gospel of Christ is called into question by the men of this world even for your sakes that walk not worthy of God nay by reason of this God cannot hire servants to do his work Beloved God hath sent us out to hire servants now many would come in willingly but because they see think that those that professe the name of Christ be dissemblers Puritans and hypocrites and therefore they say as sometimes the Indians did of the Spaniards If these men be the servants of Christ I will never be his servant So if these men be the servants of God Lord blesse me from them What a damned thing is this Sixthly If we walk not worthy of God we put great indignity upon him A worthy man cannot abide to meddle with unworthy things and shall a Christian serve God after an unworthy fashion Note No master either in heaven earth or hell will have a servant unworthy of him and this is the reason why men sweare and lie and live like devils incarnate because the Devil will have them worthy of hell So the world lets men cozen and dissemble for no other cause but because the world will have them worthy of the world So that all masters whether the world the flesh or the devil look that their servants should be worthy of them and do you then think that the Lord will not have his servants walk worthy of him Be not deceived God is not mocked Gal. 6. 7. Dost thou come into his house heare his Word and wilt thou not obey it Comest thou to a Sacrament and hast thou drinking carding and dicing at home Thou goest under the name of a good Christian yet thou livest in thy sins having a secret lust either to sweare or lie or to commit adulterie Take heed I say God will not be mocked For men to go in the name of Gods children and yet not to serve obey him this is to make a mockery of God but God will not be mocked Oh saith one my Father will never like it if I be so strict and precise and as for my Mother she cannot abide a Puritan Another saith I cannot keep my children unlesse I put my money to use c. But what saith Christ He that loveth father or mother c. more then me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. 37. Dost thou argue on this fashion and yet hopest to be a Christian Dost thou plead self-respect and dost thou hope to go for a Christian what a mockerie is this nature abhorrs it I remember a storie of a Boy who being at Lyons and saw two men one tall and he had a short cloak the other short and he had a long cloak and thought it very unseemly so he took the long cloak and put it on the tall mans back and the cloak on the short mans back and then it liked him So is it seemly that any of us should weare the long robes of Christianitie and yet be short in Obedience that we should go for the people of God and not behave our selves sutably In this place there is no room for Papists to establish merit for themselves the Apostle intends no such matter in this place for we are not our own men and therefore cannot merit We are taught to pray Give us this day our daily bread we have not one bit of bread but we must beg it and when we have done all we can as who doth yet we are but unprofitable servants But suppose we could merit all righteousnesse yet all our ability is from God Again suppose we be righteous what is that to him if we be holy what is that to him If we be damned he is never the worse if we be saved he is not the better if we keep all his commandements yet it is his mercy to save us He shews mercy to thousands to whom not to them that sin but to them that love me and keep my commandements Exod. 20. 6. To one that keeps Gods commandements it is his love to save him it is his love that he hath mercy on him The Church of Rome do talk much of their well-doing but in the mean while what becomes of their sins they should go and suffer for their sins and then come and talk of merit Do they talk of merit before they have satisfied for their sinnes the Law will be satisfied first and when they have endured hell-fire world without end then let them talk of merit The Lord doth not mean that we must walk worthy so as to merit any thing for suppose that al1 the sufferings of this life and all the torments of the world that all the Saints of God have suffered were put on one man and he to endure them all yet they are not worthy the glory that shal be revealed Rom. 8. 18 Here then is no room for Papists merits Yet we must walk worthy of God with sutablenesse and if we do not so the Lord will not owne us You know the story of the guests in the Gospel and how they were invited to the supper one pretended one thing another another thing one had married a wife he could not come yet sure I am he might have brought her with him another had bought oxen c. But what followes in the text Mat. 22. Those that were bidden were not worthy therefore they shall not taste of my supper So some say for their sinnes it is their nature or one occasion or other puts them off they could not come None that are unworthy of God shall taste of the mercy of God neither in the pardon of their sins nor salvation no you get not so much as a taste of Christ if you walk not worthy of the gospel of Christ The truth of this will appeare in the Use if we consider what this worthy walking is Vse First We must be as it were even the very nature of God we should as Peter speaks shew forth the vertue of him that hath called us that we may shew what a glorious God what a blessed Redeemer and righteous Judge we have and admire his goodnesse that hath called us out of darknesse into this glorious light and we must be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1. 15. How doth this sute with the nature of God when we walk not worthy of God God is just 2 Cor. 1. 3. how unworthy then are we that are cruel unmerciful and unjust God is a God of peace 1 Cor. 14. 22. how unworthy then are we of him that live in heart-burning one with another We are the image of God if we please him 1 Cor. 11. 7. What a shame dishonour and wrong then is it to God that we should have his image and yet be nothing like him Should a glorious King see a deformed picture of himself surely he would make that man smoke that pictured him so And shall we go for the image of God the God of all glory and shall we be vile and unclean negligent
