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
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
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
what mens thoughts are and therefore the best way for a man to judge himself is to judge himself that way which God doth even by his thoughts The Lord knowes the thoughts of man Psal 94. 11. Examine your selves in this then concerning your thoughts whether they be metamorphosed or no A man may say he hath good thonghts of God but let him examine himself whether it be so or no. 7. Thoughts are the conscional acts of the heart they are the greatest accusers or excusers of the heart they are Consciences Nose as we may so speak True it is the words of the tongue and the actions of the hands are all in the light and sight of the conscience but the nearer a thing is unto the conscience the more able it is to judge of the conscience And therefore Saint Paul puts the accusing or excusing especially on the thoughts Rom. 2. 15. We grant a wicked man may have good thoughts but they are thoughts descending not ascending they are cast into the heart by God not raised out of the heart Moses thought in his heart to visit his brethren Acts 7. ver 23. Good thoughts grow out of the heart of the godly they come from the bottome of it a wicked man may have good thoughts cast into his minde but he will fling them out again Secondly we grant wicked men may have good thoughts but examine whether they be close with the heart or no all the proper thoughts of a man are the possessions of the heart Job 17. 11. They take hold of the heart and they are at home in the heart Here then examine thy heart whether the thoughts of God close with thy heart Doth repentance close with thy heart dost thou think of death and do the thoughts thereof make thee die daily Or dost thou think of death dost thou not love to be holden with that thought Dost thou think of hell and wilt thou not be holden with that thought of hell but thy thoughts are on thy pleasures So then if thy thoughts close not with thy heart it is nothing to the purpose Thirdly there may be good thoughts in thy heart but t is questionable whether good thoughts or no if they come out of due season it is nothing to the purpose If a Printer print never so well and make never so good letters yet if he place one word where another should stand he marrs all So good thoughts if they be seasonable and in their proper place they are the effects of the Spirit but if out of season they may be the thoughts of Reprobates As if thou be at Prayer and then to be thinking of a Sermon is nothing to the purpose They must be seasonable and bring forth fruit in due season Psal 1. 3. When thou art at prayer thou must have thy thoughts suteable to prayer for it thy thoughts be never so good yet if they be not seasonable and suteable to the action thou hast in hand they are not actions of grace grace cannot away with them Fourthly thou hast good thoughts in thy heart but the question is whether they be counselled thoughts such as thou hast determined to think on Thoughts are called the counsels of a mans heart 1 Cor. 4. 5. it may be thou maiest stumble on a good thought now and then it may be when thou art swearing thou wilt say God forgive me when thou hast been drinking all the day it may be a good thought steps in and cries God mercy but thou goest not to schoole to learne the arte of meditation or the science of holy thinking or to say with David O God my heart is fixed Vse 1 Now if that sin in thought be so great a sin this should teach us what a horrible sin it is to sin in deed therfore thoghts are the smallest sins and the Psalmist makes it an argument of Gods quick-sighted power to see thoughts thou seest my thoughts afarre off you will say that man is quick sighted that can see a pins head a 100 myles off even so God sees thoughts if a pins point can stab a man then a sword can much more Now if thoughts be so haynous and capitall a sin how fearfull a sin is it to commit sinne in deed for thee to sweare to lye to commit adultery to keepe wicked company to mocke at Gods people to live in coveteousnesse c. this is to commit in deed if small sins be so damnable what then are the greatest If the cockatrice in the egge be such poyson what will it be when it is hatcht sins in thought are imperfect but outward actions are perfect T is a wicked distinction to say that some sing are Contra legem or Praeter legem for all sins are against the Law as Saint Iames saith when lust is conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished it bringeth forth death thou that art a drunkard thy sin is finished thou art a true sinner in deed if thou livest in the execution of any outward sin Againe sins in thought are simple sins but sins in deed are compounded sin in thought is part of sin but when it is indeed it may be the cause of a 1000 sins for a man to think too much of his bellie is a sin but for a man to be drunken this is abundance of sins for it is an abuse of Gods creatures a spending of his substance a weakning of his parts a scandall to others c. Sin in deed is a sin with an addition sin in deed is an impudent sin see Esay 65. 2 3. c. that man is impudent with a witnes that will commit sin in deed for he is neither ashamed of Gods nor mans presence if any man be a desperate siner this is he Object But it may be objected how then can thoughts be said to be such sins even sins of the highest part of a man Sol. I answer a Theife or Rogue hath burnt a mans dwelling house yet he may proceed further and burn his stable too a 1000 pound and a shilling are more then a 1000 pound Sins in thought are included within sins in deed The souls part of sin is the greatest part of sin Now thonghts are the souls part of sin yet sins in deed must needs be worse in regard of the progresse of sin and also because thoughts are included in them thoughts and deeds are more then thoughts alone Vse 2 I exhort and desire you therefore to consider First what great reason you have to set your thought on God God himself merited this dutie at your hands God hath taken a number of thoughts for us Innumerable are thy thoughts O God to us ward Ps 40. 5. the Lord thinks on us from the Cradle to the Crosse If the Lord should have intermitted his thoughts of thee thou couldst not subsist when thou wast up the Lord thought how to feede thee when thou wast in bed he thought how to preserve thee he
