Vol. 2

CHAPTER XIII. 207all things to me ! and grant that I may adhere entirelyto thee, who continuest always the same !Sect. V.— The Day uncertain.Prayer,Watchfulness and" 32. f But of that day, and that hour, knowethno man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neitherthe Son, but the Father."It imports but little to know that day : but it isof infinite importance to be always ready, that wemay not be surprised by it. A man who is not surprisedby the day, is surprised by the hour : so rareand uncommon a thing is it to be watchful to theeryd. Let us shut the eyes of our curiosity concerningthat day ; and let us open those of our vigilanceupon every day, every hour, and every moment.'The Word is nothing, can do nothing, and knowsnothing but by his Father, who communicates everything to him by his eternal birth. And the man,united to the Word, in like manner, is, can do,and knows nothing, but only by the Word, who,in one sense, communicates to him in the incarnationwhatever he receives from his Father." 33. Take ye heed, watch and pray : for ye knownot when the time is."The exercise of a Christian who expects the timeof death, and who ought every day to expect it, isfrequently to examine his heart, and to keep it clean,to oppose sloth, and continually to rouse up his faith,having the arms of prayer always ready. God hasthought fit, that the end of our life, and that of theworld, should be always concealed from us, to induceus to look upon every day as the last.