The vvhole-armor of God: or A Christians spiritual furniture, to keepe him safe from all the assaults of Satan First preached, and now the second time published and enlarged for the good of all such as well vse it:whereunto is also added a treatise of the sinne against the Holy Ghost. By VVilliam Gouge B.D. and preacher of Gods Word in Blacke Fryers London. ...

§. 133 Of watching both in body and in Spirit.

TO let all these & other like erronious conceits passe, & to returne to our matter. As outward watchfulnesse of the body is nothing acceptable to God, vnlesse the soule also be watchfull, so the soule cannot possibly bee watchfull, vnlesse it haue the helpe of the bo∣dies watchfulnesse: for the parts of the body are those * 1.1 instruments whereby the powers of the soule are ex∣ercised. Wherefore both must bee ioyned together, as easily may bee gathered out of Christs charge to his Disciples,b 1.2 Watch and pray. That hee speaketh of bodily watchfulnesse is cleare, for he found them asleepe, and therefore said, Watch. As cleare also it is that he speaketh of spirituall watchfulnesse because he inferreth this clause, that yee enter not into temptation: it is not bodily watchfnl∣nesse alone that can keepe vs from temptation. Yet fur∣ther this metaphor of watching hath a large extent: for it is a military word, and the Apostle still holdeth on like a wise Captaine to instruct Christian souldiers what to doe. In time of warre there are certaine appointed conti∣nually to watch in some sconce, watch-towre, or other

like eminent place, where they must rowse vp themselues throughly that they sleepe not, and not onely remaine awake, but prie and view vp and downe euery where and discry what may be hurtfull or helpfull to the army. So as watching vnto prayer implyeth a diligent obser∣uing of all such things as may help vs or hinder vs there∣in. In this sence the Apostle saith of Ministers, that they c 1.3 watch for the soules of their people, that is, carefully ob∣serue what may make to the good, or what tend to the hurt of their soules.

I might out of the full meaning of this metaphor col∣lect many particular duties, and distinctly handle them all, but for breuity sake I will drawe all to one doctrine, which is this,

For the better performance of prayer,* 1.4 both body and spirit of him who prayeth, is to be rowsed vp, and kept from inward and outward drousinesse, and due obseruance is to bee made of all things helpfull or hurtfull thereunto. To this purpose tend those many exhortations which by Christ & his Diciples are made to watch. When Christ warned his Diciples of his lastd 1.5 comming, ande 1.6 when he was in his agony he bid them watch Sof 1.7 Paul, sog 1.8 Peter. To this purpose also ten∣deth that patheticall speech of Dauid,h 1.9 Awake my glory, a∣wake Viol and Harpe, I will awake early.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Organa.
• b 1.2

  Mat. 26. 41.
• c 1.3

  Heb. 13. 17
• * 1.4

  Doct. Both body & soule to bee rowsed vp to Prayer.
• d 1.5

  Mar. 13. 37.
• e 1.6

  Mat. 26. 41
• f 1.7

  Col. 4. 2
• g 1.8

  1 Pet. 4. 7.
• h 1.9

  Psal. 57. 8