[5.] Slumber is another cause of sleeping : Mat. xxv. 5, ' They all slumbered and slept ; ' first they slumbered, then they slept. No man becometh stark naught at the first step. Give way to a remiss will, and it increaseth on you ; one degree of carelessness breedeth another j
344 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XVII.
suppose one act of careless praying, or slight hearing, which draweth on other acts.
[6.] Not keeping graces in a lively and constant exercise: Prov. xix, 15, ' Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep.' The way to he fervent in duties is to he frequent in them. Wells are the sweeter for draining ; exercise keepeth us in life and heart.
[7.] Grieving the Spirit causeth him to suspend his quickening influ- ences, and then the soul is soon in a dead and drowsy estate : Eph. iv. 30,
* Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.' Conscience is more stupid, and the heart more stiff after some notable disobedience to the Spirit's motions. David and Jonah are instances of this.
[8.] Immoderate liberty in worldly things, either in worldly cares or the delights of the flesh : Luke xxi. 31, ' Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunk- enness, and cares of this life.' So Ps. cxix. 37, ' Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way.'
2. Wherein the evil of this consists ? There is some defect in the vital graces. Faith is d'ead : James ii. 20, ' Wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead ? ' Love is cold : Mat. xxiv. 12, ' Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.' And hope is slight, whereas it should be a lively hope : 1 Peter i. 3,
* Who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.' Faith is dead when there is a form of knowledge rather than a lively assent to the truths of godliness, and only a dead opinionative belief Love is cold when it doth not over- rule carnal self-love, and hath not that force and constraint upon the soul that it should have : 2 Cor. v. 14, 'For the love of Christ con- straineth us.' And there is not a certain and earnest expectation of the blessedness to come when the heavenly mind doth not fortify us against the allurements of sense. Now the defect in the vitals show- etli itself —
[1.] By some intermission of our care and caution to keep ourselves from sin, so that we are either overtaken or overborne. Overtaken through inadvertency : Gal. vi. 1, ' Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,' &c. ; or overborne by the violence of temptations and lusts : James i. 14, * Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed ; ' and grace maketh but a feel)le opposition. Usually God's children are overtaken by sins that come upon them by insensible degrees, and do not waken them by sudden and frightening assaults, and so they lapse insensibly into pride, covetousness, sensuality, vainglory, and the like sins. But sometimes also they are overborne, and drawn to dishonour God, and wound their peace, and lay stumbling- blocks before others.
[2.] In some abatement of our zeal, fervency, and seriousness in the duties of religion. Grace is ready to die : Rev. iii. 2, ' Be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die;' Isa. Ixiv. 7, * There is none that calleth on thy name, that stirreth up him- self to lay hold on thee.'
[3.] In neglecting our preparations for our great account, which is the great enlivening work that should keep us awake in our business :
YeK. 14.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 345-
2 Peter iii. 14, 'Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.' And watching is most required and pressed in the scrip- tures with respect to the day of judgment. Now many times God's children are distracted with worldly cares or benumbed with fleshly delights, and live securely in an unprepared estate, and do not endea- vour to get ready for the coming of the Lord, And so the sleeping of the virgins is to be interpreted; they had faith, or a belief of the Lord's coming, and made some general preparation for it : Mat. xxv. 1, * They went out to meet the bridegroom ; ' but ver. 5, ' While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept ; ' his coming was delayed, and they grew careless.
3. How far as to the degree may it seize on God's children ?
[1.] There is no intercision of the habit, or radical inclination of the soul to God. Still God is their portion and their happiness ; their choice of him as their supreme good remaineth unshaken, and their hearts are set to obey him and please him in all things. But still they are not so dutiful to God, and so true to their great end and scope, but that they are put besides it, and do actions impertinent, and some- times that seem inconsistent with it.