the reason the Apostle cryed O wretched man that I am c. I speak not now to the children of God who are troubled w th bie-thoughts in their praiers For they the more bie-thoughts they have the more earnest they are in praier they mourn with David in their praier Consider ô Lord saith he how I mourn Psal 55. There was something in the Peophets praier that did vex him and that made him so much the more to mourn before God But as for you that can have bie-thoughts in praier and let them abide with you your praiers are not importunate the Heathen shall rise up against you and condemn you I remember a storie of a certain Youth who being in the temple with Alexander when he was to offer incense to his god and the Youth holding the golden Censer with the fire in it a coal fell on the Youths hand and burnt his wrist but the Youth considering what a sacred thing he was about for all he felt his wrist to be burnt yet he would not stir but continued still to the end This I speak to shame those that can let any thing though never so small to disturb them yea if it were possible lesser things then nothing for if nothing come to draw their hearts away they themselves will employ their hearts Baâ—ls Priests shall condemn these who did cut themselves with knives and all to make them pray so much the more stronglie What a shame is it then that we should come on life and death to pray for our souls and yet come with such loose and lazie praiers Think you that a malefactor when he is crying at the Bar for his life will be thinking on his Pots and Whores c Was it ever heard of that a man at deaths-doore should be thinking on his Dogs can he then think on them Do you think that Jonah prayed on this fashion when he was in the Whales belly or the Thief on the crosse or Daniel in the Lions den or the three Children in the fierie furnace or Paul in prison Do ye think that these prayed thus What shall I be at prayer and my minde in the fields No no if I will pray I must melt before God and bewail my sins and be heartilie affected in prayer But as long as I pray thus I pray not at all And as God said to Adam where art thou so may he say to thee Man where art thou art thou at prayer and thy mind at mill is thy mind on thy Oxen and art thou at prayer before me what an indignity is this Should a man come to sue to the King and not minde his suit will not the King say Do you mock me know you to whom you speak The Lord takes this as a hainous sin when men come into his presence with such loose hearts Now seeing these things are thus take a word of exhortation to labour for importunate Prayer Prayer is the art of all arts it enables a man to all other duties it is the art of Repentance c. Samuel confessed if he had not had the art of Prayer he could not have had the art of Preaching 2 Sam. 12. 23. See the antithesis between these two words God forbid as if he should say God forbid that I should cease to pray for you for then I should not teach you the right way A Minister can never preach to his people that prayes not for his people It is the art of Thanksgiving a man cannot be thankfull if he cannot pray Psal 116. 12. It was the meanes whereby the Prophet David would be thankfull to God he would take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. A man hath not a good servant unlesse he can pray for his master see the storie of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. Prayer helps to perform all other good duties How dost thou thinke to have benefit by the Word unlesse thou be fervent in prayer with God to get a blessing upon it We can do nothing but by begging Secondly as Prayer is the art of all arts so it is the Compendium of all divinitie Therefore to call zealouslie on the name of the Lord is to be a Christian Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord c. It includes repentance humiliation sorrow for sin joy in Gods goodnes thanksgiving for mercies obedience to his commandements yea the whole dutie of man therefore we must labour to be importunate in prayer A Reasonable soul is eminently all souls so Prayer is eminently all good duties Psal 72. The prayer of David the son of Jesse that is all his repentance in all passages he did humble himself before God all Davids duties are included by the name of the prayer of David the son of Jesse And therefore thou hadst need to make much of Prayer for thou canst never repent unlesse thou pray well Thirdly Prayer is a mans utmost reference a man cannot have Christ but only by Prayer 'T is bad enough for a man to be a Drunkard or to live in any other sin but yet after all this if a man have the spirit of prayer there is hope of this man if after all his sinnes committed he can pray to God there is hope But for a man to sinne and not to be importunate in prayer is dangerous What saith the Psalmist They are corrupt and become abominable they have not called on the name of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. Oh fearfull condition Fourthly Prayer is that which Gods people have though they have nothing else it is the beggers dish as I may so call it A begger hath no way to live but by beging thererefore he had need beg hard so we have nothing to live on but praying I mean nothing that is to be done on our side all the promises of God are to be gotten by prayer Suppose a man have nothing to live on but his fingers ends no house nor land nothing left to maintain his wife and children but his fingers ends will he not be toyling all the day he is a day-labourer as we use to say So to pray earnestly is a Christians fingers ends When a house stands but upon one pillar will not a man be fearfull and carefull of that pillar why Prayer is a mans pillar is this be gone down falls all the hope of salvation Fifthly Prayer is that which hath the command of Mercie we are such unprofitable servants that Mercie will not meddle with us unlesse it be commanded Patience is loth to beare we have so provoked God that Mercie is loth to make or meddle with us for unlesse it have command from God it will not admit of any soul When David begged for loving kindnesse he was importunate else mercie and loving kindnesse would not look on David Psal 42. 8. Sixthly Prayer is Gods delight The supplication of the wicked is abomination to God but the prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. The
