Because they are the strength of a mans soule the first born of originall corruption ibid. 5. Because they are the dearest acts of man 141. Doct. 2. It is hard for men to forsake their sinfull thoughts ibid. 1. Because it is hard for to reforme the inward part ibid. 2. Because thoughts are partiall acts and run on in every action ibid. 3. Because thoughts are inward in the heart 142. Use 1. For men to examine their thoughts ibid. A man may know whether he be a child of God or of the Devil by his thoughts ibid. 1. Because mens thoughts are the free acts of the heart ibid. 2. They are the immediate acts of the heart 143. 3. They are continued acts of heart ibid. 4. They are the univocall acts of the heart ibid. 5. They are the swiftest acts of the heart 144. 6. They are the peculiar acts of the heart ibid. 7. They are the greatest accusers or excusers of the heart ibid. Use 2. For direction If sin in thought be so great how horrible then is sin in the act 145. Use 3. For exhortation to consider 1. What great reason we have to set our thoughts on God 146. 2. What thoughts they are that God calls for ibid. The Contents of the tenth SERMON on Luke 9. 23. THe words of the text unfolded and opened in severall particulars 151. Doct. The first action to be performed of every Christian is to deny himselfe ibid. Reason 1. From Christs example he denied himselfe 152. 2. Christ denied himselfe for us therefore we must deny our selves for him ibid. 3. This Christ enjoyns to all that will come after him ibid. What is meant by a mans selfe 1. A mans corrupt will wit and reason 153. 2. All his lusts and corruptions ibid 3. Not only a mans corrupt selfe but a mans good selfe in some respects 154. Selfe-denying is opposite to selfe-seeking ibid. There are five things in selfe-seeking 1. It is an head lust ibid. And that appears 1. Because it is a leading-lust to all lust ibid. 2. Because selfe is the cause of all other lusts of the heart 155. 3. Because selfe is an in lust it runs along through all the lusts of the flesh ibid. 4. Selfe is a make-lust a man would never break out into lust were it not for selfe ibid. 5. Selfe is a lust that is in request ibid. 2. Selfe-seeking is a selfe-conceited lust that is 1. When a man hath a conceit of himselfe 156. 2. Of his own gifts ibid. 3. Of his own actions ibid. 4. Of the state that he is in ibid. When as a selfe-conceited man 1. Hath no reall worth in himselfe 157. 2. He will not stand to the judgement of those that can judge him ibid. 3. He hath too high a conceit of himselfe ibid. 4. He resteth in the judgement of himselfe ibid. And the Reasons of this are these 1. Because sinners are fools 158. 2. Men are borne fooles ibid. 3. Men are well-conceited of their own estate ibid. 4 The Lord gives up many to a spirit of slumber 159. The wofull case of a selfe-conceited men 1. Because the Scripture calls selfe-conceiâ— 1. Only a thinking ibid. 2. A superstition ibid. 3. A shadow ibid. 4. An Imagination ibid. 5. An Appearance ibid. 2. So long as a man is well conceited of himself Christ hath no commission to call him 160. 3. Christ rejoyceth that he hath no commission to call such ibid. 4. The self conceited man is in the broad way to hell ibid. The Contents of the eleventh SERMON upon Luke 11. 9. THe opening of the Context The words of the Text opened 164. Doctr. Importunate prayer is a restlesse prayer 165. Reason 1. It will take no privative deniall it must have some Answer ibid. 2. Not a positive deniall not a contrary answer ibid. 3. It will take no contumelious repulse 166. 4. It is in a holy manner a kind of impudent prayer ibid. 3. Reasons why we must pray importunately 1. In regard of Gods Majesty God respects it 167. 2. In regard of Gods mercie it is a disgrace to Gods mercy to beg it coldly 168. 3. In regard of our selves else we should never esteem mercy 169. 4. Reasons why men are not importunate in Prayer 1. Because men account prayer a penance ibid. 2. Most men content themselves with formality ibid. 3. Men are Gentlemen beggars 170. 4. Men have wrong conceits of prayer ibid. 1. They have high conceits of their own prayers ibid. 2. They have mean conceits of their sins 171. 3. They have base thoughts of God ibid. 4. Thee have wrong conceits of Importunitie ibid The Contents of the twelfth Sermon on Luke 11. 9. 6. Signes whereby we may know whether our prayers be importunate 1. IMportunate prayer is evermore the prayer of an importunate man 175. 2 It is the prayer of a pure conscience 176. 3. It is a prayer that is full of strong arguments 177. 4. It is a stout prayer ibid. 5 It is a wakefull prayer ibid. 6. It is an assurance-getting prayer ibid. 7. Marks of Prayer that is not importunate 1. It is a lazie prayer 178. 