who being asked what Anton. Max. ser de somno Aelian lib. 2 sleepe was answered The image of death and rest of the senses and that of Gorgias who being very aged and feeling deadly sleepe or death to creepe on him unto a friend who asked him how hee did answered Sleepe now beginneth â—ras lib. 6. â—ap 8. to commend me unto his brother and that of Epaminondas who having slaine one of the watch whom hee found sleeping thus justified his fact Such a one as I found him saith he I have left him To â—uslat ad â—om Ibid. â—ertull de aâ—ma Chrys â—â— pop an t â—mil 5. â—rist lib. 19. â—nimal this purpose is it that of some sleepe and death are said to bee brethren or cousin-Germans Sleepe Deaths looking-glasse death a sleepe longer then usuall yea sleepe a kind of middle thing betweene death and life 2. Sleepe as it is common to all men and cannot bee driven away or avoided of any how sparing soever or well-spenders of time so it is â—eb 9. 27. â—om 5. 12. appointed unto him once to die Death passeth upon all men and â—al 89. 48. what man is he that shall not see death 3. Sleepe though usually it commeth by degrees as after labour meat wearinesse watching and the like yet doth it often steale on men at unawares So death though usually and by course of nature it 1 King 13. 24. followeth sicknesse as the forerunner thereof yet seazeth it often on men both good and bad on the very sudden So did it on the man of God that came Act. 5. 5. 10 unto Bethel so on Ananias and Luk. 12. 19 20. Sapphira Then said God unto the rich man Thou foole this night shall thy soule be required of thee when he had said unto his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merry 4. Sleepe is proper to the body not the soule for even Corde vigilamus etiam cùm corpore dormimus Aug. de verb. dom Ser. 22. Isa 26. 19. then are we to be awake in soule when wee sleepe in body so dieth man in respect of his body not his soule Though the body rests and dwells in the dust of the earth yet doth not the soule so rest The dust that is the body returneth to the earth as it was and the Eccles 12. 7. spirit returneth unto God who gave it yea if the soule doe Anima quieti nunquam succedit Tertul. de anima not now sleepe whilst it is in the prison of the body much lesse shall it being freed therefrom As the soules of the godly are carried into heaven so Luk. 16. 22. are the soules of the ungodly into hell eithers bodyes in the meane time remaining in their graves As Cosimo the Florentine Hist Florent lib. 7. to some Rebels that sent him word they slept not answered that hee beleeved the same because their sleepe was taken from them So may it be affirmed of mens soules that as here they cannot sleepe so hereafter they cannot die 5. Sleepe though it bee of longer continuance with some then with others yet lasteth it not alwayes with any even the sluggard being at the length awaked or awaking therefrom so death must at the last restore her dead how long soever they have beene under the power and in the possession thereof For the trumpet shall 1 Cor. 15. 5 sound saith the Apostle and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Agreeable hereunto is that of S Iohn And the sea gave Rev. 20. 13. up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them The difference between them Wherin thâ— differ in these 1. Though such as are asleepe may or shall awake yet doth not their awaking prove alike comfortable for Pharaohs Butler was restored and his Baker hanged according to Iosephs interpretation of their dreames So both the ungodly and the godly die yet doth not eithers death prove advantagious The houre is comming Ioh. 5. 28. in the which all that are in the graves shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of damnation Saith our Saviour himselfe All the ten virgins which slumbered as well the wise as the foolish arose but â—at 25. 7. â—â— 12. the wise onely went in with the Bridegroome unto the mariage the others being excluded Depart from me ye cursed shall â—at 25. 34. â—â— it be said unto the wicked on the day of judgement but unto the godly Come yee blessed of my Father Unto these death is not as death as having the Cor. 15. 56. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys â—â— Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—rist sting thereof removed which is sinne but as a sweet sleep unto those it is otherwise even of fearfull things the most fearfull Those lose but these gaine thereby a palace for a prison rest for labour liberty for bondage God for men the company of Angels for the company of sinners and finally heaven for earth 2. As sleepe proveth unto many fatall wherein they die and from which they never rise so unto the ungodly the death of the body is a forerunner of that second death the death both of body and soule under which they shall lye world without end But it is not so unto Gods children Thereby is put an end unto all their miseries for they rest from Rev. 14. 13 their labours neither doe they hunger any more or thirst any more and all teares are wiped from their eyes Thereby are they freed from all sorts of Rom. 6. 