It is not amisse to consider and see how God proportions punishments to sins In Kind Quantity Quality Time Place and other Circumstances In Kind He shall eat the fruit of his own wayes that is he shall be punished in kind It is a similitude from a tree every tree brings forth according to its own kind if it be an Apple-tree it brings forth Apples if a Crab-tree Crabs a Pear-tree Pears So every sinner shall be punished in their kind a Minister shall be punished in his kind wicked Masters in their kind Servants in theirs Rich in theirs poor in theirs If a man be a drunkard he shall be punished in one kind if he be an adulterer in another Every man shall eat the fruit of his own wayes Every sin brings an homogeneal punishment according to the nature of it I cannot stand to follow this though it he very clear in Scripture Secondly it is in Quantity God proportions the punishment according to the sin he that sowes sparingly shall reap sparingly but he that sowes bountifully shall reap bountifully Little sins little punishments and great sins great punishments There are little sins moat sins gnat sins and there are Camel sins so there are little and great punishments some meet with many some with fewer stripes Just according to a mans sins so the Lord shapes out the punishment for great sinners great plagues and for every one according to his own measure God hath a pair of ballances that he means to weigh men in As he weighed Belshazzar so he will weigh thee and look how much sin thou puttest in one scale so much punishment God will put in the other He will not abate thee one oath not one idle thought not one breach of the Sabbath not one neglect of hearing the Word or of other duties the Lord will put wrath in one ballance as thou puttest sin in the other he will make the scales even to a haire as he dealt with Belshazzar He will lay righteousnesse to the line and judgement to the plummet and weigh thee out in the scales and thou shalt have just according to thy sins As the Lord deals with his own people he will not abate so much as a cup of cold water but it shall be rewarded he will reward all from the greatest to the least so he will deal with the wicked there shall no sinne passe unpunished Again there is a proportion in the Quality If Adam sin in eating he shall be punished in eating if the women of Judah sin in apparel they shall be punished in apparel Isa 3. 24. In Wis 11. 16. A man shall be punished in that that he sins in If Absalom sin in his hair he shall be punished in it Nebuchadnezzar might find his sin in his brutish condition and the Prodigall might find his sinne in the Hog trough so if thou find thy self in want consider if thou hast not wasted thy means if thou hast not been vain in building and prodigal in spending or gaming or unnecessary bounty and im moderate liberality beyond thy means Art thou punished in thy Trade or Children c. see if thou hast not sinned in them for where there is sin God will proportion the punishment to the sin Fourthly God proportions the punishment to the sin in regard of the time The same hour that Belshazzar was drinking and quaffing in the Temple the same hour the hand of God was upon him if it be not upon thee the same hour it may be to morrow at the same hour It may be thou hast sinned this day at such an hour it may be God may strike thee to morrow at the same time or this day seven-night it may be the next year Nebuchadnezzar was warned of his pride this year and the same time twelvemoneth the Lord drove him from among men So in Acts 13. 42. one Sabbath day the Jews heard Paul preach and went out before the Sermon was quite done they were not able to stand to the blessing the same day seven-night the Lord made the Apostles shake off the dust of their feet against them and leave them to a reprobate sense Fifthly the Lord proportions his punishments to the place It is strange many times that the drunkard should get his death in the same Alehouse where he got his liquor In Judg. 7. in that story of Oreb and Zeeb Oreb at the rock Oreb devised against the children of Israel and upon the same rock he was killed And Zeeb another persecuter of the Children of God so the Psalmist calls them he at the Wine presse of Zeeb took victuals from the children of Israel and in the same place his own life was taken away Just as Judges and Magistrates at this day they hang up men where they have done the villany As they do with Dogs and Cats they carry them to the place to the Cellar or the Buttery where they do the mischief But the beasts themselves though they have no reason are able to pick out the meaning of it The Lord punisheth sinners in the same place Here where thou hast been deaf to hear the word of God when thy heart riseth against the Preacher in the same place it may be the Lord wil deliver thee up to a reprobate sense In the same place at the Lords Table where thou comest unworthily thou shalt eat and drink thine own damnation THE NECESSITY OF SELF-DENIAL In a SERMON By that laborious and faithful Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford Practicall DIVINITIE OR GOSPEL-LIGHT Shining forth In severall choyce SERMONS on divers Texts of Scripture Viz. 1. The Misery of earthly thoughts on Isa 55. 7. Viz. 2. A Sermon of Self-denial on Luke 9. 23. Viz. 3. The efficacie of importunate Prayer in two Sermons on Luke 11. 9. Viz. 4. The necessity of Gospel-obedience in two Sermons on Colos 1. 10. Viz. 5. A Caveat against late Repentance on Luke 23. 24. Viz. 6. The Soveraign vertue of the Gospel on Psal 147. 3. Viz. 7. A Funeral Sermon on Isa 57. 1. Preached by that laborious and faithful Messenger of CHRIST WILLIAM FENNER Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Minister of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE MISERY OF Earthly Thoughts ISA. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord c. I Have heretofore begun the Doctrine of the Thoughts of men Now I desire to finish it Whence we had this Point that Those whose minds run habitually on earthly things are yet in the state of misery First Because a man is in the state of misery till he hath repented Now untill a man have forsaken his old thoughts that man hath not repented Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart Jer. 4. 14. A man must not only â—id himselfe
13. Now Gods people are worthy persons and that in these respects First in respect of the worthy names they have Doe they not saith the Apostle blaspheme the worthy name by the which ye are called Iames 2. 7. viz. the name of Christ Secondly they are worthy because there was a great price paid for them it adds much to the worth of a thing when there is a great price paide for it so this adds to the worth of all true beleevers that the price was great that was paid for them they were not bought with corruptible things not with two hundred fore skinnes of the Phylistines as David bought Michal nor with thirty change of garment the reward of those that unfolded Sampsons Riddle they were not bought with a great summe of Money as the Romane Burgesse shippe was I say not with corruptible things but with the precious bloud of Jesus Christ for in him wee have redemption through his bloud Colossians 1. 14. Thirdly they are worthy in respect of the Consciences of the wicked for it is for their worth that they beare them malice it is goodnesse that is persecuted in good men I appeale to the Consciences of wicked men whether their Consciences tell them not that there is worth in the godly for which they beare them a secret grudge but if their Consciences be sleepy and tell them not so much yet I am sure their practises proclaime it The grace that is in the godly is the eye-sore of the wicked Fourthly Gods people are personages of great worth in respect of their Priviledges which God hath been pleased to dignifie them withall which are infinite if I should name them all wherefore as out of a Garden where are diverse sorts of flowers I will gather some few The first Priviledge wherein their worth is manifest is their Royall descent they are not basely borne No they have Kings for their nursing Fathers and Queenes for their nursing Mothers they are sonnes and daughters of the King of Heaven and it is usuall in the Scripture to call them the Children of God Secondly as they are Royally descended so they are Royally attended To speak reverendly God attends them he keeps them as the apple of his eye and Christ is their Captain he goes before them to conduct them and under God and Christ we have Angels they pitch round about them that fear the Lord Psal 34. 7. Thirdly they are worthy in respect of their places They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion Psal 125. 1. which cannot bee removed Fourthly in respect of their fare they have Benjamin's Messe which is five times more then his brethren's so the portion of Gods children is five thousand times more then the wicked's Heaven is their inheritance Fifthly they are worthy in respect of their Royall apparell as a worthy man is richly apparelled so a godly man is clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ Rev. 3. 9 Sixthly in this respect also because they are out of debt they need not feare any Sergeant to arrest them no not death for Christ hath cancelled the hand-writing Col. 2. 14. Seventhly in respect they may goe boldly to the throne of grace with confidence that they shal be heard in prayer For whatsoever we aske we receive c. 1 John 3. 22. Eightly all things worke together still for them to the best Romans 8. 