2. It is not powred out from the heart ibid. 3. It is a praying only by fits ibid. 4 It is a silent prayer he is silent in that he should most insist upon 179. 5. A seldome prayer ibid. 6. A lukewarme prayer 180. 7. By-thoughts in prayer keep prayer from being importunate By-thoughts in prayer arise 1. From corrupt nature ibid. 2. From nature as it is curbed ibid. 3. From Satan ibid. 4. From spirituall sluggishnesse 181. 8. Motives to Importunate Prayer 1. Because praier enables a man for duties ibid. 2. Prayer is the compendium of all divinity 182. 3. Prayer is a mans utmost refuge ibid. 4. Prayer is that which Gods people have though they have nothing else ibid. 5. Prayer hath the command of mercy ibid. 6. Prayer is Gods delight 183. 7. Importunate praier is a willing prayer ibid. 8. Importunate prayer is the only faithfull prayer ibid. 6. Helps to importunity in Prayer 1. Labour to know thine own misery ibid. 2. Be sensible of thy miserie ibid. 3. Observe how Gods people pray ibid. 4. Get a stock of prayer ibid. 5. Labour to be full of good works 184. 6. Labour to reforme thy houshold ibid The Contents of the thirteenth SERMON upon Col. 1. 10. THe words explained according to a double sense 187. Doctr. Those that professe Christ must walke worthy of Christ. 188. Reason 1. Because it is Christ that calls us to be Christians ibid. 2. Because it is the Gospel of Christ whereby we are called 289. 3. Because by the Gospel we are called to repentance ibid. 4. Because if we walk not worthy of Christ God will not hold us to be his servants ibid. 5. If we walke not worthy of Christ then it will be for the glory of God to cashiere us 190. 6. If we walk not worthy of Christ we put an indignity
the reason of it wich is threefold First Christs own example verse 22. the son of man must suffer must be rejected Christ himself denies himself he might have commanded himself he might have demanded credit honour or riches c. he might have done thus yet though he had no wicked self but good self yet he denyed himself and therefore if we will goe after Christ we must do so too Secondly here is Christs merit he hath merited this duty Christ did not humble himself for himself but he did it for us and therefore we may well deny our selves for him This is included in this word And. And if I have done this for you I would have you do the like for me Thirdly here is Christs command too Let him deny himself Christ enjoynes this to all that will come after him Let him deny himself Now follows the occasion and that is threefold First Peters offence when Christ had told Peter and the rest of his Apostles how that he must suffer Peter was offended saying Master favour thy self even like a servant that out of love to himself would be loth his Master should be troubled because then he thinks himself shall be troubled also oh saith Christ art thou offended at this I tell thee neither thou nor any other can come after me unlesse you deny your selves If any man will come after me c. Secondly as Peter was offended so also were the rest of the Apostles They were very sorrie Matth. 17. 22. they thought to have gotten credit in the world and riches and worldly preferment and it grieved them to hear that they must have a suffering kind of trade of it ergo Christ said not only to Peter but to them all If any man c. Thirdly like as his Apostles so likewise he did foresee that all the world will be offended at this for manâ— would faine have Christ and their selfwill too but Christ gives a watch-word before-hand If any manwill c. Fourthly The parts of it The whole duty is this Let him deny himself Chrysostome on the text saith not onely deny himself but in the original deny away himself nor onely deny credit c. but abhorre it if it cannot be had but with the losse of Christ we must not only barely deny self-respects but abhorre them and trample them under our feet The parts of this duty are two First let him take up his crosse Secondly let him deny himself and follow me The first is opposed to self-favouring the second to self-doing First let him take up his crosse let him not favour himself he must be content to part with selfe-means and maintenance and selfe-ends too he must be content to part with all these he that will come after me must lose many good friends and many a good bit and sweet morsell to the flesh he that will come after me must not stand upon these termes suppose a crosse of disgrace come take it up and wear it as thy crowne nay thou must be willing to take a crosse before it is offered and when thou hast it thou must be willing to bear it Secondly he must follow me too ones selfe will do as ones selfe would have him that is true but you must follow me not your selfe look to me and frame your selves to walk in my steps take up my