would walk worthy of God Think not that this is a duty left to your choise no no saith the Apostle you know how we have exhorted charged you as if he should say I have given many exhortations to this purpose I have begged that you would do so ver II. I have encouraged and comforted them that have done so I commanded the unwilling and you know it and I tell you that this is a duty of great consequence First because he hath called you to be cristians now it is a shame for you to be unworthy of your calling whereunto you are called It is fit if a man be called unto a calling that he be worthy of it When a wicked and an unjust man is preferred to be a Judge God knowes he is a very unworthy man for that calling A licentious Divine for a pulpit is unworthy of that vocation It is a shame a man should be unworthy the calling whereunto he is called We are called to be Christians is it not a shame a man should be unworthy the vocation the Lord hath called him unto I beseech you saith the Apostle Ephes 4. 1. You are called to be Christians by Christ I beseech you consider this and be worthy of this calling Art thou a Christian and art thou not loving and kinde Are you Christians and yet are you carelesse and secure and will you not walk as Christ walked What shall a man be a Christian and carry himself dishonestly otherwise then the Gospel commands What a shame is this A second ground or reason is The Gospel of God whereby we are called this is a blessed cailing The Lord Jesus tels thee what gospel is Luke 4. 18. itis riches to the poor sight to the blind deliverance to captives a gospel of peace and libertie c. It hath many excellent names in Scripture Now this is the gospel whereby you are called from being damned wretches to be the sons of God That man is unworthy of freedome that is content to be a slave he is unworthy of these blessed things which the gospel brings that will walk in sinne still What will you be captives to hell still will you go on in your old fashion still will you live after the imaginations of your own hearts still notwithstanding you are called by the gospel Have you the gospel of a Kingdome and will you not obey it when it cals you to be Kings what an unworthy thing is this that a man should not behave himself worthy of the gospel whereby he is called Phil. 1. 27. This is a main one that your conversations be worthy of the gospel of God For men to be covetous proud drunkards c. still when we have the gospel to draw us out of these sinnes surely it is a shame and we are unworthy of this gospel Thirdly because we are called to Repentance For as we are called by the gospel so by the gospel we are called to repentance therefore we must walk worthy Is it repentance enough to heare a Sermon or do any good duty No no these are not fruits worthy the name of repentance Luk. 3. 8. I mean not worthy to be repented of but not worthy the name of repentance For a man to put finger in the eie and crie Lord is this worthy the name of repentance No no it is othergates mourning then this True it is many repent but they repent not enough they must bring forth fruits worthy repentance Fourthly because if we walk not worthy of God the wisdome of God will not hold us for his servants A master if he be wise will not keep a servant that will not do his businesse if the master have cattell to be looked unto and other businesse abroad to be done if his servant do lie and sleep all day or lie at the alehouse and neglect his masters businesse sure I am if he be but worldly-wise he will not keep such a servant In 1 Sam. 30 31. an Amalekite did turn away his servant because he was sick this was hard dealing Neverthelesse that man that will not walk worthy that will not look to the charge that God hath given him he is unworthy to be Gods servant The Lord hath abundance of businesse to be done Commandments to be perform'd Sacraments to be received abundance of imployment shal he hire servants do his work himself will any keep a dog bark himself That man is not worthy of God that will not do his busines therfore the wisdom of God will turn us out of doors because we leave his work and fall to wrangling within our selves What division is there amongst us what heart-burning between neighbours and neighbours what growing cold in religion c And God hath haste of busines to be dispatched why are not his Commandements regarded his Promises desired his Judgements feared Certainly the Lord expects that we should goe about these things and wee are unworthy if wee doe them not Fifthly if we will not walk worthy of God then 't is for his glory to cashiere us out of his sanctuarie It is not for a masters credit to keep a servant that will discredit him as to keep a whoremaster or a sharking companion what will honest men think Is not he naught himself that keeps such shag-rags about him All the dishonour lies on the master So it is not for the honour of God to suffer such to be within the company of professors of his Name that dishonour his Name and cause the gospel of God to be blasphemed by them that are without So soon as Elishai his servant had abused him he sent him packing He went forth from his presence c. 2 King 5. 27. He should stay no longer with him why because he had dishonoured him and what might Naaman think Will he now have something and even now he would have nothing he hath soon repented him of his kindnes Though Naaman did not argue thus yet thus he might and for ought we know such thoughts he had but howsoever Gehâ—zi greatly dishonoured his master and therefore his master sent him out of his presence Even so if we walk not worthy of God he will turn us put of doors Note You that be the servants of God and be taken with a Lie undermining one another or that live uncharitably one with another this is a dishonour to God this is not to walk worthy of God no It is to disgrace the Gospel and to cast aspersions on it Therefore as it concerns the glory of God so we ought to walk worthy of God What may the world think if Professors walk loosely and be taken tripping what will the world say God keep me from being a Puritan I had rather be a Papist and thus the name of Christ comes to be blasphemed for your sakes These say Come come I warrant you for all this yet he will lie for a need though he say Yes verily And thus Religion and the
