Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 3 (3 of 3)

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 3 (3 of 3)

p. 474What confines have ever hedged in covetouſneſſe; who ever heard it ſay. Sa… Domine, O Lord I have enough; A handfull of corne caſt into the buſhell makes it the fuller: put water into the ſea, it hath by ſo much the more.iiEccl. 5.10.Eccl 5:10 But hee that love… ſilver, ſhall not be ſatiſfied with ſilver. One deſire may be ſatisfied, but another comes. Creſcit amor nummi quantum ipſa pecunia creſcit. Naturall deſires are finite: as the thirſt is ſatisfied with drinke, the hungry appetite with meate. But unnaturall deſires are infinite: as it is with the body in burning feavers; Quò plus ſint pota, Pl… ſitiuntur aquae: the more they drinke, the more they thirſt. Now as theſe proceed not from naturall cauſes, but from diſeaſes: ſo exorbitant affections ariſe not De ſ… mente, ſed de morbo animae: not from the temper but from the diſtemper of the ſoule. Grace can never fill the purſe, nor wealth fill the heart. Here is an infinite ſin, why ſhould it not have an infinite puniſhment? Hence covetouſneſſe is compared to hell it ſelfe, for the neere affinitie betweene them: both alike promiſe at once to be ſatisfied.kkProv. 27.20.Prov 27:20 Hell and deſtruction are never full, ſo the eyes of man are never ſatisfied. As the covetous enlarge their mouthes to ſwallow the earth, ſo Hell hath enlarged her ſelfe, and opened her mouth to ſwallow them, Eſa. 5.14. Let not our oppreſſors now fla… themſelves, that hell is full, and there is no roome for them: for the Lord hath made itllEſa. 30.33.Isa 30:33 Large, of immenſe capacitie. It is Lacus magnus, Revel. 19. a great la… able to receive all that are caſt into it. If it were not ſo ſpacious, and there ſeemed to want roome for oppreſſors: yet God would take out theeves and harlots, and drunkards, I had almoſt ſaid lyars, and ſwearers, to put in oppreſſors; they muſt p. 475have roome.mmEſa. 14.9.Isa 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for them to meete them at their comming. Hell it ſelfe will come to meete them in ſtate, as glad to give them entertainement. Now if the uſurer can keepe himſelfe out of the number of oppreſſors, he may hap to ſcape. But are not their deſires unlimited; thatnnEſa. 5.8.Isa 5:8 joyne field to field, till there be no place; They would leave no roome for others, but engroſſe al the earth to themſelves: therfore though there ſhould want roome for others, they ſhall have all hell to themſelves If ſin have an infinite deſire to offend God, God will have an infinite hand to puniſh it.

7 Gregory addes another reaſon of this infinite puniſhment. He that dies without repentance, is pr…ſuppoſed by Iuſtice, that if hee could have lived for ever, he would have ſinned for ever. And it is juſt; if thou wilt rebelliouſly ſin ſo long as thou liveſt; God ſhould puniſh ſo long as he liveth. If thou wilt peccare in aeterno tuo, God will punire in aeterno ſuo. Nothing is more proportionable, than that thoſe who will ſin againſt God ſo long as they have a being, without repentance; ſhould periſh from God ſo long as he hath a being, without merciemercy. It is the Lords juſt Iudgment, ut nunquam mortuus careat ſupplicio, qui nunquam vivus carere voluit peccato; Gregor.ut nullus detur iniquo terminus ultionis, qui quamdiu valuit, habere noluit terminum criminis. They would have lived for ever, that they might have ſinned for ever. Their injuſtice would put no date to their ſins, Gods juſtice ſhall put no date to their ſufferings. On earth he that will ſtill run in debt while hee lives at libertie, ſhall at laſt bee caſt into priſon to lie while hee lives in miſerie. Shall man have this law againſt his brother, and not God againſt his creature? yes, there will come a day when all reckonings ſhall be caſt over, when juſtice muſt be ſatisfied to the full; atleaſt ſo full as the delinquent can ſatisfie it, not with ready money, the merits of Chriſt: then with eternall durance, he muſt lie by it for ever.ooMat. 5.26.Matt 5:26 Till he hath paid the uttermoſt farthing; and which is lamentable, hee hath not one farthing towards it. The reprobate cannot do many things he would: the needy drunkard cannot bee an uſurer: the baſe pilferer cannot be a rich commonwealths oppreſſor; no thankes, they would but they cannot. The power, not the will, is wanting in them to any wickedneſſe. Now it is juſt, velle malum et non poſſe, pati malum et non velle. Hee that doeth what hee will, muſt ſuffer what God will.

8 The ſinner is often admoniſhed, often threatned: dealt with all mildly, and taken up roundly: now tempted with a crowne, than terrified with a ſcourge: allured with the promiſes of heaven, affrighted with the menacres of hell: encouraged to Grace by the Goſpell, thundred againſt for ſin by the Law: offered either a curſed. Devill to torment him, or, a bleſſed Chriſt to ſave him. Neither is life and death ſet before him onelyonly once, but all his dayes.ppRom. 10.21.Rom 10:21 All day long hath God ſtretched forth his hands unto him. This choice is put to him ſo long as he lives on earth: therefore if he make election of ſin, it muſt ſticke by him ſo long as hee lives in hell. What could God doe more in merciemercy, what can he doe leſſe in juſtice? The ſinner is ſhewed an eaſie way to ſalvation; Beleeve in Chriſt the remiſſion of ſins, and endevour in thy ſelfe amendment of life, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. The Publican ſaid but only. God be mercifull to me a ſinner: Quid hic ſudoris, quid laboris? what great labour or paines was this? Chryſ. The malefactor on the Croſſe declared three things; reprehenſion of his fellowes ſins, confeſſion of his own ſins, ſupplication for merciemercy; and he was taken up into that glorious paradiſe. He that will not take ſo little paine to get ſo much eaſe, is worthy of little eaſe and much paine. If men make God loſe all the labour of his merciemercy, to ſave them, hee will not loſe all the labour of his Iuſtice to puniſh them.

9 Though it be true that every ſin is finite as conſidered in reſpect of the act: as …it is a tranſient action it is finite. But it is infinite in reſpect of the inherence in the ſubiect. For the foule of man is immortall, and ſo the ſin which ſticketh on it, is made immortall with it. For the guilt can no wayes be taken from it, but by imputing it to Chriſt. And beſides the guilt contracted by the fact, there is a blot p. 476that doth ſtaine the ſoule: as the ſkarlet or crimſin die doth the ſilke or wooll: which can no wayes be undyed or gotten out but by the blood of the Lambe. All the Saints had ſtaines, blemiſhes, and polluted coulours; butqqRev. 7.14.Rev 7:14 They waſhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe. 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were ye, but you are waſhed, &c. Now thoſe turpitudes and aſperſions ſo died in graine by ſin in the ſoule, if they bee not purged by him, remaine for ever inſeparable: and can no more but taken from it, than the ſpots from the Leopard, or the skarlet can fade till the cloth bee worne out. So long therefore as this ſtaine abides, the wrath of God abides: and as that tincture can never be gotten off, ſo the fire of hell can never bee bu… out. There is no more extinguiſhing the one, than relinquiſhing the other; both remaine for ever.

