Chapter V. General Directions: Watch and Pray
Having seen the danger of entering into temptation, and also discovered the ways and seasons by and in which men usually do so:
Our second inquiry is: what general directions may be given to preserve a soul from that condition? We see our Savior's direction in Matthew 26:41 — he sums up all in two words: Watch and Pray. I shall unfold what is wrapped up in them, both jointly and severally.
First: included in these words is a clear abiding apprehension of the great evil that there is in entering into temptation. That which a man watches and prays against, he looks upon as an evil to be avoided by all means.
This, then, is the first direction: always bear in mind the great danger of entering into temptation. It is a woeful thing to consider how slight the thoughts of most men are of this: so long as men can keep themselves from sin itself in open action, they are content, scarcely aiming at more; and on any temptation in the world, all sorts of men will venture at any time.
How will young men put themselves on any company, any society! At first being delighted with evil company, then with the evil of the company. How vain are all admonitions to take heed of such corrupt and soul-destroying persons? At first they venture on the company, abhorring the thought of practicing their lewdness — but what is the issue? Unless God snatches them with a mighty hand from the jaws of destruction, they are all lost, and after a while in love with the evil they first abhorred. Would it were only thus with young men. What sort of man is free from this folly in one thing or another?
How many professors have I known who pleaded for their liberty to hear any teacher, to attend to every broacher of false and abominable opinions, to run to hear every seducer stigmatized by the generality of the saints — they hated the opinions as much as any, they said; they had their liberty. What has been the issue? I scarce ever knew any come off without a wound; the most have had their faith overthrown. Let no man then pretend to fear sin who does not fear temptation to it. They are too nearly allied to be separated. Satan has put them so together that it is very hard for any man to put them asunder. He hates not the fruit who delights in the root.
When men see that such ways, companies, courses, businesses, studies, and aims entangle them, make them cold and careless, quench their zeal, and indispose them to even, universal, and constant obedience — if they venture on them, sin lies at the door. It is a tender frame of spirit, sensible of its own weakness and corruption, of the craft of Satan, of the evil of sin, of the efficacy of temptation, that can perform this duty. Until we bring our hearts to this frame, we shall never free ourselves from sinful entanglements.
Boldness upon temptation, springing from various pretenses, has as is known ruined innumerable professors in these days and still continues to cast many down from their excellency. Nor have I the least hope of a more fruitful profession among us until I see more fear of temptation. Sin will not long seem great or heavy to any to whom temptations seem light or small.
This is the first thing wrapped up in this general direction: the daily exercise of our thoughts with an apprehension of the great danger lying in entering into temptation is required of us. Grief of the Spirit of God, disquietment of our own souls, loss of peace, hazard of eternal welfare — all lie at the door. If the soul is not prevailed upon to observe this direction, all that follows will be of no value. Temptation despised will conquer; and if the heart be made tender and watchful here, half the work of securing a good conversation is over. Let not him go any further who resolves not to improve this direction in a daily conscientious observation of it.
Second: also included in Watch and Pray — it is not a thing in our own power to keep and preserve ourselves from entering into temptation. Therefore we are to pray to be preserved from it, because we cannot save ourselves. As we have no strength to resist a temptation once we have entered it, so we are to reckon that we have no power or wisdom to keep ourselves from entering into temptation, but must be kept by the power and wisdom of God (1 Peter 1:5). Our Savior instructs us in this not only by directing us to pray 'lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,' but also by his own prayer for us: 'I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil' (John 17:15). The ways of our entering into temptation are so many, various, and imperceptible; the means of it so efficacious; the entrances so deceitful, subtle, insensible, and plausible; our weakness and unwatchfulness so unspeakable — that we cannot in the least keep or preserve ourselves from it. We fail both in wisdom and power for this work.
Let the heart commune with itself and say: I am poor and weak; Satan is subtle, cunning, and powerful, watching constantly for advantages against my soul; the world is earnest, pressing, and full of specious pleas, innumerable pretenses, and ways of deceit; my own corruption is violent and tumultuous, enticing, entangling, conceiving sin and warring within me against me. Occasions and advantages of temptation are innumerable in all things I do, in all businesses and persons with whom I converse.
The first beginnings of temptation are insensible and plausible — so that left to myself I shall not know I am ensnared until my bonds are made strong and sin has gotten ground in my heart. Therefore on God alone will I rely for preservation, and continually will I look up to him on that account, doing nothing and undertaking nothing without asking counsel of him. This will make the soul always commit itself to the care of God, resting on him — and from this a double advantage will arise, each of singular use for the soul's preservation from the evil feared.
