barke sleeping lying downe loving to slumber yea they are greedy dogges which can never have enough and they are shepheards which cannot understand they all looke to their owne way every one for gaine from his quarter c. and of whom the Apostle All seeke their owne â—hil 2. 21. not the things which are Iesus Christs And againe many â—hil 3. 18. walke of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ â—rse 19. whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Through the sinne of Eli his sonnes men â—am â— 17. abhorred the sacrifice of the Lord So by reason of the â—ariage of such Pastors their ministry becommeth odious and loathsome and not a few even of the best sleepe thereat People both by doing and â—â— people â—â—gh â—mission leaving undone Doing namely by giving themselves over hereunto whereby they become stumbling-blocks unto others inviting them as it were to follow their course and as readily to embrace sleepe as themselves doe Leaving undone namely to Omission awake those whom they shall observe to be asleepe Hereby doe they wrong both themselves and them that sleepe as who by letting them alone communicate with them in their sinne and so shall bee punished for their sleeping they themselves in the meane time being awake CHAP. IIII. Reasons disswading from Church-sleeping they are of divers sorts and may be reduced into these eleven The 1. may be taken from God The 2. from The word of God The 3. from The Preacher The 4. from The Congregation The 5. from The place of meeting Arguments against Church-sleeping from The 6. from The end of comming The 7. from The time The 8. from Satan The 9. from Our selves The 10. from Sleepe The 11. from Sleepers at Church Sect. 1. God The Father Sonne God Holy Ghost 1. In respect of his absolute precept and command to attend and give eare unto his Word Heare instruction and be wise Prov. 8. 33. Eccles 5. 1. and refuse it not Keepe thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles Hee that hath eares Math. 11. 1 to heare let him heare let every Iam. 1. 19. man be swift to heare 2. In respect of the gracious promises which hee hath made unto them which are hearers indeed Blessed is the man that Pro. 8. 34. Pro. 15. 31 Ioh. 5. 24. heareth me The eare that heareth the reproofe of life abideth among the wise Hee that heareth my Word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life He that is Ioh. 8. 47 of God heareth Gods word 3. In respect of his presence about us and with us the knowledge which hee hath of us and notice which hee taketh though of us unperceived whether wee wake or sleepe The wayes of a man are before â—rov 5. 21. the eyes of the Lord saith the wise man and he pondereth all his paths Yea not his wayes alone those which are most conspicuous but the secret motions of the mind and the inward intentions of his heart they are all naked and â—eb 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened as the inwards of a beast that is cut up and quartered as the originall word signifieth unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe And is God present in the Church so fearfull and glorious a majestie of so sharpe sight and deepe understanding who dares sleepe at Church As hereby Salomon disswadeth â—ro 5. 20. 21 from lewd and licentious courses and hereby Elihu deterreth 〈◊〉 34. 21 22 men from wicked practises so by the same may wee be withdrawne from Church-sleeping 4. In respect that it is God which speaketh unto us in his Word So thought the Thessalonians When yee received the word of God which ye heard of 1. Thes 2. 13. us saith S. Paul yee received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeve Would a subject sleepe in the presence of his Prince advising him for his good threatening him for some evill committed by him offering him preferment for the performance of this or that noble enterprize and the like hee would not Care feare hope joy would keepe him awake And will any sleepe whilst God offereth promiseth rewardeth threateneth instructeth and the like When Samuel was instructed 1 Sam. 3. 9. â— by Eli that it was the Lord which spake to him sleepe did then depart from his eyes So should not we sleepe if we would but perswade our selves of Gods presence 5. In respect of his power not onely to blesse his Word Rom. 15. 4. that it may bee profitable unto us for comfort for doctrine for 2 Tim. 3. 16. reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse whereof out of his love towards us and willingnesse to doe us good hee is most desirous and without whose blessing though Paul plant and â— Cor. 3. 