cannot for shame break out into unsavory speeches and at another time and in another place endure any ungodlinesse this is not to please God but rather the contrary No no it is not limited to time not place we must please God not onely in prayer time but also when prayer is ended not in Sermon time only but when the Sermon is ended also Labour therefore to please God at all times not on Sundayes only but on the week dayes also many will read on the Sabbath but never else but this is a duty to be performed at all times 't is not as hearing that cannot be performed alwayes no it is a generall duty Aristotles Universals and Psal 116. 5. I will walk before the Lord c. Placebo Dominum will please the Lord in the land of the living This contains the summe of all Religion Obj. The largenesse of it appears in this that it is in all things 't is larger then the servants duty to please their masters yet servants must labour to please their masters in all things 2 Tit. 9. 9. But if servants must please their masters in all things then how can the duty of pleasing God be larger Sol. True it is servants must please their masters in all things i.e. in all that are commanded of God otherwise they may not for when the thing is forbidden by God 't is nothing but the privation of the thing Sinnes are privations an Idol is nothing all sinnes are as idols they are nothing 't is not an action bur the privation of the image of God that should be there and of agreeablenesse to the Word in all things that are not contrary to the Word the duty of pleasing man must be bounded within another but we must please God without limitation Fifthly it is large in that it is an everlasting duty it shall be a duty when other duties cease Prayer belief repentance weeping and mourning c. must cease when Gods children come to heaven they must pray no more fast no more no these duties must cease but this is must be a duty when they are dead and gone it is an everlasting duty it is that which we must carry to our graves yea into another world with us It is the fruit of all other duties we are tryed by prayer and hearing c. as by apprentiship that so we may learn this art of well-pleasing God if we have not learned this art we are not capable of entring into life so that in some sense it is above the commandements we will keep the commandements that we may please God this is the crown of all our obedience not as if it could be more but the pleasing of God in these is the upshot of all our obedience to God Sixthly It is large in that it is the whole duty of the new man only new men in Christ can please God unregenerate men cannot please God let them give alms c. yet if they be not new treatures they cannot please God let them do actions though never so good for manner or meaning yet they are worthlesse in the hand of an unregenerate man They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. He speakes not of such as are married for Zacharie and Elizabeth were married and they pleased God but those that walk after the flesh as unregenerate unsanctified unpurified such as live in sin none of these can ever please God Thus you see it is the whole duty of the new man Fourthly as it is possible fit and large so it is a necessary duty The Apostle sets a must and an ought upon it 1. Thess 4. 2. It must be done there is a necessary laid upon it It must be done For first we have no saving grace unlesse we labour to please God it comes from God good pleasure and it goes to Gods good pleasure God is well pleased in his image and grace is the image of God Now then if a man please not God it is because he hath no grace Thou thinkest Christ did die for thee thou thinkest a lie why thou hast no saving grace Let us have grace saith the Apostle that we may serve God Heb. 12. as if he should say without grace it is impossible to please him therefore you see it is very necessary to please God 't is as necessary as grace and without it we are damned Secondly if we do not please God we may see what a wofull case we are in it God be not pleased to spare us we cannot be saved Now a man will be sure to please that man that can hang him if he please he will not pull his displeasure upon him Acts. 12. when Herod was displeased they laboured to turn away his displeasure and made friends so we depend on God and therefore our souls bodies and everlasting happinesse or destruction depends on God and if he be not pleased what benefit can we wretches expect Wouldest thou have mercy and wilt thou not please God thou shalt be deceived Because Hester pleased the King he shewed her kindnesse and God will never shew us kindnesse unlesse we please him There is no man so mad to heap good turnes upon a mans head that will not please him how can we have the good pleasure of God when we will not seek to please God Before Enoch was translated it was said he pleased God Heb. 11. 