Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 20
THE XX. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 5. verſ. 4. 5. 6. 7.
4 But, ye, brethren, are not in darkneſſe, that that day ſhould come on you, as it were a thiefe.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: vve are not of the night, neither of darkneſſe.
9 Therfore, let vsus not ſleep as do other, but, let vsus vvatch & be ſober.
7 For, they, that ſleepe, ſleepe in the night, and they that be drunkē, are drunken in the night.
BRETHREN, ye heard, that it was a thing moſt ſure and certaine, that the Lord Ieſus will come againe to judge the quicke and the dead; ye heard againe in the beginning of this chapter the vncertaintie of the day and houre of his comming, vvhat age he ſhall come in, vvhat yeere he ſhall come, vvhat month, what day, vvhat houre, vvhether in the morning, noone-tyde, midnight, cockcrow, &c. No man knowes, neither is it reuealed neither is it a thing to be knowne, it is not for our well to knowe it, but for our wel to be ignorant of it; for, if we knew it, it would ingender a ſecuritie in vsus; the ignorance of it is, or, at the leaſt, ſhold be, an occaſion to vsus of waking and preparation of vsus, for it makes vsus ready at what time ſoeuer he ſhall come to meete him. Alwaies when he ſhall come to the vngodly there ſhall be a deſtruction. Iudgement ſhall ſuddenly ouertake a great nomber of men and wemen that ſhall be found alyue at his comming, eſpeciallie theſe who ſhall be glorying in the face of the world, ſaying, all is well, ſhall be ſuddenly ſtriken, as the dolor commes on a woman with chylde, and they ſhall not eſcape,
Now to leaue all thinges taught before and to come to this preſent matter I hauehave read. The Theſſalonians to whom the Apoſtle writes, hearing, that, at Chriſtes comming there ſhall be a ſudden deſtruction, might hauehave conſaued a feare, (as no doubt ſome of them did) they might hauehave thought, that, that ſudden deſtruction ſhould hauehave ouertaken them at the comming of Chriſt. The Apoſtle meetes this feare, with a comfort, and he ſayes, to them who were turned, who were tranſlated from darkneſſe to light. Brethren (vſing an homely ſtyle) Ye are not in darkneſſe, the ſudden deſtruction ſhall ouertake them onelyonly, who at the comming of Chriſt ſhall be found in darkneſſe, lying in blindneſſe, not knowing Chriſt: but, as for you, brethren, that day ſhal not come on you as a thief, that ſudden deſtruction ſhall not light on you. Indeede, it is true, it ſhall come on you at vnawares, but it is as true, albeit it be vnawares, yet, it ſhall not deſtroy you: The reaſon is, becauſe ye are not in darkneſſe, ye are tranſlated out of that darkneſſe ye were before into, to light, to the light of Heauen, and ſo ye ſhall be found waking when the Lord ſhall come, and ſo ye ye ſhall eſcape that deſtruction that ſhall ouertake them who ſhall be found ſleeping in groſſe ignorance at that day. This is the meaning ſhortlie of the Apoſtle in this place. Now to marke ſomething. Learne heere, firſt, when the judgementes of God are threatned, when mention is made of that latter judgement, and of that ſudden deſtruction that ſhall be at Chriſtes comming. Who are they that feares and trimbles? vvho are they that are ſtriken vvith feare and terrour? It is not the wicked of the world that is lying in darkneſſe, in the ignorance of God and of Chriſt, that is feared for any threatning of a judgement. Threaten on a yeere, the wicked who is indured in heart will neuer be ſtriken with feare▪ The vvicked mocks the iudgment of God.tell him of judgement, the judgement ſhall neuer moue him a whit… albeit it pertaine to him. Speake to him of the ſudden deſtruction that ſhall be at Chriſts comming in the world, tell him, there ſhall be a day of count, and albeit he ſeeme in the mouth to acknowledge it; yet, he ſhall ſcorne it in his heart. Reade the ſecond Epiſtle of Peter chap. 3. verſe 4. There the mocker is brought in, ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his comming, for ſince the Fathers died, all thinges continue alyke from the beginning of of the creation. Chriſt indeede ſhall come to judge the quicke and the dead, there ſhall be a generall judgement, and a count and reckoning for all our actiones and vvorkes done in this world, good and euill, and a ſudden deſtruction of the world: yet, tell the mocker of theſe thinges, he ſhall ſcorne them all, and he will thinke, all are but vaine fectleſſe threatninges. Yea, not onelyonly will the wicked contenine all the threatning of judgment, but alſo the verie judgement it ſelfe that is lighted on him, except it be all the heauier, he will contemne it. Read Fſay 9. 