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B08263
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An alarme to awake church-sleepers. Describing the causes, discovering the dangers, prescribing remedies for this drowsie disease.
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1644
(1644)
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Wing A826A; ESTC R119
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53,648
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177
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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 Rev. 14.13 for they rest from 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 sinnes Rom. 6.7 for hee that is dead is freed from sinne thereby from the being 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 Psa 57 1â— They lie downe in sure and certaine hope of resurrection to eternall life I Cor. 15.42 43 44. Their 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 one is not alike willing to sleepe especially such as are unusually terrified by dreames so neither are all alike willing to die The godly wait for death Iob 7.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait saith Iob till my change come yea Iob 14.14 with the Apostle desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.23 Heb. 9.27 and to bee with Christ But the ungodly whose consciences tell them that after death commeth judgement Act. 24.25 doe with Foelix tremble at the very mentioning thereof yet how loath soever to undergoe it what paines or charges soever they are at when they feele it or feare it approaching to remove it and put it off doe most of them even willingly as it were through intemperancie incontincencie carking cares and such like courses bring it upon themselves 4. As through sleepe they that are in misery are fitted and enabled to undergoe more misery and they that are in a good condition become capable of more happinesse so through death are the ungodly as it were fitted for hell the godly for heaven those for unconceivable misery these for unspeakable happinesse Take we it in this Treatise in its proper signification Sleepe how taken in this Treatise but for such a sleepe as is altogether unlawfull howsoever ordinarie and common for then to sleepe when wee ought to bee swist to heare and then to bee drowsie when it concernes us to be most vigilant as at the preaching of the word and prayer who will not judge the same unreasonable and so neither lawfull nor warrantable Be this then this unreasonable unlawfull unwarrantable kind of sleepe or rather sleeping evill sleeping at Church this inordinate ordinary bodily drousinesse I say whereby the Word read or preached becommeth wholly ineffectuall and no blessing from God but rather an undoubted curse can bee expected thereupon the subject of this discourse CHAP. II. How convenient and necessary it is to handle this Argument NEither needs any to wonder that this should bee medled withall Reasons shewing the utility and necessary of this Treatise or conceive him to have little to doe unlesse to keepe himselfe awake which busieth himselfe about such a sleepy subject These with the like warrantable reasons will questionlesse justifie our proceeding 1. Because this is by most no otherwise if at all medled withall then by a bare cursory speaking against it and that not of set purpose but occasionally upon the view of some one or other sleeping yea and that but in generall tearmes which how fruitlesse and ineffectuall it proveth to reclaime any there-from daily experience sheweth As therefore for the subduing of other vices Isa 28.10 there must bee both Precept upon precept and lyne upon lyne so must there be for the subduing of this 2. Because there are so many which offend herein and yet thinke that either they have not at all or but a little offended Those standing upon their justification These going about to excuse their practise Such had need to bee wrought on brought on to see the greatnesse of this sinne Gen. 19.20 and that as Lot of Zoar they may not conceit that it is but a little one Before those must the evils hereof bee laid open Reasons disswading from the same be propounded as in like manner their severall objections to the contrary plainly and solidly dissolved 3. Because there are so many which being customarily addicted hereunto yet exceedingly desirous and willing to leave the same are notwithstanding wholly ignorant how to effect it Those must bee made acquainted as well with the Causes hereof as Remedies how to be rid of the same 4. Because there are but a few which doe truly take notice of the danger ensuing hereby or consider the wrongs occasioned through the same The ignorant therefore and carelesse are to bee shewed that hereby they wrong the blessed Trinitie hereby are stumbling blocks unto others which through their evill example in this kind prove no leste wicked then themselves Hereby the Word becommeth ineffectuall and the Ministers thereof discouraged yea that this is one maine cause why they doe so long continue in their sinnes to the griefe and hurt of their ownesoules 5. Because this sinne cannot be so well met withall by speaking against it as by writing For if a Minister should in his Sermon when an occasion is presented unto him as when is there not inveigh against the same hee might haply through weaknesse or want of memory forget himselfe neither bee able againe without much adoe to come to his matter or rather be forced by new objects of drowsinesse to renew his reproofes and continually to goe on in that argument yea though there were no feare of such destruction yet in as much as a Minister is not to nominate any of his auditors in particular Neither haply if it were lawfull for him to name them knoweth hee his Auditors by name though hee should observe them to bee asleepe his reproofes must bee generall which as in other things who doth not almost put from himself as if they did not at-all concerne him or the Minister therein had no ayme at him Mat. 26.21 Our Saviour having informed his Disciples in generall tearmes not particularizing the name of any that one of them should betray him Verse 25. Indas thereupon who indeed was the villaine the man aymed at could say notwithstanding Is it I Master so doe too too many in
By what meanes an hunger after the Word may be wrought in us Take a tast thereof in private by reading and meditation Hereby the soule cannot but get much both instruction and consolation 2. Consider the excellencie necessity and utilitie of the same whereof I have already spoken at large Psal 19.10 Prov. 3.15 and 8.10 and wereof both David and Salomon did make so much account that they esteemed it above gold silver rubies and what not 6. Resolve to attend unto and make conscience of the sacred ordinance of preashing there delivered as Job Job 31.1 J have made a covenant with my eyes why then should I thinke upon a maide So doe we make a covenant as with our eares to heare so with our eyes not to sleepe at Church Such was Davids religious care for the Arke Psal 132.4 that hee would not give sleepe to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids untill he found out a place for the Lord and 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 Quo plùs sunt potae plùs sitiuntur aquae the more it is taken 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 1 Thes 5.6 Sobrietie is an especiall helpe to vigilancie 1 Pet. 47. which therefore the Apostles 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 knowlede Mal. 2.7 he may be faithfull in delivering the whole Counsell of God unto us Act. 20.27 and hee may powerfully and wisely speake to our consciences Rom. 1.16 and the Word read or preached that it may bee unto us the power of God unto our salvation 2 Cor â—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 A. Sol. 1. As our Saviour unto Martha Martha Martha thou art carefull Luk. 10 41 4â— and troubled 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 1 Tim. 4.8 and his righteousnesse 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 Wee omit not our bodily recreation notwithstanding the workes of our calling and why should wethis 6. Wee take time to finne and why should wee not take time to prevent sinne Sect. 2. When wee come to Church When wee come to Church wee must In Generall In generall 1. Take heed unto our affections which the Preacher signifieth by these words Keepe thy foot when thou goest to the house of God Eccles 5.1 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 Rev. 3.18 and our eares open that wee 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 beare Iam. 1.19 to this purpose is that so often reiterated phrase Hee that hath eares to heare Mat. 11.15 let him 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 Isa 66.2 1 Sam. 4.13 that wee may tremble at the Word As Eli whilst hee sate on a stooleby 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 Dan. 2.1 Nebuchadnezzar 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 sleepe Luk. 22.44 Vigilabis si timebis August Timor domini janitor animi Ber. formido facit solicitudinem Ter. Psal 4.4 Pro. 16.6 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 Iudg. 18.7 they are the more 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 appointed for Sentinell