manner such walking as excluded all unholinesse and prophanesse 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 up to Gilgall and 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 haire The last reason is because the matter of duties bring 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 and 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 whore master may serve his quean so he may call her so and yet not be spighted because it is not right It is the right doing of it that brings the crosse as in 2 Tim. 2.10 Thou knowest my 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 maine persecuters of the Gospel of God enemies to the crosse of Christ adversaries to the Saints of God We see it plain in Acts 13.5 we read there of devout women that raised persecution against Paul Marke they were devout and because it was not in a right mannâ—r 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 prayers they will pray over from the beginning of the book to the end they love it alife But if they come to a prayer that moves the heart that rifles the conscience that dogges a man into his bosome that laies 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 wisdome but if a man preach to the consience if he preach the pure naked word of God and carry it home to mens soules this makes them gnash their very teeth and they could eate the Minister of God for his labour It is the right manner of duty that is accompanied with the crosse Thirdly if we ought to be carefull to performe duties in a right manner Let us be exhorted in the feare of God to go and quicken all our duties to bring a soule 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 soule into them labour to do them in a right manner The bare duty is like a carcasse It is a Proverb of the Jewes Prayer without preparation it is as a carcasse without the soule that is a loathsome thing so is prayer without life and without a right manner of pouring it forth Let us labour therefore in the feare of God to pray and pray aright to heare and to heare 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 we doe not pertake of any ordinance at all except we doe it in a right manner I remember a fit place for this in Num. 11.14 It is said there The stranger shall eat the passover and pertake of it according to the ordinance and the manner of it Where the Text puts in the Ordinance of the Passover and the Manner of it For it is all one they are Synonyma's So the Ordinance in every duty Gods ordinance in praying in hearing the Word in the Sacrament in reproof in every good dutie it is all one as the selfe-same thing So that if we pray and doe not pray in a right manner we have not praied we doe not partake of the ordinance So when we come to the Sacrament the ordinance of the manner of it is all one it is one compleat concrete action we doe not partake of it except we partake of both Secondly consider it as nothing but hypocrisie when a man prayes and doth not pray in a right mâ—nner when a man doth any dutie to God and not in the 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 he marks his manner of prayer he doth not say He 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 Commandements of God of none effect Matth. 15.6 Hee speakes 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 then God had commanded therefore saith Christ Thus they make the Commandements 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 soule 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 quickned nor neerer to heaven nor comfort So preaching and hearing they are admirable Ordinances what powerfull effects have they wrought when they have beene done in a right kind People have cried out and beene converted at them and many a man hath been pulled out of the power of Satan to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ They had royall glorious effects upon many thousand soules But what is the reason that our hearing is so in effectuall Because wee heare 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 Sacraments and Sabbaths of no effect you see people partake of these things and are never the wiser Lastly it cannot please God it is onely the right
him he did not onely make an Arke but so hee made all the roomes so hee made it in the same forme and figure and in the same similitude just as the Lord set him downe the patterne even so did he So the Lord sets down the patterne of every good word and work of all our prayers and Sermons and hearing and conference and keeping the Sabbath and speaking holily all our actions have their patterne set downe in the word of God Now as wee are to doe the things so wee are to doe them in the same manner as the Lord commands even so must we doe Fiftly and lastly except we doe it in a right manner except as wee come to the duty so wee come to the right manner wee 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 workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 Mark the light must not shine onely in our lives and conversations but so that the duty must be a means to the glorifying of God Now the means must have its proportion and likenesse and nature and mold and frame from the nature of the end Look how the end is that the dutie lookes 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 forme 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 houshold 