Watchfulness

Watchfulness
168. For want of watchfulness, God often gives us up for a time to such a perplexed state that we shall not know that we have any grace, and though we may have a principle of grace in us, yet we shall not know it, but may even go out of the world in darkness.
169. This is a common rule, that we cannot converse with company that are not spiritual, but if they vex us not they will taint us, unless we are put upon them in our callings; we should therefore make special choice of our company, and walk in continual watchfulness.
170. We should labor to judge ourselves before God for those things that the world takes no notice of, for spiritual, for inward things, e.g. for the motions of pride, of worldliness, of revenge, of security, unthankfulness and such-like unkindness towards God, and for our barrenness in all good duties, that we owe to God and men. Such sins the world cannot see, yet these should humble our hearts, for when we do not make conscience of spiritual sins, God gives us up to some open abominations that stain and publicly disgrace our holy profession.
171. Watchfulness is an exercise of all the graces of the Spirit, and these are given to keep our souls awake. We have enemies about us that are never asleep, and our worst enemy is within us, and so much the worse because so near. We live also in a world full of temptations, and wicked men are full of malice; we are passing through our enemy's country and therefore have need to be ever vigilant. The devil also watches us to spoil every good action, therefore we have need to pray always and watch that all our graces be in perpetual exercise. We should constantly watch with a fear of jealousy, taking heed of a spirit of drowsiness and laboring also to keep ourselves unspotted from such a defiling world.
172. Though we be sure of victory over our spiritual enemies yet we must fight. The devoted kings of Canaan must be fought with and all be slain. Christ that fights for us fights with us, and crowns us when He has given us the victory. The time will come before long when we shall say of our enemies as Moses said of the Egyptians, "For the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever" (Exodus 14:13). "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might" (Ephesians 6:10).
173. However diligent we may be in our callings yet the ability and the blessing can only come from God. We pray for daily bread and He gives it though we labor for it. There is a gift of success and unless it be given us from above, we shall then with the disciples only toil but catch nothing all the day.
174. Christianity is a busy trade; if we look up to God, what a multitude of things are required in a Christian to carry himself as he should do - a spirit of faith, a spirit of love, a spirit of joy and delight in Him above all - and if we look to men, there are duties for a Christian to his superiors, a spirit of subjection; to equals he must show a spirit of love, and to inferiors a spirit of pity and bounty. If we look to Satan, we have a commandment to resist him and watch against the tempter. If we look to the world, it is full of snares. There must be a great deal of spiritual watchfulness, that we be not surprised. If we look to ourselves, there are required many duties to carry our vessels in honor, and to walk within the compass of the Holy Ghost, to preserve the peace of our consciences, to walk answerably to our worth, as being the sons of God and joint coheirs with Christ. The Christian must dispense with himself in no sin; he must be. a vessel prepared for every good work, he must refrain from no service that God calls him to. Therefore the life of a Christian abounds with honorable and profitable employment.
175. Take a circumspect Christian and whatsoever he does, he does it in fear; if he calls God, Father, it is with filial fear, and he eats and drinks with cautious fear. Jude speaks of them that eat without fear; but the true servant of God has a holy fear accompanying him in all his actions, in his words, and even in his recreations, in his meat and drink, and throughout his life. He that has not this fear, how bold is he in wicked courses and loose in all his conduct! But mark a true Christian and you shall always see in him some happy expressions of a holy fear.
176. Though our salvation be sure and we shall not be condemned with the world, yet the knowledge of this does not make us secure, for though God will not banish us with sinners yet He will sharply correct us here. By a careful and sober life we might obtain from His mercy in Christ many blessings and prevent many judgments, and make our pilgrimage more comfortable; therefore it argues neither grace nor wit, that because God will save me therefore I will take sinful liberties. No, though God will save you, yet He will take such a course with you, you shall endure such sharp anguish for your sin, that thereby sin shall become far more bitter that the sweetest fruit of it was ever pleasant.