10 There is an habite of evill in the wicked. Some thinke that ſin in it ſelfe is nothing, becauſe it hath no formall being or ſubſiſtence: but puniſhment is a thing of being and poſition. Now ſhall that which is nothing bee puniſhed with ſomething; Shall a creature be puniſhed for nothing; This were, as David complained of his perſecutors, a courſe of injuſtice; They hated mee without a cauſe. But that which is held nothing in a poſitive exiſtence, will be found ſomething in a priuative ſufferance. To cleare this point, we muſt examine what ſin in it ſelfe is. In its owne proper nature it is, ſaith S^t Iohn an Anomie, or want of conformitie to the Law of God: or an Ataxie, and abſence of goodneſſe and integritie in the thing that ſubſiſteth. In Adam before his fall were three, not indiſtinguiſhable, yet inſeparable things. 1 His ſubſtance. 2 The faculties and powers of his bodie and ſoule. 3 And the Image of God conſiſting in ſtraightneſſe, conformitie, and rectitude of all theſe to his will. What then was his ſin; not the want of the two former, he had his ſubſtance and faculties ſtill: but of the latter, the conformitie of Gods will. In a muſicall Inſtrument there is not onelyonly the ſubſtance of it, and the ſound, but alſo the harmonie in the ſound. That which is contrary to harmonie, is none of the two former: but onelyonly the laſt, that is the diſorder or diſcord in muſicke, which is the abſence or want of harmonie, we may call it Diſharmonie. Neither is this a meere abſence of goodneſſe, but alſo a preſence or habite of evill. As it is received into mans nature, it is onelyonly a privation of good: but as being received it continues, it is a habite of evill. But it may be ſaid, that a meere and ſingle privation can performe no act: as darkneſſe, which is the abſence of light, can ſtirre nothing: ſilence cannot move or produce an effect. But concupiſcence drawes away the heart from Gods ſervice, and entiſeth it to evill: now this is an action, and no action can proceed of a meere privation. To anſwer this wee muſt diſtinguiſh of originall ſin: as it is of its owne nature, ſo it is no inclination or action, no moving power, but onelyonly a want. But as it is mixed with the ſubject wherein it is, it enclines, moves, compells to evill.

The like reaſon holds in actualls. In murder are two things. 1 The moving of the body, and exerciſe of the weapons: this conſidered as an action is properly no ſin: becauſe every action comes from God, the firſt cauſe of all things and action…. 2 The killing of a man, defacing the Image of God: this is the miſorder and abe… ration of the action, whereby it is diſpoſed to a wrong uſe or end; and thus it is ….

For the ſumme then, the nature of ſin lies not in the action, but in the manner of doing the action. So that it holds, ſin is nothing formally ſubſiſting, (for then God ſhould be the author of it, as being creator and ordainer of every thing and action) but a want of that which ought to bee and ſubſiſt, partly in the nature of man, and partly in the actions of nature. In peccato nihil poſitivum; as the Schoole in thi… truly. But now to the queſtion; If there bee no poſitive thing in ſin, why ſhould there bee a poſitive thing in puniſhment; If it bee onelyonly the want of goodneſſe; why is it not revenged onelyonly with the want of bleſſedneſſe? So here ſhould … no place for damnation or the torments of hell. Certainely if it were no mo…, this was puniſhment enough to bee deprived of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23. … p. 476have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God. But there is more, for upon the abſence of goodneſſe there neceſſarily followes the preſence of evill. And the ſinner doth not only omit what he ſhould doe, but alſo commit what he ſhould not doe. And as there can be no difference inter non bonum & malum: ſo at the ſame inſtant when a man loſeth his goodneſſe, hee contracts badneſſe. There is in ſin foure things: the fault whereby God is offended: the guilt whereby the ſinner is bound to puniſhment: the Puniſhment it ſelfe, which is damnation: and the Blot or ſtaine which defiles the perſon. Culpa, reatus, pana, macula. Now it is not the ſecond and third, but the firſt and laſt which make man a ſinner. Hereupon it followes, that after a man hath committed a ſinne, and the offence is done and gone Quoad actum twenty yeares; yet he does not therefore ceaſe to be a ſinner. Now why is he called a ſinner in the time preſent, that did the ſinne in a time ſo farre paſt? It is the Macula, or ſtaine, as it were the fruite of the fault, that ſo denominates him. And this is an indiſpoſition of the heart to all good, and an inclination to all evill. He that hath forefeited his goodneſſe, is like the dropſy-patient; the more he ſins, the more he is apt to ſin, and the more deſirous of ſin. As he that turnes his face from the ſun, remaines ſo till hee turne againe unto it. Once turning from GOD, wee continue naughtie, till we returne to him by repentance. David was not only a ſinner in the very act of his adulterie: but when the act was done and paſt, he remained ſtill an adulterer: becauſe a proneneſſe to ſinne had got place and ſtrength in his heart, …ill he rid himſelfe of all by unfained repentance. There being therefore in the reprobate an inconformitie to goodneſſe, an unchangeable diſpoſition to evill, and an …ncleanſable pollution by evill; there muſt remaine an interminable damnation for evill.

11 Gods temporall plagues are images of his eternall judgements: but the …emporall often laſt all the dayes of their life on earth, why not the other all the dayes of their death in hell? There be ſome ſins that may be called Peccata peccantia, …inning ſins: for they leave a perpetuall venome and malignitie behind them: and continuate a peſtilent act without any leſſe termination than the world: as oppreſſi…n, Sacriledge, &c. There be alſo publike ſins, that leave a bad example behind …hem: and ſuch men doe ſin as long as they cauſe ſin. Such was Ieroboams making Iſ…ael to ſin: let himſelfe be dead, yet ſo long as any worſhipped his Calves, Ieroboam …inned. This urged the Rich man to deſire one from the dead, to warne his brethren: …ecauſe he felt his owne torment encreaſe, ſo long as their ſin encreaſed, which they …ad derived from his curſed precedent. There be ſins not ſo manifeſt, and expo…ed to the common eyes or ſenſe; not hurting others in their poſteritie, nor corrup…ing them by lewd patterne: but doe Intra orbem ſuum furere; as private luſts: yet …heſe turne the ſoule into a Blacke-moore: and for mortall endevours to waſh them …u…, we may call it the labour in vaine. The ſins that damnifie our brethren, without …eſtitution, are perpetuall: and ſo is the wrath of God upon them.ſſZach. 5.4.Zech 5:4 It ſhall remaine in …he midſt of his houſe. This argues not only a dominering and raigning nature, which …rinkes not into corners, but takes poſſeſſion in the middle and moſt honourable …ome: mediâ dominatur in aulâ. Like Princes that have choſen the middle places of …ingdomes for their ſeats. According to the old ſimilitude: the way to keep a ſtiffe…ed hide from riſing at the ſides round about, is to ſet your feete on the midſt. He …at ſtands in the center, may the readilier ſee the whole circumference that envirous …im. But it further intimates the ſtubborne and indomitable qualitie of vengeance; … doth remaine; if once admitted, it will not ſuddainely remove; nor yet remaining …ill ever bee quiet. Athanaſius pronounced of Iulians hot perſecution; Nubecula …, & cito tranſibit: it is a cloud, and will ſoone be blowne over. The ground of that …roicall perſwaſion and confidence, was the knowledge of Gods temporary caſti…ions and tryalls of his Church. But to the unbeleever,ttIoh. 3.36.John 3:36 The wrath of God abi…th on him. Which wordes like Ianus, have a double aſpect. One backwards, as … it were a wrath of great antiquity: it comes not now, it was before upon him, p. 478Aug. Another aſpect forwards, as ſome expound it; noting the countenance of wrath it ſhall not depart from him. VponUpon him, as another noteth on the word upon; the intimation of advantage from an upper place: as though vengeance did ſtand continually preying upon him: as in the Poet, the ravenous bird upon Promethe…; or, that other upon Titius, in hell.