7. sinnes for hee that is dead is freed from sinne thereby from the beeing of sinne from the infection of sinne from the guilt of sinne from temptations unto sinne from the authority dominion and rule of sinne from the imputation of sinne from the reward or dangerous effect and consequents of sinne and that wholly fully perpetually Thereby from all sorts of crosses Thereby from all sorts of feares Thereby from all sorts of cares In a word thereby freed from all sorts of evill past present and to come They lye downe in 〈◊〉 57. 1â— sure and certaine hope of resurrection to eternall life Their â— Cor. 15. 42 â— 44. bodyes are sowne in corruption but raised in incorruption sowne in dishonour but raised in glory sowne in weaknesse but raised in power sowne naturall bodyes as many goe heavily to bed but raised spirituall bodyes when through the glorious beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse shining on them they shall fully recollect both their spirits and strength in all which respects that of Salomon may bee applyed unto them that Their day of death is better then the day wherein they were borne 3. As every
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
acceptiâ—ns of sleepe figuratively taken in respect of the godly in respect of the godly and the ungodly severally as in respect of both joyntly considered Severally In respect of the godly 1. For abundant prosperity tranquillitie peace of conscience quietnesse and rest of minde voide of carking care and free from such distractions as during the state of Nature disquiet the whole man I laid Psal 3. 5. me downe and slept said David And againe He giveth his beloved Psal 1 27. 2â— sleepe Agreeable hereunto is that of Ezekiel They Ezech. 34. 2â— shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleepe in the woods 2. For a spirituall slumber and drowsinesse in the mind and heart touching heavenly things occasioned through abundance of peace and pleasures wherewith a Christian may bee at sometimes so overtaken as that though bodily awake with David hee falleth into the 2 Sam. 11. 4â— sleepe of sinne Such was the Spouses slumber I sleepe saith â—ant 5. 2. she but my heart waketh Such also the slumber even of the five wise virgins When the â—at 25. 5. Soule either through carelesnesse or by reason of some temptation ceased from good then doth it thus sleepe Hereof what one is there which may not justly complaine How often doth man seeme unto himselfe wise just humble rich in grace how often goeth hee on in his vanitie glorying in the multitude of his spirituall riches and saying in the pride of his heart I shall Rev. 3. 17. not be moved for ever I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing but when hee shall awake hee will be ashamed of such fancies and dreames In respect of the ungodly The ungodly for sin considered in generall and that as well for sinne as the effects of sinne Sinne considered both in generall and in particular In Generall As in that of the Apostle Now it is high Rom. 13. 11. time to awake out of sleepe And againe Awake thou that Eph. 5. 14 1 Thes 5 6. sleepest And againe let us not sleepe as doe others Neither is it without especiall cause that sinne is thus expressed there Resemblances betweene sleepe and sinne being indeed betweene sinne and sleepe no small resemblance as may thus appeare 1. Sleepe is naturall to the body so is sinne to the Soule Naturally every imagination Gen. 6. 5. of the thoughts of our hearts is onely evill continually Wee leave the paths of uprightnesse Prov. 2. 13. 14. Isa 5. 18. to walke in the wayes of darknesse wee rejoyce to doe evill and delight in the frowardnesse of the wicked wee draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sinne as it were with a cart-rope 2. Sleepe steales upon man as it were by degrees so in like manner doth sinne Suggestion produceth delight Delight consent Consent act Act the habite thereof 3. Man being overtaken with sleepe feares no danger bee it never so neere never so great as the examples of Ishbosheth 2. Sam. 4. 6. and Ionah witnesse so sinne driveth into security We have Ionah 1. 5. made a covenant with death said some in the daies of Esay Isa 28. 15. and with hell are wee at an agreement when the over-flowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come unto us Agreeable here unto is that of the Lord by Amos All the sinners Amos 9. 10 of my people shall die by the sword which say the evill shall not overtake nor prevent us of whom Zephaniah They â—eph 1. 12. â—uk 17. 