Avoiding Spiritual Sleepiness (1)

Motives against sleepiness:
(1) Consider the danger of a sleepy state. The devil labours all he can to cast men into this temper, which he must do before he can make him fall into any gross sin. The devil has a faculty this way, to make outward things look great that are worth nothing, and to make sins seem little that if we were awake, would frighten us. He works strongest upon the imagination when the soul is sleepy or a little drowsy. There is no man that comes to gross sin suddenly. But he falls little by little; first to slumber, from slumber to sleep, and from sleep to false security. Sleepiness is the inlet to all sins, and the beginning of all danger. The Lord takes a contrary course with his own. When he would preserve a state or person, he plants in them first a spirit of faith, to believe that there is such a danger, or such a good to be apprehended; and second, if it be a matter of threatening, he stirs up fear, which wakes up care and diligence.
(2) A man in his sleep is fit to lose all. A sleepy hand lets anything go with ease. A man who has grace and comfort lets it go in his spiritual sleepiness. Through their carelessness they allow themselves to be robbed of first beginnings, by yielding to delights, company, and contentment. The better a man is, the more unquietly will he sleep in such a state. He will feel startlings and frights in the midst of his carnal delights if he belongs to God.
(3) God meets them with some crosses in this world, that they will gain nothing from sleepiness. There is none of God's children that ever gained by yielding to any corruption, or drowsiness, though God saved their souls. It is always true, a sleepy state is a sure forerunner of some great cross, or some great sin. It must be distasteful to God when we go drowsily and heavily about his work. 'Cursed is he that does the work of the Lord with slackness' (Jer. 48:10).

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Love of Christ (Bowels Opened), pp. 73-75 [73-74]
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