he is too precise and too holy as if it were not a mans excellency to be pure and zealous and to serve God But I tell thee if thou count it not thine honor to be forward for God and to be nicknamed for Christ thine excellency to lie in this that thou art godly and heavenly thon art a proud fool when John Husse was to write upon the Epistle of Saint Iames he counted it such an high office of dignity that he was confounded at his owne indignity saying unto God Hei mihi laudare to contremisco he counted it such an honour to doe any thing for God that he was ashamed at his owne vildnesse O my brethren God is called the excellency of Jacob it was not their valour nor wisedome but this was their excellency that God was their God thy riches are proud riches if thy excellency lie in them more then in God if thou dost not go about every commandement as thine excellency thy obedience is proud This is a third signe of a heart brokeu from sin if it be broken from its pride A Funerall SERMON Preached by That laborious and faithfull Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex A FUNERAL SERMON ISAI 57. 1. The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evill to come IN the end of the former chapter the Prophet reproveth the speciall sinne of Idol shepheards who followed their own pleasures and profits not regarding their flock Now he reproves the generall sin of security in the people and namely in this that whereas the righteous perish yet no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering c. This verse is a complaint of the Prophet touching the people in generall for that they considered not the Iudgements of God upon them in taking away the righteous from among them In the words themselves we are to consider First the work of the Lord viz. the righteous perisheth and merciful men are taken way Secondly the peoples sin in not considering it not regarding this work of the Lord which is that the righteous may be delivered from the evill to come By righteous is here meant not such as are legally righteous by the workes of the law for so no man is righteous but by righteous is here meant such as are Evangelically righteous by the righteonsnesse of faith in the Gospell Perisheth that is from the earth for otherwise the righteous perish not No man considering that is no man lamenting mourning or grieving for the losse of them The first thing then to be considered is from the first part and it is plaine out of the words of the text That all men must dye even the most holy and most righteous for they are all subject to the stroak of bodily death as well as the wicked There is no remembrance saith Solomon of the wise more then of the fool and how dyeth the wise man even as the fool Eccles 2. 16. so Zacha. 1. 5. Your farhers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever so that we see Prophets and fathers dye as well as other men yea those Worthies recorded in the Scripture Noah Abraham David c. they are all gone the same way they are all dead The first reason is because it is appointed unto all men once to dye and after that comes the judgement Heb. 9. 27. God hath thus decreed it and therefore itmust be so Secondly because all men and women are of the dust and therefore must return to the dust again dust thou art saith God and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. 19. Thirdly because all have sinned even the most righteous man now the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. the most righteous man must dye Fourthly because as death came into the world by sin Rom. 5. 12. so sin must goe out of the world by death and therefore it is needful that the righteous die that so they may be freed from sin Object But some may object and say hath not Christ abolished death why then do the righteous die Answ I answer he hath abolished death as he hath abolished sin now he hath not taken sin quite away from us for we see it doth still remain in us neither hath he quite abolished death from the righteous for we see they all dye but hee abolished the dominion of sin so that it doth no longer raign in us and so hee hath taken away the dominion of death so that it doth not rage as a Tyrant over us so that it is not hurtfull unto us as a punishment but as a means to convey us into a better life Christ hath taken away the sting both of sin and death though not the things themselves away from us yet he will one day free us from them both so then the righteous must suffer death as well as the wicked though not in the same kind Let no man then look to be exempted from death for his righteousnesse nor from any outward miseries that may befall the sons of Adam nay if we are the servants of Christ we must look for a greater share in these then other men greater crosses greater afflictions greater sicknesse and harder pangs of death do oft befall the righteous as it did unto this our brother who though he were old and stricken in yeers yet the pangs of death were strong upon him Those whom God will make heires of Eternall life he suffers them to have a greater portion in these afflictions But the wicked are fat and full and die with their bones full of marrow as Job speakes they commonly have little sicknesse and an easie death but the godly do ordinarily undergoe greater pangs let none therefore think that for his righteousnesse he shall be free Secondly consider we here how few amongst us have learned this Arithmetique namely to number our dayes and they are but short even a span long who is there almost that thinkes on death who prepares himselfe for it and yet all even the most righteous must die for God hath placed that fiery blade of death at the entrance into the Paradise of heaven so that none can enter before they taste of death and all must taste of it yea the most righteous are not exempted from the stroak of death This then should teach us to labour to draw our hearts from the love of this present life and what can better perswade us and wean us from the love of this world then a due consideration of death wee know we must all die and therefore we should prepare our selves for it If any prophane person amongst us knew that this night must be his last night and that now hee had no longer to live would not this amaze him and make him bethink himselfe and to prepare for death If
