Wherein watchfulness unto prayer consists 1/2

           Second. The second thing I promised was to show wherein the Christian is to express his watchful­ness in reference to this duty of prayer.  Take it in these three particulars.  1. He is to watch before prayer.  2. He is to watch in prayer.  3. He is to watch after prayer.

1. The Christian is to show his watchfulness be­fore prayer; and that,

           (1.) By watching for the fit season to pray in. We cannot be always on our knees.  We may serve God all the day, but worship him we cannot; this is a duty that requires some set times for its exercises.  Now it is our duty to watch for the season of prayer as the merchant watcheth for the exchange hour; he orders his other occasions so that by no means he may miss that.  Thus the Christian should endeavour to dispose his occasions so that his devotions be not shut out or crowded up into straits of time by his improvidence; no, nor interfere with other necessary duties.  Many a fair child is lost by an untimely birth, and good duty spoiled by being unseasonably performed.

           (2.) By keeping a strict watch over himself in his whole course.

           (a) By shunning all that may defile his con­science, and so render him unmeet for communion with God.  Thus 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.

           (b) 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 all along the interval between prayer and prayer.  The want of this part of watchfulness is the cause why we are so jejune and barren in the performance of this duty.  It is no wonder that he should want matter for his prayer at night, and trifle in it with impertinences, who did not treasure up what passed in the day be­twixt God and him.  Though the minister be not mak­ing his sermon all the week, yet by observing in his other studies what may be useful for him in that work, he is furnished 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 providences to him and of his carriage to God again 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 more plentily when milked 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 heart to God in prayer, that hath been thus filling it all the day with meditations suitable and helpful to the duty. Would he praise God?  He hath the preservations, deliverances, and assistances which God hath given into him at hand, in the commonplace‑book of 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 forgat myself and spake unadvisedly with my lips; in that enjoyment I ob­served my heart to be inordinate; this duty I omitted; that I was remiss and negligent in doing.’  Now what a wonderful help hath such a soul above another that walks at random to get his soul into a melting mourn­ful frame?  The eye affects the heart.  The presence of the object actuates the affection.  The sight of an enemy stirs up anger; the sight of a dear friend excites love, and puts a man into a sudden ravishment —whom, may be, he should not have thought on, if he had not seen him.  How can they mourn for the sins of the day at night who remember them no more than Nebuchadnezzar his dream?

           (c) By the frequent exercise of ejaculatory prayer.  He doth not watch to pray that never thinks on God but when he is on his knees; for, by this long discontinuing his acquaintance with God, he indis­poseth himself for the more solemn addresses of his soul to him.  Long fasting takes away the stomach. The Christian will find that the oftener he is refresh­ing his spirit with those little sips and short gusts of heaven, the larger draught he will be able to take when he returns to his set meal of morning and even­ing prayer.  For, by the means of these he will be se­cured from worldly affections, which exceedingly deaden the heart, and also be seasoned and prepared for further communion with God.  These short walks often taken keep the soul in breath for a longer journey.