The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Carnal Security comes by Degrees.
SECT. I.
THat Carnal Security falls upon the hearts of all men by degrees; Observation 2.for all the Virgins here first slumbered before they slept; they first fall a winking and nodding (as the word signifies) short sleeps, and then startle, and awake again, before they fall asleep for a longer time: a Christian is a slumbering Christian before he is a sleeping Christian.
The truth of this may be seen not only in these Virgins, but also in other Examples of security in the Scripture: As the old World, Gen. 6. 2. They saw the Daughters of men, they let their eyes wander, and their hearts lust.
2. Then they took them Wives for to solace their hearts in, to please themselves only, and not the Lord; they ate, drank, gave in marriage; they came not to that height of wickedness, to commit Adultery, or to live in Whoredom.
3. Then they became fleshly and sensual; spiritual things are out of taste and relish with them.
4. Noah Preacheth, and they slight him; he condemns them, and they regard not him.
5. Then God sets a time; no stronger means to awaken than this; and yet they go on; and now they were come to their height.
Secondly, The Israelites. Deut. 8. 12. 1. They ate and grew full; here is first spiritual fulness. 2. Blessing themselves, in their estates, herds, flocks. 3. Then proud in heart, vers. 14. 4. Then they forget the Lord, and all that ever he did for them, vers. 14. 5. Then men ascribe all which they have to themselves and creatures, vers. 17. though onelyonly in their heart. 6. Then cleave to other gods, vers. 19. and here lye so fast asleep, till plagues came down upon them.
Solomon saw the sluggards Garden over-grown; now as it is in fields, the weeds do not over-grow all the ground in one day, but they are a long time a growing, but by degrees they overgrow all, that when he awakes (all is so over-grown) he knows not where to begin: So it is here.
Be sober, be vigilant; security is a kind of spiritual drunkenness; a man is not for that time his own man, not a sober man; now this is by frequent and often sipping; a man he is half gone first, and then he is wholly gone; he hath not presently drunk out all his sences, not dead drunk; So it is here.
SECT. II.
IN regard of the quickness and power of the life of Conscience; whether it be a natural Conscience awakened, or a spiritual Conscience awakened;Reason 1. it is with Conscience as it is with a prisoner in a house; though all in the house sleep, yet he is bound, he cannot, and hence he is speaking, and will awaken the house; so Conscience hath know, These sins I have watched against, and been humbled for, these duties I have done; but now, Now saith Conscience, you neglect them, now you are worse, now fallen; now a man startles, espcially when one stands at the door, and calls to Conscience it will awaken; so when there is a word to call, Conscience will be crying ever and anon within, especially when any hope or leisure to speak with any as they pass by; so it will take men sometimes in their fields, and talk with them, and chide them: Security grows up easily, but the awakening light of conscience cannot be soon done out in any man; hence sometimes a man sleeps, and then awakens again; Hence Rom. 2. 15. Though they had many sins, yet it would accuse and excuse; as those that are come out of their own Country to dwell in another, or from a great estate, in a mean condition, they cannot easily forget their friends and relations, but in time it wears away, Prov. 20. 27. Conscience is Gods candle, it will shine, and is not easily put out.
2. Because the Lord doth never depart from men but by degrees,Reason 2. and hence security falls upon men by degrees; when God is near unto men, then usually they be awakened, as the Israelites before the Mount. Now the Lord to shew the riches of his patience and long suffering, he will not depart suddenly, and leave the Soul in a dead and sluggish estate. And hence the Cherubims glory Ezek. 9. 10, 11. departed by degrees. Isa. 29. 10. with 13. God doth not so deal, as presently to close their eyes quite up, but they are awakened to draw nigh to God with their lips, which is of God, and then the Lord closeth up their eyes; never can a man be cast into a deep sleep, till the Lord saith Sleep on, or till God close his eyes; and that he doth not presently; as to the Disciples he comes a second and third time.
3. Because this is the most ready way and method for sin and Satan to bring the Soul into a deep sleep,Reason 3. nay, to make themselves to sleep, which is that he aims at; look as it is with those that sell things, their scope is not to put off their commodities, but to put them off so as they may have money or moneys worth for them; so it is here, the scope of Satan is not only to bring men into security, to give them ease and peace, Luk. 11. 21. but to have his money, that the Soul may give it self to it: Now as it is in buying of Fruits, Sugars, Wines or Strong-waters, they will not buy all presently, nor buy before they see and taste, they know not whether tis good or no, or whether they shall need it all or no: So here, to lie in such a secure condition, as to neglect all means, to be hardned after all sins, this Satan will not offer, not will men buy, or give themselves to this, they know not whether this be good or no, less will serve them; and hence taste first a little slumber and sleep, and so call for a little and a litle more until a man is a beggar, Prov. 6. 10. as at first in Paradise; first look, then taste, then eat; so here.
SECT. III.