rich coveteous men which spend the whole course of their life in providing for the things of this life did truely consider of death and that their end draweth nigh would they doe as they do when this life and all the things of this life and all our joyes and pleasures of this world shall shortly have an end for when death comes they shall all be taken from us or rather we from them Oh how excellent a thing is it then for us to be drawne from the things of this life unto a due consideration of death and of those heavenly Ioyes and happinesse to come Oh you that look for these things what manner of men ought you to be in holy life and conversation Thirdly seeing wee all must die and this present life must come to an end this should teach us to prepare our selves for a better life to provide for a surer building a better estate which shall never perish Philosophers who were but heathen men could meditate on death setting it alwayes before their eyes But this is not enough for us that are Christians wee cannot truly prepare our selves for it unlesse we first build a surer foundation in providing for a better life which shall never have an end and this no Heathen or wicked man can ever do Oh how wofull would that message be unto a wicked man that was brought unto good King Hezekiah Comes set thy house in order for thou must die and not live and why should it be terribl unto him surely because he hath no hope of a better life he hath not provided for a better habitation Consider then with what comfort thou couldst entertain this message with what comfort canst thou meet with death for he is no Christan that cānot in some measure willingly meet with death for by it we passe unto a better life for as this our brother spake often hee that would have comfort in death must look beyond death he must not fix his eyes on the terrors of death but he must look beyond to that glorious inheritance to which wee are passing through death and there shall he behold his Saviour putting forth his hand ready to receive him there shall he see the blessed Saints and Angels whose company he shall enjoy besides an infinite heap of Ioyes and happinesse that is prepared for him also O my beloved nothing will make us willingly to entertaine the message of death but only the comforts of the life to come Oh let us labour then for these comforts that so we may be provided against death were it not a foolishnesse for a man who being a tennant at will and shortly to be turned out of his house never to take care for another until he is cast out of doors Beloved we are all tennants at will and we are very shortly to be cast out of our dwelling houses of clay and shall we not provide for a surer habitation Death is at hand and our life must shortly have an end let us therefore labour to be assured of a better life when this is ended that so with comfort we may meet with death Now we come unto the second point which is here to be considered taken from the complaint of the Prophet that the people did not consider nor lay it to heart viz the death of the righteous whence I note that The death losse of good men must be laid to heart as a special cause of grief and sorrow We ought justly to be grieved at the death of a righteous man when God taketh him from amongst us How did the Prophet Jeremy and the people lament the death of that good King Josiah 2 Chron. 35. 23. so devout men made great lamentation for the death of Stephen Act. 8. 2. so all Israel lamented the death of Moses Deur 34. 8. And Joash the King of Israel weept for the death of the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 13. 14. and thus wee should lament and sorrow for the death of any righteous man yet not in respect of themselves as if their case were worse now then before for they are now more happy But first in regard of Gods glory whereof they were instruments to set it forth for since they were taken away Gods glory is impaired because there are the fewer left which doe truly serve and worship him for as David saith the dead praise not the Lord c. Psal 115. 17. so then they being dead do not praise the Lord among the faithfull on earth any longer Secondly in regard of the great losse that others have by their death who have alwayes received much good by them in their life for the godly doe so order and behave themselves in all their wayes that they doe good wheresoever they come therefore when they die it must needs be a great losse unto such who might if they had lived been bettered by them Thirdly we ought to lament the death of the righteous in regard of the evill to come for while they live they are as a wall about us to keep Gods judgements from us if there had been but ten righteous men in Sodome it had not been destroyed Gen. 18. 32. If there be a messenger one among a thousand saith Elihu to shew unto man his uprightnes then is God gracious unto him Job 33. 23. Run ye to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem saith God and see if you can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement and seeks the Lord and I will pardon it Jer. 5. 1. so that if there had been but one righteous man among the people in that city the Lord would have spared them even for that ones sake and therefore the Lord speaking of the righteous saith I will fasten him as a naile in a sure place he shall be as a glorious throne unto his fathers house Esay 22. 23. Oh consider then what a losse we have when the righteous dye we are like to perish when the naile that was in the sure place is remooved cut downe and falles for then the burden that was upon it shall be cut off Esay 22. 25. You therefore of this Congregation consider and lament for this your losse in that this good man is taken from among you for who knowes whether God spared this congregation even for this good mans sake for it is the righteous only that God respects and for their sakes he will spare a whole people therefore surely as Solomon saith the righteous is better then his neighbour yea though never so poore and despised in the eyes of the world yet are they precious in Gods account when I make up my Jewels saith God I will spare them Mala. 3. 17. so that the righteous are Gods Jewels the excellent of the earth are precious in Gods sight and have we not great cause then to lament for the losse of such Seeing then it becommeth all Gods children to lament the death of the righteous O how farre then are all such from the
Christ hath no commission to call him p. 49 3. Christ rejoyceth that he hath no commission to call such p. 50 4. The self-conceited man is in the broad way to hell p. 51 Text. Luke 11. 9. The opening of the Context p. 56 57 The words of the Text opened p. 58 59 Doctr. Importunate prayer is a restlesse prayer p. 59 Reas 1. It will take no primative deniall it must have some answer p. 60 2. Not a positive denial not a contrary answer p. 62 3. It will take no contumelious repulse p. 63 4. It is in a holy manner a kind of impudent prayer p. 64 3. Reasons why we must seek importunatly 1. In regard of Gods Majesty God respects it p. 67 2. In regard of Gods mercy it is a disgrace to Gods mercy to beg it coldly p. 70 3. In regard of our selves else we should never esteem mercy p. 71 4. Reasons why men are not importunate in Prayer 1. Because men account prayer a penance p. 72 2. Most men content themselves with formality p. 73 3. Men are Gentlemen beggers p. 75 4. Men have wrong conceits of prayer p. 76 1. They have high conceits of their own prayers p. 76 2. They have mean conceits of their sins p. 77 3. They have base thoughts of God p. 78 4. They have wrong conceits of importunity p. 78 6. Signs whereby we may know whether our prayers be importunate p. 83 1. Importunate prayes is evermore the prayer of an importunate man p. 83 2. It is the prayer of a pure conscience p. 86 3. It is a prayer that is full of