one can hardly tell which is a Saint and which is a reprobate If a man deale with a Saint and deale with a wicked man he seeth no difference between them Let a Saint do any action either pray hear or conferre let a wicked man do the like there is such deadnes such carnality such worldly-mindednesse such luke-warmnesse of affection that one can hardly tell which is the Saint and which is the hypocrite Beloved if the Saints did live like Saints there would be as plaine a difference between a Saint and a wicked man in their lives and behaviour as is hetwixt the Judge and the Rogue that is to be judged by him Hast thou not conâ—dered my servant Iob saith God how that there is none like him in all the earth Iob 1.4.8 If a man come to be a Saint indeed there is never a wicked man in the Town and Countrey that lives and doth as he doth and walks as he walks nor prayes as he prayes nor hears the word as he hears it nor that conferres or meditates as he doth that beleeves and repents as he doth that strives against his lusts as he doth there is none like him in all the world Thirdly it condemnes the scandalousnesse of many Professors in their behaviours and actions Oh how do wicked men insult and exclaim hereupon to see a Professor led away and overcome by some lust What say they are these they that are led by the Spirit of God Are these your devout men why they can covet and scrape as well as others they can cousen and lie as well as others I those that are your great Professors and hot spurres they are as covetous as worldly as cruell as others though they will not be drunk nor swear yet they will cousen and lie as well as others The consideration whereof made the Prophets heart to bleed in him and to pray Oh purge me from my murder and adultery and all other my secret sinnes lest I cast mire and dirt in the faces of thy children causing them to beare the reproaches of my sinnes Oh let not those that seeke thee be ashamed for my sake Psal 69. For thy sake that livest scandalously and offensively for thy sake that livest covetously and scraping after the world that art so unjust in thy dealings and promises mire and dirt scandals and reproaches are cast upon the children For thy loosenesse yea for thy carnall liberty it is that the true professors of Religion are reproached suspected and hardly censured in the world What did Jacob when he was to walk with the people of the Land Gen. 35.5.6 he purged his house and saith the text the terror of God was upon all the Cities hee made them all to tremble at him I tell you all the wicked in Ashford would tremble at the Professors that live therein if they did live and carry themselves like Saints indeed Oh if all those that did professe themselves to be Christians were Christians indeed and that professe themselves to be Saints were Saints indeed living in the power and sanctification of holinesse then men would say of themselves of a truth God is in these men Christ dwels in them and the Spirit of God leads and governs them indeed If thou wouldst judge the world take heed so as the world judgeth thee and so thou with the world be condemned eternally It is said that Herod feared John because heâ— was a just man Mark 6.23 So if all thy neighbours did know that thou wert a just man a holy and conscionable man in all thy wayes and in all thy actions and that cannot indure swearing lying and deceit but did see that thou wast just and one that feared God truly they would all fear thee THE PUNISHMENT Of Unworthy COMMUNICANTS At the TABLE of the LORD DELIVERED In a SERMON Preached Decemb. 7. 1628. By that vigilant and painfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B.D. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex London Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S. A SERMON OF Mr. WILLIAM FENNERS Upon this ensuing Text. 1 COR. 11.30 For this cause many are weak and sick among you and many sleep THE Apostle in this Chapter taxeth two abuses which were then amongst the Corinthians First the unseemly habit of women in the Congregation from the first ver to the 17. Secondly the prophane usage of the holy Communion both of men and women from the 17. verse to the end of the Chapter And herein from the 23. verse to the end of the 25. he sets down the Institution of the Lords Supper and thence raised a point of Doctrine Doct. 1 That whosoever would come to this holy Communion they must examine themselves that so they may come worthily else it were better that they never came So we read in the 28. verse But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup As if the Apostle had said Unlesse a man examine himself and search his own heart and find out his sinnes and dive into the secrets of his soul to bring out his hidden corruptions confessing them and judging himselfe for them before the Lord let him never presume to come unto this holy Sacrament And then he proves it by three Reasons Reas 1 The first is taken from the end of the Sacrament for it is the remembrance of the death and passion of Christ so it is in the 26. verse So oft as you eate of this Bread and Drink of this Cup you show forth the Lords death till he come It is a reason that the men of this world are not acquainted withall and therefore it was a good wish of a Reverend Father that the Sacrament should never be ministred but there should be a Sermon to teach men the nature of it and to instruct them in the Mystery thereof Wee approach unto the Sacrament hand over head living in our sinnes not showing by our coming that Christ is dead we say and we professe that Christ died for our sinnes and yet notwithstaning our sinnes live in us as if Christ had not died for us or as if we would proclaime that his death hath had no effect in us For were we dead with Christ then sin and the living occasions of sinne would be dead in us also My Beloved we should never come to this Sacrament but we should shew forth the Lords death thereby that is that Christ is dead or rather died for sinne and that sinne is also dead in us Reas 2 The second reason is taken from the damned wrong wee offer unto Christ if we come in our sinnes for we are guilty of the body and bloud of Christ as it is in the 27. verse nay thou sinnest against the Lord Jesus Christ not a jot lesse then Pilat that condemned him then Judas that betrayed him and the Jewes that cryed out Crucifie him crucifie him yea thou art as much guilty
punishment which is the unworthy eating of the Communion For this cause many are sick and weak among you and many are fallen asleep Secondly the punishment inflicted for this sinne weaknesse sicknesse and mortality For it seems saith Peter Martyr that the Lord sent a sore plague and pestilence among them for to revenge himself of them for their abuse of the Sacrament for this cause Thirdly there is the delinquents which are you Corinthians Many are sick and weak among you and in them all others that come unpreparedly to the Sacrament Chrysostome notes here that our Apostle doth not fetch here an Argument or example of judgment from others as he had done in the former chapter but he brings it from themselves who sensibly felt the wrath of God upon them for this very sinne As if the Apostle should have said How is it O Corinthians that you dare venture to come unto the Communion so unpreparedly and that you have no more regard of so weighty businesse as is the receiving of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ See you not the wrath of God upon your dwellings and the curse of heaven to take hold of your towne you see it this very time that some are weak and very sick amongst you neer unto death and others have been struck with death before your eyes and the wrath of God is not removed but lies yet upon you What will you alwayes goe on and never cease to provoke the Lord to indignation and wrath