to flesh and bloud for a man to go and examine all his life to reckon up all his conversation to anatomize himselfe from his cradle to this moment to consider how he hath sinned in his calling in his family in his shop in his company in his speech and in his life to go and judge himselfe of these and condemn himselfe and to accept of his own punishment to go and rack his own thoughts and crucifie his own soul Oh! this is hard men cannot abide this therefore they go and take the matter they observe that and leave out the manner Secondly another reason is this because the matter of duties may be done with a proud heart there is no duty but a man may do it with a proud heart and never be humble A man may pray and use good words and make good petitions and have marvellous good language and Scripture phrase and terms and passages and an admirable sweet tone and yet have a proud heart A man may come and Preach a Sermon he may preach so as that he may strangely affect the hearts of the people and may make all the people wonder and admire at the gracious words that come from his mouth and yet have a proud heart A man may hear and hear oft and hear the best Preachers in the City and delight in hearing and yet have a proud heart A man may come to the Sacrament and sit to ones thinking as devoutly as any in the Church and pray when the people pray and give thanks when others give thanks and have a kind of morall faith in the Covenant and a moral application of the promises and yet have a proud heart It is the manner of doing duties that humbles the soul as Saint Paul saith Acts 20. You know in what manner I have been with you Why what was the manner In all humility of mind saith he being among the Ephesians preaching to them in a right manner leaving them the example of his own pattern doing all this in a right manner he did it in all humility of heart It is the right manner of prayer that puls down the heart before God It is the right manner of hearing the word that makes a man melt at it It is the right manner of coming to the Sacrament that makes a man feel the comfort of God and the promises of the Gospel and to seek and find the admirable things contained in it It is the right manner that makes a man walk lowly with his God Thirdly another Reason is Because the matter may stand with an unholy life A man may do a duty for the matter of it and yet be unholy This is plain how many thousands are there that pray and yet are vain and covetous and carnall How many thousands hear Sermons and yet are unprofitable Ever hearing and never come to the knowledge of the truth If they were injurious before they are injurious still if they were cousners before they are so still if they were drunkards before they are so still A man may receive the Sacrament every moneth and yet may have his lusts and roll them as a sweet morsell under his tongue he may delight in his secret lusts and go on in his deadnesse of heart It is the right manner of worshipping God that purgeth the conscience and purifieth the soul and makes a man that there is no room for his corruptions as you may see 1 Thess 2. 10. You your selves know saith the Apostle how holily and unblameably we walked among you He speaks there of his manner of walking and he saith to them because it was in a right manner it was an holy manner such walking as excluded all unholinesse and prophanenesse Flesh and bloud cannot abide this Men they love to pray and be proud they love to hear sermons and to have their profit they love to professe religion and still to carry their secret lusts in their bosomes People love this alife to go to Gilgal transgresse to offer sacrifice every new moon and every morning and to find the labour of their hands this is right but for a man to part with his iniquity that is the thing that goes against the hair The last reason is because the matter of duties brings not the crosse upon a man A man may do all the duties of Religion and never be persecuted for it a man may be as devout as the devoutest man under heaven yet no body hate him for it except he be devout in a right manner and worship God in a right manner One man may reprove another that is wicked A drunkard may suffer a drunkards reproof and be never the worse A whoremaster may serve his quean so he may call her so and yet not be spited because it is not right It is the right doing of it that brings the crosse as in 2 Tim. 2. 10. Thou knowest thy manner of life It was that that brought afflictions and persecutions We may see to this very day many thousands that seem devout men in the Church they will pray and will hardly misse any time of prayer morning or evening and yet they are farre from being persecuted nay many of them are main persecutors of the Gospel of God enemies to the crosse of Christ and adversaries to the Saints of God We see it plain in Acts 15. 5. we read there of devout women that raised persecution against Paul Mark they were devout and because it was not in a right manner they persecuted the Apostles and set themselves against them that were truly faithfull Though wicked men do not love to pray aright yet many of them are much for praying they care not how much praying they have and when they are at prayer they will pray over from the beginning of the book to the end they love it alife But if they come to a praier that moves the heart that rifles the conscience that dogges a man into his bosome that lays a man flat on his face before God they gnash their teeth at such a prayer So they love Preaching too I it is true if it be preaching that is flaunting and glosing with the enticing words of mans wisedome but if a man preach to the conscience if he preach the pure naked word of God and carry it home to mens souls this makes them gnash their very teeth and they could eat the Minister of God for his labour It is the right manner of duty that is accomdanied with the crosse Thirdly if we ought to be carefull to perform duties in a right manner Let us be exhorted in the fear of God to go and quicken all our duties to bring a soul into so many bodies we have bodies of praying and bodies of hearing and bodies of receiving the Sacrament and of good duties let us get a soul into them labour to do them in a right manner The bare duty is like a carkasse It is a Proverb of the
Jews Prayer without preparation it as a carkesse without the soul that is a loathsomething so is prayer without life and without a right manner of powring it forth Let us labour therefore in the fear of God to pray and pray aright to hear and to hear aright to seek God and to seek him with all our hearts aright and to do every thing in the right way Let us consider first wee doe not pertake of any ordinance at all except wee doe it in a right manner I remember a fit place for this in Numbers 11. 14. It is said there The stranger shall eat the Passeover and partake of of it according to the ordinance and the manner of it Where the text puts in the Ordinance of the Passeover and the manner of it For it is all one they are Synonima's So the Ordinance in every duty Gods ordinance in praying in hearing the Word in the Sacramement in reproof in every good duty it is all one as the self-same thing So that if we pray and do not pray in a right manner we have not prayed we do not partake of the ordinance So when we come to the Sacrament the ordinance and the manner of it is all one it is one compleat concrete action we do not partake of it except we partake of both Secondly consider it is nothing but hypocrisie when a man prayes and doth not pray in a right manner when a man doth any dutie to God and not in right wise it is nothing but hypocrisie Mark how our Saviour Christ sets forth the hypocrisie of the Pharisee Luke 18. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himselfe hee marks this manner of prayer hee doth not say Hee stood and prayed this these words but Thus he prayed he did not pray in a right manner there was his hypocrisie and that was the reason he went home not justified Thirdly consider it makes the ordinance of God of no effect Thus they make the Conmandements of God of none effect Matthew 15. 6. Hee speaks there of their duties that they did in a wrong manner and their expounding the Scripture that they did in a wrong wise and their sacrifice their offerings and tithings their precepts and many things that were all done after another fashion than God had commanded therefore saith Christ Thus they make the Commandement of God of none effect So we make all the duties of Gods worship of none effect Wee know there is never an ordinance of God but it hath great effect if it be rightly performed Prayer is of great effect it is able to rend heaven it is able to pull down God to the soul it is able to wrastle out a blessing to quicken the heart to obtain of God every thing we want but if a man pray not aright a man may pray and go away never a whit the more holy nor more quickened nor neerer to heaven nor comfort So preaching and hearing they are admirable Ordinances what powerfull effects have they wrought when they have been done in a right kind People have cryed out and been converted at them and many a man hath been pulled out of the power of Satan to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ They had royall glorious effects upon many thousand souls But what is the reason that our hearing is so uneffectuall Because we hear not in a right manner this makes the Ordinance of God of none effect it makes prayer of no effect the Word of no effect the Sacrament and Sabbaths of none effect you see people partake of these things and are never the wiser Lastly it cannot please God it is onely the right manner of doing duties that pleased God as in 1 Thessalonians 4. 1. As ye have received of us How ye ought to walk and to please God Marke there is the manner That we may know HOW to walke and by that to please God It is not enough for a man to walk in good duties that a man may do and not please God but saith he ye haue received the manner HOW to walk and to please God It is the manner how that pleaseth God A man may walk to hell upon heavens ground he may go to hell in the wayes of God it is possible Suppose a man should go and take if it were possible all the surface of ground between this place and York and lay it between this place and Dover a man might go to Dover upon York ground So many a man lays the Ordinances of God in hell way he walks in the way to hell and there he lays his prayers and there his hearing and his good duties he prayes every day and hears every day and doth good duties every day and yet walks to hell he goes to hell on heavens ground The reason is because he doth the duty and doth not observe the manner how he doth it The third thing is the rule of direction how we may come to the right manner of receiving the Sacrament that is by preparing of a mans self and the preparation is here set down by the specification of it namely in examining himself Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. The general scope of the words and the Apostles meaning in them is this That Every man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table I cannot stand on this I will only name it As in the Sacrament of the Passeover there was preparation for the Passeover In John 19. 14. it is said of the Disciples of Christ that they made ready the Passeover In Matthew 26. they made the Lamb ready and the room ready and themselves ready and the Table ready and every thing ready So in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein Christ is the true Pascall Lamb when we come to eat of him we must make every thing ready faith ready and repentance ready and interest in the promise ready and hunger and thirst after these spirituall dainties ready every thing must be ready Or else like a man that comes into the field to battell that hath not gotten his sword nor his weapons ready that is the way for himself to be killed so it is when we come to the Communion and have not all things ready it is the way to be damned The Reasons of this are First because the Sacrament is an ordinance of God Now all the Ordinances of God require preparation they are all spirituall and naturally a man is carnall and therefore cannot be prepared As it is with wood there is never a tree in the wood but it is unprepared for building Is there any tree in the wood of the fashion of a Chimney or of a Lintell or a Door It must first be prepared as it is in Prov. 24. 27. First prepare thy work without and then build thine house So every ordinance is to build a man up in the fear of God