28. Ninthly they are Gods beloved ones his favourites they have an interest in Gods peculiar providence True it is he shews a generall providence to all but Gods people have a right in a more peculiar manner for God will dwell with them John 14. 23. and he will keep the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2. 9. Tenthly they have the free use of all Gods creatures the Charter that was given by the great Lord of all was forfeited to him by the fall of our first parents They are the sowre grape and we their children our teeth are set on edge But Christ hath renewed this charter for his all others are but usurpers though a wicked man have never so much and never so good a title in regard of the Law of man yet in Christ he shall be condemned for an intruder Oh what a happy thing is this then for the godly for whatsoever they have they are the right owners of it all things are theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods Eleventhly they are persons of great worth in respect of their presence where they live the places fare the better for them Laban fared the better for Jacob and Potiphar sared the better for Joseph While Lot was in Sodome the Lord could do nothing against the Sodomites they keepe the judgements from the places where they live they are the pillars of the Land Twelfthly in respect of their actions a true beleever in his praier praies for himselfe and for others Abraham prayed for Abimelech and God heard him Gen. 20. 17. and Moses prayed for Pharaoh and God removed the plagues as you may see in Exodus Thirteenthly in respect of the great things which are laid up and reserved of God for them in the world to come such as no eye hath seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive But are they such men of worth why they are not esteemed at all neither are they at all well spoken of First know this you that are godly be not discouraged this takes nothing from your worth For who are they that say thus none but a company of mad men and fools and who regards such Secondly If all should speak well of you then woe be unto you Thirdly Envie is evermore the companion of vertue Learne then the more you are reviled the more to make your light to shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven No man yet ever lived though never so worthy but of some he hath been despised Fourthly Know this in conclusion that you that are thus despised it is a part of your worth For when all men speake evill of you then blessed are you This speakes terrour to the wicked who wrong the children of God either with tongue or hands either by themselves or by others either by nicknaming them or by circumventing them this I say speakes terrible things against them Will you offer to speake against personages of great worth against the children of a King will the King endure that thou shouldest speak against the bloud royall no no he will be revenged on them that doe so dost thou now wrong a godly man thou shalt one day smart for it for God is able to punish thee yea and he will doe it unlesse thou speedily repent When Saul Acts 8. persecuted the Church of Christ Christ called from heaven and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I speake to those that are wicked men and I speake in the bowels of Christ if you did
the world Fourthly from the strangenesse of it Dare any of you He speaks interrogatively verse 1. It is a strang thing that you should come to that impudency against the Gospel of Christ one would think that you would tremble and quake at such a thing as this is What is there never a wise Christian amongst you never an understanding Professor that is able to take up a controversie or decide and judge between his brethren what a strange thing is this Then he backs it with four Arguments 1. Because they were brethren verse 6. Brother go to Law with brother 2. Because it was about things of this life What hath God made you Judges of heavenly things of Angels and are you unfit to judge of the things of this life 3. It was about smal matters verse 2. whereas you shall sit upon men and Angels and the weightiest matters in the world the greatest things of Gods Law judging them to the greatest penalty and punishment even to eternal damnation and are ye unworthy then to judge even of the smallest matters 4. And lastly Because it was about such things as the meanest Christian in the town might have taken up and have ended Set up them that are least esteemed Do you not know that the Saints shall Judge the world I need not go far for a point the word affords it The Doctrine is That the Saints shall judge the world It is an old truth yea as old as the World it self you may read it in the fourth verse of Judes Epistle That Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints God will not only come to judgement himself but he will come attended with all his Saints even with all the godly to execute vengeance upon all the world So our Saviour told Saint Peter and not only him but all that follow him in the regeneration They shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Matth. 9. 18. They shall judge the Nations and have dominion over the people Wis 38. And now because doubt is the best way to attain unto knowledge let me answer a doubt that may creep in by the way How shall the Saints judge the world Ans Not by pronouncing of judgement upon the world for that Christ only shall doe Then shall the King say to them on his left hand Depart ye cursed Matthew 25. But the Saints shall judge the World these four wayes 1. They shall judge the world by their consent unto Christs judgement God trains up his children in this world and educates them and teacheth them how they may judge the world hereafter he teacheth them in this life how to assent with his proceedings in the world to that they are able to say Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements Psal 119. 137. Now if the Saints be trained in this life to assent unto Gods proceedings with the world much more then will they be able to know and consent unto Cstrists judgement when he shall come with his Saints to judge the world Now the Law saith that consenters are agents and therefore because the Saints shall consent to the judgement of Christ therefore they are said to judge the world 2. The Saints shall judge the world by their applause of Christs judgement they shall not only give consent unto the judgement of Christ but they shall also applaud it and commend it when God shall say to all drunkards swearers lyers Sabbath-breakers and to all unbeleeving impenitent and gracelesse sinners Depart ye cursed into hell fire then though it was his own father that begat him or his mother that bare him though it were his own brother or sister wife or child that hath been as dear as his own life and soul to him yet they shall clap their hands for joy and applaud the most righteous sentence of God upon them and they shall sing Hallelujah salvation and honour and power be to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgements Rev. 19. 1 2. Let them go accursed as they are for it is a righteous sentence passed on them 3. They shall Judge the world by their Majesty they shall not only stand against the wicked and consent to and applaud that sentence that Christ shall passe against the wicked but they shall be invested with robes of majesty and with a diademe of glory then shall the righteous shine as the stars in the firmament and the wicked shall be amazed and astonished at the sight of them as you may read in the platform of judgement Matthew 25. where Christ sets his Saints over against the world that so the world may look upon them and be confounded at their sight 4 They shall judge the world by their lives and conversation as Ambrose saith rightly then is the world judged by them when as the courses and manners of the world are not found upon them Therefore it is a pretty observation of Hilary if it be the meaning of the Text I will not say it is upon the 2 Ps Be wise ye judges God hath appointed you to be Judges to sit on his bench with his Sonne learn then to be wise get to be indued with spirituall wisdome and understanding and to shine in all integritie and righteousnesse and then turning his speech to the wicked he says Kisse the sonne leâ—t he be angry However it be yet this is a truth that by the lives of his Saints he wil judge the world their faith shall judge the worlds infidelity their repentance shall judge the worlds impenitency their accepting of and taking the Lord Jesus shal judge their rejection and neglect of Christ Jesus their zeal shall judge the worlds luke-warmnesse and their holiness shal judge the worlds prophanenesse 1. Because of the mysticall union that is betwixt Christ and his Saints He is the head and they are his members now that which the head doth we ascribe it to the whole body when the head speaks the whole body speaks when the head sees the whole body sees so when Christ judgeth the world the whole body of Christ may truly be said to judge the world In as much as you did it unto one of these saith Christ you did it unto me so in as much as Chhist passeth sentence even all the members of the mysticall body of Christ judge with him Secondly in regard of compassion I speak not of the word compassion as it signifies pity but of compassion of suffering with Christ seeing that Christ was reproached contemned hated misused and condemned by the world the Saints are likewise with him seeing they partake of the afflictions humiliations and debasements of Christ here they shall also be made partakers with Christ in his glory Here the wicked judge the Saints and call them hypocrites and dissemblers and laugh and scoff at them and wonder at them as the Prophet brings in Christ speaking Isaiah 8.
