Bowels Opened, Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON.SER. IIII.
CANT. V. VER. II.
I sleepe but my heart wakes, &c.
THE words as it hath beene shewed containe a Confession, I sleepe, and a Correction, my heart waketh. The confession hath been handled, now something of the correction or exception.
My heart waketh.
The word heart you know includes the whole soule, for the understanding is the heart, an understanding heart. To lay things up in our hearts, there it is memorie, and to cleave in heart is to cleave in will. To rejoyce in heart, that is in the affection, so that all the powers of the soule, the Inward man, (as Paul calleth it) is the heart.
I sleepe but my heart waketh.
Indeed, the Church might have said, my heart sleepeth, but my heart waketh: for it is the same facultie, the same power of the soule, both in the state of Corruption, and of grace, in which the soule is, as in the twy-light, wee cannot say, this is light, and that is darkenesse, because there is such a mixture. In all the powers of the soule, there is something good, and something ill, something flesh, and something spirit. The heart was asleepe, and likewise was awake. I sleepe but my heart waketh;Obser. 1. you see here then first of all in this correction; That a Christian hath two principles in him, that which is good, and that which is evill, whence issueth the weakenesse of his actions, and affections, They are all mixed, as are the principles from which they come forth, wee may observe further, that a Christian man may know how it is with himselfe,Obser. 2. though he be mixed of flesh, and spirit, he hath a distinguishing knowledge and judgement whereby he knowes both the good, and evill in himselfe. In a dungeon where is nothing but darkenesse both on the eye that should see, and on that which should bee seene, he can see nothing: but where there is a supernaturall principle, where there is this mixture, there the light of the spirit searcheth the darke corners of the heart; A man that hath the spirit knoweth both, he knoweth himselfe and his owne heart. The Spirit hath a light of its owne, even as Reason hath, how doth Reason know what it doth; By a reflect act Inbred in the soule, shall a man that is naturall reflect upon his state, and know what hee knowes, what hee thinkes, what hee doth, and may not the soule that is raised to an higher estate know as much? undoubtedly it may. Besides we have the Spirit of God, which is light, and selfe-evidencing, it shewes unto us, where it is, and what it is▪ The worke of the Spirit may sometimes bee hindered,How the discerning worke of the Spirit commeth to be so interrupted. as in times of temptation, then I confesse a man may looke wholy upon corruption, and so mistake himselfe, in judging by that which hee sees present in himselfe, and not by the other principle which is concealed for a time from him. But a Christian, when he is not in such a temptation, he knowes his owne estate, and can distinguish betweene the principles in him of the flesh and spirit, grace and nature.
Againe we see heere in, that the Church saith, but my heart waketh, that shee doth acknowledge there is good as well as evill; As the Church is ingenious to confesse that which is amisse, I sleepe, so she is as true in confessing that which is good in her selfe; but my heart waketh, which yeelds us another observation.
Wee should as well acknowledge that which is good,Obser. 3. as that which is evill in our hearts.
Because wee must not beare false witnesse (as not against others) much lesse against our selves. Many helpe Satan the accuser and plead his cause against the Spirit their Comforter; in refusing to see what God seeth in them. Wee must make conscience of this, to know the good as well as the evill, though it be never so little.
To come in particular, what is that good the Church here confesseth,What the Church acknowledgeth in her heart waking though asleepe. when shee saith, that her heart waketh? Shee in her sleepie estate, first hath her judgement sound in that which is truth of persons, things, and courses. Christians are not so benighted when they sleepe, or given up to such a reprobate judgement, as that they discerne not differences: they can discerne that such are in a good way, and such are not; that such meanes are good, and such are not; a Christian oft times is forced to doe worke out of judgement, in case his affections are asleep or distracted, and such workes are approved of God, as they come from a right judgement and conviction, though the evill of them be chastised.
