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 onely 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 hiâ—hesâ— 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 onely 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 onely 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. Vnactivenesse 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 onely 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 onely 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 A SERMON PREACHED to the Right Honourable House of Lords at the late fast January 27th 1646. JSAIAH 29.10 The Lord hath powred out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe Introduction THis Prophet Isaiah is famous both for promises and threatnings for promising Comforts for threatning judgements 1. When he promiseth mercies hee ordinarily intermixeth spirituall with temporall mercies 2. When he denounceth judgements he often threatens spirituall as well as temporall For the latter viz. Judgements denounced In this chapter he threatens temporall Judgements to verse the 7. and spirituall to the 15. 1. For temporall judgements 1. He tells us against whom he denounceth them 2 Sam. 23.20 Benaiah is said to slay two Lyon-like men for strength the word being there also Ariel against Jerusalem called 1. Ariel v. 1. 2. The Citie where David dwelt Ariel signifieth the Lyon of God Jerusalem being so called either 1. because of its potencie and strength as the Lyon is the prince of beasts so was Jerusalem of 〈◊〉 and Jâ—dah in which Tribe Jerusalem was is Gen. 49.9 called a Lyon and a Lyons whelpe and to set out the greatnesse of this power 't is also called here a Lyon of God an usual expression to denote the excellencie and greatnesse of a thing 2. Jerusalem is by some thought to bee called the Lyon of God in regard of the Temple and Altar therein which hath the same name Ezek. 43.15 16. because they look't upon their Temple and Altar as their strength and trusted more in that then in all their other supplies thinking that so long as they had them they had God among them or in regard of the abundance of sacrifices which their Altar devoured even as the Lyon devoureth beasts 3. Jerusalem is thought by others to be termed here by the Prophet the Lyon of God in regard of its fiercenesse and cruelty against the servants and messengers of God as the Lyon devoureth the Lamb according to that of Jer. 12.7 I have forsaken my house c. My heritage is under the 〈…〉 the forrest it cryeth against mee 2. 〈…〉 the City where David dwelt where by God would blaâ—t and slight the vaine opinion of their 〈…〉 and priviledges because Davi◠〈…〉 2. In this denouncing of temporall judgements he opposeth their security whereby they promised to themselves in regard of the delay of vengeance and their daily sacrifices safety and peace and ye year to year let them kill sacrifices verse 1. 3. He foretelleth the judgement that should befall them I will distresse Ariel I will campe against thee round about and lay siege against thee verse 2 3. And this the Prophet further amplifieth 1 from the Lownesse of their condition that extreame contemptiblenesse that hereafter they should lie under They shall bee brought downe and speake out of the ground and out of the dust as one that hath a familiar spirit q.d. though now thy voyce is proud and thundering though now thou liftest up thy selfe against my threatning Prophets yet when my judgements shall befall thee thou shalt rather whisper then speake thou shalt be so fearefull and poore even as the familiar spirits send forth a trembling sad soft whispering voyce out of the earth to those that enquire of them verse 4. 2. Vide Calvin in Loc. The Prophet amplifieth this judgement that should befall them from the in efficacie of all those helps and helpers that should come to them for their assistance all the multitude of strangers that should come to help them against God should be as the chaffe and dust God would as easily puffe them away and ruine them with his storme and tempest and thunder verse 5 6. The spirituall judgement that should lye upon them all this while their Calamity was in ' its nearest approaches was an insensible regardlesse secure temper of soule takeing no heed giving no regard to all these dismall denuntiacions Which wretched distemper under their approaching Calamities is set out under a 3-fold resemblance 1. Of a sweet and delightfull dreame Vide Calvin whereby deluded Persons please themselves with thoughts of food and fullnesse though hungry and empty v. 8. 2. of a drunken staggering Person that regardes not what the dangers are that hang over his head A spiritual drunkenesse worse then that with wine had invaded their hearts and heads whereby Reason was so clog'd and dul'd that nothing was perceived that was preached v. 9. 