man or woman rich or poor that person was to be cut off from the presence of the Lord Levit. 12. whereto the Lord sets his Seal for the confirmation thereof I am the Lord and as sure as I am the Lord so will I see it accomplished So my beloved let me say unto you of England from Dover to Newcastle or from the one end of the town unto the other that soul who toucheth any one of these holy things with an impure heart and cometh to partake of them with his uncleannesse upon him living in his sinnes and wallowing in his lusts casting off the fear of the Lord and making no conscience to walk in Gods wayes that soul shall surely be cut off that cometh so unworthily unto the Table of the Lord not only the hand that taketh it and the mouth that eateth it but even the very soul of him that cometh shall perish from the presence of the Lord. So Levit. 7. 20. That soul that eateth of the flesh of the Sacrifices of peace offerings that pertain unto the Lord having his uncleannesse upon him even that soul shall be cut off from his people Now you know that all those sacrifices had relation unto Christ but yet under the Law they were but shadows and typicall relations and were not so lievly and effectuall means for the exhibiting of Christ as the Lords Supper is And therefore if such as came in their uncleannesse unto them were punished with no lesse punishment than a cutting off from fellowship with the Lords people what wrath and vengeance will the Lord bring upon thee that comest with thy uncleannesse upon thee unto this holy Communion Augustine saith that man that receiveth the Sacrament unworthily receiveth a great plague to his own soul and a great torment to his own conscience yea and heapeth up a store of wrath unto himself against the day of wrath Me thinks thou that livest in thy sinnes and wilt not come out of them when thou hearest these words This is my body and seest the bread broken before thy face it should even make thee tremble and quake to look upon it more to touch it and most of all to tast it for it is the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ and how darest thou come in thy sins to defile it A third Reason is in regard of the form of the Sacrament which is Christ too for as he is the efficient cause that instituted it and as he is also the matter of the Sacrament so in the third place Christ is the form of the Sacrament also wherein the confirming grace of God is sealed up unto thee Now as it is treason for a man to offer contempt unto the Kings broad Seal so certainly is it high treason against this King of Kings to contemn this blessed Sacrament which is the Seal of the righteousnesse of faith If thou shouldest clip the Kings Coyn I will say that thou art a Traitor Oh what a traytor art thou then yea accursed traytor in the account of God and Christ if thou clippest his holy Communion if thou clip it of thy examination and due preparation and so come hand over head not regarding so holy an Ordinance Thou sinnest against the Court of heaven That which Saint James speaks in general of the whole worship of God Draw near unto God let me apply it in particular unto this drawing near unto God in his holy Communion James 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Draw near unto God in the hearing reading and meditating on Gods Word draw near unto God in Prayer and in his holy Sacrament and receive it for your amendment of life Draw near unto God I that I wil saith the wicked man I wil come to Church and draw near unto the holy Communion Will you so saith the Apostle No first Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double-minded As if he should say never think of drawing near unto God or setting foot on this holy ground and handling those holy mysteries of Christ unlesse thou first purge thy heart and cleanse thy soul from all thy filthy lusts and cursed corruptions lest otherwise thou coming in thy sins with thy uncleannesse on thee and so receiving unworthily thou eatest and drinkest thine own damnation as our English translation hath it damnation to thy self and not to another No God forbid that thou shouldest by thy unworthy coming eat and drink condemnation to another for thou that art a child of God and comest unto the Table of the Lord with repentance and a sound measure of preparation though others that sit in the same pew with with thee for their prophanenesse eat and drink their own damnation yet thou shalt be sure to receive the seal and assurance of thy reconciliation and salvation with free acceptance of God through the Lord Jesus Christ for every man shall bear his own burden The last Reason is in regard of the end of the Sacrament which is Christ also For as he is the efficient material and formal cause so Christ is also the final cause of the Sacrament So it is in the 26 verse As oft as you eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup you shew forth the Lords death until he come Not that Christ may be eaten with the teeth or corporally received in the Sacrament or as if he were there productively or transubstantially as the Papists say no the Apostle shews that the end of the celebration of this Sacrament is to shew forth the death of Christ untill he come I but say the Romists unlesse we eat the body and drink the blood of Christ really and not the consecrated bread and wine how can any man by this unworthy communicating eat and drink his own damnation and make himself guilty of the body and blood of Christ I answer a man cannot bring this guilt upon himselfe by eating a peece of bread or drinking a cup of wine but the Apostle hath an answer so fitted for this as that all the Papists in the world shall never be able to gain say and therefore I pray you to mark it for he hath joyned these two verses together as oft as you eat of this bread and drink of this cup you shew forth the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever eateth this bread or drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord even for this cause because it is the shewing forth of Christs death till he come Therefore if thou eatest and drinkest unworthily coming in thy sins and resolvest to go on in them that as thou wert proud before thou camest to the Sacrament so thou art still as thou wert cholerick angry and impatient before so thou art still as thou wert luke-warm and dead-hearted in Gods service before so thou remainest still remember I pray thee that as oft as thou hast come unto the
shalt be found out and the Lord will keep thee out by his spirituall plagues and thy sin shall never be done away but be required at thy hands and stand in everlasting record against thee O my brethren that you would but seriously consider it and look about you it being so weighty a thing that so nearly concerns every one of you But I would not have any poor broken heart and humble Soul to mistake me and so thereby be discouraged but give me leave I pray you to use the words of the Prophet though spoken in another sense Psal 115. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory So let me apply this doctrine unto the comfort of all poor broken-hearted sinners and beate off all carnal prophane wretches that live in their sins not unto you O drunkards swaggerers not unto you whoremasters and unclean persons that wallow in ungodlinesse I say not unto you but unto the poor afflicted soul and contrite spirit that lieth bleeding and gasping under the weight of his sin and that trembles and fears being opprest with the sense of its own unworthiness panting and breathing after Christ Jesus and suing earnestly unto the Throne of grace for mercy and forgivenesse unto thee only belongs this comfort and therefore take it home to thee and know it for thy self Art thou troubled with a hard heart and an unbeleeving soul and art even wearyed and tyred out with thy many sins and infirmities Come thou with comfort unto this holy Communion for thou shalt be sure to find saving good by it to thee it shall be a spirituall medicine to heal all thy diseases and to cure all thy strong and prevailing corruptions and if thou come unto this holy Table of the Lord it shall make thee as it is recorded of Saint Laurence able to suffer Martyrdom and to get victory over all thy unruly affections yea at last thou shalt tread Satan thy arch-enemy under thy feet Thefore be not dismayed for the Lord Jesus invites thee to come What if thy infirmities be many yet the mercies of God which he tenders to thee in this Communion are many more Samson who was the