strong arguments p. 87 4. It is a striving prayer p. 88 5. It is a wakefull prayer p. 89 6. It is an assurance getting prayer p. 90 7. Marks of Prayer that is not importunate 1. It is a lazie prayer p. 91 2. It is not powred out from the heart p. 92 3. It is a praying only by fits p. 93 4 It is a silent prayer he is silent in that he should most insist upon p 94 5 A seldome prayer p 95 6 A luke-warme prayer p 96 7 By-thoughts in prayer keep prayer from being importunate p 97 By-thoughts in Prayer arise 1 From corrupt nature p 98 2 From nature as it is cumbred p 98 3 From Satan p 98 4 From spirituall sluggishmesse p 99 8. Motives to importunate Prayer 1 Because prayer enables a man for duties p 101 2 Prayer is the compendium of all divinity p 102 3 Prayer is a mans utmost reference p 103 4 Prayer is that which Gods people have though they have nothing else p 103 5 Prayer hath the command of mercy p 104 6 Prayer is Gods delight p 104 7 Importunate prayer is a willing prayer p 105 8 Importunate prayer is the only faithfull prayer 6 Helps to importunity in Prayer 1 Labour to know thine own misery p 106 2 Be sensible of thy misery p 106 3 Observe how Gods people pray p 106 4 Get a stock of prayer p 107 5 Labour to be full of good works p 107 6 Labour to reform thy houshold p 107 Text Collos 1. 10. Doct. Those that professe Christ must walke worthy of Christ p 114 Reason 1 Because it is Christ that cals us to be phristians p 115 2 Because it is the Gospel of Christ whereby we are called p 116 3 Because by the Gospel we are called to repentance p 117 4 Because if we walke not worthy of Christ God will not hold us to be his servants p 117 5 If we walke not worthy of Christ then it will be for the glory of God to cashire us p 119 6 If we walke not worthy of Christ we put an indignity upon him p 121 Motives to walke worthy of God 1 If we do walke worthy of God then wee shall answer all the labour and cost that God hath been at p 128 2 Then wee shall walke with God in white p 130 3 Then we doe not disappoint Gods account p 131 4 Then we shall be importunate beggars and so worthy of mercy p 132 5 Then we shall adde humiliation to every duty we doe performe p 132 2 If we do not walk worthy of God then 1 We walk worthy of destruction p 133 2 Then we are guilty of the death of Christ p 134 3 Then we shall be condemned p 134 The second part of the Text opened p. 134 Doct. It is possible to walk in all manner of pleasing unto the Lord p 140 Reason 1 Because God is a righteous God p 140 2 There is a way wherein if we walke we shall please God p 141 3 The Lord hath shewed us this way p 141 Doct. 4 Many have walked in this way before us p 142 It is a fit duty to please God p 143 Reason 1. Because God is a great God p. 143 2. His pleasure is a good pleasure p. 143 3. Christ who is our betters did those things that pleased God p. 144 4. If we do not please God our consciences will condemn us p. 144 5. It is a duty most sutable to humane society p. 146 Doct. Pleasing of God is a large duty p. 146 Reason 1. It is the end of all our duties p. 146 2. It is the most acceptable of all duties p. 146 3. It is unconfinable to place or time p. 147 4. It is in all things without limitation p. 148 5. It is an everlasting duty p. 149 6. It is the whole duty of the new man p. 149 Doct. It is a necessary duty to please God p. 150 Reason 1. Because we have no saving grace unlesse we labour to please God p. 150 2. We are in a wofull case if we do not please God p. 151 3. If we doe not please God we are continually in danger of the wrath of God p. 152 Vse To condemne 1. Those that please not God p. 153 2. Those that please men p. 154 3. Those that please themselves p. 154 Text Luke 23. 24. Extraordinary cases never make a common rule p. 159 That a wicked life will have a cursed end this is the ordinary rule p. 160. Yet in some extraordinary cases it may be otherwise 1. When God is pleased to shew his prerogative royall p. 160 2 When a sinner hath not had means of salvation in his life but only at his death p. 160 3. When a sinner shall be made exemplary p. 161 4. When the Lord may be as much honoured by a mans death as he hath been dishonoured by his life p. 161 This repentance of the theif was extraordinary 1. Because it was one of the wonders of Christs passion p. 162 2. We read not of any other that was converted at the last as the thief was p. 164 3. Because of the suddennesse of it p. 165 4. In regard of the Evangelical perfection of it p. Containg 167. 1. His penitential confession p. 167 2. His penitential profession p. 167 3. His penitential satisfaction p. 168 4. His penitential self-deniall
p. 168 5. His penitential faith p. 169 6. His penitential resolution p. 169 7. His penitential prayer p. 169 5. This repentance was extraordinary in regard of the incomparablenesse of it p. 171 Vse To condemn those that rely upon this example p. 172 This example is once recorded that none might dispare and but once that none might presume p. 177. None because this example should defer their repentance 1. because this theif had not the means of life and grace before p. 180 2. Because we never read that this theif put off his repentance till the last p. 181 3 Because at that time God was in a way of working miracles p 185 Text Psal 147. 3. The words of the text opened p 193 What is meant by wholnesse of heart p 194 What is meant by brokennesse of heart p 196 Doct. 2 Christ justifies and sanctifies 200. Or heales the broken-hearted Reason 1 Because God hath given grace unto Christ to heale the broken-hearted p 200 2 Christ hath undertaken to doe it p 201 3 Christ hath this in charge to bind up the broken-hearted p 202 4 None but the broken hearted will accept of Christ p 202 Severall objections are answered from p 204 to 208 3 Reasons why Christ will heal the broken-hearted 1 This is the most seasonable time to be healed when the heart if broken p 218 2 It is the most profitablest time p 219 3 It is the very nick of time the heart can never be healed untill it be broken p 219 3 Signes of a broken heart 1 A breaking from sin p 224 2 A breaking in it self with sorrow p 224 The history of Zacheus conversion is opened in 7. particulars p 225 to 229 3 When the heart is broken then it will stoop to Gods word in all things p 233 Text Esay 57. 1. Doct. All men must die p 241 1 Because God hath so appointed it p 241 Reason 2 Because all men and women are of the dust p 241 3 Because all have sinned p 242 4 Because as death came into the world by sin so sin might go out of the world by death p 242 2 Objections against this are answered p 242 Vse 1 Let no man look to be exempted from death for his righteousnesse p 243 2 Hence we should learn to draw our hearts from this present world p 244 3 To teach us to prepare our selves for a better life p 245 The death and losse of good men must be laied to heart as an especiall cause of grief and sorrow p 247 Reason 1 Because the instruments of Gods glory are taken away p 248 2 Because of the great losse that others have by their death p 248 3 Because of the evill to come for while they live they are as a wall to keep off the wrath of God p 248 Use 1 To reprove those what rejoyce at the death of the righteous p 250 Doct. 2 To informe us what a losse it is when the righteous are taken away p 251 When God will bring any great judgement upon a people or Nation ordinariy he takes away his faithfull servants from amongst them p 252 Vse 1. To inform us of Gods extraordinary love to his children p. 253 2. To inform us than when the righteous are taken away we are certainly to expect some great judgement from God to fall upon us p. 254 Text. Jer. 14. 