The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Sleeping in Ordinances, is a great and daring provocation.
IN publick Ordinances we muſt avoid all ſleep and ſlothfulneſs; this ſurely is a great and general diſtemper broken in upon us, much to be lamented, and now more fully to be diſcovered. This was the brand of the fooliſh Virgins, they were aſleep as the Bride-groom came, and ſo their happineſs Mat. 25. 5.was a dream. We dare not ſleep when a King ſpeaks to us, and yet we will adventure it when a God ſpeaks to us. It is very uncouth and inconſiſtent, that we ſhould be ſhutting our eyes, when we ſhould be opening our hearts; Joſh. 24. 27.that our bodies ſhould ſleep, when our ſouls ſhould awake, Jer. 7. 13.that the ſtreet door ſhould be ſhut, when the cloſet door ſhould be open, (viz.) in publick Ordinances, and in the Acts 1. 16.holy worſhip of the Almighty. Surely thoſe who commit this ſin, did never really examine it; they adventure upon 2 Pet. 1. 21.the practice of it, becauſe they never dived into the bottom of it: But let ſuch know, that ſleeping in Ordinances, is every way offenſive.
It is offenſive to the eye of God. When we are in Ordinances we are more eſpecially under the eye of God; though Pſal. 63. 2.he is excluded no where, yet his preſence is more peculiarly Mat. 18. 20.in the aſſemblies of his Saints. He more particularly walks Iſa. 4. 5.in the midſt of his Candleſticks. Now there are ſeverall attributes in God which beſpeak our greateſt attention and Rev. 1. 13.devotion in holy Ordinances.
Firſt, His excellent and incomprehenſible greatneſs. If we Chriſtus praeſens eſt medio ſuorum càm convenerint nomine ſuo, gratioſâ ſut praeſentiâ.had any dread or awe of an infinite Majeſty upon us, we ſhould throw away all ſleep and drowſineſs when we come before him in holy worſhip: Let us contemplate on the royalty of his Throne, of the brightneſs of his Majeſty, and this would awaken us to fear and aſtoniſhment. Shall a beſotted worm ſtupifie himſelf by ſleep, when he is under the full view and immediate eye of the Almighty? Surely not only his ſences but his reaſon is aſleep, and his whole man is Pſal. 11. 4.in a benummed Lethargy. Cannot infiniteneſs ſtartle us? And the dread of the Almighty pull us out of our dream? One ſparkling of his eye could confound us; if he ſhould command a ray of the Sun, it would fire us out of our ſloath and ſcorch us into nothing, or that which is worſe then nothing.
Secondly, His omniſciency. We ſleep, but God doth not Pſal 121. 4.ſlumber, he fully ſeeth our deſperate careleſneſs and wilfull drowſineſs in holy Ordinances. There is no dropping aſleep in a croud, or taking a nap in ſome obſcure place can Gen. 28. 17.evade the full view of Gods eye. He takes notice of the frame of our hearts, much more of the poſture of our bodies. 1 Chron. 28. 9When thou ſleepeſt in the time of worſhip there is no curtain before thee, nothing to abate the view of God, or darken his eye. God ſees all thy ſnoring indulgence, which is exceſſively Pſal. 139. 12.offenſive to him.
Thirdly, His holineſs. God is exceedingly diſpleaſed with our unbecoming behaviours in holy worſhip, his purity is much provoked by our ſinful Lethargy. Sleeping in Ordinances, it is a ſin, nay a dangerous ſin, nay, it is a crying ſin, Pſal. …. 5.and therefore highly provoking to divine holineſs. Our Saviour, Rev. 3. 1. ſpeaks of ſome who ſeemed to be alive, and yet were dead. And ſuch are ſleepy hearers, their Pew is their grave, their cloaths their winding-ſheet, and their preſent ſleep their temporary death. Indeed ſleeping in Ordinances is a ſin againſt nature it ſelf. The Sun will not ſtop in its courſe in attending on the world, but the fooliſh ſleeper ſtops in his attendance on the word; and yet the Sun receives no reward, but the Chriſtian looks for one, and though he hath ſnorted away a Sermon, he preſumes he hath diſcharged a duty, and ſo is in his road to life eternall.
Fourthly, His juſtice, which is eaſily awakened by his holineſs, a juſt God will not endure a drowſie hearer. The young man who ſlept at Pauls Sermon fell down from the Acts 20. 9.third loft, and was taken up dead: In mercy God preſents the Goſpel to our attention, and in juſtice he will puniſh our want of attention; God indeed took away a rib from Gen. 2. 21.Adam when he was aſleep, Gen. 2. 21. But he will not take Edormiente potiús quam vigilante formavit deus mulierem, quia deus ſe ei in ſomnis revelari voluit, ſicut ſe revelare ſolebat prophetis. Par.away a luſt from any of the Sons of Adam while they are aſleep in the Paradiſe of Ordinances. A Lamb will not ſleep in the paw of a Lion, in the reach of an enraged Panther; how much leſs ſhould fond and formall ſinners ſleep in the preſence, in the moſt peculiar preſence of him who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Rev. 5. 5. who can tear our ſouls like a Lion, Pſal. 7. 2. nay, tear us in pieces, and there is none to deliver, Pſal. 50. 22. and break us in pieces as a potters veſſel, Jer. 19. 11. to be made whole no more.Jer. 48. 38.
