Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness

And the first Use may be by way of Instruction or Information.

Instr. 1. We may here take notice that the nature of man is woefully corrupted and deprived, else they would not be so apt to sleep when the precious Truths of God are dispensed in his Name, Yea, and men are more apt to sleep then, than […] another time. Some woeful Creatures, have been so wicked as to profess they have gone to hear Sermons on purpose, that so they might sleep, finding themselves at such times much disposed that way. This argueth as Satan's malice, so the great corruption and depravation of the nature of men, whence it is that they are inclined unto evil, and indisposed to the thing that good is. Yea, some will sit and sleep under the best Preaching in the World. When Paul was alive, there was not a better Preacher upon the Earth then he. Austin had three wishes: one was, that (if the Lord has seen meet) he might see Christ in the flesh: his second wish was, that he might have seen Paul in the Pulpit; but notwithstanding Pauls being so excellent a Preacher, there were some that could sit and sleep under his Ministry. When Soul-melting Sermons are Preached about Christ the Saviour, about the pardon of sin, about the glory of Heaven, there we some that will sleep under them, When ⟨p. 210⟩soul awakening Sermons are Preached, enough to make rocks to rend and to bleed; when the word falls down from Heaven like Thunder, the voice of the Lord therein being very powerful and full of Majesty, able to break the Cedars of Lebanon, and to make the wilderness to shake; yet some will sit and sleep under it; such is the woeful corruption and desperate hardness of the hearts of the Children of men.

Instr. 1. We may here take notice that the nature of man is wofully corrupted and deprived, else they would not be so apt to sleep when the precious Truths of God are dispensed in his Name, Yea, and men are more apt to sleep then, than 〈…〉 another time. Some woful Creatures, have been so wicked as to profess they have gone to hear Sermons on purpose, that so they might sleep, finding themselves at such times much disposed that way. This argueth as Satans malice, so the great corruption and depravation of the nature of men, whence it is that they are inclined unto evil, and indisposed to the thing that good is. Yea, some will sit and sleep under the best Preaching in the World. When Paul was alive, there was not a better Preacher upon the Earth then he. Austin had three wishes: one was, that (if the Lord has seen meet) he might see Christ in the flesh: his second wish was, that he might have seen Paul in the Pulpit; but notwithstanding Pauls being so excellent a Preacher, there were some that could sit and sleep under his Ministry. When Soul-melting Sermons are Preached about Christ the Saviour, about the pardon of sin, about the glory of Heaven, there we some that will sleep under them, When