27 28. say in their heart The Lord will not doe good neither will he doe evill Of this sort were the old world and Sodomites 4. A man given to sleepe doth for the most part retyre himselfe from the company society and fellowship of others to some one corner or other that so neither himselfe may be perceived nor his rest disturbed Such a one also neither Lycost Thee vitae human affecteth light nor noise as Sibertus who banished dogs and trades-men from the place of his residence lest thereby his sleepe should be broke agreeable unto the Poets description of sleepe in these words Neere the Cimmerians lurkes Est propè◠Cimmerios longo Speâ—ca recessu â—mons cavuâ— c. Ovid Met. 11. Translateâ— by Masteâ— G. Sandys a cave in steepe And hollow hills the mansion of dull sleepe Not seene by Phoebus when he mounts the skies At height nor stouping glooming mists arise From humide earth which still a twilight make No crested fowles shrill crowing here awake The cheerefull morne no barking sentinell Here guards nor geese who wakefull dogs excell Beasts tame nor savage no wind-shaken boughs Nor strife of jarring tongues with noises rouse Secured ease c. So sinners if not past shame â—zech 8. 10. doe especially in secret commit their villanies Cain getteth his â—en 4. 8. brother out into the fields and then slayeth him Achan hideth â—sh 7. 21 his stollen goods Gehezi without the knowledge of his Master as hee conceived taketh money and raiment of Naaman and they that are drunke saith the Apostle are â—ing 5. 24. drunke in the night And lest they should not thus sleepe â—hes 5. 7. long enough and safe enough they stop the light of the Word put out the light of their owne consciences and forbid even those whose office it is to awake them out of sleepe to awake them till they please As for the word which thou â—4 16. hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken Amos 7. 12 13. to thee said the people unto Ieremiah O thou Seer said Amaziah unto Amos goe flee thee away into the land of Iudah and there eat bread and prophecie there but prophecie not againe any more in Bethel for it is the kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court Yea as a man being asleepe doth for the most part take it ill when he is awaked so a sinner when hee is called upon to forsake his sinnes yet a little sleepe saith Prov. 6. 10. he a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe The time is not come the time that Hag. 1 2. the Lords house should be built said the people unto Haggai Hast thou found me O mine 1 King 21. 20. enemy said Ahab unto Elijah If Iohn the Baptist say unto Herod It is not lawfull for thee Math. 14 3â— to have thy brother Philips wife hee will lay hold on him and put him in prison If Paul reason of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come Felix will tremble and answer Goe thy way for this Act. 24. 25. time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee If Micaiah detect the forgery and falshood of Zedekiah Zedekiah will smite him on the 1 King 22. 24. cheeke saying Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speake unto thee 5. Sleepe during its continuance
vaine thoughts Ier. 4. 14. Isa 3. 16. disdainfull and proud lookes wanton eyes walking with stretched-forth necks and such other unseemly gestures and of every idle word that men â—at 12. 36. shall speake they shall give an account on the day of judgement how much more then taketh he notice of this sinne How much more shall wee be called to an account for the same 2. Even small sinnes â—utta cavat â—pidem non â— sed saepè dendo continued in and unrepented of becomming at the length sinnes of custome are most dangerous A drop of water by falling on the hardest stone maketh it at the length hollow and the smallest sinne continued in doth at the length no lesse wound the conscience then the greatest yea those which at the length prove hainous crimes were but as we may so speake pettie offences Did not Mariners daily pumpe out the water that by little and little unperceived entereth the ship it would be thereby no lesse endangered then by some sudden great leake so did not Gods children daily mortifie their smallest corruptions they could not but at one time or other make shipwracke of Faith and of a good conscience 3. It is even in it selfe a great sinne and in like manner the cause of others as hath beene already shewed 4. Gods children make conscience even of their smallest sinnes If David doe but 1 Sam. 24. 5â— cut off the lappe of Sauls garment his heart smites him for it As Moses would have the Exod. 10. 26. cattell to goe with them and not an hoofe to bee left behind for Pharaoh that thereof they might take to serve the Lord their God in the wildernesse so must not we employ any one member on the service of Satan but our whole man in Rom. 12. 1. every part and facultie thereof on the service of God at all times 5. Even for small sinnes as wee may so speake hath Gen. 20. 2. 6. 18. God inflicted fearefull judgements as on the familie of Abimelech who had taken but not touched Sarai Abrahams wife On the men of Bethshemesh for looking into the Sam. 6. 19. Sam. 6. 7. Arke and on Vzza for putting his hand thereon when the oxen shaked it 6. As the least sinne displeaseth God and for the least wee are to call upon God for mercy as David for the sinnes of his youth so even â—sal 1. 25. 7. the least occasioned the death of Christ II. It is an ordinary usuall thing and so the lesse to be regarded A A. Therefore it is the more dangerous the more to be avoided Gods judgements being chiefly inflicted because 1 Pet. 3. 20 of Nationall sinnes Was not disobedience the common sinne of the old world yet was not it left unpunished God spared 2 Pet. 2. 