Sleeping in Ordinances is diſtaſtful to the view of Angels; Thoſe holy ſpirits frequent the aſſemblies of the Saints, 1 Cor. 11. 10. And they are witneſſes of our carriage and Nos Angelos habemus obedientiae, & inobedientiae no ſtrae. &c. Chryſ. Theo. Theoph. Anſ.deportment, of our obedience and diſobedience, as Theophylact, Anſelm, Chyſoſtom, and others aver; and how much diſguſt muſt it caſt on thoſe holy and moſt Seraphick beings, thoſe bleſſed Courtiers of heaven, whoſe concerns are ſo much wrapt up in the honour of God, to ſee a ſtupified formaliſt with his ſences chained up in unſeaſonable Angeli templum percurrunt, & ſingulorum habitus, geſta, & vota explorent. Nil.ſleep, when the Eye, Heart, Mind, and all ſhould be attentive to graſp after divine truth in the publick diſpenſations of it, and when the inward and the outward man like winde and tide both ſhould meet, to carry away and treaſure up the diſcoveries of Gods word and counſel to him? The Angels ſee our fooliſh glances, wanton looks, undecent poſtures, they have a ſtrict eye upon us in Ordinances; O then let us not damp theſe glorious ſpirits by our uncomely and unworthy drowſineſs.
This ſinfull ſleepineſs is diſquieting to the aſſembly of the Saints with whom we do aſſociate: Do we know what hearts are ſaddened, what ſpirits are grieved, what paſſions are raiſed by our ſleepy carriage, and our drowſie behaviour? Our Saviour charges us not to offend one ſingle Saint, much 1 Cor. 10. 32leſs an aſſembly of Gods people when we are met together in divine worſhip. When we ſee one ſleeping, and Mat. 18. 6.hear another talking, and obſerve another rowling his eyes from one object to another, is not this to turn the Temple Sed etiam Chriſti monitu, quantò magis neceſſaria tantò magis cavenda ſunt ſcandala ne à nobis vel concitentur, vel capiantur.into a Babell, and the order of the Church into confuſion, and to attempt to build Gods houſe a new with axes and hammers? A ſleepy hearer is a ſpot in our Feaſts, like a ſeared bough in a green tree, a diſturbance and grief to the aſſembly, like a broken ſtring in a lute which jars the Muſick.
This ſtupid drowſineſs is very prejudiciall to the work we are about, when we come to Ordinances we are employed in the work of heaven.
This is opus dei, Gods work, a holy and ſacred work. In Ordinances we deal with God, we pay our tribute to God, we have communion with God, we drive a great trade with 1. Ʋt in eâre quam agimus ſit tota animi intentio. 2. Ʋt ſit inexplicabilis cupiditas benè operandi. 3. Ʋt accedat aſſiduitas, & continuatio. Baſil.God, and ſhall we ſleep in Gods work? Baſil obſerves, there are three things requiſite for the carrying on Gods work.
Firſt, That the mind be wholly ſet upon it, and taken up in it.
Secondly, That there be a reſtleſs deſire of doing well.
Thirdly, That there be diligence and unweariedneſs in the work. Now then a ſacred work is no ſleepy work. Our enjoyment of God in Ordinances is a day of ſalvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. It is no night to ſleep in. It is againſt reaſon to 2 Cor. 6. 2.ſleep with the Sun ſhining in our faces. In Goſpel Ordinances the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhines in the face of the ſoul, it doth ſhed its warming and its winning beams upon us. The Goſpel is called bright, John 3. 19. which is to rouſe us, not to rock us aſleep. It was once a ſharp expoſtulation of our Saviour. What could ye not watch with me Mat. 26. 40.one hour? The ſame query may be put to every ſleepy hearer.
2. In Ordinances, the work we are employed in, is, opus animae, the ſouls work. Will the priſoner fall aſleep when he is begging his pardon? What are we doing in prayer, but ſuing out our pardons, and making up our peace with our offended God? The Heir will not fall aſleep, while he is Evangelium eſt ſubluſtre quidcam, et praeguſtus clarae lucis, ſive foreign (i. e.) gloriae divinae. Quae revelabitur in coelis. Chryſ.hearing the Will read, in which he is highly concerned; the diſcoveries of the Goſpel are the Fathers will concerning his Children, and when we meet in Ordinances, we are hearing this will, and is that a time of ſleep and drowſineſs? In Ordinances, the caſe of our ſouls is agitated, heaven and eternity are propoſed, life and death are ſet before us, the ſilver trumpet of the Goſpel ſounds, and is that a time of ſloth and oſcitancy? Ordinances are the way to life, the means of grace, not onelyonly the radicall moiſture to preſerve ſpiritual life, but the very firſt means to beget it, and ſhall we ſleep in Ordinances? When the wind blows right, ſhall the mariner betake himſelf to his bed, or to his tackle, to drown himſelf in ſloath, or to hoiſe ſail, and trace the floating Idem ſermo aliis eſt propi…iatio ad vitam, aliis condemnatio ad mortem, quae diverſitas, non verbo, ſed noſtrae incredulitati debetur, fic admonitiones, exhortationes, doctrinae caſtigationes quib… delinquentes ad recipiſcentiam vocantur, contemptores, et impaenitentes judicantur in die ultimo, Muſe.waves? Every opportunity of grace is a good wind for heaven; and ſhall we ſleep away that ſeaſonable and precious gale? How then ſhall we finiſh our voyage to eternity? We hear Proclamations with great attention: Every Sermon is Chriſts Proclamation, to proclaim pardon to all penitent ſinners, who will come in, and lay down the weapons of ſin and luſt, and ſubmit themſelves to the Scepter and Obedience of Jeſus Chriſt; and ſhall we ſleep in hearing this royal Proclamation? It is very obſervable, what awakening, and heart-penetrating expreſſions the Priſoner uſes at the bar, and there is nothing unobſerved by him, but with much greedineſs and attention he hearkens to the Evidence of the Witneſſes, to the Verdict of the Jury, to the Sentence of the Judge, and no wonder, it is for his life. Now the word we hear, it is that which ſhall judge us at the great day, John 12. 48. By it, our eternal eſtate ſhall be diſpoſed, either to life or death; that bleſſed word ſhall caſt or crown us; and ſhall we ſleep away this word? Shall it not then condemn us for mutes, and ſo to be preſſed to eternal death? Our life, our peace, our ſouls are all concerned in the entertainment of this word, and we ſleep and dream it away; ſurely greater frenzy cannot befall the Children of men.