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 forme and fashion without faith and life he makes all the ordinance of God vile and all the worke of God contemptible his houshold sleeps one snorts it may be another is infinitely prophane it may bee and though there be divers that would fain be quickned and wakened yet his prayer is so cold there is no life nor heat nor warmth in it that God is exceedingly dishonoured and all are thereby rather worse then better So for a mans preaching though it be never so good a duty yet hee must labour to preach so as the Apostle speakes of his preaching and labour in the work of the Ministery how he may edifie others and save his own soule So fight I not as one that beats the â—ire 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 doe as Hophni and Phineas the sonnes of Fli 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 ordinance 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 backwardnesse or omâ—ssion of some duty and for the commission of some sinne if thou doe not doe 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 selfe and causest God to be ill spoken of and the very way of his name to be dishonored This will be the effect of it and so in every other dutie And so I come to the use Is it so that we must not onely come to the Sacrament but come aright or doe any dutie but we must do it in a right manner This servs to condemne 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 a man doe the duty indeed it is better if it bee 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 performanec of so many duties the very thing it self nakedly considered it is of some validity This is rooted in the hearts of men we see it up and downe people doe the duty and think all is well enough when they consider not how it is done People pray but not with zeale they heare 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 goe foolishly to work in the wayes of God It is the brand of a foole not to be able to observe circumstances Aristotle the heathen hee 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 a part of wisdome to observe the right circumstances of every action as it is Ephes 5.15 Walke circumspectly that is accurately as it is in the originall not as fooles but as wise Marke hee perswades them to a right manner of walking not only to walk in a good course in praying and hearing in obedience and sobrietie in temperance faith and diligence in our callings but doe it accurately in a right manner doe it as wise men and not as fooles they doe it in a wrong manner It is the part of a foole I say to doe a thing and to leave the right manner of doing it Now this is nothing with God the Lord doth not esteeme any action though it bee never so frequently done except it bee done with his owne stamp except it have his owne character upon it I remember a story in 2 Kings 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 hee sent Lyons among them to teare and devoure them in pieces So though wee pray and heare and read and professe and have a name that wee live and though we be taken for good people heap up duties from day to day and vie performances and though we doe them as many times as the children of God nay though we could do them ten thousands times oftner then they yet if we doe them not in a rightmanner if wee know not the manner of the God of heaven and earth with humble hearts and selfe-denying spirits with holinesse of affection and with puritie of heart if a man doe them not in a right manner the
A DIVINE MESSAGE TO THE ELECT SOULE The Heads of these ensuing SERMONS contained in this BOOK Viz. The use and benefit of Divine Meditation The danger of deferring Repentance The Arraignment of vain and evill thoughts The Judgement of the World passed by the Saints The punishment of unworthy Receivers The Duty of Communicants The Duty of Reprovers and Persons reproved The second Edition corrected and amended by a worthy friend of the AUTHORS A DIVINE MESSAGE TO THE ELECT SOULE DELIVERED In eight Sermons upon seven severall Texts By that laborious and faithfull Messenger of CHRIST Mr. William Fenner B.D. Somtimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex The second Edition corrected and Enlarged I have sent unto you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt your young men have I slain with the sword and have taken away your horses I have made the stink of the Camp to come up to your nostrils yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet me thy God O Israel Amos 4.10.12 Printed at London by T.R. and E.M. for John Stafford and are to be sold at his house in Brides Church-yard 1647. THE EPISTLE TO the godly Reader of these pious Sermons THE Author of these ensuing Sermons Master William Fenner was so deservedly famous in the Church of God and so well knowne unto mee in particular and one to whom I was so much obliged when he was living as that I could not thinke it sufficient to give a bare Imprimatur unto his Sermons but have added this Testimony also that thereby all good people might be encouraged to read these Works of his whose life and conversation was a continuall Sermon and who spent himself in studying and preaching and whose memory will be ever pretious unto Your loving friend Edm. Calamy TO THE READER Good Reader THe Author of these Sermons having served his time and being