by his labours already published yet if any shall desire a further Testimonie of either these Sermons will give it in full measure pressed down and running over and therefore I subscribe their publication for common good Joseph Caryl The Authors Preface upon these ensuing SERMONS THe cause of that little Heavenlinesse which is in the profession of Christianity is the want of Meditation Many can meditate cursorily but that is not enough it must be a sticking meditation that must affect the heart That place in a Pet. 2. 8. is marvellous pregnant it was the meanes why Lot was so touched with the abominations of Sodom That righteous man dwelling amongst them in seeing and hearing their ungodly deeds vexed his righteous soul from day to day Many heard and saw too besides Lot and were not vexed Why Other matters stuck in their thoughts they ne're throughly meditated on it but he vexed himself that is the meditation of those evils and bringing them home to his Soul vexed him The word is a fit word implying two things First the searching and examining of a thing his meditating heart examined their sins how many they were how grievous how damnable how likely to pul down some vengeance or other upon them Secondly the wracking or vexing upon tryall so it was with Lot he observed all their evills and weighed them in his soule and then he wrack'd his spirit with the considertaion of them The Evangelist useth this very word for tossing this word that is here put for vexing he puts for tossing a ship on the seas Matthew 14. 24. The ship was tossed with the waves so meditation did tosse his soule with vexation sometimes down to the deep O miserable wretches that we are or How brutish host beastly and how hellish are our sins Sometimes up O that the Lord would humble us and spare us Sometimes over head and ears in the storm O fool that I was to chuse my dwelling amongst such men These meditations vexed his soul Many have studied meditations and yet yet are not acquainted with this cordiall meditation many Ministers that study Divinity all the day that study the Word all the week that study their Sermons all the yeare may yet for all this be carnall Ministers why Because their meditation is but inventing and mentall meditation this meditation is a practicall meditation the thing meditated feeds the heart that meditation is like a fluttering Pheasant that flutters before their eyes it feeds their eyes indeed but never feeds the stomack as long as they neither catch or eat it The saving mystereis of God flutter before their eyes and before their understandings they feed their eyes with knowledge but never feed their soules unto everlasting life unlesse they fowl for it dresse and digest it in their hearts There is an apt word Genesis 24. 63. Isaac went out to meditate in the field the originall hath it to signifie â—â—â—nall conference his minde conferred with the truth and the truth with him a mutuall working he wrought upon the truth by meditating of it and it wrought upon him by leaving an impression upon his soule this is a rare practice in the world and yet as necessary as most it is the art of the soule in being heavenly it is the inuring of thee to every good duty for by meditation a man comes to have his minde and heart fixed upon every thing that he would would he pray he that hath inured his heart to meditate his minde is fixed in his prayer Would he receive the Sacrament He that hath inured his heart by meditation his minde is fixed in the Ordinance David that was excellent at meditation had a fixed heart Psalm 57. 7. Psal 112. 17. The Contents and Heads of the following SERMONS The Contents of the first SERMON Haggai 1. 5. THe Preface shewing the usefulnesse of Meditation together with the danger in neglecting it The opening of the Teâ—t in severall particulars page 1. Doctrine Serious Meditation of our sins by the word is an especiall means for to make us repent 2. The definition of Meditation in four particulars ibid. 1. It is an exercise of the mind ibid. 2. A setled exercise of the mind ibid. 3. It is to make a further enquiry into all the parts of the truth ibid. 4. It labours to affect the heart 3. Two Reasons 1. Because Meditation presseth all Arguments home to the heart ibid. 2. Because Meditation fastens sin close upon the soul and makes the soule to feel it 4. 1. Use For the reproof of several sorts of men that are loth to put in practice this so necessary a duty 5. Four le ts of Meditation 1. Vaine company 6. 2. Multitude of wordly businesse ibid. 3. Ignorance 7. 4. That naturall aversnesse that is in the heart of man unto it ibid. This aversenesse of heart consisteth in three things 1. In the carelesnesse of the heart ibid. 2. In the runnings and revings of the heart ibid. 3. In the wearisomenesse of the heart in meditation 8. 2. Use For terror unto all those that dare sit down in security never at all regarding this soule-searching dutie ibid. Four means or helps to Meditation 1. With all seriousnesse tell the soul that thou hast a message from the Lord unto it 9. 2. Observe fitting times for meditation viz 1. The morning ibid. 2. The night 10. 3. The evening ibid. 4. When the heart is after some extraordinary manner touched with Gods word or providences ibid. 3. Call to mind what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born ibid 3. Rouse up thy heart and thoughts as high as heaven ibid. 3. Use For reprehension of those that meditate upon their sins and how they may with the more freenesse to commit sin 11. Four grounds upon which Meditation must be raised 1. Meditate on the goodnesse mercy and patience of God that you have oft abused by your sins 12. 2. Meditate on the justice of God that you have so oft provoked 13. 3. Meditate on the wrath of God that you have so oft kindled ibid. 4. Meditate on the constancie of God who is a constant hater of all sin 14. Four directions how to carry Meditation home to the heart 1. Weigh and ponder all the foregoing things in thine own heart 15. 2. Strip sin and look upon it stark naked and in it's own colours 16. 3. Dive into thine ownsoule and search thine heart to the quick ibid. 4. Prevent thine own heart by meditation and tell thy soule that it will one day wish that it had not neglected this so necessary a duty 17. Four duties to be discharged that we may put life to Meditation 1. Let Meditation haunt and dog thy heart with the promises and threatnings mercies and judgements of God 18. 2. Let Meditation trace thy heart in the same steps and run over all thy duties discharged 19. 2. Let Meditation hale thy heart before Gods Throne there to powre out thy complaints before
of the seventh SERMON on 2 Cor. 11. 28. The words of the Text explained Doct. 1. WE must not rush upon the Sacrament 102. There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may rush upon without examination ibid. Three Reasons hereof 1. Naturally we are not invited guests to the Sacrament ibid. 2. Though we are invited yet it may be we are not disposed for naturally we are strangers to God and the covenant of God all this indisposition must be wrought off before we can come comfortably to the Sacrament 103. 3. This is a solemn Ordinance and therefore an Ordinary disposition will will not serve the turn ibid. Many a reprobate may eat and drink in Christs presence ibid. Use To forewarne men lest they unpreparedly rush upon any of Gods Ordinances especially upon the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ. 104. The text divided into four parts The matter of the duty ibid. The manner how to be performed ibid. The rule of direction concerning it ibid. The benefit of following that rule ibid. Doct. 2. There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords Supper and receive it often 105. Doct. 3. The manner of performance of duties is to be regarded ibid. Five Reasons hereof 1. The Lord commands the manner as well as the matter 106. 2. Circumstances overthrow actions if they be not rightly and duly observed ibid. Its instanced 1. In grayer ibid. 2. In preaching ibid. 3. In receiving the Sacrament 107. 4. In brotherly reproof ibid. 5. In eating drinking and marrying ibid. 3. Because only the manner of doing duties gets the blessing 108. 4. Because Christ himself is an example unto us in this he did not only obey his Father in the matter of his commands but in the manner of them ibid. 5. Because otherwise we cannot glorifie God ibid. Use 1. First to condemn that natural Popery that is in the hearts of men c. 109. Use 2. For discovering why people are so willing to doe duties for the matter and not for the manner 110. The Reasons of it are these 1. Because the matter of duties is easie but the manner is difficult ibid. 2. Dutres for the matter of them may be done with a proud heart 111. 3. They may be done with an unholy life 112. 4. The matter of duty bringeth not the crosse and may zealous for the matter and persecutors of goodnesâ—e ibid. Use 3. To exhort men to labour and perform duties aright 113. Three Motives to perswade people to perform duties after a right manner 1. Because no Ordinance at all else can be effectuall unto us ibid. 2. All is but hypocrisie if the manner be not regarded ibid. 3. It is only the right manner of duing duties that pleaseth God 114. Doctrine 4. Every man mast prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table 115. Four Reasons hereof 1. Because the Sacrament is Gods ordinance ibid. 2. Because the Lord Christ hath made great preparation in providing it 116. 3. Because Christ in this ordinance offers to come into the soule and he looks for good entertainment ibid. 4. Because the Sacrament is a part of Christs last will and Testament therefore when we know our Lords will we must prepare for the doing of it 117. The Contents of the eighth SERMON upon Proverbs 29. 1. 1. A double exposition of the Text. Doctrine FRom the first exposition viz He that reproveth another and is guilty himself in the same kind or in any other kind and hardeneth his own heart in it that man shall be destroyed without remedy 122. Seven Reasons hereof 1. Because the office of a reprover bindeth him to be blamelesse ibid. 2. Because such a reprover as is guilty himself can never reprove to a right end ibid. 3. Neither can he doe it in a right manner 123. 4. Such a reprover is an hypocrite ibid. 5. Such a reproving of another mans sin makes him inexcusable in his own 124. 6. It is an absurd thing for a person to reprove another for that whereof he is guilty himself ibid. 7. Such a reproving is a sign of impudency ibid. Objection Shall not a wicked Magistrate or Minister reprove others c 125 Answ He is bound to reprove in regard of his office but it bound in conscience to amend himself first ibid. Use 1. For instruction first Let every reprover take heed lest he make himself inexcusable ibid. 2. Let him endeavour to walk unblameable and inoffensive ibid. Two Doctrines from the second Exposition of the Words viz. Doctrine 1. The Lord doth not not destroy man willingly but for sinne 127. Doctrine 2. It is a great mercy for man to be reproved for his sinne 128. Three Reasons of second Doctrine 1. Because reproofs primarily come from love ibid. 2. They tend to the good of a mans soule 129. 3. It s brutish not to take reproofs in good part 130. Use 1. First for information that God is bringing destruction upon a Kingdome when he takes away reprovers from them ibid. Use 2. For the reproof of those that despise the reproof of the wise they despise not men but God 131 The grievousnesse of their sin who stand out against reproof is aggravated under severall heads 132. Doctrine 3. The Lord proportions punishments to mens sins ibid. Three Reasons of the third Doctrine 1. Because hereby a mans punishment appears to be so much more equal and worthy ibid. 2. This stops mens mouths and convinceth their consciences ibid. 3. All the standers by may see the equity of it when the punishment is according to the sin 133. Use 3. For instruction 1. To teach men notto complaine of Gods dealing with them if their punishment be for the the kind of it according to their sin but rather let them learn to see Gods immediate hand in it 134. 2. To teach men to consider how God many times proportions punishments to sin 1. For Kind ibid. 2. For Quantity ibid. 3. For Quality 135. 4. For Time ibid. 5. For Place ibid. The Contents of the ninth SERMON Isaiah 55. 7 Doct. 1. THose whose minds or thoughts run habitually on earthly things are yet in the state of misery 139. Four Reasons 1. Because a man is in the state of misery till he hath repented and untill a man hath forsaken his vaine thoughts he hath not repented ibid. 2. Because a man is in a state of misery untill he is in Christ and a man is not in Christ till his thoughts be sanctified ibid. 3. Because a man is in the state of misery that doth not love God and a man can never love God untill he forsake his vaine thoughts 140. 4. Because that man is in a state of misery that doth not forsake sin and a man can never forsake sin till he leave his vaine thoughts ibid. 1. Because vaine thoughts are great sins ibid. 2. They are sins of the highest part of man ibid. 3. They are the breach of every Commandement ibid. 4.
