a child of God seeing all graces to be in God he draws neer to the throne of grace begging for it and by his earnest and faithfull praiers he opens the hands of God to him God dealing as parents to their children holds them off for a while not that he is unwilling to give but to make them more earnest with God to draw them the neerer to himselfe A wicked man praies and his praiers tumble down upon him again and his heart is as dead as ever it was before as sensual as ever as carnal and earthly as ever as hard as impenitent and secure as ever A godly man when he praies though he have not gotten the thing totall that he desired yet he is neerer God then he was before his heart grows every day better than other by his praiers he obtains still something as the Prophet Hosea speaks of knowledge Hos 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord so I may say of prayer and of all other good duties then we pray if we proceed on wards in prayer A man may know and know and yet never know the Lord till he go on in knowledge so a man may pray and pray yet if he goe not onwards in his prayers his prayers are nothing A godly man prayes as a builder builds now a builder he first layeth a foundation and because he cannot finish in one day he comes the second day and finds the frame standing that he made the first day and then he adds a second dayes work and then he comes a third day and finds his two former dayes work standing then he proceeds to a third dayes work and makes walls to it and so he goes on till his building be finished So prayer is the building of the soule till it reach up to heaven therefore a godly heart prayes and reacheth higher and higher in prayer til at last his prayers reach up to God It is a signe of a wicked man to pray and to let his prayers fall down again upon him And here I appeale to the consciences of wicked men if it be not so with them they pray and pray but their hearts are as dead and deceitfull as proud and vaine as ignorant blockish and rebellious as if they had never prayed Thirdly it is more and more a fervent prayer if a little prayer will not serve the turn if he speeds not to day then he will pray more earnestly to morrow and if that will not serve the turne he will adde more As a man in winding up of a bucket if two or three windings will not fetch it up he will winde it up higher and higher till it comes up for if he should onely winde up once or twice and no more but hold it just at the same pin the bucket would never come up So if a man prayes and prayes and windes not up his heart higher but holds it just at the same pegge it was prayes in the same fashion he did grace will never come up Mark then how thou prayest examine thy heart dost thou pray to day as yesterday with no more zeal nor feeling affection nor sensible desire thou prayest not unsatiably No thou restrainest thy praying from growing an excellent description of an hypocrite Job 1â— 4. though falsly applied to Job Thou restrainest prayer before God in some translations it is Thou keepest thy prayers from growing thou restrainest thy prayers as a dwarffe is restrained from growing so thou restrainest thy prayers from being more and more earnest and effectuall and fervent unsatiable prayer is growing in zeale and affection Fourthly it is a more and more frequent prayer so that if twice a day will not serve the turne he will pray three times a day Psal 55. 17 and if that will not prevaile he will pray seven times a day Psal 119. 164. and when that is not enough he will be even ever a praying hardly broken off day or night Psal 88. 1. he cares not how often he prayes it may be that thou hast been a suitor for strength and grace against corruptions and hast put up many prayers to the same purpose It now thou stickest at any prayers thy prayers are not unsatiable an unsatiable soul never resteth though it have made ten thousand prayers till it have gotten the grace it is so with other things and therefore we need not wonder at it when a man doth not finish his work one day he will do it another and so on as long as he lives till his worke be done so must we do for heaven and for grace Fifthly it is ever more and more a back'd praier if ordinary praiers will not serve the turne a godly heart will cut off time from his recreations and pleasures though in themselves lawfull Beloved it may be with thy soul in its wrastlings and strivings for grace and power against corruptions that ordinary praiers will not satisfie it but it will be necessry to give over even lawfull delights and give that time to praier so a man will do for the world if he have a businesse of importance that will bring him in gaine he will be content to part with his delights and recreations and pleasures to follow after it so a man must do for his soul and if that be not enough then lay aside the duties of thy calling to take time from that If a man have two houses on fire both together the one his mansion dwelling house the other some back room or stable if he can he will save both but if he see that by spending his time on quenching the fire on the stable that his great mansion house will burne downe he will then neglect the other and let it burne if it will and imploy himselfe about his house So when the soul is in misery under the want of grace that it cannot live under but must perish eternally if it have it not then the soule being better than the body rather than that the soul miscarry we will neglect the body sometime And if this will not serve abstain from meat and drink fast it out thus the people of God are faine to do many times their lust and corruptions being even as the devill himselfe which cannot be cast out but by prayer and fasting there is an excellent place Joel 2. 12. Therefore now turn unto the Lord with fasting weeping and mourning rent your hearts c. Therefore now now your sinnes are so divelish now your sins are so deepely rooted in your soules now your corruptions are come to be such plague sores within you do you not think that your ordinary repentance and ordinary praiers and humiliations will serve the turne but now backe them with fasting and mourning Here now thou maist examine thy soul whether it have praied effectually unsatiably yea or no hath it ever a begging praier that thou praiest as if thou hadst never praied before is it evermore a proceeding prayer that
it there are two things mainely considerable First a discovery of their sinnes Secondly A rule for reformation set down 6. 7. verses The discovery of their sins is to the latter end of the 5. verse Now in the discovery we find these sins very remarkable First their falsenesse they were a company of stately Hypocrites a company of brave people that could pray as well as any in the world keep a fast from morning till night I say they were people of a stately carriage but of a false spirit The second was their confidence upon their duty as they were stately for their parts and policy so they are as confident as stately when they did pray and fast they could rest upon their duty as in the third verse Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not We have punished our selves and thou regardest it not God gives them an account for that and discovers their sins which are the causes of it and they are two First he shews the unprofitablenesse of such kind of services they bring no soule-profit with them Secondly such services are unacceptable to God for saith God in the beginning of this verse all the fasts doe but end in strife and debate Consider the work we are in hand withall and let us apply this to our selves this day saith God by the Prophet in the Text You shall not fast as ye do to day to make the voice to be heard above as if God had said this is not the businesse that I have chosen as in the next verse it follows to hang down his head for a day to droop in his affections to be seemingly humbled and afterward to sprout up again as peart and ready to sin as ever it is not squaling and crying a little while will serve the turne performe the duties of a fast if you will keep a fast aright In the Text are three divine truths partly in it self and partly in what is before and after it they are these three I shal only touch upon the former though I name all The first is this That Hypocrisy or falsenesse in a day of fasting and prayer takes away the life of the duty this shall be confirmed by and by The second is this That false and slight Hypocrites they will be content to be frequent in fasting and prayer The third is this That fasting rightly improved will put an edge upon our prayer I shall only speak a word of each of these for the first and I name it againe I say Hypocrisy in duties of this nature does take away the life of the duty It riseth plainly out of the Text Hypocrisy in duty takes away the life of the duty saith the Lord I have not chose this fast but this is the fast that I have chosen to loose the bonds of wickednesse to take off the heavy burden and to let the oppressed goe free to deale thy bread to the hungry to bring the poor unto thine house this is the fast that I look at I doe not looke that a Sonne of God should come to guild over a day of fasting to weep and houle it out but the thing the Lord requires is to ease the burden of the afflicted to help the poor and oppressed ones this day of fasting and prayer will be the saddest that ever England had if it doe not end in the reformation of the Nation An hypocrite will performe as glorious duties it may be better then you but there he rests and spares all cost he joynes not charity with his pretended sanctity Secondly False and slight Hypocrites will be frequently in fasting and prayer This ariseth from the other part Hypocrites will be very forward they can say we have fasted and prayed we have done this they can take delight in approching to God they will come nere the business and say When will there be a reforming of what is amisse both in Church and state they make a great stirre and in meane time suffer manie poor servants of God to perish for want of sustenance about them In this I doe not meane mistake me not that the servants of God should not doe these duties but all that I say is to prove that an Hypocrite may doe these duties and this considered you will finde that there are not a few such amongst us because all we doe if rightly done must spring from other principles if you should fast every day in the weeke it would not doe unlesse the other duties before named be performed I say not this to discourage any of you from the duty for I set a high esteem upon the duties of this day It is like great Ordnance which will make a breach in a Castle when musket-shot will doe noe good Through Gods blessing this hath done more then all other duties cast out such subtile divels that nothing else could doe Thirdly Fasting rightly improved wil put an edge upon duty especially upon prayer The scripture provs this that fasting and prayer together a fast cannot be kept without prayer Now I returne to the first Doctrine which is the main thing I doe intend which is this namely That Hypocrisy in duty will take away the life of the duty I say falsenesse and hypocrisy in the duty will spoyle that duty Ye shall not fast as ye doe to day to make your voyce to be heard above here you make a great noyse but all the while ye are not heard ye doe not reach the mark and so you lose the game A Cannon may make a great noyse and yet come a mile short of the mark for hypocricie takes away the life of the duty your Cannon Bore is warped so your bullet goes beside the mark it must be a prayer rightly and understandingly made that the Lord will heare There is a phrase to this purpose Deut. 5. 28. and the Lord said I have heard the voyce of the words of this people which they have spoken unto me they have well said all that they have spoken There is a passage about this 2 Chron. 3. Then the Priests and Levites arose and blessed the people and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to his dwelling place even to heaven their voyce was heard because their praier was made in sincerity Your praiers doe not come high enough you doe not speak home enough if you did you should certainly be heard if it be in sincerity Now a Hypocrite may lift up his voice strongly and yet never be heard never come up to Gods dwelling place their prayers many times fall back upon their own faces like spittle against the wind and never come to Gods presence mark I say hypocricle takes away the vigor and life of the duty saith the Lord This is not the fast that I have chosen not the prayer that I would have made these prayers are but Arrows shot out of a weak Bow that come not half way to the mark Now we proceed to open it in the
particulars I will bring two or three arguments to prove it that it is so 1. You shall find that Hypocrisie in these Ordinances doth spoile all upon these two or three grounds The first is this Because all this falsenesse and hypocrisie is directly against the nature of God you have a strange passage to this purpose Mat. 6. 5. And when thou prayest be not as the Hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the Sinagoues c. verily I say they have their reward what is that what is the reward of a false hypocritical praier he hath his praier that is all his work for his work a day of fasting for a day of fasting that is all a poor reward It too often falls out that amongst your children you have one that is a spend-all a riotous person Now when the father comes to make his will he gives to each of his obedient children such a portion as he is able but when this his leud sonne comes to be named what saith he to him I have given thee so much and so much time after time thou hast spent all I have now only a shilling for thee and that not out of any love neither but to stop thy mouth from troubling thy brethren for any more so we come to fasting and praier well saith God you shall have your reward I will give you twelve pence you have bin false and vile with that mercy that you have had therefore look for no more And thus when the Hypocrite comes to see what he hath got by all his duties it will be just nothing this is the point that I meane I will prove it in three perticulers that falseness and hypocrisie in duty takes away the life of the duty First because hypocrisy here is directly in opposition to the nature of God and therefore the Lord cannot possibly accept of it I doe not care for them saith the Lord I will none of their services they are directly against my Name Jehovah is Gods nature which hath a being hypocrisie hath no being nothing in it therefore no being In your praier you tell God you sin you meane not to leave it and what tell you me of such a kinde of prayer it is a picture of a prayer and no prayer a picture of a man as we say and no man I beseech you to consider it all praiers that are made in this way they are nothing see a passage Mat. 15. 8. saith God this people draw neere to me with their lips but their heart is far from me therefore he saith 9. verse But in vaine they worship me it is all to no purpose there is an emptinesse in all this a poor ignorant creature may run to Church with the Pharisee and fall down upon his knees and babble over his prayers and all this coms to nothing for I say all traditionall worship is against the nature of God hence nothing so all Idoll worship is nothing God is a being Jehovah Idoll worship hath no being therefore nothing you shall not see more cost and bodily labour more ceremonies and specious shew in any religion under the sun then in Rome yet all this nothing because outside seruice a little fire wil quickly consume all this Now if you come before God this day and doe not bring your heart in a fit temper according to the rule of Gods word if you mean not to be in earnest with the Minister in sealing up your soules in the Covenant of grace all will prove to be nothing you shall have breath for breath you will doe no good to distressed England reformation shall not be one inch furthered by this dayes work of your fastings and prayer Secondly Hypocrisy takes away the life of the duty upon a second ground because from hence the Ordinance of God this very Ordinance we are now about gaines an heavy blow therefore certainly it will lose the life and comfort of it by hypocrisie as thus First from hence it comes to passe that Ordinances used or rather abused give occasion to the enemies of God to open their mouthes and speake basely of these Ordinances as if they had nothing in them the Ordinances themselves suffer much in this they can say they are frequent in these duties such and such keep whole dayes of fasting and prayer day after day and yet returne again to their sinfull courses as bad drunkards and thiefes the next day as ever hence say the Papists and prophane persons these are the fasters what amendment see you in them and hence they conclude what should weeping fasting and prayer doe God regards them not they have nothing in them noe benefit comes by them people are not converted that use them they are as ignorant as they were no change wrought upon their spirits Thus the Ordinance is sleighted Secondly Hypocrites doe pervert the Ordinance for they use it to a wrong end They take up fasting and prayer to get further leave to sin to grow stronger in their corruptions to morrow hypocrites are strengthened in sin by the Ordinances Thirdly because the heart of a man in the duty is the heart of the duty your hearts are the heart of the duty therefore the Lord requires such a kinde of heart of his servants at the time of duty as is agreeable to the duty now hypocrisy takes the heart off from the duty therefore the duty cannot be accepted Now I doubt there is many a poor unprepared heart before God this day you doe not mean to bring your sinne to the duty but the duty to your sinne you doe not meane to leave your uncle an practises and evill courses if it be so marke what I say the duty is gone the day is lost for the very heart and spirit of the duty lyeth here the Minister he labours prayes and preaches you may weepe mourne and lament yet if the heart be not in the duty all is nothing but as a dead carkasse without a Spirit The Use will be a word of reproofe for I say falsenesse and hypocricy takes away the life of the duty 3. Arguments you have had to prove it Now for reprehension it wil reprove us for all those ayrie duties and outside services we doe performe many come to a duty and leave their hearts in their Chests amongst their Treasure many come in discontent and strife they resolve for all this I will when conveniently I may give my brother a private wound This now lets out the very heart bloud of the duty I doe confidently beleeve if all the people of the Nation could but keep this day of fasting and praier sincerely from the heart you should quickly see the Angel stopped the sword sheathed and the Nation healed Now to reprove you of your hypocrisie I wil shew you the saplessenesse of such duties in these particulars First remember this and consider in the name of God in what a lamentable case that man will be that looseth all the