crosse c. Lastly here is the necessity of it It is absolute true a man may go to hell if he be so minded he may follow himself to hell but if a man tender his salvation then here is an hypotheticall necessity a necessity with an if First if he mean to come after me he must take up his crosse and deny himselfe Secondly if a man would save his life he must lose it if he will lose it he shall save it If a man will keep his old relation he may but if he will find credit and life in heaven he must deny all selfe-respects Thirdly if a man will gain himselfe let him deny himselfe But what say some how shall we live then how then shall I hold up my head These men would faine have the gaine of the world but what is a man profited if he win the world and lose his soule c. verse 25. If you stand upon these termes if you can baulke a commandement for selfe-respects you may lose your soules but if you will save your souls thus you must doe Again the text saith if a man be ashamed of me and of my word of him shall the Son of man be ashamed ergo if ever you look that the Son of man should not be ashamed of you deny your selves Now for the Exposition Deny himselfe there is the difficulty A man cannot deny himselfe 2. Tim. 2. 13. so affirmare negare are contradictions ergo somewhat must be meant by ones selfe yet by ones self is not meant the Devill as Macarius would have it for since man hath sinued saith he the Devill is got into him and is as neer unto him as himself he is another selfe within his own self another heart within his own heart ergo if he will come after Christ he must forsake the Devil though this be true yet this is not the meaning of the text But first a mans corrupt will wit reason and all a mans corrupt selfe must be put off Put off concerning the former conversation the old man c. Ephes 4. 22. which is a mans self Viz. thou must lay aside the man that thou art thou must not be the same man if thou wilt follow Christ thou must be a new selfe in Christ 2. Here is not onely meant a mans corrupt will wit reason and affections but also all mens lusts and corruptions all sinnes that cleave so close as if they were himselfe as fornication uncleannesse evill concupiscence c. mortify therefore your earthly members Colos 3. â—â— The Apostle accounts a mans lusts as close to him as his members for untill a man be brought home to Christ he and his sins are all one he must deny himself viz all his lusts Thirdly By selfe is not onely meant a mans corrupt selfe as sinne and iniquity but also a mans good selfe in some respects not only sinâ— but also Father Mother Children Friends c. yea life it selfe all if they be hinderances to him from Christ so farre he must deny all these nay grace it self for a man may make a God of grace or of prayer c. a man I say must deny all these so farre as they are stumblings and offences in his way to hinder him from Christ But oh sayes one my father will disinherit me I must humour him he cannot endure a Puritan If I must live as you would have me I shall never have foot of his land so the servant sayes I have a prophane master and he will turne me out of doors if I be so precise yea but what sayes Christ If you will come
after me you must deny Father and Mother and all better it were that thy Father disinherit thee then that Christ should reject thee therefore you must deny all and take up his crosse and make it thine own And so I come to the words Let him deny himselfe It is necessary to shew what self-seeking is before you understand what selfe deniall is By selfe-seeking I mean a man that hath a head-lust whereby he is selfe conceited of himself There are five things in selfe-seeking For first selfe is a head-lust Secondly it s a lust of selfe-conceit Thirdly of self-selfe-will Fourthly of selfe-selfe-wit Fifthly of selfe-confidence 1. Selfe is a head-lust it is the main lust that keeps'men from coming unto Christ all seek their own not that which is Jesus Christs Philip. 2. 21. What is the reason Why because they seek self they follow their own thoughts and because they are ruled by their own selves therefore they are not ruled by Christ That it is a head-lust I prove it by five arguments 1. Because it is the leading lust to all lusts no lust in the world but selfe leads the dance why is man proud but because selfe would get credit Why is a man covetous but because selfe would have means and maintenaince Why is a man revengefull but because selfe will not put up wrongs Christ bids us of all lusts to take heed of selfe Luke 21. 