\ Opened imd Applied. j ~- That aid one~ delight in approaching ?igh ro ~hrirt in his O:dinan.: . I ccs., in goin\; f~nh 10 them to_ meec the. Bndegroom ; but ~ow tHey not I o1.ieiy negtea rh1s, b~1t tak_e pehghc r?ere~ , and refl ~p01nhe1r neglect ; •as a !1eepy man takes h1s dellght, not m h1s work, but 111 the neglect of 1t J anu though their heHr.s reil rh~m of this, yet they gj) on their way, artd ·dye fo; what tball we think of them? I will not abfolutely determine , 'but th€y oive fhrewd !i(\ns, that they are f.lllen into a d~ad 11eep: For rhe Lord 1\:iu"awaken his Virgins before his coming; nay, he will awaken o;;ery many others for their fakes, rather thim they lha11 lx: fecure ; Look as ir was with ChriCI:, the nearer he came ro his end, the more enlarged , and h~avenly, and fpiritual; fo it is w~th them that h~ve the_ Spirit of Chri!l: : vVho art: t·he Servants whom Chnfl tball blefs at hrs ~omrng: Lnf<! 12. 37· Bfe(hi are rh,fe that fha/1 be . fbund watching; That look as there is no fmaller evil, but ufually before ir, comes rhe Lord and gives warning; fo the greatefl and tall: evil D.:arh, that fo they may prepare for that ; as 7'auf, 2 T.im. 4·5,6,7. The time of my departing u at hand (how could 7' (l«i cell chat? ) the Lord gave hirn fecret hints of it, he could fmell that H.ue before 'he faw it or couched it; he could obferve by rhe courfe and c~ncurrence of proyidenc.:s; now my courfe is finithed, the corn is gathered, all in ~fia forfake me ; fo rhe Lord dorh many rimes unco his people ; however he dorh ke:p them watchful : Oh confider it therefore, you rhat are fecure, if rhe Word now cloth not awaken, yer when thy lick b~d comes, and death appears, remember this rrurh; But rememb:r it nol'v, I carry rhe brand of a Reprobate upon me, Hence fee what link caufe any m!n h1tb ro take pleafure in his fecuriry ; no pkafure in any lin(efpecially to a holy heart):tsufth,e fin offecuriry; for if aman rakes pleafurein his cups,or in his courfe company,or in dancinz,as Herod,or in . gamiog,&c. confci~nce wil~ gi~e him knocks, .r,o every bit qe fnatcherh h~re; ~he~e's honey, but ~hen a fh~;g 111 them ~llo; !>ut '?OIV when. a f?ans carnage IS farr, outward dunes performed, confctence Js quiet; when a man harh been at work; he thinks in confcience -he may fl::ep; for deepef1, fweetefl: fecuriry comes after moH work we h.we done ; it is bur a negtea, a l1i? , which I hope ro recover our of one d~y; iris not an unlawful thing, but a lawf>tl rhat I quiec my heart upon: Now I have good company, freedom from d;mgers, Ordi nances, cunains drawn about me, rhe bdt f1eep with me ; and what hurt is hae r bur fee rh: lirrle caufe you have to !1eep, efpecially in this Couuuy. . · FirH, It will not lx: your refl alwayes, for ther.: muWand will come a cry ; c.JI1ofi:; rook bur lirrle delight in 7>har,•oh',- pkafures, rhey were but for a feafon; arid therefore as the Lord ther.: [aid,Micah 2.1o. · Depart, -thu is no: yo ·, r reft. Secondly, If the Word cloth not awaken you out ofir, your cold prayers, your h ~anleis hearing, your carelefs walking wirh God, cl:m your lamps be not bttrning (burning love to rhe Lord and hts people, thining holinefs, fo as others may walk after your lig,hr, and b: glad to follow you) rh a~ prefenc pleaf~re! you rake is the rotten wood chat breeds the worm ofa 9nawing confcience1 when in rhe rime of your trouble, ir fhall fay,What ha rh yo~r idlenefs gain~ cl rp you? and.iris rhe fore-n,mner of mif~ry ;that if tighte r miferies will:not do, the Lord will bringfeven plagues more, arid drive you inro a 1vild.:rnefs, and rqere ihall you be famitred for want of bread; and if this will nor do, Goo will fetid fpoilers that fhall fell you for naves, and rhat J}.all carry you away ca~rive·, and then you 11ni remember Sio... ,arid the days you fl:pr over yo~r rime:FindaitY'lln, but fecuriry in ir w11l make a defolate Counrry and flmiles ; if you !in_and relt I · . E e e 2. __ in Vfo z. I
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