The church, as she consists of a double principle, flesh and spirit mingled together in all parts, as darkness and light in the twilight and dawning of the day ; so here she expresseth her condition in regard of either part. So far as she was carnal, she slept; so far as she was spiritual, she was awake.
In this mixed condition the flesh for the present prevailed, yet so as the spirit had its working; ' she slept, but her heart waked.'
The words contain a confession, 'I sleep;' and a correction, 'but my heart waketh.' She hath a double aspect, one to the ill, 'her sleeping;' the other to the good, ' the heart in some degree awaked.' The Spirit of God is a discerning Spirit, it discovereth what is flesh and what is spirit.
So that we must not conceive this sleep to be that dead sleep all men are in by nature, nor to be that judicial sleep, that spirit of slumber, which is a further degi-ee of that natm-al sleep to which God giveth up some, as a seal of their desperate condition ; but here is meant that sleep that ariseth out of the remainder of corruption unsubdued, and now, is here in the chm*ch, prevailing over the better part. Flesh and spirit have both their inter- course in us, as Moses and Amalek had. Unless we stand upon our guard, the flesh will get the upper ground, as we see here. The best are no further safe than they are watchful.
For the clear understanding of this, observe some correspondency in the resemblance ; wherein too much curiosity is loathsome,! and postill-like (d); and calleth the mind too much from the kernel to the shell.
Bodily and spiritual sleep resemble each other in the causes, in the effects, and in the dangerous issue.
1. The sleep of the body cometh from the ohstruction and binding up of the senses by vapours which arise out of the stomach. So there be spiritual fumes of worldly cares and desires that obstruct the senses of the soul. Therefore our blessed Saviour counts it a spiritual sm-feiting, when the soul is oppressed with care about the world, Luke xxi. 84. Lusts bring the soul a-bed. Prosperity is a strong vapoar. If it overcome not the brain, yet it weakeneth it, as strong waters do. See it in Solomon himself.
2. The disciples fell asleep in the garden when they were oppressed with heaviness and sorroiv, Luke xxii. 45, which passions will have the like effect upon the soul.
3. Sleep ariseth oft from weariness and icant of spirits. So there is a spiritual weariness arising from discouragements and too much expense | of the strength of the soul upon other matters; upon impertinencies that con- cern not the best state of the soul.
4. Some are brought asleep by music. So many, by flattering enticements and insinuations of others, joining with their own flattering, deceitful heart, are cast into a spuitual sleep.
5. Sleep ariseth from ivant of exercise. Wlien there is a cessation from spiritual exercise, about the proper object of it, there followeth a spiritual sleep. Exercise keeps waking.
* That is, ' fancy.'— G. f That is, ' offensive.'— G. ± That is, ' expenditure."— G.
Cant. V. 1.] • i sleep.' 41
6. Sleep ariseth oft from cold diseases, as lethargies', from cold, gross humoui-s. Culd, earthly, gi'oss aflfections about the things here below, benumb the soul, and bring it into a heavy, di'owsy, sleepy temper.
7. Sometimes sleep is caused by some kind of poison, especially the poison of asps, which kills in sleeping. And do not sinful delights do the like to the soul? Insensible evils are the most dangerous evils.
8. OtherwhUe slothful, yawning comjiany dispose to sleep. There is no more ordinary cause of spiritual sleep, than conversing with spiritual slug- gards, that count it a high point of wisdom not to be forward in religion. These formal, proud persons, as they are cold themselves, so they labour to cast water upon the heat of others. Nay, those that are otherwise good, if declining in their first love, will incline others to a fellowship in the same secure temper, lest they should be upbraided by the vigilancy of others. They are like in the effects.
1. Men disposed to be asleep desire to he alone. Those likewise that are disposed to take a spiritual nap, will avoid company, especially of such as would awake them. They will hardly endure rousing means.
2. Men will draw the curtains and shut out light, when they mean to com- pose themselves to rest. So when men favom' themselves in some ways not allowable, they are afraid to be disquieted by the light. Light both discovereth, awaketh, and stirs up to working. And men when they are loth to do what they know, are loth to know what they should do. * They that sleep, sleep in the night,' 1 Thess. v. 7. Asa, otherwise a good king, shut up the prophet in prison for doing his duty, 2 Chron. xvi. 10. Much of the anger that men bear against the word laid open to them, is because it will not suffer them to sleep quietly in their sins. Such as will suffer them to live quietly in their sins, — they are quiet and honest men. There cannot be a worse sign than when men will not endure wholesome words. It is a sign they ai-e in an ill league with that they should above all wage war against.