34. Christ knowing what a deceitfull thing selfe is he bids us have a care of selfe-beguiling Take heed to your selves saith he for if you do not selfe will bring you into many noysome lusts as surfetting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life c and so that day will come upon us unawares 2. Self is the cause of all other lusts of the heart it is the plotter and the ruler of all it is the master of Arts it was self that found out all lusts Self found out pride security and coverousnesse and all other noysome lusts self is loth to take the paines that God would have it and therefore self sets his wits on the tainters and hence it is that Solomon saith God made made man upright but he viz. self hath found many inventions Eccles 7. 21. Man was upright and God was the cause He became wicked how why self found out many inventions Self is the inventer of all and when self cannot get meanes enough by that way which God hath allowed then self seeks out for credit wealth pleasure c. then it devises wayes of it selfe to get reputation so that selfe is the cause of lust 3. Selfe is an inlust it runs along through all the lusts of the flesh there is in every lust of the flesh an ounce of selfe There would be no security in man but that selfe would faine live at ease So that as David said unto the woman of Tekoah Hath not Joab a hand in all this so may I say hath not self self a hand in all this Aquinas saith it is called self out of an inordinate love that a man bears to himself and to those things which seem good to a mans selfe A man hath not onely lust to pride pleasure c. but a man looks also to things for self either for some profit for self or credit for self self is alwayes an inlust See it in the wicked Steward Luke 16. he said within himself c. he was to be turned out of his stewardship Now what did he he said to himself or within himself what said he why he said to begge he was ashamed and dig he could not self was too lazie to work and to proud to beg and so he brought his masters two hundred pounds to fifty and what was his reason for it why saith he that they may receive me into their houses verse 2. c. and it is said the Lord commended the unjust Steward not as if he had commended the sin but as if he should say I commend his wit 4. It is a make-lust a man would never break out into lust if it were not for self Doeg had a lust of confidence in his riches Psal 52. 7. and this made Esau comfort himself against Jacob he had a murthering lust to comfort himself Gen. 27. 42. The Jewes had a lust of formality to pray to hear to bring offerings to observe all the new Moons and Ordinances of God yet they had no delight in these things no their mind was on their imaginations they loathed the word of God why then would they not do this why self was the cause and they thought thereby to stay themselves upon God Isaiah 48. 2. And for this cause many amongst us come to Church this is a damnable lust Haman would not have vaunted of being invited to the Queens banquet but that the Queene invited none but himself with the King he would not have been so willing to answer to Ahashuerus's question but for himself whom doth the King delight to honour more then my self thought he self makes a man covetous injurious and full of wrongs c. 5. As it is a make-lust so it is a requesting lust Other lusts are with some men out of date many reprobates cannot abide drunkennesse nor pride nor usury these sins are out of date why doth a man love a niggard why because self is not the better for him he cannot get so much as a dinner by him many other sins may be out of date also with men but self is never out of date it is alwayes in request and so long as men do well unto themselves they shall be praised saith the Psalmist Psal 49 18. he hath none to make much of himself but himself Every man for himself and God for us all saith self But sometimes self is out of love but how why he will do no good but unto himself this men cannot abide this they say is self out of his wits but self with the wisdome of the flesh is alwayes in request viz. when men will be kind to others that they may be kind to them again this self the world loves alife 2. Now I come to the second which is self-conceit self-seeking supposeth self-conceitednesse There is a bird called S. a fair bird in French it is called the Devils bird it is a black bird and yet it is conceited with it self that it is fair By S. I meane first the conceit a man hath of himself What shall I saith self be disgraced by one that goes to plough and to cart and shall I put it up No I am a Gentleman c. Another saith I am such and such a Scholar and shall I be contented with such a poor living these men will bear no reproof they will none of my counsel Prov. 1. 30. and therefore they shal eat of the fruit of their own way c. verse 31. Secondly when a man is conceited of himself and of his own gifts as commonly women are of their beauty and scholars
