this it not enough This is a solemne Ordinance of God and an ordinary disposition will not serve the turn Though every child of God be ordinarily disposed to every good word and work to pray and to hear the word of God he is prepared and furnished to every well-doing ordinarily and habitually but a man must be disposed farther There is a solemne preparation required to the Communion as in Deut. 16. 15. there were solemn feasts in the Law so there is this solemn feast in the Gospel and there are solemn preparations required thereto When we come to the Communion to eat the Lords Supper it is not eating and drinking in Christs presence for so may any reprobate do and yet Christ may say to him Depart from me thou worker of iniquity It is not to come and sit in your Pewes and wait till the Bread comes and take it and till the Cup comes and drink it so many a Reprobate may doe as the Corinthians did that did eat and drink their own damnation But there must be a solemn preparation to it to be sealed with the Spirit of Promise to be righteous by faith in the body and bloâ—d of Christ For a man to be humble and empty of his sin to be â—â—â—â—sâ—y aâ—â—â—â— the precious bloud of Christ to be fed and built up in the promises It is a weighty thing to come to the Communion a man must be a worthy man or else he hath nothing to do here As Solomon said of Adonijah if he be a worthy man not a hair shall fall from his head but if wickednesse be found in him he shall dye 1 Kings 1. 52. So if we be worthy men and women not a hair of our heads shall fall to the ground none of the curses shall light on us that light on unprepared persons but if wickednesse be found in us if we be guilty of any sin if we live in any lust not mortified if there be any prophanenesse in our lives in our families in our courses and callings though we catch hold of the horns of the Altar though we partake of these holy mysteries yet we shall be so far from having any mercy as that we shall hasten our own ruine we set a seal on our own judgement and make our case worse than it was before Let us take notice of it and never dare to rush on any of Gods Ordinances You know what became of the foolish man in the Gospel that when they were invited to come to the marriage supper he thought it was nothing but to come with them that came to crowd in with them and sit down among the rest he considered not what he went about that he might be prepared accordingly the event was this he was cast out into utter darknesse Matth. 22. 13. It is dangerous rushing on any of Gods ordinances To rush upon prayer for a man to fall down upon his knees and to utter any thing before the Lord hastily with his mouth not considering that God is in heaven and he on the earth A mans word may damn his own soul and pull vengeance on his own pate his prayers may prove a curse his prayer for mercy may be turned into vengeance So the higher the service the greater the danger As the servants of Abigail said to her Consider what you do when evill was determined against them so consider what you do when you come to the Sacrament you come to a weighty thing to that that will either set you neerer to the Kindome of God or hell and condemnation But I let this passe and come to the words themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. In these words observe First the matter of the duty commanded that is to eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Secondly the manner of doing the duty not only to eat of that bread but so to eat and not only to drink of that cup but so to drink Thirdly the rule of direction how to come in a right manner to partake of it that is by examining of our selves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Fourthly and lastly the benefit following that direction and that is in this word But let a man examine himself He had said before He that eats and drinks unworthily is made guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord and he discerneth not the Lords body verse 27. But saith he as if he should say if a man would prevent this if a man would take order that he be not guilty of the body and bloud of Christ that he do not come undiscerningly to these heavenly mysteries but with comfort and title to the promises with hope and confidence and speeding there of the benefits of Christ exhibited then let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Now I will passe over some of these points namely that we are to eat that bread and drink that cup. There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords supper I need not stand on this you know it sufficiently proved by the Sacrament of the Law which was the fore-runner of this Sacrament that soul that did not partake of that was to dye the death he was to be cut off from Gods people Num. 9. 13. If the Lord was so carefull of those Sacraments that were inferior to these and yet they were of the same substance as these that the man that neglected to come to them to partake of them was to be cut off to be excommunicated from the people of God and to be rent off from the congregation of the Saints then how much more for these heavenly and weighty and glorious Ordinances of the Gospel which are farr more glorious than them of the Law But I will not stand upon that I might here take notice too of the frequency of the duty for so it hath dependence on those words formerly As oft as you eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death and so that is as oft as ye eat do it in this manner This is the command of God that we oft receive the Lords Supper In the Primitive times St. Basil observes that they eat it three or four times in a week on Wednesdays Frydays and on the Lords day but that was a time of persecution I will not stand upon that I think it not neeedfull But it should be often we should not thurst it only upon Easter and Whitsuntide and Christ-tide three or four times in the year Again I might observe here from this mystery received in that he calls it Bread I might observe against the Papists Transubstantiation that the bread received is not transubstantiated but is bread still and against that of receiving in one kind So let him eat of that bread and drink of that
man or woman rich or poor that person was to be cut off from the presence of the Lord Levit. 12. whereto the Lord sets his Seal for the confirmation thereof I am the Lord and as sure as I am the Lord so will I see it accomplished So my beloved let me say unto you of England from Dover to Newcastle or from the one end of the town unto the other that soul who toucheth any one of these holy things with an impure heart and cometh to partake of them with his uncleannesse upon him living in his sinnes and wallowing in his lusts casting off the fear of the Lord and making no conscience to walk in Gods wayes that soul shall surely be cut off that cometh so unworthily unto the Table of the Lord not only the hand that taketh it and the mouth that eateth it but even the very soul of him that cometh shall perish from the presence of the Lord. So Levit. 7. 20. That soul that eateth of the flesh of the Sacrifices of peace offerings that pertain unto the Lord having his uncleannesse upon him even that soul shall be cut off from his people Now you know that all those sacrifices had relation unto Christ but yet under the Law they were but shadows and typicall relations and were not so lievly and effectuall means for the exhibiting of Christ as the Lords Supper is And therefore if such as came in their uncleannesse unto them were punished with no lesse punishment than a cutting off from fellowship with the Lords people what wrath and vengeance will the Lord bring upon thee that comest with thy uncleannesse upon thee unto this holy Communion Augustine saith that man that receiveth the Sacrament unworthily receiveth a great plague to his own soul and a great torment to his own conscience yea and heapeth up a store of wrath unto himself against the day of wrath Me thinks thou that livest in thy sinnes and wilt not come out of them when thou hearest these words This is my body and seest the bread broken before thy face it should even make thee tremble and quake to look upon it more to touch it and most of all to tast it for it is the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ and how darest thou come in thy sins to defile it A third Reason is in regard of the form of the Sacrament which is Christ too for as he is the efficient cause that instituted it and as he is also the matter of the Sacrament so in the third place Christ is the form of the Sacrament also wherein the confirming grace of God is sealed up unto thee Now as it is treason for a man to offer contempt unto the Kings broad Seal so certainly is it high treason against this King of Kings to contemn this blessed Sacrament which is the Seal of the righteousnesse of faith If thou shouldest clip the Kings Coyn I will say that thou art a Traitor Oh what a traytor art thou then yea accursed traytor in the account of God and Christ if thou clippest his holy Communion if thou clip it of thy examination and due preparation and so come hand over head not regarding so holy an Ordinance Thou sinnest against the Court of heaven That which Saint James speaks in general of the whole worship of God Draw near unto God let me apply it in particular unto this drawing near unto God in his holy Communion James 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Draw near unto God in the hearing