good word and work If these Rules be not observed the Rules of Gods blessed word the actions themselves are altered though the things be commanded of God yea they are cursed and abominable things when the true form and fashion of them is not regarded though they be never so godly A garment though it be never so good if the Taylor handle it not well it is marred in the making if he bring it not to a right form and make it in a right manner the man that is to have the garment is disappointed So Timber though it be never so excellent though it be all Oak or Elm or whatsoever tree though it be never so fit for building if the Artificer deal not well in handling it the inhabitant that comes there may curse the day that ever he came there if it be not well built it may fall on his head and kill him and all that belong to him So it is in all the Ordinances of God and the matters of Religion we must not only do them for matter but for manner too for that either makes or marrs them Thirdly another Reason is because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing A man may pray a thousand times and never be heard he may hear a million of Sermons and never be converted a man may come to all the Sacraments in the year all his life long and never be sealed against the day of redemption A man may do the things and never get the blessing all the blessing lies in the right manner of doing Blessed is that servant whom when his master comes he shall find so doing Matth. 24. 48. He saith not Whom when his master cometh he shall find doing Christ when he cometh to judgement shall find many doing it may be he will come in prayer time it may be he will come in the morning when many thousands shall be at their prayers in their families it may be he 'l come at night when all are at prayers in their houses it may be he will come on the Sabath when all the country is at Church hearing of Sermons he shall finde many thousands doing and praying But blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comes shall find so praying so hearing so receiving the Sacrament He shall find many believing but so beleeving gets the blessing many professing but it is so professing that gets the comfort I say all the blessings of God are promised to the right manner of doing Now what is it when we do duties what do we look for Is it not for a blessing Why do we do the duties if we doe not do them so as we may get the blessing Now except we observe the right manner of doing them all is to no purpose Fourthly another Reason is the example of Jesus Christ Christ hath given us an example that we should do as he did Now he did not onely do that which his Father bid him do for matter but for manner both in all the words he spake and in all the deeds that he performed For the words he spake As the Father hath said unto me even so speak I John 12. And in John 14. 31. As the Father hath given me commandement even so do I. Mark he did not only obey his Father in the matter of his command but in the manner of it And as Christ hath done thus so all that are Christs all the servants of God in all ages they have been very carefull especially of the right manner of obeying God As it is said of Noah Gen. 6. 22. As the Lord commanded Noah even so did he just as the Lord commanded him he did not only make an Ark but so he made all the rooms so he made it in the same form and figure and in the same similitude just as the Lord set him down in the pattern even so did he So the Lord sets down the pattern of every good word and work of all our prayers and Sermons and hearing and conference and keeping the Sabath and speaking holily all our actions have their pattern set down in the word of God Now as we are to do the things so we are to do them in the same manner as the Lord commands even so must we do Fifthly and lastly except we do it in a right manner except as we come to the duty so we come to the right manner we can never glorifie God The glory of God lies in the manner of doing of things So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven Matthew 5. 16. Mark the light must not shine only in our lives and conversations but so that the duty must be a means to the glorifying of God Now the means must have i'ts proportion and likenesse and nature and mold and frame from the nature of the end Look how the end is that the dutie looks unto so must the frame and fashion of the duty be Now if the end of all our actions be that God may be glorified that must put a form and fashion upon every duty that it may be so that he may have glory Suppose a man pray every day in his family and call all his housbold his servants and wife and children and all under his roof about him every morning and evening he may dishonour God by prayer every day on this fashion if a man pray coldly and carelesly for form and fashion without saith and life he makes all the ordinances of God vile and all the works of God contemptible his houshold sleeps one snorts it may be another is infinitely prophane it may be and though there be divers that would fain be quickned and wakened yet his prayer is so cold there is no life or heat nor warmth in it that God is exceedingly dishonoured and all are thereby rather worse than better So for a mans preaching though it be never so good a duty yet he must labour to preach so as the Apostle speaks of his preaching and labour in the work of his Ministery how he may edifie others and save his own soul So fight I not as one that beats the ayr but so as I may get the mastery We must so preach that we may attain the conversion of the people or else we may rather do as Hophni and Phineas the sonnes of Eli that made the table of the Lord contemptible and the Sacrifice of the Lord loathsome in the eyes of the people So may we do with the ordinances of God Take any duty of religion if it be not done aright God hath no glory by it Suppose thou wouldest reprove thy brother and tell him of his fault and check him for his back wardness or omission of some duty and for the commission of some sin if thou do it do it with a spirit of compassion and bowels of Jesus Christ with an humble heart with a feeling
and a pure conscience I say thou gettest a blot to thy own self causest God to be ill spoken of and the very way of his name to be dishonoured This wil be the effect of it and so in every other duty And so I come to the use It is so that we must not only come to the Sacrament but come aright or do any duty but we must do it in a right manner This serves to condemn that naturall popery that is in mens hearts that is of opus operatum of the deed done this is the religion of the Church of Rome that so man do the duty indeed it is better if it be done in a right manner but if it be done there is somewhat a man may look for by that If a man come to the Sacrament the very eating of the Host the very partaking of the body of Christ they make it meritorious so the very hearing of so many Sermons the very saying of so many prayers the very performance of so many duties the very thing it self nakedly confidered it is of some validity This is rooted into the hearts of men we see it up and down people do the dutie and think all is well enough when they consider not how it is done People pray but not with zeal they hear but not with reverence People come to the Sacrament not for the better but for the worse they come not in a right manner and yet every one hopes to speed and builds himselfe on this that God accepts of him But this is the folly of mens hearts it is an evident argument that men go foolishly to work in the ways of God It is the brand of a fool not to be able to observe circumstances Aristotle the heathen he saith it is the part of a wise man to think of and understand the manner of actions as a wise man saith he observes circumstances It is the part of wisedome to observe the right circumstances of every action as it is Ephes 5. 15. Walk circumspectly that is accurately as it is in the original not as fools but as wise Mark he perswades them to a right manner of walking not onely to walk in a good course in praying and hearing in obedience and sobriety in temperance faith and diligence in our callings but do it accurately in a right manner do it as wise men and not as fools who do it in a wrong manner It is the part of a fool I say to do a thing and to leave the right manner of doing it Now this is nothing with God the Lord doth not esteem any action though it be never so frequently done except it be done with his own stamp except it have his own character upon it I remember a story in 2 King 17. 26. The Assyrians there observed that God sent Lions among them because they did not observe the right manner of the God of Israel they worshipped the God of Israel but because they observed not the right Manner of his word he sent Lions among them to tear and devour them in pieces So though we pray and hear and read and professe and have a name that we live and though we be taken for good people and heap up duties from day to day and vie performances and though we do them as many times as the children of God nay though we could do them ten thousand times oftner than they yet if we do them not in a right manner if we know not the manner of the God of heaven and earth with humble hearts and selfe-denying spirits with holinesse of affection and with purity of heart if a man do them not in a right manner the Lord wil tear him in pieces and he shall have no deliverance for all that Another use shall be what may be the reasons why people are so willing generally to do duties for the matter and care not to do them in a right manner It shall not be amisse a little to shew the mystery of this thing for we see every man is willing to do duties every man will be praying and coming to Church many reprobates and God knows how many carnall hearts are in this congregation some drunkards it may be some adulterers some it may be that committed whoredome the last night some that have been swearing even now and deceiving in their shops there are many carnall hearts yea every man is willing to do duties to hear and to pray Now what may be the reason that people are willing to do good duties and yet are loath to come off with their carnall hearts There are four reasons The first is this Because the matter of the duty is easy but the manner is difficult It is an easie matter to pray to say Lord I have sinned against heaven and against thee Lord I have sworn I have been a drunkard I have disallowed the Sabbath I have done this and that I pray thee pardon and forgive me and give me thy grace it is an easie matter to do this It is easie for a man to come to Church and mark what the Minister saith and follow him from point to point and it may be he go over it to his famimily This is good there are few that come thus farr And so it is easie to come to the Sacrament to take the Bread and the Cup and to pray for a blessing this is easie but when a man comes to do a duty in a right manner here is difficulty when a man doth it with a How Take heed how ye hear He doth not call upon people to hear that is not the matter there needs no great diligence for that but if you will consider How you hear take heed to that Here must be a great deal of circumspection the soul must be marvellous painfull a man must offer violence to his own soul a man must fight against his own will a man must beat down his own spirit he must crucifie his own thoughts must mortifie his own mind and beat down his own soul It is a hard thing to do in a right manner as the Lord commands if we consider how to do it This is certain flesh and blood cannot abide to take pains if it can serve God with ease and pray with ease that it will do but for a man to weep before God for a man to indict his heart before the throne of grace to rend his bowels before his maker to tear the caul of his heart upon his kees for a man to vow to God and pay them for a man to rid his hand of all the wages of iniquity for a man to purifie himselfe as Christ is pure for a man to wrestle with God and to take grace according to the covenant of grace with life and power to do it in a right manner here is religion and this man cannot abide And so for the Sacrament for a man to come in a right manner Oh it is difficult