Sleeping in Ordinances is a great affront to the richeſt priviledge we enjoy on this ſide heaven. The time of worſhip is the ſouls Term time, a few choyce minutes to gain glory in; and ſhall we ſleep away theſe golden filings of time, theſe ſweet Veniente Chriſto mors vigebat, et regr… bat, ſed Chriſtus ejus vigorem, et regn…m. ſuſtulit et deſtruxit. Alap.opportunities of the ſoul, when Chriſt is wooing us, to court us to a Crown? Did we ever underſtand the true value of Ordinances?
1. Ordinances, they are the purchaſes, and price of Chriſts blood; that we have a Goſpel to hear, divine truth to entertain, this is the Revenue of Chriſts death. The Apoſtle tells us, Chriſt brought life and immortality to light through the Goſpel, 2 Tim. 1. 10. Chriſt by dying brought this life, Chriſt by deſcending into the dark grave brought this immortality to light: And the Goſpel is the full declaration of theſe glorious atchievements. And Chriſt by his Heb. 10. 20.blood hath opened a new and living way for prayer, to the throne of grace, Heb. 10. 20. And ſhall a priviledge purchaſed with blood be ſlept away? We will not throw away Diamonds fetcht from far with care and hazzard, nor caſt away Rings left us as tokens of love by endeared friends; why ſhould we ſleep away opportunities, not purchaſed with treaſure, but tears, not with wealth but blood, nay, the beſt blood which ever ran in the veins of humane nature?
2. Ordinances are the Benjamins meſs which are given to few in the world; ſome corners onelyonly of the earth are guilded, and guided by this light: Hath God indulged us with theſe diſtinguiſhing opportunities, and muſt they paſs away from us in a dream? This very ingratitude is not ſo much a treſpaſs, as a prodigy. Shall Chriſt ſelect us out to feaſt with Cant. 2. 4. Eſth. 7. 1.him in his hanqueting houſe, as once the King ſelected Haman to feaſt with him with the Queen; and ſhall we ſleep at the table, when we ſhould feaſt upon Goſpel dainties, ſhall we drowſily throw away thoſe ſeaſons of love, nay, the beſt love, which few in the world are honoured with?
3. In Ordinances we have the offers of the ſweeteſt grace. Quia filius dei eſt vivus cum Patre, et ſp. ſancto deus, et quia ſecundum humanam naturam ad patrem abiit, et ad dextram patris eſt evectus, et omnem in coelo, et in terrâ poteſtatem accepit, indeut verus deus, & verus homo, preces credentium exaudit ac foreign orationem ex fide in Chriſtum proſectam non exaudiri. Ger.Prayer hath the key of the treaſury door, John 14. 14. where our comforts are banked up. In hearing we have the gracious offers of Chriſt, and in him of life and happineſs; and ſhall all theſe offers, theſe paramount tenders of love be ſlept away? Shall we ſhut our eyes, ſhut our hands, ſhut our ſouls againſt all theſe rich revenues freely proffered in Goſpel diſpenſations? Beaſts by natures inſtinct will not ſleep at the provender, nor at their manger.
4. Ordinances they are precious, but tranſcient priviledges. As we ſometimes paſs upon the water, and view a ſtately ſtructure, but we quickly loſe the ſight of it, our proſpect is upon the ſpeed; ſo yet a little while, and we ſhall pray no more, hear no more, enjoy communion with God no more, and ſhall we ſleep away theſe golden, yet gliding ſeaſons? Shall we drouſilie paſs away thoſe ſtreams of Goſpel love, which are alwayes running, and being paſſed return no more? Shall we be as rocks before the muſick of the word, when the inſtruments will ſoon be laid aſide? Shall we be as perſons in a ſwoun, before the calls of the word, when thoſe invitations will not laſt, but our refuſall proves our ruine? Luke 19. 41, 42.The ſleepy hearer might have heard that Sermon, which happily might have brought him home to the armes of Chriſt; but now happily the offers of peace and reconciliation may be hid from his eyes. Before his eyes were ſhut, he was aſleep, But now the day is ſhut in, and he may, as our Saviour ſpeaks, Mark 14. 41. ſleep on now, the day will ſhine no Mat. 22, 13.more, but he ſhall be involved in utter darkneſs. There are three things very much provoke the Lord:
1. When we do not bring faith to an Ordinance. Faith is Gen. 43. 5.the Benjamin, which we muſt bring with us, or never expect to ſee the face of God in Ordinances.Iſa. 29. 13.