upon him ibid. Five Motives to walke worthy of God 1. If we do walke worthy of God then we shall answer all the labour and cost that God hath been at 193. 2. Then we shall walk with God in white 194. 3. Then we doe not disappoint Gods account ibid. 4. Then we shall be importunate beggers and so worthy of mercy ibid. 5. Then we shall adde humiliation to every duty we do performe ibid. 2. If we do not walke worthy of God then 1. We walke worthie of destruction 195. 2. Then we are guiltie of the death of Christ ibid. 3. Then we shall be condemned ibid. Use We must be as it were even of the very nature of God 192. The Contents of the fourteenth SERMON on Col. 1. 10. IT is possible to walk in all manner of pleasing unto the Lord 200. Reas 1. Because God is not a rigorous God ibid. 2. There is a way wherein if we walk we shall please God ibid. 3. The Lord hath shewed us this way ibid. 4. Many have walked in this way before us ibid. Doct. It is a fit duty to please God ibid. Reason 1. Because God is a great King 201. 2. His pleasure is a good pleasure ibid. 3. Christ who is our better did thâ—se things that pleased God ibid. 4. If we do not please God our consciences will condem us ibid. 5. It is a duty most sutable to humane society ibid. Doctr. Pleasing of God is a large duty 202. Reason 1. It is the end of all our duties ibid. 2. It is the most acceptable of all duties ibid. 3. It is unconfinable to place or time ibid. 4. It is in all things without limitation ibid. 5. It is an everlasting duty 203. 6. It is the whole duty of the new man ibid. Doctr. It is a necessary duty to please God ibid. Reas 1. Because we have no saving grace unlesse we labour to please God ib. 2. We are in a woful case if we do not please God ibid. 3. If we doe not please God we are continually in danger of the wrath of God Use To condemn 1. Those that please not God ibid. 2. Those that please men ibid. 3. Those that please themselves 205. The Contents of the fifteenth SERMON on Luke 23. 42. EXtraordinary cases never make a common rule 209. That a wicked life will have a cursed end this is the ordinary rule ibid. Yet in some extrtardinary cases it may be otherwise 1. When God is pleased to shew his prerogative royall ibid. 2. When a sinner hath not had means of salvation in his life but only at his death 210. 3. When a sinner shall be made exemplary ibid. 4. When the Lord may be as much honoured by a mans death as he hath been dishonoured by his life This repentance of the thief was extraordinary as is proved by five arguments 1. Because it was one of the wonders of Christs passion ibid. 2. We read not of any other that was converted at the last hour as the thief was 211. 3. Because of the suddennesse of it ibid. 4. In regard of the Evangelicall perfection of it Containing 212. 1. His penitentiall confession ibid. 2 His penitential profession ibid. 3. His penitentiall satisfaction ibid. 4. His penitentiall self-deniall ibid. 5. His penitentiall faith ibid. 6. His penitentiall resolution 213. 7. His penitentiall prayer ibid. 5. This repentance was extraordinary in regard of the incomparablenesse of it ibid. Use To condemn those that rely upon this example 214. This example is once recorded that none might despaire and but once that none might presume 215. None because of this example should defer their repentance 1. Because this thief had not the means of life and grace before 216. 2. Because we never read that this thief put off his repentance till the last ibid. 3. Because at that time God was in a way of working miracles 218. The Contents of the seventeenth SERMON on Psal 147. 3. THe words of the Text opened 223. What is meant by wholenesse of heart ibid. What is meant by brokennesse of heart 224. Doctr. Christ justifies and sanctifies Or heals the broken-hearted 226. Four Reasons 1. Because God hath given grace unto Christ to heale the broken-hearted ibid. 2. Christ hath undertaken to do it ibid. 3. Christ hath this in charge to bind up the broken-hearted ibid. 4. None but the broken hearted will accept of Christ ibid. Severall objections are answered 227. 228 229. Three Reasons why Christ will heale the broken-hearted 1. This is the most seasonable time to be healed when the heart is broken 232. 2. It is the most profitablest time ibid. 3. It is the very nick of time the heart can never be healed untill it be broken ibid. Three signes of a broken heart 1. A breaking from sin 234. 2. A breaking in it self with sorrow ibid. The history of Zacheus conversion is opened in seven particulars ibid. 3. When the heart is broken then it will stoop to Gods word in all things 237. The Contents of the eighteenth SERMON on Isaiah 57. 1. The words of the Text explained Doct. ALl men must die 241. Reason 1. Because God hath so appointed it 242. 