4. Another cause is a dead worship : missa non mordei. Christ compareth spiritual duties to new wine, Mat. ix., but the pharisaical feasts to taplash, or old unsavoury stuff that hath no spirits. Old
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. 355
bottles will endure that well enough. Nothing lulleth the soul asleep so much as a perfunctory worship, or sleepy devotions. Christ's ordin- ances are simple, but full of virtue ; his institutions conscientiously observed will keep us awake : Ps. cxix. 93, ' I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me.' Use them much in faith and obedience, and graces will be preserved in us in a lively manner, and constant exercise : 1 Thes. v. 19, 20, ' Quench not the Spirit ; despise not prophesying.' If you would not quench the Spirit, you must not carelessly use the means of grace : ' The words of the wise are as goads to prick us forward ' (Eccles. xii. 10) in heaven's way. To stir us up to our duty, the Spirit of God sharpeneth and pointeth the word, that it may be as goads in our sides. When we are negli- gent, here is quickening. A dull ministry as well as a dull minister maketh us fall asleep.
5. Slumber is the cause of sleeping. Mark the order in the text : they first slumbered, and afterwards slept. One degree of carelessness makes way for another ; and usually there is a lesser degree at first. Take heed of the beginnings of declinations. If we would avoid sleep, we must avoid slumber. No man becometh stark naught at the first step. One careless prayer maketh way for another. Give way to it now, and it will settle into an utter deadness at last. Men fear not the danger of little sins, and so are hardened under them, till they fall into greater. Small sins harden as well as great sins; it is hard to say which more. Indeed at first little sins seem to awaken compunction. The prick of a pin maketh a man start, but a heavy blow stunneth him. David, when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart smote him ; but when he fell into adultery and blood, he was like one in a swoon. This is true ; but then, on the other side, great sins are more apparent and liable to the notice of conscience ; but we neglect small sins, and so inveterate custom groweth upon us, and we are insensibly hardened by a carelessness and constant neglect of those kind of sins ; yea, some- times more than by gross falls. A surfeit or violent distemper maketh us run to a physician ; but when a disease groweth upon us by degrees, we have death in our bowels ere we know it. We take care to mend a great breach, but a leak unespiecl drowneth the ship. We have need always to stand upon our watch. Many great mischiefs would not ensue, if we took notice of the beginnings of those distempers which afterwards settle upon us.
6. The omission of holy duties, and the want of a constant serious exercise, induces a secure careless temper of spirit. Solomon telleth us, Prov. xix. 15, ' Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and the idle soul shall suffer hunger.' Labour dispelleth the vapours, and scattereth them, but sloth' and idleness maketh way for sleep. It is true in the soul. The renewed part hath need of a great deal of spiritual exer- cise to keep it awake ; much prayer, much hearing, much fasting. The apostle saith, Piom. xii. 11, ' Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.' The way to be fervent in duties is to be fre- quent in them. Be much in action, and in the exercise of grace, that you may be kept fresh and lively. Wells are the sweeter for draining; so is the soul the more fresh and ready for every good work. In gifts, we see, if they be not traded with, they rust and decay, and fail ; so in
356 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEE. IV.
graces : ' To him that hath shall be given.' He that uses his gifts well shall find them increased. The right arm is bigger and stronger and fuller of spirits than the left, because more in use.
7. Grieving the Spirit causeth him to suspend his quickening in- fluence, and then the soul is in a dead and drowsy estate. Though the children of God dare not quench the Spirit, yet they may grieve the Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. The conscience of a renewed man, after it is wounded by gross sins, may be a dead and stupified conscience for a long time : witness David and Jonah.
8. Immoderate liberty in worldly things, as worldly cares and fleshly delights. Sobriety is necessary, or a sparing meddling with those worldly comforts that do mightily indispose us for the Christian war- fare, 1 Peter ii. 7 ; Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed your hearts be not over- charged with surfeiting and drunkenness.' Look, as the multitude of gross vapours cast us into a sleep, so do these delights and cares stupify the soul : Ps. cxix. 37, ' Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way/ You will need quickening if you give way to vanity.