preaching he was pilfering where do you read that ever he heard any of the Apostles or Seventy or John the Baptist or any Sermon in all his life No no he went roving up and down we have not one title to imply that he had the means of salvation and therefore this is nothing to thee that hast the preaching of the Word which reproves thee of thy sins and therefore if thou wilt go on thou shalt dye Ezech. 3. 19. Secondly this story belongs not unto thee for where dost thou read that ever this thief did build upon this hope do you think that this thief said I will steal as long as I can I know I shall be imprisoned and I shall be crucified with Christ but while I lie in prison I will repent and then he will have mercie on me did this poor thief ever dreame of these hopes did he presume of mercie and so sin against mercies and therefore thou that buildest on this example whosoever thou art it belongs not unto thee Tush tush sayes the Drunkard shall I be damned the thief was saved Thou cursed caitiffe what though thou shouldst repent and cry for mercie art thou sure the Lord will heare and pardon thee when I spake to you said Moses you would not heare but rebelled and were presumptuous Deut. 1. 43. Dost thou presume on Gods mercie that hee will convert thee at the last I tell thee that Gods mercy is good mercie it is not like the mercie of a wicked Iudge that is wickedly mercifull and suffers Rogues to be pardoned No no Gods mercie is good psal 109. 21. mercie and justice are all one with God and they have all one name in scripture There is a crown laid up for me saith Paul which the Lord the just Judge shall give me viz which God the mercifull Judge shall give unto me God is just in his mercie and therefore thinkest thou to live in thy sins to sweare to lie to be drunk c. and yet hope to have mercy thou art deceived the Lords mercy is just mercy and he will damne thee for evermore if thou repent not in sincerity You never read in the Scripture that there is mercy in the wayes of the devil But Psal 25. 10. all the wayes of the Lord are mercy and iudgement c. So long as thou walkest in the wayes of the Lord there is mercy to thee in every step mercy in Prayer mercy in hearing the Word and in receiving the Sacraments but in the wayes of the devil there is no mercy for as long as thou walkest in darknesse security and all sinfull and vain courses which are the wayes of the devil there is no mercy for thee for the Spirit of God saith those that follow their vanities forsake their own mercies you must turn from your own wayes for the way of mercy lies in another road in the road of holinesse humiliation and repentance in the road of forsaking all your vain imaginations and thoughts If thou follow thy own wayes God will have no mercy on thee Jonas 2. 8. He will not tell a lye to have mercy on thee Gods mercy is true and mercy and truth go together Psal 98. 3. Now if thou be a Drunkard and dost live and die in that sin God hath said that he will damn thee Gal. 5. 21. Now he should be a liar if he should not do it and thou knowest that mercy and truth go together in him Therefore in time repent Pish pish sayes the Drunkard c. I hope the Lord will be more merciful these Preachers preach nothing but damnation I hope the Lord will pardon me Pardon thee saith God how shall I pardon thee for this Thy children have forsaken me and sworne by them that are no gods and though I fed them to the full yet they committed adultery and assembled themselves by troopes in the harlots houses Jer. 5. 7. As if God should have said I cannot pardon thee No why Thou wilt not come at me thou hast forsaken me in mine ordinances c. Will a Physitian cure a man that will not come at him why they have forsaken me saith God and they will not come at me as if he should say I am willing to pardon I send out my commandements but they will not bend their mindes to keep them they forsake these wayes of mercy Have mercy on them nay shall I not rather visit for these things saith the Lord Jer. 5. 9. If those that disobeyed Moses law dyed without mercy Heb. 10. how then lookest thou for mercy that despisest the Lord Jesus even the gospel of his kingdome Nay the crosse of Christ cals thee he wooes thee by his death and passion and now it thou wilt not obey thou shalt die without mercy Oh what a cursed conclusion is this I have a mercifull and a good Father and therefore I will lift up my head against him I know he will forgive me I will break my head I know where to have a plaister to heal it I will offer such a man a wrong I know he will nnot sue me Thou cursed wretch though the Lord pardon ten thousand yet he will not pardon thee no no thou sinnest with a high hand But keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ Jude 21. Keep your selves there if you be wise for if Gods patience be abused it will be turned into wrath and wormwood and it will burn like fire unto the nethermost hell to a man that sins against mercy there is no redemption this story belongs not unto such Thirdly this story is nothing to thee because at that time God was in a way of working miracles but now he is not in that way then he rent the rocks opened the sepulchres and raised the dead c. Now unlesse thou take God in this way again never look to have thy sinnes pardoned if thou goest on in thy sinnes with a high hand It may be God will not be in the way of working of miracles when thou art a dying No the Lord will shew salvation to no man but unto him that orders his conversation aright Psal 50. 23. thy life must be right and all thy wayes must be upright if thou mean to find mercie But the Thief was converted without ordering his wayes aright I answer one Swallow cannot make Spring nor one fair day a harvest One example cannot make a rule one instance concludes nothing This example breakes no square but it is onely hee that lives uprightly that shall see the salvation of God and none else And if thou dost mean to go to heaven thou must go in the way that leads thither and thou must do those things that are between thee and heaven there is but one way to heaven and all that go to heaven must walk that way there is one faith one newnesse of life one kinde of regeneration and God will have thee go all these