9. The opening of the context in many partculars p. 263 Doct. God many times doth cast off a people p. 266 4. Signs of Gods casting off a people 1. When he takes away his love and respect from a people p. 268 2. When he takes away his providence from them p. 268 3. When he breaks down the wals of Magistracy and Ministry p. 268 4. When he takes away the benefit of both these helps p. 269 Vse 1. To teach us to cast off security p. 269 to 273 Doct. It is the importunate desire of the Saints of God still to keep God present with them p. 274 The presence of God is the particular favour of God which he expresseth in his ordinances p. 275 1. This question is answered whether a man may be saved without preaching p. 276 Vse 2. This question is answered who they are that are weary of God p 280. To rebuke Gods people for their neglect in not striving to keep God who seems to be departing p 284 to 288 How may we keep the Lord amongst us p 289 Quest 1. We must be sure to prepare a room for him p. 289 Answ 2. We must give him content p. 290 3. We must make him welcome p. 291 4. We must be importunate with God to tarry and account it a great favour if he will stay p 292 THE MISERY OF Earthly Thoughts ISA. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord c. I Have heretofore begun the Doctrine of the Thoughts of men Now I desire to finish it Whence we had this Point that Doctr. Those whose minds run habitually on earthly things are yet in the state of misery First Because a man is in the state of misery till he hath repented Now until a man have forsaken his old thoughts that man hath not repented Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart Jer. 4. 14. A man must not only rid himself of vain thoughts but he must wash his heart clean with this Emphasis That he may be saved No salvation without this How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee 2. As a man is in the state of misery till he have repented so also till he is in Christ Now when a man is led by his own vain thoughts his thoughts being not sanctified so long that man is not in Christ if he were in Christ Christ would sanctifie his thoughts I but may some man say He hath wronged me ergo I will think thus and thus Nay but Christ casteth down the strong holds and if thou wilt not yield Christ will cast thee off but if thou belong to Christ he will cast all down before thee 3. That man is in the state of misery that doth not love God that walks not with God in his thoughts Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. Mat. 22. 37. So I do sayes one and yet I think on my vanities too And thus carnal men think they love God But if thou love God with all thy heart thou lovest him with all that is in thy heart for what is a mans heart but the purposes of his heart Now if a man give not over vain purposes he loves not God with all his heart 4. That man that cannot forsake sinne is in the state of misery and can never enter into life see the Text the wicked must forsake his wayes A man must deny his own words and speak according to Gods own warrant the actions of mens lives are the wayes of their thoughts the Tongue must not only forsake his way but the
the reason the Apostle cryed O wretched man that I am c. I speak not now to the children of God who are troubled w th bie-thoughts in their praiers For they the more bie-thoughts they have the more earnest they are in praier they mourn with David in their praier Consider ô Lord saith he how I mourn Psal 55. There was something in the Peophets praier that did vex him and that made him so much the more to mourn before God But as for you that can have bie-thoughts in praier and let them abide with you your praiers are not importunate the Heathen shall rise up against you and condemn you I remember a storie of a certain Youth who being in the temple with Alexander when he was to offer incense to his god and the Youth holding the golden Censer with the fire in it a coal fell on the Youths hand and burnt his wrist but the Youth considering what a sacred thing he was about for all he felt his wrist to be burnt yet he would not stir but continued still to the end This I speak to shame those that can let any thing though never so small to disturb them yea if it were possible lesser things then nothing for if nothing come to draw their hearts away they themselves will employ their hearts Baâ—ls Priests shall condemn these who did cut themselves with knives and all to make them pray so much the more stronglie What a shame is it then that we should come on life and death to pray for our souls and yet come with such loose and lazie praiers Think you that a malefactor when he is crying at the Bar for his life will be thinking on his Pots and Whores c Was it ever heard of that a man at deaths-doore should be thinking on his Dogs can he then think on them Do you think that Jonah prayed on this fashion when he was in the Whales belly or the Thief on the crosse or Daniel in the Lions den or the three Children in the fierie furnace or Paul in prison Do ye think that these prayed thus What shall I be at prayer and my minde in the fields No no if I will pray I must melt before God and bewail my sins and be heartilie affected in prayer But as long as I pray thus I pray not at all And as God said to Adam where art thou so may he say to thee Man where art thou art thou at prayer and thy mind at mill is thy mind on thy Oxen and art thou at prayer before me what an indignity is this Should a man come to sue to the King and not minde his suit will not the King say Do you mock me know you to whom you speak The Lord takes this as a hainous sin when men come into his presence with such loose hearts Now seeing these things are thus take a word of exhortation to labour for importunate Prayer Prayer is the art of all arts it enables a man to all other duties it is the art of Repentance c. Samuel confessed if he had not had the art of Prayer he could not have had the art of Preaching 2 Sam. 12. 23. See the antithesis between these two words God forbid as if he should say God forbid that I should cease to pray for you for then I should not teach you the right way A Minister can never preach to his people that prayes not for his people It is the art of Thanksgiving a man cannot be thankfull if he cannot pray Psal 116. 