3. Of a deepe and dead sleep even the Spirit of it whereby their senses were as it were so stupified and benummed that did the Prophets cry and call in their eares never so loud they would yet lye still and not stirr up themselves to shun or prevent the dismall judgements that were seizing on them The Lord hath poured out upon you the Spirit of a deep sleep In the prosecution of which words All that I shall doe shall be reduced to these two heads 1. First to explaine the Text in the particular parts thereof 2. To gather and handle one particular observation from the severall parts thereof so explained 1. For the first I shall open this Text in these four following Parts and Branches 1. The kinde and nature of the judgement that had here befallen them a deepe sleep 2. The measure and degree of it which is set forth by a double expression 1. The word Spirit 2. The word powring 3. The Object or who they were upon whom this deep sleep was powred viz. The Iewes you 4. The punisher or the party inflicting this judgement the Lord. 1. The kinde and sort of the punishment it was a deep sleepe In the Hebrew Tardema a word that signifies such a sleepe as doth so stupify and benum the senses as that the person on whom it seiseth can very hardly by any meanes used bee awaked Somnus gravis profundior ex quo difficulter quis excitatur And this may appeare both by the consideration how the Scripture
useth it in other places and also how it is rendred by Interpreters Adam is said to be in a deep sleep Gen. 2 21. In so deep a sleepe that a rib was taken out of him and yet he perceiv'd it not Saul was in a deep sleep from the Lord and notwithstanding his speare and his cruse was taken from his bolster nay notwithstanding his mortall enemy as he supposed him was very neare him yet he awaked not Sisera was so fast a sleepe Judges 4.21 that Jael notwithstanding her approaches her nayle her hammer and smiting did not awake him Jonah was so deep a sleep Jonah 1.6 that Ieopardy of life by reason of the tempestuous raging of the Sea did not at all affect him nay Psal 76.6 the destruction and the totall overthrow of the Chariots and Horsmen are set forth by this expression of deep sleep Now in all these places either the word Tardema here in the Text or a word purely of the same signification and comming from the same root is used which roote is Radam Signifying to be overwhelmed with sleep The Septuagint render this word severall wayes Sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word that signifies such an astonishment by reason of fear as that a man is not himselfe or knoweth not what hee doth sometimes they render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a mans going out of himselfe Somtimes they render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word that the Apostle makes use of Rom. 11.8 where my text is alledged A word which doth notably set out the nature of this deep sleep according to what-ever interpretation we consider it Beza Hesychyus Tollet derive this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it signifieth a deep mid-night sleep Pareus Oseander others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to prick or to wound and so either this word imports such a sleep as out of which all the pinching and wounding pricking cannot raise a man or such a sleepe as whereby a man is so fastened and nailed downe to his sloth that there is no parting them Christ 〈◊〉 Therpâ—â—last or such a sleep as whereby a person is as one that is so pained with his wounds that he regardeth nothing which is said to him 〈◊〉 Par. transpunctae mentis alienatione demens Which way soever wee understand though I prefer that interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports such a sleep as whereby a man is so deeply seiz'd upon with it as that no wounding or pricking awakens him which way soever I say wee understand it we must needs conceive it to bee an extreame deep sleep not bodily but spirituall not a binding of the animall Spirits and senses but a spirituall torpor and benummednesse of Soule under all the dispensations and dealings of God whereby the soule is in such a temperstate and posture as the body in a dead and deep sleepe liable to all enemies vnactive though there bee never such crying to it for help self-soothing in the midst of all dangers Insensible of any stirrings and unwilling to be awaked 2. The degree or measure of this punishment 〈◊〉 set downe in the Text in a double exprossion 1. The Spirit of sleepe 2. The Spirit of sleepe powâ—â—dont 1. For the word Spirit it very aptly and fully sets out the vehemency and depth of this sleepe Num. 5.14 Zec. 12.10 The violent propens motions or addictednesse of pâ—â—son to a thing being set out in Scripture by this word spirit Es 19.14 Hos 4.12 1. Because these eager inclinations are furthered by the spirit either