If any impenitent ſinner complaine; Why is my heavineſſe continuall, my plague deſperate, and cannot be healed: There is matter within himſelfe to make him anſwer.uuLam. 3.39.Lam 3:39 Wherefore doth a living man complaine, a man for the puniſhment of his ſinnes? There is the inquiſition of the proper cauſe. Let us ſearch and trie our ſelves, and term… … gaine to the Lord: there's the application of the proper remedie. No wonder if the curſe continue with them, that continue in obſtinateneſſe: impenitence can have no hope of merciemercy, Rev. 16.9.11. Though they ſuffer that extreme burning for ſin, yet they repent of their ſinne, They blaſpheme God for their ſores, yet repent not of their miſdeeds. It is an argument of their vaine ignorance, to wonder that the terme of their heavy viſitation is not yet expired: while their ſins are unrepented, their lives unamended. Correct the paſſion of thy heart, and direct it to contrition for ſin, or, expect no ceſſation of penaltie. As when the ſinner is dead, all the while any moiſture remaines, the wormes will not forſake his carcaſe. So while he lives in his ſin, the curſe will waite cloſe upon the cauſe: ſtill a ſinner, and ſtill a ſufferer. Iſrael could not ſtand before their enemies, till they had put away the execrable thing. Nor will the plague forſake oppreſſors and ſacrilegious uſurpers, till their treaſures of wickedneſſe be returned backe to the right owners. Let the example of little Zaccheus, the greateſt example that ever was, for effectuall and ſubſtantiall reſtitution; teach them to breake off their injuſtice with righteouſneſſe, which giveth every m… his owne: and their iniquitie, with merciemercy to the poore. Leſt they find this ſin heavyer than a milſtone, when the ſhallow rivers of temporary puniſhments, ſhall … into the ocean ſea of eternall torments. Where is no reſtitution, there is no remiſſion: where is no remiſſion of the guilt of ſin, no decreaſe of the power of ſin: and where the power of ſin is not leſſened, there the plague of ſin will be augmented. Nec deſinet illi paenae ſenſus, cui non deſivit culpae aſſenſ…s.

12 Laſtly, this equity and equality of damnation to ſin, is illuſtrated and prov… by the contrary. As Mark. 10.30. every good deed ſhall have a hundred-fold of comforts: ſo every bad deed a hundred fold of torments. Gods merciemercy is for ever to them that pleaſe him: ſo his wrath is for ever upon them that offend him. The faithfull finde eternall merciemercy, therefore the unfaithfull ſhall finde eternall miſerie. He that endureth to the end, ſhall be ſaved: By what rule or proportion? Becauſe God in his goodneſſe doth preſuppoſe, if that man had continued for ever living, he would have continued for ever well doing. Ioſiah feared God all the dayes of his life: therefore God hath Crowned his everlaſting life in heavent.xxRev. 2.10.Rev 2:10 Be thou faithfull unto … death, and I will give thee the Crowne of life. Fidelitie for a ſhort ſervice, hath a … dem of never ending glory. Thus as God in his good merciemercy doth reward perſ… rance in good with immortall life: ſo in his juſt judgement he doth puniſh imp… tence with eternall death. Thus is guilty man puniſhed, and the juſt God cleared, i… this damnation of the wicked: though it be a totall, finall, (call it what you will) … extreme, univerſall, eternall puniſhment. But to ceaſe preaching of it, and … praying againſt it: Spare us good Lord, ſpare the people whom thou haſt redeemed. For … death of thy eternall Sonne, let us not be the ſons of eternall death. Be not … with us; or, if we doe provoke thee, let not thy anger be for ever. Let not … wrath burne like fire: but whenſoever our ſins have kindled it, LORD quenchi… the bloud of CHRIST. Let us not undergoe the malignitie of one ſin, ev… … leaſt, the ſhorteſt: for it deſerves great and eternall torment. Our greateſt g… neſſe merits not the leaſt glory: but our leaſt wickedneſſe deſerves great pain. A … leake will ſinke the veſſell unſtop'd, a great one will not doe it, if well called. … weakeſt inſtrument can pierce the fleſh, and take away the life, unarm'd: … p. 479our of proofe will beate off ſtrong aſſaults, There is no wickedneſſe ſo weake, …t it can deſtroy us without Chriſt: none ſo ſtrong as to deſtroy us with Chriſt. As …chel cryed to Iacob, aaGen. 30.1.Gen 30:1Give me children or elſe I die: ſo give us our Father, or elſe …e periſh. Lord, behold us not out of Chriſt, though robbed with all our righte…ſneſſe: but behold us in Chriſt, though with all our ſinfulneſſe. Preſerve us in him, …wneus with him, that we may give all glory to him; together with thy ſelfe, …d moſt holy Spirit.

8 Sleepeth not, lingereth not, ſlumbereth not.] Though it be not yet preſent, it is …opinquant: if not extant, yet inſtant. If it be not viſible, yet it doth not linger: …t linger, it doth not ſlumber: if it ſeeme to ſlumber, it doth not ſleepe. To ſleepe …ore than to ſlumber, to ſlumber more than to winke, to winke more than to look …on a thing though with diſregard, not minding it. Neither ſleep, nor ſlumber, nor …nnivence, nor neglect of any thing, can be incident to God. Becauſe he doth not ex…e preſent judgement, and viſible deſtruction upon ſinners, therfore blaſphemie …ſumptuouſly inferreth; Nunquid curat Dominus? Ea cura quietos ſollicitat? Will …od trouble himſelfe about ſuch petty matters? So they imagined of their imagi…ry Iupiter; Non vacat exiguis rebus adeſſe Iovem. What a narrow and finite appre…ſion this is of God! Hee that cauſeth and produceth every action, ſhall he not … preſent at every action? What can wee doe without him, that cannot move … in him? He that takes notice of ſparrowes, and numbers the ſeeds which the very …ugh-man thruſts in the ground: can any action of man eſcape his knowledge, or ſlip …m his contemplation? He may ſeeme to winke at things, but never ſhuts his eyes. … doth not alwayes manifeſt Scientiam reprehenſivam, a reprehenſive knowledge: …t he alwayes retaines Scientiam apprehenſivam, an apprehenſive knowledge. Quia … arguit, ergo non novit? Though David ſmote not Shimei curſing, yet he heard …imei curſing. As Iudges often determine to heare, but doe not heare to determine: …though God doe not ſee to like, yet he likes to ſee. It is only the forbearance of … correction, that makes ſinners preſume of his connivence.bbPſal. 50.21.Ps 50:21 Theſe things thou haſt …e, and I held my peace; therefore thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy …fe. Impunè ferens peccatum, Deumcogitat pacatum. God holds his hands, and he holds … peace, but he does not hold his eyes: and he ſees, whatſoever he ſaies. All things are …ed and open to his eyes: not becauſe he will obſerve them, but becauſe he cannot look ſide them. But. The time of your ignorance God winked at? He is ſaid to connive, …auſe he doth not correct. It is the promiſe of his merciemercy to paſſe over the ſins of …verts, as a father winkes at the error of his little child. So we pray, Adverte …os, Turne away thine eyes from our ſinnes, Pſal. 51.9. Abſconde faciem; Hide thy face … my ſinnes, and blot out all mine iniquities. That is, Omitte, remitte, demitte indem…um. Still the Lord ſees;ccPſal. 51.3.Ps 51:3 I have done this evill in thy ſight. He doth obſerve all …in knowledge, he doth not reſerve all to vengeance. He is ſaid not to make it, be…ſe he doth not puniſh it. But if the Lord do wink at the aberrations of his ſervants, …ſt he therefore ſlumber? Doth every one ſhuts his eyes, preſently fall into a ſlum…? Or, if he ſeeme to ſlumber, can he ſleepe? Sleepe is to refreſh the weary, can … it ſelfe be weary?ddPſal. 121.4.Ps 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Iſrael ſhall neither ſlumber nor ſleepe. He …o farre from ſleeping, that he doth not put his eyes together. This might be Iu… opinion of her Iupiter: whom Homer relates making an earneſt ſute to Somnus, …op…rare oculos Iovis. This is for a Baal; ee1 King. 18.27.1 Kgs 18:27Cry aloud, for peradventure he ſleepeth. A …eſſary ſlumber for a temporary god.

