"Continue in prayer,
and watch _in_ the same, with thanksgiving." "Praying always, with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and _watching thereunto_ with all
perseverance." "Let us watch and be sober." "Watch then _in all
things_." "Watch _unto_ prayer." "Blessed is he that _watcheth_, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." "Set
a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." If we were
in a house surrounded by a band of robbers, and especially if we knew
there were persons in it who held a secret correspondence with them, we
should be continually on our guard. Every moment we should be
_watching_, both within and without. But such is the state of our
hearts. Surely, no ordinary danger would have called forth from our Lord
and his apostles such repeated warnings. We are directed to watch in
_all things_. Keep a continual guard over your own heart, and over every
word and action of your life. But there are particular seasons when we
should set a _double watch_.

1. We are directed to watch _unto_ prayer. When you approach the mercy
seat, watch against a careless spirit. Suffer not your mind to be drawn
away by anything, however good and important in itself, from the object
before you. If the adversary can divert your mind on the way to that
consecrated place, he will be almost sure to drive you away from it
without a blessing.

2. We are required to watch not only _unto_ but _in_ prayer. Satan is
never more busy with Christians than when he sees them on their knees.
He well knows the power of prayer; and this makes him tremble.

"Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees."

You should, therefore, with the most untiring vigilance, watch in prayer
against all wandering thoughts and distraction of mind. You will often
experience, on such occasions, a sudden and vivid impression upon your
mind of something entirely foreign from what is before you. This is no
doubt the temptation of Satan. If you are sufficiently upon your watch,
you can banish it, without diverting your thoughts or feelings from the
subject of your prayer, and proceed as though nothing had happened. But,
if the adversary succeeds in keeping these wild imaginations in view, so
that you cannot proceed without distraction, turn and beseech God to
give you help against his wiles. You have the promise, that if you
resist the devil he will flee from you. These remarks apply both to
sec