5. God would never have brought him to heaven if he had not been pleased with him So before he translates thee from earth to heaven before he delivers thee from damnation thou must be sure to please God Thirdly if we labour not to please God God knowes what infinite dangers we are ever in in the morning he may brain us or wee may die and perish in our sleep or in any action God knowes what mischeif may befall us if we please not God If a man prove a Traitour to the King God knowes what the King will do unto him the wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lion Oh then what is the displeasure of the judge both of quick and dead If God be displeased with us God knowes what will become of us we cannot eat a meales meat safely wee may be choakt for ought we know we cannot be secure one moment It may be this is the moment he meanes to disgrace thee to lay rottennesse on thy heart It may be he will lay the curse of heaven upon thee before thou goe home and be no more seen but if thou please God Eccles 9. 7. come what can come nothing can come amisse to them that pleaseth the Lord but if thy wayes please not the Lord thou livest in a damnable condition Is it so that the duty of pleasing God is so possible fit large and necessary here then three sorts of men are condemned First those that please not God Do you thinke then that this is pleasing to God that there should be so many Ale-houses
doth not use to think of thee at one time and not at another but he thinkes on thee when thou art sick and when thou art in health asleep or awake the Devill else would seize on thee I am poore and needy yet the Lord thinks on me saith the Psalmist Psal 40. 17. And Nehemiah saith O Lord think on me shall wee call to God to think on us then surely it is our duty to thinke 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 therfore 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 Ioseph did when he was tempted how can I doe this and sin 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 men of this world thinke it some disparagement to thinke on these things But I tell thee thou that art a Gentleman if thou have grace it makes thee more then a Gentleman grace takes not away mens honor and riches but if he be a Knight it makes him more then a Knight And as Paul said to Philemon receive him now a servant and more then a servant hee was a servant when hee was carnall but now being a Christian he is more then a servant if you have grace it is an addition to your riches riches and more then 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 hee 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 Jewel wilt thou then cast them into the myre wilt thou preferred Haukes and Hounds in thy thoughts before God canst thou sit at dinner and not once thinke of God but alwayes on base pelfe why thy thoughts are thy Jewels Againe A man that is wise will be wary what companions he keepe 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 Pro. 6. 22. See Psal 139. 15 16. when I am awake I am present with thee Men will be carefull what meat they eate 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 speakes and thoughts are the intrinsecall 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 feare of God to consider our thoughts else our end wil 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 Fasthly 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 himselfe And it is here expressed to be twofold viz. the contrariety that is between Christ and a mans selfe mee and himself these two termes are contradictorie 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 himselfe is old Adam the other in Christ which is the new man there is self denying and selfe-denyed if a man will find himself he must lose himself Paul must not be found in Paul having his owne 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 the reason of it which is threefold First Christs own example verse 22. the son of man must suffer must be rejected Christ himself denyes himself he might have commanded himselfe hee might have demanded credit honor or riches c. he might have done thus yet though he had no wicked self but good self yet he denyed himself and therfore if we will goe after Christ we must do to Secondly here is Christs merit he hath merited this dutie Christ did not humble himselfe for himselfe but he did it for us and therefore we may well deny our selves for him This is included in this word And. And if I have done this for you I would have you doe the like for mee Thirdly here is Christs command too let him deny himself Christ enjoynes this to all that will come after him let him deny himselfe Now fellows the occasion and that is threefold First Peters offence when Christ had told Peter and the rest of his Apostles how that he must suffer Peter was offended saying Master favourthy selfe even like a servant that out of love to himselfe would be loth his Master should be troubled because then he thinkes himselfe shall be troubled also oh saith Christ art thou offended at this I tell thee neither thou nor any other can come after mee unlesse you deny your selves If any man will come after me c. Secondly as Peter was offended so also were the rest of the Apostles They were very sorrie Mat. 17. 22. they thought to have gotten credit in the world and riches and worldly preferment and now it grieved them to heare that they must have a suffering kinde of trade of it ergo