reading and meditating on Gods Word draw near unto God in Prayer and in his holy Sacrament and receive it for your amendment of life Draw near unto God I that I wil saith the wicked man I wil come to Church and draw near unto the holy Communion Will you so saith the Apostle No first Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double-minded As if he should say never think of drawing near unto God or setting foot on this holy ground and handling those holy mysteries of Christ unlesse thou first purge thy heart and cleanse thy soul from all thy filthy lusts and cursed corruptions lest otherwise thou coming in thy sins with thy uncleannesse on thee and so receiving unworthily thou eatest and drinkest thine own damnation as our English translation hath it damnation to thy self and not to another No God forbid that thou shouldest by thy unworthy coming eat and drink condemnation to another for thou that art a child of God and comest unto the Table of the Lord with repentance and a sound measure of preparation though others that sit in the same pew with with thee for their prophanenesse eat and drink their own damnation yet thou shalt be sure to receive the seal and assurance of thy reconciliation and salvation with free acceptance of God through the Lord Jesus Christ for every man shall bear his own burden The last Reason is in regard of the end of the Sacrament which is Christ also For as he is the efficient material and formal cause so Christ is also the final cause of the Sacrament So it is in the 26 verse As oft as you eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup you shew forth the Lords death until he come Not that Christ may be eaten with the teeth or corporally received in the Sacrament or as if he were there productively or transubstantially as the Papists say no the Apostle shews that the end of the celebration of this Sacrament is to shew forth the death of Christ untill he come I but say the Romists unlesse we eat the body and drink the blood of Christ really and not the consecrated bread and wine how can any man by this unworthy communicating eat and drink his own damnation and make himself guilty of the body and blood of Christ I answer a man cannot bring this guilt upon himselfe by eating a peece of bread or drinking a cup of wine but the Apostle hath an answer so fitted for this as that all the Papists in the world shall never be able to gain say and therefore I pray you to mark it for he hath joyned these two verses together as oft as you eat of this bread and drink of this cup you shew forth the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever eateth this bread or drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord even for this cause because it is the shewing forth of Christs death till he come Therefore if thou eatest and drinkest unworthily coming in thy sins and resolvest to go on in them that as thou wert proud before thou camest to the Sacrament so thou art still as thou wert cholerick angry and impatient before so thou art still as thou wert luke-warm and dead-hearted in Gods service before so thou remainest still remember I pray thee that as oft as thou hast come unto the
will never do so any more I have been wicked and sinfull disobeying and rebelling against all thy holy commandements and respected not thy judgements and thy promises and have been carelesse of thy glory But now Lord as I eat this bread and drink this wine so I covenant unto thee and promise to thee that I wil amend all my sinfull ways and become a reformed Christian And as I ever look that the body and the bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ represented in the elements should nourish my soul unto eternall life so I promise to be disobedient unto the Devill but faithfull and obedient unto thee I will stop my ears against the alluring inchantments of the world and wicked suggestions of the Devil but I wil open them wide to hearken to thy voice that I may obey thy commands But now as thou hast made it so if thou hast broken this thy covenant with God returning to thy former courses of sin and disobedience against him know thou that this covenant of thine which thou hast broken shal stand in full force against thee for God will assuredly require it at thy hands and all the Sacraments which thou hast received thou hast received them but as so many seals and pledges of thy just deserved condemnation But some man may object and say Do all that come unworthily unto the Sacrament eat and drink their own damnation Then many hundreds yea thousands are damned Are all damned that have eat and drunk unworthily Ans No but a man may eat and drink his own damnation three ways First in regard of guilt and liablenesse unto Gods wrath and so he that eateth and drinketh his naturall food his dinner supper or breakfast in his sinnes eateth and drinketh his own damnation yea whosoever thou art that comest unto this holy banquet in thy sins in thy pride choler malice wrath or revenge covetousuesse hypocrisie and deadnesse in Gods service thou never eatest a bit of bread but thou eatest and drinkest thine own damnation that is thou eatest and drinkest that which will witnesse against thee another day Deut. 28. 16 17 18 19. ver c. If thou â—ilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and do all his commandements then all these curses come upon thee and shall overtake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed in the field cursed shall be thy basket and store Now if thy bread be cursed then thou art cursed also that eatest it Secondly in regard of the seal and obligation in the conscience so he that eateth and drinketh the Sacrament in his sins eateth and drinketh his own damnation that is he eats and drinks that which seals up his damnation against the great day of account And thus many amongst us and I fear the most part of this congregation have eat and drunk their own damnation But this seal may be broken off and God grant it may Thirdly in regard of sigillation in heaven and so he that eats and drinks unworthily and will not be reformed he that receives the Sacrament time after time yet still retains his sins and will not be humbled for them nor forsake them he setteth a seal in heaven upon his own damnation that all the whole world can never break off but such an one most certainly is a damned creature And now my brethren God forbid there should be any such here but that this seal may be broken off And O that God would put some strength into this word that it may be broken off by your godly sorrow for your sin and forsaking of them all for if this seal be set on your damnation why do I yet speak unto you and intreat and beseech you in the name of Christ to come home and be reconciled to him and I desire to stand here as Jehoiadah set Porters at the gates of the City and of the house of the Lord to keep off all those that come in their uncleannesse 2 Chron. 23. 19. So I stand this day as the Porter of the Lord to keep the Lords watch that no prophane wretch no proud hearted sinner that means not to enter into a new course of life that no such one come unto this holy communion I charge you as you will answer the guilt of Christs bloud before Gods Throne that you meddle not with it But now if there be any that would absent himself because he will the more freely go on in his sins let him know that such an one excludes himself from the benefits and merits of Christs death and shall never have the benefit of a Redeemer at the day of judgement but shall perish in his sins for his carelesse neglect and fearful contempt of so effectual and powerful means of salvation and purging as is the bloud of Christ truly and really offered in the Sacrament Wherefore if thou comest or comest not woe is thee if so be thou livest and continuest in thy sins and goest on in thy unholy courses And now to conclude as the Cherubin stood before Paradise with a naked sword to keep Adam out that he might not enter and so eat of the tree of life so I bring with me the sword of God to run it up to the hilt in the heart and bowels of every ungodly man every rebellious and impenitent sinner this day that dares presume to rush upon this holy Ordinance of God with a polluted and an unclean heart Therefore let me exhort thee that as thou tendrest the eternall good of thy soul so thou be careful not to eat the body of Christ nor drink his blood in thy sins lest thou eat thine own bane and drink thine own curse Nay so doing thy misery wil be so great as a good man wel weighing and considering of it said I professe I had rather have all my veins cut open and my bloud spilt on the ground than deliver the body and blood of Christ unto a prophane sinner for why should I deliver his own bane and destruction unto him But now my brethren and beloved come out of your sins come and welcome if you part with your lusts and so come you shall be sure to have his bloud to wash your heart and cleanse you his righteousnesse to clear you and cloath you his graces to strengthen you his spirit to heal and to sanctifie your hearts and natures the Lord Jesus Christ to supply all good that is wanting in you But if yet notwithstanding all this that hath been said you will go on in your sins and live as you did in your swearing whoring lying and drinking and all manner of filthinesse and as you came to it unclean so you depart away from it more unclean and never make any conscience of any reformation I pronounce this day before God and his elect Angels that thou shalt surely perish and thy soul and body be damned and tormented in the scorching flames of hell for evermore Therefore