But all is not in the judgement.A choice of good remaineth in the will. The child of God asleep hath a working in the will, choosing the better part which he will cleave too, he hath a generall purpose to please God in all things, and no setled purpose in particular for to sleepe thus: answerable to his judgement therefore he chooseth the better part, and side, he ownes God, and his cause, even in evill times, cleaving in resolution of heart to the best wayes, though with weakenesse.
Take David in his sleepie time betweene his repentance, and his foule sinne, if one should have asked him what he thought of the wayes of God, and of the contrary, he would have given you an answer out of sound judgement thus and thus, If you should have asked him what course he would have followed in his choice resolution, and purpose, hee would have answered savourly.
Againe there remaineth affection answerable to their judgement,They retaine affection answerable to their judgement. which though they finde, and feele it not for a time, it being perhaps scattered, yet there is a secret love to Christ, and to his cause, and side, joyned with joy in the well-fare of the Church and people of God, rejoycing in the prosperity of the righteous, with a secret greefe for the contiarie. The pulses will beate this way, and good affections will discover themselves, take him in his sleepie estate, the judgement is sound in the maine, the will, the affections, the joy, the delight, the sorrow, this is an evidence his heart is awake.
The Conscience likewise is awake; the heart is taken ofttimes for the conscience in Scripture,Conscience. a good Conscience (called a merry heart) is a continuall seast; Now the conscience of Gods children is never so sleepie,Prov▪ 15. 15. but it awaketh in some comfortable measure, though perhaps it may be deaded in a particular act, yet notwithstanding there is so much life in it,How the Conscience in a sleepie tempe… is knowne to be awake. as upon speech, or cenference, &c. there will be an opening of it and a yeelding at the length to the strength … spirituall reason, his conscience is not …eared; Dav…d was but a little rowsed by Nathan, yet you see how h… presently confessed ingeniously that he had sinned; So when he had numbred the people,2 Sam. 24. his conscience presently smote him, and when he resolved to kill Naball and all his familie,1 Sam. 23. which was a wicked, and carnall passion, in which there was nothing but flesh, yet when he was stopped by the advise, and the discreet counsell of Abigall, we see how presently he yeelded. There is a kinde of perpetuall tendernesse of conscience in Gods people, all the difference is; of more, or lesse.
And ansvverable to these invvard povvers is the outvvard obedience of Gods children,So they retaine also a course of obedience. in their sleepie estate, they goe on in a course of obedience, though deadly and coldly, and not vvith that glory that may give others good example, or yeeld themselves comfort, yet there is a course of good duties, his ordinarie vvay is good, hovvsoever he may step aside, his fits may be sleepie vvhen his estate is vvaking. We must distinguish betvveene a state and a fit,That we must dist…nguish betweene states and fits. a man may have an Aguish fit in a sound body; The state of a Christian is a vvaking state in the Invvard man, the by courses he falle…h into are but fits out of vvhichwhich he recovers himselfe.
Whence for use let us magnif…e the goodnesse of God,Vse. 1. that vvill remaine by his Spirit, and let it stay to preserve life in such hearts as ours are, so prone to security, and sleepinesse, let it put us in mind of other like mercifull and gracious doings of our God for us: that he gave his Spirit to us when we had nothing good in us, when it met with nothing, but enmity, rebellion, and indisposednesse; Nay consider how he debased himselfe and became man, in being united to our fraile flesh after an admirable neerenesse, and all out of mercy to save us.
If so bee that Satan shall tempt us in such occasions,Vse. 2. let us enter into our owne soules, and search the truth of Grace, our judgement, our wills, our constant course of obedience, and the inward principle whence it comes; that we may be able to stand in the time of temptation. What upheld the Church, but this reflect act by the helpe of the Spirit, that shee was able to judge of the good, as well as of the ill, thus David; The desires of our soule are towards thee, and though all this have befallen us, yet have we not forgotten thy Name, Psal. 44. 20. this will …nable us to appeale to God as Peter, Lord thou knowest I love thee, it is an evidence of a good estate.
My heart waketh.