fallen asleep The lot is fallen upon me to appear in their behalf and to seal unto their worth and usefulnesse for publike service as far as thou pleasest to seal unto my judgement and faithfulnesse in such a case with thine opinion and approbation For the truth is that the strength and value of my testimony concerning them is like to extend no further then thine doth concerning me So that if I adde any thing to their credit and estimation in the world by my recommendation it is by the mediation of thine ingenuity and fairnesse towards me But if thou shalt please to be at any reasonable cost in the reading of them and lay thy judgement and conscience as close to the Spirit as thou must thine eyes to the letter of what thou readest I make no question but I shall be the gainer and not they by this engagement of my self for them True worth especially when it overcomes and breaks out of the cloud of obscurity alwayes returns more then what it receives from any mans testimony neither is there any method or trade so proper and certain whereby to raise an estate of honour and reputation to a mans self as the bestowing or casting honour and reputation upon others so he be carefull and dexterous in the choice of his subject John Baptist by giving testimony only to one Jesus Christ out-grew the common stature of those that are born of women in true greatnesse Mat. 11.11 And yet there was little or nothing in effect added to Jesus Christ himself by his testimony Joh. 5.34 It is an ingenuous and inoffensive way to serve our selves out of other mens excellencies by advancing them neither do the generality of men in their practice more generally consent upon any principle of reason equity then this To recompence such men with terms of honour who are unpartial and free in subscribing and acknowledging the worth and eminencie of others And as many that are but of mean condition in the world otherwise yet maintain themselves comfortably by trimming and dressing the gardens and orchards and vineyards of rich and wealthy men so may men that want other personal abilities and excellencies of their own subsist upon terms of a convenient reputation only by vindicating adorning and setting forth the endowments and gracefull parts of other men The subject or argument of these Sermons is partly that noble and high-importing strain of Christian devotion Preparation for that solemn enterview of Jesus Christ in his death at his Table The great severity of Gods proceedings against despisers of admonitions and reproof Both theames of savoury consideration for all those that love not death and more especially for those who desire not only to be saved but to be saved upon sweeter and more comfortable terms then as by fire 1 Cor. 3.15 Those that were chastened with weaknesse and sicknesse and death amongst the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30 were yet saved ver 32. but this was as by or through fire though they did not perish were not consumed by the flames of Gods displeasure against them yet they were sorely scorched with them the smell of this fire was strong upon the garments of their flesh They discerned not the body of his Son Jesus Christ in his ordinances but in stead of that holy reverend and deep-studied behaviour which was due unto it both from their inner and outward man as being a creature of the highest and deepest sanctification that ever God sanctified Sanctified not only to a more excellent and glorious condition but also to many ends and purposes of far higher and deerer concernment both for the glory of God and benefit of Men themselves then all other creatures whatsoever whether in heaven or in earth They handled and dealt by it in both kinds as if it had been but a common or unsanctified thing thus they discerned not the Lords body And as they discerned not his body so neither did God in some sense discern theirs but in those sore strokes and heavy judgements which he inflicted on them had them in no other regard or consideration then as if they had been the bodies of his enemies the bodies of wicked and sinful men thus drawing the model and platform of their punishment as usually he doth from the structure and proportion of their sin And if the moral or spiritual seeds and originals of our outward and bodily afflictions as sicknesses weaknesses either upon our selves or ours declining estates losses c. which still lie deeper than the natural were but carefully and narrowly sought out it is much to be feared we should finde a great part of them at least in the bowels of the same Sin so frequent amongst us I mean of Not discerning the LORDS Body The just and righteous God builds up the breaches that we make upon the honour belonging to the body of his Sonne with the ruines of that honour which he had given unto ours in health strength