the creatures lye under ibid. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end 301. 2. An ultimate end ibid A wicked man hath no right unto the creature ibid. But he hath 1. A civil right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3 A vindicative right 302. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ibid. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ ibid. Use To shew that wicked men have little cause to be merry at any time because there is nothing neare them but groaneth under them 303. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be poured upon the wicked ibid. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groans 305. 2. Witnessing groans ibid. 3. Accusing groans 307. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we do abuse the Creatures of God ibid. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature ibid. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse 308. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to helpe thee to climb up towards heaven ibid. The Contents of the two and twentieth SERMON on John 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars 313. Doct. A true Christian walkes as Christ walked 314. A man must first bee in Christ before hee can walke as Christ walked Object Can any man walk as Christ walked 315. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may ibid. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life ibid. Christ came into the world to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification 316. This Question answered viz. What it is to Walke as Christ walked 317. Foure reasons of the point 1. Because as Christ came into the World to justifie the ungodly so he came to conforme them to his Image ibid. 2. Because in vain we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived 318. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and bee quickened by the same Spirit 319. 4 Because of that neer relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members 320 Use 1. To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ do blaspheme the name of Christ 321. Of all sins under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars 322. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative ibid. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull 324. 3 Particulars are most sensible ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretioas and the vile 325. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God ibid. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ 326. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of the three and twentieth SERMON on John 3. 20. THe Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ 331. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation ibid. 3. The condition required viz. Faith 332. 4. The reprobation of the world if they do not believe ibid. But Christ is neither the efficient nor deficient cause thereof ibid. But the cause of their damnation is from themselves proved 1. By their own conscience ibid. 2. By experience ibid 3. By reason 333. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ibid. viz 1. First from the qualification of their persons ibid. 2. From the disposition of their Nature ibid. Doctr. A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe ibid. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart ibid. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word 334. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching ibid 2. To mercifull preaching 335. 3. To preaching when the minister is dead ibid. If the World doe not hatâ— a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man 337. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit and knowledge ibid. 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the world ibid. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to rise against that which is repugnant to its lust ibid. A wicked man may love three kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity 2. Impertinent preaching ibid. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his Conscience ibid. Reason 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word 339. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word 340. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word ibid. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them 341. 2. Because neither money nor price can make them friends ibid. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together 343. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together ibid. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather go to Hell then be a new creature 344. The Contents of the four and twentieth SERMON on Isaiah 42. 24. THe words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction 350. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it self ibid. 3. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it ibid. Doctrine 1. God is the Author of all judgements that befall a Nation 351. Use 1. For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the orderer of all events ibid. Use 2. For terrour to the wicked that God whom they hate shall be their judge ibid. Use 3. To learne in all calamities to look up unto God 352. Doctrine 2. Sinne and disobedience against the Law of God is that which brings down punishments and judgements upon a Nation Church or People ibid. Use 1. To discover the weaknesse of our Land in what a poor condition it is by reason of sinne 353. 2. To shew who be the greatest Traytors to a kingdom ibid. 3. To teach all of us to set hand and heart Prayer and tears on work against sinne ibid. Especially it concernes thâ—se that are in places of Authority 354. Doctrine 3. The Lord often times brings fearfull and unavoydable judgements and punishments upon his own professing people 335. Four signes of Judgement a coming 1. When the Ministers of God with one voyce foretell judgements to come 856. 2. When sins of all sorts do abound ibid. 3. When the Divell and wicked men cast in bones of dissention ibid. 4. When all mens hearts begin
confirm it with an oath that they should never enter into his rest And Saint Cyprian saith that the Lord hath shewed many miracles and declared many fearfull judgements upon the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament Judas who Ambrose thought received the Sacrament though Hilary and others that he did not but only that he did eat the Passeover and was coming to the Sacrament also but see his doom John 13. as soon as ever he received the sop the Devil entred into him and so it is with all such as come to the Communion in their sins without repentance and unfeigned resolution of walking ever after worthy the Sacrament I say unto all and every one of them that as soon as ever thou receivest the Bread and Wine into thy mouth thou receivest the devil together with it as soon as ever it goeth down into thy bodie the Devill goeth after it and taketh more full possession of thy heart and soul Now the reason why the Lord doth so severely punish both with temporall judgements and with spirituall curses the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament is in regard of the author of the Sacrament who is Christ and that not only as he was man as the Papists would make us beleeve but Christ as he was God did institute the same So saith the Apostle in the 23. verse The Lord Jesus Christ in the same night that he was betray'd took bread and brake it when he had given thanks and said Take ye and eat ye for this is my body which is broken for you Now if the Lord Jesus did institute it what an accursed thing is it for any to defile it and so sin against Christ it is a damnable thing to sin against God but to sin against God as he is God in Christ is damnably damnable The holy Ghost in the second Psalm exhorts to kisse the Son lest he be angry and so thou perish as if he should say Adore the Son Adore the Loâ—d Jesus Christ and so come and eat of this bread and drink of this Cup for if he be angry thou wilt surely perish If thou sin against God and so go out of the way Christ upon thy repentance will set thee in again but if thou sinnest against God in Christ who is the Way the Life and the Truth thou shalt surely perish from the right way for there is no other way to bring thee in again Acts 4. 