and Open unto me, my sister, my love, my 1dove, my undefiled, we would quickly fall into our old Lethargy of carnal security. In respect of which drowsiness of nature, by reason of the relics of sin remaining in us, we are unfit to keep the spiritual watch, unless we continually rouse up ourselves, and shake off this sloth of carnal security. And therefore as it is said of the Nightingale, that being to delight her self with her night songs, and fearing lest falling asleep, she should endanger her self to birds of prey, doth set her breast against a thorn, to keep her waking; so we, being to sing the songs of Zion, and to spend our time continually in holy duties, must use all good means to keep us waking, because we are every hand-while apt through our sluggishness, to take a nap, and thereby to endanger our souls to those ravenous and hellish fowls, who take their chief delight in the works of darkness, and are ready to seize upon us, if they find us sleeping. Thirdly, this watch is necessary, in regard of the wickedness and deceitfulness 2of our own hearts, which are ready continually to withdraw themselves from God, to start aside like a deceitful bow, when we aim at any good 3duty, and so make us to miss the mark; and to break from us when we set our selves to perform any religious exercises, distracting and pulling our minds from them, that they may wander about in worldly cogitations. And therefore seeing it is such a slippery Eel, we must take the surer hold of it, seeing it is such a false and flitting servant, which hath often deceived us, accompanying us into the Church, and even unto our Pews, and then secretly slipping from us, that they may spend the time allotted to Gods service, in ranging abroad about worldly vanities; there is no way but to set it before us in Gods presence, and to keep it continually under the straight watch of a vigilant eye, that it may not slip away at unawares, as it hath done often in former times. And this the Lord requireth as necessary in this case; Take heed to your selves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn 4aside; that is, lest you heart deceive your heart, your corrupt and deceitful heart, prevailing against your heart which is sanctified and regenerate;
and Open vnto me, my sister, my loue, my 1doue, my vndefiled, we would quickly fall into our old Lethargy of carnall security. In respect of which drowzinesse of nature, by reason of the reliques of sinne remaining in vs, we are vnfit to keepe the spirituall watch, vnlesse we continually rowze vp ourselues, and shake off this sloth of carnall security. And therefore as it is said of the Nightingale, that being to delight her selfe with her night songs, and fearing lest falling asleepe, shee should indanger her selfe to birds of prey, doth set her brest against a thorne, to keepe her waking; so we, being to sing the songs of Sion, and to spend our time continually in holy duties, must vse all good meanes to keepe vs waking, because wee are euery hand-while apt through our sluggishnesse, to take a nap, and thereby to indanger our soules to those rauenous and hellish fowles, who take their chiefe delight in the workes of darkenesse, and are ready to seaze vpon vs, if they find vs sleeping. Thirdly, this watch is necessary, in regard of the wickednesse and deceitfulnesse 2of our owne hearts, which are ready continually to withdraw themselues from God, to start aside like a deceitfull bow, when wee aime at any good 3duty, and so make vs to misse the marke; and to breake from vs when wee set our selues to performe any religious exercises, distracting and pulling our minds from them, that they may wander about in worldly cogitations. And therefore seeing it is such a slippery Eele, we must take the surer hold of it, seeing it is such a false and flitting seruant, which hath often deceiued vs, accompanying vs into the Church, and euen vnto our Pewes, and then secretly slipping frō vs, that they may spend the time allotted to Gods seruice, in ranging abroad about worldly vanities; there is no way but to set it before vs in Gods presence, and to keepe it continually vnder the straight watch of a vigilant eye, that it may not slip away at vnawares, as it hath done often in former times. And this the Lord requireth as necessary in this case; Take heed to your selues, that your heart be not deceiued, and ye turne 4aside; that is, lest you heart deceiue your heart, your corrupt and deceitfull heart, preuailing against your heart which is sanctified and regenerate;
- 1Eph. 5. 14. Cant. 5. 2.
- 2Jer. 17. 10.Ier. 17. 10.
- 3Psal. 78. 57.
- 4Deut. 11. 16.
