his sinne lie at the dore there it lay rapping and beating and told him that his carelessenesse and negligent sacrificing to God was not accepted and therefore no marvell if Cain be so cast down in his countenance and that he fall to despaire O beloved when sinne lieth bouncing and beating at the doore of thy heart when thy sinne whatsoever it is search thy heart and finde it out lies knocking and rapping at the dore of thy conscience day by day and moneth by moneth and thou art content to let it lie and art unwilling to use meanes to remove it and art loth to take the paines to get the bloud of Christ to wash thy soule from it or the Spirit of Christ to cleanse thee from it then thy soule wil despaire either in this world or in the world to come But let us take heede then that our conscience condemne us not in any thing or course that we allow in our selves for if that doe then much more will God who is greater than our consciences and knows all things The Apostle hath an excellent Phrase Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. As if he should say there is not one condemnation there is none in Heaven God doth not condemne them there is none in earth their own heart and conscience doth not condemne them to him that is in Christ Jesus that walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit there is none no not one condemnation to him none neither in Heaven nor in earth no word no commandement no threatning condemns him But if thy conscience condemn thee and tell thee thou lettest sinne lie at the doore rapping at thy conscience day after day and moneth after moneth telling thee that yet thou art without Christ that yet thou never hadst any true faith in the Lord Jesus that yet thou hast not truly repented and turned from thy sins this will at last drive thy soul into heavy discouragements if not into final despaire O beloved religion and piety and the power of Godlinesse goe down the wind every where What is the reason of it but because of these discouragements that men live and go on in Men pray and pray and their prayers profit them not men run up and down and come to the Church and heare the Word and receive the Sacraments and use the meanes of grace but to no end they are unprofitable to them they remaine in their sinnes still the ordinances of God bring them not out of their lusts and corruptions hereby they disgrace and discredit the ordinances of God in the eyes and account of the men of the world making them think as if there were no more power nor force in the Ordinances of God than these men manifest There is no life in many Christians mens spirits are discouraged these secret discouragements in their hearts take away their spirits in the use of the meanes that though they use the meanes yet it drives them to despaire of reaping good or profit by them Beloved I could here tell you enough to make your hearts ake to hear it First All your complaints they are but winde Job 6. 26. Doe you imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are as winde Jobs friends taking Job to be a man of despaire they accounted all his words but as wind Doe thou nestle any discouragement in thy heart thou maist complaine of sinne as much as thou canst yet all thy complainings are but as winde thou mayest cry out against thy corruptions with weeping and teares and pray and fight against them and yet all thy weeping mourning and praying is but as the winde thou maiest beg grace thou maiest seek after God thou maist heare the Word receive the Sacraments and yet all will be to thee as wind all will vanish be unprofitable not regarded Secondly discouragements drive us from the use of the meanes If ever we meane to come out of our sinnes if ever we meane to get grace and faith and assurance and zeale we must constantly use the meanes 1 Sam. 27. 1. David saith There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the Land of the Philistins and Saul shall despaire of me to seek me any more David thought in himself if I can make him out of hope of finding me certainly he will give over seeking of me So when the soule hath any secret despaire of finding the Lord that soul will quickly be drawn from seeking of the Lord in the use of the meanes What ever you doe then O be not discouraged lest you be driven from the use of the meanes if you be driven from the use of the meanes woe is to you you will never finde God then Be not driven from prayer nor driven from holy conference nor driven for the Word nor driven from the Sacrament nor from meditation nor from the diligent and strict examination of thy selfe of thy heart and of all thy wayes for these are the wayes of finding the Lord. If you nourish any thoughts and fears of despaire in you if you be discouraged you will be driven from the use of the meanes which is a lamentable thing therefore be not discouraged Thirdly discouragements will make you stand poaring on your former courses This I should have done and that I should have done woe is me that I did it not it will make a man stand poaring on his sinnes but never able to get out of them So it was like to be with them in the Ship with Paul Acts 27. 20. In the tempest at Sea they were utterly discouraged from any hope of safety now indeed Paul told them what they should have done if they had been wise Sirs you should have hearkned to me and not have loosed verse 21. as if he had said you should have done thus and thus but now doe not stand poaring too much on that you should have hearkned to me and not have launched forth c but that cannot be holpen now therefore I exhort you to be of good chear c. So beloved when the soul is discouraged upon these thoughts I should have prayed better I should have heard the Word of God better and with more profit I should have repented better I should have performed this and that religious and good dutie better but ah wretch that I am I have sinned thus and thus it is alwayes looking on this sinne and that sinne this imperfection and that failing when now I say the soule is discouraged it will be alwayes poaring upon sinne but it will never come out of its sinne alwayes poaring upon its deadnesse and unprofitablenesse but never able to come out of it O beloved be of good cheare and be not discouraged it is true you should have prayed better you should have heard the word of God better heretofore you should have been more carefull and circumspect of your wayes than you
judgements upon this Land If a man lie sick and they see death in his face they call it the foretelling signe so the Ministers of God may foresee the death and destruction of a Kingdome I am sure we have better grounds then the Physicians can have And therefore why may not the Ministers which are Gods Physicians doe it The signes of Gods punishments that are coming upon us are these The first is of Gods Ministers which with one voice doe foretel judgements to come Then this is a signe that God hasteneth to battel Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord will doe nothing but he revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets but especially when they agree all in one thing then the Kingdom is dangerously gone Luke 1. 70. The Lord giveth one mouth as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets I will say nothing in this but let me appeale to your consciences whether all good Ministers in the Church of England have not declared by Gods word that judgements are coming out against this Land and us for many yeares together And as our Saviour saith Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in beaven Secondly when sinnes of all sorts doe abound frequently and with a bold face and whorish forehead For when the harvest is ripe then cometh so many sickles to cut it down so when the sinnes of a Kingdome are ripe then it is time to cut that Kinddome down Genes 6. 12. The earth was filled with violence all flesh had corrupted their wayes therefore make an Arke for the end of all flesh is come God will wash away their filthinesse Consider whether it be not thus with England or no. Was ever drunkennesse and blasphemie and scoffing at religion and prophaning Gods Sabbaths nay liberty given so to do was it ever come to that height that now it is were ever great ones as Bishops and Ministers so defiled as now they are our Land hath often been overcome when men were grown desperately wicked then they were destroyed Now what sinnes what blasphemies what hating of God lyeth raging in our times I think there is none in this Congregation but sees and heares how City and Countrey are venomed and benumned and defiled with sinnes of all sorts Thirdly when the devill and wicked men cast bones of dissention that is a signe of ruine When there was a dissention between Rehoboam and the people then God pulled away ten Tribs and much bloud was shed So when King and Commons and all are divided Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim but both against Judah then it is a fearfull signe that that Nation shall be destroyed I say to apply this if ever a Kingdome were divided then this is if we could all accord then we might expect something but now our best bloud is gone and our hearts are gone the Lord in mercie raise us up from dead ashes O consider this I beseech you and lay it to heart Will God deceive his Ministers and make them all blindfold no no. When God puts his Spirit into his Ministers and makes them all with one mouth to call and cry desolation and when all manner of sinnes so fearfully abound and when there is such divisions in the State then let us look for desolation Fourthly the fourth signe of Gods anger on a Nation is when all the hearts of men faile then it is a signe that vengeance is at the door when there is a kinde of Cowardise through the guilt of the conscience Josh 2. 11. It was a certaine signe of destruction when the peoples hearts failed them thus it is with every man almost amongst us every mans heart is faint and sick Iudges 7. 13. When Gideon was to goe against the Midianites being a wonderfull Army one dreamed that a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host and overthrew them Then Gideon said be of good courage for I see that the Lord hath given them into our hands because their hearts were feareful so he took three hundred men and put a trumpet in every mans hand with empty pitchers and lamps and they cried the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon and in the twelfth verse see what followed All the host ran and cried and fled Even so it is with us we faint upon every occasion Gods spirit is gone from England While Sampson had the Spirit of God upon him he was too hard for the Philistins but when the Spirit of God was gone from him he had no heart no spirit no courage then every man was too hard for him and then he was taken and had his eyes pulled out So when the Spirit of God was with this Nation we had courage and got the day but now alas every slavish Nation is too hard for us and every bug-beare scares us O poore England heavy is thy case therefore we may expect nothing but miserie one way or another Now I might set down a Comment or Theame with many teares for this cause that every one may reade his own destruction from this point I am not a Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet but from the word of the Lord I speak this thing unto you and upon these grounds I can say so That where these signes are destruction and calamities follow at the heeles of them We having all these signes in our State certainely destruction is at our heeles therefore let me giue you some directions what to doe in these dangerous times First let every man knock off the love of the world of houses of lands and corne and flockes they shortly shall leave thee or thou them O therefore cast them quite out of thy heart I would to God I could bring my heart and yours to this pitch that we could give wife and children and all as lost I confesse it is hard so to doe but God will fire us out shortly from these things if we part not from them in these our deepest afflictions Ier. 45. 5. Baruch was so much glued to the world that he began to feather his nest and therefore the Prophet said seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not for behold I will bring evill upon all flesh So let me say to you as the Prophet said to Gehazi Is it now a time to build Therefore at night when thou goest to bed take thy leave of thy wife and children and of thy houses and all and say this house may be mine enemies before the morning or may be set on fire this is not my wife these are not my children As Doctor Taylor said when he was going to his execution when he saw his wife and children he embraced them and blessed them in the name of the Lord and set them down again and made no bones of them and so do you pluck away your hearts from all these things here below and give them all for lost Secondly get divine submission to the will of God let thy heart be
When he takes away the benefit of both these helps ibid. Use 1. To teach us to cast off security ibid. Doct. It is the importunate desire of the Saints of God still to keep God present with them 255. The presence of God is the particular favour of God which he expresseth in his ordinances ibid. 1. This question is answered Whether a man may be saved without preaching 256. 2. This question is answered who they are that are weary of God 257. Use To rebuke Gods people for their neglect in not striving to keep God who seems to be departing 258. Quest How may we keep the Lord amongst us 260. Answ 1. We must be sure to prepare a room for him ibid. 2. We must give him content 261. 3. We must make him welcome ibid. 4. We must be importunate with God to tarry and account it a great favour if he will stay 262. The Contents of the twentieth SERMON on Lament 3. 5. 7. THe opening of the words in which are three properties of effectuall Prayer 165. 1. The unsatiablenesse of it till it be heard ibid. 2. The sensiblenesse of it whether it be heard or no ibid. 3. The supply it hath against danger and discouragement 166. Doct. 1. An effectuall prayer is an unsatiable prayer ibid. Quest Must a man alwayes pray Answ A man must give over the Act of prayer for other duties but he must never give over the suit of Prayer 267. Rules to know whether our Prayers be unsatiable or no 1. It it an earnest begging Prayer ibid. 2. It is a constant prayer 268. A godly mans prayer is not out of his heart till the grace he prayed for be in ibid. 3 It is a prayer that is ever a beginning ibid. 4. It is a proceeding prayer it winds up the heart higher and higher ibid. 5. It is a prayer that purifieth the heart ibid. It is more and more fervent 169. And more and more frequent ibid. It will take time from lawfull recreations and from the lawfull duties of our calling 270. And it will adde humiliation and fasting to prayer ibid. Use To condemn those who pray for grace and yet sit down before grace is obtained ibid. Such prayers are 1. Endlesse 271. 2. Fruitlesse ibid. Doct. 2. A godly soule is sensible of Gods hearing or not hearing his prayer 272. Quest How can the soul know whether it speed in prayer or no Answ 1. When God gives a soule further and further ability to pray it is a signe that God hears it ibid. But if the soule have no heart to continue its suit it is a signe that God never meanes to hear that mans prayer ibid. 2. The preparednesse of the heart to prayer is a sign that God means to heare 273. 3. Gods gratious looke is a signe that he will heare for sometimes God answers his people by a cast of his countenance ibid. 4. The conscience of a man will answer him whether God hears his prayer or no. 274. But a mans conscience may be misinformed 275. A wicked man may have a truce though no true peace in his conscience ibid. 5. The getting of the grace that a man prayes for is a signe that God hears his prayer ibid. But God may give many temporall blessings and common graces yet not in love but in wrath 276. 6. If à man have Faith given him to beleeve it is a signe that God heares him ibid. Good works are good signes of Faith but they are but rotten grounds of Faith ibid. Object Every Promise runs with a condition ibid. Answ 1. The Promise is the ground of Faith and the way to get the condition 277. ◠Faith is the enabling cause to keepe the condition ibid. Two things do much hurt in Prayer 1. Groundlesse incouragement 2. Needlesse discouragement 278. Doct. 3. God would not have any Christian soul to be discouraged in prayer 279 A definition of discouragement ibid. Four Reasons why we should not be discouraged in prayer 1. Because discouragement hinders the soul in prayer ibid. 2. Discouragement takes away the strength of the soul in prayer 280. 3. If we have fearfull apprehensions of our sins so as to thinke they will never be forgiven we can never pray aright ibid. 4 If we have any secret despaire we can never pray to any purpose ibid. There is a double desperation 1 Of infidelity which draws the soul from God 2. Of extremity which puts life into a mans prayers and endeavours 282. A man never prayes well till he feele himselfe undone 283. We should take heed of discouragements for 1 Discouragements breed melancholinesse in the soul 285. 2. They breed hard thoughts of God ibid. 3. They will cause a man to think that God hates him 286. 4. They will bring a man to despaire ibid. Ministers should not preach the pure law without the Gospell 287. Secret discouragements in the heart 1. They take away the Spirit in the use of the means 288. 2. They drive us from the use of means ibid. 3. They make a man continually to pore on his sins so as he shall never be able to get out of them 289. 4. They breed nothing but sorrow ibid. 5. They leave the Soul in a maze that it knowes not whither to turne it selfe 290. They whisper into a man a sentence of of Death and an impossibility of escaping ibid. The conclusion of the whole 291. The Contents of the one and twentieth SERMON on Rom. 8. 22. EVery creature hath a threefold goodnesse in it 1. A goodnesse of end 295. 2. A goodnesse of nature ibid. 3. A goodnesse of use 296. There be four evils under which every Creature groaneth 1. The continuall labour that the Creature is put unto ibid. 2. The creature sometimes partakes of the plagus of the ungodly ibid. 3. The Creature hath an instinctive fellow-feeling of mans wretchednesse 297. 4 Because they are rent and torne from their proper Masters ibid. Doct. Every creature groaneth under the slavery of sin ibid. Not only under the slavery of sinfull men but so farre as they minister to the flesh of the Saints they groan under them ibid. Object Did ever any man hear any unreasonable creature groane under sinne Answ It is spoken Hyperbolically to declare the great misery the creatures are into serve sinfull man ibid. 2. Analogically in regard of a naturall instinct of blind reason that is in all the creatures ibid. 3. It is spoken by way of supposition if they had reason they would groane 298. 4 Intelligently because a man cannot wrong the creature but he wrongs God in the creature ibid. 5. Specifically because the Godly come before God in the behalfe of all the creatures and mourne for the abuse of the creatures 299. Foure reasons why the Creatures groan 1. Because they are distracted in their service ibid. 2. Because of the unprofitablenesse of their service 300. 3. Because of uncessantnesse of their service ibid. 4. Because of that misery and woe
to beg mercy 4. He is as it were dumb and speechlesse before God And now our God what shall we say after all this for we haue forsaken thy commandements verse 10. Shall I excuse the matter alas it is inexcusable What shall we say after all this Shall we call for thy patience Wee had it and yet were little the better Shall we call for mercy Why we had it and yet our stubborn hearts would not come down I know not what to say for our selves for we have sinned against thee 5. He declares Gods truth that he had warned them by his Prophets vers 11 12. but no warning can better us 6. He shews how God had punished them yet they would not be humbled for all that God had brought upon them lesse evils than they deserved and wrought deliverance for them wich they could not have expected What shall we say should we for all this break thy commandements verse 13 14. What can we expect but hell and confusion 7. He is sensible of Gods Judgements and righteousnesse O Lord thou art righteous as if he should say How canst thou spare us for this sinne How can it stand with thy righteousnesse How is it that such hell-hounds as we are should live above ground when thou art so righteous a God It is a wonder that the earth opens not her mouth for to swallow us up quick for O Lord thou art righteous 8. He layes down his soul and all the peoples souls at Gods feet as if he should say here we be thou maist damn us if thou wilt Behold we are all here before thee in our trespasses for we cannot stand before thee because of this verse 15. Behold here are we rebels we are here are our heads and our throats before thee if now thou shouldst take us from our knees unto hell and from our prayers unto damnation we cannot ask thee why thou doest so Oh it 's mercy it 's mercy indeed that we have been spared Thus Meditation must bring our hearts before God and there complain against them before heaven Meditation should deal with the heart as the Father did with his possessed child who carried him to Christ saying Master my child is possessed THE DANGER Of Deferring REPENTANCE DISCOVERED In a SERMON preached at Maidstone in Kent By that Reverend and Faithfull 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 A SERMON OF M. WILLIAM FENNERS at Maidstone 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 THere is a good English Proverb among us that he that neglects the occasion the occasion will neglect him Solomon wisely begins his Proverbs with it for he bringeth in the wisdome of his Father in these five particulars First making a generall Proclamation in the 20. verse Wisdome crieth without she uttereth her voice in the streets He compareth God unto a Cryer going up and down the City from street to street and from door to door crying his commodity even the richest that ever was which is a Christ a Christ for redemption a Christ for sanctification a Christ to enlighten those that walk in darknesse and in the shadow of death Ho every one that thirsteth here is a Christ for you Secondly here is a mercifull reprehension in the 22 verse O ye foolish how long will ye love foolishnesse and ye scorners take pleasure in scorning Foolish indeed to be without Christ foolish to be without grace foolish to chafer away our souls for sin How long ye scorners will ye take pleasure in scorning will you still persist in your wickednesse and never have done with your sins will you never turn back again but damn your souls for ever O ye foolish how long will ye love foolishnesse Thirdly here is a gracious exhortation in the 23. verse turn you at my correction lo I will pour out my mind unto you and make you to understand my words As if he should say Do you not see how you are going a pace to confusion and that the way you take leadeth unto destruction turn ye therefore turn ye back again for there is a Christ behind you O turn ye for if ye go on in your sins you perish for ever Fourthly here is a yearning promise made unto the world in the end of the 23. verse Lo I will pour out my spirit unto you and cause you to understand my words As if he should say Return back again with me and you shall have better welcome than you can possibly have if you go on in your sins the Devil will never let you gain so much by your living in your lusts as you shall do by repentance for them and forsaking of them For behold I will prour out my spirit upon you whereby you shall be farr greater gainers than you shall be by your sins Fifthly here is a gratious threatning against the world even all those that have loytered out the day of grace As time and tyde will stay for no man no more doth the day of grace Because I have called and you refused I have exhorted but you have not regarded I have denounced judgements against you for your sins but you have hardened your hearts now a day of woe and misery shall come upon you a time of vengeance and desolation shall over take you there will a day come wherein there will be weeping and crying Mercy Lord mercy but I tell you beforehand what you shall trust to let this be your lesson now I call and you will not hear now I stretch out my hands but you will not regard you shall seek me early but you shall not find me and shall cry but you shall not be heard The words are underclapt against all those that procrastinate their repentance and returning home unto God wherein note first the parties them selves that do prolong this day of grace they that is they who when God cals on them will not hear when God invites them by his mercies patience and forbearance by his Ministers and servants by his corrections and judgement by all fair means and foul means yet withstand the means of grace they are the men they shall call but God will not answer Secondly here is their seeking after God they shall call upon me Thirdly here is their earnest and diligent seeking after God they shall not only call but seek too and not only seek but seek as to labour to find nay they shall seek me early even strive to go about it with all haste and flye to repentance but they shall not find me Fourthly here is the unseasonablenesse of the time of their seeking then that is a demonstrative then even a time which the Lord appoints at as if he should say you shall see then these men will be of another mind
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