against you for your sinnes untill his jealousie hath utterly consumed you and clean cut you off And howsoever many of you may think that this sicknesse weaknesse and mortality comes upon you by chance as from the infection of the aire or other secondary causes I tell you nay but it is for this cause onely even your unworthy comming to the Supper of the Lord. Whence we may observe this point of instruction Doct. 2 That God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper He punished the Corinthians here with sicknesse weaknesse feavers pestilence death temporal and God knows how many with death eternal Theodoret observes that the Apostle told them of a thing that was acted amongst them for if he had told them of such judgements as had been hid from them and not manifest before their eyes as if they had not felt the sicknesse in their bodies and heard the bels tolling daily in their ears they might have thought that the Apostle had but lied unto them So the people of Israel as we may read in 1 Cor. 1.2.3 verses they were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea and they did all eat the same spirituall meat and drink the same spirituall drink yet as it is in the fifth verse with many of them God was not well pleased Nay God was so wroth with them that within the space of fourty yeares many thousands of them were destroyed by death here and God knoweth how many thousands of them in hell For God speaketh of hell as well as of death and their sin was so great that it made God confirme it with an oath that they should never enter into his rest And Saint Cyprian saith that the Lord hath shewed many miracles and declared many fearfull judgements upon the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament Judas who Ambrose thought received the Sacrament though Hilary and others that hee did not but only that he did eate the Passeover and was coming to this Sacrament also but see his doome John 13. as soon as ever he received the sop the Devill entred into him and so it is with all such as come to the Communion in their sinnes without repentance and unfained resolution of walking ever after worthy of the Sacrament I say unto all and every one of them that as soone as ever thou receivest the Bread and Wine into thy mouth thou receivest the Devil together with it as soon as ever it goeth down into thy body the Devill goeth after it and taketh more full possession of thy heart and soul Reas 1 Now the reason why the Lord doth so severely punish both with temporall judgements and with spirituall curses the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament is in regard of the author of the Sacrament who is Christ and that not onely as he was man as the Papists would make us beleeve but Christ as he was God did institute the same So saith the Apostle in the 23. verse The Lord Jesus Christ in the same night that he was betrayed â—ok bread and brake it when he had given thanks and said Take yee and eate yee for this is my body which is broken for you Now if the Lord Jesus did institute it what a cursed thing is it for any to defile it and so sin against Christ It is a damnable thing to sinne against God but to sin against God as he is God in Christ is damnably damnable The holy Ghost in the second Psalm exhorts to kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and so thou perish As if he should say Adore the Sonne Adore the Lord Iesus Christ and so come and eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup for if he be angry thou wilt surely perish and if thou sin against God and so go out of the way Christ upon thy repentance will set thee in again but if thou sinnest against God in Christ who is the Way the Life and the Truth thou shalt surely perish from the right way for there is no other way for to bring thee in again Acts 4.12 Therefore wofull is thy case and miserable is thy condition if thou sinnest against Christ prophaning his holy ordinances which he himself hath instituted and abusest and despisest that blessed Spirit of his that comes to seale unto thee the redemption that he hath purchased by his bloud Better had it been for thee that thou hadst never been born for if he be wroth blessed only are all they that put their trust in him and come preparedly unto his holy Ordinance and that by faith embrace the Lord Iesus Christ But woe unto all prophane persons that live in their sinnes if his wrath be but a little kindled then woe to all drunkards swearers and uncleane persons but blessed is that man that is come out of his sinnes For if his wrath be so terrible when it is but a little kindled O how much more fearfull will it be when it is deeply incensed Therefore if thou comest unto this holy Sacrament in thy sinnes without due preparation and examination what doest thou but even set the wrath of God burning upon thy soul and body from the very bottome of hell When the Lord Delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai he commanded the people to sanctifie themselves yea if a beast did but touch the mountain he must die for the same even be stoned to death or thrust through with a dart Heb. 12. Much more then now when
come to Church draw neer unto the holy Communion Will you so saith the Apostle No first Cleanse your hands yee sinners and purge your hearts yee double-minded As if hee should say never think of drawing neer 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 soule from all thy filthy lusts and cursed corruptions lest otherwise thou coming in thy sinnes with thy uncleannesse on thee and so receiving unworthily thou eatest and drinkest thine owne damnation as our English translation hath it damnation to thy selfe and not to another No God forbid that thou shouldest by thy unworthy coming eate 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 thee for their prophanesse eate and drink their own damnation yet thou shalt be sure to receive the seale and assurance of thy reconciliation and salvation with free acceptance of God through the Lord Jesus Christ for every man shall bear his owne burden Reas 4 The last Reason is in regard of the end of the Sacrament which is Christ also For as he is the efficient materiall and formall cause so Christ is also the finall cause of the Sacrament So it is in the 26. verse As oft as you eate of this Bread and drink of this Cup you shew forth the Lords death untill 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 shewes that the end of the celebration of this Sacrament is for to shew forth the death of Christ untill he come Object I but say the Romists unlesse we eate the body and drink the blood of Christ really and not the consâ—crated bread and wine how can any man by this unworthy communicating eate and drink his own damnation and make himself guilty of the body and bloud of Christ Answ I answer a man cannot bring this guilt upon himself 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 gainsay and therefore I pray you to mark it for he hath joyned these two verses together As oft as you eate of this bread and drink of this cup you shew forth the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoever eateth this bread or drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord even for this cause because it is the shewing forth of Christs death till hee come Therefore if thou eatest and drinkest unworthily comming in thy sinnes and resolvest to goe 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-warme and dead-hearted in Gods service before so thou remainâ—st stiâ—l remember I pray thee that as oft as thou hast come unto the communion in those thy sinnes thou hast made thy self guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Therfore I beseech you to look to it and in time to repent and pray with the Prophet David Ps 51. Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O Lord even from the blood of thy Sonne left one day it bee laid unto thy charge and required straitly at thy hands For for this cause many are sick among you and many weak Vse 1 Is it so then that the Lord doth so severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament Take notice I pray you then from whence commeth all sicknesse weaknesse and mortality and the reason why the Lord doth send so many kind of sorrowes crosses and miseries upon men namely because of the unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper So saith Mr. Calvin why doe you wonder to see such warres and rumours of warres that there is so many bloodsheds so many Townes and Cities ruinated and so many Countries sacked and depopulated so many calamities come upon the Churches abroad so many plagues and scourges to over-run Christendome at this day is not the cause plain enough men come unto the Table of the Lord carelesly and unworthily And beloved we shall never see the Lord take away his judgements here from the earth untill we betake our selvs to a more diligent and holy receiving of the Sacrament For this very cause there are so many strange diseases amongst us never formerly known or heard of untill these dayes as the French Pox the English Sweat as they call it that even the Physitians themselves are blunted at them and as Peter Martyr well observes hence are all diseases as plagues pestilences which were late amongst us dropsies bloody Flux Agues Apoplexies Convulsies burning Feavers and impostumes c. and all for this cause One man hath fallen into a Feaver and we wonder at the cause whence he took it but in truth the communion hath cast him into his Feaver and the Lord will avenge himself on him for the same Another is sick and he thinkes that a cold hath brought it upon him but it is the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament that is truely the cause of it A third man dieth before his time even in his full strength before in the course of nature he hath ended halfe his dayes but the cause is unworthy comming to the Communion which hath taken hold of him and cut off the thread of his life Many there be that expound these words in a spirituall sense Many are sick and weak and many are fallen asleep that is to say many have their consciences seared and their hearts hardned c. and this is true also that because men come unpreparedly they have their hearts hardened and their consciences seared and their soules plagued with many spirituall plagues But it is as true also in temporall judgements thou hast had many afflictions and much sickness laid upon thee but thank thy self for it namely because thou hast come unworthily unto the communion thou hast had much weaknesse in thy body which hath cost thee much mony and weakned thy estate but thy unholy comming unto the Sacrament is that which thou mayest thank for it Thou hast been reproached and contemned and endured much shame but take notice of it that it proceeds from the fore-going cause and that is a speciall reason why the Lord hath brought these and many other evils upon thee Thou canst say the commandements for the most part by rote but thou didst never know the mystery of this one commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain Beloved the Communion is one of Gods own names and how many thousands are there in the world that take this
that reproves Nay let a man be unblameable for the present if he have been faulty before if it were seven or ten or twenty yeares before if it be knowne it is a thousand to one but he shall be hit in the teeth with it when he reproves you committed adultery and you did steale at such a time if it were never so long agoe Therefore St. Paul would not consent to take Mark with him in the ministery Acts 15. because he had been offensive to the Church before We had need be marvellous carefull and wary if wee will reprove I had thought to have named other Uses but I leave this Exposition and take it as it is passively interpreted He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy THough it may be expounded the other way yet I rather incline to this The Reason is Because this is the constant current of all Interpreters generally I meet but with one or two that expound it the other way but all passively He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck c. Secondly because the word in the origiall is A man of reproofs that hardeneth his own neck Now though it be indifferent whether it be active or passive yet look in the Scripture and you shall finde it more often passive then active A man of reproofs that is a man often reproved in the passive As in Isay 53.3 Christ is a man of sorrows not making others sorry but made sorry passively And so in Dan. 9.23 It is said Daniel was a man of desires that is not a man desiring other men or other things not actively desiring but passively desired beloved of God exceedingly So it is said of Jeremiah Jerem. 15.10 he was a man of strife not a man striving with others but a man striven with So in 1 King 2.26 A man of death that is not killing others but to be killed himselfe It is taken more frequently in the passive sense so we may more boldly take it so A man of Reproofs that is reproved againe and againe that hath received divers reproofs and yet hardeneth his owne neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Here I might observe by the way this point of Doctrine That The Lord doth not destroy man willingly He saith not A man shall be destroyed without remedy but a man when he hath sinned against God when he hath committed sinne and not onely so but when he is reproved for his sin and goeth on The Lord doth not destroy a man nakedly but upon consideration of sin Willingly the Lord doth not afflict any Lament 3. Mercy and punishment they flow from God as the hony and the sting from the Bee the Bee yeeldeth hony of her own nature but she doth not sting but when she is provoked so the Lord is gracious and good and favourable and kind and blesseth his people from his own nature but he doth not punish and plague and destroy but being provoked by sin and iniquity I will not stand to follow this point I let it go The text it self contains the great mercie of God in lending a man a reproof And what a great sin it is what a great ill it is for a man to sin against his reproof The greatnesse of the ill is set down two wayes First by the great sinfulnesse of the thing it is called the hardening of a mans own neck Secondly by the greatnesse of the punishment that God inflicts upon this sin and that is he will destroy him and without remedy For the first namely what a great mercie it is for God to let a man be reproved for his sins It may bee proved by many places of Scripture onely I find in Scripture it is brought as an aggravation of sinne when they sinned against reproof Hosea 5.2 saith hee they are profound to commit sinne though I have been a rebuker of them all As if he should say though I have been so mercifull as to shew them the danger of sinne to tell them what would come of their wretched courses though I have called them to repentance and have given them warning what would be the issue of these things yet for all this for all my mercy they have gone on in their sinnes though I have reproved them This Though is a word of aggravation as we see in the speech of Daniel to Belshazzar Thou O King hast not humbled thy selfe though thou knewest this as if he had said though the Lord let thee know the punishment upon thy Father and the plagues of Nebuchadnezzar thy grandfather though the Lord have let thee understand what it is for thee ro exalt thy selfe against him yet thou art not humbled he aggravates his sinne So this aggravates a mans sinne when he goes on notwithstanding he is reproved The reasons are First because when God reproves a man of sinne the reproof