Twenty-Nine Sermons, Title page – Preface
XXIX CHOICE SERMONS On ſeverall Texts of Scripture. Preached By that Reverend and Faithfull Miniſter of Gods Word, WILLIAM FENNER, B. D. ſometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, and late Miniſter of Rochford in Eſsex.
LONDON, Printed by E. T. for John Stafford, at the Signe of the George at Fleet-Bridge. 1657.
The Epiſtle to the godly Reader of theſe pious SERMONS.
THE Author of theſe enſuing Sermons, Maſter William Fenner, was ſo deſervedly famous in the Church of God, and ſo well knowne unto me in particular, and one to whom I was ſo much obliged, when he was living, as that I could not thinke it ſufficient to give a bare Imprimatur unto his Sermons, but have added this Teſtimony alſo, that thereby all good People might be encouraged to read theſe Workes of his, whoſe life and converſation was a continuall Sermon, and who ſpent himſelfe in Studying and Preaching, and whoſe memory will be ever precious unto
Your loving friend Edm. Calamy.
TO THE READER.
Good Reader
THE Author of theſe Sermons, having ſerved his time, and being fallen aſleep, The lot is fallen upon me to appear in their behalfe, and to ſeale unto their worth and uſefulneſſe for publick ſervice, as farre as thou pleaſeſt to ſeal unto my judgement and faithfulneſſe in ſuch a caſe, with thine opinion and approbation. For the truth is, that the ſtrength and value of my teſtimony concerning them, is like to extend no further, than thine doth concerning me: So that if I adde any thing to their credit and eſtimation in the world, by my recommendation, it is by the mediation of thine ingenuity and fairneſſe towards me. But if thou ſhalt pleaſe to be at any reaſonable coſt in the reading of them, and lay thy judgement and conſcience as cloſe to the ſpirit, as thou muſt thine eyes to the letter of what thou readeſt, I make no queſtion but I ſhall be the gainer, and not they, by this engagement of my ſelfe for them. True worth, eſpecially when it overcomes and breaks out of the cloude of obſcurity, alwayes returnes more than what it receives from any mans teſtimony: neither is there any method or trade ſo proper or certain, whereby to raiſe an eſtate of honour and reputation to a mans ſelfe, as the beſtowing or caſting honour and reputation upon other, ſo he be carefull and dexterous in the choyce of his ſubject. John Baptiſt by giving teſtimony only to one, Jeſus Chriſt, out-grew the common ſtature of thoſe that are borne of women; in true greatneſſe, Matth. 11. 11. And yet there was little or nothing (in effect) added to Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe by his Teſtimony, John. 5. 34. It is an ingenuous and inoffenſive way to ſerve our ſelves out of other mens excellencies, by advancing them: neither doe the generality of men in their practice, more generally conſent upon any principle of reaſon and equity, than this, To recompence ſuch men with terms of honour, who are unpartiall and free in ſubſcribing and acknowledging the worth and eminencie of others. And as many that are but of meane condition in the world otherwiſe, yet maintaine themſelves comfortably, by trimming and dreſſing the Gardens and Orchards, and Vineyards of rich and wealthy men; ſo many men that want other perſonall abilities and excellencies of their own, ſubſiſt upon termes of a convenient reputation, only by vindicating, adorning, and ſetting forth the endowments and gracefull parts of other men.