10. They ſay (ſayes he) in the pryde of their heart, it is but bricke and clay houſes that are casten dovvn to vsus: (when the judgement commes on them) but vve ſhall build vp again houſes of ſtone. Se the contēpt of the judgement of God. So except the judgement be the heauier, they ſhall contemne it, and ſcorne God in his face. Experience telles this. The Earle, the Lord, &c. wil ſay when his houſe is caſten down in the juſt judgement of God, What matter that this houſe be caſten down, I ſhall builde vp one farre better, but the Lord may make that new houſe fall about thy eares. So, the world will neuer know the judgements of God, vntil the judgement light on them to their deſtruction. Well then if the wicked fear not the judgments of God, then, who feares? the godly, they whom to the judgment of God pertains not:The godly feare gods iudgmēts. And I dar ſay, in Edinburgh the godlieſt is euer moſt feared for Gods judgments. The Lord is terrible when he commes in judgment. Paul ſpeaking of that day of judgement. 2. Cor. 5. 11. he vtters the feare he had of it himſelfe, Knovving, ſaies he, the terrors of the Lord, vve bring men to the Lord, that when he ſhall come in that terrible judgment we may finde mercy: Be not ſenſles at the threatning of God. If men had not bene ſeuſles at the judgemēts of God, by famine theſe yeers bygone, this Peſt had not comde: & if theribe not yet a greater fear of God, he ſhal ſtrik on with his judgmēts.
Next I mark of this place. Who is it that is comforted againſt Gods judgementes?Conſolations belong only to the godlie. To whom belongs conſolations, promiſes, and ſpeaches of comfort in the Scriptures? Speakes the Apoſtle to the Heathen that ly in ignorance and not conuerted to the faith of Chriſt? They feared not, where there is no feare nor down caſting, it is fooliſhneſſe to comfort. Whereto ſhold I comfort them who are lifted vp in pride? wherto ſhold I preaſe to lift vp him who is ouer high and conceatie alreadie. So, conſolation, raiſing vp of the heart, promiſes of God, that ſerues to conſolation pertaines nothing to the wicked, that hes no ſenſe of miſerie, and lyes in ignorance of God: nothing pertaines to them but threatning vponupon threatning, judgement vponupon judgement. And when they ſay, Peace, and all things ſure; I may ſay, a ſudden deſtruction ſhall ouertake them. And to the men in this land lying in a dead ſleepe of this fleſhly ſecuritie, and crying Peace, when they are in the midſt of harlotrie of murther, &c. I ſay a ſudden deſtruction and vengence ſhall fall on them. This ſhall euer be my cry, vntill they feare and trimble, and hauehave a ſenſe of their miſerie. neuer another word to them, but judgement out of my mouth. Should I ſay to a man lying in darkneſſe, brother, ye are in the light, judgement ſhall not come on you? No, no: But I will ſay, the Lord ſhall come ſuddenly on thee with judgement to deſtroy thee. So, conſolation pertaines to the godly onelyonly: and who euer ye be that feares not Gods judgements, I bidde you in Gods name take no promiſe of comfort to you, no conſolation, vntill ye be touched with a ſenſe of miſerie and feele your ſins. Then to whom pertaines all the promiſes of conſolation in the word of God? To the godly onelyonly who hes their eyes opened to ſee God in the face of Chriſt, hes their heart opened to feele the grace of God through Chriſt, to them they appertaine: And therefore, ye ſhall finde in all the Prophetes when a judgement is threatned, immediately after the threatning, they ſubjoine a ſweet conſolation to the godly, leaſt they ſhould think the judgment to pertaine to them.
