much toilsome travel and various agitations is now at Troas a City in the lesser Asia where not having long time to tarry for he made it his design if possible to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost and much ground was to be trod and many places to be passed thorough and something for the furtherance of the Gospel to be dispatched in those places ere he could get thither he is resolved to do as much good as he can in a little time We may not conceive him idle any day but surely on the Lords day he was more then ordinarily diligent and industrious The Disciples or the owners of the way of the Christian Religion being on the First Day of the Week met together in order to the hearing of the Word and partaking of the Ordinance of the Supper Paul continued his discourse until midnight being hereunto incouraged and urged 1. By the peoples raised and unwearied attention 2. By his own resolution to depart on the morrow ver 7. In these Primitive Times the Lord was wont to accompany the word of his mouth with the wonderful works of his hand witness the many Miracles then effected whereby the Lord would 1. Convince Aliens 2. Confirm Disciples to whom such props were of great advantage because the Doctrine embraced was 1. Novel and therefore attended with squint-eyed suspitions 2. Contrary to carnal reason and therefore invaded with puzling Objections 3. Destructive to the interests of the flesh and therefore assaulted with a keen and desperate opposition not only from without but also from within A considerable and seasonable Miracle was this in the Verse succeeding the Text of which Paul was the moral cause or instrument Eutychus the recipient Subject who whilst asleep stands in need of a bed and being now dead is fit for nothing but the grave But the Lord had mercy on him and did not only awaken but revive This young man was quite tired out with Pauls protracted and uninterrupted discourse which being spun out to an unexpected length deep sleep seizes on him and he fals from such an heighth that there remains nought else of the man but a breathless trunk There is no reason why we should bitterly inveigh against him under the notion of a lazy Lozel and muddy headed Disciple for he sought not out a blind nook and obscure corner wherein unobservedly to take a nap and by this means gratifie the flesh only through the infirmity of the flesh he is overcome However he is not wholly to be excused The activity of grace must oppose and make head against the inclinations of nature and doubtless had he not been wanting unto himself he might have been inabled to hold up his head as well as others at least he might have prevented a total overwhelming and succumbing under this drouzy distemper The Point that I would hence observe is this Doct. Sleeping in Church-Assemblies is a great sin and of dangerous consequence Many are mens miscarriages about the word Heb. 10.25 Some forsake the assembling of themselves together and turn their backs upon the Ordinances as if they were not worth the attending on Ezek. 33.21 Others indeed come as the people cometh and with their lips they shew much love Esay 29.13 They draw nigh unto God with their mouths and honour him with their lips so that the address seems to be accompanied with a flaming affection and a deep devotion but their hearts are far from him going after their covetousness there is some base lust or other doted on and cockered with wantonnest indulgence notwithstanding the clear convictions of the word and their own professed subjection to it Others again entertain the word with a slighting unbelief Jer. 44.16 peevish contradictions and a desperate declared resolution not to stoop to its authority and yeeld obedience to its commands But it is the sleepy Hearer whom I have to deal with at this time and against whom I must spend some arrows and discharge some cannons to awaken him In the prosecution of the Point in hand I shall only do these two things 1. I shall propose severall considerations by way of diswasion from the sin and provocation to the contrary practise 2. I shall propose severall directions by way of remedy and prevention The considerations are these that follow 1. Well weigh with your selves in whose presence you are First you are in the presence of God who though he be from no place excluded yet surely he is in the Assemblies of the Saints especially present Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee In acts of worship we are said to draw nigh him Lev 10.2 There are severall things in God which bespeak your attention 1. His transcendent excellency and incomprehensible greatness The presence of Majesty doth awaken meanness and keeps all the faculties intent upon so furpassing an Object If the awe and dread of an infinite and all-glorious Being were upon us it would not only somewhat affect but even affright and cause you to lay aside all deadness and drouziness of spirit Me thinks the brightness and splendour of that royal throne before which you present your selves and lie prostrate should awaken you even to astonishment and consternation and keep your eyes open beyond all possibility of putting them together 2. His Omniscience Though you sleep yet God doth not so much as slumber though your eyes be shut yet his are not Though you sneak behind a pillar or sink down to the bottome of the Pew yet you are still in his eye The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords throne is in heaven his eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men Psal 11.4 He beholds the frame of your souls and takes exact notice of the posture of your bodies What servant would dare to sleep whilsth is Master stands by and looks on One sleepy Hearer cannot scape Gods observation in the most condensed and crouded Congregation 3. His Holiness whereby he must needs be highly displeased with the undecent and unbeseeming behaviour of those who are ingaged in his worship The sleepy Hearer is a mote in Gods bright eye and very offensive to his sight 4. His Justice which being awakened by his holiness is wont to make deep dints and impressions of revenge upon the objects of his displeasure Will a Lamb dare to sleep within the paw and reach of an inraged Lion In the next place consider the ends on the account of which you come into Gods presence 1. To speak to him in Prayer I have heard of some that have talked in their sleep I doubt whether these drouzy dreamers we are speaking of do or can pray in their sleep A Prince would look upon it as an unsufferable affront if a Subject should be found sleeping in the Presence-Chamher when he should be presenting his Petition Christs Disciples were sleeping when they should have been praying now
