$«.,.vIn.1 RITII TIIE BLESSiY6S OFIT. 117 laboured night and day to get nearer to heaven, and as it were took the kingdom of heaven by a holy,violence ?" Let us bestir ourselves then and shake off this lethargy of soul, this dull humour, let, us call up,all our natural and christian powers into exercise, and ".be no .longer ,slothful, but followers of them who through faith And .patience inherit the promises ;" Ileb. vi. 12. 4. " True diligence implies also watchfulness, in op- .,position to a drowsy heedless temper, a thoughtless se-, .curity of soul." We must be awake,to seize all advan- tages for our work, as well as to guard against;surprizes and dangers. How dreadfully is the sluggard exposed to loss and ruin ? If the sailors sleep in their voyage, they ,run upon sands and rocks, and lose their ship and their ;lives. If a centinel sleep in his watch- tower,.the enemy ;gains considerable advantage, and seizes some post of ,importance, or enters the gates of the city. How often Math a whole army been surprized and routed, who lay '.secure in. their camp, and kept no due watch ? We chris- tians are soldiers under the banner of Christ, our ene- mies are many within and without ; our great adversary the devil is malicious and busy ; if we indulge security And drowsiness, he seizes every unguardedhour to wound, And defile, anddistress our souls. Therefore the apostle ;Peter demands our watchfulness ; 1 Pet. v. 8. " Pe sober, ;»e vigilant, or watchful, for your adversary the devil, ,as .a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he .may devour." , One unwatchful hour, one slumber in the day of temptation ,bath given Satan. opportunity for un- known mischief, and administered matter to a christian for bitter repentance, all his days, Shall we then ever hearken to the enticements of slothful nature Shall we ever gratify the tempter at this rate to our own certain loss, and to the danger of our eternal ruin." 5. " Diligence yet further implies a constancy in our work, in opposition to looking back, and perpetual avo- cation by diversions and pleasures." The foolish. Israe- lites were often looking back to,the leeks and onions and .flesh pots of, Egypt, and were in danger of losing the promised land. Where love of pleasure and diversion often interrupts the business we arefengaged in, we shall .make but .poor broken work, ,and have little hope i 3
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