in the grace of God and in Religion Now man is naturally unprepared for it First a man must fell his wood and then cut it and hew it even and carve it and plain it fit and prepare it before he build So a man must hew down his own heart he must humble his own soul and qualifie all within him and so be sanctified before he be fit As for example in prayer a man must be prepared to prayer before he pray he must prepare his heart and then Gods ears will hearken to it In Psal 10. 17. The Lord will have the heart prepared before he hear the prayer So it is with the word of God a man must be prepared before he hear it As a man that preacheth must be prepared before he preach as Ezra is said to prepare his heart Ezra 7 10. He prepared his heart to do the Law and to teach it So a Minister cannot preach except he be prepared beforehand with a commission from God with preserving knowledge with a coal from Gods Altar with a spirit of wisdome and understanding with a Law of kindnesse in his lips with meditation and with a Theme fitted in his mouth for the people he must be prepared with a burning and a shining light or else he shall not edifie the congregation So it is with all other Ordinances For humbling of a mans soul a man cannot humble his heart except he be prepared to it Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy God he speaks of humiliation If a man would humble himself before God if he be not prepared if his heart be not prepared to let go the world his worldly profits and vain pleasures and carnal acquaintance his wonted lusts and former delights If he be not prepared to let these go when he comes to keep a Fast or to afflict his soul and goes along to do the duty to lay himself down before Almighty God some lust or other will stick in his teeth and intercept his heart he shall never be able to do it as Samuel said to the people If you will turn to the Lord prepare your hearts to do it 1 Sam. 7. So it must be in all the ordinances of God and much more in the Sacrament Secondly another Reason is because the Lord Christ hath made great preparations to provide the Lords Supper therefore we must be prepared to eat it You know what a great deal adoe there was before the Supper was made Christ must be incarnate and fulfill all righteousnesse he must conclude it upon his suffering he must tread the wine-presse alone and suffer himself to be beaten and rejected of God and men and suffer death the cursed death of the Crosse all these things were concluded upon before this holy and blessed Supper was provided Come saith he I have prepared my dinner Matth. 22. Mark Christ is fain to prepare his dinner he makes a great Feast there was great preparation for it so there must be great preparation of our souls before we can come to this holy banquet It is true among men there may be great preparation for a feast and little or nothing for the eating of it Sometimes there are two or three dayes preparation for a feast and is eaten presently The reason is because man naturally hungers after meat and drink and he alwayes provides twice or thrice in twenty four hours for eating and drinking But the Lords Supper is a spiritual banquet a man is every day and hour and moment naturally unfit for it and there is much adoe to put an edge upon mens appetites and a keennesse upon mens desires that they may be fitted and prepared for it Thirdly another reason is Because the Lord Christ when he administers himself in this heavenly mystery he offers to come into the soul and he looks for good entertainment and therefore of necessity there must be preparation for it You see when a mortall man an earthly Prince or a Noble man comes to another mans house what a deal of preparation there is to provide for him there is meat made ready and purging the house and sweeping the yard and trimming up the very pales and every thing and making clean all the Chambers and ridding out whatsoever fills it and every thing that is out of order it set in tune And what will my Lord think and what will his Majesty think he wil think he is slighted and contemned And when he comes in it may be his own children shal serve and his own wife wait at the Table and there is running up and down of errands and a great deal of adoe to give such a one entertainment There is preparation to entertain a man as Saint Paul said to Philemon I will that you prepare me lodging how much more when the eternall God shall come under a mans roof and dine with him Lastly Because the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a part of Christs last will and Testament Now it is a terrible thing when we know our Lords will and prepare not for the doing of it Look in Luke 12. 48. he that knew it not did things worthy of stripes but in verse 47. That servant that knew the Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes that man shall be damned with much damnation he shall be damned deeper than any body Dost thou know the Lords Table that this blessed Sacrament is part of Christs last Testament and wilt thou not prepare thy self for it to get an humble heart and labour for a holy life and seek for a thirsty soul and vow upon new obedience and enter into Covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ for a better kind of conversation for the time to come Wilt thou not go and examine thine own soul and go and reform whatsoever is amisse in thy family in thy place and calling Wilt thou not do these things to prepare for this holy will of Jesus Christ thou shalt be damned deeper than any body else because this is a part of Gods last Will and Testament and thou knowest it and therefore woe unto thee if thou prepare not for it THE DUTIE OF THE REPROVER And the Persons Reproved SET FORTH In a SERMON preached By that Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Gods Word WILLIAM FENNER B. D. Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Pastor of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE DUTIE OF REPROVERS And Persons Reproved A SERMON preached by Master WILLIAM FENNER Minister of GODS Word PROV 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shal suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy THese words by reason of the ambiguity in the Hebrew tongue doe bear two expositions and our English can suffer but one The first exposition is this He that reproveth another and hardneth his own neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy The other is as we have
on him How dost thou tell me of pride and worldlinesse and covetousnesse Who is proud and covetous as thou Thus a man shall be ready to be hit in the teeth Fourthly such a reprover is an hypocrite It is no Christian reproof for a man to do so Wilt thou goe and find fault with thy servant for his lazinesse of thy service when thou art lazie in Gods service Wilt thou find fault with thy brother for his pride and thou art full of fashions Wilt thou condemn the sinnes of the times and thou livest in some lust This is nothing but hypocrisie Thou makest as if thou didst stand so much for obedience to God and oh there is this and that sin against God when thy selfe art a sinner in that or in another kind this is hypocrisie as Christ saith here Thou hypocrite first cast the beam out of thine own eye and then thou shalt see clearly to cast the moat out of thy brothers eye Thou hypocrite Mark it is an act of hypocrisie when a man goes to find fault with another before he has gone to redresse his own soul to purge his own conscience and have shook hands with the wages of iniquity his own selfe before a man hath done this it is hypocrisie to deal with another For when a man reproves another he takes a form upon himselfe of one that is zealous against sin and an enemy to all sinfull practises Now what is this but hypocrisie when a man hath not this in him that he pretends when a man finds fault with anothers pride as if he were humble forsooth with anothers worldlinesse as if he were liberall when a man doth so he incurres the guilt of hypocrisie in reproving another Fifthly another reason is because such a reprover is inexcusable his reproving another mans sin makes himself inexcusable if his own as the Apostle speaks Romans 2. 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou doest the same thing Mark thy own mouth shall condemne thee thou findest fault with another mans pride it seems he is to be condemned for it then God condemnes thee for thy pride Thy pride is a fair mark for Gods justice because thou condemnest another Dost thou find fault with anothers hardnesse of haart and ill will and backwardnesse to any thing hat was good and yet thou art backward Thou exposest thine own soul to the judgement of God thou hast taught as it were Almighty God how to condemn thee for thy own lusts and corruptions Again sixthly another Reason is this because such a reprover is an absurd person It is absurd to reprove another and be faulty ones self as it is Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that preachest another should not steal dost thou steal This is a strange absurd thing this reproof doth not sound well in thy mouth thou stealest and forbiddest stealing thou preachest against adultery and committest it thou speakest against such and such sinnes thou findest fault with them in the children of God and art guilty thy self or in thy children or servants or neighbours and art obnoxious to them in thine own practice this is an absurd thing these rebukes and reproofs sound not well in thy mouth Lastly it is a sign of impudency Psalm 50. What hast thou to do to take my covenant into thy mouth when thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my covenant behind thy back And to the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my statutes or covenant into thy mouth since thou hatest instruction What hast thou to doe to reprove thy brother If he be proud what is that to thee as long as thou art proud thy selfe thou goest and flingest stones at him fling them at thine own heart first It is a sign of impudency But it may be objected Shall not a wicked Magistrate punish sinne and a wicked minister preach against the corruptions of the times and a wicked Master rebuke his servants and a wicked Father correct his Children Because he is wicked himself shall he make himselfe more wicked and contract more guilt upon his soul I answer that such a man is in a dilemma for the man is bound to reprove in regard of his office and yet he is bound in conscience to go and amend himself first I say he is bound to reprove all those that God calls him to reprove in regard of his office but in regard of conscience he is bound to go and amend his own fault first Therefore if he be a Magistrate such as sit upon life and death Nifi prius or any action between man and man if he condemn a malefactor and there remember himself guilty he is bound in conscience to arise from the Bench and go and amend his own sin And we that are Ministers when we preach to the people and remember our selves guilty let us lay our hands upon our mouths at least in votis before ever we have the face to go and find fault with the people it is necessary it should be so Therefore I say a man is in a dilemma if he do not reprove sinne it is against his office and the person he bears when God calls him to it and if he be reproved then he sinnes against the command of God that binds him to be blamelesse this is to bear the place of a reprover The Use of this is first to let us see that a man that reproves I speak not of Ministers only or of Magistrates or Fathers but of every man that reproves either by tongue in word or in thought if he find fault in his thought with another man for his sinnes and his strange doings Let him take heed he doth but pull a judgement upon his own head he makes himselfe inexcusble as in Rom. 2. 