primarily comes out of love therefore when he reproved Laodicea and told her she was luke-worm and said I would thou wert either hot or cold And since she was neither he would spue her out of his mouth he tells her whence the reproof flowed because I love I reprove As many as I love I rebuke Rev. 3.19 It is not out of ill will that I tell thee of thy lukewarmnesse and threaten to spue thee out of my mouth I tell thee these things that thou mayst avoid that ill I say Gods reprofes flow primarily from love to men whereby he would have them lay aside their wretched courses and avoid the judgements Nay it is an argument of hatred when a man doth not reprove his brother of sinne If God let a man goe on in sinne and never tell him of his drunkennesse nor never find fault with his pride and security never convince him or wound or touch him nor deal with him about his unsetled estate and his rotten condition it is a signe God hates the man but when God reproves a man from day to day Man thou art a proud creature thou shalt to hell for thy pride and hypocrisie and securitie and harpnesse of heart When the Lord reproves a man from day to day this is an argument of love the other is an effect of hatred not to reprove Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saith Moses but shalt in any wise reprove him and not suffer sinne to be upon him Levit. 19.17 Thou hatest thy brother when thou seest him sinne and doest not warn him and knowest he is guilty of sinfull courses and doest not reprove him and when thou hast time and place and opportunity and fit circumstances to reprove and yet thou wilt not doe it it is a signe thou hatest thy brother it is the greatest degree of hatred one of them If a man deny food for the body and let a man rather die of hunger then hee will give him meat or let a man fall into a pit rather
life and many other outward comforts and supports But thou wilt heare more of these things in the Sermons themselves the wholesome Admonitions and Reproofs wherein contained with the rest of that heavenly provision for thy Soule which thou shalt find here gathered together and laid into thy hand I heartily wish may be sanctified unto thee by the highest hand of the Sanctifier that so thy sins and corruptions may flie seven wayes before that Spirit of power which here pursueth them and thou never presume to return back again unto them more The God whom we serve is able to performe this great petition by Jesus Christ To whose grace the peace of thy soule is faithfully and feelingly recommended by That poor and unworthy servant of Christ and his Church John Goodwin The Contents and Heads of the eight following Sermons The Contents of the first two Sermons from HAG. 1.5 THe Preface showing the usefulnesse of Meditation together with the danger in neglecting it Page 1 The opening of the Tex in severall particulars pag. 4 Doctrine Serious Meditation of our sins by the â—ord is an especiall means for to make us repent 4 The definition of Meditation in four particulars 4 1 It is an exercise of the mind 4 2 A setled exercise of the mind 5 3 It is to make a further enquirie into all the parts of the truth 6 4 It labours to affect the heart 7 Two Reasons 1. Because Meditation presseth â—ll Arguments home to the heart 7 2 Because Meditation fastens sin close upon the â—oul and makes the soul to feel it 9 1 Use For the reproof of severall sorts of men â—hat are loth to put in practise this so necessary a duty 12 Four lets of Meditation 1. Vain company 14 2 Multitude of worldly businesse 14 3 Ignorance 16 4 That naturall aversnesse is in the heart of man unto it 16 This aversnesse of heart consisteth in three things 1 In the carelesnesse of the heart 17 2 In the runnings and rovings of the heart 17 3 In the wearisomnesse of the heart in meditation 17 2 Use For terror unto all those that dare sit down in security never at all regarding this soul searching duty 18 Four means or helps to meditation 1 With all seriousnesse tell the soul that thou hast a message from the Lord unto it 20 2 Observe sitting times for meditation viz. 1 The morning 21 2 The night 22 3 The evening 22 4 When the heart is after some extraordinary manner touched with Gods word or providences 22 3 Call to mind what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born 23 4 Rouse up thy heart and thoughts as high aâ— heaven 23 3 Use For the reprehension of those that meditate upon their sins and how they may with the more freenesse commit sin 24 Four grounds upon which meditation must be raised 1 Meditate on the goodnesse mercy and patience of God that you have oft abused by your sins 26 2 Meditate on the justice of God that you have so oft provoked 28 3 Meditate on the wrath of God that you have so oft kindled 29 4 Meditate on the constancie of God who is a constant hater of all sin 30 Four directions how to carry Meditation home to the heart 1 Weigh and ponder all the foregoing things in â—hine own heart 33 2 Strip sin and look upon it starknaked and in â—ts own colours 33 3 Dive into thine own soul and search thine â—eart to the quick 34 4 Prevent thine own heart by meditation and â—ell thy soul that it will one day wish that it had not â—eglected this so necessary a duty 36 Four duties to be discharged that we may put life to Meditation 1 Let Meditation haunt and dogge thy heart with the promises and threatnings mercies and judgements of God 38 2 Let Meditation trace thy heart in the same steps and run over all thy duties discharged 41 3 Let Meditation hale thy heart before Gods Throne there to poure out thy complaints before the Almighty p. 43. and let thy complaint be 1 Full of sorrow 44 2 A full complaint of all thy sins 44 3 A complaint aggravating all thy sins by all their circumstances 45 4. A self-condemning complaint wherein the complaint of Ezra is illustrated in eight particulars 46 4 Let Meditation when it hath searched out thy case and made it appear how wofull it is cast thee down before God 49 Four motives to stir up the soul to Meditation 1 Consider it is the part of a fool not to meditate It is a madnesse for a man to walk on in a course and not to consider whither it will tend 50 2 Consider not to meditate is the brand of a Reprobate 52 3 He that meditates not robs God of his honor 52 4 All the service that a man performeth unto the Lord will be abominable if he meditate not before it and after it 53 The reason why we have so many vain thoughts in our holy exercises is because we prepare not our hearts thereunto by meditation 54 The Contents of the third Sermon Proverbs 1.28 1 THe opening of the context in 5 particulars 59 2 The opening of the words of the Text in four particulars 62 1. Doctrine Those that will not heare the Lord when he calleth upon them by the ministry of his word and voice of his Spirit the Lord will not hear them when in their misery they call upon him 62 3. Reasons of the point 1. The law of Retaliation of rendring like for like requires it 64 2. Because Gods two Attributes of Mercy and Justice have their season in this life and when Mercy hath acted her part then commeth Justice upon the stage for to act her part 66 3. Because it is Gods manner for to doe so in temporall things and therfore much more in matters of grace and salvation 68 God giveth to men a day and no Man nor Angell knoweth how long this day lasteth or when this season of grace shall have an end 71 73 And as there is a Personall day so there is a Nationall day 74 Object 1. A man may be called at the 11th or 12th houre of the day 75 Ans Those that were called at the first hour came in at the first houre these that came in at the twelfth houre were not the same that were called at the first hour 75 Object 2 The day of grace lasteth as long as the day of life 77 The Objection is cleared under three particulars Ans And it is answered that the day of grace may end to a particular man long before his death 1. Because God may harden a mans heart 78 2. Because God may sear mens consciences 78 Object 3. Suppose I go on in my sinne and repent upon my death-bed will God hear me Ans The answer is negative 80 Object 4. Suppose I humble my self by fasting and prayer will not God hear that The answer is negative if thou neglect the day of grace
