Featly et. Al. - BV4275 T47 1672

304 Saint PaulsTrumpet, or, Parts of the Text unfolded. Sleep three- fold. t. Natural, Pfal. I. 3. s. Moral. Dan.12.2. Aft. 7. ult. 3. Spiritual, compared to fleep. Jot the time, the night. 2. Expofed to danger. Dc"vt ia. f,Willingncfs. 4Suddetinefs, MM. s6 . this fentence, as loon as he had read it, the life of grace infufed intohim, and his converfion was compleat. This place of Scripture bath been famous in the Church, for the converfion of that famous inftrument. I would to God ( as we donot defpair) that the Lordwould beftow the fame bleffingamong fomeof us, who not only hear thefe words read, but are now to be expounded in your ears. For the underftanding ofwhich,we arc to inquire ofdivers things for the meaning ofthe words. Fir[t, we are to enquire what is here meant by peep ; It is time to awake out of fleep. Secondly, what is meant by arifng, or awakingout ofpeep. Thirdly, who they be that mutt arife, or wake out of peep. Fourthly, andlaftly, why the Apoftle doth beftow this exhortation uponfleepy perfons that cannot hear what he faith ? For the firft of thefe, what ismeant by Jteep ? Natural. Sleep in Scripture is threefold, oMoral. Spiritual. Natural fleep is that fpoken of, Pfd. 3.5. I will lay myfelfdown topeep, and rife again. This natural fleep is the reft, and refkitution of nature. Moral fleep , is natural death ; this is the death , and diflolution ofnature, ofwhich the Scripture fpeaketh, Dan. rz. z. They that Jeep en the duff, (hall rife again. And e 1lí.7. ult. when Stephenhad t' oken theft words,hefella(leep; that is, he died. Spiritual peep, it is the fleep offin, and fecurity : this is the death and privation of grace in the foul ; as the other is the privation of life in the body : of this our Text fpeakcth ; It is time to strife, or awake out ofthisfleep ; the peep offin, and fecurity. Now the irate of fin and fecurity, is compared hereto theElate of/Jeep, becaufe there are many refemblances and likeneffes between the liste of a firmer , and a fleepy man: for what cffe6-i fleep bath in the body, the fame effe& bath the fleep of fin in the foul. I will thew it you in a few inftances, and fo pals it. Firft, They thatfleep (faiththe Apoflle) sleep imshe night, The fame that the Apoflleaims at here ; It i! time to awakeout ofsleep.: becaufe the night ispaff. The night is a time to fleep in. So, thofc that fleep in fin, itisbecaufe theyare in the night of fin, there is a darknefs, the Canopy is fpread over them, the Sunofgrace, and the dayof falvation fhinesnot uponthem : theireyesare doled up in darknefs, as it is with a fleepy man. Again, when a man goes to flap, he puts off his cloaths,; he lies naked,expofcd to all dangers. And when a man is in the fleepof fin and fecurity, he wants his garments, to be cloathed with Chrifls righteoufnefs and holinefs : he lies naked, expofed, and open to all Gods difpleaftire, and all the arrows of Gods wrath, So in Deut. 3z. when the Ifraclites, the people pfGod, hadmadeaCalfe, Mofes, came and faw them naked ; that is, deftitute ofGodsproteltion,andwanting that garment , that armour of proof, that righteoufncfs that before they had upon them. Again, a man naturally layes himfelfdownwillingly to fleep, he is willingto take his reft. So it is in the fleep offtn,évcry natural man is willing to layhimfelfdown to fleep in fin,to take hiseafe, andreflin fin ; for there isno manbut kath freewill eel fin, though no manbathfree willtogood. tit And again, as fleep it furprizeth a man fuddenly oft times before he is aware, oit bfóre lie can remember himfelfwhere he is,esr what lacis doing: fothefleep oflin, áf oft aman beforehe is aware. As we fee in the Difciples ofCheiff them felves,Mat.z .bodily fleep furprizèd tliem,even then when they intapded totwatehanìi

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