6. Apollos water it bringeth not increase but in justice to inflict grievous judgements on them which doe not or wil not heare judgements I say both corporall as on Eutichus and spirituall as on the contemners â—ct 20. 9. of wisdome Prov. 1. 24 25 c. And those obstinate ones of whom the Lord speaketh to his Prophet Make the heart of â—â—a 6. 10. this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Sect. 2. The Word of God The Word it s 1. In respect of its dignitie which is from the Author Dignity evidenced by it thereof the Nature thereof the Matter therein contained together with the Antiquity and perpetuity of the same may be cleerely evidenced The Author thereof God Author which is therefore tearmed Gods wayes the speach of Gods Psal 25. 5. 29. 9. 33. 6. Isa 2. 3. 26. 19. Luk. 11. 49 Heb. 4. 12 Luk. 1. 70 glory the breath of Gods mouth Gods paths the dew of the Lord the wisdome of God the sword of the Spirit As hee spake of old by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began So doth hee now speake by his Ministers whom as his Ambassadors hee hath raised up in their roomes The Nature thereof both as The nature thereof it is in it selfe and as it is unto us As it is in it selfe it is perfect As it is in it selfe Psal 19. 7. Psa 119. 160 eternall immortall most pure and precious A most true right certaine infallible simple faithfull absolute sincere unspotted
See Gatak â—pirit Watch â—ag 81. upon guilty remorse and humiliation 2. Recall and revolve in our minds such gracious instructions Meditation as the Word afforded us thus bringing into out remembrance what we heard formerly delivered as the Bereans who as they received the Word with all readinesse of mind searched the Scriptures daily whether those things which they heard were so Whereupon will arise such profit and pleasure as that wee shall endevour thereafter not to deprive our selves through unseasonable sleeping of the good which may bee gained by the Word This is the very life of hearing neither can wee without meditation bring the Word into practise 3. Impart unto others by repetition what the Lord in his Repetition Word hath communicated to us not doing the same at some one time but constantly as a duty whereunto we are tied upon our hearing the Word 4. Conferre of such things at home as have beene delivered Conference at Church and that especially by way of Catechising or by question and answer 5. Put in practise such gracious things as the Word hath Practise revealed unto us If thou didst profit by one Sermon as assuredly thou mightest if thou didst practise what thou art therin prescribed thou wouldst not sleepe at the next A certaine â—rompt sap â—efor pag. 456 Lady having asked her servants whether the Sermon was done to whom affirming that it was shee answered It was said not yet done implying that though the Minister had performed his part they had not yet done theirs that is though he had taught them yet they had not yet followed all his instructions CHAP. VII The Application of the foregoing discourse for Reprehension Vse of Reprehension unto Preachers Exhortation Sect. 1. Reprehension of Preachers People Preachers 1. Which doe any way occasion this evill Whether by taking no paines in their Ministerie by ayming more at applause unto themselves then at Gods glory therein by delivering erroneous and hereticall doctrine by wearying their auditors by leading their lives scandalously and the like 2. Which doe not what in them lyes to remove this evill Should they not at sometimes fall into a commendation of Gods word to bring their people into a liking thereof should they not at other times set forth the misery of such as are without it should they not now and then inveigh against those which doe negligently heare it or sleepe thereat should they not be as Boanerges even filled with zeale against those that thus despise it Must not their voyces bee lift up as a trumpet and upon occasions sound these words of the ship-master unto Jonah What meanest thou O sleeper Ionah 1. 6. and that of Salomon to the sluggard When wilt thou arise out Prov. 6. 9. of thy sleepe how long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard And those of the Spirit awake thou Eph. 5. 