Lord must have something to please Kings you know must be pleased so the King of heaven would be pleased by all that come unto him Now nothing is more pleasing unto him then prayer Seventhly Importunate praier is a willing prayer There be many that pray to God for mercie and yet they are loth to have it why because they are not importunate When a mans lust runs on the world and worldly pleasures c. he speeds not When the woman of Canaan was importunate Christ saith unto her Woman be it unto thee as thou wilt she had a will to grace Mat. 15. 28. Eightly Importunate prayer is the only faithfully prayer A begger never goes away from a gentlemans door so long as he believes he shall have an alms so as long as a soul is importunate with God it is a signe that it is a believing soul O woman saith Christ great is thy faith Why Because her importunitie was great therefore Christ concludes her faith was great The means to get importunitie in prayer are these First Labour to know thine own misery See Ephes 6. 18 19 20. They could not have prayed importunately unlesse they had known how it had stood with Paul so unlesse thou know thy miserie thou canst not be importunate If a Drunkard or Whoremaster or Sabbath-breaker or Swearer c. knew that they should be damned they would get out of their sins Secondly You must be sensible of your miserie Simon Magus knew his miserie yet because he was not sensible of it he sayes Pray ye to the Lord for me Act. 8. 24. If he had been sensible he would himself have fallen down before the congregation and he would have confessed how he had committed that sinne in a more apprehensive manner Thirdly Observe the prayers of Gods people as here the disciples of Christ did they hearing Christ pray say unto him Master teach us to pray they were so affected with Christs prayer that they said Oh that we could pray thus Oh that we had such a spirit Master teach us to pray So I say consider Gods people how they pray they can pray as if they would soare up to God in supplication they pray as if they would rend the heavens If men did but consider this it would quicken them Fourthly Get a stock of prayer That man must needs be rich that hath a stock in every market So if a man have a stock of prayer it is a signe he is like to speed as I Cor. 4. 2. If God did lend his ears to the Corinthians when they were crying for Paul then certainly Pauls prayers were importunate Fifthly If thou wilt be importunate labour to be full of good works Qui benè operatur bene orat as Act. 10. Cornelius his alms and prayers were come up to God now if he had committed drunkennesse that had come up to God with his prayer therefore was it happy for Cornelius that he was full of good works so thou canst not be importunate unlesse thou be full of good works take heed that swearing and lying c. crie not louder in Gods eares then thy prayers Sixthly If thou wilt be importunate in prayer labour to reform thy houshold VVhen Jacob was to call on God he said to his houshold Put away your strange gods Gen. 35. THE NECESSITIE OF GOSPEL OBEDIENCE In two Sermons BY That laborious and faithfull Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex THE NECESSITIE OF Gospel-Obedience COLOSS. I. 10. That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull unto every good work THere is a double sense in these words First wherein we may not not cannot walk worthy of GOD. And secondly there is a sense wherein we may and must walk worthy of Him The first sense wherein we cannot walk worthy of God is twofold First We cannot walk worthy of God with an absolute worth of exact proportion for in this sense the Angels of heaven cannot walk worthy of God they blesse God and praise him uncessantly but God is above all blessing and praise Nehem. 9. 5. Their holinesse c. had a beginning but God is infinite Oh then how much lesse can we walk worthy of God! Secondly We cannot walk worthy of God with a sinlesse worth of a mortified condignitie so worthily as we might have done if we had not had sinne for we are compassed with the flesh and sinne which leads us on to all impieties And in this respect John saith I am not worthy c. Luk. 3. 16. It was no idle complement in that good man That he was not worthy to untie Christs shoo-tyers or to carry his books after him as we use to speak but it is certain in regard of sinne which makes us unfit to do any dutie to God God is worthy of better service then the best of us can performe and to have better attendance then we can give him Neverthelesse there is a sense wherein we may and must walk worthy of God And this is also twofold First quoad dignitatem non repugnantiae As a niggard or a sparing servant is an unworthy servant to a bountiful master or a drunkard to a servant of God there is a repugnancie between a master and such a servant He that will not take up his crosse and follow me is unworthy of me Mat. 10. 37. And in this sense we must walk worthy of God that is not contrary to God Secondly This worthy includes dignitatem condecentiae Walk worthy of God i. e. sutable unto him A correspondencie there must be between Christ and those that are his between the children of God and God we must walk answerable to him God is holy gracious mercifull c. now we must walk worthy viz sutable to those attributes and not to deal basely wish God who hath dealt bountifully with us and hath delivered us from hell and helps us to heaven Let us not then put unworthy tricks on God but let us walk as men renewed So much for the sense This speech is directed to the professors of the gospel of Christ in Colosse for first Epaphras had given out that there were godly soules in that city Secondly as it was reported so this report came to Paul he heard that there were a company of men that went for Gods saints We have heard saith he c. vers 4. I Paul heard so and hence it is that Paul directs his speech As if he should say for so it is in the ninth verse I hear that there are professors among you Now I pray God that you walk worthy of God You professe Christ and his word I pray God you may walk worthy of the master you serve Hence observe That those that professe Christ must walk worthy of christ worthy of Christ whom you say you serve or they serve This is further commanded and that expresly in I Thess 2. 12. That you
