A SERMON PREACHED AT St MARY SPITTLE on Easter Tuesday 1613. BY ROGER FENTON D. in Diuinitie LONDON Printed for William Aspley 1616. GALAT. 6. 7. Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape THE words as I haue read them are a generall instruction absolute in it selfe springing or growing of a particular precept in the former verse and againe diuiding it selfe into seuerall heads in the verses following Let me consider it a part by it selfe for intire then if I dare I will tell you how it growes In this place a preface to moue your attention I shall neede to vse none for my text it selfe is but a preface and a proposition the preface doth prepare the heart with faith and reuerence to receiue the sentence be not deceiued God is not mocked and you shall finde this that followeth to bee most true that whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape A saying whereupon the Holy Ghost hath reposed more than ordinarie It is but a plaine sentence yea see it presents it selfe in the country method of sowing and reaping but it is a sentence of that note as is not marked with a common ecce but set in the forehead with a double sentence be not deceiued The preface then and the proposition make the two parts of my text the preface importeth thus much that not to imbrace the truth of this saying is a dangerous error dangerous in two respects First because it doth not deceiue others but our selues yea our owne soules Secondly it is a fallacie so much affected so wilfull an errour as is reported to bee the deluding of God himselfe who will not be mocked Then followeth the sentence and it followes vpon this preface First as an vndoubted truth that as a man soweth so he shall reape and secondly as a generall truth without exception that whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hee also reape Of which and of the branches in the ordering of my text I will speake by Gods holy assistance your honorable christian patience so farre as the time will consent or the poore strength of my spirit shall be able to subsist In those many seuerall places in the Epistles where this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed for the error of the minde it is no where taken for any common errour but for that which is a damnable and fundamentall error seducing the soule vnto eternall perdition and so I would desire you to take it in this place that you may take it to heart Neither doth the Apostle speake these words vnto those that are without but vnto Christians such as had bin catechised as it is in the former verse and brought vp in the bosome of the true Church as you all are this day How were they deceiued so grosely and dangerously Euen by those false teachers that tooke to themselues a libertie boldnes to prescribe vnto their brethren a secret forme of religion that so long as they kept within compas of the generall faith so long as they did beleeue and profes the true faith of Christ though they had certaine reseruations by the way which were not alowable yet that they might be saued notwithstanding Dealing and dallying with God Almighty as Naaman the Assyrian did God be 2. King 5. 18. mercifull vnto thy seruant in this point in this darling sinne in that reserued affection herein God bee mercifull vnto thy seruant The fallacie it selfe I finde in those other places which shall serue for a sit commentarie and doth fall directly vpon this text The first in the 6. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians vers 9. Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor abusers of themselues with mankind nor theeues nor drunkards nor raylers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God the parallel with the 5. to the Ephes the 5 6 verses This you know that neither whoremonger nor vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience It seemes there were some in the Church of Corinth that were of Herods religion who thought that so long as he heard Iohn Baptist in many things gladly hee might commit incest with his brothers wife and there were some in the Church of Ephesus who were seduced by vaine teachers that sowed pillowes vnder their elbowes and drew the curtaines to lull them asleepe and perswaded men out of the Stoikes Paradox that all sinnes were equall alike mortall and all alike veniall putting little difference betweene sinnes Confounding infirmities with sinnes of presumption and saith the Apostle for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience and to the Corinthians he saith Such as these som of you were before you were in Christ but now yee are washed but now yee are sanctified but now yee are iustified in the name of the Lord for such as these cannot be actually true and naturall members of Christ they may crowde in amongst vs but they are not of vs they may carry the name and weare the liuery but they haue not the soules of true Christians who while they are in the flesh all are sinners but yet not so grosse sinners as these subiect they are to manifold infirmities but not to presumptuous sinnes sinne will dwell in them it will liue in them and sometime it will tyrannize ouer them as in the first to the Rom. 7. 