it most vsually exercise and most sharply afflict the weake Christian 1. Iohn 3.20 For if our heart condemne vs how much more God who is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Notwithstanding as Dauid examineth the iudgment of men Psalme 58.1 so may wee that of conscience and say is it true O conscience speakest thou iustly iudgest thou vprightly Conscience accusing iudgeth alwaies for God not alwaies with God and as God For sometimes as Iobs friends it maketh a lye for God Iob 13.9 to wit not purposely but as misenformed or not sufficiently instructed Thus many times it passeth an vniust sentence vpon the weake Christian hauing an eye onely vnto the nature and quality of the sinfull action not vnto the disposition of the heart in sinning If I regard wickednesse in mine heart saith Dauid Psalme 66.18 the Lord will not heare me Not to fall into some grieuous sinne contrary to thy purpose and course but to set thy heart vpon it argueth a child of wrath Dauid committed adulterie as did Absalom and murder as did Ioab but Dauid was of them that fall by occasion Gal. 6.1 they vpon deliberation hee with remorse and they with reioycing What difference betweene the sinne of Iudas and of Peter Iudas for gaine sold his Lord Peter for feare denied and abiured him But Iudas euer a thiefe and an hypocrite though now hee proceeded to a further degree was still in the same way of sinne wherein he had bin from the beginning Peter had alwaies an honest heart and purpose to stand by his Lord vnto the death though now by a sodaine passion of feare he was for the present driuen from his resolution In a word to shut vp this point the state of a poore Christian mourning for and striuing with the greatest sins yea and sometimes in this minoritie of the new Creature taking the foyle yet sighting againe is more comfortable and blessed then of him that sleepeth and snorteth without resistance or remorse in the embracements of the smallest reputed sinne And thus I passe from the acknowledged drowzinesse of the Spouse of Christ vnto the other part of her mixed estate to wit her watchfulnesse But mine heart waketh THe Spouse of Christ professing that while her flesh was a sleepe her heart or inner man was still awake teacheth vs that Euerie true member of the bodie of Christ euen in sleeping that is in sinning hath a wakefull spirit that sleepeth not For the better vnderstanding wherof consider as in the point of sleeping 1. What it is to wake 2. Who they be that are awake The spirituall waking will also best appeare by comparison with the naturall which is the act or exercise of the faculties of sense and motion The proper cause whereof is the returne of the naturall heate and animall spirits into the members the vapours which hindered their passage being now by meanes of digestion consumed Other accessory causes there are also as noise shaking of the bodie day-light in a word whatsoeuer restoreth or calleth forth the spirits Finally the end of waking is Psal 104.23 that man may goe about his worke and day-labour Semblably in this spirituall waking we shall obserue 1 The act or exercise of the spirituall senses and motions of grace The Church here is not so a sleepe but that she both heareth the voice of Christ Cant. 5.2 and discerneth it to bee the voice of her beloued Verse 4 and findeth her heart to be affectioned toward him Matt. 13.16 And Blessed sayth our Sauiour to his Disciples are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare whereas others neyther see with their eies nor heare with their eares Verse 15 c. 2. The proper cause of this waking which is the returne of that once naturall in the state of Creation now supernaturall heate of grace and of those spirituall abilities and inclinations vnto good Which by the dead sleep of sinne were extinguished in our nature Gal. 5.24 the vapours of fleshly lusts which hindered this returne now in great part dissolued by grace 3. The secondary and helping causes which are 1. The noyse of Gods Word crying Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead c. 2 The shaking of Afflictions for thus the Lord openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections Iob. 33.16 which he hath sealed 3. The day-light of the Gospell which sheweth that it is now time we should arise from sleepe Rom. 13.11.12 to cast awaie the workes of darknesse and put on the