The third thing I note. Marke the cauſe heere, wherefore the Theſſalonians ſhall eſcape that ſudden deſtruction: Becauſe ye are not in darkneſſe, Knovveledge of God in Chriſt the cauſe of eſcaping iudgementſayes he, therefore, that ſudden deſtruction ſhall not ouertake you. Marke this cauſe. The ground of eſcaping this judgement, is, to be fred of darkneſſe, to be fred of this groſſe ignorance, wherein we are inuolued by nature, and to be tranſlated to the light of God, vvherein we may ſee the face of Chriſt and Heauen, and the glorie thereof. There is the ground. Whoſoeuer ſhall be found lying in darkneſſe at Chriſtes comming▪ albeit they be found lying waking and looking vp with bodilie eyes,… yet if they be in blindneſſe in the ſoule, ſo that they can ſee nothing in Heauen, God nor Chriſt, judgement and deſtruction ſuddenlie ſhall ouertake them, and all their braines ſhall be beaten out ere they get leaſure to cry God merciemercy. But againe, who euer they be that at Chriſtes comming ſhall be found in the light, with the knowledge of God and Ieſus Chriſt with ſome ſight of Heauen, they ſhall eſcape and ſhall liue eternally. When the thiefe breakes in in an houſe, whom is it that he ſuddenly oppreſſes? Whom but theſe whom he findes ſleeping with their eyes cloſed, he will cut their throats ere they be wakned. But when he breaks in on an houſe, and they who are in the houſe be waking on their guard, and ready for the danger, then the thief ſhal not preuaile. They will eſchew the danger: ſo ſhal it be at Chriſts comming if he find thee ſleeping ſudden deſtruction ſhall ouertake thee; if he finde thee waking ready for the danger, thou ſhalt eſcape and liue. So ye ſee how needfull a thing it is to hauehave knowledge and light, that eueryevery man may be ſaued. O what it is to knovve God, to knowe Chriſt to get a …ight of Heauen and of the lyfe to come! Thy ſafetie conſiſtes in it. Then againe ſee how dangerous a thing is ignorance, and ſpecially the ignorance of God, to put off the day and the night in ignorance of God. GiueGive thee goode cheare, reſt, play, honour in the world, thou wilt put off one day, two daies, three daies, thou wilt ſay, what care I more; but woe to thee when Chriſt commes. thou will be ſleeping in …inne. ſudden deſtruction ſhall ouertake thee: all this tendes to this end, ly not in drunkenneſſe, get knovveldge out of the vvorde, knovve God in tyme, knovve him in merciemercy: If thou knowe him not in mercy in this lyfe, thou ſhalt feele him in judgement at that great day of Iudgement. The Lord giuegive euerie one of vsus grace to know him; that hauing the right knowledge of him which leads to ſaluation, we may at his comming be elected of him to raign in his euerlaſting glory in the Heauens.
Novv that vvhichwhich he had ſaid before of darkneſſe, in the next verſe he makes it more plaine, and ſayes, for ye are the children of light, and of the day. That is to ſay, the faireſt light that can be poſſible. For vvhat in this vvorlde is fairer nor the light of the Sunne and day light. As he vvoulde ſay, ye are not in the common light, but in the light of the Sunne that ſhynes moſt cleare; ye are not children of the night, but of the day. Theſe tvvo vvill neuer ſtande together, to be the chylde of the night and of darkneſſe; and to be the chylde of the light and of the day. If thou be the chylde of light and day, it is impoſſible to thee for to be the chylde of the night and darkeneſſe. And if thou be the chylde of the night and darkneſſe, it is impoſſible thou can bee the chylde of the day and light. Theſe tvvo can neuer agree both together. Tvvo Kingdomes cannot ſtand in thee. If God raigne not in thee, the Deuill muſt raigne in thee: and if God raigne in thee, the Deuill cannot raigne in thee. Indeed ſo long as vve are heere, light and darkneſſe may be both in vsus, for vvee are neuer free of this darkeneſſe, neyther is this light of God perſite in vsus, but both cannot raigne together in vsus: but hovvbeit darkneſſe be in thee, yet it hes no dominion ouer thee. For vvhere any ſparke of the light of God is▪ the light raignes, and God raignes in thee, albeit thou hauehave great darkneſſe in thee: For vvhereuer God is in any meaſure, he euer raignes. He ſayes, Ye are all the children of the light, and the children of the day. Marke the vvordes. For they import a pithie meaning. They meane, that not onelyonly they are in a light, but that in ſubſtance in a maner they are light. As I am light, and thou art light; if thou be the chylde of light, in ſubſtance thou art light, euen ſo as in