saith of them Can the Blockmore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they do good that are accustomed to do evill The blacknesse of the Blackmore is only in the out-side of the skin yet all the Art under the heavens cannot blot it out So if once hardnesse possesse thy soule all the preaching of the Ministers and all the means of grace in the world can never bring it unto that frame and temper as to make it melt under the hand of God I tell thee thou that usest to come unto Sermons day after day and refusest to repent living still in thy sinnes there is no hammer nor beetle in the world more hard then thy heart as those men and women that sit under the preaching of the Word and hear the doctrine of life like raine from above beating and knocking on their consciences and on their hearts to awaken them out of their sinnes and yet notwitstanding will not repent at last they prove to be deafe Adders that stop their eares against the Word charme the Charmer never so wisely 2. God may seare mens consciences Doth thy conscience tell thee that thou art a luke-warmling and wilt thou not be reformed Doth thy conscience tell thee that thy prayers and all thy religion is rotten and unsound and that thy repentance is hypocriticall and naught and that for all thy vaine hopes thou art but a dissembler and yet remainest in thy sinnes and wilt thou not be bettered hereby Take heed for that man that runns on in sinne against the voice of his own conscience that man sinnes the sinne of Saul 1 Sam. 13.8 God bid him stay seven dayes untill Samuel came Saul stayes full seven dayes within one houre at last his lust began to bawl What shall I stay for a Prophet thus long Stay sayes his conscience Why sayes Saul I waited for him so long even seven dayes lacking but one houre Stay saith God to his conscience for the Word of God bids thee stay so long he stayed one day and two dayes and six dayes and seven dayes but one houre Stay saith his conscience no hee would not but I forced my selfe saith the Text as if hee should say I hardened my heart to do it though the word of the Lord my own conscience bid me stay and not do it yet I forced my selfe to do it What was this mans sinne Was it his offering of Sacrifice and calling upon God by prayer No the Lord commands us to call upon him in time of distresse and being commanded it was lawfull Was it his sinne to meddle with the Priests office No for he did but appoint the Sacrifice the Priest offered it What was it the breaking of one houres time No for he had sinned more against God then so but this was his sinne that he went against his own conscience when God stood in the way when conscience stood in the way conscience said stay but he would not stay God bid him stay but he would not stay And this is the sinne of many thousands amongsts us mens consciences tel them that they must not be drunkards mens consciences tell them that they must not be worldlings they must not be swearers they must not be luke-warme professors they must pray better then they do and have other faith then yet they have if ever they meane to be saved wilt thou yet against thy conscience force thy selfe to go on in thy sins from day to day and never be reformed take heed lest the Lord be provoked to set thy sun upon thy head and shut up thy heart and tonclude thy eternall destruction Object Suppose I go on in my sinnes and follow my wicked courses now what if I seek him hereafter and humble my soule before him with fasting and prayer and when I lie upon my death-bed I send a ticket unto my Minister to pray for me will all this do me no good Answ Surely no saith God Jerem. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my affections could not be toward this people cast them out of my sight Dost thou lie sick upon thy death-bed were Samuel Job or Daniel the Minister of thy Parish and thou shouldst send thy ticket unto them desiring them to remember thee in their prayers if Noah stood in the Pulpit and Job and Daniel were here before the Lord for to plead for thee yet he would not hear thee Object But suppose I humble my self by fasting and prayer will not God hear that Answ No if thou neglect the day of grace Jer. 14.12 when they fast I will not hear them and when they offer oblations I will not accept their cry but I will consume them by the sword by famine and by pestilence You may set up your fastings prayers and humiliations you may lament and mourne and pine away your selves in your sins but it is not all your prayers and fastings it is not all your lamentation and mourning that will do you good so long as the counsell of the Lord is rejected Because I called and ye would not answer therefore you shall call but I will not hear they thought that the Lords eares would alwayes be open and that when they called the Lord would have answered and that the day of grace would ever remain but God saith I will not hear them they would never have sought if they thought the Lord would not hear them but all their seeking was in vain Object You will say at what time soever a sinner repenteth he shall have mercy Answ It is true if thou repent from the bottome of thy heart but thou maiest come with many a degree of repentance and yet never repent whilest thou livest if thou repent from thy heart and root out thy sins then God will put away thy sins but thou maiest go on in repentance and calling upon God and performing many duties of Religion and yet be hardned look how much Religion will stand with self-love so much thou maiest have after the day of grace is gone Selfe-love may make a man flie to prayer and run after Sermons and go on in many holy duties and give over many sins look how far self-love may drive thee unto holy duties so far thou maist go and yet notwithstanding remaine hardned O therefore let us not delay nor put off the time of grace nor let go salvation while it may be had then shall they call but I will not answer he doth not set down when this time is it may be it is now it may be not this seven yeers it may be not till thy death Doct. 2 Doctr. It may be this very day even this very Sermon this very houre may be thy day that art now in thy sinnes that if thou repent not at this very one Sermon thou neglectest eternall life for ever lose the benefit of this Sermon at this time and thou maiest lose eternall salvation and never have it more The thiefe that robd this day