14. that sleepest People People 1. Which whilst the Word is taught laugh talke reade gaze up and downe in every corner and the like every of which through the just judgement of God doth for the most part end in sleeping when the senses are wearied with those then doe they retyre unto sleepe for their recreation 2. Which make a jest of it as if that which doth so much displease God so much wrong Gods word so much prejudice Gods people so much advantage Satans kingdome and hath beene so severely punished were indeed to bee laughed at Unto such I say Bee Iam. 4. 9. afflicted and mourne and weepe let your laughter bee turned to mourning and your joy to heavinesse 3. Which doe what in them lyes to continue in it yea doe so love to sleepe as that they will further their inclination hereunto through intemperancie worldly cares selfe-conceit prejudicate opinions and the like thus entertaining such things as may make them more drowsie 4. Which are angry with those that doe awake them They come to Church against their will They there stay against their will and if they there heare any thing it is against their will They love Ecclus. 22. 7. sleepe set themselves to sleepe and cannot abide to be awaked Their untoward faces froward words Let mee alone what have yee to doe with me meddle with your selves c. and uncivill behaviour toward those that doe awake them were worth the observation Wouldst thou when thou commest to Church sleepe all the while farre bee it from thee As the Disciples unto our Saviour Christ being asleepe Master Mar. 4. 38 carest thou not that wee perish So may it be said unto thee that affectest drowsinesse Carest thou not though thou perishest Dost thou already Mar. 4. 24. know too much or hast thou already heard too much wouldst thou heare more should be given unto thee 5. Which being guilty hereof doe notwithstanding use one Non fenestra nunc non fames non somnus interturbat ait Chrysostomus attamen non audimus non angustia loci non aliquid horum Lorin in Acta p. 591. or other excuse for their justification What canst thou pretend long preaching much crowding heat hard labour and the like Beware lest in pleading not guilty unto one sinne thou beest not guilty of lying and so punished for both 6. Which will not by any meanes bee reclaimed therefrom God calleth thee as hee did Samuel and wilt thou not 1 Sam. 3. 3. heare Hee would acquaint thee with his will and shall thine eyes bee alwayes heavy How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard Prov. 6. 9. 10. yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep Knowest thou not that many littles make a great and that but a nappe at a time comes in time to a good deale of time Of old they that slept slept in the night as they 1 Thes 5. 7. that were drunke were drunke in the night and wilt thou now sleepe in the day and that in Gods house Art thou an Image or wilt thou make thy selfe one having eyes seest thou not and having eares Mar. 8. 18. why wilt thou not heare wouldst thou die whilst thou sleepest at Church were that the way unto heaven Not any thing the divell more hinders then hearing the Word Mar. 9. 25. and shouldest thou be possessed with a deafe divell As it was Homer Vlysses his chiefest care for his owne preservation to deprive Polyphemus of his eye-sight so is it Satans to deprive thee both of seeing and hearing at Church for thy destruction As Christ came the second and Mat. 26. 43. third time and found his Disciples asleepe So when shall one observe thee but asleepe at Church Hee that being often Pro. 29 1 reproved hardeneth his necke shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedie saith Salomon And hast not thou beene often reproved for this fault and yet art never the better As both Moses and the Deut. 32 1. Prophets directed their speech unto
hindereth and letteth men even from the Performance of civill offices as the Souldier from fighting the Labourer from working the Carpenter and Mason from building and the like so cannot wee by reason of sinne performe any thing which is acceptable to God though the same bee in it selfe lawfull and warrantable till wee be raised there-from What hast thou â—al 50. 16 17. to doe saith God unto the wicked to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee To what purpose is the multitude Jsa 1. 11. of your sacrifices unto mee saith the Lord unto his people I am full of the burnt offering 15. of rams c. your hands are full of bloud As Cain Gen. 4. 