occasion to sit down and pray. It is to seek out
occasions and to be waiting for them. Too many use to excuse themselves
easily that their other employments take them up, and they think on this
account they may omit prayer with a good conscience, as ministers, busied
about their calling, and at their book, think it no omission that they
pray not often. But alas, is this watching unto prayer? Ye should be as
men lying in wait upon some good opportunity to take hold of it. Prayer
would hinder no business of that kind, but much further it. Prayer would
be the compendious way of it. Ye used not to be challenged when ye get not
a commodity(522) to pray; but do ye seek opportunity when it is not
offered? Do ye look after a retiring place, and withdraw from company,
when ye cannot pray with company? This were indeed watching unto prayer.
But watching unto prayer will make men sometimes uncivil (so to speak,
that which it may be would be called uncivility). It will be a very
pressing necessity that will draw away the time of prayer, no compliment
should hinder you to go to it. If ye got a corner alone, that would invite
a man that watches unto prayer. He even seeks it when he finds it not
offering itself. The watcher unto prayer will steal much of his time from
others, and other employments, and he will not spend time unnecessarily.

II. To watch unto prayer is to accept willingly of all occasions and
opportunities offered. O! if such a man find a corner, but it will be
seasonable and sweet unto him. If he have nothing to do, and knows not how
to pass his time, then he conceives he is called to prayer, and to keep
communion with God. But how many opportunities have ye, and what advantage
make ye of them? Ye have time and place convenient, all the day or much of
it, and yet ye content yourselves with an ordinary set diet. Sure this is
not watching. Watching unto prayer would make all emergent occasions
welcome, ye would not have any impulse of the Spirit and motion to pray,
but ye would follow it, and be led by the Spirit to your duty. Ye would
not hear of any rare passage of providence, or any of God's dispensations
towards yourselves, and other saints, but you would think it a good call
to pray and make the right use and improvement of it.

III. To watch unto prayer is to observe all the impediments of prayer, all
the enemies of that precious thing prayer, that ye ought to keep as the
apple of your eye. Whatever ye find by exp