life and many other outward comforts and supports But thou wilt heare more of these things in the Sermons themselves the wholesome Admonitions and Reproofs wherein contained with the rest of that heavenly provision for thy Soule which thou shalt find here gathered together and laid into thy hand I heartily wish may be sanctified unto thee by the highest hand of the Sanctifier that so thy sins and corruptions may flie seven wayes before that Spirit of power which here pursueth them and thou never presume to return back again unto them more The God whom we serve is able to performe this great petition by Jesus Christ To whose grace the peace of thy soule is faithfully and feelingly recommended by That poor and unworthy servant of Christ and his Church John Goodwin The Contents and Heads of the eight following Sermons The Contents of the first two Sermons from HAG. 1.5 THe Preface showing the usefulnesse of Meditation together with the danger in neglecting it Page 1 The opening of the Tex in severall particulars pag. 4 Doctrine Serious Meditation of our sins by the â—ord is an especiall means for to make us repent 4 The definition of Meditation in four particulars 4 1 It is an exercise of the mind 4 2 A setled exercise of the mind 5 3 It is to make a further enquirie into all the parts of the truth 6 4 It labours to affect the heart 7 Two Reasons 1. Because Meditation presseth â—ll Arguments home to the heart 7 2 Because Meditation fastens sin close upon the â—oul and makes the soul to feel it 9 1 Use For the reproof of severall sorts of men â—hat are loth to put in practise this so necessary a duty 12 Four lets of Meditation 1. Vain company 14 2 Multitude of worldly businesse 14 3 Ignorance 16 4 That naturall aversnesse is in the heart of man unto it 16 This aversnesse of heart consisteth in three things 1 In the carelesnesse of the heart 17 2 In the runnings and rovings of the heart 17 3 In the wearisomnesse of the heart in meditation 17 2 Use For terror unto all those that dare sit down in security never at all regarding this soul searching duty 18 Four means or helps to meditation 1 With all seriousnesse tell the soul that thou hast a message from the Lord unto it 20 2 Observe sitting times for meditation viz. 1 The morning 21 2 The night 22 3 The evening 22 4 When the heart is after some extraordinary manner touched with Gods word or providences 22 3 Call to mind what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born 23 4 Rouse up thy heart and thoughts as high aâ— heaven 23 3 Use For the reprehension of those that meditate upon their sins and how they may with the more freenesse commit sin 24 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 26 2 Meditate on the justice of God that you have so oft provoked 28 3 Meditate on the wrath of God that you have so oft kindled 29 4 Meditate on the constancie of God who is a constant hater of all sin 30 Four directions how to carry Meditation home to the heart 1 Weigh and ponder all the foregoing things in â—hine own heart 33 2 Strip sin and look upon it starknaked and in â—ts own colours 33 3 Dive into thine own soul and search thine â—eart to the quick 34 4 Prevent thine own heart by meditation and â—ell thy soul that it will one day wish that it had not â—eglected this so necessary a duty 36 Four duties to be discharged that we may put life to Meditation 1 Let Meditation haunt and dogge thy heart with the promises and threatnings mercies and judgements of God 38 2 Let Meditation trace thy heart in the same steps and run over all thy duties discharged 41 3 Let Meditation hale thy heart before Gods Throne there to poure out thy complaints before the Almighty p. 43. and let thy complaint be 1 Full of sorrow 44 2 A full complaint of all thy sins 44 3 A complaint aggravating all thy sins by all their circumstances 45 4. A self-condemning complaint wherein the complaint of Ezra is illustrated in eight particulars 46 4 Let Meditation when it hath searched out thy case and made it appear how wofull it is cast thee down before God 49 Four motives to stir up the soul to Meditation 1 Consider it is the part of a fool not to meditate It is a madnesse for a man to walk on in a course and not to consider whither it will tend 50 2 Consider not to meditate is the brand of a Reprobate 52 3 He that meditates not robs God of his honor 52 4 All the service that a man performeth unto the Lord will be abominable if he meditate not before it and after it 53 The reason why we have so many vain thoughts in our holy exercises is because we prepare not our hearts thereunto by meditation 54 The Contents of the third Sermon Proverbs 1.28 1 THe opening of the context in 5 particulars 59 2 The opening of the words of the Text in four particulars 62 1. Doctrine Those that will not heare the Lord when he calleth upon them by the ministry of his word and voice of his Spirit the Lord will not hear them when in their misery they call upon him 62 3. Reasons of the point 1. The law of Retaliation of rendring like for like requires it 64 2. Because Gods two Attributes of Mercy and Justice have their season in this life and when Mercy hath acted her part then commeth Justice upon the stage for to act her part 66 3. Because it is Gods manner for to doe so in temporall things and therfore much more in matters of grace and salvation 68 God giveth to men a day and no Man nor Angell knoweth how long this day lasteth or when this season of grace shall have an end 71 73 And as there is a Personall day so there is a Nationall day 74 Object 1. A man may be called at the 11th or 12th houre of the day 75 Ans Those that were called at the first hour came in at the first houre these that came in at the twelfth houre were not the same that were called at the first hour 75 Object 2 The day of grace lasteth as long as the day of life 77 The Objection is cleared under three particulars Ans And it is answered that the day of grace may end to a particular man long before his death 1. Because God may harden a mans heart 78 2. Because God may sear mens consciences 78 Object 3. Suppose I go on in my sinne and repent upon my death-bed will God hear me Ans The answer is negative 80 Object 4. Suppose I humble my self by fasting and prayer will not God hear that The answer is negative if thou neglect the day of grace
