The Parable of the Ten P irginr, feuing ~hehoufe and hear.r in order before the evil day, when men are not that now whiCh they would wll11 tbe~felves to be another day, when men lay nor up creaf1_1res ?f rears and prayers m heaven, nor arc provident for erernicy, nor chink thts wtll b<! my peace, nay my glory another day, though I lofe now ; men will lay up rreafures on earth, and pro\' itle for tbemfelves and rhei rs; hence rheir hearts are lo(l here, and lay in nmhin~ fpirirual for rhe future, Prov.Io-5- he chat garherech in harvell doch right (but a fluggard will nor ) his heart and mind is taken up to provide chis and char for future; ~nd hence 'cis that .the Chrifiian is full of forro~ and c~ars in rimes of peace; bttr when the day of trouble c~me~, be can lift up hrs head (now red~mpc ion draws nigh) when another m umes of rroub!e bath moft terrors, becaufe the one was not laying up againH another daY. , as the ~t~er did. 4 • When men go to prayer wnhout recervmg any anf)ver, now a man b~gins to flumber, Prov.q+ men that are faH afleep fpeak net all, bur when awake a litde they fpeak a liccle, and then Jleep, and then awake, and fl::ep aoain · fo men rray and fleep again; it is a deep flamber alfo when men l11all beg fo; bread and money, and tlienfall afleep conllamly, and fo li~ down farisfied: Ob take heed of this I Hence comes Firll, Snarling at God. Secondly, Heanlefnefs to thedury. Thirdly, Formality in ir. Fourthly, Prophanefs of courfe at lalt. S· Whe~ mendogain fomerhingfrom the Lord incbe ureof means, bur now fiand lhU they go no further; they lofe not what rhey had, bur they gain no more; rbeygrow nor, M~ttth. 25. 1.6. ThotuvJ/ and fl•thful fer vanr; char bid his talent, and did nor imploy ir; and here is ufually rh~ beginning of a mans fall, wllen (like one in a journey) h~ goes not forward or backward, burflandsllill, and fofalls, Prov.18.9. . 6. When men do duties rbat are c:alie, but when any difficulty is in them, now they fall down afleep, Prov.zo.4. and 12.1.7. and hence beg the fweec and gain of Chriftianiry: it's fown in difficult duties ; when rhe Soul denies it felf moll: : Bur when men nor breaking rhrO!Jgh the difficulty finde not the fweet of it, Lord ! what a careered profeffion is there, char men come to be thelhameof Chrill:,not his glory! It'sealie ro pray, and outwardly ro fafi, but yet ro have a whole heart in cbe work is hard : iris eafie to cleave !o rhe Lord when quickened ; but when God forfak<::s you, now more than ever to cleave ro him, is difficult. 7· When men fear nottbe danger of little fins; they are nor afleep, yet fo as not ro fear great fins; bur in a flumber; and hence however rhey fear not letfer fins, hence come to commit them, hence alfo ro b~ bardned under rbem: Many complain of hard hearrs,but confider, is not rh is the reafon ofir? you fear norfinful chougbrs,nor carelefnefs in your Chriflian courfe; your !lumber is now upon you ; thy Confcience fiarrks at Whoredom, but not ar a wanton word; or playing upon the Sabbath,but unpreparednefs for ir that's no· thin~; fin in a manner with thee: ; rbe reafon is,becaufe fpirirual flumber is t~pon rnee. 8. When men arc: d'lceived and deluded by appearances, or colours, as the Ijratlius when rbc: Gdm,itu came to them; confident ofrhemfelves, but deceived as Ebe men of Ai by flratagems ; ifever yowr Souls be hurc,ir will be by ;~ppearances; if ever rbis CGuntry receive a blow, ir will be by appearances; error wiU creep in by appearances; rbe moH vile wickednefs harh been found to be hatchtunder fairefico!ours: If ever any iliall come under an appearance of piety, and promife of protettion, fafery, liberty, onely your Goverpmerit mufr be a little altered ; flumber here, and you iliall lleep in your erlem~ L-----------------------------------------------~--~arms; ·
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