Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness

It is a sad thing, when Men shall receive the Grace, (i. e. the Word of God,) in vain, 2 Cor. 6. 1. yet so do they do, who indulge themselves in sleeping at Sermons. If it be so, as the Apostle speaketh in another case, then is our preaching vain, Suppose the Truths delivered be never so precious, if people are asleep, it is to them, as if no Word were spoken, excepting that they must give a dreadful account for that which they might have heard for their Souls good; but would not when called of God thereunto. A Minister of Christ had as good speak to the Seats, and Pillars, and Walls of the House, as to men that are (like him whom my Text speaketh of) in a profound sleep. Nay, there is danger that the Word will then (through their own default) become hurtful to their Souls. It was said to the Corinthians, 1 Epistle Chap. 11. ver.17 You come together not for the better, but for the worse If Christians come together, to eat the Lords Supper, but mind not after what manner, their coming together is for the worse. And if they come together under pretence of hearing the Word preached, but set themselves to sleep, instead of reverend attention unto what is spoken, they come together for the worse. It were better not to come, then to come only to sleep, As the Apostle there speaketh, ver. 22, Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in, or despise ye the Church of God, So I say, have you not Houses to sleep ⟨p. 203⟩in, that you must come and openly despise an Ordinance of God?

3. Another evil effect of sleeping at Sermons, is, that it maketh men leave a guilty Conscience.

Sin doth so, especially known sin, and in a most peculiar manner breaches of the third Commandment, the Lord having said, that he will not hold those guiltless that take his Name in vain; but all this is true of those that sleep at Sermons. Hence except their hearts are strangely obdurated in the ways of sin, they feel checks of Conscience for this evil. Men have that in their own breasts which tells them that they should not do so, when they give way to temptation, and fall a sleep under that solemn dispensation of the Word of God, spoken to them in his Name. And when the Lord awakens Conscience, there are great troubles of spirit for this sin. It hath been so with some of the Elect of God at their first Conversion. God hath made it a sad and a terrible thought unto them, to consider, how many Sermons they have lost, and sinned, and slept away; how they have turned a deaf car upon the Messages which the Lord hath seat from Heaven to them.