ſubſtance thou art a bodie, in ſubſtance likevviſe a ſoule; So in a maner in ſubſtance thou art light. For ye muſt vnderſtand this, the chylde is euer by nature of the ſubſtance of the Father and Mother. Then if ye be the children of light, of neceſſitie ye muſt be in ſome maner of the ſubſtance of light. Paul Epheſ. chap. 5. verſe 8. ſayes to the Epheſians, that ſome tymeye vvere Gentiles, ſometyme ye vvere darkneſſe, but novv ye are light in the Lord, vvalke as children of light. He ſayes not ye vvere in darkneſſe, but he ſayes in verie deed ye vvere in a maner a verie lumpe of darkneſſe. Then againe he ſayes not ye are in the light, but ye are light, your ſubſtance and nature is changed in the con…rarie, vvhere ye vvere in ſubſtance darkneſſe, novv ye are in ſubſtance light, turned from the ſubſtance of dakneſſe, to the ſubſtance of light. Now the words this way exponed, take vp an higher ground and of the eſcaping of judgement at the comming of Chriſt; It is not enough to be found in the light onelyonly, but thou muſt be found to be light it ſelfe, and the child of light. I ſhall make this plaine. There are two ſorts of thinges and bodies in this world that hes light. There are ſome bodies that in themſelues hes no light in the worlde, they are darke in themſelues▪ yet they will be in the light: As for example, Ye ſee the black floore ye ſit on, it hes no light, of it ſelfe it is black; but when the Sun ſhynes on it, it hes light and ſhynes. There are other bodies that are not onelyonly in the light, but in the owne nature are light, as the Sun, it is not onelyonly in the light, but it is light the ſelfe, and there is no other light to giuegive it light except the ſelfe. Now to apply this. There are two ſortes of men and wemen in the Church of God. I leaue Pagans, Turkes and Iewes, and I ſpeak of theſe who are in the Church, and profeſſes themſelues to be Chriſtians: There are ſome of them in the light, in the midſt of the Saintes of God, and profeſſing the worde as the Saintes does, that hes no light of themſelues, the light they hauehave is the light of others; as for themſelues they are but black bodies and black ſoules; Hypocrites that hes nothing in themſelues but blackneſſe (an hypocrite hes nothing but blackneſſe, and yet he will be in the Church, and as farre in as any man,) but ſhynes in the light of the word, and of the Saintes of God. Againe there are ſome who are not onelyonly in the light, ſhynes not onelyonly in the light of others, but in themſelues are light, and ſhynes in their own light, and there are beames that commes from them, and lightens both themſelues and others that ſittes with them; as the Sun both ſhynes the ſelfe, and makes other inferiour creatures to ſhyne. Of the which ſort were the Philippians, Paul writes to them, Philip 2. 15. and ſayes, Ye are compaſt with Pagans and Heathen, and ye ſhyne in the midst of them. So who euer gets this grace to hauehave this light and to carie it out to the world, they are the children of light. Now in the day of judgement, it will not be enough to be in the Church, to be among the faithfull and renewed creatures, and among them who are light, to be at preaching of the word, except thou be light of thy ſelfe: what care I, if the light wherein I ſhyne be not my owne, but the light that ſhynes from another. If thou hauehave no more, thou ſhalt be ſuddenlie deſtroyed. Therefore if thou wouldeſt be fred from this ſudden deſtruction, ſeeke light, regeneration, illumination, and neuer reſt nor be glad vntill thou find in ſome meaſure, the regeneration of thy nature, and thy ſelfe to be light in Chriſt.
Againe marke heere the vniuerſall partickle (ye all) He ſayes not ſome, but he cals all the Theſſalonians the children of light, and of the day he maks no exception, he is not ſo preciſe as men are now. This learnes vsus both Paſtor and people, a good leſſon to be obſerued, to thinke and to judge the beſt of euerie man and woman, that hes once receiued the ſeale of Baptiſme, and hes giuen their names in baptiſme to Chriſt, and profeſſes chriſt outwardlie For, albeit many of them will be hypocrites yet it is our part after the exemple of Paul to call them the children of light. Thou art ouer ſeueare a cenſurer to call them who hes taine the name of Chriſt vponupon them, the children of darkneſſe. Seuere not thou the popple from the wheet, the caffe from the corne, the goates from the ſheepe, vntill the Lord come and he ſhall ſeuere them. Put not men in Heauen vvhen thou vvilt, and men in Hell vvhen thou vvilt, but be ware vvith this raſhe judgement.