spirit of God who are so farre from lamenting that on the contrary they rejoyce at the death of the godly man because he stood in their way they could not follow their workes of darknesse as they would but hee hindered them he stood in their light they could not run on in sin and wickednesse but he would be reproving admonishing and telling them of their faults and this makes them long for the good mans end and to rejoyce in it when it doth come these doe not consider that when the righteous is taken from the earth then they lie open unto the judgemens of God But as the Sodomites thrust out just Lot out of their city that so Gods vengeance might fall the sooner upon them for till he was gone the Lord would not destroy them Gen. 19. 21. Even so doe these men desire to bee rid of the righteous and rejoyce when they are taken from them not considering that they are open to Gods vengeance which hangeth over their heads ready to devoure them We ought then to be most grieved for the death of the righteous when any of the Saints are taken away by death Oh what a comfort is a righteous man to the children of God what a feeling of grace is there in such a one what comfortable words come there from the mouth of such men how full of comfortable speeches was this poore man alwayes ministring comfort to those that came to visit him what a losse is this then unto us it is more then if thousands of the wicked had gone together and shall wee not mourne for the losse of such a one If one of our family or friends dye wee can mourne for them and good reason and shall wee not mourne for the losse of one of Gods Saints one of the spirituall family one of our fellow members In this then examine thy selfe how it is with thee when thou hearest of any of the faithfull that are taken away art thou greived for it dost thou lament and mourn for it if thou doest not surely thou art no true Christian for the children of God cannot choose but lay it to heart and lament when any of the righteous is taken from among them As Israel lamented the death of Samuel 1 Sam. 25. 1. Now concerning the sin of the people in not regarding nor laying it to heart this was a great sin of security in them in that they did as it were rest on their pillowes and cryed peace unto themselves notwithstanding Gods judgements upon them in taking away the righteous and freeing them from the evill to come wee note that Doctr. When God will bring any great judgement upon a People or Nation he will ordinarily take away his faithfull servants from among them that so they may be freed from the evill to come Thus good Josiah must perish in his young yeares that so he might not be taken with the evill to come I will gather thee unto thy fathers faith God and thou shalt goe to thy grave in peace and thy eyes shall not see all the evill that I will bring upon this place 2 King 22. 20. So when God told Abraham of the bondage and captivity whereunto he would bring his posterity he saith thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace Gen. 15. 13. And thus it was with the ancient Father Saint Augustine when the cruell Vandals besieged his city he prayed that the Lord would either take him away or cause them to leave the siege and the Lord heard him and tooke him away and presently after the Vandals destroyed the city So Luther writing upon this text saith that the Lord after his death would bring great affliction upon Germany and two yeares after it so fell out indeed Thus ordinarily God takes away his servants from the evill to come See here the mercy of God unto his children in that hee takes them away from among the wicked he calls them out of this world that they may not pertake of the evill to come shall any one then think it a curse to be taken away betimes in his young yeares nay happy is hee that is taken away from these miserable and fearfull times wherein the judgement of God for our sins hangeth over our heads and is ready every day to seize upon us Secondly seeing that God when he meanes to bring any heavy judgement upon a people doth ordinarily take away the righteous from the evill to come this shewes that when the righteous are taken from amongst us wee are certainly to expect some judgement of God upon us For these are they which stood in the gap and kept off the fire of Gods wrath from us that it should not consume us but now being gone wee lie open to the judgements of God and therefore when any righteous men are taken from us the losse of them ought to drive us to repentance least Gods judgements come presently upon us and consume us therefore we must forsake our sins and evill wayes and performe new obedience unto God so will he be mercifull unto us yea he will bee a shield of defence unto us and a wall of fire about us and hee will turne away his judgements from us Beloved in the Lord wee are here assembled to perform this last Christian duty of burial to the Saint of God now deceased whose soule I am as certainly perswaded is at rest with Christ in glory as I am sure his body is in this coffin When I consider those excellent graces that were in him his great knowledge in the word of God his love zeale patience and humility when I consider his excellent gifts in comforting exhorting admonishing with his heavenly gift of prayer c. and withall consider that he was unlettered hee could neither write nor read I cannot but call to mind that in the Acts. 4. 13. where it is said of the Priest and Pharisees that they seeing the boldnesse of the Apostles how they answered and spake perceiving them to be unlearned and ignorant men they knew that they had been with Iesus Even so may we know that this our brother had been with Iesus not in the flesh but in the spirit and that from him he received these things that book-learning could never have taught him for he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost as it is laid of Barnabas Truly verifying that of the Apostle that God hath chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith he was a true follower of Christ of whom it is said hee went about doing good so this Disciple of Christ did good wheresoever he came how many by him have been stirred up comforted and admonished and quickened unto good duties feeding them with the lips of knowledge who fed him with bodily food how often have I my self through him been stirred up to good duties how often have I been refreshed and comforted in my heavinesse by this poore man so lively did he beare