good if they be good inclinations or a bad spirit if they be bad inclinations Propensiones vitiosae a malo spiritu excitatae impetus satanici River in Hos 4.12 Because these inclinations are seated in the spirit of a man carrying the whole man according to its owne bent 3. Because the spirit of a thing doth frequently betoken force energie power effioacie the spirit of any thing being the strength of it and vigour So the Scripture expounds the spirit of Elijah by the power of Elijah Luke 1.17 and so the spirit of sleepe is the efficacie and force and strength of sleepe that had seized on them 2. To the making of this spirituall judgement more full 't is said that this deepe sleepe was powred out c. In the Hebrew Nasak a word that hath two significations according to the different nature of those things moist or dry about which it is spoken both very apt to set forth the degree of this sleepe 1. Being used concerning the pouring out of liquid and moist things it signifieth effudit or perfudit he hath so poured it out upon you that it is run all over you it being mostly applyed by the Scripture to the pouring out of the drinke-offering upon the Sacrifice which drencht it ran over it So of the oyle Jer. 32.29.7.18 that was poured out on Jacobs pillar here therefore when 't is said in this sense that a deep sleepe is poured on them Gen. 35.14 the meaning is they are soak'd in it steept in it drencht drown'd in it The 70. render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Being used concerning dry things it signifieth to hide all over to cover even over head and eares no part of the thing covered being to be seene and so 't is applyed to the Covering of sin that makes a man blessed Psalm 32.1 none of his sins being to be seene here it being used it imports such a Covering with a deepe sleepe as that no part is free every part having this spirituall benummednesse seizing upon it they were all over all parts and degrees of men in the Kingdome under the power of this deep sleep head ears eyes arms legs Rulers Prophets Priests people as afterwards God speaks particularly and distributively 3. The object or the persons on whom this punishment was poured exprest here in the word you A word whereby is intimated both the generality of the judgment upon the body and bulk of the Kingdome is this judgement inflicted and their pertinacy and setlednesse under it that it was poured out upon them that were so often reproved and stirred and call'd upon by the Prophets to awake nay a people that had judgment even at their doores and ready to fall upon them it being neare in point of execution and farre off in point of their apprehension 4. The Punisher or the party inflicting Jehovah the Lord He doth it in wrath and fury God being here to be considered not as the Author but the Vltor as the avenger not the worker not as effector but inflictor not as the causer of it but the punisher with it God not infecting any with this spirituall benummednesse or infusing it into any where it was not before but punishing those further with it who had it
of themselves For the further explication of this note 3. things about this spirituall distemper of a deep sleepe 1. Natural is propensio or inclinatio a naturall desire to be at rest a readiness to wish and tend to our own peace and preservation and this inclinablenesse to selfe-preservation is of God 2. Irregularitas the distemperature of the soule in soothing it selfe with thoughts and apprehensions of peace in a course of sin against the threatnings and commands of God A blessing ones selfe in heart Deut. 29.19 saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart this is not of God but from our own corruption 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A just reward and recompence by way of punishing and avenging the corrupt and obstinate inclination of the soule in sin notwithstanding all the meanes of grace with more benummedness and spirituall sloth and this God doth I say only as a Judge and an avenger and that severall wayes 1. By removing and denying the outward meanes of grace for contempt of them which meanes were ordained for the awakening of people out of the sleepe of sin as Sermons corrections admonitions 2. Denying the inward operation of his spirit where he gives the outward meanes of grace restraining his efficacious exciting grace and so God is removens pro hibens denying that grace which he is not bound to give which grace would have hindered them from this distemper 3. By a judiciall tradition of these selfe-soothers up to that power and spirit which shall more close and claspe up their soules in this spirituall distemper and so God delivers people up to Satan and to their owne hearts when he sees that people more obey them then him listning to their allurements more then to Gods incitements when God