strongest Souldier and Companion in his time that was in Israel to overcome the Philistims he yet began his strength in weaknesse being at the first overcome by a woman So though the Lord intend to make thee a strong Christian he will make thee to begin in weaknesse to perfect thy power to begin in sin and misery that he may make thee to end in glory I know Gods children here may receive temporal punishments and bring temporal scourges upon themselves as we may see amongst the Corinthians here but it shall be for their good and amendment namely for their correction and not for their ruine and destruction that so being chastened by the Lord they might not be condemned with the world Therefore if thou comest carelesly and unprofitably God will chastise thee with the rods of men as he did Peter who receiving the Sacrament with his Master over night yet the next day thrice denyed him but God whipt his soul and scourged his conscience for it and beat him black and blew so that he went out and wept bitterly Nay he could scarce with off that sin and recover himself again whilst he lived Wherefore let us take heed of unprepared coming to the Sacrament for God will not hold such guiltlesse Yea if his own sonnes or daughters transgresse thereby he will make them to feel the smart of it But now to come to all such as come moneth by moneth hand over head without any examination and repentance in their uncleannesse and abomination making no conscience of their reformation let me tell them that it shall be one of Christs demands of them in the day of judgement How oft hast thou been at my Table How oft hast thou been partaker of that holy Communion which I gave unto thee Hast thou come preparedly or received worthily or no Hast thou eat bread at my Table with me and lift up thy heel against me Did I command and thou wouldest not obey Did I send my Ministers to thee to reform but thou wouldest not be reformed Did I check and reprove thee for thy pride blasphemies drunkennesse covetousnesse anger wrath malice fornication hypocrisie and prophanenesse in the matter of my worship and yet wouldest thou still live in these sins Where are all the Sacraments that thou hast received How hast behaved thy self Where are the sins that thou hast forsaken and pleasing corruptions that thou hast abhorred What grace and holinesse hast thou received by the means thou hast enjoyed and how hast thou manifested the same through thy whole conversation Oh! woe woe unto thee yea and a world of woes unto thee and unto all such as shall be silent and speechlesse to those or the like demands of Christ for they cannot say they have come out of their sins and have been reformed by the means of grace and have received spirituall nourishment and refreshing from the heavenly banquet of the Communion of the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ A man will especially regard the last words of a dear friend who is as a mans Soul when he is to speak upon his death-bed and will be carefull to remember them and dost thou not more regard the last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ we count it a horrible sin to alter the last Will of a man that is dead Beloved the Lord Jesus before he left this world instituted this blessed Sacrament as his last Will and Testament and hath given us a charge that as we would not eat and drink our own damnation by bringing the guilt of his body and bloud upon our Souls so that we should discern the Lords body and not come unpreparedly in our sins and abominations without reverence and respect of such holy and high mysteries as if there were nothing more to be received and looked for after then the bare and naked element of bread and wine or as if we did come to communicate with unclean Devils O my brethren if you had but faith you would be able to discern Christ in the Sacrament and therefore when thou comest unto it thou must prepare and sanctifie thy selfe to communicate with him in those holy Ordinances and heavenly mysteries of his most pretious body and bloud for if so be that thou retainest thy sins and so come unworthily unto this holy Table of the Lord thou art a great Covenant-breaker with God For thou never comest unto the Communion but thou makest and renewest thy covenant with God wherein thou promisest thus much or the like in effect Lord I have been formerly a drunkard but now I promise to give it over and never to be a drunkard more I have been a scoffer at Religion and a mocker and derider of thy children but now I faithfully promise Lord that I
hearken unto instruction and give ear unto councel now whiles that the Lord offers it unto you that so you may not harden your hearts any more but may hear and obey that your souls may live and so coming together to this holy and blessed Communion for the better and not for the worse you may return home with the blessing of children THE DUTIE OF COMMUNICANTS OR Examination required of every COMMUNICANT In a SERMON preached By that Vigilant and Painfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B. D. Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Pastor of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford EXAMINATION Required in every COMMUNICANT A SERMON preached by Master WILLIAM FENNER Minister of GODS Word 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. IN the later part of this Chapter the Apostle treats of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and first he reproves the Corinthians for their unworthy coming to it as we see in verse 18. There were Errors and Schismes contempt of the poor drunkennesse excesse disorder and unprofitablenesse in the duties of God they waxed worse and worse by the Sacrament All these and sundry other abuses were among them so that they did not eat the Lords Supper aright as they ought Secondly he reduceth them back to the first prime institution of it by Jesus Christ as we see in verse 23. that hereby they might both see how grievously they had abused the Sacrament and likewise see how they might sanctifiedly use it Thirdly he shews the danger of unworthy receivers and this he sets out two wayes First by the grievousnesse of the sinne such a person makes himself guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord as we see verse 27. Secondly by the doleful consequence that follows upon it He eats and drinks damnation to himself as we see verse 29. Now in this verse that I may not trouble you with speaking of any more matter than what is necessary for the present Theme he shews how we may prevent escape and avoyd this danger how we may take an order that we do not fal into this grievous sin that we do not plunge our selves into this grievous misery Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. A man must examine himself sift his own soul and labour to prepare himself before he dare to venture on this sacred businesse In these words before we set upon the particular handling of them we may observe that We must not rush upon the Sacrament There must somewhat be done before we can receive it Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may safely rush upon Wouldest thou offer any sacrifice to God but thou must stay first and examine thy self whether there be not something yet undone It may be thou hast offended God in something or other It may be thou art out with thy brother thou must first go and be reconciled to thy brother and then offer thy guift Matth. 5. So wouldst thou reprove thy neighbour It may be there be somewhat out of order some indisposednesse in thee thou art not yet in case to set on this duty it may be thou art faulty and guilty thy self it may be thou hast a beam in thine own eye First saith the Text pull the beam out of thine own eye and then thou mayest see clearly to pull the moat out of thy brothers eye Matth. 7. 5. So would'st thou reform thy outward man But it may be thy inward man is not reformed there is some lust in thy heart some pride in thy will some stubbornnesse in thy spirit some Idoll in thy bosome First cleanse the inside of the platter Matth. 23. 