5. not the old world saith S. Peter but saved Noah the eight person a Preacher of righteousnesse bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly were Ezek. 16. 49. not pride fulnesse of bread abundance of idlenesse and unmercifulnesse to the poore the common sinnes of Sodome yet 2 Pet. 2. 6. â—urned he it into ashes and condemned it with an overthrow Agreeable hereunto is that of â—he Prophet touching Israel The Lord hath a controversie Hos 4. 1. â—ith the inhabitants of the and because there is no truth â—or mercy nor knowledge of â—od in the land By swearing Verse 2. and lying and killing and stealing and committing of adultery they breake out and blood coucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne and every one Verse 3. that dwelleth therein shall languish The Benjamites one Iudg. 20. 14. and all tooke part with those wicked men in Gibeah and did they not notwithstanding smart for it Though then Church-sleeping bee common it followeth not that therefore it is warrantable The rifer any evill is in the places or ages we live in the more carefull should wee be to shun and avoide the same See then saith the Apostle that yee walke Eph. 5. 15 16 circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evill Are the times then wee live in or the places wee abide in more then ordinarily evill in this kind That giveth us no liberty but should make so much the more wary lest wee be taken napping Noah was a just Gen. 6. 9. man in his generation even in that generation wherein the whole world was over-grown with wickednesse so should wee watch at Church though others be thereat taken with the sleeping evill To sleepe at Church is not hurtfull or prejudiciall unto others III. A. But what good is A there hereby done unto any Malum est non fecisse bonum Chrysde virt vit To doe no good is in effect the same with to doe evill yea thus doing thou dost both hurt thy selfe and others Thy selfe as being hereby deprived of the sincere milke of the Word Others as being unto them through thy evill example a stone of offence IIII. To sleepe at Church is not so bad as then and there to have thoughts of covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31 eyes of adultery revenge disdaine and the like by being awake A 1 A. 1. The question is not which of the two are the lesser evill this or that 2. If thou didst seriously consider in whose presence thou art even in his who is a God cloathed with majestie and honour a Heb. 12. 29. consuming fire and an everlasting burning who cannot away with sinne the least sinne in any and to what end thou didst come into Gods house thou wouldst neither sinne so nor so 3. Thy thoughts and lookes being such it appeares that thou makest but small conscience of thy wayes 4. If thou wouldst pray with the Psalmist Incline mine heart Psal 119. 36. unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousnesse And Turne away Verse 37. mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy way thou shouldst have no such cause to object V V. It is not done of set purpose A A. Of set purpose leave it undone Let it be thy stedfast resolution whilst thou art at Church not to give sleepe to thine eyes norslumber to rhine eye lids VI. Sleepe there is but napping asmall time a shutting of the eyes a winke and away A A. Yet so that thou thereby loseth the whole Sermon Though thou hearest the Word now and then yet how it hangeth on the former how it precedeth the latter thou canst not tell Sect. 2. The persons committing The persons committing it it I. I am accustomed hereunto that either I must stay at home or notwithstanding of mine unwillingnesse to sleepe and paines which I take to shake it off sleepe when I come to Church A 1 A. 1. Though thou customarily sleepest at Church yet come for haply as Master Mr. Latimers Serm. Latimer once said thou maist be there taken napping 2. If thou dislikest it art
humbled for it and strivest against it it is not thy sinne neither shall it be laid unto thy charge 3. If thou findest thy selfe prone thereunto it is the sinne that God especially calleth thee to keepe watch and ward against II. I am old and weake and so am to bee borne withall Whatsoever it is in others in me I hope it is no great sinne to sleepe at Church A 1 A. 1. The older thou art the more need hast thou to abstaine therefrom as being nigh thine end 2. Thou wouldest be loath that whilst thou art thus sleeping death should seize on thee 3. As old as thou art thou canst watch longer about thine owne businesse or in hearing some vaine triviall sinfull discourse or in seeing a Play or some vaine show Canst thou thus watch and not watch one houre in hearing Gods Word 4. Simeon was as old as thou art yet when he came into the Temple did hee not thus behave Luk. 2. 28. himselfe and Anna the Prophetesse who was a widow Verse 36. about fourescore yeares departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and Ioh. 3. 