2. When we bring not the heart to an Ordinance, but our thoughts are wandering, and eccentrical.
3. When we bring not our ſenſes to an Ordinance, but ſleep hath chained them up, and reſtrained them from their uſe and exerciſe; Surely God will be much inflamed, he cannot have the outward man at an Ordinance, a ſupple knee, a weeping eye, an attentive ear; now as unbelief ſeizeth upon the faculties of the ſoul, and pinnions them up, that they will not embrace the word, ſo ſleep ſurprizes the ſenſes, and fetters them, that they have no liberty to entertain the offers of the word; And it is an equal provocation, to ſhut the eye at, or turn the back upon the bleſſed Goſpel.
Sleeping in Ordinances is not onelyonly the impriſoning of the ſenſes, but the preſent ſuſpenſion of our graces. Sleep ſhackles body and ſoul too. The drowſie hearer doth not onelyonly ſtop his ear, but ſtifle his grace too. We are to bring divers graces to the Ordinances with us.S…cut olla quae fervet, non quieſcit, ſed ſemper bullit, in altum ſe erigit, at que ignitas bullas, et vapores ſurſum ejaculatur; ita charitas continuò ad majora ſemper proficit, et exilit, at que perſinceram inſtitutionem, orationem, deſideria et gemitas quaſi vapores ad deum aſcendit.
1. Faith. The word is to be mixed with faith, Heb. 4. 2. Prayer muſt be the prayer of faith, Jam. 5. 15. The Sacrament is only the pageant of an Ordinance, if faith be abſent.
2. We muſt come with knowledge. Theſe bleſſed inſtitutions, they are the way to ſalvation, but we muſt have an eye to ſee the way.
3. We muſt come with ſelf-denyal, we muſt deny ſinfull ſelf, and moral ſelf, to hear what God ſpeaks in an Ordinance, we muſt take down ſelf to entertain Jeſus Chriſt.
4. We muſt come with zeal. Every ſacrifice in the Law was offered up with fire; The Sun hath its heat, as well as its light. We muſt be fervent in ſpirit ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11. As the boyling pot is alwayes ſending up its bubles, and its fumes, as the learned man moſt elegantly. There muſt be an activity and livelineſs in all holy worſhip; we muſt be ſpiritual, and ſpirited, when we ſerve that God John 4. 24.who is a ſpirit. Now ſleep and drowſineſs puts out the fire of our graces, and ſuſpends their actings, ſo that there is neither Verbum dei, & mater, & nutrix fidei, & gratiarum.ſmoak, heat or glowing. Sleeping in Ordinances it is a multiplyed ſin, it robs God of his time, it keeps grace from the breaſt, it is the Pent-houſe that keeps the ſhowre from the heart, that Doctrine cannot diſtill as the dew, nor Mors brevis eſt ſomnus.ſpeech drop as the rain, Deut. 32. 2. It ſhuts the eye of the underſtanding, that for the preſent it cannot diſcern the glorious things of God.
Sleeping in Ordinances, it pours contempt on the holy name of God. We do not uſe to ſleep, if we are upon our own work, if it be but the hearing of a tale, or the giving of a viſit, or the getting of a penny; In our ſales, bargains, merchandizings we are wakefull and vigilant enough; then the eye is open, the mind is intent, and the tongue talkative, all the faculties of the ſoul are ſummoned to attendance; we will not ſleep in the Change, if it be onelyonly to hear a piece of news; in our fruitleſs diſcourſing, worldly bargaining, courtly viſiting, luxurious banqueting, though we ſit on the ſofteſt Couch, and talk of nothing but novelties and vanities, pride and faſhions, and our language is nothing Imperueſtigabiles divitiae Chriſti, ſunt copia gratiarum et bonorum quae Chriſtus nobis attulit. Alap.but a vain parentheſis, yet all this while no ſleep ſeizeth upon our employed ſenſes; but when we come to tranſact our ſoul affairs, when the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Eph. 3. 8. are telling out, thoſe Summs which will enrich the ſoul to eternity, when we have opportunities for ſpiritual gain, to advantage our inward man, to grow Incomprehenſibiles divitiae, ſunt Chriſti divitiae. Ambr.rich in the jewels of grace and holineſs; then Nature lets down her Port-cullis, as if it was a midnight vacation, and we fall aſleep, as if we were wholly unconcerned in thoſe ſpiritual tranſactions. What a dunghill of vanity is the corrupt Divitiae Chriſti ſpeciales ſunt remiſſio peccatorum, juſtificatio, regeneratio, reſurrectio, et vita aeterna. Zanch.nature of man? The Husbandman will not ſleep with the plow in his hand, nor the Pilot in the ſteerage of his ſhip; the Shop-keeper falls not aſleep in the vending of his wares, nay, the Gueſt will not ſleep in the eating of his Viands, but the careleſs Chriſtian will ſleep when Chriſt comes to give him a viſit in holy Ordinances, and he is in the divine preſence, hearing ſomething which concerns his eternity. But as the Apoſtle angrily expoſtulates with the Corinthians, Have ye not houſes to drink in? 1 Cor. 11. 22. So may I ſay, 1 Cor. 11. …2.have ye not houſes to ſleep in, and beds to reſt on? Muſt Gods Ordinances be undervalued and diſeſteemed by your ſhamefull ſloth and drowſineſs? And when the Miniſter is opening the tranſcripts of Gods heart in Goſpel diſpenſations, muſt all be buried in ſilence, and rejected by a droniſh and ſloathfull contempt? Ah! how prodigal is ſtupified man of his ſoul, which ſhall live as long as God himſelf?