as the Judge to condemn thee unto the pit of destruction for thy damned impudency in coming so unworthily unto this holy Sacrament For that man cannot eat the body of Christ that is not a member of Christ therefore thou must be a limb of Christ if ever thou wilt receive worthily 2. If a man come unto the Sacrament and come in his sins he cometh to his own destruction for though it be a sweet banquet to refresh an humble and weary soul and to make it walk more cheerfully in the wayes of God all the dayes of his life yet he that cometh unto it in his sins and receiveth it in his uncleannesse speedeth thereby his own damnation and receiveth it as his vâ—aticum to hell The Apostle compares Baptisme to the Red Sea 1. Cor. 10. from which place Crysostome saith that as the Red Sea was a way for the Israelites to passe through to Canaan so it was as a grave to swallow up the Egypptians to their destruction So the Lords Supper is as a grave an open pit whereby many plunge themselves into eternall destruction but as a chariot to the godly to carry them to heaven Thirdly by coming in thy sinnes thou makest thy selfe lyable to Gods temporary plagues and judgements as appears in my Text For this cause many are sick and weak among you and many are fallen asleep For this cause which is not only a note of conclusion but of the cause For this cause namely because they examine not themselves but come in their sins and receive it unworthily One man hath a disease in his body that he liveth not out halfe his dayes another is sick and weak neer unto death a third is fallen asleep Wherefore why saith the Apostle for this cause of receiving unworthily the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fourthly for instruction that because the people of God as well as wicked men are guilty of unworthy coming to the Lords Table therefore he exhorts them that if they would not have the Lord judge them that they would judge themselves as in the 31. verse For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. If we would sit down and search our own hearts and try our own spirits and pry into our owne bosomes and out with our old corruptions and unclean lusts and enter into a new covenant with God of holy walking before him for after-time if we would thus judge and condemn our selves and mortifie our sinnes comming with grace unto this holy banquet that we might come with comfort unto this blessed Sacrament assuring our selves that we shall escape the judgement of the Lord. For those of the Corinthians whom God struck with sicknesse weaknesse and death it was to instruct others that are well and in health that they venture not to enter upon these holy mysteryes with unholy hearts and unclean hands Fifthly he concludeth with an use of exhortation in the 33 and 34. verses Wherefore brethren when ye come together to partake of the holy Communion tarry one for another As if he should have said Away with all your disorders and come not with a temporall but with a spirituall appetite provide not thy teeth but thy heart for these dainties for this is not a feast for the body but for the soul therefore away with all your disorders and unseemly coming unto this blessed Sacrament take heed and repent of this sin among you and of all other sins which you know your own conscience to be guilty of and so come unto this holy communion Now the verse that I have read to you is a part of that use of terror which the Apostle makes against the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament and it contains Gods severe hand and punishment against those that come unworthily wherein note three things First the cause of their punishment which is the unworthy eating of the Communion For this cause many are sick and weak among you and many are fallen asleep Secondly the punishment inflicted for this sin weaknesse sicknesse and mortality For it seems saith Peter Martyr that the Lord sent a sore plague and pestilence among them to revenge himself of them for their abuse of the Sacrament for this cause Thirdly there is the Delinquents which are you Corinthians Many are sick and weak among you and in them all others that come unpreparedly to the Sacrament Chrysostom notes here that our Apostle doth not fetch here an Argument or example of judgement from others as he had done in the former chapter but he brings it from themselves who sensibly felt the wrath of God upon them for this very sin As if the Apostle should have said How is it O Corinthians that you dare venture to come unto the Communion so unpreparedly and that you have no more regard of so weighty a businesse as is the receiving of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ See you not the wrath of God upon your dwellings and the curse of heaven to take hold of your town you see it this very time that some are weak and very sick amongst you near unto death and others have been struck with death before your eyes and the wrath of God is not removed but lies yet upon you What will you alwayes goe on and never cease to provoke the Lord to indignation and wrath against you for your sins until his jealousie hath utterly consumed you and clean cut you off and howsoever many of you may think that this sicknesse weaknesse and mortality comes upon you by chance as from the infection of the ayr or other secundary causes I tell you nay but it is for this cause onely even your unworthy coming to the Supper of the Lord. Whence we may observe this point of instruction That God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper He punished the Corinthians here with sicknesse weaknesse feavers pestilence death temporall and God knows how many with death eternall Theodoret observes that the Apostle told them of a thing that was acted amongst them for if he had told them of such judgements as had been hid from them and not manifest before their eyes as if they had not felt the sicknesse in their bodies and heard the bels tolling dayly in their ears they might have thought that the Apostle had but lyed unto them So the people of Israel as we may read in 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. verses they were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea and they did all eat the same spirituall meat and drink the same spirituall drink yet as it is in the fifth verse with many of them God was not well pleased Nay God was so wroth with them that within the space of forty years many thousands of them were destroyed by death here and God knoweth how many thousands of them in hell For God speaketh of hell as well as of death and their sin was so great that it made God
will never do so any more I have been wicked and sinfull disobeying and rebelling against all thy holy commandements and respected not thy judgements and thy promises and have been carelesse of thy glory But now Lord as I eat this bread and drink this wine so I covenant unto thee and promise to thee that I wil amend all my sinfull ways and become a reformed Christian And as I ever look that the body and the bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ represented in the elements should nourish my soul unto eternall life so I promise to be disobedient unto the Devill but faithfull and obedient unto thee I will stop my ears against the alluring inchantments of the world and wicked suggestions of the Devil but I wil open them wide to hearken to thy voice that I may obey thy commands But now as thou hast made it so if thou hast broken this thy covenant with God returning to thy former courses of sin and disobedience against him know thou that this covenant of thine which thou hast broken shal stand in full force against thee for God will assuredly require it at thy hands and all the Sacraments which thou hast received thou hast received them but as so many seals and pledges of thy just deserved condemnation But some man may object and say Do all that come unworthily unto the Sacrament eat and drink their own damnation Then many hundreds yea thousands are damned Are all damned that have eat and drunk unworthily Ans No but a man may eat and drink his own damnation three ways First in regard of guilt and liablenesse unto Gods wrath and so he that eateth and drinketh his naturall food his dinner supper or breakfast in his sinnes eateth and drinketh his own damnation yea whosoever thou art that comest unto this holy banquet in thy sins in thy pride choler malice wrath or revenge covetousuesse hypocrisie and deadnesse in Gods service thou never eatest a bit of bread but thou eatest and drinkest thine own damnation that is thou eatest and drinkest that which will witnesse against thee another day Deut. 28. 16 17 18 19. ver c. If thou â—ilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and do all his commandements then all these curses come upon thee and shall overtake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed in the field cursed shall be thy basket and store Now if thy bread be cursed then thou art cursed also that eatest it Secondly in regard of the seal and obligation in the conscience so he that eateth and drinketh the Sacrament in his sins eateth and drinketh his own damnation that is he eats and drinks that which seals up his damnation against the great day of account And thus many amongst us and I fear the most part of this congregation have eat and drunk their own damnation But this seal may be broken off and God grant it may Thirdly in regard of sigillation in heaven and so he that eats and drinks unworthily and will not be reformed he that receives the Sacrament time after time yet still retains his sins and will not be humbled for them nor forsake them he setteth a seal in heaven upon his own damnation that all the whole world can never break off but such an one most certainly is a damned creature And now my brethren God forbid there should be any such here but that this seal may be broken off And O that God would put some strength into this word that it may be broken off by your godly sorrow for your sin and forsaking of them all for if this seal be set on your damnation why do I yet speak unto you and intreat and beseech you in the name of Christ to come home and be reconciled to him and I desire to stand here as Jehoiadah set Porters at the gates of the City and of the house of the Lord to keep off all those that come in their uncleannesse 2 Chron. 23. 19. So I stand this day as the Porter of the Lord to keep the Lords watch that no prophane wretch no proud hearted sinner that means not to enter into a new course of life that no such one come unto this holy communion I charge you as you will answer the guilt of Christs bloud before Gods Throne that you meddle not with it But now if there be any that would absent himself because he will the more freely go on in his sins let him know that such an one excludes himself from the benefits and merits of Christs death and shall never have the benefit of a Redeemer at the day of judgement but shall perish in his sins for his carelesse neglect and fearful contempt of so effectual and powerful means of salvation and purging as is the bloud of Christ truly and really offered in the Sacrament Wherefore if thou comest or comest not woe is thee if so be thou livest and continuest in thy sins and goest on in thy unholy courses And now to conclude as the Cherubin stood before Paradise with a naked sword to keep Adam out that he might not enter and so eat of the tree of life so I bring with me the sword of God to run it up to the hilt in the heart and bowels of every ungodly man every rebellious and impenitent sinner this day that dares presume to rush upon this holy Ordinance of God with a polluted and an unclean heart Therefore let me exhort thee that as thou tendrest the eternall good of thy soul so thou be careful not to eat the body of Christ nor drink his blood in thy sins lest thou eat thine own bane and drink thine own curse Nay so doing thy misery wil be so great as a good man wel weighing and considering of it said I professe I had rather have all my veins cut open and my bloud spilt on the ground than deliver the body and blood of Christ unto a prophane sinner for why should I deliver his own bane and destruction unto him But now my brethren and beloved come out of your sins come and welcome if you part with your lusts and so come you shall be sure to have his bloud to wash your heart and cleanse you his righteousnesse to clear you and cloath you his graces to strengthen you his spirit to heal and to sanctifie your hearts and natures the Lord Jesus Christ to supply all good that is wanting in you But if yet notwithstanding all this that hath been said you will go on in your sins and live as you did in your swearing whoring lying and drinking and all manner of filthinesse and as you came to it unclean so you depart away from it more unclean and never make any conscience of any reformation I pronounce this day before God and his elect Angels that thou shalt surely perish and thy soul and body be damned and tormented in the scorching flames of hell for evermore Therefore
required reproving you see lest he should wrong his own soul how he laboured to bee unblameable saith he I beat my bodie down when I preach to others lest I become a cast away Again as a man wrongs his own soul so he dishonours God It cannot be unknown what an unthankfull office the office of a reprover is the world cannot abide reproof The wicked hate the reprover in the gate Isa 29. 21. The world is full of scorners that hate reproof Prov. 15. 12. Though some men be not so wicked as to hate reproof yet at least they think hardly of them that reprove they think they usurp authority over them and crow over them or they undertake to be their betters as a reprover undertakes in that thing to be a mans better Now when a man is reproved he is apt to think that his neighbour crows over him and excerciseth authority upon him as if he would grow on him and be his Judge You see Lot when he reproved the Sodomites though as gently as ever he could My brethren do not so wickedly presently for all that they thought hardly of him What will this fellow be a judge that came but the other day to sojourn Gen. 19. Presently they thought hardly of him So we see the Prophet doth but find fault with Amaziah for his fault and presently the Kings eyes are blinded and his heart heardened Who made you of the Kings counsell 2 Chron. 25. 15. he thought him a medler that pried into State-affairs and into the Court and Kingdom A man cannot reprove his brother for his sinne but it is a thousand to one if his brother be not ready presently to pry into him and to look narrowly into his wayes to espy a hole in his coat if he can or to make one if he cannot all mens eyes are upon him and they look strictly and straightly and if any thing in the world be amisse they will be sure to mark it and to make more of it to make mountains of Mole-hills When the blind man did but find fault with the Pharisees and reprove them a little for persecuting of Christ what say they Art thou altogether conceived and born in sin and wilt thou teach us John 9. 34. Presently they looked on his blindnesse and birth Certainly he is a viler sinner than other men and shall he go find fault with them If we mean to reprove another let us labour to be unblameable to be Godly and holy to reform our own wayes let us be sure to purge our own families to cleanse our own souls to rid our own hands of all the wayes of sinne and iniquity lest God be dishonoured The word of God will be flung in his own face back again and the reproof if it be never so sweet and never so wise it wil be retorted in a mans own teeth if he be not unblameable himself And a man had need to be humble and lowly and gentle and meek and to put on all bowels and gentlenesse of heart if he will reprove All sins are not to be reproved alike some with sharpnesse some with lenity He is a Mountebank that will open a vein for every wheal and pimple The reprover is like them in Isaiah when they deal with the Cummin and Fetches a little rod will beat them out but when they come to the Corn Wheat and Rye they beat them out with the Cart-wheel So when we meet with a hard-hearted spirit we must use stronger corrosives to them and gentler admonitions and rebukes towards others that sin with a lesser and a weaker hand But this is a thing that a man must be marvellous carefull of that reproves Nay let a man be unblameable for the present if he have been faulty before if it were seven or ten or twenty years before if it be known it is a thousand to one but he shall be hit in the teeth with it when he reproves you committed adultery and you did steal at such a time if it were never so long agoe Therefore St. Paul would not consent to take Mark with him in the ministery Acts 15. because he had been offensive to the Church before We had need to be marvellous careful and wary if we will reprove I had thought to have named other Uses but I leave this exposition and take it as it is passively interpreted He that being often reprov'd hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy THough it may be expounded the other way yet I rather incline to this The Reason is Because this is the constant current of all interpreters generally I meet but with one or two that expond it the other way but all passively He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck c. Secondly because the word in the original is A man of reproofs that hardeneth his own neck Now though it be indifferent whether it be active or passive yet look in the scripture and you shall find it more often passive then active A man of reproofs that is a man often reproved in the passive As in Isaiah 53. 3. Christ is a man of sorrows not making others sorry but made sorry passively And so in Dan. 9. 23. It is said Daniel was a man of desires that is not a man desiring other men or other things not actively desiring but passively desired beloved of God exceedingly So it is said of Jeremiah Jerem. 15. 10. he was a man of strife not a man striving with others but a man striven with So in 1 King 2. 26. A man of death that is not killing others but to be killed himself It is taken more frequently in the passive sense and we may more boldly take it so A man of reprofs that is reproved again and again that hath received divers reproofs and yet hardeneth his own neck shall suddenly he destroyed and that without remedy Here I might observe by the way this point of Doctrine That The Lord doth not destroy man willingly He saith not A man shall be destroyed without remedy but a man when he hath sinned against God when he had committed sinne and not only so but when he is reproved for his sin and goeth on The Lord doth not destroy a man nakedly but upon consideration of sin Willingly the Lord doth not afflict any Lament 3. Mercy and punishment they flow from God as the honey and the sting from the Bee the Bee yeildeth honey of her own nature but she doth not sting but when she is provoked So the Lord is gracious and good and favourable and kind and blesseth his people from his own nature but he doth not punish and plague and destroy but being provoked by sin and iniquity I will not stand to follow this point I let it go The text it self contains the great mercy of God in lending a man a reproof And what a great sin it is what a great ill it is for a man to sin
against his reproof The greatnesse of the ill is set down two wayes First by the great sinfulnesse of the thing it is called the hardening of a mans own neck Secondly by the greatnesse of the punishment that God inflicts upon this sin and that is he will destroy him and that without remedy For the first namely what a great mercy it is for God to let a man be reproved for his sins It may be proved by many places of Scripture only I find Scripture is to be brought as an aggravation of sin when they sinned against reproof Hosea 5. 1. saith he they are profound to commit sin though I have been a rebuker of them all As if he should say Though I have been so mercifull as to shew them the danger of sin to tell them what would become of their wretched courses though I have called them to repentance and have given them warning what would be the issue of these things yet for all this for all my mercy they have gone on in their sinnes though I have reproved them This Though is a word of aggravation as we see in the speech of Daniel to Belshazzar Thou O King hast not humbled thy self though thou knewest this as if he had said though the Lord let thee know the punishment upon thy father and the plagues of Nebuchadnezzar thy grandfather though the Lord have let thee understand what it is for thee to exalt thy self against him yet thou art not humbled he aggravates his sin So this aggravates a mans sin when he goes on notwithstanding he is reproved The Reasons are First because when God reproves a man of sinne the reproof primarily comes out of love therefore when he reproved Laodicea and told her she was luke-warm and said I would thou wert either hot or cold and since she was neither he would spue her out of his mouth he tells her whence the reproof flowed because I love I reprove As many as I love I rebuke Revel 3. 19. It is not out of ill will that I tell thee of thy lukewarmnesse and threaten to spue thee out of my mouth I tell thee these things that thou mayst avoid that ill I say Gods reproofs flow primarily from love to men whereby he would have them lay aside their wretched courses and avoyd the judgements Nay it is an argument of hatred when a man doth not reprove his brother of sin If God let a man go on in sin and never tell him of his drunkennesse nor never find fault with his pride and security never convince him or wound or touch him nor deal with him about his unsetled estate and his rotten conditions It is a sign God hates the man But when God reproves a man from day to day Man thou art a proud creature thou shalt to hell for thy pride and hypocrisie and security and hardnesse of heart When the Lord reproves a man from day to day this is an argument of love the other is an effect of hatred not to reprove Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saith Moses but shalt in any wise reprove him and not suffer sin to be upon him Levit 19. 17. Thou hatest thy brother when thou seest him sin and doest not warn him and knowest he is guilty of sinfull courses and doest not reprove him and when thou hast time and place and opportunity and fit circumstances to reprove and yet thou wilt not do it it is a sign thou hatest thy brother it is the greatest degree of hatred on them If a man deny food for the body and let a man rather dye of hunger than he will give him meat or let a man fall into a pit rather than he will prevent the mischief a man is guilty of bodily murder but thou art guilty of the soul of thy brother if thou let him fall into sin Thou thinkest thy brother is harsh he will not bear with thee he is hasty and testy no thou art in an error That man that hates reproof erreth saith Solomon Indeed a man should not be too sharp but first tell his brother in private that he is in an error for reproof is a means of grace it flows from great love it is the providence of God that hath cast it about that thou shouldest have reproof given thee if thou have a heart to take it It is an argument of love Another reason is taken from the primary end of reproof which is to bring a man to good to reduce him into a right way to convert a man to save his soul that is the primary end of reproof aud admonition therefore to go in sinnes contrary to it must needs be a great evill As Solomon brings in the wisdome of the Father Jesus Christ calling upon people O yee fools how long will ye love folly turn at my reproof Mark what follows to what end I will pour my spirit on you There is the end he tells them O ye fools wretched people without understanding that go on in sinne and harden your own hearts that repent not nor turn not to God that will not submit to his wisdom nor imbrace his word yee fools that wrong your own souls Oh turn at my reproof Why This is the reason that God reproves a man on this fashion it is that a man may have the Spirit of God granted him If thou have an ear to hear reproof and a heart to drink it in and to wear it as a crown of gold on thy head and as a chain about thy neck thou shouldest have the Spirit of God for thy labour the Lord reproves thee that thou mightest return back and have the Spirit and have mercy and forgivenesse This is all the ill-will that Gods Ministers bear thee and all the hatred that reprovers shew when they tell thee of thy sinnes whatsoever they be that they may stop thy steps from going down to Hell When the Lord sends thee Sermon upon Sermon Preacher after Preacher thou art called on day by day as you hear in this place This is the infinite goodnesse of God towards your souls therefore your sin is infinite great if you do not amend as the wise man saith He that hates reproof shall surely dye Prov. 15. 10. there is no remedy for that man That man that puts off repentance God reproves him from day to day on the Sabbath day and on the week dayes he goes to this man and here he is reproved and to another and there he is reproved and yet he goes on in his deadnesse and formality in the ordinances of God that man shall surely dye there is no remedy he sins against the infinite mercy of God Thirdly there is no reason in the world why reproof should be taken otherwise than with all willingnesse and thankfulnesse and chearfulnesse If a man have but the reason of a man in him he must needs take reproof in good part he must be a beast that doth