3. the Apostle there speaing of this very point Thinkest thou O man that judgest him that doth these things and doest them that thou shalt escape the judgement of God A man that judgeth another and doth the same things that man certainly shall not escape the judgement of God as his brother doth not escape his judgement Secondly another Use shall be for councell to every man and woman for it is every ones case God hath called every one of us to reprove one another Ministers to reprove the people and Magistrates to judge between man and man and every neighbour is to reprove when he is called thereto Now let us mark and observe this rule let every one of us labour with all care and conscience to be unblameable unoffensive to humble our own souls to cleanse our own consciences that we may be able to perform this duty Beloved we wrong our own souls if we find fault with others and suffer our selves to be faulty When Paul was to preach to the people knowing that his office of preaching
Canaan she sought the Lord God of Heaven and earth she was of the cursed stock of Cham whom the Lord commanded to destroy yet she repented and became of the faith of Abraham to see if the Lord would own her but the Lord seemed to reject her and suffered the devil to possess her daughter Now what might not this poor woman think she had made a sorry change of religion seeing that God the author of it would not own her but suffered the devil to possesse her daughter But see the importunity of this woman she would not be quiet untill she had found Christ Mark 7. 24 25. Christ could not be hid No What could he not hide himself in some corner No. no thinks she there is a Christ and if he be to be had under the cope of heaven I wil have him Even so it is with the soul that is importunate in prayer it is restlesse What if Christ do hide himself in the Word c. and will not own a poor soul yet the poor soul knowes there is a Christ and if he be to be found in the whole world he wil have him I wil saith he turn over all duties I will go to all the Ministers that are neer I will use all the means Now Christ cannot be hid from such a soul that is thus importunate Now as it is a prayer that will take no nay so first it will take no privative nay of silence Secondly no possitive nay of denial First no privative nay of silence A man that is importunate in prayer must and will have some answer he is not like Baals Priests that could get no answer 1 King 18. 26. nor like wicked men that pray in their pewes they know not what nor whether God hears them or no but an importunate prayer will have an answer like the woman of Canaan Have mercy on me O Lord saith she but Christ answered her not a word Hath she done then No she cries so much the more Have mercy on me O Lord yea she was so importunate that his Disciples were ashamed to hear her yet she cried Have mercy on my daughter the devil hath my daughter and misery will have me unlesse thou wilt have mercy on us Christ answered her never a word It was much trouble to her to have her daughter vext with a devil but this troubled her much more that Christ in whom all her hope was would not hear her nor lend her one look What might she think Is this the merciful Saviour that is so ful of pitty compassion Is this he that hath made proclamation to all the world saying Come unto me all ye that are weary c and I am tyred and wearied by reason of the devil that possesses my daughter c. yet he regards me not Thus she might have said yet these discouragements could not put her off but she cried so much the more yea so that the Apostles were ashamed that Christ should let her stand on that fashion yet she stood it out and prevailed Secondly it will take no positive nay of deniall For when she had an answer and that flat against her it was like bellowes to the fire she was so much the more inflamed she doubles her forces Have mercy on me O Lord c. Chist put her off with a deniall I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel I come for sheep not for goats you are of the Canaanites on whom I have set a brand of damnation a servant of servants a slave of hell and darknesse These are all of your blood but I come to save them of the house of Israel But the deniall of an importunate soul is like the stop in a passage of water the more it is stopt the more violent it is so this poor woman is so much the more eager with Christ she did but cry before now she worships him verse 24. 25. as if she should have said Lord help me now I am one of thy lost sheep I confesse I am a Canaanite I am of that damned blood yet Lord help me I am perswaded that thou canst take a course whereby to help me Thou canst cast some mercy on a Canaanite Thus you see an importunate soul will take no deniall but will renew its forces at the Throne of grace Thirdly an importunate Prayer will take no contumelious repulse suppose God should answer never a syllable of thy prayer yet thou wilt pray suppose he do answer and that against thee yet still thou wilt pray Nay suppose he call thee all to naught making thy conscience tell thee of all thy sins and abominations making thee think that heaven is shut up against thee and God hath shut his ears calling thee Dog hell-hound and wretch c. yet nothing can break thee off if thou be importunate indeed So this woman was not beaten off with Christs sending the Devill into her Daughter nor with Christs hiding himselfe when she sought him nor with Christs answering never a word nor with the Apostles frumps nor with his deniall nor contumelious repulse for he called her dog vers 26 Hence dog I had as lieve â—ling my mercy on a dog as on thâ—e What creature but an importunate one could have gone so far But see here the nature of importunity it gets within Christ and takes advantage she confest the cause saying Truth Lord thou hast hit me right I am a dog or a wicked woman let me then have the priviledges that dogs have though dogs may not be equal with children at the cable yet they may wait under the table I acknowledge that thy children are so plentifully fed that some crummes fall from the table therefore let me have the priviledge of a dog Naaman the Syrian was a dog as well as I Rahab the harlot was a dog as well as I Ruth a dog as well as I yet these got câ—ums truth Lord I am a dog yet thy mercy can metamorphose a dog Of these stones thou canst raise children to Abraham Thus it is with an importunate soul though God call it all to naught and cast all ignominious terms upon it as I had as lieve thou shouldest offer me swines blood as to speak in my hearing yet if thou be importunate thou wilt bear any contumelious repulse Fourthly an importunate prayer is impudent in an holy manner And as an impudent begger that is needy counts it no manners to hold his peace from begging although he be bidden Or as a poor petitioner to the King the King bids him hold his peace yet he will not but still he goes on The officers say Thou filthy fellow wilt thou never have done dost thou not see that the King is angry Yet he still cries Help me Lord ô King So the Canaanitish woman or an Importunate prayer is an impudent prayer yet in a holy manner I remember a story of a poor woman in Essex condemned to die she falls to
should be honoured c and therefore he will have prayer to be importunate that it may appear by groans how highly we esteem of grace our soules must pant and gasp after grace the breath of the Lord being the soul of our souls our hearts will die without it This is to the honour of mercy therefore the Lord will have us Importunate Thirdly as importunity must be in regard of Gods mercy so it must be in regard of our selves else we cannot tell how to esteem it Soon come soon gone lightly gotten suddenly forgotten I have it come let us be jovial and spend it when this is gone I know where to have more But if he had wrought for it and also must work for more if he mean to have more he would better esteem it The world little esteems Mercy what 's the reason The greatest covetous men are they that once were poor when a poor man hath gotten store of riches he is more coverous than he that was born to hundreds or thousands they are carelesse of it and spend lavishly whilst a covetous mans teeth water at it and the reason is because they come lightly by it Therefore the Lord loves that we should come hardly by our mercy not as if he sold mercy for our pains but for our good yet we are not capable of it See Jer. 31. 9. where the Lord speaks thus to his people They come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them This is a fine phrase God leads a soul up and down with supplication before he grants his request just as a begger on the high-way a gentleman coming by he begs of him the gentleman goes on his way as if he took no notice but the begger goes on crying For Gods sake sir bestow something on me yet he goes on still till at last the gentleman comes to his house and then he gives him his desire Even so God leads a soul up and down from one good duty to another till he have brought the soul to that passe that he would have it to be and then he hears it and sayes What is thy suit I will pardon thee What then is the reason may some man say why so few are importunate in prayer I answer first because men count Prayer a penance there is a naturall kind of Popery in mens breasts the Papists when men sin their Priests enjoyn them penance as pilgrimages and scourgings so many Pater noster's and so many Ave-Marie's where they reckon Prayer to be a pennance This naturall Popery is in mens breasts they count Prayer laborious unto them and they are weary of it they are not eager upon prayer they look not on Prayer as a blessing but as a yoak behold what a wearisome thing it is Mal. 1. 