20. but it shall not raigne in their mortal bodies they wil not yeeld the Scepter vnto it and become voluntary subiects thereunto Rom. 6. 12. bad weeds wil grow in them but they will not plow and sow iniquity as in the 22. of the Prouerbes verse 8. The world will catch holde of them to make them with the Prophets wife to desire one vessell more when all is full as in 2. King 4. 6. but euery couetous desire to haue more doth not exclude a man from heauen but that couetousnesse which is idolatry which preferres a mans gaine before his God which dares make ship-wracke of conscience rather then part with his golde Such haue no inheritance in the kingdome of Christ nor of God they that wil be rich fall into temptations in 1. Tim 6. 9. not they that would be rich if it pleased God by good meanes but they that will be rich by hooke or by crooke by Hophnies 1. Sam. 2 13. Abac. 1. 16. flesh-hooke or the net Habacuck speaketh of they shall fall into noysome lusts that drowne men in perdition The Apostle Iames hath yet an other maner of speech in the first of his Epistle the 13. verse Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God as if these seedes of temptation were of Gods sowing and not of our owne growing
and let vs desire the Lord so to blesse vs with his spirit of grace that as we professe the words of the holy one so wee may neuer deny the power thereof but so walke according to the same that God may receiue glorie and wee eternall comfort in Iesus Christ Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT the Funerall of Mr. Iohn Newman Citizen and Grocer of LONDON at St. Steuens in Walbrooke BY ROGER FENTON D. in Diuinitie LONDON Printed for William Aspley 1616. GEN 15. 15. But thou shalt goe to thy Fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good age IN the premises of this Chap. there passed a couenant betweene God and Abraham a couenant confirmed by a ceremonie an ancient ceremonie of diuiding of beasts in pieces and going through the parts of them so diuided signifying thereby that they should bee so diuided and broken in pieces who should first breake the couenant So we doe finde that couenant expressed in the 34. of Ier. the 18. verse And so did Almightie God vouchsafe to couenant with Abraham in this place in the 9. verse before my text after the manner of men But when Abraham had diuided the beasts and God presented by the fire had passed betweene the parts of the same there fell out two accidents that were not ordinarie first the text saith that the foules of the aire did light vpon the parts of the beasts Abraham draue them away in the 11. verse signifying thereby how the Egyptians should pray vpon Abrahams posteritie the children of Israel and yet notwithstanding for Abrahams sake God afterward would deliuer them Secondly it is said that there fell a heauie sleepe vpon Abraham that is now expressed in these words that I haue read vnto you signifying the death of Abraham that howsoeuer hereafter his posteritie might happily remaine in the land of Egypt yet hee should go to his Fathers in peace and should bee buried in a good age so then you see that these words doe contain a most comfortable promise and a prophesie of Abrahams death Death is sorrowful in it selfe as being terrible vnto nature but such a death is comfortable so you see my text is like vnto the occasion of this our present meeting it is a mixture or compound of sorrow and comfort well tempered together wherein I will desire you to consider First the person whom this doth concerne it was Abraham Secondly the condition of his death which is here prophesied First that it is seasonable in respect of the circumstances as my text hath reference to the premises thus and thus shall thy posteritie fare but thou shalt bee in thy graue before thou see that Secondly in regard of death it selfe it was a blessed death blessed in two respects In respect of his soule first for hee should go to his Fathers and the manner how in peace Secondly in respect of his body also that it should bee buried in a good age and these are the branches as you see them lie in the text But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace and shalt bee buried in a good age and of these briefely because the time will permit no long discourse We must first beginne with the person for else I shall make vnto you at this time but a groundlesse speech For this is a sure rule as the person is such is the death of the person the person was Abraham Father Abraham the Father of the faithfull and as hee was called a father so likewise was he a patterne example of all godlie vertues vnto all posterities a patterne of faith