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
in whole assemblies but I mockt them I hated them I misliked them for being too precise I was not ashamed of my security no not in thy sight Thus thou wilt cry out one day if thou wilt not yeeld unto meditation which must make this as present with thee Know thou O my soul the time of thy visitation is at hand thou wilt curse thy selfe hereafter if thou dost not now be moved by Gods mercies thou shalt never see mercy more Now be awaked by Gods judgments or else thou shalt feel them for evermore now or for ever thou shalt â—oar for them Then thou shalt curse thy gains and thy profits that bewitched thee thou shalt curse thy pleasures and delights that besorted thee curse thine one heart and thine own soul and thine own conscience that have damned thee Meditation may tell thee thus it will be with thee unlesse thou obeyest now Hear ye me now Oh yee Children and depart not from the words of my mouth verse 7. hear the word now and obey it let it not depart out thy meditation Now be humbled with grace or then thou shalt be humbled with horrour then thou shalt wish Oh that I had been ruled When thou art in hell then thou shalt meditate Oh it was good counsel that such and such a Minister gave me good counsel that such a friend and such a brother gave me but wretch that I was I had not grace to follow it I had more mind of my pleasures more mind of my vanities than of grace Oh if it were to do again I would not do so for a thousand worlds but alas it is now too late Therefore let Meditation presse this upon thee before-hand Now follows the third thing how to put life to Meditation Four duties are to be done to this purpose 1. Let Meditation haunt the heart let meditation dog thee with the hellish looks of thy sinnes and follow it with the dreadful vengeance of God haunt it with promises haunt it with threatnings haunt it with mercies and haunt it with judgements and haunt it with Commandments The heart is like the Beaver when it perceiveth it cannot possibly escape from the Huntsman it cuts off the Member for which it is hunted and flings it down and so escapes saith Aesop So pursue thy heart with its sins with the hue and cry of Gods mercies pursue it with the bubbub of Gods judgements let meditation haunt it and let thy soul see it shall never be rid of the haunt at last it will be content to part with its lusts Let Meditation say Wilt thou forsake thine own mercies If thou livest thus and thus If thou prayest thus and thus dead-heartedly thou kickest against thine own mercy wilt thou rush upon the prickâ— This mercy thou mayst have if thou wouldst amend that vengeance thou shalt have if thou do not amend Either cut off thy sins or else God will cut off thy soul Return O Shulamite return return it s the voice of Christ to thee Let Meditation say Return O my soul return return and thou mayst be saved return or else thou shalt be condemned Now what was the effect of this haunting meditation Or ere I was aware my soul made me like the Chariots of Aminadab verse 12. That is my soul musing and meditating on these and these commandments it so humbled my soul that it made me yeeld yea and made me run as fast as the Chariots of Aminadab freely and willingly to Christ Deal with thy heart as Iunius his father dealt with him he seeing his Son was Atheistical he laid a Bible in every room that his son could look in no room but behold a Bible haunted him upbraiding him Wilt thou not read me Atheist Wilt thou not read me And so at last he read it and was converted from his Atheisme So let meditation haunt thy heart hold forth the commandements promises threatnings of the Lord that thy heart may see them let meditation haunt thee in thy luke-warmnesse prayest thou thus luke-warm This prayer will break thy neck one day Repentest thou This luke warm repentance will cause God to spue thee out of his mouth Hearest thou speakest thou thinkest thou These lukewarm duties wil confound thee ere long if thou lookest not to it Let meditations haunt thee as they haunted Nehemiah with warnings ten times saith the Text they sent to Nehemiah they will be upon thee Nehem. 4. 12. Beware of the danger the enemy will be upon thee ten times they warned him never giving over till Nehemiah looked about him verse 13. So do thou haunt thine own heart they will be upon thee this curse this wrath that hardnesse of heart this security wil be upon thee Ten times yea a thousand times ten times never give over thine own soul untill thou hast made it to submit Indeed there be some let God send Meditations to haunt them and follow them saying Repent leave this or that sin why wilt thou be damn'd with this sin Oh forsake it presently they will gagge the mouth of meditation and of conscience and strike them stark dead as Abner when Azahel would haunt him and follow him and turn neither to the right hand nor to the left but follow him at the heels Turn aside saith Abner but he would not turn aside from following him Turn aside from me sayes Abner again or I will kill thee but he would not turn aside he would follow him close Then he up with his Spear and slew him 2. Sam. 2. 19. 20 21 22 23. So many deal with the Meditation of conscience when conscience would dogg them and weary them out of their sins they will not when conscience would haunt them they will not be haunted therewith when conscience would follow them up with their desperate wilfulnesse they gall and wound and murder conscience to be quiet But David haunted his heart and would have it haunted The second duty Let Meditation trace thy heart as it should haunt thee so also let it trace thee in the same steps So would the Church Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3. 40. The word in the originall sayes Buxtorf signifies track her steps step by step this step was in the ditch that in the mire that step awry track them all that we may undergo them all again and turn unto the Lord. Never pray but let Meditation track thy prayer this passage was right that passage was amis Never keep a Sabbath but let Meditation track thy keeping of it this duty was sincere that was rotten Never do any thing but let Meditation track it This thought this word this action was warrantable that was out of the way track thy heart as the Lord tracked Eliah he trackt him in the wildernesse he trackt him under the juniper tree he trackt him in the cave What dost thou here Eliah go forth 1. Kings 19. What dost thou here Eliah go return He tract him in
bridle to restrain a man from vain thoughts than this consideration that he is to goe to God I speak not this to the men of this world Carnal men who can rush into Gods presence hand over head without any fear or reverence they can set upon any duty without any preparation but I speak it to the godly man whose heart dreads and stands in awe of God Wilt thou let thy mind rove and run all the day on worldly things how then wilt thou call upon God Dost thou not know that this is the cause of thy dulnesse thy deadnesse and wandrings of thy heart when thou art about any good duty namely because thou sufferest thy heart to be lashing out and roving abroad on the world all day no marvell if it keep his haunt at night and therefore thy heart being vain God will never hear thy prayer Job 35. 13. God will never hear vanity Comest thou to God with a vain prayer God wil never hear it Comest thou with a vain ear to the hearing of the Word God will never hear it or with a vain heart to the Sacrament God will not regard it Lay this seriously to thy heart if ever thou wouldesst have thy heart to the duty thou art about busie thy mind upon good things for if thy heart be accustomed to vain and worldly things all the day it is no marvell if it return to its hau nt again at night Thirdly consider that you have not so learned Christ It is the Apostles argument Ephes 3. consider then what you have learned of Christ hath Christ taught you so hath Christ taught you such a love and given you such a liberty that you should love the world more than him and imploy and bestow all your thoughts wholy in seeking after vain things Hath Christ taught you such a faith as this Hath Christ taught you such a repentance as this to have your thoughts more upon the world than upon Christ to repent of sin and yet never forsake sin Have ye so learned Christ Hath he not taught you such a faith as purifieth the heart such a sanctification as cleanseth the soul and the mind such an obedience as bringeth every thought into subjection unto himself Therefore if now thou shouldest still retain thy vain dead earthly and carnall thoughts it is not to learn Christ Christ teacheth thee no such doctrine nor giveth thee any such licencious liberty but thou learnest of the Devil and of thine own heart for all evil and vain thoughts arise from these three heads First from the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world which our Saviour calls the cares of the world Secondly from the fountain of corruption in mans heart the heart of man being alwayes like a sink naturally running with filthinesse or like a living quickset always bearing so it is with the heart of man always imagining vain thoughts Thirdly from the damned malice of the Devil and his fearful suggestions and temptations both within and without the Devil is fitly called a tempter and tryer for by his suggestions and temptations he feels and tryes mens hearts and thereby knowing to what they are most inclined and which way they are soonest overcome accordingly he fits his temptations to intrap them Now these thoughts are infinitely variable according to the constitutions place quality passions affections and conditions of men as of the poor man in his beggary of the rich man in his abundance of the Minister in his calling of the Majestrate in his and so of all other men Now the whole world is not able to fill the heart how then shall we number the thoughts of it But for the better understanding we will rank them into these four heads to shew how thoughts become vain 1. Materially mens thoughts are vain when the matter of them is vain 2. Formally when though for the matter they are never so good yet the manner of thinking them is evil 3. Essentially when the man that thinks them is vain 4. When it is a thought that might become the best Saint upon the earth or a glorified Angel in heaven yet the drift of the soul being carnall and vain the soul thereby becomes vain also First then material vain thoughs are all thoughts of the world of the works of thy calling of thy recreations eating drinking sleeping thoughts of thy wife and children and the like they are vain thoughts not sinful necessarily yet they may come to be sinfull five manner of ways First when we think of them primarily that is in the first place when we think of them before we think of God Tell me then what are thy first thoughts in the morning Hereby a man may know his thoughts whether they be good or evill Consider I say what is that first presents it selfe unto thy thoughts certainly that which the heart is most haunted withall and most taken up with is most naturall unto it If the heart be carnall and earthly it will have carnall and earthly thoughts if it be a godly and gracious heart it will labour to make God the first in his thoughts I know the godly man fails in many things and many unruly thoughts in him may rebell but it is the very grief of his soul and he will never rest nor be at quiet till he hath got Balme from Gilead strength from Christ for the subduing and crucifying of them even of those vain and sinfull thoughts that stick closest unto their hearts and are most prone unto them naturally so that it is the practice of a godly man first in the morning to lift up his heart with his hand unto God and when he is up his thoughts are wholly upon God See this in David who considering that the Lord was present every where made this use of it When I awake I am present with thee Psal 139. 18. His heart was lifted up to God he did endeavovr to shake hands with God as it were in his holy meditations worshipping and adoring God with his first thoughts he would be sure to give God the flower and Maiden-head of his first service and thoughts as soon as ever he was awake his heart was in heaven This shews that the thoughts of men that live in their sins are damnable thoughts Thou that art a drunkard a swearer a prophane person a carnall worlding that never hast repented I tell thee that the very thinking of thy meat and drink is damnable the very thoughts of thy recreations and of thy sleep are damnable thoughts to think of the works of thy calling yea of setting thy foot upon the ground or of any thing that God hath commanded thee to doe are all damnable thoughts Why Because thou givest not God thy first thoughts Wilt thou think of thy belly and back before thou thinkest of God and how to be converted unto him Wilt thou think of thy Markets and Faires before thou thinkest of thy reconciliation with God The first
