Chapter IX. Final Exhortation to Watchfulness

Having thus passed through the consideration of the duty of watching that we enter not into temptation, I suppose I need not add motives to the observance of it. Those not moved by their own sad experiences, nor by the importance of the duty as laid down at the entrance of this discourse, must be left by me to the further patience of God. I shall only shut up the whole with a general exhortation to those who are in any measure prepared for it by the consideration of what has been spoken. Should you go into a hospital and see many persons lying sick and weak, sore and wounded, with many filthy diseases and distempers, and inquire of them how they fell into that condition — and they all agreed to tell you it was by such and such a thing — would it not make you a little careful how and what you had to do with that thing or place? Should you go to a dungeon and see many miserable creatures bound in chains for an approaching day of execution, and inquire the way by which they were brought to that condition — and they all fixed on one and the same thing — would you not take care to avoid it? The case is so with entering into temptation. Ah, how many poor, miserably wounded souls are there everywhere — one wounded by one sin, another by another; one falling into filthiness of the flesh, another of the spirit! Ask them how they came into this state and condition; they must all answer: alas, we entered into temptation, we fell into cursed snares and entanglements, and that has brought us to the woeful condition you see. If a man could look into the dungeons of hell and see the poor damned souls bound in chains of darkness and hear their cries — what would he be taught? Are they not cursing their tempters and the temptations they entered into? And shall we be negligent in this thing? Men come not off from temptation without wounds, burnings, and scars. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned? No such thing. I know not any place in the world where there is more need of pressing this exhortation than here. Go to our several colleges and inquire for such and such young men — what is the answer in respect of many? Such a one was very hopeful for a season, but he fell into ill company and is quite lost. Such a one had some good beginning of religion, but he has fallen into temptation. And so in other places: such a one was useful and humble, adorned the gospel, but now he is so woefully entangled with the world that he is grown all self, has no sap nor savor. Oh, how full is the world — how full is this place — of these woeful examples! And is it not time for us to awake before it be too late, to watch against the first risings of sin, the first attempts of Satan, and all ways whereby he has made his approaches to us, be they never so harmless in themselves?

Have we not experience of our weakness, our folly, the invincible power of temptation when once it is gotten within us? As for this duty I have insisted on, take these considerations:

First: if you neglect it — being the only means prescribed by our Savior — you will certainly enter into temptation, and as certainly fall into sin. Flatter not yourselves; some of you are old disciples, have a great abhorrence of sin, and think it impossible you should ever be so seduced. But let him — whoever he be — that stands take heed lest he fall. It is not any grace received, it is not any experience obtained, it is not any resolution improved, that will preserve you from any evil unless you stand upon your watch. What I say to you, says Christ, I say to all: Watch. Perhaps you may have had some good success for a time in your careless frame — but awake, admire God's tenderness and patience, or evil lies at the door. If you will not perform this duty, one way or another, in one thing or another — spiritual or carnal wickedness — you will be tempted, you will be defiled. Remember Peter.

Second: consider that you are always under the eye of Christ, the great Captain of our salvation, who has enjoined us to watch thus and pray that we enter not. What do you think are the thoughts and what is the heart of Christ when he sees a temptation hastening toward you, a storm rising about you, and you are fast asleep? Does it not grieve him to see you expose yourself so to danger after he has given warning upon warning? While he was in the days of his flesh, he considered his temptation while it was yet coming and armed himself against it: 'The prince of this world comes, but he has no part in me.' And shall we be negligent under his eye? Only think that you see him coming to you as he did to Peter when he was asleep in the garden, with the same reproof: 'Could you not watch one hour?' Would it not be a grief to you to be so reproved, or to hear him thundering against your neglect from heaven, as against the church of Sardis (Revelation 3:2)?

Third: consider that if you neglect this duty and so fall into temptation — which assuredly you will — when you are entangled, God may also bring some heavy affliction or judgment upon you, which by reason of your entanglement you shall not be able to look upon as anything other than evidence of his anger and hatred. And what will you do then with your temptation and affliction together? All your bones will be broken, and your peace and strength will be gone in a moment. This may seem but a noise of words for the present, but if ever it be your condition, you will find it full of woe and bitterness. Oh then, let us strive to keep our spirits unentangled, avoiding all appearance of evil and all ways leading thereto — especially all ways, businesses, societies, and employments that we have already found disadvantageous to us.