an inchoative cure of a desperate maladie Secondly in relation to wholenesse of heart from sinne and so it is a maladie or sicknesse and yet peculiar to one blood alone namely Gods elect for though the heart be whole yet it is broken for its sins as a man that hath a barbed arrow shot into his side and the arrow is pluckt out of the flesh yet the wound is not presently healed so sinne may be pluckt out of the heart but the scar that was made with plucking it out is not yet cured The wounds that are yet under cure are the plagues and troubles of conscience the sighs and groanes of a hungering soule after grace the stinging poyson that the blow hath left behind it these are the wounds Now the heart is broken three wayes First by the Law as it breaks the heart of a thief to heare the sentence of the Law that he must be hanged for his robbery so it breaks the heart of the soule sensible to understand the sentence of the Law Thou shalt not sin if thou do thou shalt be damned If ever the heart come to be sensible of this sentence Thou art a damned man it is impossible to stand out under it but it must break Is not my word a hammer that breaks the rocks in peeces Jer. 23. 29. that is Is not my word my Law a hammer Can any rock-heart hold out and not be broken with the blowes of it Indeed thus far a man may be broken and yet be a reprobate for they shall be all thus broken in hell and therefore this breaking is not enough Secondly by the Gospel for if ever the heart come to be sensible of its blow it will break ail to shatters Rent your hearts for the Lord is gracious c. Joel 2. 12. When all the shakes of Gods mercy come they all cry rent Indeed the heart cannot stand out against them if it once feel them Beat thy soule upon the Gospel if any way under heaven can break it this is the way Aristotle observes that a hammer may easily break a hard stone against a soft bed but if it be laid on an anvil which will not give way underneath strike it as hard as you will with the hammer on the top the anvil underneath props it from breaking or if it do break it will not break into shatters for the anvil below helps the stone to hang fast together but if you smite it against a soft bed it breaks it all to shatters So smite thy soule upon the Gospel preach the Law as much as you will preach hell and damnation as much as you will let that be the hammer but then be sure lay thy soule on the Gospel drive it to the Gospel smite against this soft bed and then if ever it will break If you strike a stone against a hard anvil though the parts thereof would fall asunder yet how can they flie off when as the hard anvil will not give way the hard anvil on the one side and the hard hammer on the other side stop up its way from falling asunder So strike the soule with the blowes of Gods wrath as much as you will and let it be upon the Law alas whither should the Law open it self that it might break the Law doth but fear it on the one side and the wrath of God doth terrifie it on the other yet all this while it is not broken the soule all this while knowes not what it shall doe but smite it on the Gospel and this with the Law rents it and breaks it indeed So Ioel he preached hell and damnation to the people of the Jews and laid their hearts upon mercie and then the hammer cries rent for he is mercifull c. he laid them on the soft bed of the Gospel and then he smites them Thirdly the heart is broken by the skill of the Minister in the handling of these two the Law and the Gospel God furnisheth him with skill to presse the Law home and gives him understanding how to put to the Gospel and by this means doth God break up the heart For alas though the Law be never so good a hammer and although the Gospel be never so soft a bed yet if the Minister lay not the soul upon it the heart will not break he must fetch a full stroke with the Law and he must set the full power of the Gospel at the back of the soul or else the heart will not break It is a pretty observation of Aristotle Lay saith he an axe upon a block and a great and mighty weight upon it yet it will not enter into the block to cleave it but if you lift up the axe and fetch a full blow at the block then it enters presently So if the Minister have not skill to fetch a dead blow at the heart alas he may be long enough ere he break it but let him fetch a full blow at the soule then doth he break it if ever I took unto me two staves saith the Prophet the one I called beauty the other I called bands and with these I fed the flock Zach. 11. 7. There is the course of a true feeder of the flock he feeds them with the Law and the Gospel he takes his two staves and he layes about him till the hearts of his hearers feel him and this is the way to feed them and to break them off from their sins Thus you see the means that God useth to break your hearts He healeth the broken in heart Hence observe That Christ justifies and sanctifies For that is the meaning First because God hath given Christ grace to practice for the sakes of the broken in heart and therefore if this be his grace to heal the broken-hearted certainly he will heal them The spirit of the lord is upon me c. He hath sent me to heal the broken in heart c. Luk. 4. 18. If he be created master of this art even for this purpose to heale the broken in heart he will verily heale them and none but them He is not like Hosander and Hippocrates whose father appointed them both to be Physitians he appointed his sonne Hippocrates to be a physitian of horses yet he proved a physitian for men he appointed Hosander to be a physitian for men and he proved a physitian for horses He is not like these no no he will heale those whom he was appointed to heale now God appointed him to heale thee that art broken in heart and therefore without doubt he will do it 2. Because Christ hath undertaken to do it When a skilful Physitian hath undertaken a cure he will surely do it indeed sometimes a good physitian may fail as Trajans physitian did for he died under his hands on whose tomb this was written Here lies Trajan the Emperour that may thank his Physitian that he died But if Christ undertake it thou maiest be sure of it for he tels thee
