Christian Watchfulness, Stated and Enforced

Thomas Boston, 1676–1732

Simprin, February 16, 1707.

Mark 13:37, "And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch!"

THESE words are the conclusion of our Lord's discourse, begun at the 5th verse of this chapter. Here he tells them the design of speaking these things, that they were not designed for them alone who heard them, but for all others, that minded to be his followers. What things does he mean? The text refers to the whole preceding discourse, the word being in the plural number; and so it refers to watching, which he had before pressed upon them, and now presses again.

DOCTRINE. It is the duty of all to watch. For illustrating this, I shall,

I. Show what it is to watch.

II. I shall, under several branches, speak of the object of watching.

III. I shall enforce the doctrine, by giving reasons why we should watch. I am then,

I. To show what it is to watch.

Watching is a military term. By watching, the army is secured from a surprise by the enemy. It properly belongs to the body to watch, because it only is properly subject to sleep. Even this bodily watching may be religious, 2 Corinthians 6:5; Psalm 63:6; but it is commonly used in scripture for the watching of the soul, which is subject to a spiritual sleep. There are two things in it,

1. The soul's keeping spiritually awake, for to watch is opposed to sleeping. When Jesus found his disciples sleeping, "he said unto Peter, Simon, sleep you? Could you not watch one hour?" The time of our being in the world is night, Romans 13:12, and it is very natural to sleep in the night; "for they that sleep, sleep in the night." But we must not sleep, but be awake; that is, keep grace in exercise. We must keep from carnal security and spiritual sloth, which are very apt to creep in upon us, after the greatest enjoyment and appearances of God, Song 5:3. This is a sweet sin, in which a man will take pleasure, when other sins give him no satisfaction. We must also keep the soul in spiritual motion and holy exercise. When we sleep we rest. Our rest is not here, and therefore we must be always moving heavenwards. As the fire on the altar was kept always burning, so we must be always watching. If we begin to droop, we must rouse ourselves.

2. Observation. The sentinel that walks the round, unless he carefully observe what he may see, cannot be said to watch. Thus the shepherds kept watch over their flocks by night, Luke 2:8. Our mind must be intent upon our business, that we may catch all advantages against, and ward off hazard from the enemy. Hence watching is expressed by taking heed, and by looking to ourselves, 1 Corinthians 10:12; 2 John 8. We are now,

II. Under several branches to speak of the object of watching. The branches are these three,

I. Some things we must watch over to keep them right.

II. Some things we must watch against.

III. Some things we must watch for.

I. There are some things we must watch over to keep them right.

1. Watch over yourselves. "Only," said Moses, "take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life." Every man is his own nearest neighbor, and so his worst enemy is nearest to him. None capable to do us so much harm.

Watch then over your heads, your principles, 1 Timothy 4:1. The spirit of delusion rages. New doctrines are very enticing to those that have not had the spiritual relish, and felt the efficacy of the old upon their hearts, 2 Timothy 4:3, and 3:4. When the truth is not received with love, the spirit of delusion leads men to believe a lie.

Watch over your hearts. "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." The heart is the source of action. It is as the eye to the body. "If therefore your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of light. But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness." The same may be said of the heart. There is, then, the greatest need for watching it, "for it is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." He would act foolishly, who desiring to keep the water pure, would sit down by the streams, neglecting the fountain. To watch the outward man and not the heart, is to shut the door and the thief in the house.

The thoughts of the heart must be watched. "O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved: how long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you." Thus David declares, "I hate vain thoughts." Thoughts are the births of our hearts, and we had need to watch, and observe of what sort they are, and stifle evil thoughts in the womb, lest through unwatchfulness they swarm forth and defile the whole man, Mark 8:20–23. One wandering thought has been a wide door at which the soul's life and vigor in duties have gone out, being as a dart struck through the heart of a bird singing on a tree.

Watch also the affections of the heart. Good ones are easily crushed, and evil ones, like bad weeds, grow up apace, Song 2:15. O! how ready are our affections to go astray, either on unlawful, or else immoderately on lawful objects; and when once set on, they run along, as the fire in the train, Ecclesiastes 6:9. Therefore, watch your hearts. He who has no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down and without walls.

Watch over your tongues. "If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain." It is dangerous to ride on an unbridled horse. David said, "I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." "Again," said he, "set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips." The tongue boasts great things. It is apt to fall into undue silence, or sinful speaking. A single word may be of dreadful consequence. "For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." The unruliness of the tongue it seems had cast the rich man in Hell into a burning fever, where no cooling was to be expected, Luke 16:24.