First: the engagement of the grace and compassion of God, who has called the fatherless and helpless to rest upon him. Never did a soul fail of supplies who in a sense of want rolled itself on him, at his gracious invitation.
Second: the keeping of the soul in such a frame as on various accounts is useful for its preservation. He that looks to God for assistance in a due manner is both sensible of his danger and conscientiously careful in the use of means to preserve himself — and of what importance those two things are in this case, they who have their hearts exercised in these things may easily understand.
Third: also included — act faith on the promise of God for preservation. To believe that he will preserve us is a means of preservation; for this God will certainly do, or make a way for us to escape out of temptation if we fall into it, under such a believing frame. We are to pray for what God has promised; our requests are to be regulated by his promises. Faith closes with the promises and finds relief in this case, as James instructs us (1:5–7): what we lack we must ask of God, and we must ask in faith — otherwise we must not think we shall receive anything from the Lord. Set faith to work on the promises of God — that he will keep us in all our ways, direct us so that though we are fools we shall not err in it (Isaiah 55:8), lead us, guide us, and deliver us from the evil one — and expect a good and comfortable issue. It is not easily conceived what a train of graces faith is attended with when it goes forth to meet Christ in the promises, nor what a power for the preservation of the soul lies in this thing.
Fourth: consider prayer. He that would be little in temptation, let him be much in prayer. Prayer calls in the suitable help and succor laid up in Christ for us (Hebrews 4:16) and casts our souls into a frame of opposition to every temptation. When Paul had given instruction for taking the whole armor of God, he adds as his general close: 'praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication' (Ephesians 6:18).
Without prayer all the rest will be of no efficacy for the end proposed. Consider what weight Paul lays on it: 'praying always' — at all times and seasons, or always ready and prepared for the discharge of that duty. 'With all prayer and supplications in the Spirit' — putting forth all kinds of desires to God suited to our condition, according to his will, assisted in by the Spirit. 'And watching thereunto' — lest we be diverted by anything whatever. And that not for a little while, 'but with all perseverance' — continuance lengthened out to the utmost. So shall we stand. The soul so framed is in a sure posture; and this is one of the means without which this work will not be done. If we do not abide in prayer, we shall abide in cursed temptations. Abide in prayer — and expressly to this purpose: that we enter not into temptations; that God would preserve our souls and keep our hearts and our ways from entanglement; that his good and wise providence would so order our affairs that no pressing temptation befall us; that he would give us diligence, carefulness, and watchfulness over our own ways. So shall we be delivered when others are held with the cords of their own folly.
Having seen the danger of entering into temptation, and having uncovered the ways and seasons in which people commonly do so:
Our second question is: what general directions can be given to preserve a soul from that condition? We see our Savior's direction in Matthew 26:41 — He sums it all up in two words: Watch and Pray. I will unfold what is packed into them, both together and individually.
First: included in these words is a clear, abiding sense of the great evil that entering into temptation involves. The person who watches and prays against something looks on it as an evil to be avoided by every possible means.
This, then, is the first direction: always keep in mind the great danger of entering into temptation. It is a sad thing to see how slight most people's view of this is. As long as a man can keep himself from open outward sin, he is satisfied — scarcely aiming for more. And for any temptation the world can offer, men of all kinds will venture at any time.
Young men will throw themselves into any company, any circle of friends! First they are delighted by evil company, and then by the evil of that company. How useless are all warnings to beware of such corrupt and soul-destroying people? At first they venture into the company while abhorring the thought of practicing its wickedness — but what is the outcome? Unless God snatches them with a powerful hand from the jaws of destruction, they are all lost — and before long in love with the very evil they first hated. If only this were true of young men alone. What kind of person is free from this folly in one area or another?
How many professing believers have I known who insisted on their freedom to hear any teacher, to attend to every spreader of false and harmful opinions, to run and hear every one marked out as a seducer by the wider body of believers — they hated the opinions as much as anyone, they said; they had their freedom. What has been the outcome? I have scarcely ever known any of them come away without a wound. Most have had their faith overthrown. Let no one pretend to fear sin who does not fear being tempted to it. Sin and temptation are too closely linked to be separated. Satan has bound them together so tightly that it is very hard for any person to pull them apart. You do not hate the fruit if you love the root.
When people see that certain ways of life, certain companies, courses of business, studies, and ambitions entangle them — making them cold and careless, quenching their zeal, and putting them out of step with even, consistent, and constant obedience — and they press on in them anyway, sin is at the door. It takes a tender spirit — one that feels its own weakness and corruption, knows the craft of Satan, understands the evil of sin, and grasps the power of temptation — to carry out this duty. Until we bring our hearts to this frame, we will never free ourselves from sinful entanglements.