Sleepe (ſuch is the nature of it, that it) cannot occurre to the nature of God: …o is an Eternitie of reſt, without any viciſſitude or change. There is no mutati… himſelfe, nor mutuation or borowing from another. Phabus ab externo radios … mutuatur: much leſſe God. Rom. 11.25. Who hath firſt given to him, and it ſhall …compenſed? Who hath laid out any thing for him, and it ſhall be paid him a…e? In ſleepe the exterior ſenſes are bound up, and there followes a quieſcence …n motion. As of the contrary; Vigilia eſt ſolutio & remiſsio ſenſuum, ut liberè p. 480agant ſecundum ſuam naturam. Wakefulneſſe is the remiſſion and unbinding of the ſenſes, that they may freely officiate the requirements of nature. But the Lord mo… all; and created things derive their firſt motion from him. Ariſtotle ſaies, … is a retirement of the heate to the inward parts: and a confluxe of that naturall … lation which ariſeth from out ſuſtenance; Compreſſo primo ſenſitorio, that is … but God lives not by nouriſhment, therefore hath no need of ſleepe. Cale… fines it to be a remiſſion of the ſoule, according to nature, ab extremis ad prin… binding up the mind, and diſcharging the ſenſitive inſtruments of their office … heate which is taken up in thoſe organs, being recalled to the heart and lungs. Oth… thus ſummarily▪ Sleepe is the reſt of the animall vertues, together with … tention of the naturall faculties, ſtirred by a profitable humour in the braine: … in the ſoule ſuſpends her functions in the outward parts, to relieve the inward … principall, for the health of the whole. But God is not capable of any weary … therefore not liable to any ſleepe. Nothing needs ſleepe, but what is nouriſhe… wearied? No ſpirit is ſubject to ſuch a nutrition, therefore not deſiderable of … a ceſſation. The ſword of God may be ſaid to ſleepe in the ſcabberd, while he … beares to draw it, but he that weares it, ſleepeth not.

9 This wakefull and prepared vengeance is threatned againſt the ungodly … fitly. For nothing is more proper to the nature of ſin, than to ſleepe in ſecurity. E… 5.14. Awake thou that ſleepeſt; that is, Repent thou that ſinneſt. The godly … their nappes, the wicked their ſound ſleepes. Continuance in ſin may be compa… to Sleepe in many reſemblances.

1 For the cauſe of ſleepe: the naturall heate drawing in his vertue, ſtirres … vapour or exhalation, which ariſeth from the meate, or from labour, ſorrow, … rineſſe: this aſcending, the coldneſſe of the braine beates backe againe, and ſo co… ſleepe. Thus the heate of concupiſcence in the ſinner firſt raignes within, and ſt… to fortifie it ſelfe in a complacencie of evill: and when the conſcience ſends any … tions or conſiderations to the intellect, like vapours to the braine, they are re… berated back againe by the extreme cold and groſſeneſſe, which poſſeſſeth the ra… nal part; and thus followes the ſleepe of ſin. When the conſcience cannot pr… with the concupiſcence, it is rocked aſleepe in ſin, and all the organicall forces … called in to waite upon luſt.

2 As Ariſtotle delivers the formall cauſe of ſleepe, to be an Antiperiſta…, … being made by a reciprocall motion: the ſtomach ſending up fumes to the head and the head ſending them backe to the heart: ſo by reaſon of this conflict … obſtruct all the organs of ſenſe, locking up the exterior parts as they paſſe in … journey. As a river that ebbes and flowes, is driven by her owne floods. The heate drives theſe vapours from the heart, the coldneſſe from the braine, and … muſt needes reſt ſome where: hinc faciunt gravedinem oppilando, & inde Somnus … ſpirituall ſleep, the coldneſſe of the brain is ignorance, the heate of the heart is … cupiſcence, the exhalations are luſts. while theſe with a ſenſitive pleaſure are ba… up and downe, the whole man becomes faſt a ſleepe: and ſin raignes like an … bed Lord in al faculties of body and mind, neither feeling nor ſuſpecting the …

3 As there is a difference in corporall ſleepe, ſo in the ſpirituall ſlumber, … dicitur foreign, Suſpirare: for the lungs doe not faile their office in … Now ſome bodies are ſo well compoſed, that they ſend forth a ſoft and gentle … and reſpire an eaſy ſpirit. Others that labour of ſome error in the Arteriatrach…, … lung-pipe, Strumoſi, draw their breath with ſuch difficultie and diſtance, as if … were in danger of ſuffocation. That the winde being held in, breakes forth … troublous noiſe: per multos anfractus ducitur: it comes out by many circuits and … dings, involued in the muſcles: and the breath being gathered into thoſe ſtr… with a forcible eluctation opens the arterie, breaking out with an alliſion and … mure, as the pent aire at an evaporation. Thus ſpiritually: ſome take a quiet … an unmoleſted ſecuritie in wickedneſſe, without the leaſt ſtarting or jogging of … p. 481…onſcience.ffEſa. 29.10.Isa 29:10 The Lord hath poured out upon them the ſpirit of deepe ſleepe. The breath …ey draw is Tenuis aura, ſuch as ſometimes in ſummer riſeth from the earth with … inſenſible effumigation. Ducunt mollem anhelitum, they ſin without trouble about … as a great part of England now ſleepes in Sacliledge, and their hearts are never …ſturbed for it. Other men ſleepe indeed, but unquietly; full of ſtartings, ſtop…ngs, and reluctations: as if they were affrighted with ſome ſuddaine noiſe, and …eir owne conſcious thoughts did like Faeries, nippe and pinch them, interrupting …eir deſired repoſe. There is more hope of theſe than the former: for they that …e often diſquieted, will at laſt be wakened. When a man begins to ſtirre in his bed, …e conceive ſome likelyhood that he will before long ariſe.