Sleeping in Ordinances is a moſt dangerous and deſperate adventure: Whilſt thou ſleepeſt away a Sermon, happily that very truth was delivered which might have converted thy ſoul, thou knoweſt not when that plaiſter will be ſpread which ſhall cure the wound of ſin. The means of Grace are called a day of Salvation; and there is a particular hour in that day for thy Converſion, it may be thou ſleepeſt away Luke 19. 42.that very hour. Amber-greece is not caſt on the ſhore every day, though ſometimes that precious thing is caſt on the land. Mariners have a wind, which if they neglect, they may hazard, if not loſe their Voyage. Indeed converſion is a kind of wonder, as blazing ſtars, which are ſeen once in an age; and wilt thou ſleep in Ordinances, when happily this wonder is to be wrought? Wilt thou for the ſloth of an hour venture the pains of eternity? If Zacheus had not Luke 19. 5.climbed up into the Sicamore-tree, in that very ſeaſon, to ſee Res mira, legimus ſanè in Evangelio dominum fuiſſe invitatum, & ad eos acceſſiſſe, ſed quod ultrò ad convivium ſe ingeſſerit, nunquam legimus ſolummodò ad hunc principem Publicanorum. Ger.Chriſt, poſſibly ſalvation had never come to his houſe; If thou belongeſt to the election of Grace, thou haſt thy hour, thy Sermon, this opportunity for thy turning to God. The Man-child lies long in the womb, but it is brought forth in a moment: How ſhould we take heed that we do not ſleep away that moment, when our ſalvation ſhould be brought to the birth! Happily there is ſome way of wickedneſs thou walkeſt ſecurely in, ſome neceſſary duty thou liveſt in the neglect of, ſome ſore temptation thou groaneſt under and grappleſt with; Now if thou art aſleep, when theſe things are pathetically and powerfully ſpoken to, thou maiſt live and dye in the practiſe of that ſin, thou maiſt fall and ſink under the power of that temptation; and ſo eternity may be ſpent in bewailing one hours folly.
Now for the avoidance of this God-provoking ſin.
1. The moſt plauſible excuſe, which gives the faireſt colour to it, to varniſh it over, ſhall be examined.
2. Some ponderous conſiderations ſhall be laid down to be weighed in the ballance.
3. Some ſeaſonable Directions ſhall be ſuggeſted to be followed and purſued.
The great excuſe which ſeems to cloak and diſguiſe this ſin, is this; ſome guilty of this ſin uſually plead, It is true, we ſometimes forget our ſelves or an Ordinance, and fall aſleep, but this is our natural weakneſs, not our moral wickedneſs; our grief it is, but not our guilt; we combat with it, but we cannot conquer it; it is our infelicity, and our bemoaned miſery; our piece of clay is heavy and will be ſeeking reſt, and ſometimes in Ordinances, and we muſt caſt our ſelves upon our Saviours indulgent Interpretation, The ſpirit indeed is willing, but the fleſh is weak.Matth. 26. 41.
To this ſpecious pretence and uſual plea, it is anſwered; Poſſibly natural weakneſs may be the true cauſe of ſloth and Haec infirmitas carnis in renatis adhuc reliqua, perpetuò ob oculos nobis verſatur, ne fiduciâ propriarum virium inflati animo efferamur. Corpus eſt ergaſtulum animae. Plato.ſleepineſs in Ordinances, not ſo much the remiſsneſſe of our minds, as the indiſpoſition of our bodies: the pile of duſt our ſouls are cloyſtred in, drops into our eyes, and we are rockt aſleep. And it may likewiſe be remembred, that the ſenſes are attendants on the body, and Lacquies to the commands of it; and no wonder if the eyes be locked up when the body will be indulged, or the indiſpoſition of it demands a truce or ceſſation.
But yet there are many things which conſcience can only anſwer in this Caſe.
Is our drowſineſs in Ordinances cuſtomary, or caſual, accidental, or habitual? It is very true, the Saints themſelves are obnoxious to accidental falls and follies: the Sun is ſubject to ecclipſes, but very rarely; the beſt and moſt ſtately Ship may run a ground: and in this particular a Believer may fail; he may ſhut his eyes when he ſhould act his grace at an Ordinance. The Diſciples ſlept when Chriſt was praying at a little diſtance. The wiſe Virgins ſlept as well Luke 22. 46.as the fooliſh, Math. 25. 5. A real Saint may drop aſleep Matth. 25. 5.in a Pew, or in a Seat, as well as Jonah in the Ship, or Chriſt John 1. 5.in a Bark. A believers eyes may be arreſted with ſloth, Matth. 8. 24.when his ear ſhould be attending its office; But this is caſual.