armor of light c. 4. The end of our spirituall waking which is that wee may worke now it is daâ—e and walke honestly as in the day Ioh. 9.4 Rom. 13.13 Awake righteously or vnto righteousnesse sayth the Apostle and sinne not 1. Cor. 15.34 Reuel 3.2 Be awake sayth our Sauiour to the Angell and Church at Sardi and strengthen the things that remaine which are readie to die Thus wee see what is meant by waking now if it bee demaunded who bee awake it must bee answered that the regenerate onely doe wake and euen they so farre forth onely as they are regenerate They onely are children of light and of the day 1. Thess 5 Verse 5 the rest are of the night and of darknesse Therefore Verse 6 let not vs sleepe sayth the Apostle as doe other but let vs watch c. Other therefore yea all other doe alwayes onely sleepe The regenerate indeede do now and then take part with them in some measure in sleeping because there are in the best some remainders of flesh lusting against the spirit Gal. 5.17 but they neuer in any measure take part with the regenerat in waking because they are wholy flesh Ioh. 3.6 no portion of the sanctifying grace of the spirit in them to lust against the slesh But because men in these matters are not onely apt to be deceiued but also willing to deceiue themselues thinking they haue need of no grace Reuel 3.17 when they are destitute of all I holde it necessarie for the clearing of this point to remoue the false semblances of grace which may make wicked men beleeue they are well awake whiles they are fast a sleepe yea dead in sinne Such appearances are taken partly from the forenamed accessorie causes partly from some seeming effects of waking For first the vnregenerate man may sometimes heare the noise of Gods Word and that eyther with feare as Foelix or with joye as Herod and yet neuer the more awake But as the sluggard heareth the voyce of him that calleth him Prou. 6.9.10 and being loath to rise prayeth him to hold his peace so the spirituall sluggard heareth and starteth but craueth silence Thus Foelix heard Paul preaching of righteousnesse temperance Act. 24.25.26 and the iudgement to come and trembled at the hearing but immediately put him out of his matter till
sleeping or waking by reason of the stupidity that is in him more then in other liuing creatures but in Diuinity it is without doubt that since first our nature fell asleepe in Adam euery man taketh his beginning of beeing in this sleepe of sinne Behold saith Dauid I was borne in iniquity Psalm 51.5 and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me and Zophar deriding the fond conceit men haue of their owne wisedome Iob 11.12 vaine man saith hee would bee wise though man borne that is Iohn 3. till he be borne againe be a wild Asse colt 2 Called but not chosen wakened but fallen asleep againe and that more dangerously then before 2. Pet. 2. whose latter end is worse then their beginning These besides the hereditary habite of sluggishnes haue by relapse doubled the disease and are giuen ouer to the spirit of slumber Esa 29.10 Heb. 6. from henceforth neuer or very hardly to be awakened 3 Effectually called and conuerted in whom the originall sluggishnesse of nature is in part corrected and the relapse into the spirt of slumber by grace preuented yet euen in them the remainders of naturall corruption haue place and power vntill by that almighty voice of the sonne of God Ioh. 5 28. Psalm 17.15 they shall bee wakened the second time vnto immortality and perfection In this third ranke is the spouse of Christ in this place and all Gods children in the time of this life to wit sleeping but not wholy waking but not throughly Rom. 7.19 neither willing the euill that they doe nor doing the good that they would The vapours of worldly lusts not yet so dispelled but that feeling in their heart what Rebecca felt in her wombe Gal. 5.17 an intestine warre they are manie times brought on their knees to pray with Dauid Psal 119.36.37 Incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse Turne away mine eies from behoulding vanity and quicken me in thy Law and many times to crie with Paule Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Adde heereto much wearinesse and vnwieldinesse in holy exercises much couldnesse in maintaining Gods cause and partie much partiality in zeale maintaining a priuate spirit of enmity vnder colour of the cause of