Gods children never totally fall from grace,Obser. though they sleepe yet their heart is awake. The prophet Esay speaking of the Church and children of God, Esa. 6. 13. saith, It shall be as a tree, as an oake whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves. Though you see neither fruit, nor leaves, yet there is life in the root, The seed remaines in them, there is allway a seed remaining, it is an immotall seed that we are begotten by. Peter when he denied his Master, was like an Oake,1 Pet. 1. that was weather-beaten, yet there was life still in the root.Matth. 26. For questionlesse Peter loved Christ from his heart. Sometimes a Christian may be in such a poore case as the spirituall life runneth all to the heart, and the outward man is left destitute, as in warres, when the enemie hath conquered the field, the people runne into the Citie; and if they be beaten out of the Citie they runne into the Castle: the grace of God sometimes failes in the outward action, in the field, when yet it retireth to the heart, in which fort it is impregnable, My heart waketh.
When the outward man sleepes, and there are weake dull performances, and perhaps actions amisse too, yet notwithstanding the heart waketh; As we see in a swoond or great scares, the blood spirits and life, though they leave the face and hands, &c. yet they are in the heart. It is said in the Scripture of Eutichus, his life is in him still,Simile. though hee seemed to be dead. As Christ said of Lazarus, Acts. 20. 9. Ioh 11,So a man may say of a Christian, in his worst state, his life is in him still, he is not dead, but sleepes, his heart waketh.
This is a sound Doctrine and comfortable,Obser. agreeable to Scripture, and the experience of Gods people, we must not loose it therefore: but make use of it against the time of temptation. There are some pulses that discover life in the sickest man, so are there some breathings and spirituall motions of heart, that will comfort in such times. These two never faile on Gods part, his love which is unchangiable, and his grace a fruit of his love; And two on our part, the impression of that love, and the gracious worke of the new creature. Christ never dies (saith the Apostle) as hee never dies in himselfe (after his Resurrection) so he never dies in his Children, there is alwayes spirituall life.
The heart waketh.
This is a secret of Gods Sanctuarie, only belonging to Gods people,Vse for Comfort. others have nothing to doe with it, They shall ever love God and God will ever love them. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 14. 8. saith, Love never failes. Guifts you know shall be abolished, because the manner of knowing we now use shall cease, we see through a glasse, &c. but love abideth. Doth our love to God abide for ever; and doth not his love to us whence it commeth? ours is but a reflection of Gods love. Let us comfort our selves therefore in this for the time to come, that in all the uncertainty of things in this life, wee have to day, and loose to morrow, as we see in Iob, there is somewhat a Saint may build on that is constant and unmoveable. I am the Lord I change not, therefore you sonnes of I acob are not consumed. God should deny himselfe (as it were) which hee cannot doe, and his owne constant Nature, if he should varie this way.
A Christian is what his heart, and inward man is, It is a true speech of Divines God and nature beginne there. Art beginns with the face and outward lyniaments, as hypocrisie, outward painting, and expressions: But grace at the Center, and from thence goes to the Circumference; And therefore the Church values her selfe here by the disposition, and temper of her heart. Thus I am for my outward carriage, &c. I sleepe, but my heart that waketh.
Therefore let us enter into our consciences and soules for the tryall of our estates, how it is with our judgements, Doe we allow of the wayes of God, and of the Law of the inward man? How is it with our affections, and bent to good things? How with our hatred, our zeale? Is it not more for outward things, then for inward? Wee know what I…hu said to Ionadab, when he would have him into his Chariot, Is thine heart as mine, then come to mee? So saith Christ, is thine heart as mine, then give me thy hand, but first God must have our hearts, and then our handes; A man otherwise is but a ghost in Religion, which goes up and downe without a spirit of its owne, but a picture, that hath an outside, and is nothing within. Therefore especially, let us looke to our hearts, Oh that th…re were such an heart in this people (saith God to Moses) to feare …, for their good; This is it, that Gods children desire, that their hearts may be aright se…. Wash thy heart O … (saith the Prophet) from thy wickednesse, &c. Indeed all the outward man depends upon this; Therefore Satan, if he can get this fort, he is safe,Heb. 11. and so Satans vicar. It was a watch-word, that was in Gregorie. 13. his time, in Queene Elizabeths daies, My Sonne, give methy heart, dissemble, goe to Church, and doe what you will, but Da mihi cor, bee in heart a Papist, and goe where you will. God is not content with the heart alone, (the Divell knowes if hee have the heart, he hath all, But God, as he made all, both soule, and body he will have all) but yet in times of temptation, the chiefe triall is in the heart.
