3 0 S E K M Q N S upon the S E R M. I V, Eftate.blaffed, a waking Confcience, looketh to the Caufe. For this cáu(e many are fick, and may are fallen. afleep, I Cor. ;i. We fhould fee the mind of God in his Rod. When the Ifraélites fled before ifie men of Ai, yofhua looker' out for the s3 Troubler : So the Children of God fearch for the fin that is the caufè of their trouble. 2. Stupid Dulnefs, and cold ]ndifferency, in heavenly things: Their want of Zeal and chearfulnefs in holy Duties ; they go about them heavily : Dull or hearing, Mat. 13. 5. Cold in Prayer, when they fhould be fervent and efettual, Jam. 5. 6. In all things we thew forth an heartlefs formality. Grace is afleep in the Soul ; and thence cometh a fleepy profeffron, a fleepy hearing, a fleepy praying, a fleepy receiving. The Word that was wont to be as burning Coals, leaveth no Imprefon, Luk, 24. 32. Your whole Converfe with the living God is cold and dead hearted : In fuch -a condition a man heareth as if he heard not, and prayeth as if he pray'd not) receiver' as if he received not, and mourns for fin as if he mourned nor, and re- joycetll in God as if he rejoyced not, looks after Heaven and heavenly things as if he fought them not and fo brings little honour to God, and little profit and comfort to his own foul. 3. Tedious irlfomenefs in Gods fervice : They grow weary of the wayes of God. Mal. 1. 13. Behold what a wearinefs is it ? Amos 8. 5. When will the new Moons be over, and the Sabbath pal!? Shall God do fo great things for us in Christ, and fhall any thing which God hath: commanded be grievous to us ? How unkind is this ? neither have we an hard Mailer, nor hath he enjoyned -us tedious work ; but all our duties have a fweetnefs in them : Micah 6. 3. Do not my words do good? You carry it fo as if God did not deal well with his people, or were not calk to be fèrved. His Commands are not grievous, and his Yoke is eafre ; Tryais fent by him not above meafure, his CorreEtions not above our deferving ; therefore why fhould we fnuff at his fervice ? Wearinefs and repining at Gods fervice is art ill fign. God lovethand requireth a willing people. This wearinefs, though it loth not make us wholly abandon Gods fervice, yet it makes us flight it, and mind it no more than how to get it over any way. Oh take heed then of grow- ing weary of Religion, and attending on the duties thereof; to look upon thefe as diftraElions, or matters by the By, or interruptions of the work we would be upon. They are lead much by fenfe and carnality, that efteem nothing but what yieldeth a pleafure to fenlè, or gratifyeth the outward Man. 4. Forgetfulnrfs of Changes, and vain dreams of werldiy happinef. When we have a carnal Pillow to reft upon, we fall afleep, Pfal. 3o. 6, 7. A Chriftian fhould fit lode from all earthly things. Therewas Leven in the Thank offering. We fhould be'contented to dwell in Booths as the Ifráelites. Pfal. 39. 5. Surely every man in his heft efláte is vanity. 5. Carnal Complacency. The peace and pleafure which you live upon, is fetched more from the world than from God, and Heaven ; and you live in quietnefs of mind, not fo much from the belief of the love of God in Chrift, and the hope of Hea- ven, as becaufe you feel your felves well in your bodily.ettate, and live at cafe and in profperity in the world, and have fomething grateful to the flefh, Luk. 1a. 19, 2o, sa. Oh ! `that foul is in a dangerous. condition, when the World is fo pleafing and lovely to it, that it can take contentment and delight in it with- out God, or apart from God. To many worldly profperity is fó fweet, that it can keep them.quiet under the guilt of wilfull fins. When you have your hearts . defire for a while, you can forget Eternity, or bear thole thoughts with fecurity, which otherwife would amaze your Souls. Secondly, Motives. (a.) Tour Enemy 'watcheth ; The Devil is never a/leep, r Pet. 5. 8. he obferveth you in all poftures and watcheth all poflible advantages againft the Children of God ; and will not you !land upon your Guard, and look about you ? (2.) If- you fleep, you hazard your ¡elves to the Whip, or Gods fevere Correaion. Hof. 5.15. God findeth out many times a very fmart Rod to whip lazy drowfie Saints to their duty. He will not fuffer Grace to ruft in his Children. Your awakening will be fad : God fent a Tempeff after Yonah. Some (harp crofs or other will fall upon us. (3.) The- eyes of many are upon us, and fhall we be flumbring and fleeping ?' 1 Cor.
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