religion the father of the faithfull How his faith hath beene tried I shall not neede to particularise And wheresoeuer he came or into what countrie or place soeuer he was sent we shall read Abraham built there an Altar to shew his religion and worship of God amongst heathens and Infidels A patterne of true obedience that wheresoeuer God called him to any countrie hee was readie to goe obediently euen to the offering vp of his owne sonne at Gods commandement A patterne of humilitie of meekenesse and mildenesse of patience and of a peaceable disposition When his seruants and the seruants of Lot could not agree how hee intreated for peace betweene them A patterne of loue and of kindnesse vnto all euen to the very Sodomites themselues how affectionately doth hee perswade with Almighty God and pray for Sodome and Gomorah euen as though it had been for his owne soule Peraduenture there bee some righteous within the Citie wilt thou not spare the rest for their sakes or if there be thus many or thus few and so goes as lowe till he goes beyond all proportion A patterne of righteousnesse and good dealing with all men For although faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse yet faith went not without righteousnesse No Pharaoh himselfe shall loose nothing by Abraham A patterne of Charitie his seate and place was in the tent doore hee did not hide himselfe and locke the doores and shut them after him but he was readie to receiue those that stood in neede to bee refreshed A patterne of fatherly prouidence in his owne hous-hold prouiding for the same to the vttermost of his power Marrying his son a little before his death when he was old hee instructed and admonished his sonnes from time to time I know saith God Abraham will teach his children As hee was the father of the faithfull so he was a patterne and example of all godly vertues vnto posterities Thus you haue heard what he was Now will you heare briefely what became of him Hee must die but his death it was a seasonable death it was a timely death Seasonable in two respects First because he should be taken away before his eyes did see those afflictions which God ment to send vpon his posteritie The children of Israel shall be thus in affliction in Aegypt but thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace his posterity should bee afflicted but not for Abrahams sake they may thanke themselues for that they shall bee carried into Aegypt for their owne sinnes but deliuered out of Aegypt for Abrahams sake and his eies shall not see their affliction because hee was no cause of it A blessing that God doth promise vnto his Saints and hee doth bestow this blessing vpon diuers of his saints as Isay sheweth in the 57. chap. 1. verse The righteous man is taken away and no man vnderstandeth that hee is taken from the euill to come and so God promised to Iosiah the 2. of the Chron. 34. and the 28. verse That hee should goe to his Fathers in peace and his eyes should not see the euill which almightie God purposed to bring vpon that place Secondly Abrahams death it was seasonable and timely because it was after the couenant which now was made betweene God and him God had made a couenant in this chapter with Abraham that hee would bee his sure buckler and exceeding great
reward therefore now Abraham might depart in peace when God and hee were so reconciled Now Abraham may cheerefully go to his Fathers After that old Simeon had embraced his Sauiour and had gotten Christ in his armes Then he sings Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eies haue seene thy saluation Therefore seasonable was the death of Abraham both in that it did preuent the euill to come that he should not see it and also because it was after the couenant that passed betweene God him and there must needes follow in the next place a most blessed death expressed well in the phrase of going to his Fathers which must not bee vnderstood of his bodily buriall for Abraham was buried in the field of Ephron the 25. of this booke the 10. verse where none of his Fathers were buried and so the like phrase is vsed in the 32. of Deuter the 50. verse where it is said that Moses was gathered to his Fathers and yet it is said likewise in the 34. of Deut. the Sepulcher was not knowne therefore of necessitie this phrase must onely haue relation to the soule and spirit of Abraham that that was gathered to the societie and company of those holy Fathers that went before thou shalt goe vnto thy Fathers for there is a companie and society of Saints Indeede when men are taken out of companie here on earth in this world they goe to a better companie and societie of blessed soules and spirits in heauen a companie where there is no distraction or diuision no ambition or emulation no strife nor contention but where there is peace ioy and pleasure for euermore vnto this companie and societie of blessed spirits did the spirit of