Is this unſeaſonable drowſineſs, an inevitable preſſure, or is it cauſed by our own miſcarriage, by indulging our ſenſual appetite, by overmuch vigilancy in worldly affairs, or by the intemperate uſe of Creature-comforts? If ſo, never impute it to natural weakneſs. This is all one, as if by intemperance Qui ſpiritum habet promptam carnem mortificat, qui ſegnis eſt eandem ſaginat. Origen. Luke 21. 36.one ſhould contract the Palſie, and ſay, the Diſeaſe is the conſequence of his Conſtitution. As Grace is the Mother, ſo abſtinence is the Nurſe of watchfulneſſe; but if we drown our ſenſe in an undue over-plus, it is no wonder if we be in a dead ſleep at Ordinances. Let us impartially examine the cauſe of our drowſineſs.
Have we uſed all proper remedies againſt this ſinful and unſeaſonable drowſineſs? Have we prayed, wept, mourned and ſtruggled againſt it? Have we kneeled in the Cloſet, Non nobis blandiamur, ſed caro ſerviat ſpiritui, infirmior fortiori, ut ab eo etiam fortitudinem ipſa aſſumat. Tertul,cryed in the Chamber beforehand, that this deſtructive ſloth might not ſeize upon us? No wonder if Sampſon ſleep if he lie in a Dalilahs lap. It is a good ſaying of Tertullian, Let us not flatter our ſelves, ſaith he, but let the fleſh ſerve the ſpirit, the weaker ſerve the ſtronger, the more contemptible obey the more honourable, that the weaker may receive ſtrength from the ſtronger. The wound is not cured without a Plaiſter: Have we uſed methods of Grace for the cure of this ſleepy Lethargy? If not, our ſleep in Ordinances is our ſin, our provocation, and no way our infirmity, and let us not charge conſtitution, but conſcience. No wonder if the Diſeaſe grow upon us, if we neither uſe Phyſick, nor Phyſician.
Do they ſuppoſe, who practice this, they call the infirmity of the fleſh, that they could ſleep in the midſt of their ſecular affairs? and ſhall we be more vigilant for earth than Heaven? for a poor piece of clay, than for a piece of eternity? our immortal, our never dying ſouls? Shall the meaneſt parentheſis of our lives keep us waking, and not the great importances of our better part? This in the cloſe will be Heb. 2. 3.found to be our folly, and no way our excuſe.
Did we ever weigh the value and worth of an Ordinance? Is it not a golden opportunity, a freſh tide of mercy? and ſhall we loſe our tide for a little unſeaſonable ſloth? In Ordinances Chriſt treats with us about our everlaſting concernments; and is that a time for the folding of our hands to ſleep? Muſt we be conſulting our eaſe when we ſhould be Prov. 24. 33.proſecuting our ſalvation? It was Davids reſolution, He foreign ſunt homines electi, ſtudio & zelo divinae gloriae ſervidi, ardore ſalutis eorum flagrantes, metaphora eſthaec à bellatoribus. Par.would follow hard after God, Pſalm 63. 8. What a contradiction to this holy man is a ſleepy Hearer, one who buries himſelf alive at an Ordinance. The Scriptures aſſure us, we muſt ſtorm heaven and take it by force, Math. 11. 12. And we muſt enter in at the ſtraight gate by ſtriving, Matth. 13. 24. Nay, we muſt make our way to Heaven by fighting the good fight of Faitb, 1 Tim. 6. 12. And all theſe are actions moſt inconſiſtent with ſleep and ſlothfulneſs.Matth. 11. 12.
It is too probable a ſign we taſte little ſweetneſs in holy Matth. 13 24. 1 Tim. 2. 12.Ordinances, and that Goſpel-diſpenſations never ſhed their perfumes upon our ſoules, when we can wiſh them away with a nod or a dream. Rich Banquets will ſcarce meet with ſleepy gueſts. Sweet Muſiques will court and captivate Verbum Dei ſatiat, non ſaturat, creat amantes, non faſtidientes.our attention: And had we the taſte, either of a Job, Job 23. 12. Or of a David, Pſalm 19. 10. we ſhould keep both eye and heart open in divine Ordinances. Were Ordinances ſo pleaſant or parturient to us, as either to delight our ſouls, or awaken our conſciences, we ſhould not throw Siulte, quid eſt ſomnus, gelidae niſi mortis imago?them away at ſo cheap a rate, as the gratifying of the fleſh with a little ſtupifying ſleep. Surely the deſign of ſleep was to be the Nurſe of Nature, and not the enemy of Grace, to Somnus aliquando vo…atur conſanguineus leti.ſupport the body, and not to hazard the ſoul. Some learned men have called ſleep the kinſman of Death; O let it not be the Parent of our eternal Death; It is a fatal change, when ſleep is metamorphoſed into ſin.
And thus much for the waſhing away of the paint of that excuſe which pretends weakneſs and indiſpoſition of body; It is much to be feared the hand of Joab is in all this, that neglect and careleſneſs cloſe our eyes, when we ſleep away the precious Ordinances and opportunities of Grace.