Your senses must be watched. These are the gates of the soul, and when the town is besieged, strict watch must be kept at the gates. Satan lays his trains at these gates; if they be not guarded, the whole soul may be set on fire. The senses of hearing and seeing, must in an especial manner be watched. By the eyes and ears did the devil blow up all mankind in Adam and Eve. The eyes ruined Achan, and wounded David severely. Job was glad to make a covenant with them.

Watch over your feet, your walk and conversation. We are exhorted "to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." We should walk wisely, noticing every step. "We must watch in all things," for we are ready to stumble in all things. We must not walk at random; "but in all our ways acknowledge the Lord, and he shall direct our paths.

2. Watch over your graces. Grace is that fire sent down from Heaven into the hearts of sinners, which must not be neglected, 2 Timothy 1:6. Our graces are subject to decay, though not to death. Though grace cannot die out of the garden of the heart, when once it is implanted, yet it may be overgrown and hid. It is a great pledge of the Lord's love and every way precious, therefore to be watched, seeing it is in hazard.

3. Watch over your duties. Take heed how you hear, how you read, pray, meditate and communicate. Remember what Paul says, "I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me." Unwatchfulness in duties, makes them useless, like a man shooting an arrow at random. We should watch the outward man in duty. Men cannot pray sleeping, nor hear when gazing around them. Watch the inward man the soul, that it behave rightly. Satan is ready to cast a dead fly into the ointment to spoil all, or to send the birds flocking to the carcass. See how David set himself to his duty, "My voice," said he, "shall you hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto you, and will look up."

4. Watch over your attainments. "Look," says John, "to yourselves, that we lose not those things we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." If it were but a weak spark of grace, "yet be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die." If it were but a conviction, let us say with David, "my sin is ever before me." "Quench not the Spirit." Do not let out the fire, by neglecting it. The cloud like a man's hand, if cherished, may before long cover the heavens. See how watchful the spouse was, when she had found Christ, "I charge you," said she, "O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and hinds of the field, that you stir not up, nor awake my love until he please."

II. There are some things we must watch against.

1. Watch against your lusts and corruptions. In an especial manner let us watch against the sin of our nature, called the old man, and by us usually the evil heart; that woeful bent of our souls to evil, the body of sin, Romans 7:24. This reigns as a king in the unregenerate; and in the regenerate it is dethroned, but still endeavors to get the throne again, and in the meantime endeavors to command. "Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that they should obey it in the lusts thereof."

Watch against your former sins, with which you were sometimes led away, and have been engaging against. "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance." Your former loves will make suit again to you, and be in on you, if you watch not. Remember you are naturally bent to backslide, and, like Israel, to follow after your lovers; therefore look not back to Sodom.

Watch against your particular sins, to which you find yourselves most inclined. The strongest guard should always be at the weakest part of the wall. Every man has his weak side, his "sin that does most easily beset him." Take notice of this by all means, and endeavor to lay it aside, that each may be able to say with David, "I kept myself from mine iniquity."

Watch against little sins. The proverb is, the little thief makes least noise, but opens the door to the rest. An improper look to Bathsheba, in the end broke David's bones. A little sleep brings on want as an armed man.

2. Watch against appearances of evil, 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Neither do evil, nor what appears to be evil. Such as neglect this rule, offend and stumble others, and so offend God. They grieve the godly, and harden the wicked.

3. Against occasions of sin. It is difficult and dangerous for a man to walk with bags of powder among sparks. Peter in the high priest's hall, fell into grievous sin. "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." Sin has a lodging within, and wants but an occasion to call it forth, and therefore starve your lusts, by fleeing from occasions of sinning.

4. Watch against temptations to sin. Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. You live amidst many snares. Be upon your guard, that you may resist when tempted, and throw not yourselves in the way of temptation. You cannot expect to escape temptations while here. God will have you tried, and temptations will easily lead aside the unwary.

5. Against evil company. A man is known by his company, and is always in some degree influenced by it. Evil communications corrupt good manners. He who walks with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

III. There are some things we must watch for, as men watching for advantages against the enemy, and for strengthening themselves.

1. Watch for the proper season of duty. "Praying always," says Paul, "with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints." There is an opportunity for doing good, Galatians 6:10, which, if not embraced, may do much harm. "To everything there is a season." This may come and pass too without improvement, if a man be not watching. Many a fair child is lost by an untimely birth, and many a good duty is spoiled for want of doing it in its season. Everything is beautiful in its season.

2. Watch for the motions of the Spirit. He is an unwise mariner that takes not heed to wind and tide. He can neither command them when he will, nor set out to sea without them. If a man be so happy as to watch the blowings of the Spirit, he may make good progress; otherwise, he may do much to little purpose. As soon as God revealed himself, "Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. And he said, if now I have found grace in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray you, go among us, (for it is a stiff-necked people), and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."

