First, you shall find one great general cause is Inconsideration: this is the fault of young men, 1that have a thousand vanities in their heads, and never think of matching with Christ, and of their spiritual estate: And not of them only, but of others too, who as they are held off by pleasures, so others by business, as appears in those invited to the marriage: one went about his merchandise, another to his Oxen, and never considered, they never took to heart this their inviting to the marriage: consider that in Deut. 32. 27. When 2Moses had made an exhortation, that they should not receive the strange Gods of the people, but come into covenant and be married to him (for that is the scope of the Chapter) threatening withal, that when they should provoke him to jealousy, he would provoke them; saith he, Oh that you were wise to consider your latter end, as if he should say; this is the cause that you come not in, and keep not close to the Lord, Oh that you were wise to consider; for it is a mans wisdom to consider this, for a wise man stands as one upon the top of an high hill or a rock, and so he looks round about him, and sees all events before they come, whereas a fool is taken unawares by death, he is arrested, and judgement comes upon him on the sudden ⟨p. 54⟩as a snare: therefore I say, thou must consider. And yet this is the usual case of men, they go on in a secure sleep in sinning whilst death and judgement breaks in upon them, which by consideration might be prevented. Therefore if you ask me what you must consider, I say, consider if this be not thy case, as it is of many men, many owe more then they are worth, more then they know how to pay: now if they would but consider their case, and but cast up their accounts, it may be they might seek out for a match to discharge all, but they neglect it, and are secure, & an arrest comes on them and they are cast into prison, and now it is too late. Therefore I say to every man of you, consider thy debts, thy sins, yea, consider those sins thou thinkest are past so many years since, that lie still, and thou hearest no more of them, I say, consider them, and bring them to mind, and consider what a sleeping sin is. You may see it in the case of Joab, when he had committed those foul murders of Abner and Amasa, the Lord let it sleep for a time, and Joab was secure;
First, you shall find one great generall cause is Inconfideration: this is the fault of young men, 1that have a thousand vanities in their heads, and never thinke of matching with Christ, and of their spirituall estate: And not of them onely, but of others too, who as they are held off by pleasures, so others by businesse, as appeares in those invited to the marriage: one went about his merchandize, another to his Oxen, and never considered, they never tooke to heart this their inviting to the marriage: consider that in Deut. 32. 27. When 2Moses had made an exhortation, that they should not receive the strange Gods of the people, but come into covenant and be marryed to him (for that is the scope of the Chapter) threatning withall, that when they should provoke him to jealousy, he would provoke them; saith he, Oh that you were wise to consider your latter end, as if he should say; this is the cause that you come not in, and keep not close to the Lord, Oh that you were wise to consider; for it is a mans wisedome to consider this, for a wise man stands as one upon the top of an high hill or a rocke, and so he lookes round about him, and sees all events before they come, whereas a foole is taken unawares by death, he is arrested, and judgement comes upon him on the sudden ⟨p. 54⟩as a snare: therefore I say, thou must consider. And yet this is the usuall case of men, they go on in a secure sleepe in sinning whilst death and judgement breaks in upon them, which by consideration might be prevented. Therfore if you aske me what you must consider, I say, consider if this bee not thy case, as it is of many men, many owe more then they are worth, more then they know how to pay: now if they would but consider their case, and but cast up their accounts, it may be they might seeke out for a match to discharge all, but they neglect it, and are secure, & an arrest comes on them and they are cast into prison, and now it is too late. Therfore I say to every man of you, consider thy debts, thy sinnes, yea, consider those sinnes thou thinkest are past so many yeares since, that ly still, and thou hearest no more of them, I say, consider them, and bring them to mind, and consider what a sleping sinne is. You may see it in the case of Ioab, when hee had committed those foule murthers of Abner and Amasa, the Lord let it sleepe for a time, and Ioab was secure;
- 1I Hinderance inconsideration.
- 2Deut. 32. 27