summoned to come in and entertain his Message with perpetual quarrels and endless contradictions This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Let me passionately beseech you in the bowels of Christ Jesus your Lord and mine to be wise in this your day and mind the things that do belong unto your peace Let the sounding of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel awaken you and cause you to shake off that unweldy frame of spirit that makes men dull and indisposed to the duties of Religion Let your hearts be upright with God and be you faithfull to the Truth in giddy and declining Times Buy the Truth at any rate Prov. 23.3 but part with it at no rate whatsoever It will be your safety and honour to retain and hold fast the form of wholesome words delivered to you and to remain unshaken in your Principles though stormy winds of temptation and persecution should arise and blow upon you with a formidable and affrighting fury Though all men should forsake Christ yet do not you forsake him There are many windfals in Christs Orchard be you like those few remaining berries in the top of the uppermost bough abhorring disunion and defection and resolving not to be rent though with a violent hand from your Renowned Root Mortifie throughly and betimes all itching desire after novelty lest it break forth into the spreading and crusty scab of Apostacy Beg wisdome of God whereby you may be able to distinguish betwixt the voice of Christ and the voice of a stranger Be not taken with the flaring light of every blazing Comet and ignis fatuus that would slock you into by-wayes and dangerous paths Keep your heads and hearts from being fly-blown with the unsavoury breath of every rotten-hearted Preacher Take heed of going forth and dancing after their delusive pipe who the better to deceive and draw you into the snare pretend to rare and rich discoveries lest you come home with a vertigo in your heads and be troubled with the staggers in Religion ever after I shall conclude with pressing upon you that serious and savoury advice which his Excellency the Lord Deputy when at Corke in his late Progress gave to the Chief of you with some Justices of Peace of the Country that were then present You may remember that you were commanded and incouraged 1. To put a stop to the overflowing flood of prophaneness by putting in execution the severall wholesome Lawes that are in force against swearing drunkenness uncleanness and the like enormous practises 2. To provide for the sanctification of the Sabbath by making use of that power that is put into your hands in punishing and suppressing its too frequent and Atheistical violation Let it not lie as a reproach on Corke that Ordinance-despisers and Sabbath-breakers cannot be so secure from the stroke and dint of Justice in any place in Ireland as in this 3. To make use of provided and proscribed means for the conversion of the Popish Irish within your Jurisdiction The work is desirable and of grand concernment conducing whereunto among many other are the following expedients 1. The bringing of the Natives to the Puklick Worship Compel them to come in that Gods house may be full Bring them within the compass of the net if ever you expect they should be caught Let not their rooted and peevish lothness to attend upon the Ordinances deterre you from doing your duty They that now quarrel and contend with you as being too severe and harsh will in the day of visitation glorifie God and call you blessed 2. The removeing and transplanting of such as to use his Excellencies own words are stiffe and sullen in their way and are not only possessed themselves with grinning prejudices against the Protestant Religion but do likewise make it their design to create and continue the like prejudices in the rest of their Brethren who possibly might otherwise be reclaimed and brought unto the knowledge of the truth Remember the Oath of God with which you are bound to act and rule according to Law and be you faithful unto your Trust Yield Obedience to his Excellencies Commands in the expressed instances and buckle in good earnest to the business of Religion and Reformation that so we may at length become amountain of holiness an habitation of righteousness in which the Lord will delight to dwel which shall be promoted by the prayers and indevours of From my Study in Corke Sept. 7. 1658. Your Servant in the Lords work JOSEPH EYRES THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader A Christian how plausible soever his pretences may be cannot be right at root so long as the bare bulk of duty satisfies without regard had to the manner of the performance The iniquity of holiest things and the sinful adherencies of the best duties are highly provoking and sufficiently ponderous to depress and sink the soul into the lowest hell so that it neerly concerns us to enter upon spiritual employments and ingage in holy services with much caution and circumspection for fear of a miscarriage It 's not without cause that the Spirit adviseth us to keep our feet when we go to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools The eare is the cunduit-pipe thorough which grace comes flowing in to the soul and therefore should be kept open which cannot be done whilest the eye is shut My design is to apply the smarting eye-salve of the Spirit that so the peccant and concerned may be cured of the wonted winking of their eyes The Subject in hand seems to be ordinary and to have little of sublimity in it But when I considered that every Pew almost hath