Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Ver. 41. Watch and pray] Yea, watch, while ye are praying, against corruption within, temptations without. Satan will be interrupting as the Pythoness did Paul praying, Acts 16:16; as the fowls did Abraham sacrificing, Genesis 15:11; as the enemies did Nehemiah with his Jews, building, who therefore prayed and watched, watched and prayed. Among all actions, Satan is ever busiest in the best; and most in the best part of the best, as in the end of prayer, when the heart should close up itself with most comfort. Watch therefore unto prayer, προσκαρτερειτε, Set all aside for it, and wait on it, as the word imports, Colossians 4:2. While prayer stands still, the trade of godliness stands still; let this therefore be done, whatever is left undone. Take heed the devil take you not out of your trenches, as he did David, likely, 2 Samuel 11:2; out of your stronghold, as Joshua did the men of Ai. "Little children," saith St John, "abide in God," 1 John 2:28; keep home, keep close to your Father, if you mean to be safe, if that evil one shall not touch you, 1 John 5:18, nor thrust his deadly sting into you, &c.
The spirit indeed is willing] q.d. Though the spirit purpose otherwise, yet the flesh will falter, and ye will be foiled else. Or, our Saviour speaks this by way of excuse of their infirmity, q.d. I see you are willing, so far as you are spiritual and regenerate; but the flesh is treacherous and tyrannical. It rebels ever and anon, and would gladly reign. It hangs off, when called to suffer, and makes shy of the business. So Peter was carried whither he would not, John 21:18. So Hilarion chides out his soul (which plaid loth to depart) with Egredere o anima, &c. So Mr Sanders, martyr, in a letter to his wife, a little before his death, Fain would his flesh, said he, make strange of that which the spirit doth embrace. O Lord, how loth is this loitering sluggard to pass forth in God's path, &c. So Mr Bradford going to his death. Now I am climbing up the hill, said he, it will cause me to puff and blow before I come to the cliff. The hill is steep and high, my breath is short, and my strength is feeble. Pray therefore to the Lord for me, pray for me, pray for me, for God's sake, pray for me. See Trapp on " Joh 21:18 "