812 Epbefian,r,Chap.b. VER.IO.! theprayers offmoake, inwhich the Church afcendeth to God, out of this world, a barren wilderneffe. Fourthly, watching thereunto. Whence marke , That a we muff pray , fi we muff are watchfulneff e far furtheranceofprayer : Not that wee fhould fit up late, as in Noelarnes; or wake before day, as in morning Martens : But wee muff all day long have a waking foule, that carricth the duty of prayer inremembrance. Watch and pray, Mat.26.41. col.q.. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the fame with thanksgiving. 1 Pet.4.7. The end of allthings is at hand, beyee therefore foberandwatching in prayer. Where we may fee, it is the mindes wakingwhich is principallymeant, though this will keepe the body fromdrowfrneffe, inperforming the exercife. Theprimi- tive Chriftians , this is recorded ofthem ; that they did Bate their mcate, as remembring they were to call on God , by the night fea- fon. More particularly, there mull be watchfulneffebeforeprayer. 2. rn it. 3..4fterit. Nowour watchfulnefTebefore, (lands in preventing the impediments, in marking that in the courfeof the day, which may fitus for prayer. Firft, this watchfulneffe will make a man fo cart , and make filch riddance of bufinefe, that he may not have hinderances when he (hall goe tohis duty. God prefixeth a Memento before the Sabbath ; tea - ching that ifone doe not lift up his mimic to it, and in the fix dayes difpatchhis bufrneffe, he cannot keepe it when it commeth : fo there is a mindfulne(fe to be had ofhim that will not this way be encom- bred with diftrafkions. Secondly, We muff watchfully keepe, our felves from finne : Let him that calleth on the nameof the Lord,depart from iniquity. For if webe in theday time indulgent to our lulls, it will be adampe toour pray- ers : andwhen weyeild tofnne , it is a taken our Watch is downe ; wee thinkenot of prayer. For if we meant to make fuit toa man at night, wee would be watchfull in the day, not to lofe his favour , bygiving him offence, kft he fhould refuteus inour requt(t. z. Wemuff ob- ferve our wants in theday time ; as, how prone we are to runne into worldly mindednefl'e, in wrath, in voluptuoufneffe, in fooli(11 and unfruitful! !peaking, and therefore, what need we have to cry, Lord, keepe thou the dooreofour lips. Againe, wee muff labour, as to havea fenfeofwants, fo to havea feeling of the good things God gi- veth, oftheevils he keepeth from us : for without the one we can- not be poore in fpirit, nor beg unfainedly ; without the otherwe can- not be truly thankful!, andoffer upour praifc heartily. Now wemuff watch in prayer againfl lndevotion and wandrings, &c. So Efay complaineth 64.7. And there is none that calleth on thy Name, neither that ftirreth up himfelfe to take hold on thee. After prayer wemull marke, how Godhath anfwered us in this or that wee have entreated. Pp/. 5.3. Early in the morning will I dire& my prayerunto thee, and will wait, Rand as in a watchtower, and fee how theLordwill deale with me, and remember me in my requefls. Pral. 130. 5.
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