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a part-exclusive and alone. How true was it that he "trod the wine-press alone!" Often would his disciples, in their subsequent career of apostles, reflect how totally inadequate they had been in all senses, to be in communication with him in that awful hour! But we repeat again, that every renewed recollection of the admonition to watch and pray in defence against temptation, would be enforced by powerful and affecting associations.

We may be allowed to leave the strict and literal import of the term watching in the text for that larger sense in which it is so often used for exhortation in the New Testament.

Yet it were not at all impertinent to dwell one moment on the admonition in that literal sense in which our Lord spoke it. It may surely be taken as a reproof of wasting in unnecessary slumber the time which should be employed in praying against temptation. It is at their own cost that any shall regard this as too trivial a thing for admonition and for conscience. Let it be honestly estimated what portion is really necessary for refreshment and health. And then let the comparison be imagined between a person who shall habitually thus consume one hour in the twentyfour, more than this necessary measure, and another who shall save and employ that one hour each day in praying, and especially in praying against temptation. And what would the sum of the difference be in a whole life! Think how many temptations that have been yielded to, would have been escaped or overcome had that lost hour been so employed. Will any one say, that he has quite time enough still, for this good use, though one of his hours each day be so thrown away? One answer would be, that it may well be doubted whether a person so undervaluing his time will actually employ much of it in this best use. The next observation would be, that it is a signal novelty, and an

excepted case (no very honourable exception neither), if there be a man who has decidedly more than enough time for all his duties; he need not be envied by those to whom the Great Master has assigned as much service as they can perform by the improvement of all their time.

But now let us a little while consider the precept in its general and comprehensive application. "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation." There is enjoined

here a feeling of apprehension and alarm. It is equivalent to saying "Do not suffer yourself to be at ease." "Beware of quietly enjoying your life. You are lost if you live without fear." But there is an emotion of the heart against entertaining this state of feeling. "How grievous is it never to be secure; never to be indulged in the happiness of an easy, unheeding confidence!" It suggests the idea of a place where a man can hardly go to sleep, lest the plunderer or assassin be watching, or hovering near unseen; or of a place where the people can walk out no whither, without suspicion of some lurking danger or enemy not far off; and are to be constantly looking vigilantly and fearfully round; a place where they cannot ascend an eminence, nor wander through a sequestered valley, nor enter a blooming grove, nor even a garden of flowers, without having the image of the serpent, the wild beast, or a more deadly mischief in human shape, as vividly present to the imagination as the visible enemy is to the eye; a place where they would hesitate to enter in at a gate or a door though a friendly countenance (apparently such) were shown there to invite them in. It would be said, who could endure to live in such a place? Then, my friends, who can endure to live in this world? for these are but emblems of the condition of danger in which the soul sojourns on earth. Such a picture represents the danger, but fails in the other respect, the apprehensive caution of the sojourners!

and duty are beginning to slacken their hold on me." Beware of becoming so partial to a thing that this circumstance shall appear a trifling matter. You may have seen such examples; uneasiness has been felt for awhile; there may have been a questioning whether to relinquish the object; but the heart grew faster to it. Be cautious of pursuing an evident good in a way in which there must be temptation. Be specially fearful of that where, if there be good to be obtained, the good is to come afterwards, but the temptation first. If the temptation coming first shall blind my discernment of the good-cool my zeal or destroy my relish of it—if I should stop with the temptation and abandon the good! And be fearful of that where the temptation is certain and the good only possible, or at best only probable. A dangerous problem this, how much good possible, is worth how much temptation certain? Beware of being beguiled in this manner, namely, that a positive unquestionable good can be alleged; but in truth it is not this that is the real inducement, but that something connected with that good offers a pleasing temptation which can be entertained under the plea of the good. Be peculiarly suspicious in any case, where all appears pleasing and attractive, and there is nothing for mortification and selfdenial. Let suspicion and alarm be awakened, when we find our minds at work to make out any thing to be innocent against doubt and uneasy conscience. Be careful that when unquestionable duty leads into the way of temptation, we stay not longer near the temptation than we are honestly about the duty. Beware of the kind of companionship that directly leads into temptation. But let no man be beguiled to think he is safe against temptation at the times when his only companion is himself. The whole tempting world may then come to him through the medium of the imagination. The great deep of his own evil heart may then be broken

up. In this solitude may come that tempter that came to our Lord in the desert. In truth, unhappily there is no situation or employment in which temptation is not to be apprehended.

We only add, what vigilance and prayer are necessary against the sudden violent surprises of temptation! These may come with as little warning almost as the dreadful accidents that befall men's persons. A sudden flash of infernal fire kindles the passions, and prostrates the judgment and conscience. Divine aid can come as suddenly as these assaults. But who may confidently rely that it shall?

Now, think of all this; and then of a heedless, self-trusting, and prayerless habit of mind! What must be the consequence? Serious persons amidst their self-reproachful reflections may be amazed at the preventing goodness of God that still worse has not befallen them. To think how many days and weeks they have begun, how many scenes and occupations passed through, with little of real earnest prayer, little of solicitous conscientious vigilance. How grateful should they be to think how many temptations they have been mercifully kept out of the way of, which they probably would not have resisted! But let them consider whether the proper testimony of that gratitude will be, that henceforward they little care or apply to his heavenly protection. They would have cause to dread that, even if they should not be at length fully and finally given up to evil, they will be suffered to fall into some great iniquity, in order to rouse them by the horrors of guilt. Think solemnly of the frightful extent of the possibilities of falling into sin. And that it is an insult to God to calculate on escaping without the means he has enjoined. "Watch and pray." These must be combined; for watching without prayer were but an impious homage to ourselves.

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Prayer without watching were but an impious and also absurd homage to God.

And let it be observed, finally, what emphatic importance there is in the point of being saved from entering into temptation; since when a man is fully in it, and under the strength of its influence, there is an end of watching, and an indisposition to pray!

March 14th, 1822.

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