12. Therefore wofull is thy case and miserable is thy condition if thou sinnest against Christ prophaning his holy Ordinances which he himselfe hath instituted and abusest and despisest that blessed Spirit of his that comes to seal unto thee the redemption that he hath purchased by his bloud Better had it been for thee that thou hadst never been born for if he be wroth blessed only are all they that put their trust in him and come preparedly unto his holy Ordinance and that by faith imbrace the Lord Jesus Christ but woe unto all prophane persons that live in their sins if his wrath be but a little kindled then woe to all drunkards swearers and unclean persons but blessed is that man that is come out of his sins For if his wrath be so terrible when it is but a little kindled O how much more fearfull will it be when it is deeply incensed Therefore if thou comest unto this holy Sacrament in thy sins without due preparation and examination what doest thou but even set the wrath of God burning upon thy soul and body from the very bottom of hell When the Lord delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai he commanded the people to sanctifie themselves yea if a beast did but touch the mountain he must dye for the same even be stoned to death or thrust through with a dart Heb. 12. Much more then now when the Lord doth deliver the Gospel especially the ground-work and master-peece thereof the Lord Jesus Christ and that in the most blessed manner that ever God exhibited himselfe unto man how much more doth God require purity and holinesse that all such as come to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament should be sanctified purging their hearts and cleansing their souls from all their sin and uncleannesse Should not a beast touch the mountain where God did appear and darest thou touch the body of Christ and drink his blessed bloud in thy sinnes The very angels of heaven will curse thee and the clouds of heaven will pour down showers of vengeance upon thee for God hath more severe punishments to inflict upon sinners under the Gospell than he used under the Law though then he struck them with more visible and sensible plagues and judgements than ordinarily he bringeth upon men now as Gehazi for his covetousnesse was strucken with leprosie Corah Dathan and Abiram the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up quick for their rebellion against the Lord Er and Onan were strucken dead for their wickednesse Jeroboam had his hand withered for stretching of it forth to strike the Lords Prophet And though the Lord bring not such sensible punishments now as he did then yet he knows how to punish the world a thousand times more than he did then at this time As a father hath other kinds of punishments for his son when he is growâ— up than he had when he was in coats and but a child then a twig or two would serve the turn but if he come to mans estate and then rebell against his father it may be that he will disinherit him and cast him out of his family So in former time God did scourge and whip his people when they sinned against him but now he hath drawn out his Church to this age even to the age of the Gospel he hath severer strokes of plagues and curses wherewith to confound all prophane and impenitent sinners that dare to abuse that blessed Sacrament of the Lord Jesus Christ The second Reason is in regard of the matter of the Sacrament which is Christ also who as he was the efficient cause so in regard of Sacramental relation he is the matter of the Cummunion 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we break is it not thâ— Communion of the body of Christ Now the better matter any thing is of the more heynous is the defilement of it A master will not be so angry for casting his earthen vessels into the mire as he will be for casting his rich jewels The Bread and Wine in the Sacrament are the blessed Communion of the precious body and bloud of Christ and darest thou defile them knowest thou not that thou dost greatly encrease the wrath of the Lord against thy soul thereby That soul whatever it was from Dan to Beersheba that came in his uncleannesse to partake of any of those holy things which the children of Israel hallowed to the Lord whether he were
shalt be found out and the Lord will keep thee out by his spirituall plagues and thy sin shall never be done away but be required at thy hands and stand in everlasting record against thee O my brethren that you would but seriously consider it and look about you it being so weighty a thing that so nearly concerns every one of you But I would not have any poor broken heart and humble Soul to mistake me and so thereby be discouraged but give me leave I pray you to use the words of the Prophet though spoken in another sense Psal 115. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory So let me apply this doctrine unto the comfort of all poor broken-hearted sinners and beate off all carnal prophane wretches that live in their sins not unto you O drunkards swaggerers not unto you whoremasters and unclean persons that wallow in ungodlinesse I say not unto you but unto the poor afflicted soul and contrite spirit that lieth bleeding and gasping under the weight of his sin and that trembles and fears being opprest with the sense of its own unworthiness panting and breathing after Christ Jesus and suing earnestly unto the Throne of grace for mercy and forgivenesse unto thee only belongs this comfort and therefore take it home to thee and know it for thy self Art thou troubled with a hard heart and an unbeleeving soul and art even wearyed and tyred out with thy many sins and infirmities Come thou with comfort unto this holy Communion for thou shalt be sure to find saving good by it to thee it shall be a spirituall medicine to heal all thy diseases and to cure all thy strong and prevailing corruptions and if thou come unto this holy Table of the Lord it shall make thee as it is recorded of Saint Laurence able to suffer Martyrdom and to get victory over all thy unruly affections yea at last thou shalt tread Satan thy arch-enemy under thy feet Thefore be not dismayed for the Lord Jesus invites thee to come What if thy infirmities be many yet the mercies of God which he tenders to thee in this Communion are many more Samson who was the strongest Souldier and Companion in his time that was in Israel to overcome the Philistims he yet began his strength in weaknesse being at the first overcome by a woman So though the Lord intend to make thee a strong Christian he will make thee to begin in weaknesse to perfect thy power to begin in sin and misery that he may make thee to end in glory I know Gods children here may receive temporal punishments and bring temporal scourges upon themselves as we may see amongst the Corinthians here but it shall be for their good and amendment namely for their correction and not for their ruine and destruction that so being chastened by the Lord they might not be condemned with the world Therefore if thou comest carelesly and unprofitably God will chastise thee with the rods of men as he did Peter who receiving the Sacrament with his Master over night yet the next day thrice denyed him but God whipt his soul and scourged his conscience for it and beat him black and blew so that he went out and wept bitterly Nay he could scarce with off that sin and recover himself again whilst he lived Wherefore let us take heed of unprepared coming to the Sacrament for God will not hold such guiltlesse Yea if his own sonnes or daughters transgresse thereby he will make them to feel the smart of it But now to come to all such as come moneth by moneth hand over head without any examination and repentance in their uncleannesse and abomination making no conscience of their reformation let me tell them that it shall be one of Christs demands of them in the day of judgement How oft hast thou been at my Table How oft hast thou been partaker of that holy Communion which I gave unto thee Hast thou come preparedly or received worthily or no Hast thou eat bread at my Table with me and lift up thy heel against me Did I command and thou wouldest not obey Did I send my Ministers to thee to reform but thou wouldest not be reformed Did I check and reprove thee for thy pride blasphemies drunkennesse covetousnesse anger wrath malice fornication hypocrisie and prophanenesse in the matter of my worship and yet wouldest thou still live in these sins Where are all the Sacraments that thou hast received How hast behaved thy self Where are the sins that thou hast forsaken and pleasing corruptions that thou hast abhorred What grace and holinesse hast thou received by the means thou hast enjoyed and how hast thou manifested the same through thy whole conversation Oh! woe woe unto thee yea and a world of woes unto thee and unto all such as shall be silent and speechlesse to those or the like demands of Christ for they cannot say they have come out of their sins and have been reformed by the means of grace and have received spirituall nourishment and refreshing from the heavenly banquet of the Communion of the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ A man will especially regard the last words of a dear friend who is as a mans Soul when he is to speak upon his death-bed and will be carefull to remember them and dost thou not more regard the last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ we count it a horrible sin to alter the last Will of a man that is dead Beloved the Lord Jesus before he left this world instituted this blessed Sacrament as his last Will and Testament and hath given us a charge that as we would not eat and drink our own damnation by bringing the guilt of his body and bloud upon our Souls so that we should discern the Lords body and not come unpreparedly in our sins and abominations without reverence and respect of such holy and high mysteries as if there were nothing more to be received and looked for after then the bare and naked element of bread and wine or as if we did come to communicate with unclean Devils O my brethren if you had but faith you would be able to discern Christ in the Sacrament and therefore when thou comest unto it thou must prepare and sanctifie thy selfe to communicate with him in those holy Ordinances and heavenly mysteries of his most pretious body and bloud for if so be that thou retainest thy sins and so come unworthily unto this holy Table of the Lord thou art a great Covenant-breaker with God For thou never comest unto the Communion but thou makest and renewest thy covenant with God wherein thou promisest thus much or the like in effect Lord I have been formerly a drunkard but now I promise to give it over and never to be a drunkard more I have been a scoffer at Religion and a mocker and derider of thy children but now I faithfully promise Lord that I