And from hence, we may have a maine difference betweene one Christian and another. A sound Christian doth what he doth from the heart, he begins the workethere. What good he doth, he loves in his heart first, judgeth it to be good, and then he doth it.
An Hypocrite doth that he doth outwardly, and allowes not inwardly of that good he doth; hee would doe ill, and not good, if it were in his choice. The good that he doth is for by ends, for correspondence, or dependance upon others, or conformitie with the times, to cover his designes under formalitie of Religion, that he may not be know he outwardly, as he is inwardly, an Atheist, and an Hypocrite. So he hath false aymes, his heart is not directed to a right marke; But it is otherwise with Gods child, Whatsoever good he doth, it is in his heart first, Whatsoever ill he abstaines from, he doth it from his heart, judging it to be naught: therefore he hates it, and will not doe it. Here is a maine difference of the Church from all others, It wakes in the heart, though the outward man sleepes. But other mens hearts sleepe, when they wake, as you know some men will walke and doe many things in their sleepe. An Hypocrite is such a kind of man, He walkes and goes up and downe, but his heart is asleepe, he knowes not what he doth, nor doth he the thing out of judgement, or love, but as one asleepe (as it were) he hath no inward affection unto the things he doth. A Christian is the contrary, his heart is awake, When hee is asleepe.
Another difference from the wordes you may have thus. A Christian by the power of Gods Spirit in him, is sensible of the contrarieties in him, complaines, and is ashamed for the same: but an Hypocrite is not so, hee is not sensible of his sleepinesse, I sleepe (saith the Church) so much as the Church saith shee slept; So much shee did not sleepe: for a man that is asleepe, cannot say he is asleepe, nor a dead man, that he is dead, So farre, as hee saith hee is asleepe, hee is awake. Now the Church confesseth that she was asleepe by that part, that was awake in her, other men doe not complaine, are not sensible of their sleepinesse, and slumbring, but compose themselves to slumber, and seeke darkenesse, which is a friend of sleepe, they would willingly bee ignorant, to keepe their Conscience dull, and dumbe as much as they can, that it may not upbraid them. This is the disposition of a Carnall man, he is not sensible of his estate as here the Church is.
A waking state is a blessed state.Obser.
The Church you see supports and comforts her selfe that she was waking in her inward man, that she was happy in that respect. How shall we do to keep & preserve our soules in this waking condition,Quest. especially in these drowsietimes?
1. Propound unto them waking considerations, What causeth our sleepes,Answ. but want of matters of more serious observation?1. Meanes Is to propound waking considerations. None will sleepe when a thing is presented of excellency more then ordinary. To see and know and thinke of what a state we are now advanced unto in Christ, what we shall be ere long, yet the fearefull estate we should be in, if God leave us to our selues? A state of astonishment, miserable and wretched, beyond speech, nay beyond conceit. Thus did the blessed soules in former times exercise their thoughts, raise and stirre them up by meditation, that so they might hold their soules in a high esteeme of the best things, and not suffer them to sleepe. We never fall to sleep in earthly and carnall delights, till the soule let its hould goe of the best things, and ceaseth to thinke of, and to wonder at them. What made Moses to fall from the delights of Egypt? hee saw the basest things in Religion, were greater, then the greatest things in the Court, yea in the World.Heb. 11. Hee esteemed the reproach of Christ better then the greatest treasures of Egypt.