5. could not offer up an acceptable sacrifice unto God being asleepe in sinne so whilest it goeth over our soules binding up the faculties of the same and bringing an heavinesse or rather deadnesse into all the powers thereof we are altogether unfit to goe about the actions of an holy life Hence commeth it to passe that the mind never thinketh seriously of God the conscience never or seldome accuseth for sinnes committed the will never or seldome willeth that which is truly good the affections seldome or never are moved at Gods word or workes yea so long as it beareth sway over us we can neither pray aright heare the Word aright nor rightly performe any other dutie 6. In sleepe wee doe often conceive our condition to bee better then indeed it is The poore man dreameth of riches the sicke of health the imprisoned of liberty the hunger-starved of dainty fare delighting themselves with a kind of content in the imaginary fruition of these things So doth a sinner blesse himselfe in his course I am saith Babylon and none else beside me I â—â— 47. 8. shall not sit as a widow neither shall I know the losse of children â—â—k 12. 19. Soule said the rich man in the Gospel to his owne soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares take â—â—k 18. 11. thine ease eat drinke and be merry God I thanke thee said the vaine-glorious selfe-conceited hypocriticall Pharisee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican In Particular In particular 1. For carelesnesse Sloath and negligence whether in Pastors or people His watchmen Isa 56. 10. are blind saith Esay they are all ignorant they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke sleeping lying downe loving to slumber Their baker sleepeth Hos 7. 6. all the night saith Hosea But while men slept saith our Saviour his enemy came and Mat. 13. 25. sowed tares among the wheate and went his way How long Prov. 6. 9. wilt thou sleepe O sluggard saith the Wise man when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe 2. For whoredome or uncleannesse Come said Lots eldest daughter unto her sister Let us make our father drinke Gen. 19. 32 wine and we will lye or sleepe with him that we may preserve seed of our father The effects of sinne The effects of sinne 1. On the Soule even in this life a spirituall lethargie or Eph. 4. 19. deadnesse of heart by the custome of sinne when as the heart is made past feeling and altogether senslesse through continuance therein Whereof Isaiah For the Lord hath poured Isa 29. 10. out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe and hath closed your eyes 2. Perpetuall and irrevocable destruction whereof the â—al 76. 5. â—sal 13. 3. Psalmist The stout-hearted are spoyled they have slept their sleepe And againe lighten mine eyes lest I sleepe the sleepe of death So the Lord by Ieremiah â—er 51. 39. In their heat I will make their feasts and I will make them drunken that they may rejoyce and sleepe a perpetuall sleepe and not wake saith the Lord. Ioyntly in respect both of â—he godly â—d ungodly â—yntly conâ—ered the godly and ungodly either death being by sleepe significantly expressed The godlies as David slept â— King 2. 10 with his fathers Our friend Ioh. 11. 11. Mat. 27. 52. Lazarus sleepeth and the graves were opened and many bodies of saints which slept arose The ungodlies as Ieroboam slept 1 King 14 20 1 King 15. 8 1 King 16. 6. with his fathers Abiam slept with his fathers Baasha slept with his fathers c. Quest But as David of Abner Quest died Abner as a foole 2 Sam. 3. 33. dieth Is there no difference betweene those and these the godly and the ungodly in death Ans In some respect there Sol. is no difference at all according to that of Solomon How dieth Eccles 2. 16. the wise man as the foole But in others very great according to that of the same Author The Prov. 14. 32 wicked is driven away in his wickednesse but the righteous hath hope in his death Their agreement consisteth in Wherein thâ— death of theâ— godly and â— wicked agreâ— these particulars 1. Our beds represent our graves the sheetes wherein wee lye our winding-sheets wherein wee shall bee wrapped The cloaths that lye on us the clods of earth that shall bee cast upon us when wee are laid in our graves yea as they that are asleepe are for the time voide of care and insensible either of joy or paine neither being affected with the miseries of others to mourne with them nor with their prosperity to rejoyce with them but having their eyes bound up from seeing their eares from hearing as their other senses from the execution of their severall functions are wholly ignorant of things done about them so is it with those that are dead To this purpose Job Why did the â—ob 3. 12 13. knees prevent me or why the breasts that I should sucke for now should I have lyen still and beene quiet I should have slept then had I beene at rest And Isaiah tells us that now â—a 63. 16. Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel doth not acknowledge us Hence it is that as a Iob 7. 2. servant earnestly desireth the shadow and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his worke so not a few doe daily gape for death that thereby they may bee freed from their troubles It is now enough O Lord said 1 King 19. 4 Elijah take away my life for I am no better then my fathers Take I beseech thee my life Jonah 4. 3. from me said Jonah for it is better for me to die then to live And in those dayes saith Rev. 9. 6. S. John namely when unto the locusts that came out of the bottomlesse pit power was given to torment those men which have not the seale of God on their foreheads shall men seeke death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flye from them Agreeable hereunto is that of Philo
and undeniable Word alwayes constant one and the same for ever wherein there is no errour no falshood no defect no imperfection As it is unto us It is wine to â—s it is unto â—â— comfort us bread to feed us drinke to quench our thirst fire to purge us an hammer to beate upon our hardned hearts a staffe to uphold us a treasure to inrich us a lant horne to direct us a guide to conduct us a weapon to defend us seed to beget us meate for men milke for babes Yea as the Sunne is to the world so is it to us the light of our lives and the life of our soules The Matter therein contained The matter therein contained such as may give content unto all the same so farre exceeding all other subjects as the Creator whose workes and will it principally setteth forth doth the creatures It revealeth unto us the blessed Trinitie It maketh knowne unto us Christ and him crucified It pointeth out unto us the vertue of his death and resurrection It setteth forth the excellencies of a better life which for the present are wholly hid from the ungodly and but in part revealed unto the godly Doth any loath it for its plainnesse It is milke for babes Eccles 11. 10. It is pleasant affording unto each Christian heart more sweetnesse then is in the honey and the honey combe It is upright as being voide of errour It is a word of truth pure wheat without chaffe pure gold without drosse It is a word of wisdome whereby alone we become wise It is as a goad whereby being pricked whilst wee sleepe in sinne wee doe thereupon awake It is as a naile whereby indeed wee are fastened and confirmed Is any delighted with history prophecies Rener Clavis Script parables lawes morall judiciall and Ceremoniall Geographie Cosmographie Astronomie Arithmeticke Logicke Rhetoricke Musicke and whatsoever else Yea who so longeth after newes from heaven aboue from the earth beneath from the waters which are under the earth Newes of wars peace plenty famine and the like Hereby may hee in each receive satisfaction The Antiquitie and perpotuitie The Antiquity and perpetuity thereof thereof As it yet continueth so hath it done even from the very beginning and even the Word written is more ancient of greater antiquity then all other writings now extant in the world 2. In respect of its necessitie which may appeare by considering Necessity from first the estate wherein we are 2. The estate wherein we should be 3. The estate of such as are altogether deprived thereof The estate wherein naturally The estate wherein we are wee are dead in trespasses and sinne wanderers from God preyes unto the divell poore and blind unregenerate polluted with sinne both in soule and body stony-hearted unfruitfull and barren guilty of death and damnation c. It is not then needfull a trumpet to awake us a guide to conduct us a buckler to shield us a treasure to enrich us eye-salve to anoint us seed to beget us a fountaine to wash us raine both to mollifie us and make us fruitfull The estate wherein we should The estate wherein we should be be Alive unto God the souldiers and servants of Christ temples of the holy Ghost fruitfull in good workes and the like and hereunto doe we attaine through Gods word The estate of such as are altogether The estate â—f such as are â—ithout it deprived therof wretched and miserable No judgement greater then famine no famine so grievous as this of the Word 3. In respect of its utilitie which may appeare 1. By the â—mos 8. 