judge the world 155 5 Learn hence also that the Ministers of God by every Sermon they preach shall judge the world 157 Use 2 For to condemn the world who see not an amiablenesse in the faces of the Saints who shall one day be their judges who shall judge both Saints and Angels 157 2 This sheweth the folly of the wicked who prepare not for these Judges 158 Lastly it condemnes all those that do not see glory and majesty in the faces of Gods Saints he that revileth the Saints revileth his judges 159 160 Who shall judge the World 1 God the Father by way of authority all judgement is originally from him 161 2 God the Son by way of dispensation 161 3 God the holy Ghost by way of conviction 161 4 The word of God by way of form it being the platform according to which Christ will judge the whole world 162 5 All the Ministers of God shall sit as Justices in common 164 6 All the Saints from one end of the world to the other shall assist the just Judge of heaven and earth 164 So that the wicked shall not be able to plead 1 Their ignorance 165 2 Nor their poverty 166 3 Neither their sinning at their masters command 170 4 Neither callings nor tradings 167 5 Neither the sinfull times they live in 167 Use 3 First for the just reproof of many of the Saints of God because they are not so circumspect over their wayes as they ought how will they be able to rise up in judgement against the wicked for such sins as they themselves live in 168 2 It may serve to condemne some of the Saints of God in regard of that little difference that is to be found betwixt the wicked of the world and them in their lives and manners that it is hard to tell which is a Saint and which is a reprobate by their conversations 170 3 It may serve to condemn the scandalousnes of many persons in their behaviour and actions 171 The Contents of the Sixth Sermon 1 Cor. 11.30 DOct. 1 from the 18 verse That whosoever will come to the holy Cōmunion they must examine themselves that so they may come worthily 175 The Apostle gives three Reasons of it 1 From the end of the Sacrament 176 2 From the wrong men offer to Christ if they come in their sins 177 3 From the woful wrong that a man doth to his own soul that commeth without preparation 177 The Vses of the point are these 1 For the reproof of those that comming unpreparedly get no spiritual strength thereby 178 2 For terror to unworthy receivers 179 3 To shew they make themselves liable to Gods temporary plagues 180 4 For instruction to examine our selves 180 5 He concludes with an use of exhortation 181 An explanation of the words 2 Doct. God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Lords Supper 183 4 Reas 1 Because Christ himself instituted it 184 2 Because Christ is the matter of it and therefore the more heynous the defilement 187 3 Because Christ is the form of it wherein confirming grace is sealed to the soul 190 4 Because Christ is the end of the Sacrament 191 Use 1 For instruction shewing whence sicknesse weaknesse c. come 193 2 From whence comes hardnesse of heart c. 194 Use 2 For comfort unto every poor afflicted soul c. 198 Use 3 For terror to those that come unpreparedly 199 Object Do all that come unworthily eat and drink their own damnation Answ A man may eat and drink his own damnation three wayes 1 In regard of guilt and liablenesse to Gods wrath 203 2 In regard of the seal and obligation in the conscience 203 3 In regard of the sigillation in heaven 204 Lastly the conclusion denouncing terror to all those that dare rush upon this holy ordinance 205 But for comfort to all them who with all diligence set upon the preparing of their souls for this great Ordinance 206 The Contents of the Seventh Sermon on 2 Cor. 11.28 The words of the Text explained 210 Doct. 1 We must not rush upon the Sacrament 210 There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may rush upon without examination 211 Three Reasons Naturally we are no invited guests to the Sacrament 212 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 213 3 This is a solemne Ordinance and therefore an ordinary disposition will not serve the turn 213 Many a reprobate may eat and drink in Christs presence 214 Use To forewarn men lest they unpreparedly rush upon any of Gods Ordinances especially upon the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 215 The Text divided into Four parts 216 Doct. 2 There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords Supper and receive it often 217 Doct. 3 The manner of performance of duties is to be regarded 218 Five Reasons 1 The Lord commands the manner as well as the matter 219 2 Circumstances overthrow actions if they be not rightly and duly observed 219 It's instanced 1 In prayer 219 2 In preaching 220 3 In receiving the Sacrament 221 4 In brotherly reproofe 221 5 In eating drinking and marrying 221 3 Because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing 223 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 224 5 Because