father or a mother God having converted any of thine owne children that childe shall bee thy Judge and condemne thee if thou repent not It may be God hath converted thy brother and sister and thou art not not converted thy own brother and sister shal condemn thee ifthou do not repent and come out of thy sins Thirdly we may learn that it concerns all the world to take notice of every grace in Gods children There is never a grace of God in any of his Saints but it shall condemn the world if it be voyd of it The wayes of the Lord are all judgements because they judge them that will not walk in them Every grace yea the very thoughts of the righteous are called Judgements by Solomon Prov. 12. You may know a crooked thing by laying it to a straight line and by that it is judged to be crooked so the thoughts of the righteous which are right holy and pure shall judge the impure unholy and crooked thoughts of wicked men Is the child of God humble His humility shall judge thy pride Is the child of God meek and patient in suffering wrong and injuries His meeknesse and patience shall judge thy choler and revenge Hath the child of God faith given him to beleeve in the Lord Jesus his faith shall judge thy infidelity Hath the child of God the Spirit of prayer given him it shal condemn thee that prayest only with thine own spirit Hath he zeal His zeal shall judge thy lukewarmnesse Doth his speech and communication administer grace to the hearers It shall condemn thee that speakest of vain and idle things Yea all the actions of thegodly shall judge the wicked and hence the Saints are said to do Gods judgements Zep. 2. 3. that is they do according to Gods judgements whereby he wil judge the world Thus they that do mourn do judge them that do not mourn they that bewayl their wickednesse and the sins of the times judge them that do not they that fast weep pray and humble themselves for the miseries of the Church in these dreadful daies they judge them that make no good conscience of their duties Fourthly learn hence that all the texts of Scripture all the whole word of God that is it that begets these Saints and therefore they must needs judge the world the word of God begets mens hearts unto sanctification and holinesse whereby they become Saints and therefore if they then much more shall the word it self judge the world and hence it is that all the words of God in the Scripture are called Judgements Psal 105. 5. And our Saviour saith The word that I have spoken the same shall judge you in the last day John 12. 48 The word that I have spoken where mark he doth not say The word which you have heard No there are many swearers and drunkards and prophane ungodly wretches that will not come to Church to hear the word there are many wicked men and dead-hearted worldlings and rotten livers that will not be brought to heare Gods word it may be at this present there are many whore-mongers drunkards and wicked persons that wallow in their filthinesse in the Ale-house Game-house or Drab-house or in the fields or beds or at their sports Well this word that is now a preaching whether they will hear it or no shall judge them at the last day Now all the wicked in Ashford that hear the word of God calling upon them to repent and to come out of their sinnes but will not or out of contempt of Gods word will absent themselves from it this word shall judge and condemn them There is never a drunkard swearer or prophane person though his pew be empty but this word of God that denounceth the eternal wrath and vengeance of God upon them if they come not out of their sins this word shall rise up in judgement against them and condem them eternally Oh that they could but hear it but the word that I have spoken shall judge you whether you hear it or not Fifthly and lastly hence it followes that all the ministers of the word of God shall also judge the world Son of man saith God to the Prophet Ezekiel wilt thou judge the bloody City Yea thou shalt shew her all her abominations Ezek. 22 2. as if he should have said Sonne of man they are drunkards wilt thou not tell them of it They are whoremasters wilt thou not tell them of it They are filthy idolaters wilt thou not tell them of it They live in their sins and in their abominations and wilt thou not tell them of it Son of man tell them of all their abominations and tell them that they shall goe to hell if they repent not tell them that they are damned men if they go on and come not out of their sinnes Wilt thou judge them son of man Beloved there is never a Minister in England nor ever a Sermon that is preached by them but it judgeth every Parish and every man and woman in the congregation that do not labour to do what is commanded them and leave undone what is forbidden them I say it judgeth them or else it is a judgement unto them This then serves to condemn three sorts of men in the world First All those that despise the Saints and that see not amiablenesse in their faces All the Countrey doth reverence the face of the Judge when he rides his circuit Let the Judge come into the Countrey and all the Knights Justices and Gentlemen in the Countrey will go out to meet him and bow unto him yet these Judges are but Judges of a few rogues malefactors and peasants in the Country Alas they are far from the dignitie of the Saints for the Saints shall judge Saints and Angels All the world Kings and Queens Lords and Nobles and Captains of the Earth the poorest Saint in Christendome shall judge them The Apostle or rather our Saviour saith To him that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations Rev. 2. 26. Whatsoever he be if he do the works of Christ and walke in the ordinances of Christ he shall have power over the Nations not only to condemn their pomps and vanities their lusts and corruptions but also to convince their consciences and to condemn their souls for ever 2. Shall the Saints judge the world Then what fools are the wicked that prepare not for these Judges When the Judge comes to an Assise all men prepare for him the Constables make ready their Presentments the Juries are warned and the Clerks make ready their Bills c. lest the Judge should clap a fine upon them and shall the Saints be Judges and dost thou not prepare thy heart by grace Dost thou not get purity and holinesse against that day Surely if thou dost not the very Saints will judge thee unmeet for heaven and fit only to have thy portion in hell When Christ
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
your selves unworthy of everlasting life c. You that have heard the word of God apply it to your soules it is a blessed plaister let it lie on your soules go home and say Lord I have been told of this and that sinne of my pride hypocrisie deadnesse and distraction in thy worship and service c. I see they are against thy will and thou commandest me to come out of them and to leave them Lord I beseech thee inable me to leave them all so Lord I have been told this day of such and such graces which thou hast commanded me for to have of such and such duties that thou wouldest have me to take up and performe Lord subject my heart to the power of grace and to every commandement of thy word Take heed if thou doest put off the word of God or any tittle of the word and wilt not walke according to the same thou puttest off eternall life from thy selfe Doe therefore as Gods people did who when Moses had preached the Law and Will of God to them it is said Exod. 12. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israel as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron so did they So doe you goe home and apply the word to your soules it was spoken for your good make use of it and the Lord be with you Thirdly Scrutiny it is not onely an outward word but a word of the heart if any man say that is if any man think that he is in Christ he ought to walke as Christ did Hence we might observe That a Minister is bound to preach to mens thoughts But time cuts us off THE ENMITIE OF THE WICKED To the light of the GOSPEL In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE ENMITY OF THE WICKED To the light of the GOSPEL JOHN 3. VER 20. For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved THis is part of Christ his parly with Nicodemus concerning regeneration wherein our Saviour doth declare four main points The first is Mans naturall estate and condition without Christ It is impossible that ever he should be saved that ever he should get grace or come within the list of eternall life Christ saith it and bindeth it with an oath ver 3. Verily Verily I say unto thee except a man be borne again he cannot see the Kingdome of God much lesse inherit it Secondly here is Gods gracious provision which he hath taken with the world that though man were in a way of damnation invincibly yet now he is put in a way of probability of salvation ver 16. though he were damnable by nature yet now he is salvable by Christ Thirdly here is a general proclamation upon the condition of faith that this salvability may be attained if a man believe In the same verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him c. It is a condition of faith put to all none excepted Whosoever he be that beleeveth in Christ he shall be saved Fourthly here is the reprobation of the world he that beleeveth not is condemned already The cause whereof cannot be cast on Christ for God hath not sent his Son to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved It was Christs primary purpose and the first end of his coming to save the world it is an accidentall end or rather an event of his coming that the world is condemned Christ is not the cause of it he is not the efficient cause for he is a Saviour nor the deficient cause for he is a sufficient Saviour That the cause of their condemnation is from themselves and not from Christ is proved by three arguments First from their own consciences he that beleeveth not is condemned already He cannot here speake of the condemnation of hell for he is not in hell already But he speakes of an apprehensuall condemnation in their own consciences as Chrysostome observes he meanes the condemnation of their own consciences he that beleeves not his conscience tells him that it is his fault that he beleeveth not though it be not in his power to be beleeve yet God hath gone so farre he hath so farre strugled with mens consciences that there is no default on his part They cannot excuse themselves saying I have no power to beleeve their own consciences will tell them that God hath knocked at their hearts and offered them power to beleeve but they rejected it They cannot say I know not how to beleeve his own conscience will tell him that God hath offered instruction to him whereby he might have been taught but that he refused it so that he that beleeves not is condemned already his own conscience riseth within him and tells him that it is his own fault that he doth not Secondly it is proved by experience experience shews that men are the cause of their own condemnation verse 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world but men loved darknesse rather then light the meaning of it is this This is the cause of condemnation to the world not Gods predestination not their fatall destiny not their breach of the first covenant nor any other impiety but this sinne of Infidelity If the world stood guilty of never so many sinnes yet if it did beleeve in the Lord Jesus it should be saved So that it is not all the other sinnes that a man commits that damnes him but his infidelity that layes all his former sinnes that ever he committed upon him here is condemnation that though light be come into the world to pull men out of their darknesse and sinnes yea though Christ though grace come to them yet they will not come out of their sinnes men will not have Christ men will not have grace men love darknesse rather then light Thirdly It is proved by reason verse 20. the verse now read unto you For every man that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should be reproved It is a strong argument to prove that if men be damned themselves are the cause of it for if light come into the world to instruct men if Christ come into the world to pluck men out of their sins if Christ come with his bloud and spirit to cleanse and sanctifie men and men will not be sanctified Then if they perish in their sins they are justly guilty of their own condemnation The words comprehend in them two things First the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is set forth both positively he hates the light and then privatively or rather negatively neither cometh to the light Secondly the cause of the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is twofold First the qualification of his
not to take away his anger but to take it up from a worldly thing and to set it against sinne which is truly evill that so he may be angry and not sin Grace comes to qualify his anger and to take it from the waies of sin and to set it upon Gods wayes Again a man is subject to be merry Grace comes to temper him not to take away his mirth but to set it upon a right object as to delight in God to be merry in Christ to rejoyce in his Word and Ordinances in his children and in all the waies of Grace Another is given to impatiency Grace comes not to take away his impatiency but to set his impatience against his sins so that when he sees his sins he shall not be able to endure them but his soule will groan for them and his heart will rise against them Another is given to revenge now Grace comes and takes him away from being revenged on his neighbour to be revenged on his sinnes so that with the Apostle we may call revenge a piece of Repentance therefore this is a true triall whether our sins be mortified if our affections be taken away from the wayes of sinne and fast set upon the wayes of Grace and godlinesse Secondly if a man be mortified indeed and in truth then he is dead unto every sin if a man be killed he is dead in every member so if a man be dead to sinne no sinne can ever raigne in him not one lust nor bosome sinne no not the sinne of his trade no corruption though never so deare though it be the sinne of his right hand or right eye yet it can never have dominion over him if he be dead to sinne therefore if a man live in any one sin or sweet lust whatsoever he is a dead man and hath not one jot of Grace if there be but one knowne iniquity in a man that he lives and dies in without repentance that one iniquity shall kill him to the put of hel Ezek. 28. The Schoolemen say that if a Sow doe but wallow in one mirie or dirty hole she is filthy so if a soule wallow but in one sinne it is abominable If a man stab himselfe but with one knife so that he die he is as truly killed as was Julius Caesar who was stabbed with three and twenty knives So if a man should be free from an hundred diseases and should die of one what would it benefit him to be free from the rest in respect of his life surely nothing at all That man that hath his pride his Covetousnesse his usury hatred malice deriding of Gods people all these being dead in him yet if selfe-love and security c. be not dead in him these argue his case to be naught he is not yet qualified for Christ for there is no mortification at all in him There be many sweet meanes to allure us unto mortification but time will not permit us to speake of them but this let every man take notice of that so long as he liveth in sin he is altogether uncapable of Christ The Apostle saith we know that the Law is not given unto a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane and whatsoever is contrary to wholsome doctrine the Law is for such men But the first Doctrine of the of Christ is Repent of thy sins deny thine own wayes take up Christs crosse and follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes Here the Kingdom of Heaven is laid open to all the world Let mens miseries be what they can be and although their sinnes be never so great Christ cometh to redeem them yea though they have a whole Hell of sinne in them yet if they have a heart to entertaine Christ his Grace is so rich and all-sufficient that it will save every man that enterteineth him There is a Proclomation openly made in the Market place Hoe every one that thirsteth come unto the waters Isa 55. 2. As if he should say Hoe every one that hath a mind to Christ come and have him every one that hungers and thirsteth after Christ let his sinnes be never so great and the number never so many here is hue and crie after him Come unto the waters He saith not come unto the water but waters not a little low brook or stream which is not able to wash away all his sins but there is an Ocean of waters ndefinitely waters in the plural number declaring the fulnesse and sufficiency to cleanse the most leprous soule be he never so much stained with corruption It is said by the Prophet Obadiah that the Lord will send unto his People Saviours verse 21. not in the singular number but Saviours in the plurall number not that there were moe Christs then one but to manifest the fulnesse of Christ he is a rich Christ full of salvation for all them that come unto him Therefore if there be any man that mourns and laments for his sinnes let him come unto Christ and welcome for there is a Fountain laid open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in but let him know upon what terms he must come if ever he meane to have Salvation by Christ observe the strict Conditions and walke by the strait rule of Christ he must resolve with himselfe come what will come to stand or to fall with Christ delivering up all his lusts and corruptions at his command whensoever he calls for them he must not part stakes with Christ to delude him but he must be true and faithfull unto him he must wholly deny himselfe and lie down before Christ to let Christ doe what he wil with him and these onely are the termes he must expect Heaven upon and thus doing he may have Salvation according to the desire of his soule THE SINFULNESSE And Danger OF HYPOCRISIE As it was delivered in a SERMON upon an extraordinary day of Fasting and Humiliation By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE SINFULNESSE And Danger OF HYPOCRISIE ISA. 58. 4. later part Ye shall not fast as ye doe to day to make the voyce to be heard above YE shall find that there are two maine things in this Chapter First A commission the Prophet hath to doe his duty it is from the Lord. Secondly the Execution of his duty The Commission is in the first verse Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Jacob their sins this is his Commission to tell them roundly of their sinnes spare not saith the Lord and it is no other commission than all the Ministers of God have especially upon such fasting dayes as this is to be faithfull to the people to make known unto them all their sins Now in the execution of
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
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.