the life of Christ in thee it is a standing life it will not make thee alive at prayer and dead when thou hast done it will not make thee holy and Spirituall at a Sermon and leave thee dead and carnall when it is done not holy and heavenly in discourse and conference and worldly and prophane when it is done not to be holy and lively c. in a good moode and leave thee dead-hearted secure and loose afterwards this is not to be in Christ no the life of Christ is a standing and a continuing life it will make thee alive after all thy services after every duty as thou wast before or in the duty He that saith he abideth in him c. In this word He there are three Notes a note Of Indignation Discrimination Scrutiny First Indignation The Apostle doth as it were point at a certain man in his congregation as if there had been some mâ—n that he knew was not in Christ What man soever whether in this pewe or in that pewe whether on this forme or on that forme if he abide in Christ he ought to walke as Christ walked Hence observe That a Minister is bound to preach home in particular so that he may summon this man and that man in the Church as the Apostle doth here he that saith if there be any one amongst the whole multitude that saith he abideth in Christ he ought also himself to walke as he walked And this commission God gives unto all his ministers Mark 16. 15. Go preach the Gospell to every creature he doth not say preach the Gospell before every creature so they may doe and preach in generall but to every creature that every creature may feele the Gospell bearing on his heart that every creature may see his sins that so the Gospell may be applyed to his heart All the names given to Ministers shew thus much They are called Seeds men now a Seeds man doth not take a whole croppe or a whole bushel of corne and throw it in a heap in his field but he takes it and scatters it abroad that every place may receive some So they are called Builders now a builder doth not onely frame the whole building but he layes every particular bricke and every particular stone in his building So they are called Shepheards a Shepheard doth not onely looke to his flocke in generall but to every Ramme and to every Lamb in his flocke So Preachers must not onely preach the word of God in generall but they must preach in particular The ground of this will appear if we consider three things in particular First particulars are most operative it is not fire in generall that burns but t is this or that fire so it is not sinne in generall that will humble a man it is not repentance in generall that wil turne a man it is not faith in generall that will save a man but this fiâ—ne and that sin this repentance and that repentance this faith and that faith All actions they are of singulars An universall man cannot reason an universall man cannot dispute an universall man cannot see nor hear No it is this man and that man that seeth and hears and disputes Particulars are most operative preaching to men in particular is powerfull preaching that workes upon mens consciences How came the Prophet to preach powerfully to the people He declared to Jacob his sinne and to Israel his transgression Micha 3. 8. I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord saith the Prophet here was the way whereby the Prophet preached powerfully so that the Spirit went and rent mens hearts and consciences and made them tremble how why he made every soule see his sinnes so that Minister that would preach powerfully to the consciences of his people he must make every one of them to see their sinnes against God and his commandements so that they may confesse I see I have been a grievons sinner and I am in the state of damnation and I must repent or else I shall be damned Secondly particulars are most distinct when the preacher preacheth only in generall it workes a confused knowledge knowledge of sinne in generall a confused repenta nce a confused humiliation and a confused faith in the generall it may be it may make a man see he is a sinner in the generall but there are many thousand thousand sinnes in particular that he takes no notice of but swallows them down in the generall it may be his sinnes may be discovered in the generall but alas there are many yea multitudes of deceits of turnings and windings of the heart in particular that are never discovered to them All the religion of these men is only generall I love God with all my heart saiâ—thone and yet the man is grossely ignorant of God Aske him any particulars how he can prove his love to God and the man cannot shew any So I serve God with all my heart but goe to particulars and bid him manifest what he speakes so I feare God I worship God but bring them to the particular workes of these graces and they aregone presently they are lost and know not what to answer Thus the people in Malachies time they thought they had much knowledge while the Priest preached thus overly to them but when the Prophet came to preach home and to come with particulars to them they thought the Prophet was madde they knew not what he meant You have despised the Lord saith the Prophet wherein say they Mal. 1. 6. You have prophaned the worship of God You have polluted the table of the Lord saith the Prophet ver 7. wherein said they You have wearied the Lord with your words said the Prophet Chap. 2. ver 17. wherein said they You have robbed God Chap. 3. ver 8. wherein said they See your words have been stoute against the Lord said the Prophet yet they said what have we spoken ver 13. they could not tell wherein till the Prophet told them herein have you robbed God herein have you despised the Lord herein you have prophaned the worship of God c. So should the minister of God come to men and tell them in particular thou art an enemy to Gods grace thou hast abused Gods patience wherein sayest thou Thou art one that scornest the word of God and thou defilest all the Ordinances of God Wherein sayest thou Thou art one that putst farre from thee the evill day wherein sayest thou Now when the minister of God can come to particulars and shew men wherein then they cry out against them and think they tell them lies and preach false things to them but the Ministers of God are bound to preach so as they may discover mens particular sinnes not so as people may point one at another but so as every conscience may feele its owne sinnes Thirdly particulars are most sensible If the Minister preach home in particular there is not a false heart then
beate but let them heare with Sampson that the Philistines are coming upon them that there is such a gaine such a profit and reputation to be had in the eyes of the world then all the Pinnes and Webbes are broken all their resolutions and all the strong coards of their former purposes are but as fire and towe they breake them all in pieces so then they are but asleepe not mortified Secondly Sinne may bee said to be civilized when it is laide in a swound a man lying in a swound is dead for a while and you would thinke he could hardly be recovered for he can neither heare nor see nor goe nor speake and yet notwithstanding he is not dead onely his vitall heate is gone from his outward members unto the inward powers of the heart Even so a mans sinnes seeme to bee dead when the spirit of his lust is conveighed into a higher lust as for example Suppose here is one that is a covetous worldling this man peradventure is very moderate and temperate he is not given to gaming dicing carding wenching he is not given to building or glorious apparell but what are these sinnes dead in him no but the strength of them is carried up into a higher lust for if he should follow whoring or gaming c. the lust of his covetousnesse would be curbed and his gaine would not come in with such a full Carreere unto him Now all these sinnes forenamed are but attendants and slaves unto this one lust so many men it may be will give over a thousand sinnes yea all except this one yet all those thousand sinnes are not mortified nay it may be hee scarcely thinkes upon any of them Why because they are taken up with a higher lust Even so it is with many civill formall professors they will come to Church misse never a Sermon that they can come unto they will talke of heaven they will not omit any holie communication they will reade the Scriptures pray in their families neglect no holy duties Why then what is their sinne It is not the omitting of these things but the carelesse practise of them in their lives and conversation for although these sinnes be in a swound the strength of them is gone up to maintaine a higher lust for suppose he went not to Church how should he maintaine his profession and if he could not now and then speake of heaven it were impossible he should have his depth of selfe-deceit therefore wee conclude these sinnes are not mortified they onely are civilized Thirdly Sinne may be said to be civilized when the sap of sinne is taken away and no contrary Grace infused as for example Suppose a man give over drunkennesse yet if this man be not filled with the Spirit his drunkennesse is not mortified though he live soberly afterwards all the dayes of his life Again suppose a man give over his intemperate anger he is not touchy nor cholericke nor subject to passion yet if he have not turned his anger against himselfe for every one of his corruptions which breake out against God his anger is not mortified Suppose a man is not given over to worldly griefe but hath given it over yet if his griefe be not turned another way as to grieve for his sinnes his griefe is not mortified Again suppose a man be not set upon a merry pinne ever jesting or telling forth merry tales but now he hath given them over yet if he have not set his joyes on the wayes of God and learned truly to be merry in the Lord it is impossible we can say his carnall mirth is mortified For as the schoole-men say 〈◊〉 there is nothing corrupted till another thing be produced there is no dissolution of wood until it be turned into ashes so sinne is never taken away nor utterly dissolved untill there be contrary grace brought into the heart in stead thereof so then unlesse there be contrary graces wrought in the heart as the contraries of all those sins foregoing they are but onely civilized and not mortified Fourthly Sinne may be said to be civilized when it is overwtharted by a higher principle as when a man is sensible of the wrath of God and hath the flashes of an accusing conscience flying daily into his face lying under the guilt of many horrible sinnes it is impossible for him to goe on with rest and quietnesse in those his unholy courses wherein he useth to walke he may forsake them for a while but yet he cannot mortifie them but as a schoole-boy that playes the trewant while he is under the rodde he will confesse his fault and promise to doe so no more and he verily thinketh so at that time and desires heartily so to doe but it is a desire that he is provoked unto for fear of the rodde and not for love of dutie for when once the rodde is gone and the smart over then he falls to his old trewanting courses againe So we reade in the first of Jonah that when the Marriners were in perill of their lives then every one of them could call upon his God but when the storme and danger was over they quickly left off and cared not for calling on God any longer Fifthly and lastly Sinne may be said to be civilized by Gods giving of positive common grace which he gives unto wicked men as in Mat. 25. God gave unto the unprofitable servant a whole talent which is supposed to be an hundred and sixty and odde pounds so the Lord gives unto wicked men many good graces as softnesse of disposition lovingnesse or easie to be intreated and hereupon they come to Church heare the word and performe many other Christian duties yet all these be but common graces which a man may have and yet his sinnes not mortified and therefore the Apostle saith Mortify your members c. Whence observe That if wee looke to have any benefit by or interest in Christ wee must mortifie all our sinnes and all our corruptions As if the Apostle had said make all your earthly members to be as a dead corpse now we knowin a dead corpse the eyes are there but they cannot see the feete are there also but they want strength for to goe it hath all the members but it hath not life and power to fet them on worke so though sinne be in you still yet let it be like a dead corpse wanting life like a dead Tyrant that can no longer rage and hence it is that the Apostle saith Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies he doth not say let it not be but let it not reigne Sinne when it is mortified is like a dead King that can call no more Parliaments but a man may doe for him what hee listeth because his strength lieth in the dust If Christ be in you saith the Apostle the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Rom. 8. 9 10. Againe if a man have not 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
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
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
the creatures lye under ibid. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end 301. 2. An ultimate end ibid A wicked man hath no right unto the creature ibid. But he hath 1. A civil right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3 A vindicative right 302. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ibid. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ ibid. Use To shew that wicked men have little cause to be merry at any time because there is nothing neare them but groaneth under them 303. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be poured upon the wicked ibid. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groans 305. 2. Witnessing groans ibid. 3. Accusing groans 307. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we do abuse the Creatures of God ibid. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature ibid. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse 308. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to helpe thee to climb up towards heaven ibid. The Contents of the two and twentieth SERMON on John 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars 313. Doct. A true Christian walkes as Christ walked 314. A man must first bee in Christ before hee can walke as Christ walked Object Can any man walk as Christ walked 315. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may ibid. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life ibid. Christ came into the world to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification 316. This Question answered viz. What it is to Walke as Christ walked 317. Foure reasons of the point 1. Because as Christ came into the World to justifie the ungodly so he came to conforme them to his Image ibid. 2. Because in vain we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived 318. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and bee quickened by the same Spirit 319. 4 Because of that neer relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members 320 Use 1. To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ do blaspheme the name of Christ 321. Of all sins under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars 322. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative ibid. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull 324. 3 Particulars are most sensible ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretioas and the vile 325. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God ibid. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ 326. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of the three and twentieth SERMON on John 3. 20. THe Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ 331. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation ibid. 3. The condition required viz. Faith 332. 4. The reprobation of the world if they do not believe ibid. But Christ is neither the efficient nor deficient cause thereof ibid. But the cause of their damnation is from themselves proved 1. By their own conscience ibid. 2. By experience ibid 3. By reason 333. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ibid. viz 1. First from the qualification of their persons ibid. 2. From the disposition of their Nature ibid. Doctr. A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe ibid. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart ibid. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word 334. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching ibid 2. To mercifull preaching 335. 3. To preaching when the minister is dead ibid. If the World doe not hatâ— a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man 337. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit and knowledge ibid. 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the world ibid. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to rise against that which is repugnant to its lust ibid. A wicked man may love three kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity 2. Impertinent preaching ibid. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his Conscience ibid. Reason 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word 339. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word 340. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word ibid. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them 341. 2. Because neither money nor price can make them friends ibid. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together 343. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together ibid. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather go to Hell then be a new creature 344. The Contents of the four and twentieth SERMON on Isaiah 42. 24. THe words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction 350. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it self ibid. 3. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it ibid. Doctrine 1. God is the Author of all judgements that befall a Nation 351. Use 1. For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the orderer of all events ibid. Use 2. For terrour to the wicked that God whom they hate shall be their judge ibid. Use 3. To learne in all calamities to look up unto God 352. Doctrine 2. Sinne and disobedience against the Law of God is that which brings down punishments and judgements upon a Nation Church or People ibid. Use 1. To discover the weaknesse of our Land in what a poor condition it is by reason of sinne 353. 2. To shew who be the greatest Traytors to a kingdom ibid. 3. To teach all of us to set hand and heart Prayer and tears on work against sinne ibid. Especially it concernes thâ—se that are in places of Authority 354. Doctrine 3. The Lord often times brings fearfull and unavoydable judgements and punishments upon his own professing people 335. Four signes of Judgement a coming 1. When the Ministers of God with one voyce foretell judgements to come 856. 2. When sins of all sorts do abound ibid. 3. When the Divell and wicked men cast in bones of dissention ibid. 4. When all mens hearts begin
to faile 357 Three Directions what is to be done in such times 1. Let us shake off the love of all things here below ibid. 2. Let us lay our heads upon the block and be willing that God should doe what he will with us 358. 3. Let us pray and cry mightily to God before we dye even all the time we have to live for mercy peace and truth ibid. The Church of England like the ship of Jonah 359. The Authors Admonition to the People ibid. More then ordinary Faith requisite for these times of danger ibid. The Contents of the five and twentieth SERMON on Heb. 11. 28. THe Coherence of the text with the context 363. Doctr. 1. That it hath heen the property of wicked men and is still to think whatsoever the godly have is to good for them 364. Reasons 1. Because God hath chosen them out of the world ibid. 2. Because the wicked know not the godly ibid. 3. Because the wicked measure others by themselves ibid. 4. Because there is and ever will be a contrariety between the seed of the woman and the Serpent 365. Use 1. This should teach godly men when they are hardly dealt with not to be discouraged ibid. Use 2. Though the world deale hardly with you yet see that you doe not measure like for like ibid. Doctr. 2. The world and the things of the world are of little worth 1. In respect of God 1. Because they can not make us the better esteemed with God 366. 2. They cannot assure us of Gods love ibid 3. They do not make us the more mindfull of God ibid. 2. In respect of themselves 1. They cannot enrich a mans soul with grace 367. 2. They are not able to free a man from any spirituall evill ibid. 3. They cannot give any solid content ibid. 4. We can hove no assurance of them 368. Use To teach us to take off our hearts and affections from pursuing the things of this life 369. Doctrine 3. True beleevers vre persons of great worth ibid. 1. In respect of the worthy names that are given to them ibid. 2. In respect of the great prince that is paid for them ibid. 3. In respest of the consciences of the wicked 370. 4. In respect of the priviledges that God hath been pleased to dignify them withall ibid. Which are these 1. Their Royall descent ibid. 2. Their Royall attendance ibid. 3. Their hig places ibid. 4. Their extraordinary fare ibid. 5. Their Royall apparell ibid. 6. Their freedome from debt ibid. 7. Their free accesse to the throne of grace ibid. 8. All thigs work together for their good 371. 9. They are Gods beloved ones ibid. 10. They have the free use of Gods Creatures ibid 11. They are a safeguard to the places where they live ibid. 12. Great things are reserved for them in the world to come ibid. Use 1. This serves for terror to the wicked who wrong the children of God ibid. Use 2. To teach us to esteem such men as are persons of so great worth 372. Use 3. To direct us how we may be honoured of God scil by honouring such as he honours ibid. Use 4. This serves to comfort the godly however disgraced here ibid. Use 5. To teach us that if we account our selves of that number we be carefull to walk worthy of the Lord 373. The Contents of the six and twentieth SERMON on Gen. 6. 3. THe words opened 377. Doctr. 1. The Lord doth mightily strive with a company of poor rebels 378. Doctr. 2. There is a time when God will strive no more with men ibid. This handled in six particulars 1. Proved by testimonies of Scripture 379. 2. The manner shewn hâ—w God is wont to deale with rebellious people ibid. 3. God at length gives men over to their lusts 380. 4. God hardens such men as he hath given over ibid. 5. God lets such men build upon false bottoms 381. 6. God witholds such means as he had formerly afforded them ibid. What persons they are whom God thus deals with shewn in four particulars 1. Those that have lived long under the means of grace and have not profited by them 372. 2. Those that have had much means and many secret workings of the Spirit and have not made good use of them ibid. 3. Those that have much grieved the good spirit of God in bringing in some sin contrary to the light of conscience and the suggestions of the good spirit ibid. 4. Such as have a vile and contemptible esteem of the Gospell and the Ministers thereof 383. The grounds of this point or why God gives men over and will strive with them no more are taken 1. From the justice of God ibid. 2. From the wisdom of God ibid. Severall Objections propounded and answered 386. Use 1. Seeing that God strives with some men and at length gives them over go home and blesse God that he hath not dealt so with thee ibid. Use 2. Take heed there come not a time when God will strive with thee no more 387. Use 3. Wo to the wicked who are thus left ibid. Their case is miserable in three respects 1. Because if God forsake thee all forsakes thee 388. 2. When God goes restraining grace goes ibid. 3. If God leaves thee common protection leaves thee ibid. The Authors Exhortation Redeem the time and yeeld to the good motions of Gods spirit Four Motives to it 1. Consider the fearfull condition of such as are given over 389. 2. Consider the great danger of putting off ibid. 3. Consider the time past and present ibid. 4. Consider that though God shouldbe all the day long calling and egging â—s on yet our lives are but short ibid. The Contents of the seven and twentieth SERMON on Colos 3. 5. THe Text explained and divided 394. Doctr. 1. If we look to have any benefit by or interest in Christ we must mortify our sins and corruptions 396. Three Reasons 1. Because Christ is a Saviour to save us from our sins 397. 2. Because it is impossible for sin and grace to subsist in one subject 398. 3. Because it is impossible to enter into the kingdom of Heaven if we mortifie not our sins ibid. Use 1. To condemne all such as goe on in their old courses of deadnesse and security 399. Use 2. To teach us that it is not enough to let sin dye in us but we must kill it 400. Use 3. To teach us that the work of our Redemption is no easy worke as many men thinke it ibid. Use 4. To teach us to examine our selves whether we have mortified our sins or no 402. Which may be known by these markes 1. They that have mortified their sinnes doe live in the contrary graces ibid. 2. They that are mortified indeed and in truth are dead to every sinne 403. The Contents of the eight and twentieth SERMON on Isaiah 58. 4. TWo things mainly considerable in the Chapter 1. The prophets Commission 2. The execution of his
SERMON preached at Linton in Kent 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 A SERMON OF M. WILLIAM FENNERS Preached at Linton September 9. 1629. PHIL. 3. 18 19. For many walk 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 and who mind earthly things THE Apostle in the closure of this Chapter setteth out unto us a two-fold kind of life First the life of the Godly and that 1. by way of Exhortation verse 17. Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example 2. By way of declaration verse 20. But our conversation is in heaven whence also we look for the Saviour even the Lord Jesus Christ Then secondly he sets forth unto us the life of the wicked which walked otherwise than the Disciples and Apostles of Christ walked in these words read unto you The Apostle warned those wicked men again and again but they would not take warning neither did they think themselves so bad as he made them and therefore they thought they should speed well enough he preached to them in the Pulpit and wrote unto them though he were six hundred miles and more distant from them and that weeping too that they were enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who mind earthly things These words may be construed two waies either as being meant 1. Of severall wicked men as first of Heterodox walkers such as walk contrary to the Apostles or 2. Of wicked persecutors of the Gospel enemies to the Crosse of Christ 3. Of Drunkards and Hypocrites whose God is their belly 4. Of Ambitious and proud persons whose glory is their shame and 5. Of covetous and carnal-minded men who mind earthly things or as Chrysostom expounds the words and so it seems is the meaning of them to be meant of one sort of men who mind earthly things they are such as walk otherwise than the Apostle walked Who are they that mind earthly things they are enemies of the Crosse of Christ Who are they that mind earthly things Whose hearts and affections run more after the things of this life than after the crosse of Christ Their God is their belly Who are they that mind earthly things and think only how to increase their living and enlarge their estate and make them sure unto themselves their glory is their shame Who are they that mind earthly things that give their hearts the flower of man and their affections the flower of their Souls unto the world and unto the base things of the world still they are they that mind earthly things which set either their loving thoughts or their raking and caring thoughts or their fretting and vexing thoughts or the eager covetous and vain thoughts on earthly things they are they that walk otherwise than the Apostles of Christ walked These are are those that are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things whose end is destruction Hence then will we observe this point That those whose minds and hearts run habitually on earth and earthly things their end must needs be destruction Jeremiah 9. 19. Hear O earth saith God behold I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts because they have not hearkned unto me but rejected my Law Wherein we may see three things 1. That the curse of God is the desert of cursed evil and vain thoughts 2. That the plague and curse of God is the event of evil and vain thoughts evil thoughts do not not only deserve Gods plagues but also bring them 3. Here is notice given to all the world Hear O earth as if he had said here is a reckoning that you little dream of I will bring a plague upon you not only for your idolatry for your whoredom and fornication but even for your vain thoughts Prov. 24. 9 The thoughts of the wicked are sin The Lord doth not only condemn the actions and courses of of wicked men but sets his curse upon their very thoughts Sin is of an homogeneal nature of which every part of a thing is the whole every piece of a stone is stone for it hath the nature of the whole even so it is with sin the least part of sin the least thought of sin the least shiver of sin is sin and abominable before God The reasons why those whose hearts and thoughts run habitually on earth and earthly things must needs end in destruction are 1. That mans end must needs end destruction that never repents Now so long as a mans thoughts run usually and habitually on the things of the world that man never repents repentance not only cleanseth the out-side of man but the inside also even the heart repentance goeth as far as the Law of God â—â—eth where the word of God begins there repentance must noeds begin now the word of God begins and strikes at the heart as saith the Apostle The Word of God is sharp powerful sharper than any two edged sword peircing to the dividing asunder of the soul and Spirit the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart Heb. 4. 12. Now then if the word of God strike at the thoughts of the heart then repentance must go and teach so farr to reform and amend the things of the heart or else he never repents Let a man sweep his house never so much yet it is not clean so long as there remains one Cob-web in it so if thy heart be swept from drunkennesse whoring and swearing and yet if the old Cob-web of vain thoughts remain in any corner of thy heart not washed out nor swept down thou hast not as yet repented Oh Jerusalem faith God to his Prophet wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. Mark how the Lord inforceth his exhortation see how he backs his counsell that thou maiest be saved as if he had said thou canst not be saved unles thou wash thy heart from vain thoughts how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee He doth not say why do vain thoughts come into thee for they will come into the best and most holy heart but how long shall they lodge within thee If vain thoughts do lodge in man and take up their nest in his heart if a man let his thoughts dwel upon vain things and he give away unto them and use them as his market trade and recreations he cannot be saved it is an emphaticall kind of speech as if the Lord should say O Jerusalem