But now ſucceed ſome ponderous conſiderations to be weighed in the ballance, and ſeriouſly to be digeſted, before we give our ſelves the ſinful latitude to ſleep in Ordinances. Indeed many there are who ſin away their ſouls, and how many are there who ſleep away their ſouls? Before they come to Ordinances they ſleep in ſin, and when they come to Ordinances they ſin in ſleep. Sleep truly in the bed is the nurſe of Nature, but ſleep in the Sanctuary is the nurſe of vanity, and breeds the ſoul up in Ignorance and Atheiſme. It is very ſtrange, that when our grace ſhould be full of activity, our ſences ſhould be chained with ſtupidity. When Jonah ſlept, the ſtorm came. Thou ſleepeſt at a bleſſed ſoulawakening 1 John 5. Pſalm 11. 6. 2 Chr. 26. 20.Ordinance, a ſtorm of wrath may ſpeedily fall upon thee, as the Leproſie on a ſudden roſe in Ʋzziahs forehead. But let us deliberatively weigh in our thoughts,
Wicken men do not ſleep when they are about Satans work, and while they are undoing their own ſouls. If Judas have a plot in hand, out of doors he will, though in the night to bring his curſed deſign to paſs, John 13. 30. Nay, the proud, wanton, envious eye in the Congregation, will not fall aſleep, but will pry into every corner, obſerve every faſhion, take notice of every beauty, Satans work ſhall not be done ſleepily; and ſhall the work of God, of Chriſt, of Heaven, of the Soul, be done with drowſineſſe and ſtupidity? Here Miniſters may make their appeal, Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, Iſa. 1. 2. It is ſtrange the work of a Tormentor ſhould be more faithfully done, than the work of a Pay-maſter; that the ſervice of Apollyon Iſa. 1. 2. Ʋtitur Iſaias proſopopei…, ut Oratio ſit gravior, et plenior indignationis. Cyril.ſhould be done with livelineſs and activity, and the work of a Saviour ſhould be done with droſſe and drowſineſs. It is much Ahab ſhould be ſo reſtleſs for a Vineyard, 1 Kings 21. 4. and we ſo drowſie for a Kingdome, nay, the Kingdome of Heaven, Luke 12. 32. How will Ruffins, Royſters, and roaring Companions ſpend whole dayes & nights, in quaffing, carowſing, and gaming? and we cannot ſpend one hour watchfully and actively for the pleaſures of Eternity.
There are ſome Ordinances we will not ſleep at, when we come to the Lords Table; it is no leſſe then prodigious to fall into a ſleep: why then in Prayer or hearing of the Nemo poteſt fide credere, niſi prius id quod credendum eſt, ſibi proponi, et predicari audiat. 2 Cor. 5 21.Word? It is the preaching of the Word is the converting Ordinance: Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10. 17. which faith eſpouſeth us to Chriſt, juſtifies our perſons, Rom. 5. 1. Seaſons our Duties, Heb. 11. 6. Purifies our hearts, Heb. 15. 9. Unlades our guilt, and layes it upon him who is mighty to bear. It is faith by which we put on Chriſt, Rom. 13. 14. and ſo being cloathed with the ſpotleſs robes of his righteouſneſs we may ſtand with confidence before Gods tribunal. Preaching is the Mother, the Sacrament only is the Nurſe of Grace; preaching the Word of Chriſt fits us for feeding upon the body of Chriſt. Paul gives preaching the preheminence, 1 Cor. 1. 17. And ſo prayer it carries the conqueſt of omnipotency it ſelf, Iſa. 45. 11. Yet we are often Praecipuum Epiſcoporum munus eſt Evangelium praedicare. Alap.guilty of drowſie prayers, and ſleepy hearing, when we tremble to think of ſleeping with a Sacramental Cup in our hand. Alapide obſerveth, The predominant duty of Biſhops is to preach the word. And yet this Ordinance principally muſt be a witneſs of our ſhame.
This ſleeping in Ordinances is a ſin, which Satan mightily promotes; he knows of what fatal conſequence it is for the ſoul to hear attentively, to heed diligently the word of 1 Pet. 5. 8. Satanas ſuas infernales volucres (quae ſunt malae ſuggeſtiones, hoſtium veritatis ſophiſmata, prava hominum prophanorum colloquia, illuſorum dicteria, numquid omnia, quae dicuntur credis. quid vult tibi iſte ſermologus?) immittit quae ſermonem auditum ex cordibus hominum ita eximant, ut ne memoria quidem ejus maneat, ne dum ut per illam ad fidem, et pietatem et illius exercitia, et fructus excitemur. Lyſer.life, and reconciliation; this will batter his Kingdome, and pluck Proſelytes out of the paw of this roaring Lion: And therefore when we come to a Sermon, he either attempts to diſturb and diſtract us, and to throw in his curſed injections to procure a hurry in the ſoul; he will then either ſuggeſt unto us vain impertinencies, which may be as Sodoms pleaſures to Lots wife, to cauſe us to look back, or ſo many golden balls to ſtop us in our journey towards the Heavenly Canaan; or elſe, this evil one will aſſail to rock us aſleep, and ſo ſit heavy upon our eye lids; he will bring doune and pillow for us to lean upon. This is the ſtratagem of Satan, if he cannot ſteal us from the Word, to keep us back from Ordinances, he will ſteal the Word from us, to make Ordinances uſeleſs and unprofitable, Mat. 13. 19. The ſouls term time, is Satans tempting time: When we are moſt buſie about our ſouls, he is moſt active againſt them; he will make any muſick to rock us aſleep, when we are diſcourſing with Jeſus Chriſt. The Syren ſings ſweeteſt, when we are upon the waters ſailing to our Port; and Satan never ſweetens his temptations more, then when we are ſailing heaven-wards; and therefore when we ſleep in Ordinances, let us remember, the Charmer hath ſwayed with us more then the Preacher.