otherwise we canaot glorifie God 225 Use 1 First to condemne that naturall Popery that is in the hearts aef men c. 227 Use 2 For discovery why people are so willing to do duties for the matter and not for the manner 229 The Reasons of it are these 1 Because the matter of duty is easie but the manner is difficult 229 2 Duties for the matter of them may be done with a proud heart 231 3 They may be done with an unholy life 232 4 The matter of duty bringeth not the crosse and many zealous for the matter are persecutors of goodnesse 234 Use 3 To exhort men to labour to perform duties aright 235 Three motives to perswade people to perform duties after a right manner 1 Because no Ordinance at all else can be effectual unto us 236 2 All is but hypocrisie if the manner be not regarded 236 3 It is only the right manner of doing duties that pleaseth God 238 4 Doct. Every man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table 239 4 Reas 1 Because the Sacrament is Gods Ordinance 239 2 Because the Lord Christ hath made great preparation in providing it 241 3 Because Christ in this ordinance offers for to come into the soul he looks for good entertainment 24◠4 Because the Sacrament is a part of Christs last wil and Testament therefore when we
Lord will teare him in peices and hee shall have no deliverance for all that Another use shall be what may be the reasons why people are so willing generally to doe duties for the matter and care not to doe them in a right manner It will not be amisse a little to shew the mystery of this thing for we see every man is willing to doe duties every man will be praying and comming 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 yet every man is willing to do duties to hear and to pray Now what may be the reason that people are willing to doe good duties and yet are loath to come off with their carnall harts There are four reasons The first is this Because the matter of the dutie is easie 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 sworne 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 mee thy grace it is an easie matrer to doe this It is easie for a man to come to Church and marke what the Miâ—iner saith and follow him from point to point and it may be goe over it to his family This is good there are few that come thus far 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 a duty in a right manner here is difficulty when a man doth it with a How Take heed How you beare 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 wil a man must beat down his own spirit he must crucify his own thoughts must mortify his own mind beat down his own soul It is a hard thing to do it in a right manner as the Lord commands if we consider now how to doe it This is certaine flesh and blood cannot abide to take pains if it can serve God with ease and pray with ease that it will doe but for a man to weep before God for a man to indict his heart to the throne of grace to rend his bowels before his Maker to tâ—are the caule of his heart upon his knees for a man to vow to God and pay them for a man to rid his hands of all the wages of iniquity for a man to purifie himselfe as Christ is pure for a man to wrastle with God and to take grace according to the covenant of grace with life and power to doe it in a right manner here is religion and this men cannot abide And so for the Sacrament for a man to come in a right manner Oh it is difficult to flesh and blood for a man to goe and examine all his life to reckon up all his conversation to anotomize himself 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 speâ—ch and in his life to goe and judge himselfe of these and condemne himselfe and to accept of his owne punishment to goe and wrack his owne thoughts and crucifie his owne soule 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 bee humble A man may pray and use good words and make good petitions and have marvellous good language and Scripture phrases and termes 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 heare and heare oft and hear the best Preachers in the Citie 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 morrall application of the promises and yet have a proud heart It is the manner of doing duties that humbles the soule as St. Paul saith Acts 20. You know in what manner I have beene 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 owne patterne doing all this in a right manner he did it in all humility of heart It is the right manner of prayer that pulls downe 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 comming to the Sacrament that makes a man feele 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 walke lowly with his God Thirdly another Reeson 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 heare 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 month 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 the deadnesse of his heart It is the right manner of worshipping of God that purgeth the conscience and purifieth the soule 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 Apstle how holily and unblamably we walked among you He speaks there of his manner of walking and hee saith to them because it was in a right manner it was an holy