3. Watch for experiences, by observing carefully the dispensations of providence towards you. "Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." An observing Christian is rich in experience. "For you, Lord, have made me glad through your work; I will triumph in the works of your hand." Providence is every day big with advantage to the observing Christian. Sometimes it brings him a reproof, light, comfort, evidence of God's faithfulness, and such like things; but the unwatchful let all these escape.

4. Watch the success of your duties. David resolved not only that God should hear his voice in the morning, but also that he would look up for an answer. Observe how you succeed at a prayer, a sermon, or at a communion. The prayer that is not looked after, is not likely to reach God's ears. Alas! many go to God in duties, as children at their play come and knock at people's doors, and presently run away to their play again.

III. We are to enforce the doctrine, by giving reasons why we should watch.

1. Because God commands it, and that very often. He has set us to our post, and we must watch and not sleep.

2. Because we have the enemy within our walls. A deceitful heart, with strong and deceitfnl lusts. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Therefore, says Solomon, "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely, he shall be delivered." How can men sleep sound, when they know that cut-throats are within their houses? You have within you what will ruin you, if you watch not, though the devil should never attack you. A man's enemies are those of his own house.

3. Because there are snares laid for us everywhere, by the devil and the world. Therefore, says Paul, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." There is no place where Satan has not his traps set for you. In the wilderness he tempted Christ; he tempted Eve when alone, and Peter in company. There are snares in your lawful enjoyments, visible and invisible. Our time is like to be a time of snares, we have need to watch. Remember Jesus has said, "He who overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white clothing; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

4. Because no duty can be done right, where this is wanting. If we would pray aright, "we must watch and pray." If we would hear aright, "we must take heed how we hear." If we would stand fast, "we must take heed lest we fall." As a servant must be awake if he would do any piece of work, so must a Christian.

USE 1.—Of reproof to the unwatchful. Alas! it is to be feared some of us have fallen asleep already. I will tell you how you will know it.

1. A silent conscience is a sign of a sleeping soul. When David cut off Saul's skirt, his heart smote him, for he was then awake; but when he committed murder, his conscience was silent until Nathan came to him, for he was asleep.

2. A dreaming man is asleep. Is your heart saying peace, like Agag thinking the bitterness of death is past. You have received the communion, and have entered into engagements, and are not seeing the hazard of breaking your vows. I tell you you are sleeping in your fetters. A waking Christian has his hazard always before him.

3. Loss of impressions of the work in which you have been engaged. A waking man finds the bands that are on him, but one asleep is insensible of them. Ah! how soon are they lost. The Israelites "soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel."

4. Laziness and heartlessness in going about duties. The spouse says, "By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not." How are you now at your duties?

Lastly, Forgetting of your work. Many that engage with Christ, are like servants called on by the master to do such service, they promise, but fall asleep, and forget it. "When Jesus found his disciples sleeping, he said unto Peter, Simon, sleep you? Could not you watch one hour?" Are all your vows and engagements turned to that already?

USE 2. Watch at this time, and at all times.

MOTIVE 1. Consider your danger. "Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall." You are in hazard of falling into sin, even gross sins. There are many ditches in our way. If we watch not, we may be over head and ears, before long. How did the Israelites in the wilderness fall, notwithstanding their privileges. Peter fell very soon after the first communion. Many have so fallen, and so soon after a sacrament, that it would seem the devil had gone down with the sop. You are in danger of falling under God's displeasure: "But with many of them, God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness." Unwatchfulness opens the door to sin, sin to wrath. Where men's lusts dine with them, judgments will sup. "Behold," says Jesus, "I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

2. God is watching you, his eyes are upon you at all times; on your thoughts, words, and actions, Psalm 139. The thief surely had need to watch his hands while in the sight of the judge.

3. The devil never sleeps, but is watching for your ruin. "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." "But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up." Would Sisera have lain down to sleep had he known the hammer and nail were in Jael's hand. Satan stands at your hand.

4. What you have lost by former unwatchfulness. Have you not decayed and been brought very low by, and lost great attainments, and will you not be wise?

Lastly, Consider the shortness and uncertainty of your time. It is short, therefore the devil will be busy, and you have the more need to make haste. This laborious trade will be the sooner over. There is no watching in Heaven. Christ has told us be will come, but not when, that we may always watch, Mark. 13:32–37.

DIRECTIONS. 1. Harbor no known sin in your soul. This will stupefy your conscience.

2. Beware of immoderate affection to created enjoyments.

3. Crush security in the bud.

4. Keep up a sense of spiritual wants, and be daily traveling between Christ's fullness and your own emptiness. Amen.