12. â—â—s utility apâ—â—aring by similitudes whereby it is expressed 2. By the effects which are thereby produced 3. By the duties which are thereto of us required 4. By the meanes which for the suppressing and hindering thereof have beene at all times by Satan and his instruments used The similitudes whereby it is â—â—â—ilitudes expressed are divers as Manna bread water light a rod of strength wine fire silver a precious stone a new garment a banner a sharp sword a glasse a staffe c. This being no lesse or rather much more profitable for the soule then those and the like for the body The effects which are thereby effects produced are such as concerne either this or the life to come This. It clenseth us It inlighteneth us It regenerateth us It changeth us It makes us fruitfull It maketh us wise to Salvation It gladdeth our hearts with spirituall joy It begetteth faith in us Wee are hereby informed of the duties which wee owe one towards another It tells the Magistrate how hee should rule who else might be either too severe or too milde As Machetes appealed Eras apophâ—â— lib. 4. from Philip asleepe for whilst his cause was pleading he was asleepe to Philip awake so sendeth it them from their ungodly government unto that which is lawfull It tels Iudges that with Festus they Act. 24. 26. must not looke for bribes It tels Subjects that with Sheba 2 Sam. 20. â— they must not be rebellious It tels husbands that they must Col. 3. 19. love their wives and not be bitter to them It tells wives that they must not be taunting Peninnaes painted Jezabels whorish Dalilaes scolding Zipporaes It informes Ministers to be instant in preaching the â— Tim. 4. 2. Word in season and out of season It tells Lawyers how and for whom they are to plead It directs the Merchant 1 Thes 4. 6. and tradesman how to buy and sell c. Now if it were not for the Word would any of those performe their duties nay by it as Socrates from his â—ic de fatâ— naturall constitution by the study of Philosophie they are bettered both in their judgement and practise Through it doe the covetous forsake their Mammon the drunkard his wine the adulterer his lust which till it thus worke are unto them no lesse precious then their lives Would Herod have heard Iohn Baptist and Eli his sonnes their Father either might have learned their duty and escaped the judgements Rev. 16. 15. which befell them By hearing this and watching Luk. 16. 29. Mat. 26. 41. hereat we are blessed hereby are saved from hell and hereby avoide temptations If hereat we be informed of the malice of Gods enemies shall we not hereupon profit the Church by calling upon God in the words of the Psalmist Awake Psal 44. 23. why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever And as when Ahasuerus could not Ester 6. 3. sleepe hee had his Chronicles brought unto him and thereupon came to know what Mordecay had done for him so if wee would awake at the reading and preaching of the Word we should heare what deliverance the Lord hath wrought for our poore soules The life to come The Word Joh. 12. 48. must judge us The Duties required of us The duties
to his eye-lids untill he found out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob And such must ours bee at the Word if wee would have any communion with God in that sacred ordinance Jacob being Labans shepheard Gen 31. 40. and making conscience of his duty his sleepe by night departed from his eyes and assuredly so would sleepe depart from ours especially by day if we made conscience of hearing the Word 7. Vse the creatures sparingly both sleepe for what is said of drinking water may be said of this the more it is taken Quo plùs sunt poâ—ae plùs sitiuâ—tur aquae the more it is desired and meate and drinke for when men have over-liberally eate and drunke they are wont to bee heavie and drowsie ready to slumber as they sit fit for nothing but for sleepe Such excesse as it is a meanes even to drowne the mind and by casting reason and understanding into a deepe and deadly sleepe to make men unable to watch against the motions of sinne to shut the doore of the heart against all vertues and to set it open to all vices so much more stupifieth it the body Contrarily Sobrietie is an especiall Thes 5. 6. helpe to vigilancie which therefore the Apostles Pet. 4. 7. are usually wont to joyne together 8. Consider whither wee are going before whom to what end and who wee are To Gods house into the presence of the God of heaven to bee made partakers of the Word for the good of our soules wee being as of our selves of all others the most unworthy 9. Pray as for the Preacher that his lips may preserve Mal. 2. 7. knowlede he may be faithfull in delivering the whole Counsell Act. 20. 