A ſleepy eye in holy Ordinances is a ſad ſign of a ſleepy conſcience; if the eye be drowſie without, it is much to be feared the heart is dead within. It is very obſervable, A fat Eph. 5. 14.heart, a deaf ear, and a cloſed eye, are all coupled together, Iſa. 6. 10. Grace is an awakening principle; the power of grace will fix the eye in heavenly contemplation, will bend the knee in humble ſupplication, will lift up the hand in holy devotion, will wind up the tongue in ſavoury communication, Col. 4. 6.and will bow the ear in holy and carefull attention. A gracious heart will even Quick-ſilver the body in Joſh. 9 21.holy duties, and make the fleſh ſerve the ſpirit, and the Didiciſſe fidelitèr artes, emollit mores, nec ſinit eſſe feros.ſenſes be as Gibeonites to the ſoul. As the Arts ſoften us to ingenuity, and will not ſuffer us to be brutiſh, ſo a conſcience awakened by a work of grace, will keep the eye awake in Ordinances, ſeriouſly conſidering,
1. That every Ordinance concerns the ſoul.
2. That every Ordinance may be the laſt.
3. That every Ordinance is the purchaſe of Chriſt.
4. That every Ordinance is a good wind for Heaven.
In a word, The work of grace may very well be ſuſpected, where the means of grace are ſo much ſlighted, as to be paſſed away in a ſleep, and a dream.
Let us conſider there will be no ſleeping in hell. Here we ſleep when we might awake; there we ſhall awake, when Si magnificum quid vides, cogito regnum dei; ſi terribil…, cogita gehennam. Chryſt.we cannot ſleep; we ſhall take no naps upon our bed of flames: Scorching wrath, ſcreetching cries, gnawing conſcience will keep the reprobate waking; Here we ſleep unſeaſonably, and let us take heed leaſt we awake eternally, and carefully beware leaſt for want of watching one hour, we loſe our reſt for ever.
There is no ſleeping in heaven, Rev. 4. 8. Now Ordinances they are the glimpſes of heaven; And it ſhould be our endeavour to ſerve God here; as the Saints and Angels do in glory; there is no wearineſs, no drowſineſs, no deadneſs, there hallelujahs are pleaſant and perpetual. When we come to the Sanctuary, we are about heavenly employment, and let us ſtudy a heavenly deportment; and let us ask our ſouls the queſtion, Would an Angel (was he capable of it) fall aſleep when he converſes with God?
And further to diſcourage us from the practice of this cuſtomary and crimſon abomination, let us obſerve a few quickning and awakening preſcriptions.
Let us be inſtant with God beforehand for a ſuitable frame of ſpirit. Was the heart tuned by preparatory prayer, Preces preparatoriae, ſunt adminiſtratoriae.the ſtrings would not ſo ſoon crack in ſleep and drowſineſs; a warm heart would cauſe a wakefull eye. Neglect of preparation expoſes us to wanton glances, wandring thoughts, and a ſleepy eye in holy adminiſtrations. Gardens if not digged and dreſſed, bring forth weeds, not flowers.
Let us converſe with God in Ordinances, as either employed in our Bibles, or our Note Books; we ſhall hardly ſleep with a Book or a Pen in our hands. If our eye was employed in Scripture ſearch, it would not ſuffer the eye lids, thoſe curtains to be drawn for ſleep and ſluggiſhneſs. But oftentimes the ſhutting of the Book brings the ſhutting of the eye; and if we ſtand idle in the market of Ordinances, who will Mat. 20. 3. 6.hire us but Satan?
Let us fix a ſteady eye of faith upon God and the glorious Angels, when we come to Ordinances. We will not ſleep in the foreign, ſic exemplaria graeca foreign; ſic Arias Mont. foreign ▪ Sic. Vet. Lotin.preſence-chamber, eſpecially if the Prince and Nobles be there. The bleſſed Ordinances are Chriſts Preſence-Chamber, his Court, his Garden, his Banqueting-Houſe, and ſhall we ſleep in the preſence of the King of Saints, Nay, the King of Nations? as the Prophet calls him, Jer. 10. 7. Nay, the King of Ages, as the vulgar Latine terms him; this is not onelyonly incivility, but impiety.
Let us take heed of pampering Nature. An over-free uſe of the Creatures on Gods holy day will lay us open to ſinful drowſineſs, when we make Kitchins of our bellies, the ſmoak will ſoon fly in our eyes, and encline us to wretched and careleſs ſleepineſs. When Lot was overcharged with Wine, he ſoon ſleeps himſelf into inceſt and wantonneſs.Gen. 19. 34.
Let us come to Ordinances expecting great things from God. They are vigilant who are in a waiting poſture. Beggars Pſal. 123. 7.are not dormant, if they are ſo in the Barn, they are Pſal. 4. 7.not ſo at the door. Let us come to Ordinances, as to a Golden Mine; the Miners do not ſleep with the iron inſtruments in their hands. Let us approach to the Sanctuary looking for grace, loves, ſmiles, the kiſſes of Chriſts lips, the light of Gods countenance, and this will keep us wakefull. Cold deſires, and mean expectations make us careleſs and oſcitant in Ordinances. We ſleep not telling Pearls, or picking Diamonds: there are better riches to be found in Pſal. 63. ….Communion with God.