duty 407. Three divine truths in the Text and context 1. Hypocrisie in a day of fasting and prayer takes away the life of the duty 408. 2. False and slight Hypocrites will be frequent in fasting and prayer 409. 3. Fasting rightly performed will put an edge upon every duty especially upo prayer ibid. Doctr. 1. Hypocrisie in any duty takes away the life of the duty ibid. Arguments to prove that it is so 1. Because all falsenesse and hypocrisie is directly against the nature of God 410. 2. Hypocrisie gives a blow to the ordinances of God 111. 3. Hypocrites do pervert the ordinance ibid. Use 1. For reproofe of those aery and outside duties that we performe ibid. Use 2. For information to teach us how to fast aright 412. Motives to fast in sincerity 1. Consider your selves as upon your death-beds when duties hypocritically performed will be corrosives in stead of cordials ibid. 2. Because if you bring any duty to God without sincerity it is nothing 413. Three Rules tending to this 1. Consider whether the work you this day come about do spring from living principles ibid. 2. Whether your opposition to sin be carried on strongly and unchangeably 414. 3. Whether you more mind how God accepts you then what he gives you ibid. The Contents of the nine and twentieth SERMON upon Iob 30. 31. 32. Doctr. REsolution to reforme should be upon the hearts of them that smart under the rod of the Lord. 417. In the prosecution of this doctrine three things are treated of 1. What kind of reformation it must be that we are to resolve of under the rodde 418. 2. What arguments should prevail with us to bring us to this resolution ibid. 3. What course we should take in reforming ibid. For the first we are to consider those six particulars 1. That our reformation must have reference to God who useth the rod ibid 2. Our work in reforming must be guided by God himself 419 3. We must reforme in one particular as well as in another ibid. 4. We are not only to reforme what we our selves know to be amisse but to inquire and be willing to be informed by others ibid. 5. We should so resolve to reforme as to binde our selves by solemn covenant for the future ibid. 6. We are not only to do it joyntly with a Family a Town a City but severally every one by himself alone 420. For the Second take these Arguments or Reason to perswade you to reforme and they are of two kinds Some in relation to God 1. Because God calls for Reformation under Correction ibid. 2. Because it is for our sins that God corrects us 421. 3. God is just and gratious in every stroke that he layes upon us ibid. 4. He knows our frame and how much we can beare ibid. 5. God is no respecter of persons 422. 6. Our reformation is the end that God aymes at in correcting us ibid. 7. God counts himself honoured in his peoples reformation ibid. Others in relation to our selves and they are either driving 1. Because not to reforme under the rod is a signe of unspeakable foolishnesse 423 2. It is a signe of extraordinary brutishnesse ibid. Or drawing arguments 2. Because to reforme is the way to gaine the comfort of the Lord 425. 3. If we reforme our sufferings will turne to our joy and everlasting comfort 425. For the third the course we are to take in reforming 1. We are to informe our selves from Scripture concerning the sinfulnesse and uglinesse of that from which we are to reforme 426. 2. We are to be deeply humbled for what ever we can discover to be out of order in our minds or actions ibid. 3. We must enter into a Covenant with God that having reformed we will sin no more 427. The Titles and Texts of the several SERMONS contained in this Volume THe Use and Benefit of Divine Meditation HAGGAI 1. 5. Now therefore saith the Lord of Hosts consider your wayes page 1. Another sermon upon the same Text HAGGAI 1. 5. The Danger of deferring Repentance PROVERBS 1 28. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me p. 29. Vain Thoughts Arraigned at the Barre of Gods Justice PHIL. 3. 18. 19. For many walke of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose belly is their God whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things p. 43. The Judgement of the World by the Saints at the last day 1 COR. 6. 2. Know ye not that the Saints shal Judge the world p. 67. The Punishment of unworthy Communicants 1 COR. 11. 30. For this cause many are weake and sick among you and many sleep p. 83. The Duty of Communicants COR. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eate of that Bread and drink of that Cup. p. 101. The Duty of Reprovers and Persons Reproved PROV 19. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy p. 121. The Misery of Earthly Thoughts ISAIAH 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord c. p. 139. The Necessity of Self-denial LUKE 9. 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself c. p. 151. The Efficacy of importunate Prayer LUKE 11. 9. Ask and it shall be given unto you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you p. 163. Another Sermon on the same Text. LUKE 11. 9. The Necessity of Gospel-obedience COLOS. 1. 10. That you might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull unto every good work p. 187. Another Sermon on the same Text. COLOS. 1. 10. A Caveat against late repentance Lu 23. 42. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom p. 209. The Soveraigne Vertue of the Gospel PSAL. 147. 3. He healeth them that are broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds p. 223. A Funerall Sermon ISAIAH 57. 1. The Righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the Righteous are taken from the evill to come p. 241. The Signes of Gods forsaking a People JEREM. 14. 1 And we are called by thy Name leave us not p. 251. The Sacrifice of the Faithful LAMENT 3. 57. Thou drewest nigh in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst Fear not p. 265. The Misery of the Creatures by the sin of man ROM 8. 22. For we know that every Creature groaneth with us also and travelleth in paine together unto this present p. 295. The Christian his Imitation of CHRIST 1 JOHN 2. 6. He that saith he remaineth in him ought even so to walk as he hath walked p. 313. The Enmity of the wicked to the
as Theophylact expounds it as if we would say Martha Martha thou art cumbred about many dishes but one thing is needfull only only one dish though indeed so it be yet he here speaks not only of one dish but of many cares which hinder that one necessary duty of hearing and meditating of the word of God Thirdly ignorance A man cannot meditate of a thing he knows not nor thou of thy sins if thou be not skilful in Gods Catalogue of thy sins nor of mercies and promises if thou beest not verst in them nor of his Precepts if thou be not expert in them the Psalmist proveth that he had more knowledge than all his teachers Why because he used to meditate I have more understanding then all my Tutors for thy testimonies are my meditation Psal 119. 99. Fourthly aversnesse of the heart The heart is like the swine meditation is like the yoke the Hogge would fain get into forbidden fields for to grub them the yoke that hinders him but he cannot abide it every step he takes he lifts up his foot to strike it off if he could so the heart would fain break through hedges and get into forbidden wayes and if thou wouldest meditate it would every moment lift up it's heel to put thee besides it If it cannot put thee besides it it wil mar it if it can and therefore David praid to God to settle his heart upon the right and put his yoke upon him or it would never be stedfast else upon meditation Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Psal 19. 14. This aversnesse of the heart consists in three things First in the carelesnesse of the heart the heart prizeth not meditation nor the things of grace that are to be meditated on it will not be at the cost and charge nor at the pains for them To what end is a price in the hands of a fool seeing there is no heart to get wisdom Prov. 17. 16. The heart will not be brought to Gods price it would fain have the wares at a cheap rate Secondly in runnings of it the heart is like a vagrant rogue he would rather be hanged than tied to his parish Thou canst not bring it to prayer but it will be a gadding on by thoughts thou canst not bring it to a Sermon but it will be roving after wandering imaginations thou canst not bring it to a meditation but it will be a gossipping forth When Christ came to bind men with his blessed cords and bind their hearts to him Psal 2. they fall a meditating afterwards but it was meditating and imagining vain things verse 1. and when they saw they were to be tyed up Tush say they let us break their bonds asunder and cast their cords from us verse 3. What do Ministers call us to such strictnesse thinking to imprison our hearts in their stocks away with their bonds no we will have none of it Thirdly in the wearisomness of the heart It is as weary of meditation as a Cur is of the whip and the chain Oh how it barks and maunders till it be loose yea though it be never so eager upon it at the first it 's jaded presently When God called the Jews to sanctifie his Name they thought in their hearts O what a wearinesse is this I and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord ye brought which was lame and torn and sick Malac. 1. 13. What a wearinesse is it to meditate saith the heart it snuffs it is untoward it is lumpish it would fain tear off a piece of the duty or bring it wanting a leg or without soundnesse and sincerity yet some of them saith Calvin were so humbled that they thought on the name of the Lord Malac. 3. 16. they thought and meditated and forced their hearts to consider throughly This may serve for terror unto all those who for all this that hath been spoken dare sit down without it yea the world will not beleeve these things nor meditate therein yea they blame Gods messengers that call so sore upon them Habakkuk was so served he preached the mercies of God to the humble and the judgements of God to the wicked they ask him why he was so mad well sayes the Prophet I will stand upon my watch and see what the Lord sayes unto me that I may answer to them that reprove me Hab. 2. 1. What did the Lord tell him Write the vision and make it plain upon Tables that he may run that reads it verse 2. Will they not beleeve Will they rove Will they not meditate steadily upon these things Will they not let their hearts stay and meditate and consider The vision shall be so plain that he that runs may read it If thou wilt not stay and meditate herein the word is so plain to thy condemnation that if thou didst not but think of it with a running thought thou maist read thine own vengeance thine own woes in regard of the multitude of them He that runnes by a way full of holes and pits though he stand not meditating where are the pits yet he may run and see them The book of God is full leaves and cover and all of woes against thee Lam. 2. 10. It is written without there thou maist read thy sins written it is written likewise within there thou maist read thy plagues Secondly in regard of the greatnesse of them he that runnes along and loe a great town on fire though he stay not to meditate on it what or where it is yet he may run and read it so is the curse of sinners a great curse Zeph. 1. 10. he that runs may read it Thirdly in regard of the proximitie and neernesse of them He that runnes if a sword come out at his throat though he doth not stop to meditate what is this at my throat yet he cannot but see it Behold the Judge standeth before the door James 5. 9. Take heed how thou grudgest or sinnest in any particular behold the Judge standeth before the door behold it and meditate on it with thy heart if not he is nigh enough thou canst not step out of doors unto any sin but though thou runnest thou must needs see the Judge that will Judge thee Iâ—eming thy sins noting thy wayes observing thy courses ready to unhasp the door on thee to hale thee unto hell in thy sins Whose end is destruction Why Even those that mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. If thy mind and meditation run more on thy ground cattel goods kitchen house businesse earthly talk discourses thoughts more than of heaven thy end is destruction If thy thoughts will not stay here do but runne and thou maist read it Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am come to fulfill them Matthew 5. 17. Some saith Chrisostome might think now Christ is come it is no
matter though we not be so strict Christ is enough Think not thus saith Christ but rather think and meditate that I am come to fulfill it may self and to see it fulfilled in those I mean to save so as to make it a rule of their lives Themistocles said he could not sleep in his bed for continual thinking and meditating on Miltiades his Tryumphs And how canst thou sleep in thy bed if thou wouldest but meditate on these places of Scripture Retire thy self apart there is no casting up of mans account in a croud Let me alone I am busie so we use to say when we would be private Thou must do with thy soul as Ehud did to Eglon who said I have a secret errant to thee O King and so all went out and he said I have a message from God to thee and so stabd him at his heart Judges 3. 19. So for Ehud was a type of Christ saith Lavator I have a secret errant to thee O my soul and so let all go forth I have a message from God to thee a message of wrath for thy Pride a message of wrath for thy vain hopes Thus saith the Lord Cursed art thou O my soul stab it to the heart with this spirituall Dagger wound it with the blade and haft and all till thou have let out the fat and the dirt the filth and iniquity all out The Prophet speaking of mens looking on Christ whom they have pierced this meditating and laying to heart that they have crucified the Lord Jesus saith that they shall mourn every one in private the house of David apart and their wives apart the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart the house of Shimei apart and their wives apart every family apart and their wives apart Zach. 12. 2. The second meanes if thou wouldest meditate aright observe the times of privacy First the morniug that is the best time for study David chose the morning for meditation Psal 5. 1. 3. Let them hear this saith Chrisostome that arise betimes in the morning to serve their Hoggs and their Doggs their bellies and their backs before they serve God in meditation or prayer unlesse it be the mumbling and roaring a few Lord have mercy upon us that pray not till after many other businesses it may may be not then neither David prayed and meditated in the morning In the morning thou washest thy face and thy hands but thy soul hath more need which thou washest not in the morning thou puttest thy cloathes on thy body but thou puttest not on afresh the new man upon thy soul in the morning thou shakest off sleepinesse from thine eyes but thou shakest not off drousinesse from thy soul Thou lookest into the glasse in the morning to see if thy face be as it should be but thy soul is not composedly looking into the glasse of Gods word In the morning loook up in prayer look up in thansgiving look up in meditation Secondly the night too O Lord I meditate on thee in the night watches Psal 93. not as carnall ones doe when they cannot sleep then their mind runs on their Cow and their Calf their markets and vanities this neighbour and that neighbour like Petronius his dogge that was hunting while he lay asleep in his kennel Thirdly In the evening I prevent the night watches that I might meditate Psal 119. 