26. There is never an ordinance of God that can be done but there must be somewhat done first a man must do something before As in the choice of officers as Ministers as Deacons other Officers in the Church first they must be proved before they be chosen so in all the Ordinances of God Would we come to the Sacrament There is somewhat must be done first we must examine our selves and root out all unsanctifiednesse and indisposition that cannot stand with the right communicating in the Lords supper And so in every other good duty The reasons of this are First because naturally we are not invited guests we are not such as are invited to the Lords Supper we are children of wrath and as long as we are in such an estate we cannot come aright to the Communion This is childrens bread and it cannot be given to dogges Christ whensoever he sets his dainties before his people he tels us for whom they are Take eat this is my body that is broken for you This is the supper that is made for you as it is in this Chapter verse 24. First we must prove our selves invited guests It is true the Lord Christ invites every man to the Lords Supper but he invites him methodically he must be in such an estate but every man is not so fitted a man must be a member of Christ that means to partake of Christs death he must be one that is in Christ he must be able to prove that he is ingrafted into Christ he must be able to shew the mark of the Lord Christ on him As it is with the some of your great dinners and feasts in this City you have tickets and all that are admitted to the feast must shew their ticket before they are admitted So thou must be able to shew thy ticket that thou hast an invitation from Christ thou must have a mark and token from Christ that thou comest and comest with his warrant A second reason is though thou be invited it may be thou art not disposed If a man will do a thing that he is naturally indisposed to there must be somewhat done before of necessity So the Lords supper it is a thing that naturally we are indisposed unto therefore somewhat must of necessity be done first Naturally we are unholy we are unthankfull and carnall we are in our sinnes strangers from God and the Covenant of God and from the seal of the Covenant all this indisposition must be wrought out before we can comfortablely come hither If Christ would have the very Chamber first trimmed before he instituted the Passeover and the Sacrament much more will he have the soul disposed for him and the heart cleansed from all filthinesse If he that was of the Peace-offering being indisposed having his uncleannesse upon him was to be cut off from his people Levit. 7. 20. what will God doe to such people as come hither in their uncleanness and indisposition unsanctified and unqualified Thirdly suppose we were both invited and disposed yet
in the grace of God and in Religion Now man is naturally unprepared for it First a man must fell his wood and then cut it and hew it even and carve it and plain it fit and prepare it before he build So a man must hew down his own heart he must humble his own soul and qualifie all within him and so be sanctified before he be fit As for example in prayer a man must be prepared to prayer before he pray he must prepare his heart and then Gods ears will hearken to it In Psal 10. 17. The Lord will have the heart prepared before he hear the prayer So it is with the word of God a man must be prepared before he hear it As a man that preacheth must be prepared before he preach as Ezra is said to prepare his heart Ezra 7 10. He prepared his heart to do the Law and to teach it So a Minister cannot preach except he be prepared beforehand with a commission from God with preserving knowledge with a coal from Gods Altar with a spirit of wisdome and understanding with a Law of kindnesse in his lips with meditation and with a Theme fitted in his mouth for the people he must be prepared with a burning and a shining light or else he shall not edifie the congregation So it is with all other Ordinances For humbling of a mans soul a man cannot humble his heart except he be prepared to it Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy God he speaks of humiliation If a man would humble himself before God if he be not prepared if his heart be not prepared to let go the world his worldly profits and vain pleasures and carnal acquaintance his wonted lusts and former delights If he be not prepared to let these go when he comes to keep a Fast or to afflict his soul and goes along to do the duty to lay himself down before Almighty God some lust or other will stick in his teeth and intercept his heart he shall never be able to do it as Samuel said to the people If you will turn to the Lord prepare your hearts to do it 1 Sam. 7. So it must be in all the ordinances of God and much more in the Sacrament Secondly another Reason is because the Lord Christ hath made great preparations to provide the Lords Supper therefore we must be prepared to eat it You know what a great deal adoe there was before the Supper was made Christ must be incarnate and fulfill all righteousnesse he must conclude it upon his suffering he must tread the wine-presse alone and suffer himself to be beaten and rejected of God and men and suffer death the cursed death of the Crosse all these things were concluded upon before this holy and blessed Supper was provided Come saith he I have prepared my dinner Matth. 22. Mark Christ is fain to prepare his dinner he makes a great Feast there was great preparation for it so there must be great preparation of our souls before we can come to this holy banquet It is true among men there may be great preparation for a feast and little or nothing for the eating of it Sometimes there are two or three dayes preparation for a feast and is eaten presently The reason is because man naturally hungers after meat and drink and he alwayes provides twice or thrice in twenty four hours for eating and drinking But the Lords Supper is a spiritual banquet a man is every day and hour and moment naturally unfit for it and there is much adoe to put an edge upon mens appetites and a keennesse upon mens desires that they may be fitted and prepared for it Thirdly another reason is Because the Lord Christ when he administers himself in this heavenly mystery he offers to come into the soul and he looks for good entertainment and therefore of necessity there must be preparation for it You see when a mortall man an earthly Prince or a Noble man comes to another mans house what a deal of preparation there is to provide for him there is meat made ready and purging the house and sweeping the yard and trimming up the very pales and every thing and making clean all the Chambers and ridding out whatsoever fills it and every thing that is out of order it set in tune And what will my Lord think and what will his Majesty think he wil think he is slighted and contemned And when he comes in it may be his own children shal serve and his own wife wait at the Table and there is running up and down of errands and a great deal of adoe to give such a one entertainment There is preparation to entertain a man as Saint Paul said to Philemon I will that you prepare me lodging how much more when the eternall God shall come under a mans roof and dine with him Lastly Because the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a part of Christs last will and Testament Now it is a terrible thing when we know our Lords will and prepare not for the doing of it Look in Luke 12. 48. he that knew it not did things worthy of stripes but in verse 47. That servant that knew the Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes that man shall be damned with much damnation he shall be damned deeper than any body Dost thou know the Lords Table that this blessed Sacrament is part of Christs last Testament and wilt thou not prepare thy self for it to get an humble heart and labour for a holy life and seek for a thirsty soul and vow upon new obedience and enter into Covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ for a better kind of conversation for the time to come Wilt thou not go and examine thine own soul and go and reform whatsoever is amisse in thy family in thy place and calling Wilt thou not do these things to prepare for this holy will of Jesus Christ thou shalt be damned deeper than any body else because this is a part of Gods last Will and Testament and thou knowest it and therefore woe unto thee if thou prepare not for it THE DUTIE OF THE REPROVER And the Persons Reproved SET FORTH In a SERMON preached By that Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Gods Word WILLIAM FENNER B. D. Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Pastor of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE DUTIE OF REPROVERS And Persons Reproved A SERMON preached by Master WILLIAM FENNER Minister of GODS Word PROV 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shal suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy THese words by reason of the ambiguity in the Hebrew tongue doe bear two expositions and our English can suffer but one The first exposition is this He that reproveth another and hardneth his own neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy The other is as we have