its Eutychus and that our Congregations do generally abound with luke-warm Laodiceans and are little better many of them than so many Consorts of snoring Sleepers which make sweet Musick in the Divels eares whose designe doubtless in mens present snorting is their future howling I thought it my duty as a Watchman to do something that might awaken I am willing to stir up and startle those who whilest they should be smiting on their thighs and laying their hands upon their hearts are in a yawning posture and rubbing their eyes being ing possessed with a confused stupor and it 's a pretty while ere they can recover themselves and understand where they are and what about I wish this small Treatise may prove a mote at least in the eye of the sleepy Hearer and make it water which is the way to be more watchful Christian Reader be a diligent Hearer and I have my end who desire to approve my self Thy faithful Monitor and Soul-Friend Joseph Eyres THE Church-Sleeper Awakened ACT. 20.9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third Loft and was taken up dead THE Apostle Paul after
Christ bids them watch and pray He knew full well that if they did not watch neither could they pray Math. 26.41 2. To hear him speaking unto you by the Ministery of the Word Our business is not only to poure out our complaints and requests into Gods bosome but likewise to receive answers and tidings of peace into ours Now the sleepy Hearer stops up the passages thorough which the Lord is wont to convey his grace into the soul I hope you are not of the opinion that the Lord now speaks to his people by dreams and that therefore there is no need of a waking attention Thus you see how the intercourse betwixt God and sleepy souls is interrupted and dammed up Surely that must needs be a very great sin that doth obstruct duty and renders the Ordinances of God frustraneous and ineffectual Secondly you are in the presence of the Angels who are wont to frequent the solemn and sacred Assemblies of the Saints which seems proveable from 1 Cor. 11.10 and to take notice of any disorders in sacred Conventions You cannot make a wry mouth laugh fleere in the Ministers face take a nap be guilty of a lascivious glance wanton look or any other immodest behaviour but it is done not only in the presence of the God of heaven but also in the presence of the Angels of heaven who are strict observers of you and have a watchful eye upon you Besides the Angels do with much wonder and delight make inspection into the profound Mysteries of the Gospel Eph. 3.10 manifested and made known to and by the Church 1 Pet. 1.12 if you did so too you would not be possessed with such a spirit of slumber as you are Thirdly you are in the presence of the Church You are now in Gods family not your own You may not take liberty to do that here which you would make no scruple of to do at home Any publick Assembly especially of Saints and they ingaged in a worke of the highest nature requires an aweful and respective behaviour in such as do attend it We may not offend any much less the Church 1 Cor. 10.32 We may not offend a single Saint much less a Society of such Besides the Church is an orderly Society all things in it should be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.10 Whilst one is singing another should not be snoring 2. Consider whose work it is that you are about We are not only in Gods presence but are also employed in Gods work Now we are commanded to be fervent in spirit whilst we serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 It becomes not Gods servants of any to be of a drouzy disposition especially when they should be diligent and intent upon their Masters business It s hard if you cannot watch with Christ one hour Christ did watch and pray in the Garden the Disciples should have done so too and have kept him company Matth. 26.40 It was a patheticall expostulation that of Christ Could you not watch with me one houre q. d. If any of your Friends and neer Relations were pained in body and perplexed in minde if they lay under the thousandth part of that agony and anguish of spirit that I lie under you would have watched with them and why then can you not watch with me Yea you would have watched all night with them untill the dawning of the day and is it possible that you can not watch with me one houre I could pray for you in a Mountain and cannot you pray with me in a Garden I could spend a great part of the night in prayer for you and can you not spend an houre of the night in prayer with me Me thinks it should not be such a tiresome task and intollerable The service of God doth deservedly require the utmost ardour and intenseness of spirit the most elevated inlarged inflamed affections that creatures are capable of Whatsoever our hand findeth to do especially in matters spirituall should be done with all our might 3. The work that you are emploied about is of loftiest consequence and concernment Your souls are concerned in it Life and death are before you We should hearken to the word of God as for our lives for it is our life Deut. 32.46 47. VVhat a man doth for his life he will do with the utmost vigour and vivacity VVith what panting and pressing earnestness doth an almost famisht and hunger-bitten begger cry for bread VVith what awakening heart-penetrating expressions doth a Prisoner at the bar plead for his life Not a word passeth unobserved by him he doth with much greediness of attention hearken to the Evidence of VVitnesses Verdict of the Jury Sentence of the Judge and no wonder for his life lies at the stake He must be either acquitted and live or else condemned and dye You who are here this day must be tried by that word which you hear by it your eternall estates and conditions must be cast Now whose eares would not be tickled with extraordinary delight at the hearing of the promises of life and whose eares would not glow and tingle at the denunciations and threatnings of eternall death But the mischief on it is the Church-Sleeper is like the Smiths dog whom neither the hammers above him nor the sparks of fire falling round about him can awaken 4. You