nothing therefore that mans end must needs be destruction that loves not God Fourthly that mans end must needs be destruction that never gives over his sinne and so long as thy thoughts run after the world thou canst never forsake sin thou maist resolve and think on the contrary yet so long as thy thoughts run habitually on the things of the world thou dost not forsake sin Wicked and carnall men may have the eyes of their consciences opened and their hearts awakened whereby they may see their sins and the hellish evill and danger of them whereupon they may resolve and purpose to forsake them and then they will make a covenant with God that they will not do thus and thus I have been touchy and cholerick but I will be so no more I have been a prophane swearer and blasphemer of the name of God but I will be so no more I have been a drunkard and an unclean person but Lord thou shalt see a reformation in me Nay it may be he will tell his minister of it and his father and his mother his wife his children and all his friends too of it but when he comes to his cold blood again and these cold graces which flattered so come to be cold in him so that his heart comes to it selfe again then vain thoughts rest in his heart and he returns to his old sins again as the dog to his vomit and the sow being washed to the wallowing in the mire The Apostle excellently describes a man that can never depart from his sins They have eyes full of adultery which cannot cease from sin 2. Pet. 2. 14. where the Apostle speaks not only of that adultery which is a breach of the seventh Commandement but of such an adultery which is a perfect breach of every commandement when the heart runneth a whoring after every sin and vanitie when the eye of the soul is full of adultery the heart cannot cease from sin when the eye cannot see an object of gain or profit but the mind is presently engaged and runs after it when it cannot see an object of delight and pleasure but it is straightway caught by it when he cannot see any wrong or injury done unto him but presently he is inflamed with revenge and his heart runs after it I say that if thy eye be thus full of adulterie that thou canst not see the occasions and hints of sin but presently thou art insnared and thy soul is taken by it thou art the man that canst not cease to sin therefore untill thou turn the eye of thy soul which is the thoughts and affections of thy heart another way thou wilt never cease to sin For wheresoever thou lookest thou wilt be insnared so long as thy thoughts are evil and vitious either upon pride or covetousnesse or ambition or envy or delights thy soul will look asquint on God and untill these vain thoughts of thine be crucified thou wilt only look upon the satisfying of these vain lusts of thine Prov. 3. 6. In all thy way wayes acknowledge God and he shall direct thy paths In all thy waies think on God or else thou maiest go to many duties in Religion but never be direct in thy going thou maiest pray a thousand times but never be established in thy prayer thou mayest go from Lecture to Lecture and yet never be established in thy service thou mayest go about many things and never be established in any thing unlesse God be in all thy thoughts a man may go on in a course of Religion but it is a hap hazard he is inconstant and unsteady in his his course unlesse in his heart he think upon God and therefore his end must needs be destruction This then may serve first for humiliation to the godly secondly for matter of condemnation to the wicked First for humiliation Are vain thoughts thus damnable that when they bear sway in the heart they make that mans end to be destruction How then ought this to fill the faces of them that have the Spirit of Christ with shame and confusion and to make them in a holy manner to be confounded in themselves and to think of the emptinesse naughtinesse and vanities of their hearts Beloved thou canst not go to prayers but abundance of vain thoughts will be about thee like wasps to assault thee thou canst not go to the Word but these vain thoughts will be a humming in thy ears thou canst not go about the works of thy calling but vain thoughts will haunt thee and creep into thy meditations and take away the main burthen of the work all the day long Beloved this should make a godly man ashamed and confounded in himself in the consideration hereof The Prophet David was so confounded and ashamed hereat that had not God poured in mercy and comfort into his soul he had been distracted and should have despaired considering the company of vain thoughts that lodged within him Psal 94. 19. where he shews what abundance of distracting thoughts he had that if God had not sustained him with comfort after comfort he had been overwhelmed in despair by them Augustine saith a mans thoughts are not in his own power the heart of man is like tinder and if the Devill cast a spark into it thou canst not hinder it from taking fire but thou mayest hinder it from burning further A ship may have leakes in her and thou canst not hinder the coming in of water into her but by thy pumping and industry thon mayest save her from drowning in the water even so evill thoughts though they be rooted out yet they will come in again a mans heart is like to to the fig-tree that grew out of the stone wall which Epiphanius speaketh of the branches were lopt off and it grew again the boughs were lopt off and it grew again they cut down the body of it yet it grew again they pluckt up the roots of it yet it grew again till at last the stone wall and all was fain to be pulled down Even so it is with vain thoughts in the heart a man may lop them off by godly sorrow he may cut them down and root them up by mortification and yet they will be sprouting up and rising up again till the whole body of sin be pulled down and destroyed in a man Gregory speaks of them and saith man may pluck them up but yet not so but that they will rise again The consideration hereof should humble us and make us low in our own eyes Oh then think with thy self and say Oh that my thoughts should be so base eartlâ—y and vain what have I not a God a Christ a heaven to think upon have I not excellent Commandements of God and thousands of sweet and precious promises in Scripture to think upon and must I be thinking on every bable of every straw not worth the thinking on Take the Apostles exhortation Whatsoever things be true whatsoever things are honest
and it becomes sinfull not regarded and abominable in Gods eyes For hearing of the Word of God the godly manâ— hears and the wicked man hears the matter in both is the same the godly man he casteth the Word into a godly mould he hears the Word and he trembles at it he hears the Word and beleeves it he hears the Word and his heart bowes to it and resolves to practise it a wicked man he hears the Word too but he casteth it into a dishonouraâ—le mould he hears it with deadnesse and dulnesse without trembling without faith and obedience So a godly man may think thoughts of God and so may a wicked man think thoughts of God the matter of both is good yet the thoughts of the wicked are vain though he thinks of God yet because he casteth it into his dishonourable frame he fears not God his heart trembles not at God but his heart is as full of dead earthly affections as before he thinks of hearing the Word but it is after this own fashion he thinks of praying but he prayes with his own spirit and not with the spirit of Adoption The Psalmist tells us that the whoremaster the drunkard and the thief thinks of God it is after his own fashion Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done saith God and I held my tongue and then thoughtest that I was even such a one as thy self A wicked man goes on in his sins and thinks that they are not so devillish and abominable as some say they are and he thinks that God thinks so too he is earthly carnall luke-warm and dead-hearted and if he repent at the last he thinks all will be well and he thinks God is of the same mind too he goes on in his drunkennesse swearing pride and hypocrisie and he thinks if he do but remember to ask God mercy and to cry Lord receive my soul when he is going out of the world he thinks he shall not go to hell but be carried to the joyes of heaven and he thinks God is of his mind that God thinks so too But mark what the Lord saith I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee O consider this you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Thirdly mens thoughts are vain when the heart that thinks upon them is earthly and vain wherefore if all the wicked men in the world should lay their heads together to think a good thought yet they cannot for their hearts are vain hearts sinfull hearts they may think of excellent propofitions concerning God his worship his word and service but so long as the heart that thinks upon them is carnall and vain they cannot speak that which is good as saith our Saviour Maithew 12. 34. How can you speak good things Why may some men say â— may not a wicked man read a Chapter in a Bible are the words so hard to be understood and pronounced cannot a wicked man take a Sermon and read it and hear a Sermon and repeat it What are Letters and syllables so hard to be pronounced I answer beloved that is not the meaning of our Saviour How can ye that are evill speak good things no no a wicked man may read Gods word and propound good questions as well as a true Christian but he cannot speak good words that is he cannot speak them from a good heart and therefore his heart being carnall and vain good words in his mouth are as a Jewell in a swines snout it is a word indeed but not a speech when he reads or pronounceth Gods word Aristotle saith that speech is nothing but the expression of that that is within the heart Now then if the word and truth of God be not ingraffed in thy heart if thy heart be not heavenly when thou speakest of heavenly things thou dost pronounce them but not speak them But when thou speakest of earthly things then thou speakest to the purpose because thy heart is set upon them and thy mind and thy tongue go together there is no jarre not discord betwixt them but if thy heart be not pure though thou speakest good things or holy things yet in Christs sense thou speakest them not For say I how can a vain evill corrupt heart think good thoughts An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith our Saviour he doth not say that an evill tree cannot be made good for it may be grafted into another stock divers ways there are to make it good but so long as it is a corrupt tree it cannot bring forth good fruit Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Dost thou go to a drunkard and thinkest there to find any religion in him or to a whore-master to find grace in him Dost thou go to a swearer or a prophane person and thinkest thou to finde any fear of God in them Indeed sometimes there may be some morall good found in them but they are as a pearl in a dunghill out of its place Fourthly all mens thoughts come to be vain when the drift and end of the heart and soul in thinking of them is vain But thou wilt say unto me The end of my thoughts is Gods glory What is it not to Gods glory that we go to the Word and Sacrament that we pray and give almes I Answer The end of every good work in it selfe is Gods glory but is it the end of the worker speaker or thinker I make no question but the end of a good action in it selfe is the glory of God so the end of prayer is the glory of God the end of all preaching and Sermons is the glory of God the end of giving of almes and of all good thoughts is the glory of God but the end of the man that prayes and preaches what is that the end of the hearer and giver of almes what is that the end of him that speaks well what is that Beloved most men have false and corrupt ends which we will branch out into these three heads For the first men will be thinking and plodding from morning till night of their wordly businesses Now because they know they must think on God to make God amends perhaps they will think on him at night when they have dishonoured him all the day So men will swear and swagger drink and be drunk and when they have done say Lord have mercy upon me and so they think to make God amends What beloved will yee swear swagger drink be drunk and lye be secure and worldy and and then ask God forgivenesse to make him amends This is to break Priscians head that you may give him a plaister Will you trespasse your neighbour that you may ask him forgivenesse This is a damned and devillish religion yet this is the religion of many men in the world you shall have them keep daies and weeks and years in the observation of the times of Gods
shalt be found out and the Lord will keep thee out by his spirituall plagues and thy sin shall never be done away but be required at thy hands and stand in everlasting record against thee O my brethren that you would but seriously consider it and look about you it being so weighty a thing that so nearly concerns every one of you But I would not have any poor broken heart and humble Soul to mistake me and so thereby be discouraged but give me leave I pray you to use the words of the Prophet though spoken in another sense Psal 115. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory So let me apply this doctrine unto the comfort of all poor broken-hearted sinners and beate off all carnal prophane wretches that live in their sins not unto you O drunkards swaggerers not unto you whoremasters and unclean persons that wallow in ungodlinesse I say not unto you but unto the poor afflicted soul and contrite spirit that lieth bleeding and gasping under the weight of his sin and that trembles and fears being opprest with the sense of its own unworthiness panting and breathing after Christ Jesus and suing earnestly unto the Throne of grace for mercy and forgivenesse unto thee only belongs this comfort and therefore take it home to thee and know it for thy self Art thou troubled with a hard heart and an unbeleeving soul and art even wearyed and tyred out with thy many sins and infirmities Come thou with comfort unto this holy Communion for thou shalt be sure to find saving good by it to thee it shall be a spirituall medicine to heal all thy diseases and to cure all thy strong and prevailing corruptions and if thou come unto this holy Table of the Lord it shall make thee as it is recorded of Saint Laurence able to suffer Martyrdom and to get victory over all thy unruly affections yea at last thou shalt tread Satan thy arch-enemy under thy feet Thefore be not dismayed for the Lord Jesus invites thee to come What if thy infirmities be many yet the mercies of God which he tenders to thee in this Communion are many more Samson who was the strongest Souldier and Companion in his time that was in Israel to overcome the Philistims he yet began his strength in weaknesse being at the first overcome by a woman So though the Lord intend to make thee a strong Christian he will make thee to begin in weaknesse to perfect thy power to begin in sin and misery that he may make thee to end in glory I know Gods children here may receive temporal punishments and bring temporal scourges upon themselves as we may see amongst the Corinthians here but it shall be for their good and amendment namely for their correction and not for their ruine and destruction that so being chastened by the Lord they might not be condemned with the world Therefore if thou comest carelesly and unprofitably God will chastise thee with the rods of men as he did Peter who receiving the Sacrament with his Master over night yet the next day thrice denyed him but God whipt his soul and scourged his conscience for it and beat him black and blew so that he went out and wept bitterly Nay he could scarce with off that sin and recover himself again whilst he lived Wherefore let us take heed of unprepared coming to the Sacrament for God will not hold such guiltlesse Yea if his own sonnes or daughters transgresse thereby he will make them to feel the smart of it But now to come to all such as come moneth by moneth hand over head without any examination and repentance in their uncleannesse and abomination making no conscience of their reformation let me tell them that it shall be one of Christs demands of them in the day of judgement How oft hast thou been at my Table How oft hast thou been partaker of that holy Communion which I gave unto thee Hast thou come preparedly or received worthily or no Hast thou eat bread at my Table with me and lift up thy heel against me Did I command and thou wouldest not obey Did I send my Ministers to thee to reform but thou wouldest not be reformed Did I check and reprove thee for thy pride blasphemies drunkennesse covetousnesse anger wrath malice fornication hypocrisie and prophanenesse in the matter of my worship and yet wouldest thou still live in these sins Where are all the Sacraments that thou hast received How hast behaved thy self Where are the sins that thou hast forsaken and pleasing corruptions that thou hast abhorred What grace and holinesse hast thou received by the means thou hast enjoyed and how hast thou manifested the same through thy whole conversation Oh! woe woe unto thee yea and a world of woes unto thee and unto all such as shall be silent and speechlesse to those or the like demands of Christ for they cannot say they have come out of their sins and have been reformed by the means of grace and have received spirituall nourishment and refreshing from the heavenly banquet of the Communion of the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ A man will especially regard the last words of a dear friend who is as a mans Soul when he is to speak upon his death-bed and will be carefull to remember them and dost thou not more regard the last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ we count it a horrible sin to alter the last Will of a man that is dead Beloved the Lord Jesus before he left this world instituted this blessed Sacrament as his last Will and Testament and hath given us a charge that as we would not eat and drink our own damnation by bringing the guilt of his body and bloud upon our Souls so that we should discern the Lords body and not come unpreparedly in our sins and abominations without reverence and respect of such holy and high mysteries as if there were nothing more to be received and looked for after then the bare and naked element of bread and wine or as if we did come to communicate with unclean Devils O my brethren if you had but faith you would be able to discern Christ in the Sacrament and therefore when thou comest unto it thou must prepare and sanctifie thy selfe to communicate with him in those holy Ordinances and heavenly mysteries of his most pretious body and bloud for if so be that thou retainest thy sins and so come unworthily unto this holy Table of the Lord thou art a great Covenant-breaker with God For thou never comest unto the Communion but thou makest and renewest thy covenant with God wherein thou promisest thus much or the like in effect Lord I have been formerly a drunkard but now I promise to give it over and never to be a drunkard more I have been a scoffer at Religion and a mocker and derider of thy children but now I faithfully promise Lord that I
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
me A man must have a pure conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. else let him not look God in the face beg he may but he shall never speed as long as he goes on with a conscience that can tell him he regards iniquitie There be many pray for indeed their conscience wil make them pray but they may pray till they come to hell yet they shal never be delivered if there be but one sin unrepented of I remember a story of a poor woman being troubled in conscience and many Ministers using to visit her at last came one which after much talking and praying hit upon one sin which she was guilty of and loth to part with Then the woman cried out till now you have spoken to the post but now you have hit the mark my conscience tels me I have been loth to part with this sin but I must leave it or else I cannot be saved Mala conscientia bene sperare non potest The Pagans had so much divinitie as to say The gods must be honoured with purity therefore they wrote on the doors of their temples Let none having a guilty conscience enter this place Thirdly Importunate prayer is evermore a prayer that is full of strong arguments And hence it is that Job saith I will fill my mouth with arguments Job 23. 4. like an importunate man who will bring all reasons and arguments to effect his cause even so an importunate man at the throne of grace will bring all argu ents to perswade God If a man be to pray for any particular grace he will bring all the arguments he can devise to get it as Lord it is a grace of the Covenant for the want whereof I endure many temptations thou hast made me a Minister I cannot worke on mens consciences untill I have it he presseth all arguments he can devise A good orator before God must be a good logician It was noted of the High-Priests that were to pray before God they were to have Urim and Thummim and that was two parts of Logick viz. knowledge and perfection such an one should a Minister be he must be a good Logitian at the throne of groce Fourthly importunate prayer is a stout prayer Continue in praier saith the Apostle Col. 4. 2. a weak-hearted praier is a cold prayer a prayer without a spirit yet these men that have weak spirits to pray have strong enough to sin and wit enough to sin and knowledge enough to sin but bring them to grace then they have no strength Thou canst not strive to prevail with God unlesse thou stand to it How came Jacob to prevail with God but by wrestling Prayer is called fighting it is a holy kind of violence Thou canst not obtain a mercie at Gods hand unlesse thou lay all thy force on it Even as a Father who hath an apple in his hand and his child would fain have it he first opens one finger then another till the aple drop out So is it with a poor soul at the throne of grace the Lord opens his hands and fills all things living with plenteousnesse What is the means that is used why the praiers of his children they by their prayers open Gods hand and so make the blessings to descend Go for grace why the Lord will say unto thee Thou art proud thou must be humble and so open that finger Thou art carelesse thou must go quicken thy self and so open that finger God saies thou wilt not make much of this grace when thou hast it but thou wilt turn it into wantonnesse then thy soul must learn to mortifie its members and so open that finger thou canst not get grace at Gods hand unlesse thou do open all his fingers and then it will fall down There is a severall power in all Gods children some have more some have lesse yet all must be powerfull else none can prevail with God Fifthly if thou pray importunately thou prayest wakefully he must be deeply awake that praies his soul his heart his understanding must be awake that man that praies drowsily praies not powerfully Watch therefore saith Christ and pray Luke 21. 36. Watch to pray q. d. for as there is a sleepy head so there is a sleepy heart As a Begger who is begging is all awake head feet hands c. all is awake to beg so must that soul be that means to speed in praier Sixthly importunate prayer is an assurance getting prayer a prayer that will not be quiet till it have got assurance that God hath heard it Wicked men pray and presume that God hears them but God hears them not nay many of Gods dear children pray many times and are not heard How long wilt thou be angry with thy people that praieth Ps 80. 4. Not only with their persons but with their prayers also How then think you is the prayer of such as live in their sins taken who pray but their praiers vanish away in the air like clouds these may pray and pray but they get nothing Behold he praies saith the voice to Saul Acts 9. 22. What did he not pray before Yes he had made many a long praier else he could not have been a Pharisee but now he did not only pray but he praied unto God as David did who did lift up his heart to God Psal 25. 1. or else his heart could not have praied and then in the next verse David begins his praier Our hearts are just like a bell which so long as it lies on the ground will make no musick till it be lifted up Our hearts are not like the bell of Rochea which they say will ring of its own accord but our hearts must be lifted up else they will make no delightfull musick in the eares of God Wherefore if you pray and labour not to bring your hearts home to God that so he may hear them in mercy he will it may be hear them but it will be to your condemnation as he hears the praiers of wicked men therefore if thou praiest pray fervently There be six or seven marks of Prayer that is not importunate and he that praies so may go to hell for ought I know The first is a lazy prayer An importunate man works hard to bring up hiâ— suit his understanding his counsell and all his poâ—icie works so if the soul he importunate then it is a working prayer Prayer is a labour 2 Cor. 1. Labour with me in prayer That man that plowes his field and digâ— his vineyard that man praies for a good harvest if a man pray to God never so much yet if he do not use the means he cannot obtain the thing he prayes for Even so it is with grace A man may pray for all the graces of Gods spirit and yet never get any unless he labour for them in the use of the means God cannot abide lazy beggers that cannot abide to follow their calling but if they can get any thing by begging they
