Therefore let us not sleep as do others
&c.] As the rest of the Gentiles, as unconverted persons, who
are in a state of darkness, and are children of the night; let us
not act that part they do, or be like them; which professors of
religion too much are, when they indulge themselves in carnal
lusts and pleasures, and are careless and thoughtless about the
coming of the day of the Lord; and get into a stupid, drowsy, and
slumbering frame of spirit; when grace lies dormant as if it was
not, and they grow backward to, and slothful in the discharge of
duty, and content themselves with the bare externals of religion;
and become lukewarm and indifferent with respect to the truths
and ordinance of the Gospel, the cause of God, the interest of
religion, and glory of Christ; and are unconcerned about sins of
omission or commission: and are willing to continue in such a
position, being displeased at every admonition and exhortation
given them to awake; but this is very unbecoming children of the
light, and of the day:
but let us watch;
over ourselves, our hearts, thoughts, affections, words and
actions; and over others, our fellow Christians, that they give
not into bad principles and evil practices; and against sin, and
all appearance of it; against the temptations of Satan, the
snares of the world, and the errors of wicked men, who lie in
wait to deceive; and in the word and ordinances, and particularly
in prayer, both unto it, in it, and after it; and for the second
coming of Christ, with faith, affection, and patience; and the
rather, because of the uncertainty of the time of it;
and be sober;
not only in body, abstaining from excessive eating and drinking,
using this world, and the good things of it, so as not to abuse
them, or ourselves with them; but also in mind, that the heart be
overcharged with the cares of this world; for men may be
inebriated with the world, as well as with wine; and the one is
as prejudicial to the soul as the other is to the body; for an
immoderate care for, and pursuit after the world, chokes the
word, makes it unfruitful, and runs persons into divers snares
and temptations, and hurtful lusts. The Arabic version renders
it, "let us repent"; and the Ethiopic version, "let us
understand"; as intending the sobriety of the mind, repentance
being an after thought of the mind, a serious reflection on past
actions with sorrow and concern; and thinking soberly, and not
more highly than a man ought to think of himself, his gifts, his
attainments and abilities, in opposition to pride, vanity, and
self-conceit, is very becoming; and shows a true and well
informed understanding and judgment, and that a man is really
sober and himself.