Now to come to the next verſe. VponUpon the groundes he hes laid, that all are in light and not in darkneſſe, and that which is more, that they are the children of light and not of darkneſſe, he gathers his exhortation. Then, ſayes he, if it be ſo that we are the children of light, let vsus not ſleepe, but let vsus vvatch and be ſober. This is the effect of the wordes. There are two thinges that heere are forbidden, and two things that are commaunded. The two things that are forbidden, are ſleeping and drunkenneſſe: for vnderunder ſleeping, as the text that followes makes plaine, is comprehended drunkenneſſe. Theſe two thinges goe commonlie together; a drunken bodie is ay doting and ſleeping, for the ſenſes of him are ſo burdened with ſurfet he can doe nothing but ly downe and ſleepe. Now there are two thinges recommended, watching and ſoberneſſe, theſe two agree alſo together; for a temperate man who hes moderation in drinking, that man is able to watch when others ſleepe, and to do a good turne in the night▪ But to goe through euerie one of them, and to begin at ſleeping, for he beginnes at it heere. There are two ſortes thereof. Firſt, a bodilie ſleeping, vvhen the ſenſes of this bodie are choſed,Sleeping. the eyes cloſed, the eare cloſed, and all the ſenſes cloſed, ſo that they leaue their function, that is called a bodilie ſleepe. There is another called a ſpirituall ſleepe, and it is the ſleeping of the ſoule and ſpirite, vvhen the eye of the ſoule is bound vp, ſo, that, it hes no ſight of God, the eare of the ſoule bound vp, ſo, that, it cannot heare the vvorde of God. In one vvorde. When all the ſenſes that ſhould grippe God are bound vp, and the ſoule is lying in a deadlie ſecuritie; That is ſhortlie the ſecond ſorte of ſleeping. Novv in this place I vnderſtand not chieflie this bodilie ſleepe, but the ſpirituall ſleepe alſo. For this bodilie ſleepe is naturall, and is lavvfull: the Lord hes ordained that theſe bodies of ours ſhould be refreſhed vvith ſleepe; and if thou be ſanctified thy ſelfe, thy ſleepe is ſanctified alſo, and all thy actiones, eating, drinking, ſleeping, and the reſt are ſanctified (if thou be not ſanctified, all thy actiones, eating, drinking, ſleeping, are vnhappie to thee.) Next I doubt not but at the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, there ſhall be found ſome ſleeping in the bodies, who ſhall be waking in their ſoules. Chriſt ſayes in the 17. of Luke. 34. verſe Tvvo ſhall be in a bad ſleeping, one choſen, and another forſaken. And laſt, albeit the bodie be a ſleepe, and all the outward ſenſes cloſed, yet the ſpirite of man will be waking, the eye of the ſoule will be opened, the eare opened; and in the bodilie ſleepe, if it were at mid-night, a man will be waking in Chriſt, and apprehending him. So I vnderſtand that ſpirituall ſleeping, for he forbiddes not this bodilie ſleeping onelyonly, but this ſpirituall ſleeping, when the ſoule is ſleeping without ſenſe eyther of Heauen or Hell, and whoſoeuer ſhal be found ſo ſleeping with his a ſoule altogether ſenſleſſe of Heauen and of the lyfe to come, that ſoule ſhall periſhe without exception. Sleepe on▪ if the Lord come when thou art ſleeping, die ſhalt thou, thou ſhalt not eſcape. There is no eſcaping for thee. But to ſpeake of the bodilie ſleeping ſomething. Men ſhould be ware to yeelde ouer much ſleepe to the bodie: for certainelie where the bodie is ouer much giuen to ſleeping, it is a token of a ſleeping ſoule, and who delytes in ſleeping in the bodie, the ſoule appearantlie is ſleeping, and all moderation ſhould be vſed. The ſluggiſher the bodie be, the ſluggiſher the ſoule is. The vvalkrifer the bodie be, thee vvalkrifer