a man to be drunken this is abundance of sins for it is an abuse of Gods creatures a spending of his substance a weakning of his parts a scandall to others c. Sin in deed is a sin with an addition sin in deed is an impudent sinâ— see Isaiah 65. 2 3. c. that man is impudent with a witnesse that will commit sinne in deed for he is neither ashamed of Gods nor mans presence if any man be a desperate sinner this is he But it may be objected how then can thoughts be said to be such sins even sins of the highest part of a man I answer a Thiefe or Rogue hath burnt a mans dwelling house yet he may proceed further and burn his stable too a 1000 pound and a shilling are more then a 1000 pound Sins in thought are included within sins in deed The souls part of sinne is the greatest part of sinne Now thoughts are the souls part of sin yet sins in deed must needs be worse in regard of the progresse of sinne and also because thoughts are included in them thoughts and deeds are more then thoughts alone I exhort and desire you therefore to consider First what great reason you have to set your thoughts on God God himselfe merited this dutie at your hands God hath taken a number of thoughts for us Innumerable are thy thoughts O God to us ward Ps 40. 5. the Lord thinks on us from the Cradle to the Crosse If the Lord should have intermitted his thought of thee thou couldst not subsist when thou wast up the Lord thought how to feed thee when thou wast in bed he thought how to preserve thee he doth not use to think of thee at one time and not at another but he thinks on thee when thou art sick and when thou art in health asleep or awake the Devill else would seize on thee I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinks on me saith the Psalmist Psal 40. 17. And Nehemiah saith O Lord think on me shall we call to God to think on us then surely it is our duty to think on him yea and he may call to us for that duty Secondly consider with your selves what thoughts they are which God calls for my son saith he give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. He would faine have thy heart he lets thee labour with thy hands for thy living and he lets thee have thy feet to walk and the rest of thy members for thy severall uses but the Lord requires thy heart and therefore give him the thoughts of thy heart for if thy neighbour come to thee for fire thou canst not give him fire if thou take away the heat thereof so give the Lord thy heart and the thoughts of it will follow The Devill calls for thy heart also ergo reason as Joseph did when he was tempted how can I doe this and sinne against my God my Master hath delivered into my hands all that he hath thee only excepted and shall I take thee how can I doe this So the Lord hath with-holden nothing from thee but thy heart my sonne saith he give me thy heart yet wilt thou deny it him with the thoughts thereof Tell me you that are rich would it be any disparagement unto you to be Gods servants to set your thoughts on God True it is the greater ill men of this world thinke it some disparagement to think on these things But I tell thee thou that art a Gentleman if thou have grace it makes thee more than a Gentleman grace takes not away mens honor and riches but if he be a Knight it makes him more than a Knight And as Paul said to Philemon receive him now a servant and more than a servant he was a servant when he was carnall but now being a Christian he is more than a servant if you have grace it is an addition to your riches riches and more than riches ergo give your hearts to God and it will be the better for you Thirdly the Lord hath made thy thoughts thy Jewels thy thoughts are precious the Lord keepeth them under lock and key he will not let any see them if all men should observe a man and look into him yet they cannot see his thoughts no God hath lockt them up and made them thy Jewels wilt thou then cast them into the myre wilt thou preferre Haukes and Hounds in thy thoughts before God canst thou sit at dinner and not once think of God but alwayes on base pelfe why thy thoughts are thy Jewels Again A man that is wise will be wary what companions he keeps your thoughts are your only companions you never go out nor in but your thoughts go along with you and for this cause Solomon would have us place the word of God in our thoughts Prov. 6. 22. See Psal 139. 15. 16. when I am awake I am present with thee Men will be carefull what meat they eat because such meat as they eate such is their blood and as their blood is so is their body now as the body feeds on meat so doth the soul on thoughts if we look not to our thoughts they will be subject to abundance of corruptions a man must give an account of every idle word he speaks and thoughts are the intrinsecal words of the heart now if men must give an account of every idle word then of every idle thought also Let this then teach all and every one of us in the fear of God to consider our thoughts else our end will be destruction A SERMON OF SELF-DENIAL LUKE 9. 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me THis Text contains the first action performed of every Christian viz. to deny himself concerning which you may here see First the grounds of it Secondly the reasons of it Thirdly the occasion of it Fourthly the parts of it Fifthly and lastly the necessity of it I intend to handle these words as they are in relation to the context First the grounds of this truth viz. that every man must deny himself And it is here expressed to be twofold viz. the contrariety that is between Christ and a mans self me and himself these two terms are contradictory one to the other if any man will come after me let him deny himself these two cannot stand together Secondly the contrariety that is between self and self if a man be in Christ he hath two selves he hath a self in himself and a self out of himself the self in himself is old Adam the other in Christ which is the new man there is the self-denying and self-denyed if a man will find himself he must lose himself Paul must not be found in Paul having his own righteousnesse but he must find himself in Christ for salvation belongeth unto the Lord Psal 3. 8. And ergo let him deny himself Secondly you may see
appointed his sonne Hippocrates to be a physitian of Horses yet he proved a physitian for men he appointed Hosander to be a physitian for men and he proved a physitian for horses He is not like these no no he will heal those whom he was appointed to heal now God appointed him to heal thee that art broken in heart and therefore without doubt he will do it 2. Because Christ hath undertaken to do it When a skilfull Physitian hath undertaken a cure he will surely do it indeed sometimes a good physitian may fail as Trajans physitian did for he died under his hands on whose tomb this was written Here lies Trajan the Emperour that may thank his Physitian that he died But if Christ undertake it thou maist be sure of it for he tels thee that art broken in heart that he hath undertaken it he hath felt thy pulse already Thus saith the high and holy one whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place and with him that is of an humble and broken spirit c. Isa 57. 15. He doth not onely undertake it but he saith he will go visit his sick patient he will come to thy bed-side yea he will come and dwell with thee all the time of thy sicknesse thou shalt never want any thing but he will be ready to help thee thou needest not complain and say Oh the Physitian is too far off he will not come at me I dwell in the high places indeed saith God but yet I will come and dwell with thee that art of an humble spirit Thou needest not fear saying Will a man cure his enemies I have been an enemy to Gods glory and will he yet cure me yea saith Christ if thou be broken in heart he will bind thee up Thirdly because this is Christs charge and he will look to his own calling To this man will I look even to him that is of a broken heart Isa 66. 2. Mark I will look to him I will tend him and keep him Neither needest thou fear thine own poverty because thou hast not a Fee to give him for thou maiest come to him by way of begging he will look to thee for nothing For to him will I look that is poor c. Fourthly none but the broken in heart will take Physick of Christ Now this is a Physitians desire that his Patient would cast himself upon him if he will not the Physitian hath no desire to meddle with him Now none but the broken in heart will take such Physick as Christ gives and therefore he saith To him will I look that is of a broken heart and trembles at my words Esai 66. 