But they that can ſleepe when it thunders; like the Catadupans, inhabitants of …e cataracts, who heare not the roarings of Nilus, ingenti cum ſonitu ſe praecipitantis: …ummes and trumpets, and that loud rupture of the aire with Ordinance, being …e ſoft muſicke to their eares to play them aſleepe: what hope of their waking? …eclaration of ſins, denuntiation of judgements, deſcription of torments, no more …rre them, than a tale moves a man in a dreame. Here is a ſupine ſtupiditie, … capable of excitation, as the ſea-rockes are of motion, or the ſea-billowes of com…eſſion. As Mori mortem is to die an everlaſting death, ſo this Dormire ſomnum (as …e Pſalmiſt ſpeakes) is to ſleepe an everlaſting ſleepe. The Hebrewes call ſleepe by …ree diſtinct and graduall termes. Therumah, which ſignifies a light ſleepe, Capitis …tatio, quaſi prima rudimenta ſomni. Schemah is a more profound ſleepe. Tharde…h exceeds all, as it were a dead ſleepe.ggGen. 2.21.Gen 2:21 The Lord cauſed a deepe ſleepe to fall upon …am: that he neither had his ſight offended, nor his ſenſe oppreſſed, when his ſide …as opened, Gen. 15.12. Thardemah irruit: a deepe ſleepe fell upon Abraham. So the …reekes diſtinguiſh them; foreign, which is a certaine neceſſitie of ſleepe: foreign, …hich is Torpor, a heavineſſe of ſleepe: and foreign, an inexpugnable appetite of …eping. The Latines, if we conſult Phyſitians, diſtinguiſh them into Somnum, …orem, & veternum: a naturall ſleepe, a preternaturall ſleepe, and a continuall ſlum…r. The faithfull cannot avoid ſome nappes their nature is ſo weake; ſome ſinnes …ey admit: vulgar ſinners have long and drouſy ſlumbers: only the deſperately …cked are caſt into a dead ſleepe; an exſtaticall ſtupifying lethargie of ſinfulneſſe, …rd even to be a little rouſed. The firſt is a naturall, the ſecond a preternaturall, …e laſt a contranaturall ſleepe. A naturall ſleepe is ſhort, for ſixe or eight houres, owed by Phyſitians, to the body; but allowed not by Divines, to the ſoule. The …eter naturall is a drouſie ſlothfulneſſe, an inordinate deſire of ſinning.hhProv. 24.33.Prov 24:33 Yet a lit… ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleepe. The laſt contranaturall, is omnem …dum exundans, beyond all meaſure, a lethargicall kind of death, which will never …ke untill it hath no more power to ſleepe. The naturall ſleepe of the body is for … reparation of natures forces, ſo much as may only be ſufficient to abſolve conco…on: but the laſt, as in ſweating ſickneſſe, ſleepes to death.

4 As by ſleepe Cerebrum fumis obnubilatur, nervi hebetantur, venae obſtruuntur, …iſt. The braine is clouded, the nerves dulled, the veines obſtructed. So by cu…mary ſinning, theiiEph. 4.18.Eph 4:18 underſtanding is darkened, the ſpirits blunted, the affections ſtu…ied, the receptacles of grace filled with the obſtructions of luſt. And there is not …ly an Indiſpoſition to goodneſſe, but a mad and unreſtrained precipice to all man…r of miſchiefe.

5 As nothing is more pleaſing to mans nature than ſleepe; Quia perpetuus mo… naturae inferiori regugnat. It is moſt acceptable, illabens animantibus amicâ dul…ne. Somne quies rerum, placidiſsime Somne deorum, Ovid. Sleepe is fained to love …thea, becauſe it is a common benefite to all living creatures. Quae a rerum veri…d fabulas, Graeca levitas & Poetica vanitas tranſtulit, Aret. So there is no…ng more pleaſing to corrupt nature than pravitie: it is a delight to the wicked to … evill: and ſleepe is not more welcome to the body, than that is to the luſt of … ſoule.

p. 4826 As ſleepe is juſtly called Frater mortis, the brother of death: ſo is ſin S… paenae, the ſiſter of paine. There is little difference betweene him that ſleepes and the dead, ſave onelyonly in time: both are void of ſenſe, both like trunkes Vterque caecus, ſurdus, elinguis: both blind, deafe, dumbe. Vterque ſedat c… ras, finit labores; either of them appeaſeth our cares, finiſheth our labours: only death is the longer and more perfect privation. Stulte, quid eſt ſomnus gelide …iſ… mortis imago? Ovid. Conſanguincus lethi ſopor. Medium inter vivere & mori, An…. A certaine middle thing betwixt life and death. Dulcis & alma quies, placidaeque ſimillima morti, Aeneid. Death is a long ſleepe, ſleepe a ſhort death. So fin is the elder brother of death: if man had not ſinned, he ſhould not have died. Sin was beene firſt, but The elder ſhall ſerve the younger: for death ſhall ſwallow the whole inheritance. Here, the ſleepe of rebellion precedes the ſleepe of damnation. They ſleepe but their deſtruction ſleepeth not. The Apoſtle ſaid of Lazarus; kkIoh. 11.12.John 11:12LORD, if … ſleepeth hee ſhall doe well: but if you ſleepe, you ſhall doe ill. As it is with the improvident heire involved in Vſurers bonds; while he ſleepeth, his intereſt runs o… Deſtruction takes the wicked napping, asll2 Sam. 4.7.2 Sam 4:7 Banah and Rechab ſlew Iſhboſheth: or, as Somnus is ſaid to ſlay Palinurus; ſoporatum in mare praecipitavit, Aeneid. 5. He is eaſily ſubdued, whom his owne ſlothfulneſſe hath left unarmed. As death corporall proceeds of a cold vapor poſſeſſing the braine, and oppreſſing the animall ſenſes and ſpirits. So from the cold dregs of ſin, freeſing up the heart in wickedneſſe, comes the ſleep of deſtruction: as Gideon ſlew the ſecure and careles hoſte. When Di… genes Synopenſiis ſlept much in his ſickneſſe, and was diſſwaded by his Phyſitian, he was anſwered, Ne mireris, frater fratrem antevertit: one brother doth but prevent another. Sampſon could not be bound, till he was firſt got a ſleep. Temporall death is …t the only puniſhment of his ſinful ſecuritie: but while the wormes are ſporting among the reprobates bones, the divells will make themſelves merry with his torments.

7 Laſtly, as ſleepe turnes a man in non hominem, ſo doth ſin in non bonum hominem. In ſleepe he neither heares like a man, nor ſpeakes like a man, nor walkes like a ma… So in this ſpirituall lethargie, he neither thinkes like a Chriſtian, nor underſtand… like a Chriſtian, nor effects like a Chriſtian; nor acts like a Chriſtian, nor appeares like a Chriſtian. There be three ſeaſons, wherin a wiſe man differs not from a foole: in his infancie, in ſleepe, and in ſilence. For in the two former all are fooles; and in the latter we are all wiſe. In ſleep the wiſedome of the wiſe is not exerciſed, and the follie of the foole is not diſcovered. In the 115. Pſalm. ver. 5. There are f… impediments orderly ſpecified, wherein the ſinner differs not from the ſleeper. The ſinner hath. 1. Impeditum os ab actu confitendi; They have mouthes, but they ſpe…e not. He cannot confeſſe his ſins, nor profeſſe his faith, nor powre out his prayers. … ſin, as in ſleepe he hath a mouth, but not to ſpeake. 2. Oculos impeditos ab actu vid… di: They have eyes, but they ſee not. mmMat. 13.15.Matt 13:15They have cloſed their eyes, leſt they ſhould ſee. They differ ſomething in this from an Idol: the Idol hath Oculum fictum, a counterfeit eye: theſe Oculum clauſum, a ſhut eye. See, that cannot; theſe can and will not. Who is ſo blind as he that will not ſee? The object is exhibited, their ſight is ſelfe-darkened. They have eyes, but not to ſee. 3. Aures impeditas ab offici… … diendi. They have eares, but they heare not. The blind hath eyes, but not to ſee: the creeple feete, but not to goe: the ſpirituall ſleeper hath eares, but not to heare. The eare is a benefite of nature, but an eare to heare is the benefite of grace. 4. No… impeditos ab of ficio odorandi. They have noſes, but they ſmell not. Futura non praſe… unt. They give themſelves to ſleepe, and never ſuſpect the danger that may prevent their waking. Let them come into that bleſſed Garden of God, where i… merable flowers give delectable ſents; they neither ſmell the odours, nor relli… the fruites. They receive not the things of the ſpirit. 1 Cor. 2.14. the Naturian is not capable. They have noſes, but not to ſmell. 5. Manus impeditas ab actu benef… endi. They have hands, but they handle not. As that organum organorum, the inſtrument of inſtruments, the buſie and active hand, is bound in ſleepe. So ſinne ha… p. 483enervated the practiſe of goodneſſe; and obſeſſed the ſinner, not onelyonly with a dedig…ation of good workes, but alſo with an indignation againſt good workers, and an …anſatisfied delight in miſdeeds. God reacheth out merciemercy to him, as the charitable doth an almes to the maimed; alas, he is faſt aſleepe, and puts not forth a hand …o receive it. They have hands, but not to worke. 6. Pedes impeditos ab actu am…ulandi. They have feete, and walke not. Worſe than that creeple, Act. 3. he thought …e could not goe, would bee carried to the Temple: but theſe have feete and will …ot goe to the Temple; they have no deſire to bee brought into that vigilant and waking place. There the Preachers voice would be like a Trumpet, and they can…ot endure noiſe. They have feete, but not to walke.