FINIS.

Having now worked through the whole subject of the duty of watching so that we do not enter into temptation, I think there is little need to add further motivation for keeping it. Those who are not moved by their own painful experience, nor by the importance of the duty as laid out at the beginning of this work, I must leave to the further patience of God. I will only close the whole with a general appeal to those who have been in any way prepared for it by what has been said. Imagine going into a hospital and seeing many people lying there sick and weak, sore and wounded, suffering from all kinds of terrible conditions — and asking them how they came to be in that state. If they all agreed on the same cause, would that not make you very careful about having any dealings with that thing or that place? Imagine going to a prison and seeing many miserable people bound in chains awaiting an appointed day of execution — and asking what path brought them to that condition. If they all pointed to the same thing, would you not take every precaution to avoid it? This is exactly the case with entering into temptation. There are so many poor, miserably wounded souls everywhere — one wounded by one sin, another by another; one fallen into corruption of the flesh, another of the spirit! Ask them how they came to this state. They must all answer: we entered into temptation, we fell into cursed traps and entanglements, and that is what brought us to the wretched condition you see. If a man could look into the dungeons of hell and see the poor condemned souls bound in chains of darkness and hear their cries — what would he learn? Are they not cursing their tempters and the temptations they entered into? And shall we be careless about this? People do not come out of temptation without wounds, burns, and scars. Can a man carry fire in his chest and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be burned? No such thing. I know of no place in the world where there is more need to press this appeal than here. Go to our various colleges and ask about certain young men — what is the answer in so many cases? That one was very promising for a time, but he fell into bad company and is completely lost. That one had some good beginning of faith, but he has fallen into temptation. And in other places: that one was useful and humble, a credit to the gospel, but now he is so hopelessly entangled with the world that he has become entirely self-absorbed, with no freshness or flavor of Christ. How full is the world — how full is this very place — of these dreadful examples! Is it not time for us to wake up before it is too late — to watch against the first stirrings of sin, the first approaches of Satan, and all the ways by which he has made his advances against us, however harmless they may appear in themselves?

Have we not learned from experience our own weakness and folly, and the unstoppable power of temptation once it has gotten inside us? As for this duty I have set out, take these considerations to heart:

First: if you neglect it — being the only means prescribed by our Savior — you will certainly enter into temptation, and just as certainly fall into sin. Do not flatter yourselves. Some of you are long-standing disciples, have a deep hatred of sin, and think it impossible you could ever be so seduced. But let the one who stands — whoever he may be — take heed lest he fall. It is not any grace received, any experience gained, or any resolution strengthened that will keep you from any evil unless you stand on your watch. What I say to you, says Christ, I say to all: Watch. Perhaps you have had some degree of success for a time in your careless frame — but wake up, give thanks for God's tenderness and patience, for evil is at the door. If you will not perform this duty, then one way or another, in one thing or another — whether in spiritual or outward wickedness — you will be tempted, you will be defiled. Remember Peter.

Second: consider that you are always under the eye of Christ, the great Captain of our salvation, who has commanded us to watch and pray that we do not enter in. What do you think are His thoughts, what is His heart toward you, when He sees a temptation rushing toward you, a storm rising around you, and you are fast asleep? Does it not grieve Him to see you expose yourself to such danger after He has given warning after warning? While He was in the days of His flesh, He saw His own temptation coming and armed Himself against it: "The prince of this world comes, but he has nothing in me." And shall we be careless under His eye? Just imagine that you see Him coming to you as He came to Peter when Peter was asleep in the garden, with the same reproach: "Could you not watch one hour?" Would it not grieve you to receive such a reproof — or to hear Him thundering His rebuke against your neglect from heaven, as He did against the church of Sardis (Revelation 3:2)?

Third: consider that if you neglect this duty and so fall into temptation — which you certainly will — when you are entangled, God may also bring some heavy affliction or judgment upon you. Because of your entanglement, you will not be able to see it as anything other than evidence of His anger and displeasure. And what will you do then, with both temptation and affliction upon you at once? All your bones will be broken, and your peace and strength will be gone in a moment. This may sound like empty words for now — but if you ever find yourself in that condition, you will find it full of pain and bitterness. So let us strive to keep our spirits free and unentangled, avoiding all appearance of evil and every path that leads toward it — especially all ways, occupations, relationships, and pursuits that we have already found to be harmful to us.

FINIS.