Thirdly another reason is because the Lord Christ when he administers himselfe in this heavenly mystery he offers to come into the soule and he looks for good entertainment and therefore of necessity there must bee preparation for it You see when a mortall man an earthly Prince or a Noble man comes to another mans house what a deale 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 riding out whatsoever fills it and every thing that is out of order is set in tune And what will my Lord think and what will his Majesty think he will think he is slighted and contemned And when he comes in it may be his owne children shall serve and his owne wife wait at the Table and there is running up and down of errands and a great deale of adoe to give such a one entertainment There is preparation to entertain a man as Saint Paul said to Philemon I will that thou prepare me a 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 it 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 his Lords will and prepared not himselfe 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 then any body Dost thou know that the Lords Table that this blessed Sacrament it is part of Christs last Testament and wilt thou not prepare thy selfe for it to get an humble heart and labour for a holy life and seek for a thirsty soule 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 reforme 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 then 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 DVTIE 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. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex London Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S. THE DUTY OF REPROVERS And Persons reproved A Sermon preached by Mr. WILLIAM FENNER Minister of Gods Word Pov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy THese words by reason of the ambiguity in the Hebrew tongue they bear two expositions and our English can suffer but one The first Exposition is this He that reproveth another and hardeneth his owne neck shall suddenâ—y be destroyed and that without remedy The othet is as we have it here translated He that being often reproved hardeneth his necke shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy I desire to speak of both these expositions fot feare I should misse the true sense of this Text. For the first it is a truth of God every where confirmed in the Scriptures that hee that reproves another and yet hardeneth his owne heare hee doth but make a rod for his owne back hee puls sudden destruction upon his owne selfe Then Secondly there is no hinderance from the context but that this may bee the meaning of the text you know the Proverbs have little or no coherence except two or three chapters Indeed there is a coherence in them but generally through the Proverbs there is none so that if the text it selfe will beare one exposition as well as another indifferently the meaning none can tell onely as it is hit Thirdly and lastly the Text it selfe savours this exposition for so the word in the Hebrew is A man of reproofes that hardens his owne neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedie Now the Question is Whether the wise mans meaning here be of the actuall reproof the reproving of another or of passive reproof this is undetermined which of these is meant A man can have no light from the coherence none in the world and from the text it selfe there is as much reason why we should expound it one way even almost as the other So that I say for feare I should let goe the true meaning of the wise man I desire to speak a little of the active sense He that often reproveth another and yet hardeneth his own neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy From hence I may observe that A reprover whether a Master or a Minister or a Magistrate or a Father or a private Christian be he what he will be that reproveth another and yet is guilty himselfe either in the same kind or else in another or in any kind and hardeneth his own heart in it that man shall suddenly be destroyed without remedy Take a Preacher that preacheth strict doctrine to the people that is very zealous against their sinnes he is up with hell and damnation against their filthy courses he preacheth for quickning but himselfe is not quickned hee threatneth judgments against hardnesse of heart and yet he hath a hard heart himselfe this man puls destruction upon his owne pate Hee is like the Pharisees that imposed upon others grievous burdens and heavie to be born but would not touch them with one of their fingers themselves Matth. 23.4 The Reason of this is because First such a reprover of sinne it is against his office the office of a reprover binds him to be blamelesse as the Apostle speakes A Bishop must be blamelesse 1 Tim. 3.2 Every Christian should be blamelesse how much more Ministers that beare the office of reprovers they should be blamelesse Nay if a man though hee take not the office of a reprover yet if he beare the person of a reprover as every private Christian must when God calls him to it for every man may be called to reprove though he have no authority over another though hee bee a private man he may beare the person though not the office of a reprover Now a man must be unculpable and unblameable himselfe or else hee sinnes against his person If a man reprove another for being carnall himselfe must be spirituall Gal. 6.1 If any man be overtaken with a fault yee that are spirituall restore him The reprover the exhorter and admonisher must be spirituall if hee would draw another to be spirituall