religion much preiudice in hearing the word readie to count him an enemy that telleth an vntoothsome truth Galath 4. much lingering and listening after the voice of the charmer flatterie neuer wants welcome while selfe-loue is at home who hauing more of the serpent to beguile then we to beware will at times get within vs and lull vs asleepe in security and sensualitie In a word to this trueth the confessions of all the Saints touching both their generall inclination to sinne and particular falls many of them extant vnder their owne hands doe prooue plentifull testimonie shewing that as all men dwelling in houses of clay betweene whiles will they nill they sleepe by reason of bodily infirmitie and though by an vnwelcome heauinesse nod toward the earth as it were pointing to their naturall Element so euen the best of Gods children compassed with flesh and bloud cannot but at times bewray their folly and vnstedfastnesse Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus The best Artist hath not alwaies his wits awake and the most circumspect Christian doth not alwaies stand vpon his gard of faith and a good conscience In prosperitie we are apt to be secure presuming that We shall neuer be moued Out of this sleepe the Lord seeth it needfull to waken vs by afflictions Securitie and safetie meete not together He that said Psal. 30.6.7 I shall neuer be moued immediately confesseth Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled But hee that said my foot slideth found cause to acknowledge Psal 94.18 Thy mercie O Lord staied me vp In time of triall and trouble least cause indeede but manie times most minde to slumber at least most temptation The three Disciples neuer more heauie-headed then when Satan was now readie to sift them and good men wee see neuer more in danger to be in loue with life loath to die or vnmindefull of death then when the arrest is now granted forth The storme it selfe is not sufficient Sathan must if it be possible cast Palinurus into a sleepe that when the Pilot I meane Christian watchfulnesse is ouer-board he may be in hope to bring the Barke vnder water In times of holy exercises when the eye should bee most broad awake to behold the beautie of the Lord Psal 27.4 in visiting his Temple the eare as it were a fresh boared to heare what the Lord God will say Psal 40 Psal 85. and heart and lips enlarged to shew forth his praise euen then manie times doth Satan and our owne flesh watch vs a shrewd turne and labour to take vs napping What affinitie hath an Oratorie with a Dormitorie Ierem. 7 Ezek. 33.31 Yet euen the house of prayer is many times a priuie witnesse of our noddings or of the wandering of our hearts after couetuousnesse Pro. 5.14 and wee are in danger to be brought into all euill in the midst of the Congregation and Assembly Finally which requireth speciall consideration if euer a Christian bee like him that sleepeth in the toppe of the mast Prou. 23.34 compassed with danger voide of care it is after some spirituall feast of grace or victorie ouer sinne Wee vse to say When the belly is full the bones would be at rest In such like manner it fared here with the spouse of Christ Shee had feasted her welbeloued and was feasted by him in the verse immediately foregoing instantly shee betakes herselfe to her vndermeale or afternoones nap 2. Sam. 11.2 like Dauid with like perilous consequent Hee slipt into occasion of euill and shee letteth slip an opportunitie of grace It was a feast vnto Peter to heare that voice of Christ Matt. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona c. but it was sower sauce that followed shortly after when vnmindfull of his confession and tendering his master but after the flesh 2. Cor. 5.16 without respect to his office hee gat a curse instead of a blessing Mat. 16 Get thee behind mee Sathan thou art an offence vnto mee c. Blessed Paul extraordinarily admitted to a tast of heauenly glorie in the Paradise of God 2. Cor. 12.2 Vers 4 how hee fared he is not able to expresse but how through infirmitie hee was in danger to haue beene transported another way that he willingly acknowledgeth and how by Gods appointment Vers 7 the messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him and to pricke him that he might be kept awake from the danger of ouer-weening Our flesh counterpoized with the spirit maketh vs like the ballance of which if one scale be lifted vp the other will assay to goe as high as
