There is no Christian, but he hath some special sin, to which he is more prone than to another, one way or other, either by course of life, or com- plexion. Here now is the care and watchfulness of a Christian spirit, that knowing by examination, and trial of his own heart, his weakness, he doth especially fence against that, which he is most inclined to ; and is able to speak most against that sin of all others, and to bring the strongest argu- ments to dishearten others from practice of it.
Ans. 6. In the last place it is a thing of no small consequence, that we keep company with waking and faithful Christians, such as neither sleep themselves or do willingly suffer any to sleep that are near them.
It is a report, and a ti-ue one, of the sweating sickness, that they that were kept awake by those that were with them, escaped ; but the sickness was deadly if they were suffered to sleep. It is one of the best fruits of the communion of saints, and of our spiritual good acquaintance, to keep one another awake. It is an unpleasing work on both sides. But we shall one day cry out against all them that have pleased themselves and us, in rocV- ing us asleep, and thank those that have pulled us ' with fear,' Jude 23, out of the fii-e, though against our wills.
Let us labour upon our own hearts in the conscionable* use of all these means, in their several times and seasons, that we may keep our hearts * That is, ' couscientious.' — G.
54 BOWELS OPENED. [SeKMON IV.
waking ; and the more earnest ought we to be, from consideration of the present age and season in which we live.
Certainly a drowsy temper is the most ordinary temper in the world. For would men suffer idle words, yea, filthy and rotten talk to come from their mouths if they were awake ? Would a waking man run into a pit ? or upon a sword's point ? A man that is asleep may do anything. What do men mean when they fear not to lie, dissemble, and rush upon the pikes of God's displeasure ? When they say one thing and do another, are they not dead ? or take them at the best, are they not asleep ? Were they awake, would they ever do thus ? Will not a fowl that hath wings, avoid the snare ? or will a beast run into a pit when it sees it ? There is a snare laid in your playhouses, gaming houses, common houses, that gentlemen frequent that generally profess religion, and take the communion. If the eye of their souls were awake, would they run into these snares, that their own conscience teUs them are so? If there be any goodness in their souls, it is wondrous sleepy. There is no man, even the best, but may complain something, that they are overtaken in the contagion of these infectious times. They catch drowsy tempers, as our Saviour saith, of those latter times. ' For the abundance of iniquity, the love of many shall wax cold,' Mat. xxiv. 12. A chiU temper grows ever from the coldness of the times that we live in, wherein the best may complain of coldness ; but there is a great difference. The Hfe of many, we see, is a continual sleep.
Let us especially watch over ourselves, in the use of liberty and such things as are in themselves lawful. It is a blessed state, when a Christian carries himself so in his liberty, that his heart condemns him not for the abuse of that which it alloweth, and justly in a moderate use. Kecreations are lawful ; who denies it ? To refresh a man's self, is not only lawful, but necessary. God knew it well enough, therefore hath allotted time for sleep, and the like. But we must not turn recreation into a caUing, to spend too much time in it.
Where there is least fear, there is most danger always. Now because in lawful things there is least fear, we are there in most danger. It is true for the most part, licitis perimus omnes, more men perish in the church of God by the abuse of lawful things, than by unlawful ; more by meat, than by poison. Because every man takes heed of poison, being* he knows the venom of it, but how many men surfeit, and die by meat ! So, many men die by lawful things. They eternally perish in the abuse of their liberties, more than in gross sins. Therefore let us keep awake, that we may carry ourselves so in our liberties, that we condemn not ourselves in the use of them. We will conclude this point with the meditation of the excellency of a waking Christian. When he is in his right temper, he is an excellent person, fit for all essays. f 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,' Eccles. iii. 4. He knows himself, his state, his enemies, and adversaries, the snares of prosperity and adversity, and of all conditions, &c. Therefore, he being awake, is not overcome of the evil of any condi- tion, and is ready for the good of any estate. He that hath a waking soul, he sees all the advantages of good, and all the snares that might draw him to ill, Mark xiii. 37. 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 everything without watchfulness. There is a scorpion under every stone,