thou dost every day draw neerer to God than other is it more and more a back'd praier a fervent and frequent praier hast thou taken from thy recreations from thy calling to give to it yea from thy belly and back and used all meanes for a prevailing with God then are thy praiers effectuall and unsatiable This then condemnes the praiers of most men in the world they pray and pray for grace and their praiers come to an end and cease before they have it the angry fretful man praies for patience and meekness and yet sits down without it the covetous worldling praies to be weaned from the world and his praiers are done before he is so so the luke-warmling deadhearted and vain thoughted professor praye for better thoughts for more zeale and yet comes to his so be it before he have it and so every wicked man prayes and he is come to his Amen before the grace is given let all suchmen know that such prayers first they are endlesse secondly they are fruitlesse First they are endlesse The Philosopher said that for which a thing is that is the end of the thing now prayer is for the speeding with God and therefore he whose prayers speed not with God his prayers are endlesse thou hast prayed against thy pride but aâ—t as proud still thou hast prayed against thy choler and art as teachy still thou hast prayed against earthlinesse and worldlinesse and art earthly and worldly still thou hast prayed against security and deadnesse of heart and lukewarmnesse in Gods service and art luke warm deadhearted and secure still to what end are all thy prayers when thou enjoyest not the end of thy prayers to what end is the worke of thy servant if thy businesse be not done and dispatched when all is done As good never pray as pray to no end a good that thou never hadst begun to pray as to cease and to giue over thy prayers before thou hast obtained the grace thou prayest for The prayers of the wicked are an abomination unto the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. that is the prayers of a wicked man that continues in his wickednesse when his prayers are done hi prayers are an abomination to the Lord but the prayers of the upright though he were before he prayed never so wicked yet if it be the prayer of an upright and godly man when his prayers are done that his prayers rid him of his sin and make him an upright man his prayers are Gods delight Beloved many pray against distrust in Gods providence Infidelity in Gods promises Impatiency under Gods corrections c. and yet have never the more trust and affiance in God never the more patience under the hand of God all these praiers are endlesse Secondly thy praiers are fruitlesse to what purpose is a beggers begging of an alms if he be gone before the alms be bestowed his begging is fruitlesse so all thy praiers are lost if thou art gone from the Throne of grace before grace is given thee for if such a praier be endlesse then is it also fruitlesse it will never do thee any good what is a fruitlesse tree good for but to be cut down what is a fruitlesse Vine good for but to be burned So all thy praiers are lost all thy beginnings of grace are lost we know saith the man that was borne blind John 9. that God heareth not sinners we know it Why may some say how do you know that God heares not sinners why we know it by experience by examples A drunkard prayeth to God to cure him of his drunkennesse and yet he doth not leave his ill company all the world may see that God hears not the drunkards praier because he cures him not but lets him go on in his sinne and so for all other sinnes seest thou a man go on in his sins thou mayest see that God heareth not his praiers If a man should be sick on his death bed and send for the Physirians and Apothecaries in the Country and send for his father Mother and for all his friends to come to him to minister unto him yet I know he is not cured by them so long as I see his deadly disease remaines upon him so if I see a mans pride hypocrisie security deadnesse of heart his lust anger c. lie upon him notwithstanding all his prayers I know God heares not his prayers he prayes to be cleansed from his sins and to be purged from his lusts and to be redeemed from his vaine conversation if now God let his sins continue in him and lets him go on in them we see plainly God hears not him O what a pittiful and miserable case are such men in that pray and pray and yet all their prayers are endlesse and fruitless is not that man in a pittiful case and all physick all cost and charges is lost upon him when his eating and drinking his sleeping and winding and turning from this side to that side do him no good do we not say of him that he is a dead man so if a mans prayers and supplications to God be endlesse and fruitlesse that man must needs be a dead and a damned man so long as he goeth on in that case Now we come to the second part of the text the sensiblenesse of the godly soul whether it speed or no the soule that prayes aright that prays unsatiably it is able to say the Lord doth hear me the Lord doth grant me the thing that I prayed to him for Thus saith Jonah I cried unto the Lord and he heard me out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardst my voice Jonah 2. 2. How could Jonah say God heard his voice if he had not known it therefore he knew it But against this some may object How can this be how can the soule know that God hears it we have no Angels nor voices from Heaven now to tell men as the Angel told Cornelius that his prayers were accepted and come up before God or to say as Christ to the woman in the Gospel Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee I know God heares me with his All-hearing eare and therefore I have a good belief in God but how shall I know that God heares my prayers in mercy so as to grant that I pray for There be six wayes to know whether the soule shall speed in prayer yea or no. The first is the having of a Spirit of further and further praying When God gives the soul a further and further ability to pray when God opens a way for the soule to the Throne of grace and gives him a free accesse to the gate of mercy and a spirit to hold out in prayer It is a signe that God meanes to hear it When a Petitioner hath accesse to the King and presents his Petition If the King imbolden him in his speech and let him speak
by E. T. for John Stafford GODS IMPARTIALITY IN HIS JUDGEMENTS ISAIAH 42. 24. Who gave Jacob to the spoile and Israel to the Robbers Did not I the Lord THe Lord in this Chapter by the Prophet Esay doth foretell heavy things against the people and by the way mark the Lords dealings he ever gives warning before he sends any plagues he lightens before he thunders that the people might not say they did not hear of it and that the wicked might be the more inexcusable and that the godly might make an Arke to save themselves in These words and the following verse containe in them five severall things First the Author of this destruction or judgement Secondly the Causes of it Thirdly the Judgement it self Fourthly Who they were on whom this judgement was inflicted Fifthly The effects of it Now by Gods permission I will open these words in order unto you And for the first the Author of it It is laid down by question and answer Question Who gave Jacob to the spoyle and Israel to the robbers Answer Did not I the Lord was it not I the mighty God which am able to order every thing according to my own will But indeed we are ready to ascribe things to chance and fortune and lot to prevent this saies God Who did these and these things did not I the Lord Now by Jacob and Israel is meant the people of the Jews which were called by the name of Jacob. Who though they were his peculiar people yet when they sinned he gave them over God saies Who gave this people of mine to the enemies did not I the Lord therefore God he is the Author of all punishment Secondly the Cause why the Lord did this for some might say why did the Lord overthrow this people whom he did so tenderly respect for his which were as the apple of his eye and the strength of his right arme because they sinned against the Lord and would not walke in his wayes He sets down the Causes