DO not think you are out of a state of carnal security, because you have many times some quickenings and revivings of heart, because they may be onelyonly awakenings between thy slumbers, which like slashes suddenly come and suddenly go again, which make thee startle, and rub thy eyes, and stir up they self, but down you fall again; whereever life is in a Christian, it is ever acting for spiritual ends; a man will awaken first with God in the morning, and go first to him in prayer (extraordinary occasions not preventing) and he will go from his prayer to his work, not as doing his own work, but as doing the Lords work, howing, plowing, sowing for him, &c. Now when the life of Christ doth not act in men, and act men, it is either because there is no life at all, but onelyonly the awakening of Conscience which soon dieth, or else that living Christian slumbereth at least then; slumber is upon thee though sleep is not; make it out else any other way.
Object. If so (you will say) who is not then sleeping?
Answ. Take Lot whilst vexed with the Sodomites, he awakens; take Paul while tossed up and down in disgraces and reproaches, his inward man is renewed day by day, though the outward man die. The Saints have some kinde of sleeps when they are at their best; but these are sick sleeps; but thine are sweet sleeps to thee. I know Christ may say to his Disciples, Watch and pray, temptations may be near, but their eyes may be heavy; the Spirit may be willing, the flesh weak; and that it is infinite mercy the Lord will awaken them, a first and a second time it may be by Sabbath awakenings, &c. Many cannot tell what to make of themselves, because of their drowsiness and Gospel-slumber: Methinks this may break thy heart, Cannot you awaken one hour? know therefore your sin; It is a hard thing to be fully awakened, to have all heaviness to sleep taken away; the Lord hath taken you here alone to himself, you do by fits watch and pray, but it is onelyonly as men asleep, not awake: The Son of man is betrayed, Christ, and Gospel, and Ordinances; and can you find in your heart now to sleep?
Oh therefore shake off your slumbers and short sleeps,Use 2. lest you fall to sleep; and for sleeping, be awakened by some direful blow; Look upon those men Isa. 29. 10. God hath closed their eyes, that is a fearful thing; look upon many professors, all their savor, and heart, and life is gone almost, and they know not that they be asleep, not all means cannot awaken them, or unseal their minds again; God knows how far you may fall, if you give way to a little; especially if God takes away Ministers from you, and that the Elders that have known the works of God be gathered to their Fathers; especially if you know it, and yet go on in your slumbers; if you will not awaken when God crys and calls, you shall slumber and sleep; like the Smiths dog, the harder the Master strikes, the faster the dog sleeps, being used to it. I knew a man of great estate, oft quickned by the Word; but he lost all life and heat again, and he prayed, and desired the Lord to keep him, and yet decayed, but he could not tell the reason thereof; at last the Word began to grow common, and he slept there also; Conscience told him there was some evil toward him which he feared, yet still slept, and continued so; notwithstanding his fears would thus awaken him oft; at last an affliction came, he regarded not that, but was impatient and froward under it, till at last all he had was gone, and then he looked about him; when his house was burnt, he was asleep; he prayed, but lost all by sleeping when he should watch; so security grew upon him; and hence, no wonder misery met him: Oh! take heed therefore of giving way, liberty, or toleration to a sleeping profession, and your slumbering Religion: as men will not tolerate Ceremonies, because they are the fruitful seed of the body of Popery; so here, &c.
SECT. IV.
Quest. WHat are the first degrees of this spiritual slumber?
Answ. 1. When men have lost the satisfying sense of the blessed face and love of God; when hypocrites have lost the imaginary sight of it, and Saints the real enjoyment of it, Psal. 17. ul…. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thine image; sleep first shews it self in closing up of a mans eyes that he seeth not any thing about him; hence, something else contents, and must do it when you feed not daily on the Lords love; and when that, then vain cares and thoughts (Luk. 21. 34.) overcome a man, and then he groweth a very worldling, as if he had hope of no other portion; hence no mind after spiritual good things; hence he sleeps at Sermons, hence he falls out into passion, and discontent with his present condition, nay, with every other thing when any cross comes: Because these things are sweet to you, and God is not, when discontented; the Lord keep my soul from entring into thy secrets; Oh consider it if you have had sence of the Lords love in Sacraments! and some new doubts arise, and you are not satisfied with it; now look to your selves; it is impossible a Christian should do any work without rest. Now as bodily feeding causeth rest, so doth spiritual feeding, spiritual rest; feed and rest here, and it will make you fall to your work; feed not here, rest not here, and you will in something else; and carnal rest will bring carnal neglect.
2. When men have lost all fear of the wrath to come, and the terror of God another day; not always a fear that I shall bear, but a dreadful apprehension what it is. Many Christians lose the sense of Gods love, yet the Lord keeps them in the sense of his anger, and so they are awake; but when both are gone, or this is gone, then there is and cannot but be the first security. For as it is with children, when their eyes are open to see and consider the things of the world, now they are begun to be awakned; I never look upon a Christian fully awakened till now, that the Lord lets him see the things of another world; and when this is lost he begins to sleep, 2 Cor. 5. 9. with 11. 2 Pet. 3. 11. 12. Some securelings thought all things were past; No (saith he) there is a time a coming when all things shall be dissolved; what manner of persons then should we be! Hence this being lost, men fear not sin, men prize not mercy, men wonder not if ever they escape; hence men live and hang between doubt and fear, never make sure, because they know not what Gods wrath is: Nay, lastly, hence nothing awakens them, that though they know their misery, yet they will go on (the highest degree of spiritual security) Oh then keep these thoughts awake! what it is to be forsaken of God! what it is to grapple with him!