12. It was the meanes whereby the Prophet David would be thankfull to God he would take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. A man hath not a good servant unlesse he can pray for his master see the storie of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. Prayer helps to perform all other good duties How dost thou thinke to have benefit by the Word unlesse thou be fervent in prayer with God to get a blessing upon it We can do nothing but by begging Secondly as Prayer is the art of all arts so it is the Compendium of all divinitie Therefore to call zealouslie on the name of the Lord is to be a Christian Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord c. It includes repentance humiliation sorrow for sin joy in Gods goodnes thanksgiving for mercies obedience to his commandements yea the whole dutie of man therefore we must labour to be importunate in prayer A Reasonable soul is eminently all souls so Prayer is eminently all good duties Psal 72. The prayer of David the son of Jesse that is all his repentance in all passages he did humble himself before God all Davids duties are included by the name of the prayer of David the son of Jesse And therefore thou hadst need to make much of Prayer for thou canst never repent unlesse thou pray well Thirdly Prayer is a mans utmost reference a man cannot have Christ but only by Prayer 'T is bad enough for a man to be a Drunkard or to live in any other sin but yet after all this if a man have the spirit of prayer there is hope of this man if after all his sinnes committed he can pray to God there is hope But for a man to sinne and not to be importunate in prayer is dangerous What saith the Psalmist They are corrupt and become abominable they have not called on the name of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. Oh fearfull condition Fourthly Prayer is that which Gods people have though they have nothing else it is the beggers dish as I may so call it A begger hath no way to live but by beging thererefore he had need beg hard so we have nothing to live on but praying I mean nothing that is to be done on our side all the promises of God are to be gotten by prayer Suppose a man have nothing to live on but his fingers ends no house nor land nothing left to maintain his wife and children but his fingers ends will he not be toyling all the day he is a day-labourer as we use to say So to pray earnestly is a Christians fingers ends When a house stands but upon one pillar will not a man be fearfull and carefull of that pillar why Prayer is a mans pillar is this be gone down falls all the hope of salvation Fifthly Prayer is that which hath the command of Mercie we are such unprofitable servants that Mercie will not meddle with us unlesse it be commanded Patience is loth to beare we have so provoked God that Mercie is loth to make or meddle with us for unlesse it have command from God it will not admit of any soul When David begged for loving kindnesse he was importunate else mercie and loving kindnesse would not look on David Psal 42. 8. Sixthly Prayer is Gods delight The supplication of the wicked is abomination to God but the prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. The
in the Towne or in any such place as this where the Gospel hath been so long taught that there should be so many prophane Esaues which walke after the stubbornnesse of their owne hearts Do you think that it is pleasing to God that you should think hardly of them that think best of the Word Think you is it best pleasing to God that you should have inordinate courses in your families that after so much preaching yet many of you should be still in your sinnes Is this pleasing to God Oh consider what you pull upon your selves viz. wrath yea wrath to the utmost It is a grievous thing for a man to pull the wrath of a King upon him You shall not do this on pain of Our displeasure Do then if you dare If the wrath of a King then be so great and so to be feared what then is the wrath and that to the utmost of the ever living God Destruction and damnation to the utmost God will shew no mercy to them that make no conscience to please him Secondly this condemns those that please men If it be so necessary to please God what will then become of men-pleasers as such there are and too too many amongst us that carry tales c why because they will please such and such men Such are many of your children and servants in Alehouses that can fill pot after pot and that because it is their masters pleasure that it should be so But what will become of this in the end If I should please men c. Gal. 1. 10. If not the servant of God or of Christ then I must needs be the servant of the Devil I even I Paul if I should seek to please men I were none of the servants of Jesus Christ Thirdly this also condemns those that please themselves Many there are that are self-pleasers which walk after their self-wils self-conceits self-desires and self-affections It is pleasing to them to drink to swagger to dice and to card It is pleasing to them to shuffle over the ordinances of God why because they have other things to do Oh think I beseech you what a grievous evil you pull on your heads that are self-pleasers You draw down upon you more then swift damnation How can that be will you say Yes a man may pull down more then naked damnation double damnation is more then single now if you please your selves live as you list do as you list you pull on your selves damnation with a mischiefe God will reserve all the wicked for the day of judgement to punish them 2 Pet. 2. 9. but chiefly them that are self-pleasers unto whom he gives special marks as first unclean persons 2. such as rebel agianst God 3. Presumptuous such as build castles in the aire as we use to say on Gods mercy 4. He reckons the self-willed in the Original self-pleasers i.e. when a man follows his own will and pleasure These are they that God will chiefly cast into damnation this is to pull damnation and more then damnation upon thee And thus by Gods assistance you have seen the prosecution of this Point A CAVEAT AGAINST LATE REPENTANCE In a SERMON BY That laborious and faithfull Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex A CAVEAT against Late Repentance LUKE 23. 24. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thon commest into thy kingdome THis is spoken from the good Thief on the Crosse And be said unto c. Extraordinary cases never make a common rule The ordinary rule is this As is a mans life so is his death 'T is a common axiome and it is as true as common Qualis vita finis ita a good life cannot choose but have a good death and a wicked life a cursed end this is the ordinary rule Neverthelesse there are extraordinary cases wherein it may be otherwise and these cases are referred to four heads First when it pleaseth God to shew his prerogative royall he may convert a man at the last gaspe and give unto the last even as unto the first Mat. 20. 13. his grace is his owne Christ his owne Heaven is his owne and he may doe with his owne as he will this is Gods prerogative as a King may pardon an old beaten Traitor and thereby shew his prerogative but this is not ordinary Secondly when a sinner hath not had meanes of salvation in this life but only at his death as when S. Paul came unto Corinth many were there lying on their death-beds S. Paul converted some of them 1 Cor. 15. 