hast thou to doe to reprove thy brother If hee be proud what is that to thee as long as thou art proud thy selfe thou goest and slingest stones at him sling them at thine owne heart first It is a signe of impudencie 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 himselfe shall hee make himselfe more wicked and contract more guilt upon his soule 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 himselfe 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 hee is bound to go and amend his owne fault first Therefore if it be a Magistrate such as sit upon life and death or Nisi prius or any action between man and man if hee condemn a malefactor and there remember himselfe guilty hee is bound in conscience to arise from the Bench and goe and amend his owne sinne And wee that are Ministers when we preach to the people and remember our selves guilty let us lay our hands upon our mouthes 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 doe not reprove sinne it is against his office and the person he beares when God cals him to it and if he do reprove then hee sinnes against the command of God that binds him to bee blamelesse that is to beare 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 finde fault in this thought with another man for his sinnes and his strange doings let him take heed he doth but pull a judgement upon his owne head he makes himselfe inexcusable as in Rom. 2.3 the Aposte there speaking 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 counsell 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 marke and observe this rule let every one of us labour with all care and conscience to be unblameable unoffensive to goe humble our owne soules to cleanse our own consciences that we may be able to perform this duty Beloved we wrong our own soules if we find fault with others and suffer our selves to bee faulty When Paul was to preach to the people knowing that his office of preaching required reproving you see lest he should wrong his own soul how he laboured to be unblameable saith he I beat my body down when I preach to others lest I become a cast-away Again as a man wrongs his owne soule so he dishonours God It cannot be unknown what an unthankfull office the office of a reprover is the world cannot abide reproof The wicked hate the reprover in the gate Isa 29.21 The world is full of scorners that hate reproofe Prov. 15.12 Though some men be not so wicked as to hate reproofe yet at least they think hardly of them that reprove they think they usurp authority over them and crow over them or they undertake to bee their betters as a reprover undertakes in that thing to bee a mans better Now when a man is reproved he is apt to think that his neighbour crowes over him and excerciseth authority upon him as if he would grow on him and be his Iudge You see Lot when he reproved the Sodomites though as gently as ever he could My brethren doe not so wickdly presently for all that they thought hardly of him What will this fellow be a judg that came but the other day to sojurn Gen. 19. Presently they thought haâ—dly of him So we see the Prophet hee doth but find fault with Amaziah for his fault and presently the Kings eyes are blinded and his heart hardened Who made you of the Kings counsell 2 Chron. 25.15 hee thought him a medler that pried into State-affaires and into the Court and Kingdome A man cannot reprove his brother for his sinne but it is a thousand to one if his brother bee not ready presently to pry into him and to look narrowly into his wayes to espy a hole in his coat if he can or to make one if he cannot all mens eyes are upon him and they look strictly and straitly and if any thing in the world bee amisse they will be sure to mark it and to make more of it to make mountaines of mole-hills When the blind man did but find fault with the Pharisees and reprove them a little for persecuting of Christ what say they Art thou altogether conceived and born in sinne and wilt thou teach us Joh. 9.34 Presently they looked on his blindnesse and birth Certainly he is a viler sinner then other men and shall he goe find fault with them If we mean to reprove another let us labour to be unblameable to be godly and holy to reform our own wayes let us be sure to purge our own famlies to cleanse our own soules to rid our owne hands of all the wayes of sinne and iniquity lest God be dishonoured The word of God will be flung in his owne face back againe and the reproof if it be never so sweet and never so wise it will be retorted in a mans own teeth if hee be not unblameable himselfe And a man had need to be humble and lowâ—y and gentle and meek and to put on all bowels and gentlenesse of heart if he will reprove All sinnes are not to be reproved alike some with sharpnesse some with lenity Hee that is a Mountebank that will open a veine for every wheal and pimple The reprover is like them in Isaiah when they deale with the Cummin and Fetches a little rod will beat them out but when they come to the Corne Wheat and Rie they beat them out with the Cart-wheele So when we meet with a hard-hearted spirit wee must use stronger corrosives to them and gentler admonitions and rebukes towards others that sinne with a lesser and a weaker hand But this is a thing that a man must be marvellous carefull