are not wont to sleep whilst you are about your own work You rise up early and sit up late and do with much eagerness and unweariedness prosecute your own affairs The Husbandman doth not sleep with his Plough in his hand neither doth the Pilot sleep whilst he is at the helm guiding the Ship Though you sleep in the Church yet you do not sleep in the shop whilest you have any thing to do and customers to attend How contentedly will you refrain from eating drinking sleeping all the day long nay and a great part of the night too provided the merry penny may be coming in thewhiles You can sit chatting and discoursing with your Friends many hours and it s very late many times ere you can part but when you come into Gods presence to enjoy fellowship and communion with him you are nodding presently and there you sit like so many liveless logs and senseless statues I have heard of feasts that have lasted four or five hours but hardly of any Guests that were sleeping whilest others were eating But when people come to feast with God to make a meale upon an Ordinance they cannot hold open their eyes for their hearts You are not wont to sleep whilst the naturall glass is before you but when the pure chrystall glass of the Law is by the Minister held forth unto you and set before you as loth belike to behold what manner of persons you are you wink with the eye 5. VVicked men do not sleep whilst they are about the Divels work If Judas have a treacherous plot in hand out of doors he will though in the night and put his
are fickle and fugitive if not hard held to it The sight of the eye affects the heart It 's the Prisoners seeing as well as hearing of the Judge that makes him attentive to astonishment When the heart is stirred and awakened the eye cannot easily be closed 10. Ingage your neighbour that sits by you to have a watchful eye upon you and to pluck you by the sleeve if occasion be It s pity that any should be in danger of sleeping the sleep of death for want of a faithful friend to rouse up and awaken If your Brothers Oxe be fallen into a ditch you will put to an helping hand and pluck it out and shall your Brother himself lye lolling and snoring in the Divels lap and you not so much as jogge him by the elbow and make him sensible of his danger 11. Betake your selves to rest the night before in good time Sitting up late the Saturday nights doth wonderfully deadden and indispose to the duties of the following day Sleep in your beds that you may not sleep in your Pews Sleep in the night that you may not sleep in the day Coming home at midnight from dispatching businesses visiting Friends or which is worse from drinking gaming revelling puts the body and mind out of order and is a bad preparative for the approaching Sabbath 13. Come to the word with expectation Whensoever you attend upon the Ordinances look for something yea for greater things from the hands of God They are vigilant who are in a waiting posture Beggers are not wont to sleep before the gates of those from whom they expect an almes The eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistriss when some boon and bounty is expected Psalm 123.2 If out of a clear sight and deep sense of our own unworthiness weakness wretchedness we came unto God for supply of wants assistance in service satisfaction in doubts assurance of his love solace in midst of sorrows or the like we should be more yare and full of life in managing our addresses than we are 14. Pray hard unto God and be very importunate with him 1. That he would chain up Satan and rebuke the Tempter who sneakingly and maliciously haunts the Assembles of the Saints as a sligh observer and busie disturber standing at their right hands ready to resist them 2. That he would affect your hearts with truths delivered Stirring affections are attended with a sharp attention Men do not look upon themselves as highly concerned in the commands promises menaces of the word and hence ariseth that listless and sluggish frame that is upon them If with Peter's Hearers we had the keen arrow of conviction sticking fast in our sides and making us to blush and bleed the flood-gates of our eyes would be open for swelling streams of penitential teares to come gushing out amain and in stead of sleeping and snoring there would be sighing sobbing lamenting moan-making smiting on the thigh and curious inquiring after a remedy for this malady On the other side if at the hearing of the word the Spirit should be pleased to come in and breath upon us with a fair and fresh gale of comfort if the love of God should be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost if some bright beam of heavenly light should be darted into the inner man after a dark dismal stormy tempestuous night of temptation desertion disconsolation dejection it would undoubtedly scatter those clouds of sleep and security that are wont to hang upon our dull and depressed browes A warmed heart is a waking heart Sorrow duls the eye but joy makes it lively and sparkling I have read of a gracious woman Mr. Clarks Mirror pag. 508. who at the Supper-Ordinance being abundantly refreshed with the joyes of the Spirit gat home as she professed she knew not how and for the space of a fortnight these raptures and ravishing joyes continued and filled her mouth with Songs of praise so that she could neither sleep nor eate more then she forced her self to do out of conscience of duty It 's impossible we should sleep with a full cup of consolation in our hands and at our mouths 3. That he would bestow upon the Minister a quick and powerfull delivery which is wont to draw forth attention and affection A dull heavy unchearful delivery in the Minister doth little better then invite a drouzy disrespect and is attended with a careless and undecent oscitancy in the Hearers 15. If prone to miscarry in this kind and to be oppressed with a spiritual lethargy you shall do well to humble your selves before God with fasting and prayer possibly this sleepy Divel will not go out but in the use of such means which do not infeeble and render unfit for service but rather strengthen and exhilarate FINIS