2. When I bid him take such a purge saith God he trembles and he takes it I bid him take such a bitter Potion or such an untoothsome vomit to feare him from sinne he trembles at my word and he dares not but off with it But when a soul doth not tremble then the Physitian may say let him blood but he cares not for being let bloud he cares not for corrosives he cares not for his advice and counsell he trembles not at his word Christ will never come at such a one Christ bids thee follow such a diet as to watch to pray to fast to mourne c. to keep in and to take heed to catechizing grow not cold by being lukewarm c. If thou tremble at his word well if not but that thou wilt go on in thy sinnes and be damned for ever then thank thine own wilfulnesse But if thou beest broken in heart Christ will assuredly heal thee Suppose thou shouldest come unto Christ be his physick never soveraign and thou shouldest take it yet if thy heart be against it the physick cannot work Imagination or fancy is a great thing in the good or ill successe of physick If thou carpe at his precepts as too strict and except against his word as if he had an ounce of wormwood too much in it If thy imaginations thus run against the physick Christs physick will never cure thee why so thou art not broken in heart to tremble at his word he will help thee without faile but then thou must tremble at his word and take his directions though he prescribe thee to eat thine own dung and drink thine own pisse take it I say what ever it be and I will warrant thee health But thou wilt reply I have but a little faith I answer so had Peter O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt saith our Saviour Matth. 14. 13. There is a little faith and there is a great faith O woman great is thy faith Matth. 15. 28. whether it be a little faith or a great faith so it be true saving justifying faith it is good physick and it will assuredly cure thee It is not the quantity of faith that saves a man but the quality of faith True it is a great quantity of faith because it hath more of the quality more of the truth it heals more strongly and more steadily But faith whether it be great or small so it be true that doth the deed Shall the Patient doubt of his recovery because of the small measure of physick that the Physitian gives him the Physitian gives but a dram of such a powder but perhaps the Patient would have a pound when as it may be the state of his body will not bear it The Physitian observs his measures in prescribing so many ounces of this so many scruples of that therelies his skil in giving the true measure so there is the true measure of faith Rom 12. 3. one man hath so much and another man hath not so much faith Abraham had more faith than Lot the reason is because the state of Lots soul would not bear so much as Abrahams It is one of Hippocrates Aphorismes Not too much at once A Physitian finds it dangerous sometime to empty the body at once or to fill it all at once or to heat it or to coole it all at once it is the safest way to give by little and little so God by little and little deals with thee now he gives thee some faith and then a little more O but my faith is smothered how then can I expect to be healed I answer a man is sick and Violets will cure him now the Physitian makes a compound confection so that the Violets doe not appeare but onely in oyle Now will the Patient thus argue I cannot see one leaf of a Violet no nor yet so much as colour therefore I will none of it it wil not heale me So God gives many a soul unguentum fidei an oyle of faith now it may be the soul cannot see one jot of faith in himselfe yet he shal be cured because there is faith in a confection a mixed faith though there be none in manifestation Thou weepest mournest doubtest and complainest and thou canst not beleeve as thou sayest yet thou
in the congregation but he will find it out if he preach in particular he will discover every mans corruption fling wilde fire in every wicked mans face and throw balme of comfort into every godly troubled spirit As King James said well of a reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinks this man preacheth of death as if death were at my back so should Ministers preach as if Heaven were at mens backes or as if hell were at mens backes When he preacheth of mens sinnes and corruptions he must preach so that their consciences may see that the word of God looks into the very thoughts and hearts when he preacheth of the wrath of God and of condemnation c. he must preach so that the conscience may feele even the fire of hell flaming in it this is the way to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord as it is called 2 Chron. 30. 22. every Minister may teach the knowledge of the Lord but not the good knowledge of the Lord. There is great difference between teaching of the knowledge and of the good knowledge of the Lord. Men may know God and his word and their sinnes but if they go on in their sins it is not good knowledge then indeed a Minister teacheth good knowledge when he makes his people so to know sin as to loath it and to come out of it so to know repentance as to repent indeed Secondly Discrimination As if he should say there are some that are in him and some that are not in him if any man say he abideth in him he ought himselfe to walk even as he walked so that here the Apostle would put a difference between the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation Hence observe this point That every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference between the precious and the vile Saint John preached so as that his hearers might say the Spirit of Christ is in me or the Spirit of Christ is not in me that themselves might know whether indeed they were true members of Christ or but hypocrites This is the duty of Ministers Ezek 44. 23. They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and cause men to discerne between the cleane and unclean Here is two things First they shall teach them the difference between the holy and prophane Secondly they shall not onely shew it before them but if they will not see it they shall cause them to see it that is they must beat it into them and rubbe it into their consciences it may be when men may see they will not then he must make them to see If there be any prophane person any luke warme or dead-hearted professor or close hypocrite in the congregation the Minister must make him see his prophanesse his deadnesse and hypocrisie in Gods worship or if there be any godly soule or broken heart the Minister must make them to see that they have a broken heart First reason because else a man defiles the pulpit and prophanes the holy things of God Ezek. 22. 26. Her Priests have violated my law and prophaned my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the cleane and unclean Those Ministers prophane the holy place of God when they make not mens consciences know which is holy and prophane when prophane persons may come and go from Church and have not their prophanenesse discovered to them a drunkard a swearer c. and hath not his sinnes laid open to him Is there any prophane person here that hath not an arrow shot into his heart but he can goe away and not take any comfort from the Sermon these men prophane the holy things of God When God gave Benhadad into the hands of Ahab and Ahab spared him and let him goe 1 King 20. the Prophet tells Ahab ver 42. Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life c so if there be any Minister over any congregation in which there is any drunkard any swearer or whoremaster or wordling or lukewarmling or any other that lives in such sinnes which God hath apointed and decreed to eternal destruction in hell if we tell them not their sinnes and make their consciences feele them then our life shall goe for their life our soule for their soule for we might have given them such a wound as might have been a means to have cured their soule Secondly We are not the Ministers of Christ if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted if they are not c. God saith to to the Prophet Jeremiah if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Jeremiah could not be Gods mouth to the people unlesse he would divide between the precious and the vile Unlesse Ministers preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in they may be Ministers of Satan Idoll-shepheards but they are not the Ministers of Christ Thirdly because otherwise they can doe no good Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flock thus saith the Lord God behold I will judge between cattell and cattell c. As if he should say woe unto the shepheards will they not preach so as to make a difference between cattell and cattell woe unto the Priests will they not preach so as to feede my flocke I will require my flocke at their hands and now saith God will not the shepheards of my people doe it I will now doe it my selfe I will convert those that are to be converted c. I will feed and provide for my flock my selfe Austin notes that after that Peter had smote off Malchus his eare Peter came to be a shepheard and an Apostle of Christ after Paul had persecuted the Church he came to be a Preacher and an Apostle of Christ so after Moses had killed the Egyptian God made him the Captain and deliverer of his people Austin observes from this that God appoints none for his Ministers but Smiters such as be men of blows men that will smite men home to the heart men that wil wound the consciences of their hearers This I speak that you may not be offended at the ministers of Christ when they apply the word of God to your severall consciences and whensoever you have the truth of Christ preached to your soules let your hearts make use of it for if thou apply not the word of God to thy soule as it is preached thou art guilty of thine own bloud If you apply not the word you put off the word of God and then what saith the Apostle Acts 13. 46. It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it farre from you and judge