2â— prayers night and day yea and Nicodemus to enjoy Christs company came by night unto him when hee should have slept III. I watch on the other dayes of the weeke and labour hardly A 1 A. 1. Thou wert then in thy calling for the good of thy body and therefore didst watch and when thou commest to Church thou art then also in thy calling for the good of thy soule and therefore shouldst watch 2. Thou hast watched indeed but was it for Eras apophth lib. 4. thy neighbours good as Parmenio excused Philip of Macedon unto the Grecians which complained one time that hee slept by day wonder not saith he that Philip now sleepeth for when yee slept and seemed carelesse of your owne affaires hee was awake was it not rather for his good or to worke him some mischiefe The murtherer rising with the light Iob 24. 14 15 16 17. saith Iob killeth the poore and needy c. for the morning is to them even as the shadow of death To the same purpose is that of the Poet The eves rise Horat. by night that they may slay men as hath beene already alleaged If thou hast thus watched unto villany whilst others were at their rest thou shalt find one day that better it had beene for thee that thou hadst beene asleepe 3. If thou hast done thine owne workes on the other dayes thou must doe Gods on his Since he hath not deprived thee of thy due which notwithstanding is onely thine by his gift thou must not rob him of his 4. Thou must not so toile on the weeke-dayes as thereby to make thy selfe unfit for the sanctifying of the Lords day 5. Even by night are wee to watch in Gods service much Psal 134. 1. more then by day and on Psal 119. 55. Gods day IIII. I rose very early A 1 A. 1. Didst thou not rise about thine owne worldly affaires and art thereby made unfit for this duty was it not to meet such a friend in such a place to bee merry with him for an houre or two before Sermon was it not to make up such and such a bargaine formerly spoken of was it not to cast up thy accompts and looke after thy Debtors If thou didst rise for these or the like ends better it had beene for thee to have lyen a bed 2. If thou rosest not for those or the like ends thou hadst the more time to prepare thy selfe in private for the performance of thy duty in publike neither would that have beene any let unto this nay rather prayer reading meditation and conference preceding it would bee especiall furtherances thereunto V. I have farre to Church sit farre from the pulpit am thicke of hearing and the Preachers voyce is weake A A. Though thou canst not doe as thou wouldest doe so much as thou canst Rise earlier and come sooner and sit or stand nigher waiting on Gods providence who as he hath given Mar. 7. 37. thee eares and both can and hath made the deafe to heare so may be pleased to bestow on them their proper office of hearing yea though thou canst not heare and so profit thy selfe yet thou must not sleepe lest thou offend others which may and would heare VI. I know my duty already as well as they that give best attention A A. Suppose thou doest yet shouldest thou know it much better by thy watchfulnesse neither doth the Word onely teach thee to know Gods will but calleth upon thee to be a doer thereof Bee Iam. 1. 22. yee doers saith S. Iames and not hearers onely VII What I shall lose at one time by sleeping at Church I can get up either when I come home or at another time when I goe to Church At home either by reading as good a Sermon or one on the same subject if not the very same words or by hearing the same repeated by some one in my family which writeth the Sermon At Church by giving attendance unto what shall bee then and there delivered A A. To the first branch of the former To the former and 1. branch therâ— of Mal. 2. 7. 1. Experience teacheth that the lively voyce is more effectuall then ocular reading 2. As the Priests lips are to preserve knowledge So art thou required to heare it at his mouth Mal. 2. 7. c. 3. If thou canst so well profit at home why dost thou come to Church at all 4 Sermons are not therefore printed that thou mightest heare no more but to put thee in mind of what thou hast already heard 5. Thou art to profit as well by the Sermon which thou hearest as those which thou readest The second branch To the second branch 1. Doth hee so write it as that hee neither addeth thereto nor taketh therfrom I suppose few or none have such cunning 2. No hearer can deliver it with that force and efficacie that the Preacher doth 3. If thou makest no conscience of the publike hearing of it much lesse wilt thou to heare it privatly repeated how exactly soever written 4. As the divell hindered thee from that so will he from the performance of this â—o the latâ—er duty To the latter 1. That thou sinnest if thou doest at all sleepe at Church 2. Thou maist give such offence at one time that thou canst not salve it at another 3. May not God justly give thee over that thou shalt not repent thereof nor bee reclaimed there-from 4. Knowest thou the contrary but that death may then seaze upon thee and so how miserable were thy condition VIII Even the precisest sleepe at Church A 1 A. 1. It is none of their vertues neither are they herein to be imitated 2. They doe as much as in them lyes strive against it and are no doubt humbled for it 3. It is not ordinary