fln fllarrrlforflèepy Chrifliaìrr. 307 are ready to die. Thus we fee the difference between thecallingof the wicked,andp the godly in their sleep. Theone is called fromsIcp,toflndupfrom ¿be d4 the other to flrengthen the things that are ready to die. And thus we fee the psrfgta who muff wake.'' In the next place, Why Both the F poftle call upon sleepers to awake out of skep l 4 M. by rho We fee natural men,areas dead men,in a dead sleep, he doth but lofe his labour,,and AP ak coUs c fpend his breath, they cannot hear and underfland. And the godly.likewife,,;.,iod; 4atareaßeep with them as with man in asleep, they are drowfie, and do not much intend what is fpoken. To this I anfvvcr briefly ; Exhortations in Scripture are neverin vain,fall vvhcre Exhortations they will. not in vain. This voyceofexhortation,if it come upon regenerate menthat are avvake in part, 1. To the it is ameans toavvake themmore : it is a means to keep them avvake, as it veas a OdlY means toavvake them at the firft. If it fall upon vvicked men that are in a dead sleep,it ferves (ifnot to avvake them z To the yet,)toconvince them,to make them inexcufable : forfucha man.might objeft,What, w'ck`d. is this tome ? I am called on to avvake,I am in a dead skep,can L hear tfl beus a dead sleep ? But; now this,thou that art in a dead slcep,thou arc not able to hear,thou art notable to hear,becaufethou haft call thy Pelf into a dead sleep. For this is the diffe- rence : Suppofe aman in the night feafonbe in his firft sleep,tell him a meffage from God,vvhat he vvould have him to do;he underftauds it not,he knovvs it net; it is no fin of his, becaufe he is asleep ; becaufe God hathordained this sleepto be due to nature. But it is not fo in the sleepoffin, God doth not caft a maninto the sleepof fin ; but man himfelf, and the devil : therefore if thou have caft thy felf into this sleep, thatthouknovv not vvhat God vvould havedone ; it is thy fits, and fhall be thy damnation ; look to it. The exhortations and precepts fall not in vain, as the rain returnsnot in vain, either they avvake a manmore that vvas avvake before ; or they convince him that is not avvake : becaufe he is fallen afleep by his ovvn fin, and themalice ofthe devil.- To come therefore to the Ufe, and Application. The point thus opened, leads us to the conftderation of that vvofal sleep that Thedead fleep oppreffeth the vvorld. of the world. And then to confider the sleep that oppreffeth theChurchofGod. Firft, to confider the sleep of the .vvicaed and unregenerate, thofe that are in the dead sleep offin.Even as the Prophet obferved in histime,fo novv vvhodoth not fee tll the worldat ref? andat peace? like Lachifh that fecure people ; a dead people, cryingpedce, peace, tothemfel vet, andfearingnotbing till they beavvaked ; there is nothing but fecurity. To fhevv this ill fome particular inftances,vvhat anumber of perfons becaft into the dead sleep of fin. Fill of allIdolatcrs,vvhercof there are a numerous generation everyvvhere;they 1. Idolaters. atefall asleep in thebed and bofome of that vvhore of Babylon, that bath inchanted, and bevvitched themvvith thecupofherfornieation.They have laid themfelves down to take a nap uponher lap, as Sallnpfon did upon-Dalelahs, till they lofe their locky, and their life as he did : and all the means that GOD bath tiled a longtime all the light ofgrace, the light ofknovvledge; all therniniftry that bath been fopovverful and fo plentiful, cannot pull thembut of her lap : but the Lord bath threarned, not only fezabèl thatvvhoreand ftrumpet, (by vvhich he means, that vvho reof Rome) but all thole that commit fornicationwith her, to call them intoa bed offorrow ; he Rev. s. will caft them upon a bed of littlecafe ; andhe vvillflay her children : The conclu- fionof this fearful sleep thall be death. Even as iJera vvhenheslept, the nail war driven into his temples. So like wife a generationofunclean adulterers ,they are afleep uponthefoulbedpf z.Adulteeets. volttptuoufnels, anduncleannefs ; blow a trumpet in their ears,ring a peal ofßx4( nanéeaggaihtt them¡' that is able to make the Clones quake, and the rocks to break afundcr; tell them that whoremongers and adulterers God willjudge, Nay, let the World ring a peal of infamÿ,anilfhame upon them,follow them with infamy,and re- reaches for their fin,yet all this awakes themnot :theywill fcarce open theireyes, cept it be in the twiftght,as Solomonfaith,a little to waitat their neighboursdoor R r t for
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