Nothing is more dangerous than this drouſineſſe and ſecuritie in ſinne: when men thinke they can paſſe as they pleaſe; thorow the wombe to grace, …horow grace to wantonneſſe, thorow wantonneſſe to glory. WithooAct. 18.15.Acts 18:15 Gallio, …hey thinke Religion onelyonly a queſtion of names and words, and therefore will not …eddle with it Or, if they reſolve to heare it, with Felix they can neither get … convenient time, nor a convenient heart for it. They are not like the Bee that …illeth her belly and thighes with honey from the flowers: but like the butter flie, which onelyonly dies and paints her wings in their colours, and ſo leaves them. They …wimme like Dolphins, playing upon the waves of carnall delights; and are alwaies …errieſt, when deſtruction is neareſt. Wake therefore, and learne to die before …hou die; that when thou muſt die, thou mayeſt have no more to do but to die. While …he fooliſh virgins ſlept, they loſt their enterance into that joyfull bride-chamber …or ever. Watch and pray: they that would keepe themſelves waking, doe it beſt …y talking. Hold thy ſelfe in a continuall conference and diſcourſe with God, ſo …halt thou not fall aſleepe in ſin. If thou doſt fall into aſlumber, yet letppCant. 5.2.Song 5:2 thy heart …ake. But the reprobate doth ſleepe ſoundly, Somno ſepultus. Therefore let us not …eepe as others doe, but let us watch and be ſober, 1 Theſ. 5.6. As Chriſt couples wat…hing and prayer: ſo the Apoſtle couples watching and ſobrietie. Sobrietie is either …orporall, the moderation of appetites: or mentall, the moderation of affections. Now as drunkenneſſe enforceth ſleepe, ſo ſobrietie keepeth awake. But as Phy…tians rid their hands of incurable patients, and ſend them to the minerall or me…lline bathes, or leave them Deo & naturae, to God and nature. So I remit theſe … their maker to be wakened; either by the Evangelicall trumpet here, or by the …rchangelicall trumpet hereafter.

10 Obſerve that ſin will not let Iuſtice ſleepe, but ſends it up continuall chalen…es and defiances: provoking him to draw that ſword, which hee had rather ſhould …ſt and ruſt in the ſcabberd, than be ſheathed in the bowels, or ſhine with the galls …f his owne creatures. But in piety will not let him alone, nor give him over, till is righteouſneſſe breakes forth into vengeance. As the prayers of the Saints with kinde of prevailing importunacie, offer holy and humble violence to his merciemercy: …at he deſcends with the flag of truce, in the milk white ornaments of peace; pardo…ng ſins, and healing ſorrowes. If importunate ſollicitations could move an unjuſt …dge to equitie,qqLuk. 18.7.Luke 18:7 will they not much more move a merciful God to pitie? Give him …ſt till he eſtabliſh Ieruſalem, Eſa. 62.7. As the kingdome of heaven requires and re…ites this holyrrMat. 11.12.Matt 11:12 violence: ſo the king of heaven is content to have his hands as …nicled from executing wrath, and his ſword locked up by the prayers and teares … penitents. Let me alone, ſaith the Lord to Moſes, that I may ſmite them: as if …e groanes of his heart did hold Gods hand. So doe the ſins of the wicked haſten …dgement, and cry to vengeance, Come away, why tarrieſt thou ſo long? Thus the …ood of Abel murdered,ſſGen. 4.10.Gen 4:10 cryed for the blood of the murderer. Wickedneſſe is not …oveling, but aſpiring: not baſe, ſhame-fac'd and fearefull to advance it ſelfe; but …elling like Iordan above the bankes.ttIon. 1.2.Jonah 1:2 Their wickedneſſe is come …p before me. It …s not hid in the ſecrecie of private chambers, not kept cloſe in the cloſet of their …ne breſts; but an aſcending, aſpiring, climbing wickedneſſe… ſo impudent that it p. 486durſt preſſe into Gods preſence. Before me: it wakens makes my juſtice, and will … me ſleepe no longer. Gen. 18.20. Becauſe the cry of Sodome and Gommorrah is great, and becauſe their ſinne is very grievous.

Peccatum cum voce, ſin with a voice is ſinne in action: Peccatum cum cl…, ſin with a cry is ſinne in preſumption, Greg. Their wickedneſſe paſſed the bo… of all moderation: the fame of it was not only ſpred upon earth, and blowen … the eares of men: but it pierceth the aire, paſſeth the ſtarres, climbes like the Sun in the morning, comes up amongſt the Angels of God, and expoſeth her filthineſſe … the throne of his Majeſtie. This iniquity here is not leſſe than a theomachie, a d… perate warre againſt heaven, a tower of ſinne like Babel, reaching to the clouds. A ſin which the Scripture calls lifting up the hand, and lifting up the heele, againſt the Lord. Manum in contendendo, calcem in contemnendo: lifting up the hand in oppoſition, the heele in contempt.

There are two Ladders wherby men climbe up into heaven, and become acquainted with God. The Ladder of Petition, and the Ladder of preſumption. The Sa… aſcend by the one to their conſolation, the wicked by the other to their confuſi…. Both preſſe into the Preſence-chamber, both have the like acceſſe, both have not the like ſucceſſe. The one thruſts in lik a conſpirator to practiſe treacherie: the other … a petitioner to implore merciemercy. Wickedneſſe is ſawcy and peremptorie, and will be notable thoug hit be notorious. It ſcornes to keepe low water, or live in an …b: … like pride, is only to that end proud, that ſome notice may be taken of it. Commonly it is gone from the memorie of the offender, ere it come with ſo fierce an i… tion before the puniſher. And that wind of rebellion which cauſeth juſtice to wa…, rockes unrighteouſneſſe a ſleepe. But ſhall our ſins come up before God, and … firſt come before our ſelves; who dwell in the region where they were borne, a… were preſent when they were done? This is the greateſt fault of our ignorance, to be ignorant of our faults. Muſt heaven know what is done on earth, before earth … ſelfe be acquained with it? As Tully ſaid, he could heare at Antium what newes … at Rome, better than at Rome it ſelfe. Shall we turne our wickedneſſe ſo farre o… … our owne remembrance, that we never thinke of it till we feele it in vengeance. Theſe be wilfull miſtakings, trickes to make our ſelves blind. Alceus tooke a mo… upon ones face for a grace, it was none by his leave. The more quietly and ſecurely ſinners ſleepe in the good opinion of themſelves, the more certainely their dami… on ſleepeth not.