your selves unworthy of everlasting life c. You that have heard the word of God apply it to your soules it is a blessed plaister let it lie on your soules go home and say Lord I have been told of this and that sinne of my pride hypocrisie deadnesse and distraction in thy worship and service c. I see they are against thy will and thou commandest me to come out of them and to leave them Lord I beseech thee inable me to leave them all so Lord I have been told this day of such and such graces which thou hast commanded me for to have of such and such duties that thou wouldest have me to take up and performe Lord subject my heart to the power of grace and to every commandement of thy word Take heed if thou doest put off the word of God or any tittle of the word and wilt not walke according to the same thou puttest off eternall life from thy selfe Doe therefore as Gods people did who when Moses had preached the Law and Will of God to them it is said Exod. 12. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israel as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron so did they So doe you goe home and apply the word to your soules it was spoken for your good make use of it and the Lord be with you Thirdly Scrutiny it is not onely an outward word but a word of the heart if any man say that is if any man think that he is in Christ he ought to walke as Christ did Hence we might observe That a Minister is bound to preach to mens thoughts But time cuts us off THE ENMITIE OF THE WICKED To the light of the GOSPEL In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE ENMITY OF THE WICKED To the light of the GOSPEL JOHN 3. VER 20. For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved THis is part of Christ his parly with Nicodemus concerning regeneration wherein our Saviour doth declare four main points The first is Mans naturall estate and condition without Christ It is impossible that ever he should be saved that ever he should get grace or come within the list of eternall life Christ saith it and bindeth it with an oath ver 3. Verily Verily I say unto thee except a man be borne again he cannot see the Kingdome of God much lesse inherit it Secondly here is Gods gracious provision which he hath taken with the world that though man were in a way of damnation invincibly yet now he is put in a way of probability of salvation ver 16. though he were damnable by nature yet now he is salvable by Christ Thirdly here is a general proclamation upon the condition of faith that this salvability may be attained if a man believe In the same verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him c. It is a condition of faith put to all none excepted Whosoever he be that beleeveth in Christ he shall be saved Fourthly here is the reprobation of the world he that beleeveth not is condemned already The cause whereof cannot be cast on Christ for God hath not sent his Son to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved It was Christs primary purpose and the first end of his coming to save the world it is an accidentall end or rather an event of his coming that the world is condemned Christ is not the cause of it he is not the efficient cause for he is a Saviour nor the deficient cause for he is a sufficient Saviour That the cause of their condemnation is from themselves and not from Christ is proved by three arguments First from their own consciences he that beleeveth not is condemned already He cannot here speake of the condemnation of hell for he is not in hell already But he speakes of an apprehensuall condemnation in their own consciences as Chrysostome observes he meanes the condemnation of their own consciences he that beleeves not his conscience tells him that it is his fault that he beleeveth not though it be not in his power to be beleeve yet God hath gone so farre he hath so farre strugled with mens consciences that there is no default on his part They cannot excuse themselves saying I have no power to beleeve their own consciences will tell them that God hath knocked at their hearts and offered them power to beleeve but they rejected it They cannot say I know not how to beleeve his own conscience will tell him that God hath offered instruction to him whereby he might have been taught but that he refused it so that he that beleeves not is condemned already his own conscience riseth within him and tells him that it is his own fault that he doth not Secondly it is proved by experience experience shews that men are the cause of their own condemnation verse 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world but men loved darknesse rather then light the meaning of it is this This is the cause of condemnation to the world not Gods predestination not their fatall destiny not their breach of the first covenant nor any other impiety but this sinne of Infidelity If the world stood guilty of never so many sinnes yet if it did beleeve in the Lord Jesus it should be saved So that it is not all the other sinnes that a man commits that damnes him but his infidelity that layes all his former sinnes that ever he committed upon him here is condemnation that though light be come into the world to pull men out of their darknesse and sinnes yea though Christ though grace come to them yet they will not come out of their sinnes men will not have Christ men will not have grace men love darknesse rather then light Thirdly It is proved by reason verse 20. the verse now read unto you For every man that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should be reproved It is a strong argument to prove that if men be damned themselves are the cause of it for if light come into the world to instruct men if Christ come into the world to pluck men out of their sins if Christ come with his bloud and spirit to cleanse and sanctifie men and men will not be sanctified Then if they perish in their sins they are justly guilty of their own condemnation The words comprehend in them two things First the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is set forth both positively he hates the light and then privatively or rather negatively neither cometh to the light Secondly the cause of the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is twofold First the qualification of his
thoughts thy vain words and thy vain lusts and wilt thou not If God had redeemed us with silver and gold that were but drosse no he hath redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne if now thou wilt part with the bloud of Christ rather then with thy sinnes that the word of God commands thee to part with how great is thy hatred of the word Bloud it is necessary to the life of every living creature I am sure the Bloud of Christ is necessary to the life of a Christian without it a man can never be washed nor never be sanctified nor made acceptable to God That man that will rather part with his bloud rather then lay down his hatred of such an one whom he hates he hates him for ever he hates him to the death Thou that rather then thou wilt part with thy evill courses from those sinnes that Gods word would have thee to to give over and forsake wilt part with the bloud of Christ I say thou hatest the word and thou hatest a reformation of thy wayes for ever with an everlasting and damnable hatred That man that had rather be damned then leave his sinnes that had rather goe to hell then be a new creature he hates the parting with his sinnes he hates to be a new creature It is truth man is a reasonable creature and therefore cannot reason so in expresse words as to say I had rather be damned then to give over my drunkennesse my lying my swearing my lust I had rather goe to hell then be so pure and so holy c. But every wicked man is so unreasonable in very deed for the word of God tells that wicked men that live and die in such sins and such sins shall be damned yet they will not give over their sinnes Doth not your own conscience tell you that as long as you pray no better as long as you walke no better in your profession God abhorreâ— you and all that you doe and will damn you doth not thy conscience cell thee that yet thou hast no assurance of salvation that as yet Jesu-Christ was never given to thee that as yet you never had the Spirit of Christ to kill sinne in you if that thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes and not get Christ and his Spirit into thy heart as the word of God commandeth thee and thy own conscience perswadeth thee I say if yet thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes then thou choosest to be damned rather then to part with sin Doe we not say such a rogue will be hanged that such a hasty furious man will undoe himselfe doe we not say of a rebellious child that he will be disinherited not that any man reasons so in words I will doe thus and thus and undoe my selfe I will steale and be hanged I wil be a rebellious child and be disinherited I will goe on in my sinnes let the world say what it will and be damned But when a man knows that the wages of sin is death that the end of drunkennesse of swearing of lying of pride security hypocrisie formality in religion c. is death When a man knows that the end of that sinne which he lives iâ— is damnation and yet will goe on in those sinnes he wills to be damned Ezek 18. 