2. Because all men and women are of the dust ibid. 3. Because all have sinned ibid. 4. Because as death came into the World by sin so sin might go out of the world by death ibid. Two Objections against this are answered ibid. Use 1. Let no man look to be exempted from death for his righteousnese 243. 2. Hence we should learn to draw our hearts from this present world ibid. 3. To teach us to prepare our selves for a better life ibid. Doct. The death and losse of good men must be laied to heart as an especiall cause of grief and sorrow 244 Reason 1. Because the instruments of Gods glory are taken away ibid. 2. Because of the great losse that others have by their death ibid. 3. Because of the evill to come for while they live they are as a wall to keep off the wrath of God ibid. Use 1. To reprove those that rejoyce at the death of the righteous 245 2. To informe us what a losse it is when the righteous are taken away ibid. Doct. When God will bring any great judgement upon a people or Nation ordinarily he takes away his faithfull servants from amongst them 146. Use 1. To inform us of Gods extraordinary love to his Children ibid. 2. To inform us that when the righteous are taken away we are certainly to expect some great judgement from God to fall upon us ibid. The Contents of the nineteenth SERMON on Jeremiah 14. 9. THe opening of the context in many particulars 251. Doctr. God many times doth cast off a people 252. Four Signes of Gods casting off a people 1. When he takes away his love and respect from a people 253. 2. When he takes away his providence from them ibid. 3. When he breaks down the wals of Magistracy and Ministry ibid. 4.
his sinne lie at the dore there it lay rapping and beating and told him that his carelessenesse and negligent sacrificing to God was not accepted and therefore no marvell if Cain be so cast down in his countenance and that he fall to despaire O beloved when sinne lieth bouncing and beating at the doore of thy heart when thy sinne whatsoever it is search thy heart and finde it out lies knocking and rapping at the dore of thy conscience day by day and moneth by moneth and thou art content to let it lie and art unwilling to use meanes to remove it and art loth to take the paines to get the bloud of Christ to wash thy soule from it or the Spirit of Christ to cleanse thee from it then thy soule wil despaire either in this world or in the world to come But let us take heede then that our conscience condemne us not in any thing or course that we allow in our selves for if that doe then much more will God who is greater than our consciences and knows all things The Apostle hath an excellent Phrase Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. As if he should say there is not one condemnation there is none in Heaven God doth not condemne them there is none in earth their own heart and conscience doth not condemne them to him that is in Christ Jesus that walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit there is none no not one condemnation to him none neither in Heaven nor in earth no word no commandement no threatning condemns him But if thy conscience condemn thee and tell thee thou lettest sinne lie at the doore rapping at thy conscience day after day and moneth after moneth telling thee that yet thou art without Christ that yet thou never hadst any true faith in the Lord Jesus that yet thou hast not truly repented and turned from thy sins this will at last drive thy soul into heavy discouragements if not into final despaire O beloved religion and piety and the power of Godlinesse goe down the wind every where What is the reason of it but because of these discouragements that men live and go on in Men pray and pray and their prayers profit them not men run up and down and come to the Church and heare the Word and receive the Sacraments and use the meanes of grace but to no end they are unprofitable to them they remaine in their sinnes still the ordinances of God bring them not out of their lusts and corruptions hereby they disgrace and discredit the ordinances of God in the eyes and account of the men of the world making them think as if there were no more power nor force in the Ordinances of God than these men manifest There is no life in many Christians mens spirits are discouraged these secret discouragements in their hearts take away their spirits in the use of the meanes that though they use the meanes yet it drives them to despaire of reaping good or profit by them Beloved I could here tell you enough to make your hearts ake to hear it First All your complaints they are but winde Job 6. 