Abraham goe and what a comfort is it Beloued vnto a faithfull soule to consider what companie and society it is going vnto when it departeth out of this life if it bee within the couenant if the couenant haue passed betweene God and vs then when wee die wee shall goe vnto this place when wee go to our Fathers to the society and fellowshippe of the Saints of God that wee are at rest with Abraham where we shall inioy the companie and societie of all the Saints of God that euer haue beene departed from the beginning of the world to this present time and hereafter of all those that shall come vnto the same place to the end of the world Where Eliah shall knowe Moses and Moses Eliah and conferre together as on mount Tabour although they did liue in seuerall ages of the world Peter the Apostle of our Sauiour Christ when hee did see but the least glimpes of this comfort when hee see but two of the Saints Moses and Eliah on mount Tabour hee was so rauished with ioy that he cries out Let vs build three Tabernacles And it is indeede to bee obserued that the two chiefest Apostles of our Sauiour Christ that is Peter and Paul God did afford them this priuiledge that they had both a tast of the ioyes of heauen liuing in this life to the end they might more effectually perswade men to lift vp their affections to that comfortable society in the world to come Paul was rapt vp into the third heauen and so rauished with ioy that hee knew not whether hee had his bodie about him or no and methinkes after hee comes downe againe out of heauen he writes and esteemes of these worldly things as of dung such a contemptible respect hee hath of any thing vnder the Sunne after hee had tasted once of the sweetnesse of Paradise For imagine it were possible for a man to bee lifted vp in his body whither Paul was to the third heauen that he might be admitted but to looke into paradise to the blessed society of blessed Angells and Saints and looke but downe againe and see this earth hanging like a Clodde beneath and see so many millions of men busied about nothing like Ants in a mole-hill methinkes afterward hee should neuer esteeme of this world being rauished with this companie of the Saints in heauen And beside Peter and Paul except it were onely Iude that writes but one short Chapter I thinke there was not any of the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ that hath vsed exexhortations to the Church of God in their Epistles but they themselues of purpose did taste some part of this glorie to the end they might the more powerfully eleuate the hearts of men Paul in the third heauen and Peter Iames and Iohn on mount Tabour all of them see a glimpes of this glorie Go vnto thy fathers so did Abraham in Spirit he went vnto his Fathers that were dead before him and his sonnes after they came vnto him Then the manner and the passage vnto this place is expressed in the text Thou shalt goe vnto thy Fathers in peace Now you must vnderstand whosoeuer dieth in peace must die in Christ for there is no true peace without Christ Abraham died many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne and yet our Sauiour Christ saith of Abraham in the eight of Iohn the 58. verse that Abraham saw his daies and reioyced hee saw him then in the eyes of faith Hee died therefore in the faith of Christ and so died in peace for Christ is the Prince of peace that conferreth true peace vpon all his Saints hee is the Oliue tree of peace whereon peace groweth the eleuenth to the Romans the twentie-four Like that doue with the Oliue branch in her mouth hee euer brought peace with him it was his ordinary salutation when hee was on the earth peace be vnto you it was his legacie left with his Church when he went out of the world my peace I leaue with you Therefore Abraham dying in the peace of Christ must needes die in peace of conscience and as in peace of conscience so likewise in a most peaceable maner In the 25. of Genes the eight verse it is said Abraham did yeeld vp his spirit his spirit was not taken from him by violence but hee did most willingly yeeld vp his spirit into the hands of God Oh how fearefull is the remembrance of death to those that are not in Christ that fearefull rending of the soule and bodie a sunder is most terrible vnto them but the death of Abraham it was like that sleepe which was spoken of before this verse that signified his death a heauie sleep fell vpon Abraham for so likewise fell death vpon him euen as if nature should haue falne a sleepe quietly meekely peaceably and this is for his soule Then it followeth in the next place concerning his bodie that that also should bee buried in a good age Euen for to bee buried it is a blessing and a blessing that euery man doth not enioy No Iehoiakim himselfe though hee were a King in the 22. of Ieremy the 19 verse shall bee buried like an asse drawne and cast forth on a dunghill as Iosephus also writes of him