148. he did not as wicked men doe sleep like a horse in the stable on his litter with his neck tyed to the manger they did go to bed with their hearts roped to the world worldly thoughts this thought and that thought and God knows what Fourthly when the heart is touched at a Sermon or Sacrament or observing of any judgement or mercy or act of Gods providence it is best striking when the Iron is hot David when his heart was touched at the reproches of the wicked then he meditated Psall 119. 23. When the Instrument is in tune then it is good playing upon it when a Churl is in a good mood then it is fittest to deal with him Oft will thy heart be out of tune oft churlish and in an ill mood if thou lettest the good opportunity goe thou knowest not when thou shalt have such another When the fish is nibling at the bait then it is good twiching at the angle-rod when the heart is a nibling at grace then gave a pluck at it by meditation See Acts 17. 11. now while the time lusts see thou maist get into heaven Thirdly Rub up thy self and thy memory call as much to mind as thou canst what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born what in the womb what in the cradle childhood youth age what a servant what a Master what as a servant what as a son what as a neighbour what as an inferiour what as a superiour either in thought or word or deed how often thou hast omitted good duties or done them by halvs Item for this and Item for that They shall remember themselves and turn unto the Lord Psal 22. 27. First they shall remember themselves and say what have I done O wretch how carelessely have I lived Secondly so meditating they shall turn unto the Lord. Many say Oh! they cannot remember their sins They lye in a thousand particulars for they can remember to commit them well enough See Lam. 3. 19. 20. 21. our Greek translation turns it I spake to my self and meditated as if they should say O what a rebell have I been how unthankfull how unprofitable under all the means of grace I may thank my sins for all the plagues of the Almighty that are upon me if he had damned me I had been well served What follows The heart bowed and was humbled as it is in the text The fourth means Rouze up thy heart As it is with the eye of the body so it is with the eye of the Soul when a man would look wistly upon a thing as if he would look thorow it he sets his eye on it as Paul set his eyes on Elymas Ah thou child of the Devill thou c. Acts 13. 9. Meditation is the setting of the eye of the soul upon a thing set thine eye upon thy selfe and say Ah thou childe of the wicked why hath Satan filled thy heart O wretched heart whence hadst thou thy selfe-love hadst thou not it from the Devill God might do well to send thee to the Devill if thou lovest so to be his Broker Set thine eyes stedfastly upon thine own wayes and thou shalt see infinite hellish evils in thy sins The third Use is for Reprehension What is more usual than this that men make slight account of their sins Nay when God tels them in their hearts Thou shalt not do this thou shalt not doe that yet they meditate and think Why may I not Samuel bid Saul stay for directions from him before he sacrificed unto God It seems that God spoke to his
then they shall be glad to be converted then they shall be glad to come out of their sins then they shall be glad to get grace and seek reconciliation with God but alas they saw not this then but God foresaw it well enough then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Lastly here is the frustration of their hope which hath two things in it First in regard of themselves in regard of the flaw in their seeking it being not aright Secondly in regard of the Justice of God who rewards every man according to their works But I will not hear them Whence observe this point of Doctrine Those that will not hear when he calleth them God will not hear them when they call unto him Those that will not hear the Lord when he calleth upon them by the ministery of his Word and voyce of his Spirit the Lord will not hear them when in their misery they call upon him Thus the Lord dealt with the people in Ezekiels dayes the Lord called them to repentance and obedience but when they stood out and neglected the opportunity of grace and seasons of conversion see how God deals with them though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice yet I will not hear them saith the Lord. When men have gone beyond the time of Gods mercy and out rowed the tyde of Gods forbearance and will not returne the Lord sets it down with himselfe that his wrath shall return upon them he will no longer forbear they had a time wherein the Lord did pity them and offered grace and mercy unto them but they neglecting this season and withstanding this proffer of grace God resolves with himselfe they shall never have it again There was a time wherein God did pity them but now he will not pity them any more twenty five years he called unto them and sought to bring them home but because they stood out and refused the Lord saith I will love Ephraim no more Beloved there is a double day a white day and a black day there is a day of salvation Isa 49. 9. this is the day in the which the Lord said to the prisoners Come forth and to those that lye in their sins repent and beleeve Now if any man will come forth and humble his soul before the Lord let him come and welcome for it is a day of salvation But there is another day of damnation which is a dark day a black and a duskie day wherein the Lord will visit the sinnes of the world and revenge the quarrell of his Covenant Hos 9. 7. The day of visitation is come yea the day of recompence the people shall know it the Prophet is a fool and the spirituall man is mad Beloved we are fools and all the spirituall men under heaven are mad that lay not this day to heart For the day of the Lord is a day of visitation and all the world shall rue it though now men sleep in securitie If once mercie be rejected and God turn away his ear from a man then grace shall be no more the door of life shall for ever be shut up against him and when once this day comes he hath lost his own place and deprived himselfe of eternall happinesse Now there are three reasons of this point the first is the law of retaliation of rendring like for like which is the justest law that can be made with man for to give unto every man according to his works to make him take such as he brings as the Heathen calls it to give a man quid for quâ— Now if God call upon thee and thou wilt not hear it is righteousnesse with God yea equity with God that is more that when thou callest on him he should not hear thee For thus runs the tenor of Gods Word Prov. 28. 9. He that turns away his ear from hearing the Law euen his prayers shall be abominable He that turns away his ear from Gods Law God will turn away his eare from his prayer He that turns it is spoken in the present tense that is he that now turns away his ear his prayer shall be abominable in the future tense that is the Lord marks what master or servant what father or mother what husband or wife what man or woman it is that turns away the ear of his head or the ear of his heart from hearing his will and obeying of his Commandements the Lord takes speciall notice of it and sets it down in his Calendar and records it in his Memoriall keeping a strict account thereof as if God should say Well is it so I now call and will not this man or that woman answer Do I now stretch out my hands and will not they take care to obey me Well let them alone saith God there is a day coming that I shall be a hearing of them times of sorrow and misery will take hold of them and then they in their affliction will cry unto me but I will not hear they will beg for mercy but I will not regard they will seek me early but they shall not finde me It was one of the Articles of high Treason brought in against Cardinall Woolsey that he had the pox and a stinking breath and yet durst come into the Kings presence So it shall be an Article against thee of high treason before the King of heaven if thou come into his presence with the stinking breath of thy sins living in thy lusts and wallowing in thy filthinesse all thy prayers are but as so many stinking breaths in the nostrils of the Lord and every dutie that thou performest unto the Lord shall be as so many Articles of high treason against thee to condemne thee because thou livest in rebellion and a Traitor against God His prayer shall be abominable he doth not say I will turn away mine ear from hearing his prayer which turns away his ear from hearing my law that is the true exposition of the words no but like for like is sometimes injustice for if a man should strike a Magistrate a box on the ear it were not justice for him to give him another for it is a greater sin to strike a Magistrate than any other common person and therefore a greater punishment the Law requireth So God doth not say he will turn away his ear from hearing his prayer but will serve him in a worse kind he will count it abominable yea abomination in the abstract it shall be loathsome yea lothsomnesse it selfe in the worst manner Galat. As a man soweth so shall he reap if thou sow sparingly thou shalt sparingly if thou sow a dull ear to Gods Word thou shalt reapaâ—dull ear from God to thy praier for God will reward every man according to his works Secondly because of the time of Gods Attributes both mercy and justice VAIN THOUGHTS ARRAIGNED At the Barre of Gods JUSTICE SET FORTH In a
said To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne Rev. 3. 21. He adds Let him that hath an ear hear Will God make his Saints to judge the world Then let all wicked men give ear and hear what God saith of his Church The Saints shall judge the world Therefore let all men take notice of it and prepare themselves for their judgement Lastly It condemns all those that do not see glory and majesty in the faces of Gods Saints There is majesty in the face of a Judge yea a man may discover in them a kind of soveraign majesty Even so the Saints of God have a majesty in their courses in their looks in their thoughts and in all their wayes and in all these they shall judge and condemn the wicked The wicked may give the Saints nick names and scorn flout condemn and deride them now in this life but let me tell them that how lightly soever they esteem of them they shall be their Judges They may cry out against the Saints as long since the wicked Sodomites did against good Lot Gen. 19. 9. This fellow say they will be our 〈…〉 Why what had Lot done with them Alas he did nothing but when they would have done that Sodomitish villany against the two Angels that came to him Lot went to them and said I pray you my Brethren do not so wickedly So let the godly be in the company of wicked men that abuse the good creatures of God say I pray you my brethren do not so wickedly be not drunkards be not swearers brethren I pray you do not so vainly nor so prophanely use the name of God in your mouths I pray you my brethren do not prophane Gods Sabaths do not lye do not cheat nor cozen if you do these and these things the wrath of God will plague us for it Oh then presently they cry out Who made you our judges As once the Hebrews did of Moses Acts 7. 39. Dost thou call Saints hypocrites and dissemblers men that judge before the time Thou fool wert thou not as good to suffer the Saints to judge thee now whereby thou maiest see thy wretchednesse and miserie and by faith and speedy repentance prevent that doom which otherwise they tell thee will come upon thee as hereafter when if thou hast not repented thou shalt never escape that doom and vengeance to which the Saints will judge thee What wilt thou not suffer them to call a drunkard a drunkard or an adulterer an adulterer a blasphemer a blasphemer a carnal man a carnall man or a worldly man a worldly man It is a pretty observation out of Cyprian that because Christ did reprove all sorts of religions and spared none he reproved the Scribes the Pharisees the Lawyers the Souldiers c. and yet doth not reprove the Priests because they were Judges of the people not because he durst not but he would not If thou revilest the Saints thou revilest thy Judges Take heed then how thou cast the least aspersion upon the Saints do not say they are rash Judges uncharitable censurers dissembling hypocrites for they shall be your Judges O that the people would hearken and be admonished in time to prevent this judgement Our Saviour saith that this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men hate it Joh. 3. 19. But the children of God whom God calls the light of the world these lights are come into the world and men love darknesse more then the light How can the wicked escape damnation that have so many thousand Judges to condemn them If the malefactor that is indicted for murther or felony cannot escape condemnation that hath but one Judge to sit upon him thou that art a wicked man living in thy sins without Christ how canst thou escape that hast so many millions of Saints to judge thee yea from Adam the first till the last Saint that shall be upon the earth Surely the wicked shall never escape condemnation for 1. God the Father who judgeth by way of authority he will condemn thee all judgement cometh originally from him he that hath often commanded thee to repent and come out of thy sins he shal condemn thee because thou hast not obeyed him 2. God the Son he will judge thee who judgeth by way of dispensation Acts. 10. First Christ preacheth to thee repentance and remission of sins to which if thou yeeld not then know that there is a day appointed wherein he will judge thee That Saviour that thou sayest thou desirest if thou part not with thy lusts he himselfe will be thy Judge that will condemn thee 3. God the holy Ghost will judge thee that Spirit that now strives and wrestles with thee that suggests good motions into thy heart that puts thee in mind of repentance bidding thee leave and forsake thy sins and live holily but if thou wilt not this Spirit shall judge thee by way of conviction 4. The word of God shall judge thee and that by way of form it being the platform according unto which Christ will judge the whole world Now suppose there be forty prisoners in the Jaile together one in for murder another in for theft another for treason that man that knows the Law if there be equity and Justice in the Assise he I say that knows the Law knows who shal be hanged or quartered or burned or set free even so Beloved that man that looks through the Scriptures that reads this or that Chapter this or that sentence may know that or this man will to hell if he repent not Say I this of my selfe or saies not the Scripture as much The fearfull and unbeleeving and all that love and make lies shall be cast into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Rev. 12. 8. By this text the Lord Jesus will come and judge the world and therefore for all such as live and dye in their sins we may all know that they shall be all damn'd in fire and brimstone for ever Hereby I know that all they that make no conscience of idle vain and earthly speeches and reproachfull words they shall give an account for them by this Text. Mat. 12. 56. Doth the Scripture say that all the wicked shall be turned into hell with all the Nations that forget God I know it shall be so by the text Psal 10. For all things shall be done according to the Scriptures Romans 2. 16. In that day saith the Apostle when God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel that is just as Gods Ministers preach just as you find it written in the same Scriptures so will he judge at that day Beloved there is never a Text throughout the whole Scripture that commands you to leave and forsake your sins but it shall judge you if you do not there is not one Text of Scripture that commands performance of any holy duty but it shall