Make the heart thinke of the shortnesse, and vanity of this life, 2. Consideration.with the uncertainty of the time of our death; and of what wondrous consequent it is to be in the state of Grace before we die. The uncertainty of the gales of Grace, that there may be a good houre,Luk. 19. 42. Mat. 23 37.which if we passe, we may never have the like againe. As the Angell descended at a certaine houre into the poole of Bethesda, Iohn. 5.when those that entred not immediatly after, went away sicke as they came. So there are certaine good howers, which let us not neglect, this will help to keepe us waking. The Necessity of Grace, 3. Consideration.and then the free dispensing of it in Gods good time, and withall the terrour of the Lords day,… Cos. 5. 11. Remembring (saith St. Paul) the terror of the Lord, I labour to stirre up all men, &c. Indeed it should make us stirre up our hearts, when we consider the terrour of the Lord, to thinke, that ere long, we shall be all drawn to an exact account, before a strict, precise Judge; And shall our eyes then be sleeping and carelesse? These and such like considerations out of spirituall wisdome we should propound to our selves, that so we might have waking soules, and preserve them in a right temper.
The soule is as the object is that is presented to it,2. Meaness To keep Faith waking. and as the certainty of the apprehension is of that object. It conduceth much therefore to the awakening of the soule to keepe faith awake. It's not the greatnesse alone, but the presence of great things that stirres us; now it is the nature of faith to make things powerfully present to the soule: for it sets things before us in the word of Iebovah, that made all things of nothing, and is Lord of his word,Heb. 11. to give a being to whatsoever he hath spoken. Faith is an awakening Grace, keepe that awake, and it will keepe all other graces waking.
When a man believes, that all these things shall be on fire ere long, that Heaven and Earth shall fall in peeces, that we shall be called to give an account; before that time we may be taken away. Is it not a wonder we stand so long, when Cities, stone walls fall, and Kingdomes come to suddaine periods? When faith apprehends, and setts this to the eye of the soule, it affects the same marvellously: Therfore let faith set before the soule some present thoughts according to its temper, sometimes terrible things to awaken it out of its dulnesse: Sometimes glorious things, Promises, and Mercies, to waken it out of its sadnesse, &c. When we are in a prosperous estate let faith make present all the sinnes and temptations that usually accompany such an estate, as Pride, security, selfe-applause and the like: if in adversitie, thinke also of what sinnes may beset us there, this will awaken up such graces in us, as are sutable to such an estate for the preventing of such sinnes and temptations, and so keepe our hea…s in exercise to godlinesse: then which, nothing will more prevent sleeping.
And withall,3. Meanes To labour for a great measure of the Spirit of God. labour for abundance of the Spirit of God, for what makes men sleepie, and drowsie? the want of spirits, wee are dull, and overloaden with grosse humours, whereby the strength sinkes and failes? Christians should knovv, that there is a necessitie, if they vvill keepe themselves waking, to keepe themselves spirituall. Pray for the Spirit above all things, it is the life of our life, the soule of our soule. What is the bodie without the soule, or the soule without the Spirit of God, even a dead lump. And let us keepe our selves in such good vvaies, as vve may expect the presence of the Spirit to bee about us, vvhichwhich vvill keepe us awake.
Wee must keepe our selves in as much light as may be, 4. Meanes To keepe our selves in the light.for all sleepinesse comes vvith darkenes, let us keepe our soules in a perpetuall light, when any doubt or darke thought ariseth, upon yeelding thereunto comes a sleepie temper, sleepinesse in the affections ariseth from darkenesse of judgement, the more we labour to increase our knowledge, and the more the spirituall light and beames of it shine in at our windovves, the better it vvill be for us, and the more shall we be able to keepe avvake. What makes men in their corruptions to avoid the Ministery of the Word, or any thing that may avvake their consciences? It is the desire they have to sleepe, they knovv, the more they knovv, the more they must practise, or else they must have a galled conscience. They see Religion vvill not stand vvith their ends, rich they must be, and great they vvill be, but if they suffer the light to grow upon them, that will tell them they must not rise, and be great, by these and such courses. A gracious heart vvill be desirous of spirituall knovvledge especially, and not care how neere the Word comes: because they ingeniously and freely desire to be spiritually better, they make all things in the world yeeld to the invvard man: they desire to knovv their ovvne corruptions and evills more and more, and therefore love the light as children of the light, and of the day. 1 Thess. 5. Sleepe is a worke of darkenesse, men therefore of darke and drovvsie hearts desire darkenesse for that very end that their consciences may sleepe.
