V E Ephefan,r,Cháp. 5. 617 which is not an image of death, but a true fpiriruall death. There are three flaps in Scripture : a. Of nature, fo Eutichus fellinto a deepeflee?, Aiïs 20.9. z. Ofdeath, fo it is Paid, Theyflept tenth their Fathers. s Cor. t r. Manyfleepe. 3. Ofthe foulein fin, Rom.' 3. I. Now it it high timeto awake out offleepe, t Thef.5.6. Let us not fleep as others doe: this is here meant ; a fleepe and death which doth grow upon the foule from hence, that the good Spirit ofGod is feparated from ir,which worketh alllife, feofeand motion in us. For the third thing, awake, and landing up, differ being one thing in thedegree : Awake is to breakeofffinby repentance, togetgrace in us, to [fland up] is to exercife thisgrace,and watch againft fleepineffe. The fumme therefore of the words is this. " I bid you reprove theworkes ofdarkneffe , for reproving doth "make themmanifeft, both which I faynot without good «reafon, for God himfelfe doth reprove in his word the "world offin, and by reproving, convcyeth into them the "light-of Jefus; for the Lord doth call onus aswho are dead aflecpe in our foules, and biddeth us (hakeoffour fins, get " grace and work the works of it : And left wee fhould fay, " it is invaine to fpeake todeafe men, much more to dead, "men, God doth Phew us Chrift, who is the true light and "life, that enlighteneth and quickeneth ass that looke to him. Here then are three things tobe opened : i. What is our eftate inwhich we lie bynatuit: 2. What is our duty. 3. What mtft excite us hereunto, For the firft, Weare all ofels dead fleepers , orcompaffed inpart with a fßirit of(lumber: Laten by nature are deadinfins andtrefpaffes, Eph. 2.1. The Lords people are often afleep , though his work of grace is in their heart, Cant.5. r. Ifleepe, faith the Church, Revel. 3. r. The Church ofSardi had aname tolive, and tramdead. For the openingofit there two thingsare to be marked. r. What this fleepe caufeth in the unregenerateand in Gods children. 2. What doth caufe itin the one and other. For the firft it caufeth in the unregenerate two things. i. A Joffe ofall fpirituall fente and,true difcerning, Rom.ü.8. you may fee hew the fpirit of (lumber worketh no true fight, no hearing, they cannot tarte that which is fweet as a honey combe,no feeling,evenas men afleepe fee not, hear, not, put things in their mouth, they taftenortletthem have never fuchdifeafes they feel, them not. a. It doth caufe the fancying of things that are nothing fo, Revel. 3.17. Thou faifl, I am rich and haveneedofnothing, andknoroefl not that thouars tvretcbedandmi ferable,poor, and H hh blinde Dog.
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