hearken unto instruction and give ear unto councel now whiles that the Lord offers it unto you that so you may not harden your hearts any more but may hear and obey that your souls may live and so coming together to this holy and blessed Communion for the better and not for the worse you may return home with the blessing of children THE DUTIE OF COMMUNICANTS OR Examination required of every COMMUNICANT In a SERMON preached By that Vigilant and Painfull Minister of the 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 EXAMINATION Required in every COMMUNICANT A SERMON preached by Master WILLIAM FENNER Minister of GODS Word 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. IN the later part of this Chapter the Apostle treats of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and first he reproves the Corinthians for their unworthy coming to it as we see in verse 18. There were Errors and Schismes contempt of the poor drunkennesse excesse disorder and unprofitablenesse in the duties of God they waxed worse and worse by the Sacrament All these and sundry other abuses were among them so that they did not eat the Lords Supper aright as they ought Secondly he reduceth them back to the first prime institution of it by Jesus Christ as we see in verse 23. that hereby they might both see how grievously they had abused the Sacrament and likewise see how they might sanctifiedly use it Thirdly he shews the danger of unworthy receivers and this he sets out two wayes First by the grievousnesse of the sinne such a person makes himself guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord as we see verse 27. Secondly by the doleful consequence that follows upon it He eats and drinks damnation to himself as we see verse 29. Now in this verse that I may not trouble you with speaking of any more matter than what is necessary for the present Theme he shews how we may prevent escape and avoyd this danger how we may take an order that we do not fal into this grievous sin that we do not plunge our selves into this grievous misery Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. A man must examine himself sift his own soul and labour to prepare himself before he dare to venture on this sacred businesse In these words before we set upon the particular handling of them we may observe that We must not rush upon the Sacrament There must somewhat be done before we can receive it Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may safely rush upon Wouldest thou offer any sacrifice to God but thou must stay first and examine thy self whether there be not something yet undone It may be thou hast offended God in something or other It may be thou art out with thy brother thou must first go and be reconciled to thy brother and then offer thy guift Matth. 5. So wouldst thou reprove thy neighbour It may be there be somewhat out of order some indisposednesse in thee thou art not yet in case to set on this duty it may be thou art faulty and guilty thy self it may be thou hast a beam in thine own eye First saith the Text pull the beam out of thine own eye and then thou mayest see clearly to pull the moat out of thy brothers eye Matth. 7. 5. So would'st thou reform thy outward man But it may be thy inward man is not reformed there is some lust in thy heart some pride in thy will some stubbornnesse in thy spirit some Idoll in thy bosome First cleanse the inside of the platter Matth. 23. 26. There is never an ordinance of God that can be done but there must be somewhat done first a man must do something before As in the choice of officers as Ministers as Deacons other Officers in the Church first they must be proved before they be chosen so in all the Ordinances of God Would we come to the Sacrament There is somewhat must be done first we must examine our selves and root out all unsanctifiednesse and indisposition that cannot stand with the right communicating in the Lords supper And so in every other good duty The reasons of this are First because naturally we are not invited guests we are not such as are invited to the Lords Supper we are children of wrath and as long as we are in such an estate we cannot come aright to the Communion This is childrens bread and it cannot be given to dogges Christ whensoever he sets his dainties before his people he tels us for whom they are Take eat this is my body that is broken for you This is the supper that is made for you as it is in this Chapter verse 24. First we must prove our selves invited guests It is true the Lord Christ invites every man to the Lords Supper but he invites him methodically he must be in such an estate but every man is not so fitted a man must be a member of Christ that means to partake of Christs death he must be one that is in Christ he must be able to prove that he is ingrafted into Christ he must be able to shew the mark of the Lord Christ on him As it is with the some of your great dinners and feasts in this City you have tickets and all that are admitted to the feast must shew their ticket before they are admitted So thou must be able to shew thy ticket that thou hast an invitation from Christ thou must have a mark and token from Christ that thou comest and comest with his warrant A second reason is though thou be invited it may be thou art not disposed If a man will do a thing that he is naturally indisposed to there must be somewhat done before of necessity So the Lords supper it is a thing that naturally we are indisposed unto therefore somewhat must of necessity be done first Naturally we are unholy we are unthankfull and carnall we are in our sinnes strangers from God and the Covenant of God and from the seal of the Covenant all this indisposition must be wrought out before we can comfortablely come hither If Christ would have the very Chamber first trimmed before he instituted the Passeover and the Sacrament much more will he have the soul disposed for him and the heart cleansed from all filthinesse If he that was of the Peace-offering being indisposed having his uncleannesse upon him was to be cut off from his people Levit. 7. 20. what will God doe to such people as come hither in their uncleanness and indisposition unsanctified and unqualified Thirdly suppose we were both invited and disposed yet
this it not enough This is a solemne Ordinance of God and an ordinary disposition will not serve the turn Though every child of God be ordinarily disposed to every good word and work to pray and to hear the word of God he is prepared and furnished to every well-doing ordinarily and habitually but a man must be disposed farther There is a solemne preparation required to the Communion as in Deut. 16. 15. there were solemn feasts in the Law so there is this solemn feast in the Gospel and there are solemn preparations required thereto When we come to the Communion to eat the Lords Supper it is not eating and drinking in Christs presence for so may any reprobate do and yet Christ may say to him Depart from me thou worker of iniquity It is not to come and sit in your Pewes and wait till the Bread comes and take it and till the Cup comes and drink it so many a Reprobate may doe as the Corinthians did that did eat and drink their own damnation But there must be a solemn preparation to it to be sealed with the Spirit of Promise to be righteous by faith in the body and bloâ—d of Christ For a man to be humble and empty of his sin to be â—â—â—â—sâ—y aâ—â—â—â— the precious bloud of Christ to be fed and built up in the promises It is a weighty thing to come to the Communion a man must be a worthy man or else he hath nothing to do here As Solomon said of Adonijah if he be a worthy man not a hair shall fall from his head but if wickednesse be found in him he shall dye 1 Kings 1. 52. So if we be worthy men and women not a hair of our heads shall fall to the ground none of the curses shall light on us that light on unprepared persons but if wickednesse be found in us if we be guilty of any sin if we live in any lust not mortified if there be any prophanenesse in our lives in our families in our courses and callings though we catch hold of the horns of the Altar though we partake of these holy mysteries yet we shall be so far from having any mercy as that we shall hasten our own ruine we set a seal on our own judgement and make our case worse than it was before Let us take notice of it and never dare to rush on any of Gods Ordinances You know what became of the foolish man in the Gospel that when they were invited to come to the marriage supper he thought it was nothing but to come with them that came to crowd in with them and sit down among the rest he considered not what he went about that he might be prepared accordingly the event was this he was cast out into utter darknesse Matth. 22. 13. It is dangerous rushing on any of Gods ordinances To rush upon prayer for a man to fall down upon his knees and to utter any thing before the Lord hastily with his mouth not considering that God is in heaven and he on the earth A mans word may damn his own soul and pull vengeance on his own pate his prayers may prove a curse his prayer for mercy may be turned into vengeance So the higher the service the greater the danger As the servants of Abigail said to her Consider what you do when evill was determined against them so consider what you do when you come to the Sacrament you come to a weighty thing to that that will either set you neerer to the Kindome of God or hell and condemnation But I let this passe and come to the words themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. In these words observe First the matter of the duty commanded that is to eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Secondly the manner of doing the duty not only to eat of that bread but so to eat and not only to drink of that cup but so to drink Thirdly the rule of direction how to come in a right manner to partake of it that is by examining of our selves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Fourthly and lastly the benefit following that direction and that is in this word But let a man examine himself He had said before He that eats and drinks unworthily is made guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord and he discerneth not the Lords body verse 27. But saith he as if he should say if a man would prevent this if a man would take order that he be not guilty of the body and bloud of Christ that he do not come undiscerningly to these heavenly mysteries but with comfort and title to the promises with hope and confidence and speeding there of the benefits of Christ exhibited then let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Now I will passe over some of these points namely that we are to eat that bread and drink that cup. There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords supper I need not stand on this you know it sufficiently proved by the Sacrament of the Law which was the fore-runner of this Sacrament that soul that did not partake of that was to dye the death he was to be cut off from Gods people Num. 9. 13. If the Lord was so carefull of those Sacraments that were inferior to these and yet they were of the same substance as these that the man that neglected to come to them to partake of them was to be cut off to be excommunicated from the people of God and to be rent off from the congregation of the Saints then how much more for these heavenly and weighty and glorious Ordinances of the Gospel which are farr more glorious than them of the Law But I will not stand upon that I might here take notice too of the frequency of the duty for so it hath dependence on those words formerly As oft as you eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death and so that is as oft as ye eat do it in this manner This is the command of God that we oft receive the Lords Supper In the Primitive times St. Basil observes that they eat it three or four times in a week on Wednesdays Frydays and on the Lords day but that was a time of persecution I will not stand upon that I think it not neeedfull But it should be often we should not thurst it only upon Easter and Whitsuntide and Christ-tide three or four times in the year Again I might observe here from this mystery received in that he calls it Bread I might observe against the Papists Transubstantiation that the bread received is not transubstantiated but is bread still and against that of receiving in one kind So let him eat of that bread and drink of that