26. Doe you imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are as winde Jobs friends taking Job to be a man of despaire they accounted all his words but as wind Doe thou nestle any discouragement in thy heart thou maist complaine of sinne as much as thou canst yet all thy complainings are but as winde thou mayest cry out against thy corruptions with weeping and teares and pray and fight against them and yet all thy weeping mourning and praying is but as the winde thou maiest beg grace thou maiest seek after God thou maist heare the Word receive the Sacraments and yet all will be to thee as wind all will vanish be unprofitable not regarded Secondly discouragements drive us from the use of the meanes If ever we meane to come out of our sinnes if ever we meane to get grace and faith and assurance and zeale we must constantly use the meanes 1 Sam. 27. 1. David saith There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the Land of the Philistins and Saul shall despaire of me to seek me any more David thought in himself if I can make him out of hope of finding me certainly he will give over seeking of me So when the soule hath any secret despaire of finding the Lord that soul will quickly be drawn from seeking of the Lord in the use of the meanes What ever you doe then O be not discouraged lest you be driven from the use of the meanes if you be driven from the use of the meanes woe is to you you will never finde God then Be not driven from prayer nor driven from holy conference nor driven for the Word nor driven from the Sacrament nor from meditation nor from the diligent and strict examination of thy selfe of thy heart and of all thy wayes for these are the wayes of finding the Lord. If you nourish any thoughts and fears of despaire in you if you be discouraged you will be driven from the use of the meanes which is a lamentable thing therefore be not discouraged Thirdly discouragements will make you stand poaring on your former courses This I should have done and that I should have done woe is me that I did it not it will make a man stand poaring on his sinnes but never able to get out of them So it was like to be with them in the Ship with Paul Acts 27. 20. In the tempest at Sea they were utterly discouraged from any hope of safety now indeed Paul told them what they should have done if they had been wise Sirs you should have hearkned to me and not have loosed verse 21. as if he had said you should have done thus and thus but now doe not stand poaring too much on that you should have hearkned to me and not have launched forth c but that cannot be holpen now therefore I exhort you to be of good chear c. So beloved when the soul is discouraged upon these thoughts I should have prayed better I should have heard the Word of God better and with more profit I should have repented better I should have performed this and that religious and good dutie better but ah wretch that I am I have sinned thus and thus it is alwayes looking on this sinne and that sinne this imperfection and that failing when now I say the soule is discouraged it will be alwayes poaring upon sinne but it will never come out of its sinne alwayes poaring upon its deadnesse and unprofitablenesse but never able to come out of it O beloved be of good cheare and be not discouraged it is true you should have prayed better you should have heard the word of God better heretofore you should have been more carefull and circumspect of your wayes than you
ariseth from the Covenant of grace Secondly Take this for a note consider in all these actions for in this day we are in clearing our account whether your opposition to sin be carried on strongly and unchangeably you are now come to have sin rooted out of your hearts your affections you are a dealing with a malignant party that hath already got within you now here are the things you should look after consider whether the change of your spirits be continuall at all times except passion and temptation which may eclispe the rarest Christian may be when the Ministers heart is enlarged in prayers and praysing God for you God comes in and enlargeth your heart like a land-floud which doth not hold long godly sorrow for sin should be like a womans sorrow that weepeth for her child she cannot but weep the more you comfort her the more she weepeth aske her a reason she will say she cannot help it so our mourning for sin and opposition against sin must be carried on in a constant course our weeping for the Church of God must not last only for a day this day and end to morrow but it must be constant Lastly when a man fixeth his soule upon the duty in sincerity he shall finde sweet comfort to his soul a man in this case doth not mind what God gives him but how he accepts of his duty that is all he requires but know assuredly God will fill the hungry soule and recompence the well doers no man shall serve God for nought Now I can tell you