First in generall they have sinned Secondly in particular they would not walk in his way nor be obedient to his Lawes Thirdly here is the Judgement it self ver 25. therefore hath he powred upon him the fury of his anger the strength of the Battel and hath set him on fire round about He calleth it the anger of the Lord not of a King or of a great man but the anger of the Lord the fury of his anger shewing the extremity of it he doth not say that God doth drop down his anger but he poures out the fury of his indignation Moreover he saith the strength of battel the Lord cometh like an armed man to fight against them and to destroy them as men in waâ—res doe when they slay both young and old and make no bones of it and are glad when they have done it And as an armed man to slay them so likewise he hath set a fire round about them the Lord hath inclosed them in with indignation so that they could see no way to get out of it or to escape it So then this shews the unavoydablenesse of Gods Judgements Fourthly who were these that were destroyed Jacob and Israel a praying and a professing and a fasting people Fifthly the effect of all this how it did work upon them Yet saith the Lord they know it not neither lay it to heart Oh Lord what monstrous stupidity is this though God did doe it in his anger too yet this poor Nation saw it not nether regarded it till the plague came and when it came they never laid it to heart neither were they humbled by it but did beare the plague and afterwards went down into hell and never minded it Even so beloved stands the case with us The Lord plagues us and we see it not his anger burns round about us and the fierrenesse of his wrath is gone out to battel and yet we perceive it not From the first of these observe namely That God is the author of all plagues and judgements that befall a Nation It was he that drowned the old world and delivered the Children of Israel to the spoylers Shal there be any evill in the City and the Lord hath not dont it saith Amos in his third chapter and sixth verse From whence observe this That God ordains all punishments before they come Acts 4. 28. for to do whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined before to be done And as God ordaineth all thing before they come so he ordereth them and the time when they shal come and they cannot come one moment of time before the Lord would have them The Iews could not lay hold on our Saviour because his hour was not yet come John 7. 30. The wicked cannot pull down punishments upon a Nation when they wil As it s he ordaineth them and the time when so he doth appoint them how long they shall lie upon men Revel 1. 10. There the Lord had appointed the Church of Smyrna ten dayes tribulation and there is measured how much God appoints us The devill could go no further then his commission in afflicting Job As he doth order all so he doth order all for the good of his people and for the confusion of his enemies all things work for the good of those that feare God Rom. 8. 28. and for the hardening and overthrowing of the enemies of the Church that are incorrigible This may stay and comfort the hearts of Gods Children in any heavie crosse that befals them Is God the orderer and disposer of all then this may comfort thy soul O thou poor Child of God I say comfort thy soul with this that the Lord is the temperer of all things and the Physician that stands by and sees how many drammes the Apothecary putteth in The devill indeed may afflict thee and wicked men may punish thee but thou shalt have no more then the Lord sees good for thee Therefore though thine enemies take thee and kill thee and Rabshekah raile on thee and Bonner burne thee yet the Lord is a sweet loving Father and ordereth all things and cannot find in his heart to hurt thee Though they be the Instruments yet God he is the Author and hath appointed how long and how much and for what they shall afflict thee Therefore though the Sword find thee and faggot come yea though thou beest banished or sawne asunder yet the Lord ordereth all things Therefore he saith to the sword and to the the plague as David said to Ioab have a care of my deare sonne onely subdue the rebell but doe not hurt my sonne So saith God use my servants kindly for my sake onely bring under their proud hearts but do not hurt them Therefore have an eye to Gods love and let faith in him over-rule thy heart in spite of all that can come against thee This may terrifie the hearts of all wicked men that are out of Gods favour Is God the Author of
too good for the world First the world viz. the wicked in the world are very little worth not worth one godly man or woman in it whence observe that Gods Children are worthy persons But before I handle this point I will give the sence and meaning of the words 1. This word World is diversly taken Sometims it is taken for the whole Fabrick of Heaven and earth Iohn 1. 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not So Acts 17. 24. God that made the world c. 2. Sometimes it is taken for all mankind good and bad So Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the world viz. sin entred into the men which are in the world 3. Sometimes it is taken for the elect onely so Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinne of the world viz. the elect in the world Again God so loved the world c. Iohn 3. 1. 16. viz. his elect in the world Again we beleeve this is the Saviour of the world Iohn 4. 42. viz. of the elect in the world But why are the godly called the world I answer first because the world was made for them and it is continued yet for their sakes Secondly they may be called the world because they are scattered through the world and that not onely among the Iewes but even among the Gentiles also Thirdly they may be called the world because in themselves they are a world of people but yet compare them with the Devils drove they are few even as the shaking of the Olive tree Isaiah 17. 6. yet in themselves they are as the Starres in number Genesis 15. 5. And Balaam said who can number the dust of Iacob Numb 22. 10. Sometimes it is taken for the reprobates in the world so John 15. 19. If you were of the world the world would love its owne It is plain also in the prayer of Christ I pray not for the world John 17. 9. And they may fitly be called the world First because they are the worlds Citizens they mind the things of the world they follow nothing but the world Secondly because they are the greatest part of the world Sometimes the world is taken for the things in the world those things wherewith the Devill uses to draw men from God as the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes the pride of life 1. John 2. 16. Sometimes for the happy estate and condition the godly shall enjoy after this life So Luke 20 35. They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world c. Now whereas the Apostle saith of whom the world was not worthy I take it he means wicked men in the world and those are they that are not worthy the company of the godly And because I intend to shew the unworthinesse of the world I will shew first that the things in this world are little worth Secondly that the men in the world are little worth First I will shew you that the things in the world are little worth as Riches Honours pleasures c. they are called deceitfull riches and Christ calls them the Mammon of iniquity Luke 16. 9. trash Luke 8. 14. Snares 1 Tim. 6. 9. They are called uncertain riches Now these base titles must needs argue that they are little worth for were they worth more God would set better Titles on them And Salomon who had best experience of them yet hee termes them vanity Eccles 1 2. and 11. Secondly they are little worth because they are very unprofitable they cannot pofit a man It is plain by the speech of Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 21. Vain things which cannot profit c. Thirdly they are little worth because they cannot further a man in the main thing at which he should aime they may further a man in some trifles but not in the maine thing There is no true good comes to a man by all the riches in the world neither can they free a man from the evill day neither can they make you better either in respect of God or your selves First in respect of God they cannot make you better esteemed with God for he regards not the rich more then the poore Job 34. 19. He doth not account of a man according to his greatnesse but according to his goodnesse Prov. 20. 