cup he doth not say let him eat of that bread only but he directs the commands in both kinds But I let this passe and come to the second rhing that is the manner how we should do this duty So let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. It is not first let him examine himself and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup But let him examine himselfe and then SO let him eat implying that examining a mans selfe helps or ought to help a man to a right manner and when he hath gotten a right manner then to eat that bread and drink that cup that he may do not only for matter that which the Lord commands but for manner as the Lord commands Beloved the Lord stands on circumstances as well as on duties we are all racers we run we must so run that we may obtain 2. Cor. 9. 29 So pray that we may speed so hear that we may be converted so reprove that we may be edified so behave our selves in our places and callings that we may glorifie God It is not enough for a man to runne but he must so run if he mean to obtain Every man will be speaking and doing good things but so speak and so do Jam. 2. 12. The Lord calls upon us to have a care of the manner of duties as well as of the matter of duties It is not enough that a man come to eat of that bread and drink of that cup but so to eat and so to drink of it he must partake of the Lords Table and so as the Lord enjoyns Now the Reasons of this are First because the same Lord that commands the matter commands the manner too The Lord will have his service well done as well as done he will have the work well performed as well as performed It is not only the thing that the Lord stands upon but the right manner and kind of doing it When David perswaded his son Solomon to worship the God of his Fathers he bids him not only do the thing but to do it in a right manner And thou my son Solomon know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him Is that all No but with a perfect heart and a willing mind 2. Chron. 28. 9. He commands him to do it not only for the matter of it but in the right manner of it A man may serve God but if it be not with a perfect heart and a willing mind and with a chearfull spirit if he be not ready to every command if he doe not open his ears to every rebuke a man doth not serve God at all The manner either makes all or marres all Secondly another Reason is because circumstances overthrow actions if they be not rightly and duly observed As for example in Scripture prayer is an action commanded of God the Lord commands us to pray that we call upon his name duly every day in all our needs and necessities upon all occasions continually But now if we pray not aright not in that manner that the Lord hath prescribed if we pray either with a guilty defiled conscience with cold affection with a dead spirit or without departing from iniquity or without a pure heart if a man pray without the right manner of prayer he marrs all his prayer it is a howling and not a prayer They did not cry to me saith God when they howled on their beds that is when they prayed because they did not pray in a right manner the Lord calls it howling and not a prayer We roar as Bears in Isaiah 59. 12. the Prophet nicknames it speaking in the person of the people he calls it the roaring of Bears The Lord had as lieve hear the barking of a Dog or the grunting of a Swine as a man that doth not pray aright with a bleeding heart with contrition of soul and spirit with a spirit of grace and supplication When a man prays and prays not aright his prayer leaves that name it is no more a prayer in Gods account And so preaching it is an admirable action but if a man do not preach aright if it be flattering with the entising words of mans wisdome or beating the ayr and to shew his own learning this overthrows the action of preaching he preacheth not Christ but himself not the Gospel though the Gospel be in his Sermon all over yet himself he preacheth the action is marred the circumstances marre it So in the Lords Supper if a man come not prepared that he have not the Wedding Garment that he be not aright qualified according to the requisites of the Gospel this is not to eat the Lords Supper Saith the Apostle When ye come together this is not to eat the Lords Supper you think you eat the Lords Supper you take the bread and the cup and can say Blessed be God and I pray God to blesse me you may come and do these actions but the action is altered the action is diversified when it is not done in a right manner So if a man come to reprove his brother if he himself be faulty do you think this is sufficient reproof No it is hypocrisie Thou hypocrite Matth. 7 5. his reproof of his brother is hypocrisie So for men to tell one another of their faults and to tell them with a Spirit of bitternesse this is not Christian dehortation but biting one another Gal. 5. 15. And so for eating and drinking beloved eating is lawfull and drinking is lawfull and marrying and giving in marriage all these are lawfull yet if a man eat not aright and drink not aright and marry not in the Lord eat and drink without title to the Lords creatures that he have not interest in the Covenant of God if Christ be not in it how shall he have comfort Nay that very nature of his eating is altered his eating and drinking and marrying is a sinne As our Lord Christ shews of the old world They did eat and drink and were marrying and giving in marriage till Noah entred into the Ark and the flood came and swept them away Mat. 24. 37 he reckons their eating and drinking among their sins among the reasons and causes why the flood came upon them they did eat and drink and marry and give in marriage You will say was that the reason the flood came And was that an argument of their security Did not Noah eat and drink and marry And were not his sonnes married that were in the Ark and he a grand-father But he did it aright therefore his eating and drinking is not brought as a sign of security but of the old world that were carnal and wretched people it was because they did not eat and drink aright There be Rules in eating and drinking in talking and discoursing in doing the duties of our callings There be Rules how you ought to buy and sell and to do every
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
It is not amisse to consider and see how God proportions punishments to sins In Kind Quantity Quality Time Place and other Circumstances In Kind He shall eat the fruit of his own wayes that is he shall be punished in kind It is a similitude from a tree every tree brings forth according to its own kind if it be an Apple-tree it brings forth Apples if a Crab-tree Crabs a Pear-tree Pears So every sinner shall be punished in their kind a Minister shall be punished in his kind wicked Masters in their kind Servants in theirs Rich in theirs poor in theirs If a man be a drunkard he shall be punished in one kind if he be an adulterer in another Every man shall eat the fruit of his own wayes Every sin brings an homogeneal punishment according to the nature of it I cannot stand to follow this though it he very clear in Scripture Secondly it is in Quantity God proportions the punishment according to the sin he that sowes sparingly shall reap sparingly but he that sowes bountifully shall reap bountifully Little sins little punishments and great sins great punishments There are little sins moat sins gnat sins and there are Camel sins so there are little and great punishments some meet with many some with fewer stripes Just according to a mans sins so the Lord shapes out the punishment for great sinners great plagues and for every one according to his own measure God hath a pair of ballances that he means to weigh men in As he weighed Belshazzar so he will weigh thee and look how much sin thou puttest in one scale so much punishment God will put in the other He will not abate thee one oath not one idle thought not one breach of the Sabbath not one neglect of hearing the Word or of other duties the Lord will put wrath in one ballance as thou puttest sin in the other he will make the scales even to a haire as he dealt with Belshazzar He will lay righteousnesse to the line and judgement to the plummet and weigh thee out in the scales and thou shalt have just according to thy sins As the Lord deals with his own people he will not abate so much as a cup of cold water but it shall be rewarded he will reward all from the greatest to the least so he will deal with the wicked there shall no sinne passe unpunished Again there is a proportion in the Quality If Adam sin in eating he shall be punished in eating if the women of Judah sin in apparel they shall be punished in apparel Isa 3. 24. In Wis 11. 16. A man shall be punished in that that he sins in If Absalom sin in his hair he shall be punished in it Nebuchadnezzar might find his sin in his brutish condition and the Prodigall might find his sinne in the Hog trough so if thou find thy self in want consider if thou hast not wasted thy means if thou hast not been vain in building and prodigal in spending or gaming or unnecessary bounty and im moderate liberality beyond thy means Art thou punished in thy Trade or Children c. see if thou hast not sinned in them for where there is sin God will proportion the punishment to the sin Fourthly God proportions the punishment to the sin in regard of the time The same hour that Belshazzar was drinking and quaffing in the Temple the same hour the hand of God was upon him if it be not upon thee the same hour it may be to morrow at the same hour It may be thou hast sinned this day at such an hour it may be God may strike thee to morrow at the same time or this day seven-night it may be the next year Nebuchadnezzar was warned of his pride this year and the same time twelvemoneth the Lord drove him from among men So in Acts 13. 42. one Sabbath day the Jews heard Paul preach and went out before the Sermon was quite done they were not able to stand to the blessing the same day seven-night the Lord made the Apostles shake off the dust of their feet against them and leave them to a reprobate sense Fifthly the Lord proportions his punishments to the place It is strange many times that the drunkard should get his death in the same Alehouse where he got his liquor In Judg. 7. in that story of Oreb and Zeeb Oreb at the rock Oreb devised against the children of Israel and upon the same rock he was killed And Zeeb another persecuter of the Children of God so the Psalmist calls them he at the Wine presse of Zeeb took victuals from the children of Israel and in the same place his own life was taken away Just as Judges and Magistrates at this day they hang up men where they have done the villany As they do with Dogs and Cats they carry them to the place to the Cellar or the Buttery where they do the mischief But the beasts themselves though they have no reason are able to pick out the meaning of it The Lord punisheth sinners in the same place Here where thou hast been deaf to hear the word of God when thy heart riseth against the Preacher in the same place it may be the Lord wil deliver thee up to a reprobate sense In the same place at the Lords Table where thou comest unworthily thou shalt eat and drink thine own damnation THE NECESSITY OF SELF-DENIAL In a SERMON By that laborious and faithful Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford Practicall DIVINITIE OR GOSPEL-LIGHT Shining forth In severall choyce SERMONS on divers Texts of Scripture Viz. 1. The Misery of earthly thoughts on Isa 55. 7. Viz. 2. A Sermon of Self-denial on Luke 9. 23. Viz. 3. The efficacie of importunate Prayer in two Sermons on Luke 11. 9. Viz. 4. The necessity of Gospel-obedience in two Sermons on Colos 1. 10. Viz. 5. A Caveat against late Repentance on Luke 23. 24. Viz. 6. The Soveraign vertue of the Gospel on Psal 147. 3. Viz. 7. A Funeral Sermon on Isa 57. 1. Preached by that laborious and faithful Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE MISERY OF Earthly Thoughts ISA. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord c. I Have heretofore begun the Doctrine of the Thoughts of men Now I desire to finish it Whence we had this Point that Those whose minds run habitually on earthly things are yet in the state of misery First Because a man is in the state of misery till he hath repented Now untill a man have forsaken his old thoughts that man hath not repented Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart Jer. 4. 14. A man must not only â—id himselfe
a man to be drunken this is abundance of sins for it is an abuse of Gods creatures a spending of his substance a weakning of his parts a scandall to others c. Sin in deed is a sin with an addition sin in deed is an impudent sinâ— see Isaiah 65. 2 3. c. that man is impudent with a witnesse that will commit sinne in deed for he is neither ashamed of Gods nor mans presence if any man be a desperate sinner this is he But it may be objected how then can thoughts be said to be such sins even sins of the highest part of a man I answer a Thiefe or Rogue hath burnt a mans dwelling house yet he may proceed further and burn his stable too a 1000 pound and a shilling are more then a 1000 pound Sins in thought are included within sins in deed The souls part of sinne is the greatest part of sinne Now thoughts are the souls part of sin yet sins in deed must needs be worse in regard of the progresse of sinne and also because thoughts are included in them thoughts and deeds are more then thoughts alone I exhort and desire you therefore to consider First what great reason you have to set your thoughts on God God himselfe merited this dutie at your hands God hath taken a number of thoughts for us Innumerable are thy thoughts O God to us ward Ps 40. 5. the Lord thinks on us from the Cradle to the Crosse If the Lord should have intermitted his thought of thee thou couldst not subsist when thou wast up the Lord thought how to feed thee when thou wast in bed he thought how to preserve thee he doth not use to think of thee at one time and not at another but he thinks on thee when thou art sick and when thou art in health asleep or awake the Devill else would seize on thee I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinks on me saith the Psalmist Psal 40. 17. And Nehemiah saith O Lord think on me shall we call to God to think on us then surely it is our duty to think on him yea and he may call to us for that duty Secondly consider with your selves what thoughts they are which God calls for my son saith he give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. He would faine have thy heart he lets thee labour with thy hands for thy living and he lets thee have thy feet to walk and the rest of thy members for thy severall uses but the Lord requires thy heart and therefore give him the thoughts of thy heart for if thy neighbour come to thee for fire thou canst not give him fire if thou take away the heat thereof so give the Lord thy heart and the thoughts of it will follow The Devill calls for thy heart also ergo reason as Joseph did when he was tempted how can I doe this and sinne against my God my Master hath delivered into my hands all that he hath thee only excepted and shall I take thee how can I doe this So the Lord hath with-holden nothing from thee but thy heart my sonne saith he give me thy heart yet wilt thou deny it him with the thoughts thereof Tell me you that are rich would it be any disparagement unto you to be Gods servants to set your thoughts on God True it is the greater ill men of this world thinke it some disparagement to think on these things But I tell thee thou that art a Gentleman if thou have grace it makes thee more than a Gentleman grace takes not away mens honor and riches but if he be a Knight it makes him more than a Knight And as Paul said to Philemon receive him now a servant and more than a servant he was a servant when he was carnall but now being a Christian he is more than a servant if you have grace it is an addition to your riches riches and more than riches ergo give your hearts to God and it will be the better for you Thirdly the Lord hath made thy thoughts thy Jewels thy thoughts are precious the Lord keepeth them under lock and key he will not let any see them if all men should observe a man and look into him yet they cannot see his thoughts no God hath lockt them up and made them thy Jewels wilt thou then cast them into the myre wilt thou preferre Haukes and Hounds in thy thoughts before God canst thou sit at dinner and not once think of God but alwayes on base pelfe why thy thoughts are thy Jewels Again A man that is wise will be wary what companions he keeps your thoughts are your only companions you never go out nor in but your thoughts go along with you and for this cause Solomon would have us place the word of God in our thoughts Prov. 6. 