A Sleeping Sickness, Title page – Dedication
A SLEEPING SICKNES the diſtemper OF THE TIMES: As it was diſcovered in its Curſe and Cure.
In a Sermon Preached before the Right Honourable the Houſe of Peeres in the Abby-Church at Weſtminſter upon the 27th of January, the day appointed for their Solemne and publicke humiliation.
By WILLIAM JENKYN Miniſter of Gods Word at Chriſt-Church London.
Rom. 13.11.
And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of ſleepe: for now is our ſalvation nearer then when we beleeved.
1 Theſ. 5.6.
Therefore let us not ſleepe, as doe others: but let us watch and be ſober.
LONDON, Printed by W. Wilſon, for Chriſtopher Meredith at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard.
1647.
Die Mercurij 27. Januarij. 1646.
ORdered by the Lords in Parliament aſſembled, That Mr. Jenkyn, is hereby thanked for his great paines taken in his Sermon Preached before the Lords of Parliament this day in the Abby-Curch Weſtminſter, it being the day of the publike Faſt: And he is hereby deſired to Print and publiſh his ſaid Sermon. And that none doe preſume to Print the ſaid Sermon or any will thereof, without Authority under his owne hand.
Jo. Brown Cler. Parl.
I doe appoint Chriſtopher Meredith to Print my Sermon.
William Jenkyn.
TO THE RIGHT Honourable the Houſe of Peeres Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
MY LORDS,
HOw great a Remora the ſeeking our ſelves is to the ſetting up the Temple, your Lordſhips heard when laſt you commanded my ſervice in preaching before you; another enemy I here preſente to your Lordſhips no leſſe deſtructive to reformation then that, it is the ſpirit of ſlumber. The former was a ſinfull working, this latter a ſinfull reſting; If both theſe have as deeply ſeiz'd upon our work-men as they, are directly oppoſite to our worke; my excuſe is at hand for my endeavour in both Sermons more to quicken then to quiet you.
The matter of my Epiſtle to your Lordſhips, now I print, ſhall be the concluſion of my Sermon, when I preach't I ſhall preach that firſt to your eye which came laſt to your eare, and the rather, for that the concluſion of my Sermon, had ſo much of an Epiſtle to my hand as that it concerned onelyonly your Lorſhips.
My Lords, I beſeech you to ſhake off this ſpirit of ſlumber.
1. As it is hurtfull to your owne ſoules.
2. As it is hurtfull to the kingdome.
For the former, labour for the quickning power of the ſpirit of Chriſt to awaken you that ſleep,Eph. 5.14. and to wake you ſtand up from the dead; all riſing to the hi…heſ… pinacle of honour, without this is but falling. The ſecond death will not ſpare the nobleſt of you that have not a part in the firſt reſurrection Entomb not your noble ſpirits in the ſepulcher, of ſin and rottenneſſe. Peerage may come by the firſt, Grace onelyonly by the ſecond birth. Nobles are borne without ſpirituall life, and grace as well as the meaneſt, My Lords, I beſeech you remember, that hee that is but a meere man, or a meere Nobleman, is a miſerable man; and better you had never been either of them, then not to be more then either. The reaſon why you complaine not ſo much of your miſery by nature, and of your Chriſt-les condition as others doe is not becauſe you are leſſe miſerable or leſſe without Chriſt then others are, but becauſe you ſee it not ſo much as others do; nobility is no exception from thoſe general rules, without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God, Heb. 12.14.and except a man be borne againe he ſhall not enter into the kingdome of God. Ioh. 3.9.My Lords, the ſepulcher and the ſcripture know no difference twixt robes and rags, peers and peſants. If poore men bee holy for themſelves and you too, they ſhall goe to heaven for themſelves and you too: what thinke you of your ſelves, when you heare that men of low condition weep for and complaine of ſinne, ſtrive, and thirſt, and wreſtle for Chriſt, and you all this while remaine hard and ſecure, and regardleſſe of Chriſt and your own ſoules? oh that you would inſteed of beleiving that you are too good for theſe things,1. Cor. 1.26. feare leſt theſe things are too good for you; not many noble, is a dreadfull paſſage. And that none of the Princes of this world knew the wiſdome of God. 1. Cor. 2.8.The Lords ſpirituall (ſo call'd) grew too temporall, but the Lords temporall cannot bee too ſpirituall; temporall pragmaticallneſſe ruind them, ſpirituall practiſes muſt uphold you; the power of Godlineſſe is the onelyonly means to ſave your ſoules and the beſt to ſilence your foes.