13. They were weary of the service of God Oh saâ— they that the Minister would once had done they had rather be in an Ale-house or about their busines all good duties are as penance unto carnal men If a man be to do penance he care not how little he does of it a Rogue cares not for to much whipping Secondly men content themselvs with formality Many men pray as Haman spake the Kings words before Mordecai for he had rather have led him to the gallows than to have said Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the King wil honour but he thought it would be the worse for him if he spake them not and therefore he only spake them for forme And so men for the most part go to Church to hear the Word to Pray to receive the Sacraments c. even for forme or because it is the fashion and they think if they do not thus and thus they shall not be saved You shal have the Drunkard say I am sorry for my drunkenesse but he lies for the next day he will be at the Alâ—house again so the Whoremaster sayes Lord I am sorry that I have sinned against thee but he lies for the next Quean that he meets with having opportunity he falls to whoreing again So the Covetous man will say I am sorry I am sorry I am so full of earthly thoughts yet he lies he is not sorry for you shall have him carking and caring all the day long and he hath a thousand proclamations in his head He only prayes for forme with the rest they only say prayer they pray not I deny not saying of prayer if they pray Our Saviour Christ saith When you pray say Our father The proud man dishonours Gods name saying Thy will be done whereas he should be humble for that is Gods will it is Gods will he should be zealous yet he prayes not He sayes Forgive us our trespasses c. but he prayes not so for he wrongs his neighbour and his neighbour wrongs him and he does not forgive those that trespasse against him He sayes Lead us not into temptation but he prayes it not for he runs presently into temptations and hath no care to avoyd them And this is the reason why men are not importunate viz. because they do make formality of it Thirdly because they are gentlemen-beggers Of all the beggers in the world I would be loth to meet with a gentleman begger for he is proudest of them all if a man tell him that he hath been an ill husband and hath abused himself presently he sets his hands to his side saying I am not as every begger I am thus and thus descended am as good a man by birth as your selfe a gentlemen-beggers heart will not stoop So men â— gentlemen beggers to God they were say they borne of Christian parents and they have been baptized the children of God already What are none the children of God but a company of Puritans We are descended as well as the best of you all These are proud and not as yet brought to a sense of their own miserie When John did preach to and baptize the Scribes and Pharisees he calls them all to nought O ye vipers and full of poison who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come Vipers saie they Viper in thy teeth we are the children of Abraham we are better descended then so we are Believers and do you call us vipers then indeed we might crie out Oh we are damned then we had need crie for mercie And in this sense men are Gentlemen-beggars Another reason why men are not importunate is because they have wrong conceits of Prayer I will tell you the sundrie conceits of men First they have high conceits of their own prayers they cannot pray in a morning between the pillow and the blankets halfe asleep and halfe awake but they think that they have done God good service so that he cannot afford to damne them At night he saies Lord have mercy upon me and so goes to sleep and then he thinks God must keep him untill the morning So when he goes to dinner he sais Lord bless these creatures unto
Thirdly from Satan Fourthly from a mans own sluggishnesse For the first The best children of God have corrupt natures and when they have done what they can distractions will fasten on them They would perform good duties better if they were able saying with Paul The good which I would I do not c. Secondly from nature as it is curbed The more grace binds nature to its good behaviovr the more rustling it keeps Even a Bird being at liberty keps no stir but being in a cage it flutters about because it is abridged of its libertie so when thou hast curbed thy corrupt flesh it will be skittish in every good dutie thou goest about and hence it is that the Apostle useth this phrase viz. I find another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind c. When grace curbs the law of sin then nature rebels Thirdly from Satan as in Job Satan stands at his right hand as a Plantiffe as Aegidius compares it which puts in all Cases to hinder the Defendant Even so the Devil puts in all bie-thoughts that he can devise to hinder a mans suit for going on before the throne of grace But thou must do as Abraham did when he was sacrificing when the birds came he drave them away so must thou do by thy bie-thoughts if thou wilt have fruit of thy supplications before God Fourthly they come from spiritual sluggishness that creeps on the best if they take not heed And this was the reason the Apostle cryed O wretched man that I am c. I speak not now to the children of God who are troubled with bie-thoughts in their praiers For they the more bie-thoughts they have the more earnest they are in prayer they mourn with David in their prayer Consider O Lord saith he how I mourn Psal 55. There was something in the Prophets prayer that did vex him and that made him so much the more to mourn before God But as for you that can have bie-thoughts in prayer and let them abide with you your praiers are not importunate the Heathen shall rise up against you and condemn you I remember a storie of a certain Youth who being in the temple with Alexander when he was to offer incense to his god and the Youth holding the golden Censer with the fire in it a coal fell on the Youths hand and burnt his wrist but the Youth considering what a sacred thing he was about for all he felt his wrist to be burnt yet he would not stir but continued still to the end This I speak to shame those that can let any thing though never so small to disturb them yea if it were possible lesser things then nothing for if nothing come to draw their hearts away they themselves will employ their hearts Baals Priests shall condemn these who did cut themselves with knives and all to make them pray so much the more stronglie What a shame is it then that we should come on life and death to pray for our souls and yet come with such loose and lazie praiers Think you that a male factor when he is crying at the Bar for his life will be thinking on his Pots and Whores c Was it ever heard of that a man at deaths-door should be thinking on his Dogs can he then think on them Do you think that Jonah prayed on this fashion when he was in the Whales belly or the Thief on the crosse or Daniel in the Lions den or the three Children in the fierie furnace or Paul in Prison Do ye think that these prayed thus What shall I be at praier and my mind in the fields No no if I will pray I must melt before God and bewail my sins and be heartily affected in prayer But as long as I pray thus I pray not at all And as God said to Adam where art thou so may he say to thee Man where art thou art thou at prayer and thy mind at mill is thy mind on thy Oxen and art thou at prayer before me what an indignitie is this Should a man come to sue to the King and not mind his suit will not the King say Do you mock me know you to whom ye speak The Lord takes this as a haynous sin when men come into his presence with such loose hearts Now seeing these things are thus take a word of exhortation to labour for importunate Prayer Prayer is the art of all arts it enables a man to all other duties it is the art of Repentance c. Samuel confessed if he had not had the 〈…〉 Prayer he could not have had the art of preaching 2 San. 12. 2â— See the antithesis between these two words God forbid as if he should say God forbid that I should cease to pray for you for then I should not teach you the right way A Minister can never preach to his people that prayes not for his people It is the art of Thanksgiving a man cannot be thankful if he cannot pray Psal 116. 12. It was the means whereby the Prophet David would be thankful to God he would take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. A man hath not a good servant unlesse he can pray for his master see the story of Abrahams servant Gen 24. Prayer helps to perform all other good duties How dost thou think to have benefit by the Word unlâ—sse thou be fervent in prayer with God to get a blessing upon it We can do nothing but by begging Secondly as Prayer is the art of all arts so it is the Compendium of all divinitie Therefore to call zealously on the name of the Lord is to be a Christian Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord c. It includes repentance humiliation sorrow for sin joy in Gods goodnesse thanksgiving for mercies obedience to his commandements yea the whole dutie man therefore we must labour to be importunate in prayer A Reasonable soul is eminently all souls so Prayer is eminently all good duties Psal 72. The prayer of David the son Jesse that is all his repentance in all passages he did humble himself before God all Davids duties are included by the name of the prayer of David the son of Jesse And therefore thou hadst need to make much of Prayer for thou canst never repent unlesse thou pray well Thirdly Prayer is a mans utmost refuge a man cannot have Christ but only by Prayer 'T is bad enough for a man to be a Drunkard or to live in any other sin but yet after all this if a man have the spirit of prayer there is hope of this man if after all his sinnes committed he can pray to God there is hope But for a man to sinne and not to be importunate in prayer is dangerous What saith the Psalmist They are corrupt and become abominable they have not called on the name of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. Oh fearfull condition Fourthly Prayer is that which Gods
his sinne lie at the dore there it lay rapping and beating and told him that his carelessenesse and negligent sacrificing to God was not accepted and therefore no marvell if Cain be so cast down in his countenance and that he fall to despaire O beloved when sinne lieth bouncing and beating at the doore of thy heart when thy sinne whatsoever it is search thy heart and finde it out lies knocking and rapping at the dore of thy conscience day by day and moneth by moneth and thou art content to let it lie and art unwilling to use meanes to remove it and art loth to take the paines to get the bloud of Christ to wash thy soule from it or the Spirit of Christ to cleanse thee from it then thy soule wil despaire either in this world or in the world to come But let us take heede then that our conscience condemne us not in any thing or course that we allow in our selves for if that doe then much more will God who is greater than our consciences and knows all things The Apostle hath an excellent Phrase Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. As if he should say there is not one condemnation there is none in Heaven God doth not condemne them there is none in earth their own heart and conscience doth not condemne them to him that is in Christ Jesus that walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit there is none no not one condemnation to him none neither in Heaven nor in earth no word no commandement no threatning condemns him But if thy conscience condemn thee and tell thee thou lettest sinne lie at the doore rapping at thy conscience day after day and moneth after moneth telling thee that yet thou art without Christ that yet thou never hadst any true faith in the Lord Jesus that yet thou hast not truly repented and turned from thy sins this will at last drive thy soul into heavy discouragements if not into final despaire O beloved religion and piety and the power of Godlinesse goe down the wind every where What is the reason of it but because of these discouragements that men live and go on in Men pray and pray and their prayers profit them not men run up and down and come to the Church and heare the Word and receive the Sacraments and use the meanes of grace but to no end they are unprofitable to them they remaine in their sinnes still the ordinances of God bring them not out of their lusts and corruptions hereby they disgrace and discredit the ordinances of God in the eyes and account of the men of the world making them think as if there were no more power nor force in the Ordinances of God than these men manifest There is no life in many Christians mens spirits are discouraged these secret discouragements in their hearts take away their spirits in the use of the meanes that though they use the meanes yet it drives them to despaire of reaping good or profit by them Beloved I could here tell you enough to make your hearts ake to hear it First All your complaints they are but winde Job 6. 