22. See Psal 139. 15. 16. when I am awake I am present with thee Men will be carefull what meat they eat because such meat as they eate such is their blood and as their blood is so is their body now as the body feeds on meat so doth the soul on thoughts if we look not to our thoughts they will be subject to abundance of corruptions a man must give an account of every idle word he speaks and thoughts are the intrinsecal words of the heart now if men must give an account of every idle word then of every idle thought also Let this then teach all and every one of us in the fear of God to consider our thoughts else our end will be destruction A SERMON OF SELF-DENIAL LUKE 9. 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me THis Text contains the first action performed of every Christian viz. to deny himself concerning which you may here see First the grounds of it Secondly the reasons of it Thirdly the occasion of it Fourthly the parts of it Fifthly and lastly the necessity of it I intend to handle these words as they are in relation to the context First the grounds of this truth viz. that every man must deny himself And it is here expressed to be twofold viz. the contrariety that is between Christ and a mans self me and himself these two terms are contradictory one to the other if any man will come after me let him deny himself these two cannot stand together Secondly the contrariety that is between self and self if a man be in Christ he hath two selves he hath a self in himself and a self out of himself the self in himself is old Adam the other in Christ which is the new man there is the self-denying and self-denyed if a man will find himself he must lose himself Paul must not be found in Paul having his own righteousnesse but he must find himself in Christ for salvation belongeth unto the Lord Psal 3. 8. And ergo let him deny himself Secondly you may see
maist say The Lord knowes what a deale adoe he hath had with me this heart was as hard as the neaher mil-stone but the Lord in some measure hath mollified it this heart was as proud as the devill but blessed be Gods name he would let me see it at the last goe home and say Who am I and what is my fathers house that the Lord hath brought me hither Oh that God should thus stoope to man the Lord hath stood and knockt thus many yeares and he might have given over but blessed be his name I have received mercie I lived under the means but that prevailed not with me the Lord sent such and such sicknesse but that wrought not on me at the last I went to hear a Minister and methought that Minister spake nothing but what he spake to me and then the Lord set conscience on worke and that affrighted mee Looke to it the Lord will either breake thy necke or thy heart doe not thinke to goe to heaven by good meanings no it will cost thee somewhat more before thou come there Another time the Lord set on me and then I set on good duties I would have Christ to justifie and sanctifie me and blessed be his name he was not wanting unto me in any meanes the Lord make me thankfull c. I tell thee thou wilt be in deede and God shall have all let the voluptuous man have his pleasures c. what is that to thee so thou have Christ For the just reproofe of all such as are yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bonds of iniquity there will come a time when God will strive with thee no more the old man thinks he hath time enough to repent in and the young man thinks he needs not so much as enter into a Parley with godlinesse Esau went away when he had eat and drunk he esteemed not his birth-right I have heard some goe away with this resolution when they are married then they will live thus and thus c. Suffer me first to go bury my Father c. Master Minister you speak well I like your counsell but I have a rich Uncle and he hath no childe and I am likely to be his heire but he cannot abide a Puritan of all the men in the world and if I do not humour him I shall never have a Foot of his Land let me bury him first when Father and Friends are dead then the children must provide for themselves and then they will seek after God and repent and by this time they grow old and though they cannot make so good a shew as others yet their hearts are as good as the best But stay a while all is not gold that glisters alas poor souls they were given over many years ago this is also the sin of young men and women for the most part and this is the great sin of England the sin of many Gentlemen and Gentlewomen God must pardon when they call and that must not be till they be old and then in all post-haste send they to and for master Priest and he must bring God to them or them to God but the God of Heaven and earth cannot endure this mockerie For terrour to all wicked and ungodly men woe woe woe that ever they were borne that are thus given over and of these there are two sorts Some are insensible and some sensible The insensible are they who die like stones as did Nabal We have many King Harry Protestants Others are sensible God hath opened the eye of their soules and hath let them read the red letters of the Gospell It is a heavie thing for old friends to part so Acts 20. 38. They grieved most in that he said you shall see my face no more so when soule and body part it is heavie but when the soul and God part it is lamentable when God takes his leave never to be seen more then whether thou look upward or downward there is nothing but amazement and astonishment If thou look upward there is the anger of God if downward there is the bottomlesse pit if on the right hand thou shalt see all his mercies which could not allure thee if on the left hand all his Judgements which could not terrifie thee if before thee the black day if behind thee the Devils this will be fearfull I remember a Story of an adulterate woman her Conscience pricking her she determined to repent but God in the mean time did visit her so sore that she lay crying out oh my time my time Another time a covetous woman her House being on fire she to save her goods left her child in the Cradle but a neighbour of hers hearing it crie tooke it away she afterwards remembring her child ran about crying Oh my childe my childe and would not be comforted So when the fire and indignation of the Lord breaks out if not now yet at the last day it will then the parties against whom it breakes will crie Oh my soul my soul what will become of thee my soul It had been better I had never been born for neither Mercies Judgements nor the Word could allure me oh woe is me Now the condition of such is miseracle in three respects First because if God forsake thee all forsakes thee when thou liest a dying thou sendest for the Minister and thou wouldest faine have a word of comfort from him but alas if thou dost not receive comfort from Heaven how can the Minister comfort thee If thy outward Estate faile Friends may help but if they faile there is a God in Heaven and he will help but if he go away then all help is gone Secondly when God goes restraining grace goes this was Sauls case and you may observe that such as have been enlightened and fall away fall into one of these three sinnes either into the hands of the world and that is their Master or else into the sinnes of uncleannesse or into the spirit of malice to persecute them that are holy Thirdly if God leave us then common protection leaves us we are left to the clutches of all things both in Heaven and earth your houses are left unto you desolate Matth. 23. 38. All the creatures are up in armes against us the stiles we goe over look up to Heaven and say Master shall we break his neck the Horse we ride on says Master shall I throw him down to destruction thou knowest that he hates thee and thine So the aire we breath in and all Creatures are readie when the Lord gives the watchword to lay us in the goal Conscience will witness against us oh what will become of such men I will tell you either the world heales them up or else some carnall companion saith you have been a good neighbour you have kept a good house amongst us c. tush tush man it may prove a lye for all this I but the Minister tells me so pish pish as
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
shall lye with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lion and the fat beast together and a little child shall-lead them and the Cow and the Beare shall feed their young ones shall lye together and the Lyon shall eat straw like the Bullock and the sucking child shall play upon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole This is the mighty work of God therefore goe unto Gov and say O God thou that canst thus change the naturall disposition of beasts change my beastly disposition thou that couldest call a Lazarus out of the grave where he lay rotting Oh deliver me from a dead heart that have laine a long time rotting in sin thou that didest make the lame to goe make me to run the way of thy commandements which thou hast set before me thou that didst open the eyes of the blind open my eye that I may see to runne the race that thou hast set before me thou that didst cure the deaf bore my eares that I may heare and learn to feare thee Thus goe to God and pray unto God waite upon God and expect deliverances from him for there is none in Heaven or in earth that can give a deliverane but he alone intreat the Lord according to your need to work on your soules this grace of reforming under the rod goe to God and say father if thou wilt thou canst alter me and change me oh turne me and I shall be turned convert thou me and I shall be converted say Lord thou canst take away all transgression all sin and iniquity doe it for thy mercy sake say Lord thou canst pull out my right eye sin cut of my right hand sin there is no power but the power of an omnipotent God can doe it that can thus pull me out of sin and make me reformed doe it fot thy Goodnesse sake Lastly Are you all willing to enter into a covenant with God seeing we are all under the rod I doe not speak of any particular covenant but of a generall covenant will you now promise the Lord that you will reforme and sin noe more this is that that the Lord expects of us now we are under the rod this it is that the Lord doth both command and commend unto us this let us all bind our selves to performe that so we may with some boldnesse put up our prayers to God as well for others as our selves FINIS â— Doct. 1. Reas 1. Luke 5. 17. Use â— Let. 1. Let 2. â— 3 4 Use 2. Meanes 1. Meanes 2. Means 3. Means 4. Use 3. Object Answer Motive 2. Reason 1. â— Means 1. Manner 1. Manner 2. Manner 3. Manner 4. Manner 5. Object Answer Doctrine Object Answer Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Object Answer Use 1. â— Use 3. Doctrine 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Object Answer Object Answer The sum of the Text. Observation 1. We must not rush upon the Sacrament Reason 1. Naturally we are not invited guests Simile Reason 2. We are indisposed Reason 3. Solemn preparations required to the Sacrament Use To take heed of rush performance of duties 2 Sam. 15. 17. Parts of the Text. Necessity of receiving the Lords Supper The Lords Supper to be received often Observ The manner of performance of duties to be regarded Reason 1. The Lord commands the manner as well as the matter Reason 2. Circumstances overthrow actions as in Prayer 2 Preaching 3 Receiving the Sacrament 4 Brotherly reproof 5 Eating and drinking Objection Answer Simile Reason 3. The right manner of doing duties gets the blessing Reason 4. Christs example Reason 5. From Gods glory Use 1. To reprove those that barely do duties without looking to the manner Use 2. The reason why men regard the matter and not the manner of duties Reason 1. The matter of 〈…〉 Reason 2. The matter of duties may be done with a proud heart Reason 3. The matter of duties may be done and yet a man be unholy Reason 4. The matter of duties brings not the crosse Use 3. To labour to do duties aright Motives to perform duties in the right manner 1. Motive 2. Motive 3. Motive Simile Observation 1. Eevery man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table Reason It is Gods ordinance Simile Reason 2. Christ hath made preparation for us in the Lords Sup Reason 3. Christ looks for good entertainment Observation 1. A guilty hardened reprover shall be destroyed Reason 1. It is against his office Reason 2. He cannot reprove to aright end Reason 3. Not in a right manner Reason 4. It is hypocrisy Reason 5. It mâ—kes inexcusable Reason 6. It is absurd Reason 7. It is impudency Use 1. Use 2. To be unblamable ere we reprove Simile The second exposition The Lord doth not destroy men willingly God destroys not but for sin Simile Observation 1. A great mercy to be reproved Reason 1. Reproofs come from love Prov. 10. 17. Reason 2. They tend to good Reason 3. It is brutish to reprove them Simile Use 1. The misery to want reprovers Or Angel Use 2. Against despisers of reproof The grievousnesse of standing out against reproof Doct. God proportions punishments to sins Reas 1. To shew the equity of punishment Doctrine Objection Answer Use Object Sol. Object Answer Object Answer Obj. Answer 〈…〉 Use Doctrine 1. Object Ans Use 1. 2 Gen. Object Answ Vox conscientiâ— est vox Dei Object Ans Object Answ Doctr. Quest. Answ Use 3. Reason 3. Universalia non operantur Doctrine 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Doctrine Matth. 19. Use Doctrine Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Doctrine Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Doctrine 3. Use Ob. Answ Doctrine 1. Reason 1. Use 1. 2 Doctrine Object Answ Use 3. Doctrine Object Answer Use 1. Use 3. Use 4. Doct. 1. Object 1. Sol. Object 2. Sol. Object 3. Sol. Use 2 Use 3. The Authors Exhortation Parts Doctrine Reason 1. Reason 2. Reasan Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Object Sol. Use 4. Doctrine 1. Use Doctrine