how doth he know but this one robbery may bring him to the gallows So the man that sins this day how doth he know but that this very dayes work may bring him to hell Deut. 32.35 To God belongs vengeance their feete shall slide in due time Therefore if a man sin against him he may stand to day and to morrow and many dayes but when the due time comes even the time which God hath set then up goes his heels he shall slide and break his neck thy houre-glasse runs in heaven and thou seest not when the sand comes to the bottome but when t is out then down thou goest to hell for ever There was one resolved to kill Julius Caesar such a day the night before a friend sent him a letter to acquaint him with it but being at supper and busie I will not look upon it now saith he to morrow is a new day The next day when he should have read his letter he was stabd Whence this Proverb came in Greece To morrow is a new day God sends thee a letter and a message from heaven to day hear his voice to day repent and come out of your sins or for ever to hell to day be converted and sanctified or for ever be hardned Dost thou refuse to bearken to day and puttest it off untill to morrow it may be to morrow may be a day of Gods wrath and then thou maiest be hardned seared and bound over unto the great day of Gods vengeance to morrow God may set the decree upon thy soul that thou shalt never repent Therefore if thou refuse this thou refusest all for what knowest thou but this very day may be thy day Reas 1 The reason is because Gods patience is in his own brest and who can tell how long it will last Hast thou Momus his glasse-window to look into Gods secret counsell hast thou a key-hole to look into Gods treasurie canst thou stand on tiptoe to look over Gods shoulder to look into Gods decree to see how long his patience will last It may be God hath suffered thee till this day thou art guilty of ten thousand sinnes and yet he is patient towards thee God hath stayed thus long for thee that hast sworne I know not how many oaths God hath born thus long with thee that hast told I know not how many lies prophaned I know not how many Sabbaths contemned I know not how many ordinances and sleighted I know not how many judgements yet Gods patience is in his own brest it is the long sufferance of God Thou mayest say I would fain have it to morrow and this seven yeers but alas it is his long sufferance and not thine and how dost thou know when he will conclude it it may be this day as well as to morrow Joel 2.13 Rent your hearts and not your garments saith the Prophet for the Lord he is gracious and mercifull This word for hath a great deal of force in it First It is a descriptivum for for he is gracious and a mercifull God therefore rent thy heart and let thy soul burst within thee that thou hast sinned against him for he is a mercifull God and it may be he will pardon all thy sins and heal all thy rebellions committed against him Secondly it is an upbraiding for upbraiding thee for thy sins rent thy heart therefore why he is a patient God wilt thou goe on in thy sins against such a patient God and rebel against such a loving Father that hath loved thee with so much compassion Rent thy heart for he is patient Thirdly it is a comforting and incouraging for rent thy heart for there is incouragement for thee to repent give over thy sins and go to the throne of grace For there is much mercie to welcome thee and great patience for to bid thee come home and abundance of grace for to incourage thee therefore rent thy heart and come home unto the Lord for he is patient and long-suffering Fourthly it is a forewarning for rent your hearts for the Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse yet his mercie lasteth yet his patience endureth yet hee hath all his attributes and yet he is pleased to manifest the same still tendring grace and mercie unto thee Oh turn unto him while these endure or else thou shalt perish for ever Fifthly it is a threatning for now he is gracious now he is mercifull but his mercy will end his patience will end and then if thou hast not rent thy heart before it will be too late then Therefore as ever thou lovest thine own soule now rent thy heart and turn unto God It is Gods own proclamation The Lord the Lord slow to anger and of great mercie forgiving iniquity and sin Yea what man soever it be that humbles his soule before him he shall find grace and mercie with him yea abundance of mercie pardoning iniquity transgression and sinne yea any thing Let but a soul come prostrate before him humbling his soule he will pardon his sin But as it followeth in the words He will by no means clear the guiltie if notwithstanding all Gods patience and mercie thou go on in thy sins the Lord will never forgive thee but will visit thy sinnes upon thee unto the third and fourth generations because thou hast withstood the day of grace Beloved men run on in their sins as if so be an Angel from heaven should cry unto them and tell them yet God will be good unto them yet God will show them mercie and forbear them Beloved let your consciences answer if you ever heard the Lord God say to any of you thus long I will forbear you No Gods patience is in his own breast and therefore no man knows how long it will last Reas 2 A second reason is because Gods patience giveth no marks or inklings of it before it ends commonly when God strikes a man with death he giveth some signes of warnings of it before as sicknesse and pains and gray hairs and many sorrowes c. Now because thy life is in Gods hands thou carest not for it but venturest to go on in thy sinnes hoping to have some warning though thousands be cut off without it but the day of grace may come to an end and yet thou never have any inkling or warning of it before-hand commonly when God strikes a man with death he tells him of it before-hand by aches and pains as if the Lord should say Now thou shalt die now will I take thee out of the world But when the Lord taketh away the day of grace from a man though the spirituall man may take some notice of it yet there is no sensible apparition of it but after the day of grace is set upon a man he may be as strong and lustie as before he may come to Church as well after as before performe religious duties and do many good things as well after as
Minister after Minister to instruct them in the knowledge of my wayes I laboured to convert them and to bring them home unto my self and to work better thoughts in them but still they are a people that walk after their own thoughts that provoke me continually unto my face There is never a thought of thine but it is in the verse face of God both thought and imagined But some man may say I think of God and of Christ of faith and repentance and of calling on God of mending of this and that course I think of death and of my last account and every foot I have holy thoughts in my mind But beloved give me leave I pray you for to speak something unto you which it may be may stick by you while you live I will propound these foure things and distinctions unto you which I will use First what doest thou think of God and of heaven then tell me whether thy thoughts be injective thoughts into thy heart or thoughts raised by thy heart for there is a great deale of difference betweene thoughts injected and thoughts raised God casts good thoughts into a godly mans heart which being fit soyl it fructifies and brings forth fruit Again God casts good thoughts into a wicked mans heart but because his heart is not sanctified and therefore no fit soyl to harbour in they die and vanish God casts in and they cast out God casts in again and they cast out again therefore if thou hast good thoughts examine and try whether they be thoughts raised from thy heart or no see whether thy heart be a renewed heart a sanctified an holy heart fit to bring forth good thoughts every day Beloved a wicked man may have a thousand good thoughts and yet go to hell in the midst of them all God cast a good thought into the heart of the King of Babylon to go against Judah and Jerusalem for to punish his people for their sins and to avenge himself on them for the breach of his Covenant but what saith the text Reas 1 Howbeit he thought not so Isa 10. No his only ayme was how to get honour how to inrich to enlarge his territories and to bring down the Nations under him and to make his name and fame to be spread and declared through all the world So God casts many good thoughts into many a wicked mans heart to repent and to leave his drunkennesse his pride his swearing and whoring to be holy and religious howbeit he thinks not so but he thinks how to eate and drink how to be proud and haughty how to be rich and great in the world how to be vain and licentious yea thy thoughts are vile and vain all the day long Oh that men were wise truly to understand this the want whereof is the cause why many