the ſoule is. Now the next thing that is forbidden heere is drunkenneſſe.Drunkenneſſe. There are tvvo ſortes of drunkenneſſe, the one bodilie when a man takes on ouer much drinke oppreſſing the ſenſes. This is ouer well knowne in Scotland, and we finde ouer great experience heereof. Then there is ſecondlie a ſpirituall drunkenneſſe, vvhen the ſoule is oppreſt vvith ſurfetting and immoderate care of the vvorld, vvhen it drinkes in out of meaſure the pleaſures of this vvorld, through deſire, all the riches of this world, through ambition, all the honour, through a foule appetyte, all the luſtes, So the ſoule becommes drunken and ſtopped, an auaritious bodie a dotting bodie, a man ſet on pleaſures a dotting bodie. Trow ye when the ſoule is ſo oppreſt vvith this world that it will get the eye opened vp to ſee Chriſt? No, it is impoſſible. Chriſt ſpeakes of both theſe ſortes of drunkenneſſe Luke chap. 21. verſe 34. Novv brethren, in this place, ye ſhall vnderſtand not ſo much the outvvarde bodilie drunkenneſſe, as the invvarde ſpirituall drunkenneſſe of the ſoule. Woe to that ſoule that ſhall bee founde drunken vvith the pleaſures and luſtes of this vvorlde, and ſo conſequentlie ſleeping vvhen Chriſt commes. Yea farther, brethren, the verie outvvarde bodilie drunkenneſſe is much to be eſchevved. For it is not onelie vvith drunkenneſſe as it is vvith ſleeping; for vve get licence to ſleepe, if vve vſe it moderatlie. But God gaue thee neuer leaue to vſe drunkenneſſe. So it is a dangerous matter to be found drunken. It is a thing vnlavvfull and forbidden, ye ſhall finde that a drunken bodie commonlie ſhall hauehave a drunken ſoule, and vvoe to that ſoule, vvoe to that bodie, vvhere both are giuen to drunkenneſſe. The Lord ſaue vsus from this ſort drunkenneſſe.
Novv before I come to the other tvvo thinges that are recommended vntounto vsus in this place, the argument vvhereby he diſſvvades them it vvoulde be marked, Let vsus not, ſayes he, ſleepe as others doe. As if he vvould ſay, Fy on you that ye ſhould be hauehave your ſelues as infidels. It is the Gentiles that are ſleeping. Let them ſleep on, but ſleepe not thou. The exemple of their ſleeping ſhould be an argument to you to watch. The exemple of their drunkenneſſe ſhould he an argument to you to be ſober. Now, how reaſons the world? Is not this the faſhion of all men, therefore why ſhould not I doe ſo? all men ſleepes, why ſhould not I ſleepe? He drinkes vntill he be drunken, why ſhould not I drinke vntill I be drunken. Companionry is wondrous good, I ſhould do as others do. But Paul reaſons otherwaies. It is the infidels that are ſleeping and drunken, therefore watch thou ô Chriſtian and be ſober: Paul to the Romans chap. 12. verſe 2 ſayes, Faſhion not your ſelues after the maner of the vvorld, but be ye changed throgh the renevving of the spirite. Follow not this ould ſleeping drunken world, but be changed by the renewing Sprit, and be waking & ſober. And indeed let eueryevery one looke to their owne experience, they who are once tranſlated and tranſlated out of this world (for tranſplanted muſt thou be in ſome meaſure if euer thou ſee Heauen) the more they ſee men running on the courſe of the worlde, the more they deteſt the world; the more ſinne they ſee, the more they deteſt ſinne; the more drunkenneſſe and ſleeping they ſee in men, the more they abhorre it. So the following of the multitude and the courſe of the world teſtifies that men were neuer tranſplanted out of this world, out of darkneſſe vntounto the kingdom of light, nor renewed in ſpirite, and if they continue on, they ſhall periſhe, for this world will periſhe, and they who followes the world will periſhe.