Thirdly from Satan Fourthly from a mans own sluggishnesse For the first The best children of God have corrupt natures and when they have done what they can distractions will fasten on them They would perform good duties better if they were able saying with Paul The good which I would I do not c. Secondly from nature as it is curbed The more grace binds nature to its good behaviovr the more rustling it keeps Even a Bird being at liberty keps no stir but being in a cage it flutters about because it is abridged of its libertie so when thou hast curbed thy corrupt flesh it will be skittish in every good dutie thou goest about and hence it is that the Apostle useth this phrase viz. I find another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind c. When grace curbs the law of sin then nature rebels Thirdly from Satan as in Job Satan stands at his right hand as a Plantiffe as Aegidius compares it which puts in all Cases to hinder the Defendant Even so the Devil puts in all bie-thoughts that he can devise to hinder a mans suit for going on before the throne of grace But thou must do as Abraham did when he was sacrificing when the birds came he drave them away so must thou do by thy bie-thoughts if thou wilt have fruit of thy supplications before God Fourthly they come from spiritual sluggishness that creeps on the best if they take not heed And this was the reason the Apostle cryed O wretched man that I am c. I speak not now to the children of God who are troubled with bie-thoughts in their praiers For they the more bie-thoughts they have the more earnest they are in prayer they mourn with David in their prayer Consider O Lord saith he how I mourn Psal 55. There was something in the Prophets prayer that did vex him and that made him so much the more to mourn before God But as for you that can have bie-thoughts in prayer and let them abide with you your praiers are not importunate the Heathen shall rise up against you and condemn you I remember a storie of a certain Youth who being in the temple with Alexander when he was to offer incense to his god and the Youth holding the golden Censer with the fire in it a coal fell on the Youths hand and burnt his wrist but the Youth considering what a sacred thing he was about for all he felt his wrist to be burnt yet he would not stir but continued still to the end This I speak to shame those that can let any thing though never so small to disturb them yea if it were possible lesser things then nothing for if nothing come to draw their hearts away they themselves will employ their hearts Baals Priests shall condemn these who did cut themselves with knives and all to make them pray so much the more stronglie What a shame is it then that we should come on life and death to pray for our souls and yet come with such loose and lazie praiers Think you that a male factor when he is crying at the Bar for his life will be thinking on his Pots and Whores c Was it ever heard of that a man at deaths-door should be thinking on his Dogs can he then think on them Do you think that Jonah prayed on this fashion when he was in the Whales belly or the Thief on the crosse or Daniel in the Lions den or the three Children in the fierie furnace or Paul in Prison Do ye think that these prayed thus What shall I be at praier and my mind in the fields No no if I will pray I must melt before God and bewail my sins and be heartily affected in prayer But as long as I pray thus I pray not at all And as God said to Adam where art thou so may he say to thee Man where art thou art thou at prayer and thy mind at mill is thy mind on thy Oxen and art thou at prayer before me what an indignitie is this Should a man come to sue to the King and not mind his suit will not the King say Do you mock me know you to whom ye speak The Lord takes this as a haynous sin when men come into his presence with such loose hearts Now seeing these things are thus take a word of exhortation to labour for importunate Prayer Prayer is the art of all arts it enables a man to all other duties it is the art of Repentance c. Samuel confessed if he had not had the 〈…〉 Prayer he could not have had the art of preaching 2 San. 12. 2â— See the antithesis between these two words God forbid as if he should say God forbid that I should cease to pray for you for then I should not teach you the right way A Minister can never preach to his people that prayes not for his people It is the art of Thanksgiving a man cannot be thankful if he cannot pray Psal 116. 12. It was the means whereby the Prophet David would be thankful to God he would take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. A man hath not a good servant unlesse he can pray for his master see the story of Abrahams servant Gen 24. Prayer helps to perform all other good duties How dost thou think to have benefit by the Word unlâ—sse thou be fervent in prayer with God to get a blessing upon it We can do nothing but by begging Secondly as Prayer is the art of all arts so it is the Compendium of all divinitie Therefore to call zealously on the name of the Lord is to be a Christian Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord c. It includes repentance humiliation sorrow for sin joy in Gods goodnesse thanksgiving for mercies obedience to his commandements yea the whole dutie man therefore we must labour to be importunate in prayer A Reasonable soul is eminently all souls so Prayer is eminently all good duties Psal 72. The prayer of David the son Jesse that is all his repentance in all passages he did humble himself before God all Davids duties are included by the name of the prayer of David the son of Jesse And therefore thou hadst need to make much of Prayer for thou canst never repent unlesse thou pray well Thirdly Prayer is a mans utmost refuge a man cannot have Christ but only by Prayer 'T is bad enough for a man to be a Drunkard or to live in any other sin but yet after all this if a man have the spirit of prayer there is hope of this man if after all his sinnes committed he can pray to God there is hope But for a man to sinne and not to be importunate in prayer is dangerous What saith the Psalmist They are corrupt and become abominable they have not called on the name of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. Oh fearfull condition Fourthly Prayer is that which Gods
profits hath never the more pain nor anguish in his soul he is soule-whole and heart-whole what need hath he of a Physitian This is a man whole in his sins The wholenesse of the heart is called fallow ground Jerem. 4. 4. for it is like an unbroken field not tilled nor manured there can be no harvest because the ground doth lie fallow so there can be no harvest of grace in that man whose heart is fallow and unbroken and therefore to repent and to break the heart in Scripture is called the putting of ones hand to the plough Luke 9. 62. to plough up the fallow ground of the heart Brokennesse of heart may be considered two wayes First in relation to wholenesse of heart in sin so brokennesse of heart is not a maladie but 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 sinnes 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 plaugues and troubles of conscience the sighs and groanes of a hungring 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 breakes the heart of a Thief to heare the sentence of the Law that he must be hanged for his robbery so it breakes 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 pieces 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 all 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 aginst them if it once feel them Beat thy soul 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 soul upon the Gospel preach the law as much as as you will preach hell and damnation as much as you will let that be the hammer but then be sure lay thy soul 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 soul with the blows 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 knows not what it shall doe but smite it on the Gospel and this with the Law rents it and breaks it indeed So Joel he preached hell and damnation to the people of the Jews and laid their hearts upon mercie and then the hammer crie rent for he is merciful 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 skil 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 â—ed 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 breake them off from their sins Thus you see the meanes that God useth to breâ—k 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 practise 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. Luke 4. 18. If he be created master of this art even for this purpose to heal the broken in heart he will verily heal 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 heal those whom he was appointed to heal now God appointed him to heal thee that art broken in heart and therefore without doubt he will do it 2. Because Christ hath undertaken to do it When a skilfull Physitian hath undertaken a cure he will surely do it indeed sometimes a good physitian may fail as Trajans physitian did for he died under his hands on whose tomb this was written Here lies Trajan the Emperour that may thank his Physitian that he died But if Christ undertake it thou maist be sure of it for he tels thee that art broken in heart that he hath undertaken it he hath felt thy pulse already Thus saith the high and holy one whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place and with him that is of an humble and broken spirit c. Isa 57. 15. He doth not onely undertake it but he saith he will go visit his sick patient he will come to thy bed-side yea he will come and dwell with thee all the time of thy sicknesse thou shalt never want any thing but he will be ready to help thee thou needest not complain and say Oh the Physitian is too far off he will not come at me I dwell in the high places indeed saith God but yet I will come and dwell with thee that art of an humble spirit Thou needest not fear saying Will a man cure his enemies I have been an enemy to Gods glory and will he yet cure me yea saith Christ if thou be broken in heart he will bind thee up Thirdly because this is Christs charge and he will look to his own calling To this man will I look even to him that is of a broken heart Isa 66. 2. Mark I will look to him I will tend him and keep him Neither needest thou fear thine own poverty because thou hast not a Fee to give him for thou maiest come to him by way of begging he will look to thee for nothing For to him will I look that is poor c. Fourthly none but the broken in heart will take Physick of Christ Now this is a Physitians desire that his Patient would cast himself upon him if he will not the Physitian hath no desire to meddle with him Now none but the broken in heart will take such Physick as Christ gives and therefore he saith To him will I look that is of a broken heart and trembles at my words Esai 66. 2. When I bid him take such a purge saith God he trembles and he takes it I bid him take such a bitter Potion or such an untoothsome vomit to feare him from sinne he trembles at my word and he dares not but off with it But when a soul doth not tremble then the Physitian may say let him blood but he cares not for being let bloud he cares not for corrosives he cares not for his advice and counsell he trembles not at his word Christ will never come at such a one Christ bids thee follow such a diet as to watch to pray to fast to mourne c. to keep in and to take heed to catechizing grow not cold by being lukewarm c. If thou tremble at his word well if not but that thou wilt go on in thy sinnes and be damned for ever then thank thine own wilfulnesse But if thou beest broken in heart Christ will assuredly heal thee Suppose thou shouldest come unto Christ be his physick never soveraign and thou shouldest take it yet if thy heart be against it the physick cannot work Imagination or fancy is a great thing in the good or ill successe of physick If thou carpe at his precepts as too strict and except against his word as if he had an ounce of wormwood too much in it If thy imaginations thus run against the physick Christs physick will never cure thee why so thou art not broken in heart to tremble at his word he will help thee without faile but then thou must tremble at his word and take his directions though he prescribe thee to eat thine own dung and drink thine own pisse take it I say what ever it be and I will warrant thee health But thou wilt reply I have but a little faith I answer so had Peter O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt saith our Saviour Matth. 14. 13. There is a little faith and there is a great faith O woman great is thy faith Matth. 15. 28. whether it be a little faith or a great faith so it be true saving justifying faith it is good physick and it will assuredly cure thee It is not the quantity of faith that saves a man but the quality of faith True it is a great quantity of faith because it hath more of the quality more of the truth it heals more strongly and more steadily But faith whether it be great or small so it be true that doth the deed Shall the Patient doubt of his recovery because of the small measure of physick that the Physitian gives him the Physitian gives but a dram of such a powder but perhaps the Patient would have a pound when as it may be the state of his body will not bear it The Physitian observs his measures in prescribing so many ounces of this so many scruples of that therelies his skil in giving the true measure so there is the true measure of faith Rom 12. 3. one man hath so much and another man hath not so much faith Abraham had more faith than Lot the reason is because the state of Lots soul would not bear so much as Abrahams It is one of Hippocrates Aphorismes Not too much at once A Physitian finds it dangerous sometime to empty the body at once or to fill it all at once or to heat it or to coole it all at once it is the safest way to give by little and little so God by little and little deals with thee now he gives thee some faith and then a little more O but my faith is smothered how then can I expect to be healed I answer a man is sick and Violets will cure him now the Physitian makes a compound confection so that the Violets doe not appeare but onely in oyle Now will the Patient thus argue I cannot see one leaf of a Violet no nor yet so much as colour therefore I will none of it it wil not heale me So God gives many a soul unguentum fidei an oyle of faith now it may be the soul cannot see one jot of faith in himselfe yet he shal be cured because there is faith in a confection a mixed faith though there be none in manifestation Thou weepest mournest doubtest and complainest and thou canst not beleeve as thou sayest yet thou
thou dismayed the plaister is come and it will heal thee Conceive these words aright I beseech you a speech is not as it is taken I mean only the broken in heart for otherwise a man may be about to beleeve yet never beleeve about to be healed of his sins yet never be healed Even like the wretch that Zophar speakes of who shall be about to fill his belly and not be able to fill it Job 20. 23. There is a twofold about to be First either such a thing as is about to be and that is the nature of it and it will never be otherwise but still only about to be Secondly or else such a thing as is about to be and that is the progresse of it and not to rest there but at the last to be indeed Feare you then all you that are vain and as yet in your sins you are about to beleeve and that is the nature of your faith it is only about to beleeve like the officers of the next year who are about to be officers and yet are not Beloved never look to be healed if you be not broken in heart It may be thou art broken from some of thy sins but if thou be not broken from them all it is nothing and thou canst not be healed Alas thou maist be broken in some sence and yet never be healed There is a double breaking saith Aristotle either breaking into great parts as wood is broken into logs or breaking into small parts as a stone is broken into powder it may be thy stony heart is broken but it is only into lesser stones thou art fallen from greater sins to lesser from bousing and company keeping to drinking and sipping from playing and gaming on the Sabbath to talking of worldly affairs on the Sabbath from praying not at all to pray coldly Alas alas thou hast a hard heart still when a great stone is broken into lesser stones the lesser stone is as hard as a great stone thy heart must be broken to powder if ever God heale thee First because Physick will never cure a man unlesse it may enter and run into the veines and when it is entred into the body and diffused up and down through all the diseased parts thereof then it cures now if thy heart be not broken the Physick cannot enter give a purgation to a stone it may moysten the outside but it cannot soak in to soften the stone why because the stone is close but if the stone were broken into powder then it would soak even into the heart of the stone God opened the heart of Lydia and then the word entred Acts 16. 14. Brethren you have been under the hands of Christs Physitians ever since you were born but where is the heart that is broken all the Physick is lost the word hath no entrance it hath skinned the wound seared the outside indeed but the hardnesse of the heart is not cured How long have you been under Physick for the curing of your earthlinesse and vanity how long have you lion by it for your anger and malice c under the means yet never the neerer whose hearts are broken I fear the physick doth not soake it comes no neerer than the outside The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart Psal 34. 18. why because their hearts are open and broken and Christ and his word comes neer yea so neere that it toucheth them to the quick But if ye be not broken in heart no Balme no Physick can come neare enough to cure you Secondly thou canst never be cured unlesse Christ cure thee now Christ will never take thee in hand till thou be broken in heart A Physitian wil not meddle with a desperate cure such a one who is not capable of Physick Let not any Physitian saith Hippocrates set upon a fruitlesse cure Now it is fruitlesse to give thee any Physick it is fruitless to poure grace into thee or to vouchsafe pardon to thee this Physick will never heal thee so long as thou art not broken in heart and therefore Christ scorns to take thee in hand True it is if thou wert broken in heart God would not despise thee for the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit so saith the Psalmist A broken and a contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise Psal 51. 17. so then if thy heart be not yet broken it is yet incurable Indeed if we consider Christs absolute power no heart is incurable for he can heal it what ever it bee for all is at his command But God doth not go according to his absolute power but according to his expression and meaning of and in his word now the method that God sets down in his word is thus first the heart must be broken and then it must or may be healed so then so long as thou art not broken in heart thou art incurable Thirdly suppose Christ should begin to heal thee thou being not broken in heart wilt alwayes be taking off the plaister before thou be cured sometimes God terrifies thee with the â—aw and then thou pullest off that plaister Even like unto a dainty Dame who having taken physick and feeling it begin to wamble in her stomack puts a feather in her throat to cause her to vomit it up before it have its full working And thus many take hopes and comforts and promises before the set time In some physick a quarter of an houres difference may cost one his life when a man is to be cut of the stone and he be bound hand and foot yet if he doe but stir or struggle before the Chirurgion hath quite done with him it is a thousand to one but he dies for it so they in the second Psalme had a stone in the heart Christ would have cut them for the stone but they would not be bound they would not endure their cutting no let us break his bonds asunder cast away his cords from us Ps 2. 3. men cannot be smitten at a Sermon but oh they must presently have comfort as soon as once the physick begins to make the head to ake and the stomack to be sick and the man to be exceeding ill it is a signe that the physick doth now begin to work but if this man should devise how to vomit it up or to clyster it out he looseth all the benefit of the physick keep this plaister on as long as thou canst if ever thou mean to be healed If the wound be throughly whole the plaister will fall away of it self Should a man have never so good a plaister and should every foot be taking it off it would never do him any good If God have shot an arrow into thy heart bind the plaister to the sore and let it there rest till the malignity of the sore and venom of the wound be put out But if thou be not broken in heart it is in vain to minister or to say any thing
would be a false saying of the Prophet For a wicked man may go to Church and fall upon his knees c. but never come before God This presence is to see the face of God Fourthly the conscience of a man doth answer him whether God hear him yea or no. As it was with the high Priest whensoever the high Priest came into Gods presence to inquire of him though God did not appear visibly unto him yet he might read Gods answer in his Urim and Thummim he might there know Gods mind so a mans conscience is his Urim and Thummim When he comes before God his own conscience gives him an inckling whether he speed or no 1 John 3. 20 21. If our hearts condemne us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things Beloved if our hearts condemne us not then have we confidence towards God If a mans conscience tell a man his prayers are rotten that his humiliation is rotten that his heart is â—o upright that yet he is not purged from his sins that his seeking of God is fained and hypocriticall it is the very voice of God in his soule and if our consciences condem us God saith the Apostle is greater than our consciences There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. as if he should say those that are in Christ God doth not condeme them they have not that condemnation nay their own conscience doth not condemn them so that that man whom any condemnation either from God or from his own conscience condemns that man is not in Christ being not in Christ he can never be heard Indeed a mans conscience may be mis-informed by Satan under a temptation as you may see in the verse before my text Thou hast heard my voyce sâ—op not thine eare from my cry Here the Church being examined their consciences told them they were heard in their prayers but being under a temptation their consciences were afraid that God heard not So many a poor soule examine it and it cannot deny but that these and these tokens of grace and fruits of Gods Spirit are in it yet their consciences are afraid that the Lord will not give them these and these other graces that they want that the Lord will not hear them for such and such blessings I meane not neither a truce of conscience for there may be a truce of conscience in wicked men A truce may be between mortall enemies but no peace but amongst friends Wicked mens consciences are like the Lion 1 Kings 13. who when he had killed the Prophet stood by the Corps and by the Asse and did not eate the body nor tear the Asse so a wicked mans conscience it is as the devils ban-dogge or roaring Lion till it hath slaine the sinner it stands stone still and seemes neither to meddle nor make with him but lies as seared or dead in him I mean not this conscience But when God hath sprinkled the conscience with the bloud of Christ and made the conscience pure this is a signe that God heares his prayer I mean not the stammering of conscience when it is dazelled or overwhelmed but when it speaks down right as it means A goâ—y mans conscience sometimes may judge otherwise then the thing is But examine what thy conscience tells thee in sober sadnesse deliberately convincingly and then know that the Lord tells thee If thy conscience sayes peremptorily that thy heart and wayes are rotten and unsound then know that the Lord tells thee so and that the Lord sayeth so to thy soule Fifthly the getting of that grace that a man prayes for is a signe that God heares his prayers But this is not a true signe alwayes but with distinction When the grace given and the good will of God the giver cannot be severed then it is a true signe But when the gift and the good will of the giver may be severed then it is not a true signe Thou mayest pray unto God and God may give thee many temporall blessings and many common graces of his Spirit God may give thee good parts a good memory he may give thee a good measure of knowledge and understanding even in divers things he may give thee some kinde of humility chastity civility thou mayest be of a loving and flexible disposition so he may give thee a good estate in the world houses lands wife and children c. God may give thee all these and yet hate thee and never heare one prayer thou makest thou maist pray for a thousand blessings and have them and yet never be heard so long as the good will of the giver is severed from them all outward blessings and common graces may be severed from Gods good pleasure to a man Therefore in temporall blessings or in common graces if thou wouldst know whether God hear thee or no know whether God hath given thee a sanctified use â—f them or no. If God hath given thee many common graces or temporal blessings and a heart to use them to his glory then every blessing thou hast there is not a drop of drink nor a bit of breâ—d that thou hast but it is a signe of Gods everlasting love to thee Why because this and the good will of the giver can never be severed But on the contrary if a man have not a sanctified use of that he hath then it is the greatest severity of God and the most eminent plague and curse of God upon the soule to give it for a mans parts may be his bane his civility may be his curse and means of the finall hardnesse and impenitencie of his heart Sixthly faith if a man have faith given him to believe it is a signe that God heares him be it to thee saith Christ to the man in the Gospel according to thy faith so goe thou to God and be it to thee as thou beleevest Dost thou pray for grace according as thou beleevest so shalt thou receive I have no signe that God will heare me I have so many corruptions of my heart against me and so many threatnings of Gods frowns against me I have no signe that God will heare me Wouldst thou have a signe An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a signe this is a tempting faith to seek for signes to believe Thomas said Christ John 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe That man that believes because he feels grief in his heart teares in his eyes groans in his spirit because he prayes long and earnestly and sweats in his prayer or mourns in his humiliation I suspect his humiliation his teares his griefe his prayers and all that he hath Why these are good signes of faith but rotten grounds of faith the word and promise of God must be thy ground But against this the soul may object That every Promise runs with a Condition and therefore if I