26. Doe you imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are as winde Jobs friends taking Job to be a man of despaire they accounted all his words but as wind Doe thou nestle any discouragement in thy heart thou maist complaine of sinne as much as thou canst yet all thy complainings are but as winde thou mayest cry out against thy corruptions with weeping and teares and pray and fight against them and yet all thy weeping mourning and praying is but as the winde thou maiest beg grace thou maiest seek after God thou maist heare the Word receive the Sacraments and yet all will be to thee as wind all will vanish be unprofitable not regarded Secondly discouragements drive us from the use of the meanes If ever we meane to come out of our sinnes if ever we meane to get grace and faith and assurance and zeale we must constantly use the meanes 1 Sam. 27. 1. David saith There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the Land of the Philistins and Saul shall despaire of me to seek me any more David thought in himself if I can make him out of hope of finding me certainly he will give over seeking of me So when the soule hath any secret despaire of finding the Lord that soul will quickly be drawn from seeking of the Lord in the use of the meanes What ever you doe then O be not discouraged lest you be driven from the use of the meanes if you be driven from the use of the meanes woe is to you you will never finde God then Be not driven from prayer nor driven from holy conference nor driven for the Word nor driven from the Sacrament nor from meditation nor from the diligent and strict examination of thy selfe of thy heart and of all thy wayes for these are the wayes of finding the Lord. If you nourish any thoughts and fears of despaire in you if you be discouraged you will be driven from the use of the meanes which is a lamentable thing therefore be not discouraged Thirdly discouragements will make you stand poaring on your former courses This I should have done and that I should have done woe is me that I did it not it will make a man stand poaring on his sinnes but never able to get out of them So it was like to be with them in the Ship with Paul Acts 27. 20. In the tempest at Sea they were utterly discouraged from any hope of safety now indeed Paul told them what they should have done if they had been wise Sirs you should have hearkned to me and not have loosed verse 21. as if he had said you should have done thus and thus but now doe not stand poaring too much on that you should have hearkned to me and not have launched forth c but that cannot be holpen now therefore I exhort you to be of good chear c. So beloved when the soul is discouraged upon these thoughts I should have prayed better I should have heard the Word of God better and with more profit I should have repented better I should have performed this and that religious and good dutie better but ah wretch that I am I have sinned thus and thus it is alwayes looking on this sinne and that sinne this imperfection and that failing when now I say the soule is discouraged it will be alwayes poaring upon sinne but it will never come out of its sinne alwayes poaring upon its deadnesse and unprofitablenesse but never able to come out of it O beloved be of good cheare and be not discouraged it is true you should have prayed better you should have heard the word of God better heretofore you should have been more carefull and circumspect of your wayes than you
now can a man stabbe his owne arme through with ease can he cut off his Legg or any other member without feeling any geeat paine no more can a man kill his sinnes and mortifie his lusts with ease It is called mortification to shew that there is a great deal of misery and pain in it The Apostle saith that those that are Christians have crncified the flesh c. Gal. 5. 24. and therfore Repentance is set out unto us by crucifiing which is the hardest of all kinds of mortifying Can a man set his flesh upon the Tenter pierce his hands and feet with nailes laying his whole weight upon the Tenter and yet feele no paine Cicero a wise Heathen saith that crucifiing was a torment that cruelty it selfe had invented to put a man to death it being the soarest kind of death that could be devised And the Apostle to set forth Repentance what it is shews it by crucifying It is an easie matter to cut off the outward act of sinne as of swearing or drunkennesse c. this is an easie matter but to crucifie a mans lusts and to mortify daily the body of death which be beareth about him this is a hard thing indeed A Father saith it it is the hardest Text in all the Bible and the hardest dutie in all Christianity that we can goe about they that can do it can doe all things and therefore let a man resolve with himselfe that unlesse he attain unto this there is no Christ for him How shall we saith the Apostle that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Romans 6. 2. The Apostle makes it a Paradox and wonders that men should be so unreasonable as to thinke that they are crucified with Christ and yet live in their sinnes Is it possible that you can be dead with Christ and yet live in your sinne No no it cannot be But some may object and say what doth the Apostle meane to exhort the Colossians unto Mortification were they not already mortified did he not say a little before that they were crucified and buried together with Christ Yes it is true but they that have mortified their earthly Members must go on and persevere in this Mortification and that for three Reasons First because the very same sinne that hath been killed will live again unlesse it be continually mortified for sinne is strong-hearted it is not every blow that will kill sinne stone-dead no no we may say of sin as some I say of Cats they have nine lives kill sin once and it wil revive again kil it the second time and it will yet live kill it the third time it will yet have life unlesse it be continually mortified it will never be starke dead and therefore the worke must be continued as Christ said of his disciples If you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples indeed So if we goe on in mortification then verily are we Christs Disciples Secondly suppose the sinne mortified doe not rise againe yet if wee goe not on in the way of Mortification there will arise another sinne in the roome of it Sinne is like the Monster Hydra cut off one head and many will rise up in its roome Even so it is in the body of sinne therefore thou must dayly mortifie it or else it will grow again There is a History that speakes of a Fig-tree that grew in a stone wall and all means was used to kill it they cut off the branches and it grew again they cut down the body and it grew again they cut it up by the roote and still it lived and grew untill they pulled downe the stone wall Even so it is with sinne lopp off the branches it lives cut downe the body it will not die digg up the rootes and it will still revive and will never leave growing untill God pull downe the stone wall of this our earthly Tabernacle and lay it in the dust and therefore we must still be mortifying of it Thirdly because as we mortifie so we mortifie but in part as saith the Apostle in another case we know but in part c. so may we say of this duty we mortifie but in part as we may say of a man breathing out his last breath he is a dying but not quite deade so we may say of sinne though it lie sprawling upon the ground yet it is not dead the last gaspe is not past Nay it may be sinne is more striving in the heart of a child of God converted then it was before conversion As an Oxe or an Asse when they have their deaths blow will lash and struggle more then then they did in all their life time before but this is nothing but the pangs of death being giving up their last breath Hence it is that the Apostle saith that the flesh lustâ—th against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Gal. 5. So that they could not doe what they would verse 17. as if he should say sinne is so mortified that it hath his deaths wound in thee else thou canst not be the childe of God yea such a deaths wound as it cannot possible recover again If a man that hath received his deaths wound should send for all the Physitians in the world and take all the Physicke hee could and use all the meanes under Heaven yet they can never recover him So when a man is converted unto God as soone as ever the worke is wrought in him sinne hath his deaths blow and although the Devill come as Physitian with all the Cordialls Juleps and Balmes under Heaven and use all the shifts and devises in the world yet he shall never be able to recover it again all will not doe why because it hath received its deaths blow it may be with his industrie and cost hee may make the face of sinne loke fresh and faire for a time but it hath it deaths wound and it will down at the last The last Use may be of triall and examination whether sin be living or dead Now that we may know whether we have mortified our sins or no let us observe these markes following First they that have mortified their sinnes live in the contrary Graces Hence it is that the Psalmist saith that They worke no iniquitie but walke in thy pathes Psalme 119. 3. First they crucifie all their sinnes they doe no iniquity Secondly as they doe no iniquity so they take up all the wayes of God contrary to that iniquity as they give up all the wayes of sinne so they take up all the wayes of Grace they walke in all Gods wayes So that here is the question if a man giving over his sinnes doe take up all the Graces contary to those sinnes This is a rule in Divinity that Grace takes not away nature that is Grace comes not to take away a mans affections but to take them up Suppose a man be subject unto anger when he is a little moved grace comes