Now to come to the two thinges commaunded. The firſt is waking,Waking. the other is ſobrietie. There are two ſortes of watching, the bodilie watching, when all the ſenſes are waking and opened to doe their owne functions naturall. The ſecond, when the ſoule of man is opened, the eye of the ſoule opened to ſee Chriſt and the lyfe to come▪ and to ſee theſe thinges that the eye of the bodie cannot ſee. It is a wonderfull light the ſoule hes, for it ſees thinges inuiſible, and ſees in as it were to the verie heart of God to a bottomleſſe deepe▪ for God is infinite. Yet for all this, the heart that is once illuminate by the Spirite, will ſee him. So the ſpiritual watching is, when all the ſenſes of the ſoule are opened and hes the fruition of God in Ieſus, and all exerciſed about the graces of God through Chriſt, that is the ſpirituall waking, which is heere ſpeciallie meant of, not the watching of the bodie, but of the Spirite. For the bodie may be watching, the eye looking vppe, and all the ſenſes exerciſed in their functiones. And yet the ſoule of the bodie may be ſounde ſleeping: When the murtherer is buſieſt at his murther, albeit he be ryding and running, the quickell man in bodie that euer was, the ſoule in the meane-tyme is lying in a deadlie ſleepe. So I doubt not but if the Lord Ieſus would come in this houre, alas the vengence that would ouertake many of them. So they who are in harlotrie, and their ſenſes exerciſed moſt in harlotrie, then they are moſt ſleeping in ſoule. Trow ye if the eye of the ſoule ſaw God, that for all the world they would be exerciſed in ſuch a filthie exerciſe. So he meanes chieflie of the watching of the ſoule. Indeede it is true (as I hauehave ſaid before) it is good to be walkrife in bodie, for if thou be ſanctified, thy bodie waking ſhall be exerciſed in ſome good exerciſe. And therefore Chriſt in the garden immediatlie before his paſſion, Matthevv chap. 26. verſe 4. woulde hauehave his Apoſtles waking in bodie, aſwell as in ſoule, least they ſhould enter into tentation; for they ſleeped vntill his enemies came,Sobrietie. and ſo for feare they left him. Then the ſecond thing commaunded is ſoberneſſe. There are two ſortes of it: The one of the body, the other of the ſoule. The bodie when it is not ſurfetted with any exceſſe: The ſoule when it is not drunken with the world and pleaſurs therof, is ſober: for, as the bodie hes her ſobrietie, ſo the ſoule hes the owne ſobrietie, and heere, I ſpecially vnderſtand the ſobriety of the ſoule, but indeed the ſobriety of the body is to be joined to it. For the ſobriety of the body helps much to the ſobriety of the ſoule. As I ſaid before, when the body paſſes meaſure in drunkennes, the ſoule is commonly drunken to: ſo when the body is in ſobriety, the ſoule is in ſobriety and applied to godlineſſe. So both the drunkennes of ſoule and body is forbidden. In the 21. of Luke 34. He ſaies, Be vvare leaſt your harts be prest dovvn vvith ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, that is of the body, and vvith the carefulnes of the vvorld, that is of the ſoule. Therfore keep ſobriety in body and ſoule. Then, brethren, there are two thinges forbidden and two thinges commaunded viz. ſleeping exceſſiue, and drunkenneſſe in ſoule and body forbidden: watching and ſobrietie in ſoule and bodie commanded.