31. Turne you turne you why will you dye O house of Israle why were any so madde as to be willing to dye to perish for ever yet saith the Prophet why will you dye as if he should say why will you sin that man that wills to sin he wills to be damned that man that will be damned rather then part with his sinne that man loves sin for ever and so hates the light Beloved be ashamed to carry so many plague-tokens upon your hearts so manny sinnes in your soules so many oppositions and rebellious against the word That man that hates and rebells against the word can never be saved by the word You that have had the preaching of the word look that you give way to it take heed that you withstand not the breath of it I could tel you one thing I pray God to send it home to your hearts commonly when God sneds his word to a people those that are wrought upon for the most part are wrought upon at the beginning generally it is so I will give you a convincing place for it Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard they glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Paul and Barnabas were come to Antioch and had preached one Sabbath day and now had preached another The Gentiles glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved as if he had said all that were ordained to eternall life beleeved at those Sermons as if he should say again all that beleeved not at those two Sermons were reprobates Those that did belong to God they did beleeve and hearkened to the preaching of the word to them on those two Sabbaths All that were ordeined to life they beleeved at these two Sermons the rest that beleeved not are branded and marked out for despisers and wonderers Heare O despisers and wonder and perish c. Agree with thine Adversary whilst thou art in the way Matth. 5. Beloved you are now in the way of salvation your Adversary is the Lord himself til he be reconciled unto you you are in the way while you are under the preaching of the word you know not how soon God may take you out of the way you know not how soon God may take his word away or if that continue yet he may withdraw his Spirit and then if God once take away his Spirit then you may seek to be converted but shall never find it you may seek for grace but shall never get it you may seek for Christ but never obtaine him if men stand out against the word and Spirit of Christ while it is beating upon their hearts and offering them grace then Christ will be a swift witnesse against them Malach. 3. 5. Doth Christ come to thee now obey now beleeve now give over thy sins Doth he bid thee now repent c. O give way to the Words of Christ give way to the spirit of Christ otherwise Christ will come swiftly I will be a swift witnesse I tell you the Covenant of grace will not stay long God is about to put up his wares When no Customers come the Merchant puts up his wares so God will even close up all his graces then Preachers may preach but none shall be converted People may heare but never be turned which the Lord deny from ever being amongst us therefore while it is called to day hearken and the Feare of God be with you GODS IMPARTIALITY IN HIS JUDGEMENTS In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed
have they besought you to be zealous and meek and holy and you will not thou art techie and revengefull in speeches how often hast thou been sought to leave it thou art proude and stout-hearted how oft hast thou been fought for to be humble thou art carnall and worldly how often hast thou been besought to be spirituall and heavenly Thou hast no assurance of Christ in thy soule how oft hast thou been besought for to get him Ministers beseech thee every Sabbath Ministers intreate thee every week They breake their braines and breake their sleepe and spend their lung and all to invent and speake acceptable words to prevaile with your â—oules with heart-cutting intreaties they beseech you if not withstanding all this you will not be intreated to part with your sinnes then it is evident you hate reformation If we did not hate a thing we would doe it though we were never besought to doe it if thou didst not hate a reformation of thy sinnes thou wouldest have been reformed without these beseeches but if beseeches and intreaties cannot wooe thee thou hatest it indeed which beseeches cannot reconcile The Lord Jesus sent his Ministers in his Name we are Gods Embassadours in Christ his stead we pray you to be reconciled to God We have besought you by the bloud of Christ we have intreated you by the Bowel of Gods mercies to become new men we beseech you in the Bowels of the Lord Jesus Christ to give over your sins We beseech you as you love your soules give over your sins we beseech you as you are men as you know what is what give over your sinnes we beseech you let the drunkard give over his drunkennesse the swearer his oathes and blasphemies the Idolater his Idolatry and wilworship let the idle talker give over his fruitlesse communication the covetous person give over his covetousnesse the secure Christian and luke warme professor and deadharted server of God come out of his security and dead-heartednesse c. I beseech you by the mercies of God saith Saint Paul present your bodies a living sacrifice holy c. Rom. 12. 1. Sacrifice your tongues unto God we beseech you and speake holy conference sacrifice your hearts we beseech you and use holy meditations sacrifice your eares unto God and suffer not idle language to be spoken in your hearing we beseech you doe this yea by all the mercies of Christ we beseech as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ his stead and will you not yet Certainly you hate the light if all these beseeches cannot reconcile you we have besought you that there be no disorders in any of your families and yet there are we have besought you that there be no losse of time in your meetings that there be no root of bitternesse in your hearts and yet there is we have besought you to mend your repentance and to better your obedience and to repent of your rotten formality and to come out of your sandy and quagmire bottoms and not to consent your selves with this beggerly form of religion onely but as ever you love your soules and would be loved to get the power of grace and a thousand more things have we besought you Is it done no God knows all the beseeches and intreaties under heaven have not yet done it Now therefore you must needs stand convinced in your consciences that you hate the light if all these beseeches cannot bring you to it They must needs be saide to hate one another when neither money nor price nor any thing can make friends That is inveterate cankerous hatred which can never be out-bought which can never be hired to â—ease I make no question but that the Dâ—mosels Master at the first did hate that his Maide should be possessed with a divell but when he saw that it brought him in great gaine he took off his hatred he could then be content that the divell might have stayed in his house so he might have gained by it and therefore we read that he was angry at the Apostle for dispossessing the devill out of her Act. 16. 19. It must be a grievous haâ—red that profit cannot mollifie Brethren you know that God offereth you pardon of your sins he offers you mercy he offers you a Kingdom if you wil come out of your sins If thou wouldst rather lose father mother wife and children houses and lands goods and livings rather then shake hands with such a one as thou art fallen out with I am sure thou hatest him with a witnesse and if thou wouldest rather hazard thy owne mercy hazard the love and favour of God hazard the Kingdom of heaven let Christ goe and mercy goe and heaven go rather then let thy sinnes goe surely thou hatest to be reformed I will give you a kingdome saith God if you will be new men I will give thee a Kingdome if thou wilt take up Christ his Cross and be pure I will give thee a kingdome If thou wilt walk precisely and circumspectly But you will not though you might have a kingdome for it Repent saith Christ for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Matth. 3. 2. Repent and here is a Kingdome at hand for thee Down with thine old lust thou knowest what I mean and here is a Kingdome at hand for thee Repent of your formall repentance repent of your fashionary prayers repent of your overly performances of holy duties and behold here is a Kingdome for you Wilt thou hazard the very Kingdome of grace and of glory rather then thou wilt steppe out of thy old wont thou hatest repentance if a Kingdome cannot hire thee to love it They must be said to hate one another whom all the dearest love in the world can never unite and soder together Love is able to burst all the hatred in the world if the divell be not in it love is more forcible then hatred and therefore that hatred is most cankerous that love cannot overcome What is so pleasing or delightfull to the flesh of a man but love may command it the love of God hath given thee the bloud of his own Sonne if thou wilt part with thy corrpptions thou mayest have it That is hatred indeed which the bloud of thy owne Sauiour cannot disswade thee from The Apostle Peter thought he had used an excellent argument to perswade men to holinesse when he setteth forth the love of God to us 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. For asmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb undefiled and without spotte What doth Christ give his bloud to thee to redeem thee from thy vain conversation hath he given his bloud for thee that thou shouldest part with thy sinnes with thy drunkkennesse with thy oathes thy pride security luke warmnesse earthlinese prophanenesse from thy vain