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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
unguarded
hour
to
wound,
And
defile,
and
distress
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
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