Commandements Psal 119.176 not that wee doe not sometimes goe astray and that wee aime and endeauour after perfection Phâ—l 3.12 13. not that we haue already attained thereto For this cause the Church in the entrance of this Song doth as well confesse her selfe blacke Cant. 1.4 as auouch her selfe comely and in these words no lesse complaineth of the drowsinesse of her flesh then reioyceth in the wakefulnesse of her spirit I sleepe but mine heart waketh For being to set before vs a sorrowfull type of her owne vnkind and sinful sluggishnesse denying entertainement to her louing Sauiour and of the chastisement inflicted on her for her amendement shee first telleth vs in what state shee was when her Lord made tender of loue vnto her to wit partly sleeping and partly waking A state mixed or compounded and that of contraries but with distinction as may seeme of the subiects wherein they are I sleepe that is my naturall or vnregenerate part but mine heart waketh that is the spirituall or regenerate part in mee Not that some one created part is in a Christian either regenerate or corrupt some other not but because the whole man and euery part is partly sanctified and partly sinfull partly spirit and partly flesh Herevpon it is truely said I sleepe that is mine whole nature is subiect to infirmitie through sinne or as Rom. 7.18 in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and as truely mine heart waketh that is there is in me an hidden seede of God 1. Ioh. 3. a principle of Grace an inner man that suffereth me not to consent to sin but rowseth me vp and armeth me against it Rom. 7.22 so that it is no more I that doe it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.20 In a word the whole nature of man is as the ayre to wit a receptacle first by creatioÌ„ of light alone without darknes that is of grace without sinne since the fall of darkenesse alone without light sinne without grace after conuersion of a twylight light and darknesse grace and sin entermingled throughout and iustling at one another Gâ—l 5.17 Prou. 4.18 2. Sam. 3.1 but grace as the morning light or as the house of Dauid waxing stronger and corruption weaker Finally in Heauen as in Paradise shall bee no night no sinne at all but a perpetuall Sun-shine of grace without so much as any mist or cloud of corruption The summe then is that in this world the state of the Church and of euery member of it is a sleepie watchfulnesse or a waking sleepinesse that is a mixture of sleepe and waking sinne and grace flesh and spirit Which that wee may duely consider of let vs seuer them and begin with the former I sleepe THe Church confessing that shee sleepeth teacheth vs First that we all as many as are members of this body are apt to sleepe that is to be surprised with the infirmitie of the flesh notwithstanding the readinesse of the spirit Matth. 26.41 The spirit indeede is ready saith our Sauior of his drooping and drowsie Disciples but the flesh is weake For the opening of this point consider 1. What the spirituall sleepe is 2. In whom it is found What the spirituall sleepe is we shall see by comparing it with the naturall The naturall sleepe is a ligation or binding vp of the instruments of sense and motion caused principally by vapours ascending from the stomacke into the braine Secondarily by wearinesse extreme cold or heate frication Musik finally whatsoeuer doth either consume or benum the spirits the end of sleep is that the spirits and naturall heate retiring inward may attend to the refection and nourishment of the body Agreeably in the spirituall sleepe of sinne may be noted 1. The ligation of the spirituall senses whereby it commeth to passe that men haue eyes and see not Esa 6 9.10 eares and heare not 1. Cor. 2.14 hearts and vnderstand not the things of God neither can they perceiue them wanting the vse of spirituall sense because they are onely spiritually discerned 2. The surcease of spirituall motion the naturall man neither doing the workes Roâ— â— 12 17. nor walking the wayes of God 3 The causes are alike to wit Either principall the vapours of worldly and fleshly lusts 1. Pet. 2.11 Eph. 4. Luk. 21.34 fighting against the soule darkening the cogitations oppressing the heart and so shutting out all heauenly thoughts and affections or secondary as wearinesse in holy