7 8. Better is a poor man that walks in his integrity then a King that is perverse in his wayes Secondly they cannot better him in respect of God because they cannot assure him of the love of God Thirdly they cannot make a man more mindfull of God nay they corrupt mens hearts they make a man more forgetfull of God It is thus with the greatest part of men in the world that are worldly rich it is with them as it was with the Prodigall who while he had money in his purse never did he think on his Father Fourthly the things of this world cannot make a man more thankfull to God but rather the contrary ut supra Fifthly the things of this world cannot draw a man neerer unto God You see that the more men have the more negligent they are in Gods service Secondly in respect of our selves First all the things of this life cannot in rich a mans soule with grace they cannot make him humble nor mercifull nor constant in the profession of godlinesse and good duties nay it rather makes them the more unmeet to any goodnesse where there is gaine in the chest there is losse in the Conscience he that gets money apace may lose Faith and a good Conscience and they that most cover for abundance of the things of this life are most backward in Grace and this argues that the things of this life are little worth even in respect of a mans selfe Secondly they are not able to free a man from any spirituall evill they may promise freedome but when they come to the triall they will be like a broken staffe nay they cannot free thee so much as from an ague much lesse will they help in the day of the Lords wrath when the rich man shall be called to an account and the Lord will recompence every man according to his wayes So Prov. 11. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath True it is they may be as a wall of brasse to keep off the evil of this world yet when the houre of death approacheth they cannot free from that when you are affrighted with the accusation of your owne Consciences and with the apprehension of Gods wrath when the Devill shall set upon you and all your friends forsake you shall the things of this life then doe you any pleasure no no. You wil say to them then as Job to his friends miserable comforters are you all this argues their little worth For God will not examine you how rich you have been but he will consider you as you have honoured him and as
not to take away his anger but to take it up from a worldly thing and to set it against sinne which is truly evill that so he may be angry and not sin Grace comes to qualify his anger and to take it from the waies of sin and to set it upon Gods wayes Again a man is subject to be merry Grace comes to temper him not to take away his mirth but to set it upon a right object as to delight in God to be merry in Christ to rejoyce in his Word and Ordinances in his children and in all the waies of Grace Another is given to impatiency Grace comes not to take away his impatiency but to set his impatience against his sins so that when he sees his sins he shall not be able to endure them but his soule will groan for them and his heart will rise against them Another is given to revenge now Grace comes and takes him away from being revenged on his neighbour to be revenged on his sinnes so that with the Apostle we may call revenge a piece of Repentance therefore this is a true triall whether our sins be mortified if our affections be taken away from the wayes of sinne and fast set upon the wayes of Grace and godlinesse Secondly if a man be mortified indeed and in truth then he is dead unto every sin if a man be killed he is dead in every member so if a man be dead to sinne no sinne can ever raigne in him not one lust nor bosome sinne no not the sinne of his trade no corruption though never so deare though it be the sinne of his right hand or right eye yet it can never have dominion over him if he be dead to sinne therefore if a man live in any one sin or sweet lust whatsoever he is a dead man and hath not one jot of Grace if there be but one knowne iniquity in a man that he lives and dies in without repentance that one iniquity shall kill him to the put of hel Ezek. 28. The Schoolemen say that if a Sow doe but wallow in one mirie or dirty hole she is filthy so if a soule wallow but in one sinne it is abominable If a man stab himselfe but with one knife so that he die he is as truly killed as was Julius Caesar who was stabbed with three and twenty knives So if a man should be free from an hundred diseases and should die of one what would it benefit him to be free from the rest in respect of his life surely nothing at all That man that hath his pride his Covetousnesse his usury hatred malice deriding of Gods people all these being dead in him yet if selfe-love and security c. be not dead in him these argue his case to be naught he is not yet qualified for Christ for there is no mortification at all in him There be many sweet meanes to allure us unto mortification but time will not permit us to speake of them but this let every man take notice of that so long as he liveth in sin he is altogether uncapable of Christ The Apostle saith we know that the Law is not given unto a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane and whatsoever is contrary to wholsome doctrine the Law is for such men But the first Doctrine of the of Christ is Repent of thy sins deny thine own wayes take up Christs crosse and follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes Here the Kingdom of Heaven is laid open to all the world Let mens miseries be what they can be and although their sinnes be never so great Christ cometh to redeem them yea though they have a whole Hell of sinne in them yet if they have a heart to entertaine Christ his Grace is so rich and all-sufficient that it will save every man that enterteineth him There is a Proclomation openly made in the Market place Hoe every one that thirsteth come unto the waters Isa 55. 2. As if he should say Hoe every one that hath a mind to Christ come and have him every one that hungers and thirsteth after Christ let his sinnes be never so great and the number never so many here is hue and crie after him Come unto the waters He saith not come unto the water but waters not a little low brook or stream which is not able to wash away all his sins but there is an Ocean of waters ndefinitely waters in the plural number declaring the fulnesse and sufficiency to cleanse the most leprous soule be he never so much stained with corruption It is said by the Prophet Obadiah that the Lord will send unto his People Saviours verse 21. not in the singular number but Saviours in the plurall number not that there were moe Christs then one but to manifest the fulnesse of Christ he is a rich Christ full of salvation for all them that come unto him Therefore if there be any man that mourns and laments for his sinnes let him come unto Christ and welcome for there is a Fountain laid open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in but let him know upon what terms he must come if ever he meane to have Salvation by Christ observe the strict Conditions and walke by the strait rule of Christ he must resolve with himselfe come what will come to stand or to fall with Christ delivering up all his lusts and corruptions at his command whensoever he calls for them he must not part stakes with Christ to delude him but he must be true and faithfull unto him he must wholly deny himselfe and lie down before Christ to let Christ doe what he wil with him and these onely are the termes he must expect Heaven upon and thus doing he may have Salvation according to the desire of his soule THE SINFULNESSE And Danger OF HYPOCRISIE As it was delivered in a SERMON upon an extraordinary day of Fasting and Humiliation By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE SINFULNESSE And Danger OF HYPOCRISIE ISA. 58. 4. later part Ye shall not fast as ye doe to day to make the voyce to be heard above YE shall find that there are two maine things in this Chapter First A commission the Prophet hath to doe his duty it is from the Lord. Secondly the Execution of his duty The Commission is in the first verse Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Jacob their sins this is his Commission to tell them roundly of their sinnes spare not saith the Lord and it is no other commission than all the Ministers of God have especially upon such fasting dayes as this is to be faithfull to the people to make known unto them all their sins Now in the execution of