thousands go to hell and are damned for ever I will make it plain to you A wicked man reasons thus with himself I confesse and it is true I sinne every day against God and sometimes drink a pot with my friend though sometimes I let fall an oath and am overtaken in my infirmities yet I thank God he hath sanctified my heart for I think of God and of Christ and I oft call upon his name and let my thoughts run on good things God and heaven are many times in my mind and I am sorry when I do amisse and the Lord hath blest me with a large portion of outward things Besides I see these and these signes of grace in me and therefore I think my case to be happy And thus securely they live and so they go on and so they die and so go to hell and perish for ever and ever Here is the misery of it many think of God and of Christ of death and of their last account of heaven of hell of faith and repentance of leaving sinne of crucifying their lusts and practising of holinesse Now men think that their thinking of these things is a part of their discharge when indeed they are Additions to and peeces of their talents which increase their judgements God casts in a thought of repentance of holinesse of the remembrance of death and last account Dost thou find thy heart never the better and holier by them Then know it is only Gods haunting of thy heart and Gods calling upon thee and Gods inviting thee unto repentance to leave thy sinnes to come out of thy deadnesse and formality to prepare for thy death and judgment and therefore I say if thy heart now think not so if thy heart do not repent beleeve and grow more zealous and thou art not drawn the neerer to God I say then that the more of these good thoughts that thou hast had the greater thy doome will be if thou hast had ten thousands of them if they have beene onely Gods haunting of thy heart think thou then now of grace of God of thy poor soul which is not bettered by them nor made holy then know they are peeces of thy talent and it doth make thy torments in hell the greater Secondly thou hast good thoughts but the question is whether they be fleeting or abiding thoughts Many think of God of grace of heaven of the word of God and when they heare a Sermon they will think of God but these thoughts though they come into their minds yet they go away presently they are in and out at an instant in a trice they passe away and are gone Beloved there are two kinds of vaine thoughts 1. vaine because the substance and matter of them is vain and so all worldly thoughts are vain 2. or else for their want of durance and lasting and so are all thoughts of heaven of God and grace and of Christ it they vanish away they are all vain thoughts though they seeme otherwise Haer what God saith Gen. 6.5 God saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only evill continually all the imaginations great is the emphasis of this word all all the thoughts yea all universally are only evill continually But you will say unto me Doth not a wicked man think that there is a God why that is a good thought doth he not think that this God is to be observed and worshipped why this is a good thought doth he not think that sin is to be forsaken that is a good thought doth he not think of heaven and of Christ how then are their thoughts only evill and that continually I answer because all the thoughts of a wicked mans heart are vaine that is vanishing thoughts not vaine for the matter which sometimes may be good and holy but vaine because they soone vanish away thoughts that come and tarry not that leave no impression in their hearts behind them these are all vaine thoughts according to that of the Apostle The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine 1 Cor.
and beseech you in the name of Christ to come home and be reconciled to him and I desire to stand here as Jehoiadah set Porters at the gates of the City and of the house of the Lord to keep off all those that come in their uncleannesse 2 Chron. 23.19 So I stand this day as the Porter of the Lord to keep the Lords watch that no prophane wretch no proud hearted sinner that means not to enter into a new course of life that no such one come unto this holy communion I charge that as you will answer the guilt of Christs bloud before Gods Throne that thou meddle not with it But now if there should be any that would absent himselfe because he will the more freely go on in his sins let him know that such a one excludes himselfe from the benefits and merits of Christs death and shall never have the benefit of a Redeemer at the day of judgement but shall perish in his sins for his carelesse neglect and fearfull contempt of so effectuall and powerfull means of salvation and purging as is the bloud of Christ truly and really offered in the Sacrament Wherefore if thou comest or comest not woe is thee if so be thou livest and continuest in thy sins and goest on in thy unholy courses And now to conclude as the Cherubim stood before Paradise with a naked sword to keep Adam out that he might not enter and so eate of the tree of life so I bring with me the sword of God to run it up to the hilts in the heart and bowels of every ungodly man every rebellious and impenitent sinner this day that dares presume to rush upon this holy Ordinance of God with a polluted and uncleane heart Therefore let me exhort thee that as thou tendrest the eternall good of thy soul so thou be carefull not to eate the body of Christ nor drink his bloud in thy sins lest thou eate thine owne bane and drink thine owne curse Nay so doing thy misery will bee so great as a good man well weighing and considering of it said I professe I had rather have all my veins cut open and my bloud spilt on the ground then deliver the body and bloud of Christ unto a prophane sinner for why should I deliver his own bane and destruction unto him But now my brethren and beloved come out of your sins come and welcome if you part with your lusts and so you shall be sure to have his bloud to wash your heart and cleanse you his righteousnesse to cleare you and cloath you his graces to strengthen you his spirit to heal and to sanctifie your hearts and natures and the Lord Jesus Christ to supply all good that is wanting in you But if yet notwithstanding all this that hath been said you will go on in your sins and live as you did in your swearing whoring lying and drinking and all manner of filthinesse and as you came unto it unclean so you depart away from it more unclean and never make any conscience of any reformation I pronounce this day before God and his elect Angels that thou shalt surely perish and thy soule and body be damned and tormented in the scorching flames of hell for evermore Therefore hearken unto instruction and give eare unto councell now whiles that the Lord offers it to you that so you may not harden your hearts any more but may heare 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 FINIS THE DVTIE 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. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex London Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S. EXAMINATION Required in every COMMUNICANT A Sermon preached by Mr. WILLIAM FENNER Minister of Gods Word 2 COR. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. IN the latter part of this Chapter the Apostle treats of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And first hee reproves the Corinthians for their unworthy comming to it as wee see in verse 18. There were Errors and Schismes contempt of the poore drunkennesse excesse disorder ond 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 eate 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 thy Sacrament and likewise see how they might sanctifiedly use it Thirdly he shewes the danger of unworthy receivers and this he sets out two wayes First by the greivousnesse of the sinne such a person makes himself guilty of the body and blood of the Lord as we see verse 27. Secondly by the dolefull consequence that follows upon it He eats and drinks damnation to himselfe as we see verse 29. Now in this verse that I may not trouble you with speaking of any more matter then what is necessary for the present Theam he shewes how we may prevent escape and avoid this danger how we may take an order that we doe not fall into this greivous sinne that we doe 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 himselfe sift his owne soule and labour to prepare himselfe 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 himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drink of that Cup. There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may safely rush upon Wouldst thou offer any sacrifice to God but thou must stay first and examine thy self whether there be not somthing yet undone It may be thou hast offended God in something or other It may bee thou art out with thy brother thou must first goe and be reconciled to thy brother and then offer thy gift Matth. 5. So wouldst thou reprove thy neighbour It may be there is somewhat out of order some indisposednesse in thee thou art not yet in case to set on this duty it may bee 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 maist see cleerly to pull the moat out of thy brothers eye Matth. 7.5 So wouldst thou reforme thy outward man But it may bee thy
hast thou to doe to reprove thy brother If hee be proud what is that to thee as long as thou art proud thy selfe thou goest and slingest stones at him sling them at thine owne heart first It is a signe of impudencie But it may be objected Shall not a wicked magistrate punish sinne and a wicked Minister preach against the corruptions of the times and a wicked master rebuke his servants and a wicked father correct his children Because he is wicked himselfe shall hee make himselfe more wicked and contract more guilt upon his soule I answer that such a man is in a dilemma for the man is bound to reprove in regard of his office and yet he is bound in conscience to go and amend himselfe first I say he is bound to reprove all those that God calls him to reprove in regard of his office but in regard of conscience hee is bound to go and amend his owne fault first Therefore if it be a Magistrate such as sit upon life and death or Nisi prius or any action between man and man if hee condemn a malefactor and there remember himselfe guilty hee is bound in conscience to arise from the Bench and goe and amend his owne sinne And wee that are Ministers when we preach to the people and remember our selves guilty let us lay our hands upon our mouthes at least in votis before ever we have the face to go and find fault with the people it is necessary it should be so Therefore I say a man is in a dilemma if he doe not reprove sinne it is against his office and the person he beares when God cals him to it and if he do reprove then hee sinnes against the command of God that binds him to bee blamelesse that is to beare the place of a reprover The Use of this is first to let us see that a man that reproves I speak not of Ministers only or of Magistrates or Fathers but of every man that reproves either by tongue in word or in thought if he finde fault in this thought with another man for his sinnes and his strange doings let him take heed he doth but pull a judgement upon his owne head he makes himselfe inexcusable as in Rom. 2.3 the Aposte there speaking of this very point Thinkest thou O man that judgest him that doth these things and doest them that thou shalt escape the judgement of God A man that judgeth another and doth the same things that man certainly shall not escape the judgement of God as his brother doth not escape his judgement Secondly another Use shall be for counsell to every man and woman for it is every ones case God hath called every one of us to reprove one another Ministers to reprove the people and Magistrates to judge between man and man and every neighbour is to reprove when he is called thereto Now let us marke and observe this rule let every one of us labour with all care and conscience to be unblameable unoffensive to goe humble our owne soules to cleanse our own consciences that we may be able to perform this duty Beloved we wrong our own soules if we find fault with others and suffer our selves to bee faulty When Paul was to preach to the people knowing that his office of preaching required reproving you see lest he should wrong his own soul how he laboured to be unblameable saith he I beat my body down when I preach to others lest I become a cast-away Again as a man wrongs his owne soule so he dishonours God It cannot be unknown what an unthankfull office the office of a reprover is the world cannot abide reproof The wicked hate the reprover in the gate Isa 29.21 The world is full of scorners that hate reproofe Prov. 15.12 Though some men be not so wicked as to hate reproofe yet at least they think hardly of them that reprove they think they usurp authority over them and crow over them or they undertake to bee their betters as a reprover undertakes in that thing to bee a mans better Now when a man is reproved he is apt to think that his neighbour crowes over him and excerciseth authority upon him as if he would grow on him and be his Iudge You see Lot when he reproved the Sodomites though as gently as ever he could My brethren doe not so wickdly presently for all that they thought hardly of him What will this fellow be a judg that came but the other day to sojurn Gen. 19. Presently they thought haâ—dly of him So we see the Prophet hee doth but find fault with Amaziah for his fault and presently the Kings eyes are blinded and his heart hardened Who made you of the Kings counsell 2 Chron. 25.15 hee thought him a medler that pried into State-affaires and into the Court and Kingdome A man cannot reprove his brother for his sinne but it is a thousand to one if his brother bee not ready presently to pry into him and to look narrowly into his wayes to espy a hole in his coat if he can or to make one if he cannot all mens eyes are upon him and they look strictly and straitly and if any thing in the world bee amisse they will be sure to mark it and to make more of it to make mountaines of mole-hills When the blind man did but find fault with the Pharisees and reprove them a little for persecuting of Christ what say they Art thou altogether conceived and born in sinne and wilt thou teach us Joh. 9.34 Presently they looked on his blindnesse and birth Certainly he is a viler sinner then other men and shall he goe find fault with them If we mean to reprove another let us labour to be unblameable to be godly and holy to reform our own wayes let us be sure to purge our own famlies to cleanse our own soules to rid our owne hands of all the wayes of sinne and iniquity lest God be dishonoured The word of God will be flung in his owne face back againe and the reproof if it be never so sweet and never so wise it will be retorted in a mans own teeth if hee be not unblameable himselfe And a man had need to be humble and lowâ—y and gentle and meek and to put on all bowels and gentlenesse of heart if he will reprove All sinnes are not to be reproved alike some with sharpnesse some with lenity Hee that is a Mountebank that will open a veine for every wheal and pimple The reprover is like them in Isaiah when they deale with the Cummin and Fetches a little rod will beat them out but when they come to the Corne Wheat and Rie they beat them out with the Cart-wheele So when we meet with a hard-hearted spirit wee must use stronger corrosives to them and gentler admonitions and rebukes towards others that sinne with a lesser and a weaker hand But this is a thing that a man must be marvellous carefull