exercises such as surprised the three excellent disciples Mar. 14.37.40 whom our Lord chose to assist him in his agonie extream colde of feare Math 26.70 such as benummed S. Peter vnto the deniall of his Master and no lesse extreame heat of vnaduised zeale such as incensed the two sonnes of thunder to demand fire from heauen vpon the Samaritans by a falsely-supposed spirit of Elias Luk. 9.54 frication whereby the itching eare is scratched with fables or flatteries in stead of truth musicke 2. Tim. 4.3.4 whereby the diuell in his syrens the world and the flesh singeth lullaby spare thy selfe Reioyce O young man Math. 16.22 Eccles 11.9 1. Cor. 15.32.33 in thy youth Let vs eat and drinke for tomorrow we shall dye c. 4 The end of spirituall sleepe is that our care and endeuour being diuerted from heauenly things we may fully take thought for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 Thus as the naturall sleepe leaueth little 1. Sam. 19.13 or no difference betweene Dauid and Michols Puppet so this spirituall sleepe of sinne maketh an Idoll of a man Looke what a thing an Idoll is saith the Psalmist that hath a mouth and speaketh not Psal 115.5.8 eyes and seeth not c. such is the Idolater such is euery sinner Euery sinner setteth vp an Idoll of sinne in his heart Ezek. worshipping the creature happily his owne creature and forsaking the Creator Rom. 1.25 and that Idoll of sinne taketh away the hart from God so filling it with the loue of the world Hos 4 11. 1. Ioh. 2.15 that the loue of the Father can finde no lodging nor entertainment Finally as the naturall sleepe is an image of death so is the spirituall Yea sleepe and death in this case as twinnes are ioyned yea confounded Lighten mine eies saith Dauid that I sleepe not in death Psalm 13.3 and the voice of the Gospell waking the spirituall sluggard as dead in trespasses and sinnes is Eph. 2. Awake thou that sleepest Eph. 5.14 and stand vp from the dead c. Such is the sleepe of sinne now let vs see who be the sleepers Wee shall find them to bee of three sorts 1 Sinners vncalled sleepers not yet wakened such all men are or were being borne sluggards none vnderstandeth none seeketh after God Rom. 3.10.11.12 none doth good c. Naturalists make it questionable whether man beginneth to liue
a more conuenient time Hee loueth not the loud alarme of the Trumpet shewing sinne Esa 58.1 and denouncing judgement the soft musicke of consolation pleaseth him better of the two Yet it is but as a song vnto him it tickleth his eare Ezek. 33 32 and haply causeth him to make an offer to rise but presently hee sinketh downe into his Couch againe it maketh him turne vpon his bed Pro. 26.14 as the dore vpon the hinges but not turne off Thus Herod at Iohn Baptists preaching Mark 6.20 c. turned this way and that way but hung fast all the while vpon the hinge of his beloued sinne The like may bee said of the day-light of the Gospell which many times shining vpon a carnall man offereth him the good morrow shewing him that it is both time and reason he should arise from sleepe but neyther the Sun-shine of Christ Mal. 4.2 Ioh. 5.35 nor the candle-light of Iohn Baptist can bee long pleasing vnto the carnall sluggard 1. Thess 5.7 They that sleep sleep in the night or which is all one turne the day into the night The morning light is not in them Esa 8.20 neither can it bee welcome vnto them but is as vnto the murtherer Iob. 24.13 c. the adulterer and the theefe euen as the shadow of death Ioh. 3.20 For euery man that euill doth hateth the light Sometimes also this sluggard is shaken with the force of Gods iudgements lighting eyther vpon others or vpon himselfe and then hee maketh God many faire promises that hee will awake and get vp yea that hee will rise early Psal 78.34 c. and seeke the Lord but being not of an vpright and faithfull heart hee doth but slatter God with his mouth and dissemble with him with his tongue Hee was frighted with a fearefull dreame of worldly shame or of the terrors of God but hath quickly ouercome that feare with the resolution of the valiant Drunkard They haue stricken me but I was not sicke Prou. 23.35 they haue beaten mee but I felt it not therefore I will seeke it yet still Thus notwithstanding the exterior causes of grace or helpes thereto may happily not bee wanting to the carnall sluggard yet whiles there is no soule of spirituall life no inward