Isaiah 27. 11. He that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will not pitty them It is commonly beleeved if men come to Church heare the Word and call upon God that then presently they are good Christians Beloved it is not so Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Men are ready when they can but call Lord have mercy on me O sweet Saviour pitty me most mercifull Lord Jesus have compassion on me if they can pray in their families and pray at Church c. to think now all is well with them and Christ cannot but save them and give them the Kingdome of Heaven but our Saviour puts a not upon it and saith not every one that saith Lord Lord it is noâ— a Lord a Lording of Christ with the tongue onely it is not a taking up of an outward profession of Christ only that is sufficient for a man that shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven no saith Christ but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven But of this by the by Secondly there are needlesse discouragements which doe much hurt in prayer Nee lesse discouragements do much hurt to many a poor soule that hath forcible wouldings and wracked desires after grace and holinesse and yet is held by discouragements yea many a Christian heart lieth a long time under it wrestling and striving under its wants and yet kept out from grace and from growing in grace because of discouragements yea the best and strongest of God Saints have been kept off and have hung much on discouragements Fear not saith God to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. So fear not Joshua saith God to Joshua Josh 1. 9. Intimating that both Abraham and Joshua were afraid of discouragements they were afraid that many evils would befall them that they should meet with many rubs and difficulties that would be too hard for them therefore the Lord calls to them fear not be not djsmayed nor discouraged I â—ou saidst fear not Hence observe That God would not have any Christian soul to be discouraged in prayer Thou saidst fear not For our clearer prooceeding herein first let me shew you what discouragement is and secondly how it comes to be dangerous and hurtfull in prayer What is discouragement It is a base dismayment of spirit below or beneath the strength that is in a man under the apprehension of some evill as if it were too hard for him to grapple with it There be foure things in this diffinition First I say it is a base dismayment of spirit and so I call it to distinguish it for there is an humble dismayment which a Christian is commanded A man is bound to be dismayed for his sinnes I say 32. 11. Tremble ye carelesse women that are at ease be troubled ye carelesse ones these carelesse ones went on in their sinnes and feared not God calls to them and bids them to be dismayed But the dismayment and the discouragement I speak of it is a base dismayment of spirit which is either when he is dismayed that ought not or he is dismayed at that whereat he ought not to fear where no cause of fear is As he that riding along upon the high way spying a mans shape thought it was some Spirit and thereupon he sickened and died So many a poor soul looking in the perfect Law of God and seeing his own uglinesse and filthinesse he is discouraged and thinks himself undone his heart waxeth cold within him and he begins to fear that he is but a dead and damned man Secondly it is down beneath the strength that is in a man that man is properly said to be discouraged not that he hath no strength at all in him nor no courage at all for such a one is an infeebled man not a man discouraged but a discouraged man is a man put besides the courage that is in him when a man hath strength enough to grapple with the evill before him but through dismayment of spirit he cannot put it forth Have not I commanded thee saith God to Joshua Be strong and of a good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismaied Iosh 1 9. God had given Joshua strength enough whereby he was inabled to observe and do according to all that Law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded him God had now doubled his Spirit upon him yet he commands him be not afraid neither dismayed as if he had said Joshua if thou beest dismayed and discouraged though thou hast strength and power to go through the businesse that I have called thee unto yet thou wilt not be able to use it nor to put it forth if thou beest discouraged Thirdly it is at the apprehension of some evill I say not at the sight of some evill for a man may be dismayed at the apparition of good as Mary when she saw nothing but a good Angell Luke 1. 29. she saw nothing but a glorious Angel neverthelesse she was afraid and discouraged Why because she had a secret apprehension of some evill either of some evill proceeded in the salutation or some unworthinesse in her selfe to receive such a gracious salutation it cannot be the apprehension of any good that discourageth a man but the apprehension of some evill Fourthly not of every evill neither for if the evill be but small courage will stand it out but it is of such an evill as he fears he is not able to grapple withall If the evill before him be inferiour to him he scornes it as the barking of a toothlesse Dog If it be but an evill equall to his strength then he makes a tush at it because he knowes or thinkes himselfe able to encounter with it But if it be an evill above his strength then his spirit melts and droops before him See this in Saul 1 Sam. 17. 11. and his people When they saw the Champion of the Philistims coming against them when they saw him so hugely and marvelously armed and heard him speake such bigge words they thought they were not able to stand and to encounter with him and therefore saith the Text when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistim they were dismayed and greatly afraid Thus you see what discouragement is Now we come to the second question to shew how discouragements come to be hurtfull in prayer such discouragements the Lord would not have our hearts to be in when we pray unto him For first God cannot give ear to that man that is out of heart in his prayers Thou canst never pray if thou beest dismaied in prayer When the soul begins to feare and reason O I am so unworthy that God will not looke at me I am so sinfull so blockish so dead and dull to all good that God will never regard me Thou canst never pray Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved If
in the congregation but he will find it out if he preach in particular he will discover every mans corruption fling wilde fire in every wicked mans face and throw balme of comfort into every godly troubled spirit As King James said well of a reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinks this man preacheth of death as if death were at my back so should Ministers preach as if Heaven were at mens backes or as if hell were at mens backes When he preacheth of mens sinnes and corruptions he must preach so that their consciences may see that the word of God looks into the very thoughts and hearts when he preacheth of the wrath of God and of condemnation c. he must preach so that the conscience may feele even the fire of hell flaming in it this is the way to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord as it is called 2 Chron. 30. 22. every Minister may teach the knowledge of the Lord but not the good knowledge of the Lord. There is great difference between teaching of the knowledge and of the good knowledge of the Lord. Men may know God and his word and their sinnes but if they go on in their sins it is not good knowledge then indeed a Minister teacheth good knowledge when he makes his people so to know sin as to loath it and to come out of it so to know repentance as to repent indeed Secondly Discrimination As if he should say there are some that are in him and some that are not in him if any man say he abideth in him he ought himselfe to walk even as he walked so that here the Apostle would put a difference between the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation Hence observe this point That every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference between the precious and the vile Saint John preached so as that his hearers might say the Spirit of Christ is in me or the Spirit of Christ is not in me that themselves might know whether indeed they were true members of Christ or but hypocrites This is the duty of Ministers Ezek 44. 23. They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and cause men to discerne between the cleane and unclean Here is two things First they shall teach them the difference between the holy and prophane Secondly they shall not onely shew it before them but if they will not see it they shall cause them to see it that is they must beat it into them and rubbe it into their consciences it may be when men may see they will not then he must make them to see If there be any prophane person any luke warme or dead-hearted professor or close hypocrite in the congregation the Minister must make him see his prophanesse his deadnesse and hypocrisie in Gods worship or if there be any godly soule or broken heart the Minister must make them to see that they have a broken heart First reason because else a man defiles the pulpit and prophanes the holy things of God Ezek. 22. 26. Her Priests have violated my law and prophaned my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the cleane and unclean Those Ministers prophane the holy place of God when they make not mens consciences know which is holy and prophane when prophane persons may come and go from Church and have not their prophanenesse discovered to them a drunkard a swearer c. and hath not his sinnes laid open to him Is there any prophane person here that hath not an arrow shot into his heart but he can goe away and not take any comfort from the Sermon these men prophane the holy things of God When God gave Benhadad into the hands of Ahab and Ahab spared him and let him goe 1 King 20. the Prophet tells Ahab ver 42. Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life c so if there be any Minister over any congregation in which there is any drunkard any swearer or whoremaster or wordling or lukewarmling or any other that lives in such sinnes which God hath apointed and decreed to eternal destruction in hell if we tell them not their sinnes and make their consciences feele them then our life shall goe for their life our soule for their soule for we might have given them such a wound as might have been a means to have cured their soule Secondly We are not the Ministers of Christ if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted if they are not c. God saith to to the Prophet Jeremiah if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Jeremiah could not be Gods mouth to the people unlesse he would divide between the precious and the vile Unlesse Ministers preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in they may be Ministers of Satan Idoll-shepheards but they are not the Ministers of Christ Thirdly because otherwise they can doe no good Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flock thus saith the Lord God behold I will judge between cattell and cattell c. As if he should say woe unto the shepheards will they not preach so as to make a difference between cattell and cattell woe unto the Priests will they not preach so as to feede my flocke I will require my flocke at their hands and now saith God will not the shepheards of my people doe it I will now doe it my selfe I will convert those that are to be converted c. I will feed and provide for my flock my selfe Austin notes that after that Peter had smote off Malchus his eare Peter came to be a shepheard and an Apostle of Christ after Paul had persecuted the Church he came to be a Preacher and an Apostle of Christ so after Moses had killed the Egyptian God made him the Captain and deliverer of his people Austin observes from this that God appoints none for his Ministers but Smiters such as be men of blows men that will smite men home to the heart men that wil wound the consciences of their hearers This I speak that you may not be offended at the ministers of Christ when they apply the word of God to your severall consciences and whensoever you have the truth of Christ preached to your soules let your hearts make use of it for if thou apply not the word of God to thy soule as it is preached thou art guilty of thine own bloud If you apply not the word you put off the word of God and then what saith the Apostle Acts 13. 46. It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it farre from you and judge
your selves unworthy of everlasting life c. You that have heard the word of God apply it to your soules it is a blessed plaister let it lie on your soules go home and say Lord I have been told of this and that sinne of my pride hypocrisie deadnesse and distraction in thy worship and service c. I see they are against thy will and thou commandest me to come out of them and to leave them Lord I beseech thee inable me to leave them all so Lord I have been told this day of such and such graces which thou hast commanded me for to have of such and such duties that thou wouldest have me to take up and performe Lord subject my heart to the power of grace and to every commandement of thy word Take heed if thou doest put off the word of God or any tittle of the word and wilt not walke according to the same thou puttest off eternall life from thy selfe Doe therefore as Gods people did who when Moses had preached the Law and Will of God to them it is said Exod. 12. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israel as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron so did they So doe you goe home and apply the word to your soules it was spoken for your good make use of it and the Lord be with you Thirdly Scrutiny it is not onely an outward word but a word of the heart if any man say that is if any man think that he is in Christ he ought to walke as Christ did Hence we might observe That a Minister is bound to preach to mens thoughts But time cuts us off THE ENMITIE OF THE WICKED To the light of the GOSPEL In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE ENMITY OF THE WICKED To the light of the GOSPEL JOHN 3. VER 20. For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved THis is part of Christ his parly with Nicodemus concerning regeneration wherein our Saviour doth declare four main points The first is Mans naturall estate and condition without Christ It is impossible that ever he should be saved that ever he should get grace or come within the list of eternall life Christ saith it and bindeth it with an oath ver 3. Verily Verily I say unto thee except a man be borne again he cannot see the Kingdome of God much lesse inherit it Secondly here is Gods gracious provision which he hath taken with the world that though man were in a way of damnation invincibly yet now he is put in a way of probability of salvation ver 16. though he were damnable by nature yet now he is salvable by Christ Thirdly here is a general proclamation upon the condition of faith that this salvability may be attained if a man believe In the same verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him c. It is a condition of faith put to all none excepted Whosoever he be that beleeveth in Christ he shall be saved Fourthly here is the reprobation of the world he that beleeveth not is condemned already The cause whereof cannot be cast on Christ for God hath not sent his Son to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved It was Christs primary purpose and the first end of his coming to save the world it is an accidentall end or rather an event of his coming that the world is condemned Christ is not the cause of it he is not the efficient cause for he is a Saviour nor the deficient cause for he is a sufficient Saviour That the cause of their condemnation is from themselves and not from Christ is proved by three arguments First from their own consciences he that beleeveth not is condemned already He cannot here speake of the condemnation of hell for he is not in hell already But he speakes of an apprehensuall condemnation in their own consciences as Chrysostome observes he meanes the condemnation of their own consciences he that beleeves not his conscience tells him that it is his fault that he beleeveth not though it be not in his power to be beleeve yet God hath gone so farre he hath so farre strugled with mens consciences that there is no default on his part They cannot excuse themselves saying I have no power to beleeve their own consciences will tell them that God hath knocked at their hearts and offered them power to beleeve but they rejected it They cannot say I know not how to beleeve his own conscience will tell him that God hath offered instruction to him whereby he might have been taught but that he refused it so that he that beleeves not is condemned already his own conscience riseth within him and tells him that it is his own fault that he doth not Secondly it is proved by experience experience shews that men are the cause of their own condemnation verse 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world but men loved darknesse rather then light the meaning of it is this This is the cause of condemnation to the world not Gods predestination not their fatall destiny not their breach of the first covenant nor any other impiety but this sinne of Infidelity If the world stood guilty of never so many sinnes yet if it did beleeve in the Lord Jesus it should be saved So that it is not all the other sinnes that a man commits that damnes him but his infidelity that layes all his former sinnes that ever he committed upon him here is condemnation that though light be come into the world to pull men out of their darknesse and sinnes yea though Christ though grace come to them yet they will not come out of their sinnes men will not have Christ men will not have grace men love darknesse rather then light Thirdly It is proved by reason verse 20. the verse now read unto you For every man that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should be reproved It is a strong argument to prove that if men be damned themselves are the cause of it for if light come into the world to instruct men if Christ come into the world to pluck men out of their sins if Christ come with his bloud and spirit to cleanse and sanctifie men and men will not be sanctified Then if they perish in their sins they are justly guilty of their own condemnation The words comprehend in them two things First the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is set forth both positively he hates the light and then privatively or rather negatively neither cometh to the light Secondly the cause of the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is twofold First the qualification of his
thoughts thy vain words and thy vain lusts and wilt thou not If God had redeemed us with silver and gold that were but drosse no he hath redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne if now thou wilt part with the bloud of Christ rather then with thy sinnes that the word of God commands thee to part with how great is thy hatred of the word Bloud it is necessary to the life of every living creature I am sure the Bloud of Christ is necessary to the life of a Christian without it a man can never be washed nor never be sanctified nor made acceptable to God That man that will rather part with his bloud rather then lay down his hatred of such an one whom he hates he hates him for ever he hates him to the death Thou that rather then thou wilt part with thy evill courses from those sinnes that Gods word would have thee to to give over and forsake wilt part with the bloud of Christ I say thou hatest the word and thou hatest a reformation of thy wayes for ever with an everlasting and damnable hatred That man that had rather be damned then leave his sinnes that had rather goe to hell then be a new creature he hates the parting with his sinnes he hates to be a new creature It is truth man is a reasonable creature and therefore cannot reason so in expresse words as to say I had rather be damned then to give over my drunkennesse my lying my swearing my lust I had rather goe to hell then be so pure and so holy c. But every wicked man is so unreasonable in very deed for the word of God tells that wicked men that live and die in such sins and such sins shall be damned yet they will not give over their sinnes Doth not your own conscience tell you that as long as you pray no better as long as you walke no better in your profession God abhorreâ— you and all that you doe and will damn you doth not thy conscience cell thee that yet thou hast no assurance of salvation that as yet Jesu-Christ was never given to thee that as yet you never had the Spirit of Christ to kill sinne in you if that thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes and not get Christ and his Spirit into thy heart as the word of God commandeth thee and thy own conscience perswadeth thee I say if yet thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes then thou choosest to be damned rather then to part with sin Doe we not say such a rogue will be hanged that such a hasty furious man will undoe himselfe doe we not say of a rebellious child that he will be disinherited not that any man reasons so in words I will doe thus and thus and undoe my selfe I will steale and be hanged I wil be a rebellious child and be disinherited I will goe on in my sinnes let the world say what it will and be damned But when a man knows that the wages of sin is death that the end of drunkennesse of swearing of lying of pride security hypocrisie formality in religion c. is death When a man knows that the end of that sinne which he lives iâ— is damnation and yet will goe on in those sinnes he wills to be damned Ezek 18. 31. Turne you turne you why will you dye O house of Israle why were any so madde as to be willing to dye to perish for ever yet saith the Prophet why will you dye as if he should say why will you sin that man that wills to sin he wills to be damned that man that will be damned rather then part with his sinne that man loves sin for ever and so hates the light Beloved be ashamed to carry so many plague-tokens upon your hearts so manny sinnes in your soules so many oppositions and rebellious against the word That man that hates and rebells against the word can never be saved by the word You that have had the preaching of the word look that you give way to it take heed that you withstand not the breath of it I could tel you one thing I pray God to send it home to your hearts commonly when God sneds his word to a people those that are wrought upon for the most part are wrought upon at the beginning generally it is so I will give you a convincing place for it Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard they glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Paul and Barnabas were come to Antioch and had preached one Sabbath day and now had preached another The Gentiles glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved as if he had said all that were ordained to eternall life beleeved at those Sermons as if he should say again all that beleeved not at those two Sermons were reprobates Those that did belong to God they did beleeve and hearkened to the preaching of the word to them on those two Sabbaths All that were ordeined to life they beleeved at these two Sermons the rest that beleeved not are branded and marked out for despisers and wonderers Heare O despisers and wonder and perish c. Agree with thine Adversary whilst thou art in the way Matth. 5. Beloved you are now in the way of salvation your Adversary is the Lord himself til he be reconciled unto you you are in the way while you are under the preaching of the word you know not how soon God may take you out of the way you know not how soon God may take his word away or if that continue yet he may withdraw his Spirit and then if God once take away his Spirit then you may seek to be converted but shall never find it you may seek for grace but shall never get it you may seek for Christ but never obtaine him if men stand out against the word and Spirit of Christ while it is beating upon their hearts and offering them grace then Christ will be a swift witnesse against them Malach. 3. 5. Doth Christ come to thee now obey now beleeve now give over thy sins Doth he bid thee now repent c. O give way to the Words of Christ give way to the spirit of Christ otherwise Christ will come swiftly I will be a swift witnesse I tell you the Covenant of grace will not stay long God is about to put up his wares When no Customers come the Merchant puts up his wares so God will even close up all his graces then Preachers may preach but none shall be converted People may heare but never be turned which the Lord deny from ever being amongst us therefore while it is called to day hearken and the Feare of God be with you GODS IMPARTIALITY IN HIS JUDGEMENTS In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed
