Hence see the reason why men are worse in Virgin-Churches, than in1 polluted places, and why it is so generally; Because here are more temptations to make them all slumber and sleep; here their beds are made soft, here the storms are past, here they are under the shadow, and out of the sun, and security opens the door for an enemy: No wonder if the City be taken though never so strong, if it grow once secure: no wonder if the world be entered, and men are grown more worldly; and if Satan be entered, and men grow more passionate than ever before; no wonder a mans work be neglected, if he be asleep, Ordinances more slighted than ever before: Never shall you see Security fall upon a man alone, but it brings its train with it; when the Husbandmen sleep, tares will be sown, and when the Disciples sleep, temptations will enter; This is that which the Lord testifies of his people, Jer. 2. 2, 3, 4. I remember what thou didst in times of straits, in a land not sown; every one that touched you did offend; but in the seventh and eighth verses, when brought to a plentiful Country, they did not so much as say, Where is the Lord that hath done this for us! But yet the Lord questions his people for this, What iniquity have you found in me? which question you cannot answer without grief here, or confusion another, day. You that are the Lords, often have heard this complaint (for this may be your condition as well as Noah's and Lot's) but now see the cause of it, how hard to awake on hour? how hard to walk with God one day? short awakenings you have, but long sleeps (this may be your condition for a time) but you cannot continue so for ever if you are the Lords. But if you do continue so, especially without bemoaning this unto the Lord, 'tis a question whether ever there was that oil in your ⟨p. 8⟩vessel, which others have, when not only a mans acts grow worse, but the very spirit of a man degenerates; when not only the leaves of the Vine fall, but the Vine it self groweth degenerate, and hence continueth so; this is a sore evidence of a woeful state, Jer. 2. 20, 21. When the yoke was upon thy nick, thou saidst, Thou wo•l•st not transgress; but the Lord hath broken thy •ands; and now thou art become a strange Vine: Remember, it will be an heavy indictment against thee, to be good in Mesheck, but base in Zion; to be then worst when the Lord is best.
HEnce see the reason why men are worse in Virgin-Churches, than in1 polluted places, and why it is so generally; Because here are more temptations to make them all slumber and sleep; here their beds are made soft, here the storms are past, here they are under the shadow, and out of the sun, and security opens the door for an enemy: No wonder if the City be taken though never so strong, if it grow once secure: no wonder if the world be entred, and men are grown more worldly; and if Satan be entred, and men grow more passionate than ever before; no wonder a mans work be neglected, if he be asleep, Ordinances more slighted than ever before: Never shall you see Security fall upon a man alone, but it brings its train with it; when the Husbandmen sleep, tares will be sown, and when the Disciples sleep, temptations will enter; This is that which the Lord testifies of his people, Ier. 2. 2, 3, 4. I remember what thou didst in times of streights, in a land not sown; every one that touched you did offend; but in the seventh and eighth verses, when brought to a plentiful Country, they did not so much as say, Where is the Lord that hath done this for us! But yet the Lord questions his people for this, What iniquity have you found in me? which question you cannot answer without grief here, or confusion another, day. You that are the Lords, often have heard this complaint (for this may be your condition as well as Noah's and Lot's) but now see the cause of it, how hard to awake on hour? how hard to walk with God one day? short awakenings you have, but long sleeps (this may be your condition for a time) but you cannot continue so for ever if you are the Lords. But if you do continue so, especially without bemoaning this unto the Lord, 'tis a question whether ever there was that oyl in your ⟨p. 8⟩vessel, which others have, when not only a mans acts grow worse, but the very spirit of a man degenerates; when not only the leaves of the Vine fall, but the Vine it self groweth degenerate, and hence continueth so; this is a sore evidence of a woful state, Ier. 2. 20, 21. When the yoke was upon thy nick, thou saidst, Thou wo•l•st not transgress; but the Lord hath broken thy •ands; and now thou art becom a strange Vine: Remember, it will be an heavy indictment against thee, to be good in Mesheck, but base in Sion; to be then worst when the Lord is best.
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