29. Alas they were Pagans before they never had the means of salvation before yet so it pleaseth the Lord sometimes to step in and convert a sinner that never had the meanes before but this case is not ordinary neither for now we have the means and health Thirdly when it comes to passe that a sinner is made an example to all the world as when a theef is brought to the gallows the Lord converts him And for ought we know this was the case Of Achan Jos 7. 25. he was converted perhaps when the stones flew about his eares Another extraordinary case is when the Lord may be as much honoured by a mans death as he hath been dishonoured by his life In such a case some live and it pleaseth the Lord to giue repentance unto life And this was the case of this Thief he did as much honour God at his death as you shall see in his repentance as many whose lives were spent in all holinesse The priviledges of a few men make no common rule men deal with repentance as a Divine speaks as they do with their Wills they put them off to the last gasp so they put off repentance to the last hour like A chitophel that never set his house in order till he went and hanged himself As it is said of the serpent it growes crooked all the dayes of his life and when it dies then it straightens it selfe So many walke perversly while they are well and then to straighten all cry God mercy when they are a dying as the heart of oak that never growes soft till it is dead and rotten so they never soften their hearts with repentance till they see they must die and then they fall to their beads and say Was not the Thief converted at the last and did not the Thief on the crosse find forgivenesse and why then may not I Thus they bear themselves on the example of the Thiefs conversion I dare be bold to say that this Thief never stole more goods in his life then his example hath stollen souls from heaven after his death Therefore I have chosen this Text to let you all know that the repentance of this Thief was no ordinary thing nay to us an extraordinary wonder and therefore there is no trusting to it For for a man to be carelesse while he is
the like again 3. Tell me where was this thief pardoned Was it not in Golgotha where Christ was crucified the place where Christ did triumph where he was crowned where he forgave transgressions and sins there it was where Christpardoned him Now as it is with a Captain when he hath gotten the victory he will set up some monument at the place that it may be a token thereof so Christ having wrought the salvation of the world set up a monument there where he wrought it whereof none greater then this could be not the rending of the rocks nor the earthquake nor any of the wonders besides did so honour the death of Christ as the conversion of this Thief who like a Physitian having made an excellent medicine and desirous to try it will do that for nothing which he will not do again for much so Christ having made an admirable soveraign plaister for the salvation of mankinde so soon as ever he had made it he makes an experiment thereof on this Thief as if he should have said Now you shall see what my death can do So then you see that the conversion of this Thief was no ordinary but an extraordinary wonder Fourthly tell me how he cures by forgivenesse not by bare repentance only but by repentance with Martyrdome he did not only nakedly repent of his sin but he died also a Martyr for Christ hee was a Martyr on the crosse for although he was first hung on the crosse for his evill deeds yet afterwards when he repented and confessed the Lord Jesus Christ and maintained him to be the Messias and condemned Pilate Herod and the Jewes by publishing that he was unjustly crucified and that he was the son of God I say though at the first he was hung on the crosse for his sin yet now they let him hang for his religion as by their own law it was manifest for they had a law that whosoever confessed Christ should be punished so that now he confessing Christ they let him hang for his religion to Christ so that he died a Martyr and verse 20. what a witnesse he gave unto Christ The other answering he rebuked him saying Dost not thou feare God c. As if he should say thou seest the Scribes and Pharisees feare not God they have conspired against the Son of God The Jewes that should have beleeved on him cryed crucifiy him Herod hath mocked him Pilate condemned him dost thou not yet feare God what not thou that art in the state of condemnation thou that art to be damned within this houre is it not enough for them to crucifie Christ but dost not thou feare God neither Oh what a witnesse was this unto Christ no wonder if he found mercy when it pleased the Lord to enlarge himselfe so in bringing his soule unto him Obj. But it may be objected why is this Scripture recorded if I may not make this use of it to repent as this thief did seeing all Scripture is for our learning Sol. You know the common answer it is once recorded that none might despaire and but once that none might presume Christ saved him at the last cast that when a man is at that pinch hee might not despaire if he repent and become a new creature and but one was saved that none might presume There are many reasons why this Scripture is recorded First to shew the soveraignty of Christs death and as Christ healed all manner of sicknesse in his life so his death is able to heale all manner of sins it is the leaves of that tree only that can heale the Nations Rev. 22. 2. and therefore the Scripture sets downe a desperate example of a thief for a man must be a desperate man if he be a thief and Christ did this to shew that he can shew mercy even to a thief that so all the world may take notice of the vertue of Christs death Secondly it is recorded that no poor soul should cry out of his sinnes saying I am damned I am accursed I am more sinfull and gracelesse then any man more wicked then any man I say do not thus reason for here is an example set down of the thief and you know what Christ said to the multitude of a Thief Do you come unto me as to a thief with swords and staves as if he should have said You deal basely with me as if I were as bad as a thief implying that a thief is the worst of all men nay as bad as the devil Joh. 12. 