all punishments then this may make their haire to stand upright upon their heads That God whom thou hatest is the punisher of thee even he whose Sonne thou despisest and whose Sabbaths thou prophanest He is able if his wrath be kindled to consume thee in a moment Oh if thou haddest not an adamant heart this would daunt it and dissolve it into teares of bloud God will infinitely punish thee who is a consuming fire but if thou wilt not be daunted there is nothing but fearfull looking for of fire and brimstone for ever in hell When God punisheth his children it is in mercy but to the wicked his wrath is in their punishments and his Judgements are in anger and great wrath and therefore when he punisheth thee thou maiest say A just Judge brandeth me in the hand Is it so Then when Calamities come let us not so much stand upon men or upon the help of them but let us look to God as David did it may be the Lord sent Shimei to raily on me 2 Sam. 16. 10. and so did Job the Lord gives and the Lord hath taken away Iob 21. 12. The Caldeans did it but they were Gods Instruments We should not do as dogs that gnaw the stones that are throwne at them God takes stones as it were and throweth them upon mens heads and sometimes whips them by wicked men Now the wicked are but Gods rod and when he hath scourged thee he will cast the rod into the fire Therefore goe unto the Lord make peace with him and he will remove it The wicked I confesse are in fault but God is the Author of all and he will deliver you in his good time Secondly wherefore will God deale thus with Israel because they have sinned with a rebellious spirit not by infirmity but in disobedience Whence you may learne this point of Instruction That sinne and disobedience against Gods Law is that which brings down punishments and judgements upon a Nation or a people or Church All Sin in generall is the brooder and hatcher of all judgements and the very spawne of all punishments Ah this sinne and disobedience and willfull rebellion against God it will bring sword and famine amongst us and let in the enemy and send out God from amongst us and stop the mouthes of his Ministers and break off the Parliament A more particular cause why God sends punishments amongst us is this because Kings will not be subject to the Lawes of God and Queens will doe what they list when Bishops and all people will have elbow room to doe that which seems good in their own eyes as giving toleration for the prophanation of Gods Sabbaths that the people may dishonour the Lord and runne headlong to hell this and such like sets up wickednesse and brings the wrath of God upon us and his vengeance upon our Land and Kingdome when thus sinne gets the upper hand and day of the word for which I cannot chuse but pitty our poor Land neither could you do lesse if your hearts were not as hard as an adamant and your eyes glued together Ah poore Nation now thou liest a bleeding and drawing to an end and the bell now tolls for this Nation and the Lord is a going from this Land and her punishments and judgements are comming on apace so that all Nations may say Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this Land what meaneth the heate of his anger then shall men say they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and served other Gods Judges 4. 2. When they forgat the Lord their God then he sold them into the hand of Iabin King of Canaan this was the ground why the Lord drowned the old world Genes 6. 12. because they had corrupted all their waies this was the cause why the Lord burned Sodome and Gomorrah with wild-fire from heaven this was the cause the Lord destroyed Ierusalem forty years after Christ because they would have none of the offers of Christ and of grace and mercic And thus much for proof Good Lord what a poor weake Land have we if sinne and rebellion be the cause of all punishments then in what a poor case is England how weake are we our hearts may shake within us and our knees may knock together to consider of it having so many sinnes of all sorts of all degrees and committed with so high a hand and in most fearfull manner We are sick from the Crowne of the head to the soale of the feete there is no soundnesse in us we are sicke in head sick in heart sicke in stomack we have had peace and that hath surfeited us and now we have gotten the pleurisie and nothing but letting of bloud will cure us God grant the Lord let us blood in our hearts also God must purge and physick us and fetch out the drosse which we have gathered by our disobedience If sin and rebellion will doe it we have given God cause enough so to plague us Is it so Then we see who are the greatest traytors in the kingdome and what they are that pull down punishments upon a Kingdome they are disobedient rebells and traytors full of sinne I protest the greatest traytors our land hath this day are the prophaners of Gods Sabbaths and such as do give liberty to prophane them and to swear and be drunke these are the plague sores of this Kingdome and bring down heavie jugements upon us yea of what place or dignity soever they be It is not onely poor drunkards but silver and velvet-Coat drunkards even the Lordly men of this kingdom who give liberty to sin for the greater are the men the greater are their sins they are the most dangerous even as great Cut-purses doe more harm then little ones for as Haman was hanged before the Jews saw good daies and the seven sons of Saul were slain before they could have any peace in Israel so while these rebells be not hanged what peace can be expected while Ionah was in the ship there could be no quietness so whilst these rebells and vile wretches live and have favour and are respected and goe on stil unpunished they are in the land as Ionah was in the shippe and so long there can be no quietnesse in the land One Achan did plague a whole land but here are many Aehans in this land Oh poor land thou art wonderfully laden by every ungodly person both in Country and City O let us beg of God that the wicked may be removed out of the land or that God would turne their hearts Is it so that sinne is the brooder of all punishments O then let it teach every one of us to set heart and hand and all to work to joyne all our forces of prayers and tears against these enemies and labour for the reformation of these When Jonas was in the ship the Marriners came about him and asked him from whence comest thou So if
ever we would see good dayes we must joyne our prayers and all our powers against our sins and the sins of others When the Philistins saw that the Arke was the cause of the punishments that befell them then they never rested till they had sent it away so let us ship and packe away our sins if ever we would have our punishments removed from us Say O mine enemie have I found thee thou art the enemies of King and Countrey and Parliament and Gospel and thou art he that brake the last Parliament thou art he that lost the day at the Isle of Ree thou art he that sent so many poor Rochellers to the grave with famine and thou art he that makes division between Kings and commons The Lord give us power and courage for if ever we had need now we have and let us bestir our selves and pray that God would be pleased to stirre up the heart of the King and other Magistrates against these sinnes Oh that Magaistrates in their places would set their hearts and hands against all these sinnes but light execution is done and most Magistrates stand for ciphers in their places and onely take up a room and do nothing We cannot draw them with all the arguments we can use to punish these sinnes We have cause to mourne for they stand like scrare-crowes with a peice in their hands but never shoote and the birds may pick the strawes from their heads so that Magistrates do nothing But to you I speake that are chiefe in Towns and chief Officers you should all joyne hand in hand and heart in heart to pull down these ale houses hel-houses and nurseries of the devil and to supplant wicked nesse We must not be one for them and another against them for in so doing we shall never see good dayes And you Gentlemen when are your hearts and hands against them when did you ever speak or write against them when did you ever set foot in striving to have them supprest men stand with their fingers in their mouthes and their hands in their pockets and dare not stand for God and good causes The Lord be merciful unto us we doe not joyne our forces prayers and powers that we can make for Gods glory Oh that the Lord would be pleased to put his Spirit into our hearts that we may be all of one mind So you Gentlemen in your places and we Ministers in our places and all of us we are with all the strength and courage and mettle that the Lord hath put into us to cry and pray and preach down sinne And all you Masters and Dames you are to reforme your Families for these sinnes bring down punishments upon the Land Therefore labour to find out the wickednsse of your Families and admonish them and reprove them plainly and shew them from Gods word the punishments that are due to them If you would doe these things then there might be something done and if reproof and admonishment will not serve the turne then expell them and banish them as Abraham did Hagar and Ismael You Christians mourne for your sins and joyne your hearts and prayers against the sins of the place where you live If any house be on fire others will come with water to quench it as if it were their own so here is a flame of fire kindled in this Kingdome of England and the wrath of God is like wild-fire coming down upon us from heaven therefore let every one of us bring some water or other to quench this fire that is round about us in every place and almost upon all hearts Let every man sweep his own doore and the streets will be cleane so if every one would purge his own heart what reformation would there be in every place then God and Christ and gospel might be here still and the enemies might be kept out still which if we doe not who knows how soon the enemie may rush in upon us but alas we harbour these traytors in our bosomes I protest against every man that habours sin in his own house or soul that he is a traytor to the Kingdom whatsoever he be if I knew the man I would fasten mine eyes on him and tell him Oh thou vile Achan doest thou harbour these sins and traytors and keep these sins and then cry out of the dangerousnesse of the times If a man did know certainly that the dogge that he keepes in his house would one day pull out his throate would he keep him fatte that he might the better doe it no sure he would rather hang him Or if a man did know that the fire that burnes upon the hearth would burne him would he blow it or if a man did know that the knife which he hath would one day cutte his throate would he sharpen it no surely Beloved this is the case of all us poor wretches that live in sinne they will be the cause of all the punishments that God sends upon us all Now therefore I charge you all men and women and every one of you to make a Covenant and enter into an oath and a curse to search out every sin and find them out in your families wife and children and servants and do what you can to quench them These Townes and Countreys are on fire O that the Lord would be pleased to send his word home to every one of your hearts you I meane that I love as well as mine own soule my deare people I would spend and be spent for you if God would give me strength and though I speak plaine it is for your everlasting good What are those punishments that he threatned to poure upon them in the furie of his wrath He poureth full battails and the strength of battails all this was upon his own deare people Israel even those people the Lord so severely threatens Hence observe this Doctrine That the Lord oftentimes brings fearful and unavoydable judgements and punishments even upon his own professing people even they that offer sacrifice and that pray and call him Father and fast and pray even upon these people he doth often times bring these punissiments Amos 3. 2. You onely have I known among all the Nations of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities See the whole currant of Gods word did not the Lord punish the Children of Israel in the time of their Judges they had many sore enemies as Eglon and Sisera The ten Tribes they sinned and were carried into captivity and these were Gods professing people And afterward the other two Tribes Judah and Benjamine were carried away captive into Babylon and there they were seventy years Forty yeares after Christs time the Romans came against them and burnt all their Cities And these were Gods own professing people The Churches of Asia were famous Churches but now they are overthrowne with Turkes Now our sins give God just cause to make him come against us with punishments and
you have made good use of your riches if you have been faithfull you shall enter into your Masters joy He will not consider you as you are or have been in great Offices or places in the world but as you have been faithfull in them not as you had crouching and bowing to you but as you have faithfully and frequenly bowed your knees unto the Lord in Prayer God will not account of you a straw the better for your wealth but he will passe sentence on you as you have used or abused your talent Thirdly they can give no content He that desires Riches shall not be satisfied therewith Eccles 5. 9. Object O but I desire but a competent living Sol. It is well done A little spring running from the head runnes shallow at the first but at the last many other falling into it it is become great so you may say you desire but a competency but the world comes on you then there is craving and having till your desires are as large as hell Habbac 2. 5. riches make men sick of a dogs disease what is that why dogs are alwaies eating but never satisfied so if a man immoderately love the things of this life he shall not be satisfied Lastly the things of this world are nothing worth because we have no assurance of them they are of no continuance they either leave us or we them doe you not see that after a man hath risen earely and late eating the bread of carefulnesse and hath gotten a little pelfe is he not thereof deprived in a moment of time Prov. 12. 27. The slothfull man viz. the worldly man rosteth not that which he tooke in hunting viz. after all his travaile he is swept away and taketh not the profit of them Is not this then a worthlesse world but suppose it doe stay with you yet one day you must part with it Psalm 49. 6 7. and you must carrie nothing with you naked you came and naked you must returne even like a sumpter-Horse which carries all the day abundance of Treasure but at night it is all taken from him and he is put into a stable for his labour all the benefit he gets by the Treasure is he onely feeles the weight of it Even so many rich men are Sumpter-horses to carrie the things of the world who either for ill-useing or ill-getting them are put in a filthie stable viz. Hell and their pay is everlasting torment These things shew the little worth of this world Now you shall see that worldly men are little worth First it appears that they are little worth because of the names and titles that the Spirit of God laies on them it calls them Sonnes of Beliall 1 Sam. 2. 12. Vile persons Psal 15. 4. Children of iniquity Hosea 10. 9. 11. A reprobate stock John 8. 44. Children of wrath Ephes 2. Now if there were any great worth in them think you that the Spirit of God would not better stile them Secondly they are little worth in respect of their actions their best actions are but glittering sinnes Isaiah 66. 3. If they pray or heare c. God accounts of it no better then the sacrificing of Swines flesh they stink in Gods nostrils Isa 1. 13. If then the men of the world and the things of the world be little worth how doth this discover the madnesse and folly of men in these dayes who so much mind the world no paines nor travaile too great or too dangerous to get the world nay they will hazard life and health even to the back-bone to get the world goe to bed late rise early not caring if they lose both body and soule to get the world and when their consciences are thus set on the tenters to get it they set their hearts on it and keep it as their God Secondly let this informe our Judgements that seeing the world and the men of the world are so little worth let us judge of them no better then they deserve it is a false glasse or crooked rule that men goe by who judge themseves men of worth if they be rich and we use to say there is a man of good credit let us see our folly in thus judging I will discover it thus The things of the world are given to the worst men wicked men have many times the greatest share in them Esau hath foure hundred at his heeles when Iacob had but a few The Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses chaire when as the Disciples of Christ were carried before Rulers so for Riches proud Dives fared deliciously every day when poor Lazarus was faine to snap at a crust so the false prophets were fed at Iesabells table when Elias was in commons with the Ravens Now if the things of this life were of such great worth think you that God would keep his children so sparingly with them no no they are but gifts of Gods left hand Prov. 3. 16. Length of dayes are in his right hand and in his left hand riches and Honour Instruction to teach us to take off our hearts and affections from pursuing things of this life You see they are little worth doe not in affection love the world nor yet in action too much seek the world but when Heaven and earth are laide in the ballance esteem earthly things as dung in respect of Christ and shew your little esteem of earthly things by your seeking them in the second place and Gods Kingdome in the first place Let wicked men account the things of this life as their summum bonum but let us be crucified to the world let us be as dead men to the world and the world as dead to us not that I would have you utterly to reject the things of this life but not to set your affections on them we must use the things of this life as Travailers doe their provision if they have too much it will hinder them so let us be content whether it be much or little it is best to lay up treasure in Heaven as Christ told his Disciples Thus of the first point the second follows OF whom the world was not worthy as if he should have said they are too good to live in the world hence observe That true Beleevers are persons of very great worth The world is not worthy of them I need not spend much time to prove this they are called excellent persons Psal 16. 3. Againe the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. againe they are called the glory of God Isaiah 4. 5. They are called a chosen people a Royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. Now wherin lies the worth of a godly man not in the outward man for alas the outward man of a child of God is the same with another man Their chiefe worthinesse lies in the inward man which after God is created unto righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephesians 4. 24. The Kings daughter is all glorious within Psalm 45.
know them you would not doe it for had they knowne the Lord of life they would not have crucified him 1 Cor. 2. 8. so if such as doe persecute Gods children did but know their worth and that they were his children they would not do it Let us esteem godly men and women as persons of great worth The Saints of God have alwaies done so Saint Lawrence being demanded by his persecutors wherein the worth of the Church lay the story saith he gathered a companie of poor people together and pointed at them and said there lies the worth of the Church so I have read of an ancient King who made a great feast and invited a company of poor people which were Christians and he bade his Nobles also now when the Christians came he had them up into the Presence Chamber but when the Nobles came he set them in his hall Being of the Nobles demanded the reason he answered I doe not this as I am their Kyng here for I respect you more then them but as I am a King of another world I must needs honour these because God doth most honour them and then they shall be Kings and Princes with me soe doe you esteeme of them according to their worth and shew it If they be persons of such great worth here you may be directed how to get a name of worth in the world to be honoured of God This is the way labour to be beleevers serve God and close with the godly be of one minde and of one heart with them Honour is the thing that all desire according to that of Saul to Samuel Honour me before the Elders of my people so we are all ready to say oh that I could be honoured in the heart of those that I converse withall I say then thou must labour to serve and honour God in thy heart let that be thine honour It is a meere folly for men to think to get honour by swearing by lying by cutting and slashing and drunkennesse c. The sweet ointment of a good name is not compounded of stinking ingredients That should serve to comfort the godly that seeing they are of so great worth what though they be disgraced here let this suffice thee God that knows the true worth of every thing he accounts thee worthy what though dogs bark and crie out against thee for thy holinesse let them alone and know thou this that the time will come when never a curre of them all but will wish oh that mine end might be like his and that they might goe as thy dogge to heaven with thee when they shall see thee sitte at his right hand where are pleasures for evermore Lastly you that approve your selves to be of the number of the godly labour to walke worthy of the Lord. Colos 1. 10. Doth God thus advance you then strive you to honour him with inward and outward worship God hath not done these things for you that you may live as you list no you are a chosen generation c. 1 Pet. 2. 19. Ergo you must shew forth the vertue of him that hath called you You that are parents of children the more you doe for them the more you look they should honour you the more God hath done for you the more you ought to feare him God hath drawn you out of darkenesse into a marvellous light and will you yet walke as vassals of Satan This was that kept Josoph from committing adultery even the favour of advancement and how then can I doe this great wickednesse saith he so thou art advanced to honour from a childe of the devill to be the son of God how then canst thou commit wickednesse Consider I say how God hath advanced thee from being a slave of Satan to be his adopted son and shall I now become a covetous person shall I be a companion of Gods enemies when you are enticed by the divell or wicked men to any sin say what shall such a man as I consent shall I flie from my colours what a Kings son and flie Consider this THE TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited 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 TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited GEN. 6. 3. The Lord said My Spirit shall not alway strive with man because he is but flesh and his dayes shall be a hundred and twenty yeares IN this Chapter is continued the History of the decay of the World wherein is described Gods purpose of destroying mankind in which are these two parts First the meritorious deserving Cause wherein God gives an account what he doth how inexcusable the world is and how just God is unto the. 14 verse Secondly a direction unto Noah to make an Arke where we may see that God in his judgement remembers mercy The meritorious deserving cause is described first from the quantity of those persons in those evill dayes a great many verse the first men began to multiply in places populous where there are some good there are many bad Secondly by the quality of those persons the Sons of God when they saw the daughters of men the sonnes of God viz. the posterity of them that maintained Religion they began to be carelesse and carnally confident they did looke after the profits and pleasures of this life and then it was high time for God to enter into Judgement Thirdly by the kind of sinne They lusted after unlawfull Marriages c. and the root of this was originall corruption the Imaginations of mans heart were onely evill and that continually verse 5. These words are a Proclamation of Gods purpose to bring it to an end in which are four things First the Lords complaint in these words The Lord said Secondly the proclamation it selfe in these words my Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Thirdly the reason because he is but flesh Fourthly the limitation of the time a hundred and twenty years in which time if they repent I will repent but if they will not my Spirit shall not alway strive As if the Lord had said I have tried all conclusions and used all means partly by Mercies to allure them partly by Judgements to terrifie them partly by my word to recall them and by all meanes possible to bring them to my selfe yet they remaine incorrigible I now am resolved to strive with them no more From the words thus opened there will naturally arise these two points First that the Lord of Heaven and earth doth strive mightily with a company of poore Rebells and all to bring them unto himselfe but on this I intend not to insist The seond is this viz. that there is a time when God will strive with men â—o more and that in this life The scope of this aimes at the whole world but what is said in generall may also be said
in particular Well then there is a time in this life and not when we are dead and gone for then it is certain there is no more comming unto God but in this life there is a time when God will strive with men no more neither for their good here nor for their everlasting happinesse hereafter For unto every thing there is an appointed time Eccles 3. 1. Now the Lord calls lovingly to allure us but there will come a time of Goe ye cursed the good Spirit of mine which thou hast abused shall never come to thee more this is a marvailous troublesome truth yet most true for men now will have their wills and God must be at their leisure and come forfooth when they please They will live as they list doe as they list and God must shew mercy on them as they list and when they list c. So there is a time when God will strive but when that time is gone God will strive no more To make this plaiue I will lay downe these six things First I will let you see that it hath been so by Testimonies of Scripture Secondly I will shew in or after what manner God deals with a soul in giving it over these fashions leave off cards and dice c. saies the Spirit of God and whatsoever is of evill report yea but I will not for what will Sir John and my Lady say then Turne you unto me saith the Spirit of God no I will not saith the stubborn walker Put him on in a good course yet he will not walk therein speake the truth saith the Spirit of God for all lyars shall be turned out yea but not yet I have got thus much wealth by lying and I will not yet leave it Fourthly Such as have a common base vile and contemptible esteem of the Gospell and Ministers thereof They mocked the Ministers till the wrath of God broke out against them and there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36. 16. A Minister cannot be plaine but wicked men will abuse him in their hearts I called and cried saith Wisedome but you set at nought all my counsell Prov. 1. 24 25. and going away they make a tush at it I saith one Master Minister you mette with mens hearts to day but I beleeve yours is as bad as anothers else how could you have hitte them so right see what the Spirit of God saith of such Isa 22. 21. In that day did the Lord call to weeping c. the text told them of a judgement and nothing to be expected but misery but they make a tush of it and say Come we shall all die ergo let us eate and drink and be merrie while we may the Minister tells us we shall all to hell then let us have the other pot and the other pipe if it must needs be so Oh my beloved can the God of heaven indure to be thus disgraced in his Gospell and Ministers Another sayes care I what the Minister saith I will goe and drinke at every Ale-house and see whether these judgements will come or no. Now I come to the fourth thing which is the grounds of it viz. Why the Lord in this life doth give men over and strive with them no more This truth is troublesome and cursed hearts cannot abide it The grounds of this point arise from these two Attributes of God his Justice and his Wisedome First from the Justice of God God is a just God and is it not just that those who have rejected him that he should reject them I have called but you answered not Jer. 7. 13. c. Now as it is just with God to fulfill every word that he hath spoken and to fulfill all his promises to the faithfull so is it just with God to bring judgement on them that have sleighted him and to fulfill all his threatnings Secondly From the Wisedome of God and his long-suffering and this is because his compassious faile not else the first day of our sinning had been the first day of our rejection yea it is his goodnesse that we have any favour but Oh our God is a wise God A man that knocks at the dore if he be wise will not alwaies lie knocking if none answer he gives over and goes away so the Lord knocks at our hearts by mercies to allure us by judgments to terrify us yet he can find no entrance Is it not wisdom then to be gone Why should I smite you any more saith God Isa 1. 5. As if he should say t is to no purpose I know not what to do with you with you it is wisedome to give over when there is no good to be done on you What could I have done more for my Vinyard c Isa 5. There is no wise man that will alwayes water a dâ—y stake And do you think that God wil alwayes be sending Paul to plant and Apollos to water No our God is a wise God and our mercifull God is a just God you that will have your wayes and wills take them and get you to hell and perish everlastingly Now in the fiâ—t place we come to the Objections Some say If we shall be damned then we must be damned if we shall be saved then we shall be saved why then neede we pray and keepe such a quoile as the Minister speaks of Secret things belong to the Lord but revealed things to us and to our children Deut. 29. 29. ergo doe thou use the meanes and be thou humbled according to the word of God and thou shalt be exalted according to the word of God see what God hath said to thee in his word for neither I nor thou nor the Angels of heaven can tell what the will of the Lord is concerning thee if not revealed in the word Another saith Why do you limit God you take too much upon you you sons of Levi. The Lord saith At what timy soever a sinner doth repent c. yet will you limit God T is true at what time soever a sinner doth repent but thy heart may be given over as Rom. 2. 4 5. c. and what if thou then livest twenty years or more and have not a heart to repent Another saith But I hope my time is not past for the Lord hath given me a tender heart Hath he so it is well and wilt thou then harden it thou mayest repent when it is too late and ergo I tell thee that good and holy desires are joyned with honest endeavours neede makes the old wiâ—e trot as we say so a soft heart will make thee use all good and honest means Seeing that God strives with many and at last gives over goe thou home and blesse God that he hath not dealt so with thee it is enough that the Lord hath brought thee home to himselfe many may say with Paul I was a persecutor I was injurious c. 1 Tim. 1. 14. but I received mercy so thou
Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs now if Christ be in you the body is dead if you consider the body as it hath relation unto sinne Again if you live after the flesh you shall dye verse 13. as if he should have said if your flesh be alive in you if your pride live in you and if your infidelity live in you if your hardnesse of heart live in you if your wrath c live in you and if you walke after these you shall surely die he meaneth not a temporall death for so they must doe howsoever they live but his meaning is they shall die eternally but if you mortify the deedes of the body by the spirit you shall live so then it is plaine there is no life of Christ to bee had so long as you retain your sinnes and therefore sinne must bee mortified First because Christ is a Saviour and hence he is called Jesus Matth. 1. 21. for he shall save his people from their sinnes if therefore Christ doe not save thee from thy sins and if by the power of Christ thou mortifie not thy sinnes and give them a deadly blow assure thy selfe he will never be a Jesus unto thee It is true indeed Christ dyed for sinners but it was not to let them goe on in sinne and therefore if thou goe on in sinne it is for thy damnation and not for thy salvation for he will first save thee from thy sinnes or else he will never save thee from hell so then consider if thy sinnes bear sway in thee if they doe then know thou art delivered up unto the power of thy sinnes and to everlasting darknesse For Christ is the true Physitian of the soule and you know that the Physitian doth not bring a potion to put it unto deaths mouth to kill death and so to save the sicke person alive no but hee putteth it into the sicke mans mouth to kill the ill humours that are in his body that so hee might not fall into the hands of death so Christ came not to quench the flames of hell by his spirituall Physicke but to let his Physicke fall upon the heart and soule of man to save him from hell Therefore unlesse the bloud of Christ doe mortifie thy sinnes and crucifie thy lusts there is no hope ever to get Christ to save thee from hell and everlasting damnation This is a true saying saith the Apostle and worthy to be received that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and wicked men like it well indeede For saith the drunkard I am a wicked man yet Christ came to save me The whoremonger saith I am an uncleane person yet Christ came to save me The swearer will say Christ came to save sinners and therefore I hope he will save me too No no Christ came to save sinners that is such as were sinners but now are none they have and doe repent Jesus Christ came to save sinners saith the Apostle whereof I am chiefe I was a blasphemer and a persecuter but now I am not Hence then is the faithfull saying Christ came to save sinners not still sinning No before Paul was injurious a persecuter and lived in ignorance and unbeleefe but now the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was wonderfully abundant through Faith and love towards him so that the grace of God hath appeared to draw men out of blindnesse and ignorance therefore to say that Christ came to save such as live in their sins and will live in them as in sins of drunkeness prophaness or uncleaness is a rotten saying and this onely is the faithfull saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners in whom the power of sinne is broken therefore if ever we looke to have benefit or interest by Christ we must mortify our earthly members Secondly because it is impossible for sinne and grace to live and subsist in one subject it is impossible that they should ever stand together and be in a man at one and the same time it cannot be that one and the same creature can have the life of a swine and the life of a man for if he have the soule of a swine he cannot have the soul of a man for they are two contrary distinct lives and where the one is the other cannot be It is like hot water and cold if it be cold it cannot be hot if it be hot it cannot be cold Even so the life of sinne and the life of grace are two contraries and therefore they that walke in their sinnes walke contrary to God Now the Lord saith if you walke contrary to me I will walke contrary unto you Levit. 26. and two contraries we know cannot goe together He that walks in sinne walkes contrary unto God but he that goes on in the waies of grace he walks towards God Now it is impossible to walk towards Dover and towards London at one and the same time for every steppe he goeth forward to the one it carries him backward from the other so then if ever we will have the life of grace we must forsake our sinnes as it was with the house of Saul and David Sauls house grew weaker and Davids stronger so must it be with sin and grace as grace growes stronger so sinne must grow weaker as grace goes up so sinne must go down And as Saul told David he would not give him Michal his daughter to wife unlesse he brought unto him an hundred fore-skinnes of the Philistines Even so the Lord saith that he will not marry the Lord Jesus Christ unto any soule unlesse he bring the fore-skinne of every lust hee must circumcise the foreskinne of his pride of his covetousnesse of his prophanenesse this must bee the offering and condition of marriage unto Christ even the circumcision of the heart and the mortification of all the corruptions Thirdly because else it is impossible to enter into heaven if we mortify not our sinnes a man can never be capable of glory hereafter that doth not mortifie his sinnes here in this life Suppose a wicked man should enter into heaven it is impossible that he should delight in heaven if he were there You will thinke this a strange point but give me leave to explain it a little I say that a wicked man if he were in heaven he could finde no delight there As for example take a beast for so is every man by his own knowledge in regard of the life of grace as saith the Prophet Jeremy though a man take an Oxe or an Asse and bring him unto the Kings table and set before him all the delicates which appertain unto Kings let him have a dinner before him that cost an hundred pounds yet he had rather be in the fields among his fellowes eating grasse or set a Crowne of gold upon a beasts head he will not regard it but cast it off into the mire for
now can a man stabbe his owne arme through with ease can he cut off his Legg or any other member without feeling any geeat paine no more can a man kill his sinnes and mortifie his lusts with ease It is called mortification to shew that there is a great deal of misery and pain in it The Apostle saith that those that are Christians have crncified the flesh c. Gal. 5. 24. and therfore Repentance is set out unto us by crucifiing which is the hardest of all kinds of mortifying Can a man set his flesh upon the Tenter pierce his hands and feet with nailes laying his whole weight upon the Tenter and yet feele no paine Cicero a wise Heathen saith that crucifiing was a torment that cruelty it selfe had invented to put a man to death it being the soarest kind of death that could be devised And the Apostle to set forth Repentance what it is shews it by crucifying It is an easie matter to cut off the outward act of sinne as of swearing or drunkennesse c. this is an easie matter but to crucifie a mans lusts and to mortify daily the body of death which be beareth about him this is a hard thing indeed A Father saith it it is the hardest Text in all the Bible and the hardest dutie in all Christianity that we can goe about they that can do it can doe all things and therefore let a man resolve with himselfe that unlesse he attain unto this there is no Christ for him How shall we saith the Apostle that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Romans 6. 2. The Apostle makes it a Paradox and wonders that men should be so unreasonable as to thinke that they are crucified with Christ and yet live in their sinnes Is it possible that you can be dead with Christ and yet live in your sinne No no it cannot be But some may object and say what doth the Apostle meane to exhort the Colossians unto Mortification were they not already mortified did he not say a little before that they were crucified and buried together with Christ Yes it is true but they that have mortified their earthly Members must go on and persevere in this Mortification and that for three Reasons First because the very same sinne that hath been killed will live again unlesse it be continually mortified for sinne is strong-hearted it is not every blow that will kill sinne stone-dead no no we may say of sin as some I say of Cats they have nine lives kill sin once and it wil revive again kil it the second time and it will yet live kill it the third time it will yet have life unlesse it be continually mortified it will never be starke dead and therefore the worke must be continued as Christ said of his disciples If you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples indeed So if we goe on in mortification then verily are we Christs Disciples Secondly suppose the sinne mortified doe not rise againe yet if wee goe not on in the way of Mortification there will arise another sinne in the roome of it Sinne is like the Monster Hydra cut off one head and many will rise up in its roome Even so it is in the body of sinne therefore thou must dayly mortifie it or else it will grow again There is a History that speakes of a Fig-tree that grew in a stone wall and all means was used to kill it they cut off the branches and it grew again they cut down the body and it grew again they cut it up by the roote and still it lived and grew untill they pulled downe the stone wall Even so it is with sinne lopp off the branches it lives cut downe the body it will not die digg up the rootes and it will still revive and will never leave growing untill God pull downe the stone wall of this our earthly Tabernacle and lay it in the dust and therefore we must still be mortifying of it Thirdly because as we mortifie so we mortifie but in part as saith the Apostle in another case we know but in part c. so may we say of this duty we mortifie but in part as we may say of a man breathing out his last breath he is a dying but not quite deade so we may say of sinne though it lie sprawling upon the ground yet it is not dead the last gaspe is not past Nay it may be sinne is more striving in the heart of a child of God converted then it was before conversion As an Oxe or an Asse when they have their deaths blow will lash and struggle more then then they did in all their life time before but this is nothing but the pangs of death being giving up their last breath Hence it is that the Apostle saith that the flesh lustâ—th against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Gal. 5. So that they could not doe what they would verse 17. as if he should say sinne is so mortified that it hath his deaths wound in thee else thou canst not be the childe of God yea such a deaths wound as it cannot possible recover again If a man that hath received his deaths wound should send for all the Physitians in the world and take all the Physicke hee could and use all the meanes under Heaven yet they can never recover him So when a man is converted unto God as soone as ever the worke is wrought in him sinne hath his deaths blow and although the Devill come as Physitian with all the Cordialls Juleps and Balmes under Heaven and use all the shifts and devises in the world yet he shall never be able to recover it again all will not doe why because it hath received its deaths blow it may be with his industrie and cost hee may make the face of sinne loke fresh and faire for a time but it hath it deaths wound and it will down at the last The last Use may be of triall and examination whether sin be living or dead Now that we may know whether we have mortified our sins or no let us observe these markes following First they that have mortified their sinnes live in the contrary Graces Hence it is that the Psalmist saith that They worke no iniquitie but walke in thy pathes Psalme 119. 3. First they crucifie all their sinnes they doe no iniquity Secondly as they doe no iniquity so they take up all the wayes of God contrary to that iniquity as they give up all the wayes of sinne so they take up all the wayes of Grace they walke in all Gods wayes So that here is the question if a man giving over his sinnes doe take up all the Graces contary to those sinnes This is a rule in Divinity that Grace takes not away nature that is Grace comes not to take away a mans affections but to take them up Suppose a man be subject unto anger when he is a little moved grace comes
done iniquity I will doe it no more Secondly In reformation under the rodde you must be sure to have your worke guided by God himselfe as Isa 2. 3. He will teach us his ways and we will walke in his paths so Psal 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walke in thy truth knit my heart unto thee that I may feare thy Name Thirdly in the worke of reformation under the rodde you must be carefull to reforme in one particular as well as another you must go through stich with this businesse that which I doe know and may know to be blame-worthy and have borne chastisements for in that I will offend noe more and if any thing further shall be made knowne unto me I will stop in my course and if it can be found out that therein I have sinned I will doe so no more For know assuredly he hath not reformed in anie thing aright that doth not reforme in every thing blame-worthy as Hosea 14. 2. saith the Prophet Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity what followes then saith he ver 3. Take unto you words and turne to the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us gratiously Take away all spare none every eye that offends every hand that sins every lust that provokes though never soe deare unto thee foregoe all manner of profit and credit in regard of thy temporall calling if it prove to be a sinne beare with one and in Gods sight thou bearest withall live in the breach of one of Gods commandments and thou art guilty of the breach of all Fourthly in reformation under the rodde you must not onely reforme in what you your selves doe or may understand to be amisse but you must take direction to know what is blame-worthy be eager and earnest to understand wherein you doe amisse say Good Lord if I doe amisse in relation to others as a husband as a wife as a Father as a child as a Minister as a hearer as a servant as a Master as a doer as a sufferer Lord shew it me Lord shew me my fault that I may reforme Make an earnest desire to God and say Good Lord if any thing be blameable let it have no shelter in me search me if any way of sinne try me if any way of wickednesse be in me and lead me in thy way for ever as it is Psal 139. 23 24. Thus make your requests to God this practice will prove the sincerity of your hearts thus praying you may know what is out of order when you compare your life and the word which is the rule together Mark what he Prophet Jeremy saith Lament 3. 39 40. Wherefore is a living man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sin let us search and try our wayes and turne again to the Lord Let us looke to our wayes this hath been my opinion my practise my way are they answerable to scripture consonant to the rule the word of God this we 〈…〉 labour to know when we would reforme our wayes Fifthly a Christian under the rodde should be so wrought upon with a Resolution to reforme that he should by solemne covenant binde himselfe to God for the future even all his life long marke the text Surely it is meet to be said to whom to our selves no to be said to God I have borne chastisements c. say Lord thou that hatest every evill way heare me what I have to say that have run out of the way Thou that art privy to all my sinfull affections help me to be reformed I resolve by thy help for the time to come to be more exact in my obedience to thy law that knowest my trouble and affliction make me reformed under the crosse This was Davids care Psal 66 13 14 I will goe into thine house with burnt offerings and will pay thee my vowes which my lippes have promised and my mouth hath spoken in mine affliction When he was in trouble and under the rod he promised something to God and now he resolves to be carefull to pay it Sixthly and lastly Christians under the rod must severally and personally not only joyntly in companie and assemblies reforme what is amisse according to the forementioned rules He doth not speak in the plurall number It is meet for Cities Countries and Kingdomes or Nations but It is meet for me that is for every particular man and woman of what degree estate or condition soever this must be my work my task my care husband apart wife apart child apart servant apart Minister apart people apart For usually that is done to best purpose which is done single in a way of secrecy The souldiers come to John and say What shall we doe the Publicans and sinners What shall we doe every one of them in particular desired to know what belonged to them in reforming this lieth plainly in the text Seventhly There is something else that I meant as a seventh help it is that Christians should not only looke upon their reformation under the rodde as a taske necessary and as a duty commanded but they should looke upon it as an imployment comely and lovely meet saith the text what a beautifull and beseemingthing is it in a Christian resolving to be reformed under the rudde And thus we have done with the first thinge propounded viz. what kinde of reformation it is we should resolve upon under the rod. The second thing propounded is what arguments may prevaile with Christians according to the latitude of this Text thus to reforme under the rodde There are arguments of two kindes that I shall suggest First some in relation to God Secondly some in relation to our selves First in relation to God I shall name six or seven whereof five I shall finde in this chapter First because God that calleth for Reformation under Correction is the author of every blow of every scourge he it is that breaketh the bones that teareth the skin that bruiseth the flesh this you may see in the 13 14 15. v. Who hath given him a charge over the earth or who hath placed him over the whole world If he set his heart upon man speaking of God and gather unto himselfe his spirit and his breath All flesh shall perish together and man shall returne unto dust he doth not say if they will breake themselves to pieces or if infectious aire or unseasonable times will produce a pestilence to sweepe them away but if he shall doe it that is God he is the author of it Consider that place Jer. 5. 3. where the Prophet speakes thus by way of complaint O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne should not the childs care under the smarting rod be to give content to the angry father know the Lord is the
author of thy chastisement Is there any evil in the City meaning the evill of punishment and the Lord hath not done it saith the Prophet Is there any breach in the Kingdom any plagues amongst us any famine or want that the Lord hath not done it is his hand that layes on that is one argument The second reason why we should reforme under the rod is because God afflicts us because we are blame worthy because we have sinned therefore his Majesty is pleased to smite us verse 26. 27. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of all men because they have turned back from him and would not consider all his wayes Doth God lay on them why is it only because he hath a delight to rend and teare them bruise and breake no nothing lesse for he doth not afflict willingly It is alienum opus it goes against the heart and minde of God God is provoked unto it by mens sins Lam. 39. in that place before quoted wherefore doth the living man complaine he gives a reason Man suffereth for his sins and in the 40. verse shewes what use we should make of this Let us search and try our wayes and turne unto the Lord say I was proud God hath met with me therefore now I will be more humble I was peevish God hath crossed me now I will be more tractable I was sensual in the use of the creature God hath given me a bitter pill therefore I will be more moderate that I may not provoke his Majesty any more Thirdly Consider this which will follow from the former he is exceeding just and gracious in every rod he useth in every stroke that he giveth in every affliction that he sendeth as in verse 10. 11 12. Therefore hearken to me ye men of understanding far be it from God that he should doe wickednesse and from the almighty that he should commit iniquity for he will render unto every man according to his works and cause every one to find according to his way and 23. for he will not lay upon man more then is right that he should enter into judgement with God God will not make the staffe too heavy the rod too bigge God doth noe more then justly he may if he teare the skin if that will not doe he will breake the veines if that will not doe he will deal more rigorously and shall not this move us to reforme under the rod Fourthly The Lord well knows and considers the frame of every mans spirit the carriage of every soule under his correcting hand when God layes on with his hammer upon the anvile of our hearts he considers what force it hath inward in our spirits outward in our lives consider this in the 21. 22. verse His eyes are upon the wayes of man and be seeth all his goings there is no darknesse nor shadow of death that the workers of iniquity might be hid therein Mark it can a man run away from God as a child many times from his father and hides himself untill his anger is over no he knows every fault that we reforme not in and knows every course that we take for the causing of offence submitting and stooping to him will not serve the turne we must reforme when under the rod. I could give you that passage Amos 4. 6. to 12. I have given you cleannesse of teeth scarsenesse of bread I have withholden the raine from you I have smitten you with blasting and mildew pestilence have I sent among you your young men have I slaine with the sword I have overthrown you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as firebrands pluckt out of the burning yet in all these you have not returned to me saith the Lord therefore thus will I do unto thee be reformed under all these crosses and prepare thy self to meet thy God O Israel Fifthly Know the Lord is no respector of persons God is not like many fond parents that will indulge cocker and make much of one child and lay upon the bones of another many times they know not for what but only as affection carries them nor like some misguided authority where poor ragged thieves have the halter when silken ones are spared no no there is no such affection in God consider it there is more in the proof then I speak of verse 19 20. How much lesse to him that accepteth not the persons of princes and regardeth not the rich more then the poor for they be all the work of his hands and verse 24. he shall break the mighty without seeking and shall set up others in their stead God noe more regards a man worth thousands then him that is worth not a farthing God no more esteems in regard of personall respect the governers then the governed This should move people under the rod to trust in God and labour to be reformed these are the five Arguments that I finde in this Chapter There are two more remaining in the sixth place know for certaine that this is the very end that God aimes at that by his rodde people might be reformed as Isa 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of his sinne If a childe should aske the father why did you beate me so exceedingly And he and he answer I would have thee to reforme to take heede of sinfull courses of sinfull company it might be a good argument to worke upon the child This is the end of God in afflictions that he exerciseth his withall to have them be reformed thereby Seventhly and Lastly consider his majesty will account himselfe highly honoured by the reformation of his people under the rodde in sort we may make God amends but doe not mistake my expression it doth not make amends by way of requitall not adding any thing to his worth but by way of manifestation but to let that passe Consider that concerning Paul God laid upon him struck him of his horse and presently after you shall read 1 Gal. 23. that they glorified God because of him What a change is here he that destroyed and persecuted now preacheth that gospel for which he persecuted them he that endeavoured to disperse and scatter poor Christians now is zealous in incouraging them God-ward so that the godly glory greatly because of him and what an extraordinary honour is this to God! suppose a man hath a stubborne Colt to break that will stand upon no ground that seems to be very untractable now if this man can in a short space bring him to the Saddle and make him tame and gentle what a credit will it be unto him So here when God puts us one way another way comes to worke us and winde us according to his will he thinks himselfe honoured if we will become tractable and yield to his commands when we that once had Christ and his government shall come in and say with Elihu Surely it
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