Shake off this ſpirit of ſlumber as hurtfull to the kingdome, and that in two reſpects, of
1. Inſenſibleneſſe.
2. Ʋnactiveneſſe.
1. Bee ſenſible that the Church is wounded by the ſoule-ſtroying opinions of Antinomians, Arminians, Anabaptiſts, Seekers Anti-ſcripturiſts, Antitrinitairans. &c. All which with many more have been more propagated theſe foure yeares of Church A, narchie then in fourſcore of Church tyranny.
Bee ſenſible that the miniſteriall function is by ſome denyed, by others inuaded, by corner preachers, a company who divide their houre between blaſphemy and nonſenſe.
Bee ſenſible that the government which you have ſet up among us is ſo imperfect, and diſcountenanced (I tremble to ſay by whom) that it is rather a ſcorne then a curb to men diſaffected to holineſſe.
Bee ſenſible that our ſacred Covenant is commonly either refuſed, or abuſed; and lookt upon by many onelyonly as a Politique Stratagem to bee uſ'd while our miſeries laſted, The Lord who was the witneſſe of our taking it, will ſhortly bee our Judge for our breaking it. If wee will keep our covenant onelyonly in our affliction; wee muſt looke againe for affliction to make … keep our covenant.
Bee ſenſible of the wants and poverties of learned and faithfull Maniſters, let it never be ſaid that they who under Biſhops were overcome by batteries ſhould under the Parliament bee overcome by ſtarving.
Be ſenſible of the Cries of the Fatherleſſe, the Widowes, the oppreſſed, the delayed, the maimed, the wounded, whoſe ſervices have been your ſafties, and their bloods your Honours,2. Sam. 23.17. your Eſtates, your ornaments, your lives.
Be ſenſible of the taxes, and preſſing burthens of the poore waſted Kingdome; The poore Countryman complaining that he is a long time ſweating & ſmarting to gather that which a little breath ſhall beſtow by thouſands upon thoſe that are as farre from want as worke, and ſome ſay, as farre from worth at either.
Be ſenſible of this famous Cities love, care, coſt, blood; Let her not ſuffer by protections or any other needleſſe burthens, by her loſſe (or yours ſhall I ſay) of her faithfull Miniſters; Your Lord-ſhips noble reſentment of her religious and loyall Petitions, hath ſeveral times refreſhed her, goe on in anſwering them as you doe:
2. Caſt off the ſpirit of ſleep in reſpect of unactiveneſſe. Be active in reforming in the fore-mentioned particulars: ſleep not away your ſummer ſeaſons. The Lord grant too much of it be not ſpent already. Let not thoſe richly laden opportunities which have beene ſafely brought through a raging Sea by vigilancy, be caſt away in the haven by ſloath. Let it never be ſaid that all are active but thoſe that ſhould be ſo. The activeneſſe of particular men for themſelves is rather noted then liked; God hath beene active for you and us; he hath given us more then ever we lookt for: we him, leſſe then, nay contrary to what wee have covenanted. What would become of your Honours if God lay you aſide like broken veſſels, and ſay I take no delight in uſing ſuch for my ſervice, or ſhould Chriſt ſay to you concerning his cauſe, as once he did to his Diſciples concerning himſelfe.Ma. 26.45. Sleep on now and take your reſt, behold the houre is at hand, and my cauſe is betrayed into the hands of ſinners; The prevention of which as it ſhould bee your Lordſhips care, ſo it ſhall bee the prayer, My Lords, of
Your faithfull Servant and ſoule-remembrancer. WIL. IENKYN.