6. And it is reckoned as one of their damnable usages against Christ that they hung him between two thieves two of the vilest creatures of all so that a thiefe is an example of a desperate man and yet you see Christ hath mercy and gives it to a thief Therefore if the LORD have enlarged thy heart to repent be not discouraged but lay hold on CHRIST Thirdly this Scripture is recorded that we may not cast off all men that come to the last cast all men though great sinners must not desperately be cast off For suppose a man have been a Drunkard yet prayer and supplication may be made to God for him and God may open his eyes and there is some possibility that he may be saved though it be a thousand to one yet I say there is some possibilitie for there was one thief saved at the last cast and therefore a Drunkard c. is not to be given over for quite gone It may be there are a wonderfull company of improbabilities in it yet we cannot tell but that this may be the second to whom the Lord will give repentance and therefore the Lord converted this thief Lastly this story is recorded that by it we may be encouraged to believe and to be converted betimes for if the Lord were so willing to receive the thief that sought him but at the last houre how willing will he be then to receive thee that seekest him betimes But as for thee that livest in thy sins and bearest on the example of this Thief let me tell thee this story was never penned for thy comfort The Lord knew how men would abuse this story therefore S. Matthew S. Mark and S. John omit it and if we had none to testifie it all the world would say both the theeves were damned nay S. Matthew saith the thieves both the thieves cast the same thing in his teeth only S. Luke he pens it for the comfort of the godly he was loth as it seems to me to leave it out quite because some poor soule might stand in need of it Therefore let me here rap off the fingers of all those that would lay hold on this example of the thief to deferre their repentance this story belong not unto such First because this thief had not the means of life and grace before for where do you read in all the gospel that ever this Thiefe had the meanes of life perhaps when Christ was
the Image of God in him that me thought Christ Jesus walked in him alive upon the earth how much true service sincere obedience fervent and faithfull prayer had the Lord out of that poore cottage wherin he lived If ever there were a true child of Abraham and an heire to the promise this was hee if ever there were among us a true Israelite in whom there was no guil this was hee If ever there were amongst us a true Christian that shined as a light to those amongst whom he lived this was hee If ever there were amongst us a poor man rich in faith this was hee In his life he was a patterne to all that knew him so contented with his estate so diligent in the duties of his calling whilst health suffered In sicknesse untill death whilst speech continued so comfortable that I never came to him but I went away bettered by him O how did hee exhort and stirre up all those that came to visit him to hold out constantly unto the end to grow and increase in those good beginnings which they had made how often and how excellently would he speake of the benefits which wee have by Christ even the pardon of sin more like a Divine then a common Ghristian and so feelingly did hee expresse the certaine pardon of his owne sin even the sweete assurance thereof that it did my heart good to hear him Often did he deplore the state of these evill times in which we live from which the Lord hath now taken him away Often did hee with tears bewaile the state of this congregation and their unfruitfulnesse under the ministry of the word How did hee even with teares pray for his enemies he had some enimies but they were such as his piety religion and care to keep a good conscience made enimies unto him touching whom I must say that which without trembling I cannot speak that as they refused his society while he lived and sought to thrust him from among them so I feare that where he now is they shall never come except they repent O it is a fearfull thing to hate a man for his religion and piety but such was his love and compassion towards them that he did often with teares lament their estate and pray for them At the mention of death he would still repeat the point not long since delivered that he that would have comfort in death must goe beyond death even to that glorious inheritance to the which we are passing through death and never in my life did I ever see any man so comfortably and contentedly adresse himself to encounter with death as he did O said he this is the time that I have long waited for and as the pangs of death grew neerer so used he the more comfortable speeches saying with Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ now shall I see my sweet Saviour whom I have longed for and when death was even upon him he said come Lord Jesus come quickly and so with admirable patience endured the pangs of death after prayer with him when his speech began to faile I exhorted him now to look up to his Redeemer who was ready to receive him into his Masters joy and I spake something out of the Revelations touching the happy estate of those that die in the Lord adding further that all this comfort we have by Christ He answered with these his last words which with much difficulty he spake saying blessed be his glorious name blessed be his glorious name and thus this faithfull servant of Christ and heire of blessing gave up his breath in blessing God and died praising that God to whose praise he had lived And what should I say more but as David said of Abner died Abner as a fool dieth died this our brother as a fool as a worldling as a wicked man dieth of whom no reckoning is to be made no precious is his death in the eyes of the Lord and in the eyes of all that fear the Lord and blessed shall his memory be yea all that knew him well will call him blessed And for my own part so often as I shall think of his death and often I must think thereon my soul shall wish and pray Oh let medie the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his Amen THE SIGNES OF GODS forsaking a people Preached by That laborious and faithfull Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex Being the last Sermon that he preached THE SIGNES OF GODS forsaking a people JER 14. 9. And we are called by thy Name leave us not TWo things Brethren and beloved in Christ Jesus are intended and expressed by the holy Prophet from the first verse to the 13. verse There is first a denomination of a judgement and that is dearth or famine from the first verse to the seventh Secondly the sword is threatned to the thirteenth verse he will send the famine then the sword and he will not bee intreated Then in the eighth and ninth verses we have the importunate prayer of the Church to turne away these judgements And the prayer is marvellous sweet in confession where they confesse their sins and seek to God for succour First they desire God that he would not take his providence from them why stayest thou but for a night verse the 8 as if they should have said it is marveilous strange that thou behavest thy self so like a stranger thou seest our sorrowes and dost not help us thou perceivest our troubles and thou regardest us not It is strange it is strange that the God of Israel stands as a man astonished that thou that hast heretofore received us shouldst now stand as a man amazed and astonished as if thou wert weary of this thy work and couldst do no more as if thou shouldst say Ierusalem cannot be saved and Judah cannot be succoured Secondly they desire that God would not take away his presence from them leave us not to our selves say they let us see thy face though we die yet let it be in thy presence yea though thou help us not yet it doth us good to look upon our Saviour and thou canst help us and thus you see the arguments wherewith they presse the Lord how sweet they are viz. First thou art the hope of Israel Alas if thou forsake us we are all lost our hope is not in the meanes only but our hope is in thee leav us not for thou art the hope of Israel it is the task that thou hast taken upon thee leave us not therefore Secondly thou hast made thy selfe a Saviour and now is the time of trouble therefore now performe what thou hast undertaken Thirdly thou art in the midst of us that is thou art a great Commander amongst us alwayes ready to succour us and wilt thou now see us perish thou art more neer to us then the