I know that ſome ſins are not ſo ſollicitous and urging upon the Iuſtice of God as being the infirmities of his children, which he paſſeth by with connivence. Y… he doth not ſtrike at every provocation of the wicked. There is a time when Go… is ſaid to take eſpeciall notice of ſin.uu2 King. …9.2….2 Kgs 9:2 Becauſe thy rage againſt me, and thy tu… … come up into mine eares, &c. But is there any ſin when the eye of his knowledge is bl… ded? No, but this devotes to us the order of the actions of his knowledge. He … ſin in the Booke of eternitie, before ſinners hearts doe conceive it: he ſees it in the… breſts, before their hands do commit it. He ſees the conception, birth, and comm… ment of it: but then he ſees it to purpoſe, when being in the mature ripenes be … ceth it. Ier. 2.24. They that ſeeke her will not weary themſelves; in her monethmonth thy ſhall find her. When the meaſure is full, God will find them out; as the wild … in her monethmonth, great with foale. Thus he ſees it with fiery eyes, bent to vengean…. There are ſome aſpiring ſins, preſſing unto Gods throne, like preſumptuous m… taines darted at his owne Majeſtie. They ariſe with a vocall aſcenſion; the … that mount them up ſo high, being the cry of their malignitie in the eares of God As oppreſſion, Iam. 5.4. From this Iob in his appologie preſented to his Iudge, … ſed himſelfe.xxIob 31.….Job 31 If my land cry against me, Hab. 2.11. The ſtone ſhall cry out of the … and the beame out of the timber ſhall anſwere it, Ier. 6.7. Violence and ſpoile is be… in her, before me continually is griefe and wounds. So the Prophet tells Iſrael, … God being diſpleaſed with Iudah, and delivering them into their hands; they … p. 485ſlaine them in a rage that reacheth up even to heaven. This is an outragious impudence, that is ambitious of enhauncing ſin, deſpiſing the cenſures of men, and judgements of God. Though they have beene plagued, they change not the colour of one haire of their heads, one worke of their lives: nor adde a cubite to their ſtatures, one inch to their Chriſtian growths. This, this is the way to fall upon that irrevocable ſentence, which God hath purpoſed, and he will not repent, nor turne backe from it. As the wicked cannot ſleep till they have offended: ſo they will not let God ſleep till he be avenged.

11. Long agoe. There is a preordination of plagues for reprobates, and the very moment of the execution appointed, Iude ver. 4. They were of old ordained to this condemnation. As if they were booked, enrolled, and billed to this confuſion, and their particular names ſet downe in a booke. God keepeth a booke of Regiſtry and Records, in which he engroſſeth the perſons behauiours, and eternall ſtate of all men. Beſides the booke of providence,aaPſal. 139.16Ps 139:16 wherein are all our members written: and the Booke of Life, which containes thebbPſal. 4.3.Ps 4:3 names of the faithfull: there is alſo the booke of Iudgement,cc… Rev. 20.12.Rev 20:12 out of which the wicked ſhall be judged. To thinke theſe materiall bookes, were a groſſe conception: they are the counſell, providence, pleaſure, knowledge and juſtice of God; which comprehend all things as if they were written in a booke. Therefore, howſoever, in reſpect of men things be contingent and caſuall: yet in regard of God there is no chance, nor event by it; for hee hath all things written before him with their cauſes. Gods providence, and fortune, …re direct contraries. Hereupon, the very actions of wicked men come not to paſſe without Gods purpoſe. He not only foreſeeth, but wiſely ordereth them, and even that which is done againſt the will of God, is not done without the will of God. He doth not command it, he doth ſuffer it. Albeit he eſteeme not evill to be good, yet he accounteth it good that evill ſhould be.

This ſerves to qualifie our impatientce, when we ſee ſome reject the meanes of ſalvation, deſpiſe the word, vilipend the Miniſters of it, rob God of his Churches …atrimonie, maligne the profeſſors of the truth, and give over themſelves to a reſolute contradiction of godlineſſe: knowing that ſome are of old and long agoe ordai…ed to this condemnation; and that Their judgement, (a deſt ruction which is properly their owne) is long agee prepared. And for our ſelves, though we be confident in …ESUS CHRIST, through the teſtimonie of the HOLY GHOST;ggRom. 11.20.Rom 11:20 ^d Yet be …ot high minded, but feare. Our fidelitie muſt take heed of ſecuritie.

This point is not barren, but uſefull to us in a double application; the one of …aution, the other of conſolation:

1 Seeing God doth not ſleepe in his Iuſtice, let not us ſleepe in our unjuſtice. When Alexander had a great battell to fight, he was found faſt a ſleepe in his Tent. We have liſtes to enter with the Iuſtice of God, ô let not the ſlumber of our ſoules, …nd the Iudgement of our ſins, come ſo neere together. Ionah was gone downe into …he ſides of the ſhip, and he lay faſt a ſleepe. The aire is troubled, and ſends out a tem…eſt, the waves roare, the winds blow, the ſea is diſturbed, the ſhip almoſt broken, the Mariners afraid, happy man that can pray faſteſt, the burden of the veſſell unloden: …nd all this for the Prophets cauſe, yet the Prophet alone is ignorant of the matter, …e is faſt a ſleepe. It could not be but he much forgate himſelfe: though he had re…uſed to preach at Niniveh, yet here was an auditory and an occaſion that required Sermon: and the converſion of one ſinner is a bleſſed worke: becauſeiiIam. 5.20.Jas 5:20 he covers multitude of ſins, which either the converter, or the converted hath committed. The …try uncircumciſed Maſter wakens him; What meaneſt thou O ſleeper? call upon thy …od. An infidel leads him that knew God, to his prayers. The Prophet is be…ome an auditor, and the auditor a Prophet: the ſheepe leads the Shepheard, the …atient heales the Phyſitian, the Gentiles are devout in their ſuperſtition, the Iſrae…e cold in his religion. Truth is truth whereſoever we find it; Call upon thy God, …as good counſell from a heathen.

It is deſperate for men over ſhooes, to runne over ſhoulders; and having tranſgreſſed p. 486the bounds of obedience, to neglect any deſire of revocation. Cyprian, who was at laſt a Martyr, wrote of himſelfe, that being a perſecutor, he was ſo farre i… that he had no hope of getting out: therefore freely welcomed all vice, as reſolving upon the worſt that could befall him. Sleepe departeth from the eyes of diſtreſſed and anguiſhed ſpirits, Iob 7.4. I am full of toſsings too and froo, unto the dawning of the day. Pſal. 13.2.Ps 13:2He that is troubled in his conſcience for his iniquities, will reſolve with De… not to ſuffer his eyes to ſleepe, nor his eye-lids to be cloſed doune with ſlumber: as he, till he found a resting place for God: ſo this, till he find reſt for his owne ſoule.