Bold recklessness toward temptation, springing from various excuses, has as everyone knows ruined countless professing believers in our day and continues to bring many down from their excellence. Nor do I have the slightest hope of a more fruitful profession among us until I see more genuine fear of temptation. Sin will not long seem great or heavy to anyone to whom temptations seem light or trivial.
This is the first thing wrapped up in this general direction: we are required to daily exercise our minds with a clear awareness of the great danger lying in entering into temptation. Grieving the Spirit of God, disturbing our own souls, losing peace, endangering eternal welfare — all of these lie at the door. If the soul is not moved by this direction, everything that follows will be useless. Temptation despised will conquer. But if the heart is made tender and watchful here, half the work of securing a faithful life is done. Let the person who has no intention of taking this direction seriously read no further.
Second: also included in Watch and Pray — keeping ourselves from entering into temptation is not something in our own power. Therefore we pray to be preserved from it, because we cannot save ourselves. Just as we have no strength to resist a temptation once we have entered it, we must reckon that we have no power or wisdom to keep ourselves from entering in the first place. We must be kept by the power and wisdom of God (1 Peter 1:5). Our Savior teaches us this not only by directing us to pray "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," but also by His own prayer for us: "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil" (John 17:15). The ways by which we enter into temptation are so many, varied, and imperceptible; the means so effective; the entrances so deceptive, subtle, gradual, and plausible; our weakness and unwatchfulness so deep — that we cannot in the slightest keep or preserve ourselves. We fail in both wisdom and strength for this work.
Let the heart reason with itself and say: I am poor and weak. Satan is subtle, cunning, and powerful, watching constantly for advantages against my soul. The world is urgent, pressing, and full of plausible arguments, endless excuses, and deceptive ways. My own corruption is violent and tumultuous — enticing, entangling, conceiving sin and warring against me from within. Occasions and opportunities for temptation are countless in everything I do and in every person and situation I encounter.
The first beginnings of temptation are imperceptible and plausible — so that left to myself I will not know I am trapped until my bonds are strong and sin has taken root in my heart. Therefore I will rely on God alone for preservation, and will continually look to Him for that purpose, doing and undertaking nothing without seeking guidance from Him. This will cause the soul to always commit itself to God's care, resting on Him — and from this a double advantage will come, each of singular value for the soul's preservation from the danger feared.
First: it draws on the grace and compassion of God, who has invited the helpless and fatherless to rest upon Him. No soul has ever lacked supply that, sensing its own need, has cast itself on Him at His gracious invitation.
Second: it keeps the soul in a frame that is useful for its preservation in several ways. The person who looks to God for help in the right way is both aware of his danger and conscientiously careful in using the available means to preserve himself — and those who have their hearts exercised in these things will readily understand how important both of those are.
Third: also included in Watch and Pray — act faith on the promises of God for preservation. To believe that He will preserve us is itself a means of preservation, for this God will certainly do — or make a way for us to escape out of temptation if we fall into it — in a person who maintains this believing frame. We pray for what God has promised; our requests are to be shaped by His promises. Faith lays hold on the promises and finds relief, as James instructs us (1:5-7): what we lack we must ask of God, and we must ask in faith — otherwise we should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Set faith to work on the promises of God — that He will keep us in all our ways, guide us so that though we are foolish we will not go wrong (Isaiah 35:8), lead us, direct us, and deliver us from the evil one — and look for a good and encouraging outcome. It is hard to put into words how much strength accompanies faith when it goes out to meet Christ in the promises, and how great a power for the soul's preservation lies in this.
Fourth: consider prayer. The person who wants little to do with temptation must be much in prayer. Prayer draws on the fitting help and relief laid up for us in Christ (Hebrews 4:16) and puts the soul in a posture of resistance against every temptation. After Paul gave instructions for taking up the whole armor of God, he added as his general closing word: "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication" (Ephesians 6:18).
Without prayer, all the rest will be powerless for this purpose. Notice the weight Paul places on it: "praying always" — at all times and seasons, always ready and prepared for this duty. "With all prayer and supplications in the Spirit" — bringing every kind of request to God suited to our condition, according to His will, assisted by the Spirit. "And watching thereunto" — so that nothing whatever diverts us from it. And not for a short time, "but with all perseverance" — continuing without end. So shall we stand. The soul that is shaped by this is in a secure position. This is one of the means without which this work will not be done. If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in ruinous temptations. Abide in prayer — and pray expressly for this: that we not enter into temptations; that God would keep our souls and guard our hearts and our ways from entanglement; that His good and wise providence would so order our affairs that no heavy temptation comes upon us; that He would give us diligence, care, and watchfulness over our own ways. So will we be delivered while others are held fast by the ropes of their own foolishness.
