Our Minds more fet upon the Things a-
bove, Col. iii. 2.

5. Our Faith more confirm'd in Jesus Christ, S. Luk, xvii. 5.

And for receiving thefe good Things, we must watch for Opportunities,

1. Of Praying, Pfal. lv. 17.

2. Hearing, Pfal. cxxii. 1.

3. Receiving Sacraments, 1 Cor. xi. 25. 4. Meditation, Pfal. Ixiii. 6.

5.

Self-Examination, 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

6. Reading the Scriptures, S. Job. V. 39. 7. Spiritual Difcourfe, S. Luk. xxiv. 13,

14.

3. For the Coming of Christ,

1. So as daily to expect Him.

2. So as to be ready for Him, S. Matt. xxiv. 44. and xxv. 1, 2, 12, 13.

Because,

1. He will furely come, Act. i. 11.

2. None knows when, S. Mar. xiii. 33,

35.

3. A happy or miferable Eternity depends on your Readiness at that Time, S. Matt. XXV. 10, 11, 12.

V. When must we watch?

Generally, at all Times, S. Luk. xxi. 36. 2 Tim. iv. 5. but especially,

1. In time of Afflictions,

1. That we do not charge GOD with Injustice, Job. i. 22. Lament. iii. 39. Pfal.

li. 4.

2. That we be not impatient under them;
confidering,

1. From whom they come.
2. For what they come.

3. How fmall they are, Ezra ix. 13.
3. To be thankful for them, I Theff. v. 18.
Fob i. 21.

4.

That we do not diftruft GOD in them,
Pfal. Ivii. 1. Job xiii. 15.

But depend upon,

1. His Wifdom, 2 Pet. ii. 9.

2. Power.

3. Mercy, Exod. xxxiv. 6,7. Pfal.ciii. 8,9. 1. For Support under them.

2. For Deliverance out of them.

5. That we be not too much cast down by them, but still rejoice in GOD, Hab.

iii. 17, 18.

6. That we do not draw finful or unwarrantable Conclufions from them; as,

1. That we are not, Ecclef. ix. 1.

Or,

2. That we are, the Children of GOD, Rev. iii. 19.

7. That we improve them fo as to get Good by them, Pfal. cxix. 71.