operation of the Spirit of Christ to mortifie the deeds and lusts of the bodie Rom. 8.13 it is impossible that such a man should truely say mine heart waketh And in like manner may wee conclude against the apparant effects of grace which may seeme to plead for the naturall man Hee may attaine to some generall knowledge of God and the thinges of God why not Iam. 2.19 seeing euen the Deuils beleeue and tremble yet is not his vnderstanding truely awakened or enlightned His knowledge of God is but his dreame and as no man maketh his dreames the rules of his life no more doth hee make his knowledge the rule of his practise And therefore hee is not onely debarred from our Lordes blessing Is yee know these thinges Ioh. 13.17 blessed are ye if ye doe then but also denied the honour of his knowledge being reckoned among those fooles that vnderstand not nor seeke after God Rom. 3.11 yea that saie in their hearts There is no God Psal 14.1 He may haue some touch and sense of conscience Rom. 2.15 for euen the Gentiles haue a conscience bearing witnesse and thoughts accusing or excusing them and yet neyther is conscience at anie time in a naturall man soundly awakened that is purged and pacified for vnto the vnbeleeuing and vnsanctified nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 and as for that peace which wicked men vainly preach vnto themselues it is but a sleeping joye like that of the hungrie man who dreameth and behold he eateth and when he awaketh his soule is emptie Esa 29 8. True it is that Conscience as Gods Register and Notarie neuer sleepeth no not in the bosome of the greatest sluggard but keepeth a perfect Booke of account in Gods behalfe against the sinner which shall one day bee produced and opened but being also a deputed Iudge to excuse Reuel 20.12 or accuse to iustifie or condemne Herein it is that Conscience sheweth it selfe to be a sleep in the vnregenerate man For sometimes it excuseth where it should accuse calling euill good and darknesse light haply at first rather desiring it were so then iudging it to be so but at length it becommeth as a lier that telleth his lie so often till in the end he beleeueth it himselfe Or else it iustifieth the deed done and withall the sinfull doer when onely the worke it selfe is justifiable not the manner of doing Thus the Consciences of ignorant Gentiles are said Rom. 2.14.15 by the Apostle to excuse them when they doe by nature the thinges required in the Law but being performed by direction of naturall reason not by grace and faith Heb. 11.6 it is impossible they should bee pleasing vnto God Rom. 14.23 for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin and not comming to the light of the Word for the examination of such deeds Ioh. 3.21 it cannot bee made manifest that such workes are wrought according to God Sometimes againe it accuseth and condemneth which is the ordinarie iudgement of conscience in wicked men vnlesse when it is imperiously put to silence or seared with an hot iron 1. Tim. 4.2 and so brought past feeling for a time Ephes 4.19 1. Cor. 15.34 But this is not a waking to do righteously but to make way vnto and to approoue the righteous iudgement of God who shall one daie pronounce condemnation vpon the sinner thus formerly condemned of himselfe For euen as many as haue sinned without the Law written shal vpon this euidence of conscience perish also without the Law How much more they Tit. 3.11 Rom. 2.12 whose enditement shal be framed both according to the euidence of conscience and knowledge of the Word and will of God Tit. 1.15 Thus it fareth with conscience according to the Prouerbe It runneth with the Hare and holdeth with the hoūd that is It shareth with the sinner as a guilty defiled mēber but it holdeth with the blood-hound of Gods iustice pursuing the sinner and in him sinfull conscience it selfe vnto destruction Finally the vnregenerate man may seeme not onely in his speech but euen in his practise to shew some tokens of an heart awakened by grace For who so forward to take the word of God in his mouth Psal 50.16.17 as hee that hateth to be reformed and the Gentiles saith the Apostle in the place forementioned Rom. 2.14 do by nature the thinges required in the Law Mark 6.20 and Herod not onely heard Iohn Baptist and that gladly but also did many things by his direction and perswasion But alas all this is but as the talking