Labour to preserve the soule in the feare of God; because feare is a waking affection,5. Meanes yea one of the vvakefullest; For, Naturally we are more moved with dangers, then stirred with hopes: Therfore, that affection, that is most conversant about danger, is the most rowzing and waking affection. Preserve therfore the feare of God by all meanes. It is one character of a Christian, vvho, when he hath lost almost all Grace (to his feeling) yet the feare of God is alwayes left with him; he feares sin, and the reward of it, and therfore God makes that awethe Bond of the Nevv Covenant. I will put my feare into their hearts, that they shall never depart from mee▪ One Christian is better then another, by how much more he wakes,Ier 32. 39. and feares more then another. Of all Christians,Who are the …est Christians marke those are most gracious, spirituall and heavenly, that are the most awfull, and carefull of their speeches, courses, and demeanours: tender, even of offending God in little things. You shall not have light, & common oathes come from them, nor unsavoury speeches. Sometimes a good Christian may in a state of sleepinesse be faulty some way. But he grovves in the knovvledge of the greatnesse of God, and the experience of his ovvn infirmities, as he grovves in the sense of the love of God. He is affraid to loose that svveet Com…munion any way, or to grieve the Spirit of God: Therefore, alwaies as a …an growes in grace, he growes in avvfulnesse, and in jealousie of his owne corruptions. Therefore let us preserve by all meanes this awefull affection, the feare of God; Let us then often search the state of our own soules, our going backward or forward, how it is betweene God and our soules; how fit we are to die, and to suffer; how fit for the times that may befall us? Let us examine the state of our own soules which will preserve us in a waking estate, especially examine our selves in regard of the sinnes of the place, and the times where vve live, of the sinnes of our ovvne inclination, hovv we stand affected and byased in all those respects, and see how jealous we are of dangers in this kind. Those that vvill keep vvaking soules, must consider the danger of the place vvhere they live, and the times; vvhat sins raigne, vvhat sins such a companie as they converse vvith, are subject unto, and their own weakenesse to be led away with such temptations. This jealousie is a Branch of that feare, that vve spake of before, arising from the searching of our ovvn hearts, and dispositions. It is a notable meanes to keep us awake when we keepe our hearts in feare of such sins as either by calling, custome, company, or the time we live in; or by our owne disposition we are most prone to.
There is no Christian, but he hath some speciall sinne to vvhichwhich he is more prone then to an other, one vvay or other, either by course of life, or complection, here novv is the care and vvatchfulnesse of a Christian spirit, that knowing by examination, and tryall of his ovvne heart, his vveakenesse, he doth especially fence against that, vvhichwhich he is most inclined to; and is able to speake most against that sinne of all others, and to bring the strongest arguments to dishearten others from practise of it.
In the last place it is a thing of no small consequence, 6. Meanes The Communion of Saints.that vve keepe company vvith vvaking and faithfull Christians, such as neither sleepe themselves or do willingly suffer any to sleepe that are neere them.
It is a report, and a true one of the sweating sicknesse, that they that vvere kept avvake by those that vvere vvith them escaped, but the sicknesse vvas deadly if they vvere suffered to sleepe. It is one of the best fruits of the Communion of Saints and of our spirituall good acquaintance to keepe one another avvake. Its an unpleasing vvorke on both sides. But vve shall one day cry out against all them that have pleased themselves and us, in rocking us asleepe, and thanke those that have pulled us with feare out of the fire, though against our vvills.