benefit of this duty I have known a man that hath bought a ship fraughted it for a great voyage laid out all his stock upon it gone out to Sea dasht it against a Rock and lost all and come home a begger daies of fasting and praier are as ships that we put all our stock and treasure in mark this if they come home empty again if they bring noe mercies nor blessings with them you are undon you had need to get a breif to be gathered for in the parish and all wil be too little to get you up again when you come to enter into covenant with God will you deal deceitfully what ship-wrack do you hereby make of your consciences have ye abused many heavenly opertunities and will you doe this also all the congregations under heaven will not be able to raise your wants be not deceived saith the Apostle What a man sowes that he shall reape so what you sowe in these duties that and no other fruit you shall reape The second thing is this a word of information to informe us how to fast aright First I will informe you of the reasons of it consider this if your soul be not bettered your family not amended the Countrey not reformed superstition not abated the persecuted Church of Christ not releived I will give you the reason I am afraid the hearts of men are not fitted for this great work I doubt that many of the great men of the Nation doe not sightly understand it Ministers are not rightly qualified for it Congregations are not throughly humbled If you heare that things doe miscarry in the Palatinate that things grow worse and worse that the plague encreaseth then remember there was hypocricy in the duties and so you loose the benefit of this day therefore if hypocrisy takes away the life and benfit of the duty then look well to your selves and look well what you doe this day look well what you goe about that so you may enter upon the duty as you should Consider of it for the Lords sake be true to God and your own hearts you know not the danger of a day of fasting ill spent which that you may avoide I will give you some motives and rules Take this for a motive consider your selves upon your death beds It is a sad thing that I shall tell you is it not fearfull to consider that when you are in great distractions full of various thoughts those things that are brought for Cordialls and comforts to your deserted soules should prove troublesome and heart-breakings unto you A man upon his death-bed sends for a Minister he comes unto him and finds him in sad dist empers crying No God no Christ no mercy no comfort what will become of me I know not what to doe why man what is the matter you that have fasted and prayed and been frequent in these duties you that have kept the sabbath regarded Gods people releived the poor there is no man in the Town can pray like you you can make a praier of two houers long what do you think there is no mercy in God no pitty in Christ Oh saith he this is my bane my fasting and praying is the cause of my woe for I have but mocked God in all this I have seen sad experience upon a poor soules heart of this prayer and fasting rightly observed is a flame of all other duties all other are but one duty but a flame of all duties are in this fire Now when a man shall see the grave open the wife stand weeping the child sighing when his eyes grow dimme his lips pale now for him to say I have had a by-respect in all my duties that I have performed I have been a deceitfull man in my trade c. what tell you me of fasting and duties I have fasted my soule to hell and there I shall feele the sad consequence of my hypocrisie Consider of this ye that will pray and cheat pray and be drunk ye that to morrow will goe to a stage play Is this your fasting and praying when you are in hell then it will come to your minde how you have fasted away your God your Christ how you have sleighted these this will make a man teare his flesh from his bones his should move us to be serious in this duty we are now about Take an other Motive and it is this Bring what ever you will to God and bring not this all is nothing and all the services you can performe without this are nothing if you doe not bring a heart sprinkled with the bloud of Christ a sincere honest heart all else will be but dung bring all parts and duties you cannot so much as pray aright without sincerity doe you remember what Simeon said to his father Jacob pray you let Benjamin goe down no I will not take money and Cammels and what else you will but Benjamin shall not goe but saith he unlesse Benjamin goe I will not because else I shall be taken for a spie Soe when ever thou goest to pray to God be sure thou take Bemjamin with thee thou maist carrie all thy parts and duties unlesse Benjamin goe it will not doe Now by Benjamin I meane sincerity you may spend teares about the duty in hand varnish over the duty as much as you can all the eloquent tongues of greatest Orators will not be heard nay if all the Angels in heaven should bring teares and bloud for our deliverance all this will be nothing unlesse we have an honest sincere heart a faithfull heart in which there is no guile a man that hath an honest heart when he confesseth sin it is with a purpose to leave it he doth not confesse and sin sin and confesse but he is in good earnest which that you may doe take a rule or two First Ye that are come to seek God this day study whether the work of this dayspring from living principles or no. There be painted Flowers doe not smell but take Flowers out of a garden and they smell by reason of their sweet principles so there be painted duties which smell not sweet in the nostrels of God therefore consider are your duties sincere doe they smell have ye not only an artificiall weeping like those women in Jeremy that could weep when they would But doe ye weep from your hearts you know painted food it satisfies not study to find out that your duties come from a living principle and not by art labour to have it spring from the blood of the Covenant and thereupon thou goest to duty I could tell you of many deceits one is in the affections what is Christ come to town miracles wrought well I will goe see it and all this while he hath only a little oyle in the Lamp none in the Vessel Oyle in the Lamp I understand to be some smaller work of Gods spirit some outward principle Oyle in the Vessel I understand to be some inward principle that
ariseth from the Covenant of grace Secondly Take this for a note consider in all these actions for in this day we are in clearing our account whether your opposition to sin be carried on strongly and unchangeably you are now come to have sin rooted out of your hearts your affections you are a dealing with a malignant party that hath already got within you now here are the things you should look after consider whether the change of your spirits be continuall at all times except passion and temptation which may eclispe the rarest Christian may be when the Ministers heart is enlarged in prayers and praysing God for you God comes in and enlargeth your heart like a land-floud which doth not hold long godly sorrow for sin should be like a womans sorrow that weepeth for her child she cannot but weep the more you comfort her the more she weepeth aske her a reason she will say she cannot help it so our mourning for sin and opposition against sin must be carried on in a constant course our weeping for the Church of God must not last only for a day this day and end to morrow but it must be constant Lastly when a man fixeth his soule upon the duty in sincerity he shall finde sweet comfort to his soul a man in this case doth not mind what God gives him but how he accepts of his duty that is all he requires but know assuredly God will fill the hungry soule and recompence the well doers no man shall serve God for nought Now I can tell you the reason why you doe not finde more comfort by your fasting and prayers it is for want of a dram of sincerity you should alway when you worke for God when you fast and pray for God doe as the Joyner doth he shaves and brings his rule and measures shaves and measures so should you pray and look up to heaven fast and bring the duty to the word alwayes pray by rule never keep a fast without a rule and then be assured you shall be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed This I have spoken only to prepare you for the work of the day be sure what ever you doe see that it ariseth from a new and living principle let it not be like a land-floud that is dried up assoon as therain is over but let it be like a gliding streame which keeps a constant springing course that so you may walk in the strength of this days fast all the dayes of your life which grant deare Father for Christ his sake Amen REFORMATION UNDER CORRECTION The way to prevent DESOLATION As it was delivered 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 REFORMATION UNDER CORRECTION The way to prevent DESOLATION JOB 34. 31. 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisements I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will doe it no more THis Text is a pretious pattern of seasonable counsel by Elihu given to afflicted Job wherein resolution to be reformed under the rod of the Lord is both commanded and commended Surely it is meet to be said c. I will not spend time to divide my text into parts nor to observe the various readings thereof but shall briefly observe the doctrine which naturally ariseth from the Text and which will be very sutable to our present occasion viz. Under the rod of the Lord people should resolve to reforme Or thus Resolution to reforme should be upon the heart of all them that smart under the rod of the Lord. Surely it is meet c. There are three things that I intend to speak to in the prosecution of his point 1. What kind of reformation it is that we should resolve upon under the rod of the Lord. 2. What arguments should prevaile with us to resolve to reforme because we feele the Lord strikes us 3. What course we should take for our reforming under his rod. That we are under the rod of the Lord is evident there are smarting rods upon our backs The rod of the continuance and speading of the noysome pestilence The rod of unseasonable weather this droughty pring and unseasonable frost surely then it is meet to say We wil bear chastisements we will sin no more I begin with the first viz. What kinde of reformation it is that God commands and expects from us when we are under this rod This I shall open in six particulars and therein unbowell my Text. 1. In the work of reformation under the rod we must have reference to him that useth the rod goe to God and set our selves to amend what is amisse as under the eye of God under whose lash we smart this lyes in the text Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement c. Go to God and set thy selfe as under the all seeing eye of God endeavouring to reforme what is amisse It is an easy thing for Ministers to be pleasing to a people for Children to give content to their parents for one neighbour to stop the mouth of another But mark what contents God the inside reformation as well as the outside when God and I am alone as well as in companie when I am under Gods hand I must goe to God when I am reforming that is one thing I could shew it you how the Lord Christ struck down Paul when he was breathing out threats and bloud against poor innocent Christians who when he was struck down saith Lord what shall I doe shall I back again to the Scribes and Pharisees and tell them what a blow I met withall or shall I go on to the Saints and tell them what cruelty is intended against them Lord whither shall I goe He looks to God that smote him There is one thing more and this will follow from the former alwayes be sure to be guided by the rule that is the word of God in reforming of that which is out of order whether in your spirit or life That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will doe it no more Teach thou me c. Mistake me not I doe not here speak against conferring with Christians consulting with ministers in matters dubitable but alway heed this stick not in the opinion stay not in the Judgement of any be he never so wise never so pious but labour to see a word of warrant from the scripture and trust only to that say I must doe so and so I have it from Gods mouth I may take such a course I have Gods word for it â—â—â—â—ple would not be so giddy in running after new and strange opiâ—â—â—â—â—â—f they would but consider this alway goe to God and say Lord that which I see not teach thou me and if I have