soule and conscience will be galled and troubled still it must bee the God of peace that must speak peace to troubled soules It must bee the God of peace that must speak peace to a distressed soule to a soule that is damned in it selfe it is hee that must say I will bee the strength of their hearts and their portion for ever no marvell then if a poor soule cryes to God when happily the heart is full when the soul gnaws and cries within it selfe I am damned I am damned happily the palate is pleased with delicates when the poor soule for ought it knowes must goe down to hell oh then beloved if you will have safety goe where God is for every good gift comes in with him if once a man hath got God into his company hee hath all good things with him God blessed Obed Edoms house for the Arkes sake now the Arke was a type of Christ and where it came many blessings came with it even so when God comes unto a people they are married unto him in righteousnesse in judgement in loving kindnesse and in mercies for ever Hosea 2. 9. When a man is married to a wife all is his so get Christ and all is thine and then what wouldst thou have more God speaks to the raine and it heares to the corne and it heares but if thou be in Christ hell and death are thy servants but they that have outward things only as profits pleasures or the like they have their ruine unlesse they have Christ with them get Christ therefore for if hee be wanting all outward and inward dangers befall that man or that Nation woe be unto him or them that are without God For though they bring up their children yet will I bereave them that there shall not bee man left yea woe also to them when I doe depart from them Ephraim as Tyrus is planted in a plesant place but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer Hosea the 9. 12 13. verses True indeed woe bee unto that heart County or Kingdome that God is departed from when God who is the God of mercies and all consolation is departed away who can but pitty that soule County or Kingdome who will not submit to Gods peace consolation and salvation when God parts all miseries follow for that man that makes no conscience in out-faceing God in the Congregation mark what the text saith Dent. 28. 15. I will forsake them and many miseries shall overtake them and when the floud gates are once up then comes in all evils And then they shall say are not these things come upon us because God is not with us If therfore we would avoid woe and sorrow slaying and killing one another if the wife would not see her husband killed before her tender eyes and the man see his wife snatcht out of the world by the hands of wicked men then leave not God but hold him fast and then evill dayes will depart from us It is our holding of God that keepes miseries from us oh then what shall wee think of them that are weary of God and that say to the Almighty depart from us Job 22. 17. Ob. But are there any amongst us that are weary of God I hope there are none such amongst us I answer thou that art a servant and rejectest the Command of thy Master in it thou doest reject God and all such as have a mean conceit of the worship of God and the word of God and thinke that prayer or preaching is continued too long I say these men know not what they thinke or say but certainly it is because they would be freed from the Ordinance of God well God will free thee from them one day I will warrant thee and then thou wilt bee in a miserable condition oh that thou wouldest pitty thy poor condition but thou that art weary of Gods ordinances and of his mercies his presence and patience know thou that thou shalt bee deprived of Gods goodnesse and thy portion shall bee with those that hate God in this life here and after this life if thou repent not thy portion shall bee with them in Tophet where the worme dyeth not and where the fire goeth not out and then thy crying will not availe God will bee God over thee in destruction yea when he hath spurned thousauds and ten thousands into hell such as thou art then shalt thou bee the everlasting object of his never dying wrath then notwithstanding all thy shrill cryes though thou couldest be heard out of that dungeon yet were thy help never the near for God is God still I advise thee therefore what to do whilst thou art here in this life make thy peace with God in Christ and lay thy selfe low before him and bear patiently his hand in his wrath which thou hast deserved And marke what I say thou hast deserved to bee in hell an hundred times that is the least and therefore bee contented with thy condition for thou hast chosen death rather than life and God should wrong himselfe and thee also if he should not let thee have thy choosing Will not these things move you my brethren Me thinks I see your colours rise I am glad of it I hope it is to a good end you may be wise and happily so wise as to choose life rather then death Now the Lord grant it for see delights not in your destruction I will adde one word more to leave the more impression in your hearts my desire is the health of your soules though my meat seem sowre yet my minde is the will of God Thou man or woman that canst not abide so much Preaching but standest upon thorns whilst it is preaching Too much of one thing you say is good for nothing You do as much as say you will not have God with you you will have a little of God but you will have more of your pleasures is this your desire your delights Know then whosoever thou art that hast an ill will to God and his Ordinances and wilt not have the gospel in the purity of it thou shalt have thy desires Thou sayest depart Preachings and so it shall thou shalt have thy desires When thou shalt hear the trumpets sound and when thine eares shall tingle with the sound of war then depart for ever you that are weary of God get you down to hell for ever Fulfill your base lusts then will God say for I have fed you on earth this twenty thirty forty fifty nay sixty yeares and upwards and my milde Word could not rule you nor prevail with you and therefore now get you to hell and there remain for ever Think thus with your selves will God serve me thus yea that he will for he hath prepared a place for the proudest Kings Princes Monarchs Captains c. that are or ever were in the world if they will not be ruled nor guided by God and his word See Isa 30. 33. the