the reason why you doe not finde more comfort by your fasting and prayers it is for want of a dram of sincerity you should alway when you worke for God when you fast and pray for God doe as the Joyner doth he shaves and brings his rule and measures shaves and measures so should you pray and look up to heaven fast and bring the duty to the word alwayes pray by rule never keep a fast without a rule and then be assured you shall be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed This I have spoken only to prepare you for the work of the day be sure what ever you doe see that it ariseth from a new and living principle let it not be like a land-floud that is dried up assoon as therain is over but let it be like a gliding streame which keeps a constant springing course that so you may walk in the strength of this days fast all the dayes of your life which grant deare Father for Christ his sake Amen REFORMATION UNDER CORRECTION The way to prevent DESOLATION As it was delivered in a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford REFORMATION UNDER CORRECTION The way to prevent DESOLATION JOB 34. 31. 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisements I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will doe it no more THis Text is a pretious pattern of seasonable counsel by Elihu given to afflicted Job wherein resolution to be reformed under the rod of the Lord is both commanded and commended Surely it is meet to be said c. I will not spend time to divide my text into parts nor to observe the various readings thereof but shall briefly observe the doctrine which naturally ariseth from the Text and which will be very sutable to our present occasion viz. Under the rod of the Lord people should resolve to reforme Or thus Resolution to reforme should be upon the heart of all them that smart under the rod of the Lord. Surely it is meet c. There are three things that I intend to speak to in the prosecution of his point 1. What kind of reformation it is that we should resolve upon under the rod of the Lord. 2. What arguments should prevaile with us to resolve to reforme because we feele the Lord strikes us 3. What course we should take for our reforming under his rod. That we are under the rod of the Lord is evident there are smarting rods upon our backs The rod of the continuance and speading of the noysome pestilence The rod of unseasonable weather this droughty pring and unseasonable frost surely then it is meet to say We wil bear chastisements we will sin no more I begin with the first viz. What kinde of reformation it is that God commands and expects from us when we are under this rod This I shall open in six particulars and therein unbowell my Text. 1. In the work of reformation under the rod we must have reference to him that useth the rod goe to God and set our selves to amend what is amisse as under the eye of God under whose lash we smart this lyes in the text Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement c. Go to God and set thy selfe as under the all seeing eye of God endeavouring to reforme what is amisse It is an easy thing for Ministers to be pleasing to a people for Children to give content to their parents for one neighbour to stop the mouth of another But mark what contents God the inside reformation as well as the outside when God and I am alone as well as in companie when I am under Gods hand I must goe to God when I am reforming that is one thing I could shew it you how the Lord Christ struck down Paul when he was breathing out threats and bloud against poor innocent Christians who when he was struck down saith Lord what shall I doe shall I back again to the Scribes and Pharisees and tell them what a blow I met withall or shall I go on to the Saints and tell them what cruelty is intended against them Lord whither shall I goe He looks to God that smote him There is one thing more and this will follow from the former alwayes be sure to be guided by the rule that is the word of God in reforming of that which is out of order whether in your spirit or life That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will doe it no more Teach thou me c. Mistake me not I doe not here speak against conferring with Christians consulting with ministers in matters dubitable but alway heed this stick not in the opinion stay not in the Judgement of any be he never so wise never so pious but labour to see a word of warrant from the scripture and trust only to that say I must doe so and so I have it from Gods mouth I may take such a course I have Gods word for it â—â—â—â—ple would not be so giddy in running after new and strange opiâ—â—â—â—â—â—f they would but consider this alway goe to God and say Lord that which I see not teach thou me and if I have