24 SERMONS upon the SEftM.IV, themfelves men, they could not continue in that courfè of Life wherein they allow themfelves. In part this Sleep of Realon may befall the Children of God : they do not confider nor turn their minds o their Affairs, nor a& as men whole Eyes are open. (2.) Spiritual Sleeping. Here I (hall fhew the Nature and Effe&s of it. Firfl, The Nature of it ; when Graces are not lively and kept in exercife. I fhali inflame in thofe three Theological Graces, Faith, Hope and Love ; a weak dead Faith, a feeble Sleepy Love, a cold and carelefs Hope. I. A weak and dead Faith, that confifts more in a Form of I(nowledge than a lively affent to the Truths of Godlinefs. A dead oppinionative belief may ¡land with a carnal Life, Yam. z. 20. Faith without works is dead. The Word of God is come to them in Word only, not in power ; it puts no Life into what we do believe, I Thef. 2. 13. Doth not work effe &ually : This will fit the flumbring and Sleepingof the foohfh Virgins, but alas the Wife have their drowfie fits, the Truths of the Word concerning God, Chrift, Heaven and Hell, have not fuch a lively influence upon them, by the blandilhments of - worldly Profperitÿ, Faith is fallen afleep, ready to give place to the Flefh, and they are governed more by Fancy and Appetite than by the Heavenly mind ; there is no confideration of the Va- nity of earthly things, the Heart is kept ftrange to God and Heaven, and the Soul is taken up with carnal proje &s more than it fhould be. 2. A feeble flee"! Love, which doth not level and dire& our a &ions to the great end of them, which is the pleating and glorifying of God, fo that they live too much to themfelves. Love in vigour doth over -rule us to live unto God; a Cur. 5. 14, 15. For the Love of Chrig conflraineth us; becaufe we thus judge, that if one dyed for all, then were all dead; and that he dyed for all, that they fhould not henceforth live unto themfelves, but unto him who dyed for them and role again And this keepeth us more fincere and uniform in our courfe, alwayes tending to the great end. 3 A cold and carelefs Hope ; When there is not that carnet and defirous ex- peaation of Bleffednefs to come, which doth fortifie us againft the allurements of fenfe : Math. 6. 19, 20, 21. Lay not ap for your felves Treafure upon Earth, where moth and ruft doth corrupt, and where Thieves break thorough and fled; but lay up for your felves Treafure in Heaven, where neither moth nor ruff doth corrupt, and where Thieves do not break thorough and fteal ; for where your Treafure ir, there will your Hearts be alfo ; They do not mind their true Treafure. Secondly, The gills of this Sleepinefs are feen in there things. (a.) In fume lntermion of their care and caution. Watching is 'a diligent ta- Ithg heed to our felves and wayes, fo as we keep our felves from fin. We are in conitant dariger of fins that come on 'us by infenfible Degrees, Pfa. 39. r. /laid, I would take heed to my wayes, that i fin not with my tongue. The belt are furpri- zed, and Corruption often breaketh .out ; we may fay of them, as Chrift of the Damfel, they are not dead but fleep. The Children of God are fometimes overta- ken by their inadvertency, Gal. 6. r. or pverborn by the violence of Temptations, yam. I. 14. Inconfrderately and fuddenly furprized with Tome fin : So fubtle and affiduous is Sathan in Tempting, and fo ready is Corruption to clofe with the Temptation as foon as it is reprefented, that if a Child of God doth but abate any thing of his Circumfpe &ion and diligence, he will be furprized by fome one fin or other, and thereby be brought to difhonour God, and to lay a (tumbling block before others. Befides thofe fins of daily incurfion and fuddain furreption, Sathan lieth in wait to draw us to greater Offences, that may difhonour God, and wound our Peace, and fcandalize the World againft our Profeffion. - (2.) Some abatement of our Zeal and fervency. We are not alwayes fervent in Spirit, and do not keep up our Life and Serioufnefs in the Duties of Holinefs ; our Graces are not a &uated and kept in exercife, but fuffer force decay, though they be not quite dead. Faith is weak, Love is cold, Math: 24. 12. There is not that lively Hope, 1 Pet., 1. 3. Chriftians fhould not only be livin. >, but lively, r Pet. 2: 5. Te as living Stones : Nay, There may be fo .great a damp and quenching upon us, that there is no outward vifible'difference between a dead man and a dying Chriftian : All things in us may be ready to dye: Revel. 3. 2. Be watchful, and ftrengthen the things that remain, that are ready to dye. Life is even quite gone in Tome cafes, when tin hath made fearful havock in the Confcience. ( 3.) In Forgetfulnefs or non- attendency to. the Lords. coming : When we live merrily,
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