saith judicially let him that is filthy be filthy still I deliver him up into the power both of Satan and his owne heart thus 1. King 22.22.23 The Lord sent a lying spirit to perswade Ahab so Psal 81.11.12 I gave them up unto their owne hearts and they walked in their owne counsells 4. By offering and laying such occasions before men as God knowes they will abuse to the soothing up themselves against all his awakening administrations Vltrix misericordia as impunity long life Friends Honour c. Which not sanctified Blanda patrum segnes facit indulgentia natos the corrupted stomack turns into poyson against it selfe In which respect 't is infinitely better that God should correct us so as to awaken us though with never so much severity Satius est ut vim qualemâ—unque mihi inferas domine quaÌ„ parcens mihi me in meo torpore securum derelinquere Aug. then by sparing and prospering us to let us sleep in sinne so that wee awake not till it bee to late I now proceed to the second thing I propounded to you viz. to Collect and handle a practicall observation from the former Parts thus explained and it shall bee this Obs Obs For a deep sleep in the spirit of it to bee powred out upon a person or people by God is a very sore judgement 'T was this that was the greatest part of Ariels punishment The soule of his judgement not his being under this temporall calamity of a strait siege and Captivity but in being a sleep when that it came And 't is very observable that this is the judgement that all along in the new Testament is in a manner onely taken notice of it being mention'd by way of alledging that of Esaiah 6. and 9. by all the foure Evangelists as also by Luke in the 28. Act. and Paul Rom. 11.8 Now for the prosecution of this observation I shall shew but two things 1. Wherein it appears that this is such a sore and dismall judgement 2. What use to make of it For the first I shall shew you wherein the greatnesse of the judgement appeareth in the foure parts of the Text before explained and in the Text used by the spirit of God to expresse the dismallnesse of this judgement of a deep sleep The first whereof is the kinde of the judgement said to bee a deep sleep The greatnesse of this judgement of a deep sleep proved from the 4 particulars in the Text. which in the very nature of it denoteth five things all which are very paenall dreadfull 1. The first thing that a deep sleep holdeth forth is liablenesse and obnoxiousnesse to judgements unarmednesse in the midst of dangers A man in a deep sleep is in no condition to hinder an invader 1. From the kinde of the judgement and so it denoteth 5. things all very paenall hee lyes naked to the fury of every enemy hee is not in a posture of makeing any resistance like a feild without a fence a City without a watch like Samson in the midst of the Philistines without his locks This spirituall sleeper though judgements approach approacheth not to his towre he maketh not the name of the Lord his refuge hee clozeth not himselfe up in the wounds of Christ by faith he labours not by repentance to expell those enemies of his soule his sinnes which will open the doore to every judgement but securely harbours them within he labours not by prayer to seeke helpe from one that is able to keep him he armes not himselfe with preparednesse to meet his God hee is ruin'd without resistance the fire of vengance devoureth him as stubble he is one fitted for destruction 'T is a greater punishment to be without punishments and yet to lye naked and liable to them then to bee in the midst of them and yet to bee above them A sleeping sinner spends all his time to fence his estate his family his name his health but his soule when death and judgement approacheth lyeth open and exposed hee takes much care to lock up his rubbish and lumber that are not worth the keeping or takeing away but regards not to preserve his treasure his jewell his soule but throws it among his enemies The second thing that this judgement of a deep sleep holdes forth is selfe-soothing and flattery security selfe pleasing and this is the ground of the former hee is dreaming of a Kingdome when Iaels naile is nearer his Temples then a Crowne hoe as Ariel in the context fancies himselfe at a richly furnished table where are all manner of delicacies but when he awakes ther 's a starved empty stomack Dut. 29.19 This spirituall sleeper in the hearing the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart and saith hee shall have peace hee goeth on in sinne as if hell were a notion judgment a fable and as if the threats of the scripture were but some gainefull inventions to uphold the Ministers maintenance If God give him abundance in this life hee secretly smiles at the severest denunciations and inwardly applauds his own safety and integrity as Ephraim Hos 12.8 Notwithstanding all the