the Image of God in him that me thought Christ Jesus walked in him alive upon the earth how much true service sincere obedience fervent and faithfull prayer had the Lord out of that poore cottage wherin he lived If ever there were a true child of Abraham and an heire to the promise this was hee if ever there were among us a true Israelite in whom there was no guil this was hee If ever there were amongst us a true Christian that shined as a light to those amongst whom he lived this was hee If ever there were amongst us a poor man rich in faith this was hee In his life he was a patterne to all that knew him so contented with his estate so diligent in the duties of his calling whilst health suffered In sicknesse untill death whilst speech continued so comfortable that I never came to him but I went away bettered by him O how did hee exhort and stirre up all those that came to visit him to hold out constantly unto the end to grow and increase in those good beginnings which they had made how often and how excellently would he speake of the benefits which wee have by Christ even the pardon of sin more like a Divine then a common Ghristian and so feelingly did hee expresse the certaine pardon of his owne sin even the sweete assurance thereof that it did my heart good to hear him Often did he deplore the state of these evill times in which we live from which the Lord hath now taken him away Often did hee with tears bewaile the state of this congregation and their unfruitfulnesse under the ministry of the word How did hee even with teares pray for his enemies he had some enimies but they were such as his piety religion and care to keep a good conscience made enimies unto him touching whom I must say that which without trembling I cannot speak that as they refused his society while he lived and sought to thrust him from among them so I feare that where he now is they shall never come except they repent O it is a fearfull thing to hate a man for his religion and piety but such was his love and compassion towards them that he did often with teares lament their estate and pray for them At the mention of death he would still repeat the point not long since delivered that he that would have comfort in death must goe beyond death even to that glorious inheritance to the which we are passing through death and never in my life did I ever see any man so comfortably and contentedly adresse himself to encounter with death as he did O said he this is the time that I have long waited for and as the pangs of death grew neerer so used he the more comfortable speeches saying with Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ now shall I see my sweet Saviour whom I have longed for and when death was even upon him he said come Lord Jesus come quickly and so with admirable patience endured the pangs of death after prayer with him when his speech began to faile I exhorted him now to look up to his Redeemer who was ready to receive him into his Masters joy and I spake something out of the Revelations touching the happy estate of those that die in the Lord adding further that all this comfort we have by Christ He answered with these his last words which with much difficulty he spake saying blessed be his glorious name blessed be his glorious name and thus this faithfull servant of Christ and heire of blessing gave up his breath in blessing God and died praising that God to whose praise he had lived And what should I say more but as David said of Abner died Abner as a fool dieth died this our brother as a fool as a worldling as a wicked man dieth of whom no reckoning is to be made no precious is his death in the eyes of the Lord and in the eyes of all that fear the Lord and blessed shall his memory be yea all that knew him well will call him blessed And for my own part so often as I shall think of his death and often I must think thereon my soul shall wish and pray Oh let medie the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his Amen THE SIGNES OF GODS forsaking a people Preached by That laborious and faithfull Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex Being the last Sermon that he preached THE SIGNES OF GODS forsaking a people JER 14. 9. And we are called by thy Name leave us not TWo things Brethren and beloved in Christ Jesus are intended and expressed by the holy Prophet from the first verse to the 13. verse There is first a denomination of a judgement and that is dearth or famine from the first verse to the seventh Secondly the sword is threatned to the thirteenth verse he will send the famine then the sword and he will not bee intreated Then in the eighth and ninth verses we have the importunate prayer of the Church to turne away these judgements And the prayer is marvellous sweet in confession where they confesse their sins and seek to God for succour First they desire God that he would not take his providence from them why stayest thou but for a night verse the 8 as if they should have said it is marveilous strange that thou behavest thy self so like a stranger thou seest our sorrowes and dost not help us thou perceivest our troubles and thou regardest us not It is strange it is strange that the God of Israel stands as a man astonished that thou that hast heretofore received us shouldst now stand as a man amazed and astonished as if thou wert weary of this thy work and couldst do no more as if thou shouldst say Ierusalem cannot be saved and Judah cannot be succoured Secondly they desire that God would not take away his presence from them leave us not to our selves say they let us see thy face though we die yet let it be in thy presence yea though thou help us not yet it doth us good to look upon our Saviour and thou canst help us and thus you see the arguments wherewith they presse the Lord how sweet they are viz. First thou art the hope of Israel Alas if thou forsake us we are all lost our hope is not in the meanes only but our hope is in thee leav us not for thou art the hope of Israel it is the task that thou hast taken upon thee leave us not therefore Secondly thou hast made thy selfe a Saviour and now is the time of trouble therefore now performe what thou hast undertaken Thirdly thou art in the midst of us that is thou art a great Commander amongst us alwayes ready to succour us and wilt thou now see us perish thou art more neer to us then the