Let us labour upon our owne hearts in the Conscionable use of all these meanes, in their severall times and seasons, that we may keepe our hearts waking, and the more earnest ought we to be from consideration of the present age and season in which we live.
Certainly a drowsie temper is the most ordinary temper in the World. For would men suffer idle words, yea filthy and rotten talke to come from their mouths if they were awake? Would a waking man runne into a pit? or upon a swords point? A man that is asleepe may doe any thing. What doe men meane when they feare not to lye, dissemble, and rush upon the pikes of Gods displeasure? When they say one thing and doe another, are they not dead? or take them at the best, are they not asleepe? Were they awake, would they ever doe thus? Will not a fowle that hath wings, avoyde the snare? or will a beast runne into a pit when it sees it? There is a snare laid in your Play-houses, gaming houses, Common houses that Gentlemen frequent that generally professe Religion, and take the Communion. If the eye of their soules were awake, would they runne into these snares, that their owne Consciences tells them are so? If there be any goodnesse in their soules, it is wondrous sleepie; There is no man (even the best) but may complaine something, that they are overtaken in the contagion of these infectious times, they catch drovvsie tempers (as our Saviour saith) of those latter times. For the abundance of iniquity, the love of many shall waxe cold. A chill temper, growes ever from the coldnesse of the times that we live in, wherin the best may complaine of coldnesse, but there is great difference. The life of many, we see, is a continuall sleepe.
Let us especially watch over ourselves, in the use of liberty and such things as are in themselves lawfull. It is a blessed state, when a Christian carries himselfe so in his liberty, that his heart condemnes him not for the abuse of that which it alloweth and justly in a moderate use. Recreations are lawfull, who denies it? To refresh a mans selfe, is not onelyonly lawfull, but necessary. God knew it well enough: Therefore hath allott…d time for sleepe, and the like. But we must not turne Recreation into a Calling, to spend too much time in it.
Where there is least feare, there is most danger alwaies. Now because in lawfull things there is least feare, we are there in most danger. It is true for the most part, Licit is perimus omnes, more men perish in the Church of God by the abuse of lawfull things, then by unlawfull, more by meate, then by poison; Because every man takes heed of poison, beeing he knowes the venome of it, but how many men surfet, and dye by meate? So many men, die by lawfull things, they eternally perish in the abuse of their liberties, more then in grosse sinnes. Therefore let us keepe awake, that we may carry our selves so in our liberties, that we condemne not our selves in the use of them. We will conclude this point with the Meditation of the Excellency of a waking Christian,The Excellency of a waking Christian. when he is in his right temper, hee is an excellent person, fit for all assaies, he is then impregnable, Satan hath nothing to do with him, for he (as it is said) is then a wise man and hath his eyes in his head; he knowes himselfe, his state, his enemies, and adversaries, the snares of Prosperitie, and Adversitie, and of all conditions, &c. Therefore, he being awake, is not overcome of the evill of any condition, and is ready for the good of any estate. He that hath a waking soule, he sees all the advantages of good,Mark. 13. 37. and all the snares that might draw him to ill. What a blessed estate is this? In all things therefore watch: in all estates, in all times, and in all actions. There is a danger in every thing without watchfulnesse. There is a scorpion under every stone (as the Proverbe is) a snare under every blessing of God, and in every condition, which Satan useth as a weapon to hurt us. Adversitie to discourage us, Prosperitie to puffe us up. When, if a Christian hath not a waking soule, Sathan hath him in his snare; In Prosperitie to bee proud, and secure; In Adversitie to murmure, repine, bee dejected, and call Gods providence into question. When a Christian hath a heart, and grace to awake, then his Love, his Patience, his Faith is awake, as it should bee, hee is fit for all Conditions to doe good in them, and to take good by them.
Let us therefore labour to preserve watchfull and waking hearts continually, that so we may be fit to live, to die, and to appeare before the judgement seate of God; to doe what we should doe, and suffer what we should suffer, being squared for all estates whatsoever.
The end of the Fourth Sermon.