Yet how hath this ſleepe poſſeſſed even Gods children! David being full … into idleneſſe; from idleneſſe hee paſſeth to concupiſcence, concupiſcence beg… adulterie, adultery hatcheth murder. And when all theſe ingredients put together, would have troubled the ſtrongeſt and moſt retentive ſtomake; he takes a ſleepe with them of almoſt a yeere long. Thus are ſinners like a man ſurcharged wi… gluttonous meale, who is apt, his belly being full, to lay his bones at reſt. Ch… came to his Diſciples and found them aſleepe, Mat. 26.40. Hee had often incul… this admonition to them; Watch: yet now in the greateſt extremitie they are … aſleepe. I know that ſleepe is neceſſary to humane nature; all living creatures … earth have their ſleepes. Though the Poet Salſé ſed falſé of the nightingale; T… tare ſimul nocte dréque potes; that ſhe ſings night and day; if at leaſt he meane, with… intermiſſion: as Pliny alſo too confidently averres, Lib. 10. cap. 75. The credi… … Aelian is engaged for as much, that ſhe is expers ſomni, without all ſleepe: but by … leave, it was an error. Sleepe is that naturall helpe, Quod corpora duris feſſa … ſterijs mulcet, reparatque labori. Therefore the Pythagoreans uſed to play a leſſon on the harpe and ſing to it,Quintil. lib. 9. cap. 4. when they were going to bed: Quò citius & bl… obdormirent. The Apoſtles therefore having ſupped late, dranke wine, wea…, with travell, now being midnight ſleepes principall ſeaſon, not walking but fier… ſtill: all which were valde foreign, ſuadentia ſomnum, as virgil ſpeakes: provo… and attractive of ſleepe. Why then doth CHRIST reprove them, for not w… ing with him one houre? ButkkEccl. 3.2.Eccl 3:2 is there not a time to wake, and a time to ſleepe? W… in that very houre when the Lord of life was betrayed into the hands of death; … King ready to die for his people, the creator as it were unmade to new male is creatures, the innocent ſuffering for the nocent, could they not even then forb… ſleeping? Not one houre, ecce brevitatem, it was ſhort: watch, ecce facilitatem, it … eaſy; not be expoſed to ſcorne, not caſt into priſon, not beaten with ſcourges; … dura verba, nec duriora verbera perpeti: but onelyonly ſpectare & expectare, to looke … waite, while their Maſter was finiſhing that great worke of their owne redem…. Not watch with me, Mee your Saviour; one houre, I ſay not a whole night. He… 14.37. He found them all ſleeping, but directs his reprehenſion to Saint Peter: becauſe he before fluctuans aeſtu had confidently promiſed this, yea farre more th… this, to lay downe his life for Chriſt; Simon ſleepeſt thou? There is a time to … without reproofe: Samuel ſlept, David ſlept, Pſal. 4.

Chriſt himſelfe ſlept, Mat. 8. Peter had often ſlept before without reprehenſi… yea, and afterwards too with conſolation; Angels guarding and delivering … Acts 12.7. But now to ſleepe; Couldest thou not watch with me one houre? … not a thouſand, nor a hundred, nor a ſcore, but one: not monethmonth or weeke, or … or whole night, but Houre: and this not to fight for me, but to watch with me: … mon dormis? Simon, ſignifies obedience; Chriſt calls him not Peter, nor Ceph… … Simon: arguing his forgetfulneſſe, not onelyonly of his Maſters love, but of his … name. But if it be ſuch a ſinne to ſleepe, What is it to betray? Iudas tradis? … worſe than,Mic. 2.1.Mic 2:1 Simon dormis? It is better to ſleepe with Peter, than to betray … Iudas. Tolerabilior eſt ſomnolentus Simon, quàm turbulentus Sinon. He that ſleep… well thinkes no harme; but there be ſome that Studie miſchiefe in their beds. Vt… lent homines ſurgunt de nocte Latrones. We may better ſuffer Deſidioſum Mo…, quàm inſidioſum Ieſuitam; than the Popes wakefull Iudas, Diſcipulum decipulum, … p. 487…nare and gin to entrap poore ſoules, and ſend them to Rome, like Virgins taken up for the Turke, to ſuffer his Antichriſtian raviſhments.

To conclude, ſeeing that ſleepe comes from cold and moiſt humours domi…ant in the braine: and wakefulneſſe from hot and dry raigning in the head: let us …aſt away the cold and crude humours of ſin, and ſtirre up the holy and almoſt extin…uiſhed fire of zeale. That as CHRIST at his firſt comming found the ſhep…eards by night watching over their flockes: ſo at his ſecond comming whether by …ay or night, he may find us all watching over our ſoules.

2 As this is terror to the ungodly, ſo comfort to the righteous. As Iuſtice is …ver waking, ſo merciemercy is never a ſleepe. He that keepes Iſrael, never lets his providence fall into a ſlumber. Yea, even in the lethargie of our diſobedience, when we remit of our uprightneſſe, the hand of this ever watching God preſerves us. Da…id was a ſleepe a long while together, but the Lord that choſe David ſlept not for …is good. VponUpon this confidence he betaketh himſelfe to reſt. I laid me downe and …lept, for the Lord ſuſtained me. I will lay me downe in peace, and ſleepe, for thou Lord …ly makeſt me dwell in ſafetie. As he ſets his Angels to guard us in the naturall ſleepe of our bodies: ſo his preventing grace doth keepe us in the ſpirituall ſlumber of our conſciences. But let not this make us preſume upon his merciemercy too much: nor ſo …reſpaſſe upon Gods unſleeping protection, as to take our eaſe in our corruption. Thou ſayeſt, others have long ſlumbered, and yet beene graciouſly awakened; as David, Paul, Zacheus; Why not I? I diſpute not: God will meaſure out his gra…es at his owne pleaſure: and though they run over to ſome, they are plentifull enough to all.mmRom. 10.12.Rom 10:12 The ſame Lord is rich unto all that call upon him. My grace is ſufficient for thee, was Pauls anſwere: and it may ſuffice all ſutors.

God hath given us no ſmall ſpace, not a few mercies: if we will ſleepe with Pe…er, we put it to the hazard whether we ſhall ever riſe with Peter. We cannot expect miraculous revocations; a Whale to reduce us as Ionah, or, the Sun to ſtand ſtill for us as to Ioſuah, or, the ſea to divide it ſelfe as to Iſrael, or, a voice heard from he… ven as to Paul. Shall we ſay, The armie of God is ſhortned, becauſe we ſee not theſe wonders? Will we not be wakened without miracles? Muſt the courſe of nature b… …ltered, the pillars of earth moved, the chanels of the ſea diſcovered; muſt we ſee ſignes in the Sun and Moone, and have ſome riſe from the dead to warne us, or we will not be wakened.nn1 Cor. 1.22.1 Cor 1:22 The Iewes require a ſigne, and the Greekes ſeeke after wiſedome: …ut wee preach CHRIST crucified. Woe unto us if the open face of the Goſpell cannot rouſe us without a ſigne; and the ſimplicitie of CHRIST perſwade us without further wiſedome.oo1 Theſ. 5.7.1 Thess 5:7 They that ſleep, ſleep in the night. But the night is paſt, let …s therefore give over ſlumbring. The leſſe ſleepe we give ſin in our ſoules, the ſweeter ſleepe we ſhall find to our bodies. Thus ſhall we be ſure, that while the wicked are overtaken with this unſleeping damnation, wee ſhall bee guarded and guided with a vigilant preſervation. For CHRIST dyed for us, that whether we wake or ſleepe, we ſhould live together with him, 1 Theſ. 5.10. To whom be praiſe for ever.