Now in the next wordes, he giues the reaſon wherefore they ſhould not ſleepe and be drunken, but watch and be ſober. They that ſleepe, ſleepe in the night, and they vvho are drunken are drunken in the night. Now he would ſubſume, ye are not of the night, therefore be ye not drunken, but be ſober. So this argument is taine from the inconnenientneſſe of the tyme, it is no tyme to you to be drunken now, ye are not in the night. Men vſes to ſleepe and be drunken in the night, men who does euill ſeekes darkneſſe. Ye are not in the night, but ye are the children of the day. Therefore it ſettes not you to be ſleeping or drunken, but ye ſhould watch and be ſober. I take vp the leſſon ſhortly. In all our actions and doings we ſhould hauehave a ſpeciall reſpect to the tyme: for there is great moment and weight in the tyme, when we ſhould doe this thing, or that thing, and ſpeciallie in the two tymes, the day and the night. All actions muſt be done in theſe two tymes. The day hes the actions of the day. The night hes the actions of the night. The actions of the day ſhold not be done in the night: The actions of the night ſhould not be done in the day. This ſhould be commonly keeped, albeit neceſſitie ſometyme compels otherwaies. There are ſome actions that are ſeemelie to be done in the day that is not ſeemelie to be done in the night. As for exemple: It ſettes a man to be wakng in the day, it is not ſeemely to wake in the night, except neceſſitie compell. Againe there are ſome actions that are ſetting to be done in the night and not in the day, as to ſleep in the night, and it ſettes a man better to drunken in the night, (if he would be drunken) nor in the day. It is a ſhame to be drunken before the Sun and day light. Paul in the Rom. chap. 12. verſe 11. 12. 13. ſayes, Men and wemen ſhould vvalke in comelineſſe all maner of way. So ſoone as thou goeſt out to the ſight of the Sun; albeit none ſaw thee but the Sun. it becomes thee to be comely. So thou who would be drunken, drinke in the night. Fy o… …t, that a drunken bodie ſhould come to the Sun, if there were no more but the light of the Sun, it cryes to God for vengence on drunkenneſſe, albeit no man ſaw it. Now brethren, there are ſome vnnaturall men and wemen who will turne the action of the day to the night, and the night to the day. Fy on thee that preuents nature. When this faire Sunne ryſes in the morning to comfort them, to let them ſee the face of it, and to doe their duetie in that function the Lord hes called them to, What will they then doe? off their cloathes and goe to their beddes. Nothing the moſt part of the day tyme, but dead ſleeping, except they be conſtraint otherwaies. Then when the Sun goes down, they are glad, and ryſes to their villany. And ſo they teſtifie that they deteſt the glorious light of the Sun, which ſhould rejoyſe vsus. Alwaies when others goe to their beds, then they begin to riſe, to eat and drinke, &c. and to take their pleaſure, this is not comely, and I tell thee, the vengence of God will light on thee, if it were onelyonly for the preuenting of the order of nature. Let the day be day, and the night be night. No queſtion, this peruerting of nature procures the heauy vengence of God to fall on them and their houſes. Trow ye that God of Heauen, who ordained nature, can ſuffer nature to be ſo abuſed without auengement? No, I dare ſay, thou that doeſt ſlaye before the Sunne, the Sun ſhall beare witneſſe againſt thee, and ſay, Lord this villan ſo abhominably committed murther in my eye, thou ſette me in the Heauen that none ſhould worke villany in my eye, but he ſet me to litle auaile. The Sun no doubt is wearied and groanes, to ſee the wickedneſſe of men and wemen, and the creatures groanes to ſee their vyle ſins and faine would be releued thereof. This earth they goe on, groanes vnderunder the burdene and would as faine be releued of them as a woman with childe would be releued of her birth. Well then, if the Lord will reuenge ſo a ſinne that is done before the light of this Sun that ſhynes, and if the light of this ſame verie Sunne aggreadges their ſinne before the Lord and maks their judgement the greater. O what greatneſſe muſt be in ſin, and how fearefull muſt the judgement be, when ſin is committed with an vplifted hand in the face of Chriſt, that Sun of righteouſneſſe ſhyning to vsus in his Goſpell! The villane cares not to commit filthineſſe in Gods preſence, he looking to vsus viuely in the Goſpell. Well were it to thee, thou hadſt neuer heard of Chriſt and the Goſpell. Then more tolerable might thou hauehave ſinned. But when in the face of God and chriſt, and in the face of the Goſpell thou committes ſuch ſin, how can it …e, but thy ſinne is a thouſand tymes… greater nor the ſin of the Gentiles, and thy damnation ten thouſand tymes heauier? And in Hell they that ſo ſinnes ſhall curſe the tyme that euer they heard the Goſpell, ſaying. Woe to me, I hauehave ſinned in the face of Chriſt and the Goſpell Be ware of this, the greater grace, the greater contempt thereof, the greater judgement and damnation for it. No not ſo much ſhalt thou be puniſhed for being a thief, a murtherer, &c. as for that (will the Lord ſay) thou ſpat in my face. And therefore we ought inſtantly to ſeeke God to giuegive vsus grace to reforme vsus from this wilfull contempt in the cleare light of the Goſpell. To this God be glorie for euer.
Amen.