27. of God unto us and hee may powerfully and wisely speake to our consciences and the Word read or preached Rom. 1. 16. that it may bee unto us the power of God unto our salvation 2 Cor. 2. 16. the savour of life unto life and as good seed sowne in a good ground so for our selves and others that our eares may be attentive our eyes fixed on the Preacher our mindes bee opened to understand and our hearts and affections sanctified to obey the holy Word Ob. Ob. I cannot possibly spare so much time from my Calling as to thinke on these things or be thus prepared Sol. A. 1. As our Saviour unto Martha Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled Luk. 10. 41 42. about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not bee taken away from her so may I unto thee The soule is to bee preferred unto the body and thou art more carefull of this then that 2. Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 3. Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse 1 Tim. 4. 8. and all these things shall bee added unto you 4. Even in the doing of the workes of our Calling wee may both meditate pray resolve c. and so that bee no let to this 5. Wee omit not our bodily recreation notwithstanding the workes of our calling and why should we this 6. Wee take time to sinne and why should wee not take time to prevent sinne Sect. 2. When wee come to When wee come to Church Church wee must In Generall In generall 1. Take heed unto our affections which the Preacher signifieth by these words Keepe Eccles 5. 1â— thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles 2. Get our eyes to bee anointed with eye-salve that we may see and our eares open that wee Rev. 3. 18. may heare Remembring that as God hath bestowed upon us eyes and eares so when wee are come into his house both must be set on worke As our eyes must bee seeing so must our eares bee hearing and obedient as we our selves swift to Iam. 1. 19. heare To this purpose is that so often reiterated phrase Hee that hath eares to heare let him Mat. 11. 15. heare Yea as it is usuall for one that is drowsie to wash and rub his eyes or that feeleth any impediments in his eares to picke them so when wee perceive drowsinesse to creepe on us at Church wee must then rouse up our selves 3. Bee possessed with Gods feare that wee may tremble at â—sa 66. 2. Sam. 4. 13. the Word As Eli whilst hee sate on a stoole by the way side watched because his heart trembled for the Arke of God So if when wee are at Church our hearts shall tremble in respect of our present danger through Satan wee shall be kept waking Nebuchadnezzar â—â—n 2. 1. being troubled his sleepe went from him so were wee troubled for sinne or did stand in awe of God because of the same it would not fall on us Griefe and sorrow occasion Luk. 22. 44. Vigilabis si tiâ—mebis Augustâ— Timor dominâ— janitor animiâ— Ber. formido facit solicitudinem Ter. Psal 4. 4. Pro. 16. 6. sleepe but feare and care make vigilant and watchfull This is as a Porter set at the doore of our soule and will also keepe our eyes waking There is no affection more watchfull then this Stand in awe and sinne not yea as by this men depart from evill so shall wee through it from this of sleeping at Church This being kept fresh in our hearts will make us carefull to shunne and fearefull to doe ought that may offend him whom we feare In feare of invasion men are wont to keepe due watch and ward but when there is no such danger misdoubted like the men of Lachish they are the more Iudg. 18. 7. carelesse and secure and thereupon are often upon the sudden oppressed At the hearing of the Word wee are at all times in danger of the assaults of Satan there is then neither time nor place to sleepe thereat The Crane which is by the rest Franc. Senens de Exâ—â—ub vigil appointed for Sentinell holdeth in its foot a small stone whereby it may be kept awake and Alexander the Great held in the night a silver ball over a brazen bason that if he should sleepe by the sound thereof he might be awaked such a stone such a ball will Gods feare prove unto us to keepe us from Church-sleeping 4. Bee perswaded that the Scriptures to bee read or the Sermon ready to be uttered may doe us more good then all those we have yet heard Yea that they may be the last which we shall ever heare as that very houre the last of our lives As Miltiades his triumph hindered â—â—tar Themistocles from sleeping So did we consider the benefit of the Word and duly weigh what good God may thereby convey into our soules as he hath done to