3. When men have lost their foresight, and hence provide not against an evil day; when Christians keep their profession, and go on sweetly in their course, but to lay up for after-claps, that they do not, when Christians like Grashoppers sing all the summer, but what have they to live upon in the winter time? the Ant can learn them that, Prov. 6. 6. Go to the Ant thou sluggard, that provideth her meat in the summer; the Ant by a secret instinct (though simple and little) considereth there will be a winter, and that summer is her gathering time; so a Christian, if awakened (though simple) will be taught to do something which may serve him, not only now, but hereafter also; when men in times of peace and enjoyment of Ordinances never fear, muchless provide for that time, that all these treasures shall be taken away and carried to the King of Babel, Isa. 39. when men in their life time think not of setting the house and heart in order before the evil day, when men are not that now which they would wish themselves to be another day, when men lay not up treasures of tears and prayers in heaven, nor are provident for eternity, no… think this will be my peace, nay my glory another day, though I lose now; men will lay up treasures on earth, and provide for themselves and theirs; hence their hearts are lost here, and lay in nothing spiritual for the future, Prov. 10. 5. he that gathereth in harvest doth right (but a sluggard will not) his heart and mind is taken up to provide this and that for future; and hence 'tis that the Christian is full of sorrow and tears in times of peace; but when the day of trouble comes, he can lift up his head (now redemption draws nigh) when another in times of trouble hath most terrors, because the one was not laying up against another day, as the other did.
4. When men go to prayer without receiving any answer, now a man begins to slumber, Prov.13. 4. men that are fast asleep speak not all, but when awake a little they speak a little, and then sleep, and then awake, and sleep again; so men pray and sleep again; it is a deep slumber also when men shall beg for bread and money, and then fall a sleep constantly, and so lie down satisfied: Oh take heed of this! Hence comes
First, Snarling at God.
Secondly, Heartlesness to the duty.
Thirdly, Formality in it.
Fourthly, Prophaness of course at last.
5. When men do gain something from the Lord in the use of means, but now stand still they go no further; they lose not what they had, but they gain no more; they grow not, Matth. 25. 26. Thou evil and slothful servant; that hid his talent, and did not imploy it; and here is usually the beginning of a mans fall, when (like one in a journey) he goes not forward or backward, but stands still, and so falls, Prov. 18. 9.
6. When men do duties that are easie, but when any difficulty is in them, now they fall down asleep, Prov. 20. 4. and 12. 27. and hence beg the sweet and gain of Christianity: it's sown in difficult duties; when the Soul denies it self most: But when men not breaking through the difficulty finde not the sweet of it, Lord! what a tattered profession is there, that men come to be the shame of Christ, not his glory! It's easie to pray, and outwardly to fast, but yet to have a whole heart in the work is hard: it is easie to cleave to the Lord when quickened; but when God forsakes you, now more than ever to cleave to him, is difficult.
7. When men fear not the danger of little sins; they are not asleep, yet so as not to fear great sins; but in a slumber; and hence however they fear not lesser sins, hence come to commit them, hence also to be hardned under them: Many complain of hard hearts, but consider, is not this the reason of it? you fear not sinful thoughts, nor carelesness in your Christian course; your slumber is now upon you; thy Conscience startles at Whoredom, but not at a wanton word; or playing upon the Sabbath, but unprepatedness for it that's nothing; sin in a manner with thee; the reason is, because spiritual slumber is upon thee.
8. When men are deceived and deluded by appearances, or colours, as the Israelites when the Gibeonites came to them; confident of themselves, but deceived as the men of Ai by stratagems; if ever your Souls be hurt, it will be by appearances; if ever this Country receive a blow, it will be by appearances; error will creep in by appearances; the most vile wickedness hath been found to be hatcht under fairest colours: If ever any shall come under an appearance of piety, and promise of protection, safety, liberty, onelyonly your Government must be a little altered; slumber here, and you shall sleep in your enemies arms; Grace, and the love of Christ and the Spirit (the fairest colours under the sun) may be pretended; but if you shall receive under this appearance, that God witnesseth his love, first, by an absolute promise, where neither grace nor life is seen; take heed there; for under this appearance you may as well bring in immediate Revelations, and from thence come to forsake the Scriptures: and then no wonder if men fall to deny all foundations in Christianity, and Scripture also; take heed of meer appearances of repentance in evil members, be not deceived there: Never was the world more full of craft; be not laid asleep with appearances of truth: Thus you see the point opened. Stop security when it is risen to your anckles, lest you be drowned in it, and perish in it afterward.