The ſubject or argument of diverſe of theſe Sermons, is partly that Noble and high importing ſtraine of Chriſtian devotion; Preparation for that ſolemne enterview of Jeſus Chriſt in his death, at his Table; The great ſeverity of Gods proceedings againſt deſpiſers of admonitions and reproofe. Both theames of ſavoury conſideration for all thoſe that love not death; and more eſpecially for thoſe, who deſire not onelyonly to bee ſaved, but to bee ſaved upon ſweeter, and more comfortable terms than as by fire, 1 Corinthians 3. 15. Thoſe that were chaſtened with weakeneſſe, and ſickeneſſe, and death amongſt the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 11. 30. were yet ſaved, verſe 32. but this was as by or through fire; though they did not periſh, were not conſumed by the flames of Gods diſpleaſure againſt them, yet they were ſorely ſcorched with them, the ſmell of this fire was ſtrong upon the garments of their fleſh; They diſcerned not the body of his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt, in his Ordinances; but in ſtead of that holy, reverend, and deepe-dyed behaviour, which was due unto it, both from their inner and outward man, as being a creature of the higheſt and deepeſt ſanctification that ever God ſanctified; Sanctified not onelyonly to a more excellent and glorious condition, but alſo to many ends and purpoſes of farre higher and dearer concernement, both for the glory of God, and benefit of Men themſelves, than all other creatures whatſoever, whether in Heaven or in Farth; They handled and dealt by it in both kind…s, as if it had been but a common or unſanctified thing; thus they diſerned not the Lords body. And as they diſcerned not his body, ſo neither did God (in ſome ſenſe) diſcern theirs; but in thoſe ſore ſtrokes and heavy judgements which he inflicted on them, had them in no other rgard or conſideration, than a if they been the bodies of his enemies, the bodies of wicked and ſinfull men; thus drawing the model and platforme of their puniſhment (as uſually he doth) from the ſtructure and proportion of their ſinne. And if the morall or ſpirituall ſeeds and originals of our outward and bodily afflictions, as ſickneſſes, and weakneſſes, either upon our ſelves o… ours, declining eſtates, loſſes, &c (which ſtill lye deeper than the naturall) were but carefully and narrowly ſought out, it is much to be feared we ſhould finde a great part of them (at leaſt) in the bowels of the ſame Sinne, ſo frequent amongſt us, I meane, of Not diſcerning the LORDS Body. The juſt and righteous God builds up the breaches that we make upon the honour belonging to the body of his Sonne, with the runies of that Honour, which he had given unto ours in health, ſtrength, life, and many other outward comforts and ſupports. But thou wilt heare more of theſe things in the Sermons themſelves; the wholeſome Admonitions and Reproofes wherein contained, with the reſt of that heavenly proviſion for thy Soule, which ſhalt finde here gathered together, and laid into thine hand, I heartily wiſh may be ſanctified unto thee by the higheſt hand of the Sanctifier: that ſo thy ſinnes and corruptions may flye ſeven wayes before that Spirit of power which here purſueth them, and thou never preſume to returne backe 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 ſoul is faithfully and feelingly commended, by
That poor and unworthy ſervant of Chriſt and his Church, T. Goodwin.
THe learned Author of theſe Sermons (now with God) hath given much proof of his cleare knowledge, and great experience in the Myſtery of godlineſſe by his labours already publiſhed: yet, if any ſhall deſire a further Teſtimonie of either, theſe Sermons will give it in full meaſure, preſſed down, and running over; and therefore I ſubſcribe their publication for common good.
Joſeph Caryl.
The Authors Preface upon theſe enſuing SERMONS.
THe cauſe of that little Heavenlineſſe which is in the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, is the want of Meditation. Many can meditate curſorily, but that is not enough: it muſt be a ſticking meditation that muſt affect the heart That place in a Pet. 2. 8. is marvellous pregnant, it was the meanes why Lot was ſo touched with the abominations of Sodom, That righteous man dwelling amongſt them, in ſeeing and hearing their ungodly deeds, vexed his righteous ſoul from day to day. Many heard and ſaw too beſides Lot, and were not vexed: Why? Other matters ſtuck in their thoughts, they ne're throughly meditated on it; but he vexed himſelf, that is, the meditation of thoſe evils, and bringing them home to his Soul, vexed him.
The word is a fit word, implying two things▪
Firſt, the ſearching and examining of a thing, his meditating heart examined their ſins: how many they were, how grievous, how damnable, how likely to pul down ſome vengeance or other upon them.
Secondly, the wracking or vexing upon tryall; ſo it was with Lot, he obſerved all their evills, and weighed them in his ſoule, and then he wrack'd his ſpirit with the conſidertaion of them. The Evangeliſt uſeth this very word for toſſing; this word that is here put for vexing, he puts for toſſing a ſhip on the ſeas, Matthew 14. 24. The ſhip was toſsed with the waves: ſo meditation did toſſe his ſoule with vexation, ſometimes down to the deep; O miſerable wretches that we are! or, How brutiſh, hoſt beaſtly, and how helliſh are our ſins? Sometimes up; O that the Lord would humble us and ſpare us! Sometimes over head and ears in the ſtorm; O fool that I was to chuſe my dwelling amongſt ſuch men.
Theſe meditations vexed his ſoul: Many have ſtudied meditations, and yet yet are not acquainted with this cordiall meditation: many Miniſters that ſtudy Divinity all the day, that ſtudy the Word all the week, that ſtudy their Sermons all the yeare, may yet for all this, be carnall Miniſters: why? Becauſe their meditation is but inventing and mentall meditation; this meditation is a practicall meditation, the thing meditated feeds the heart: that meditation is like a fluttering Pheaſant, that flutters before their eyes, it feeds their eyes indeed, but never feeds the ſtomack, as long as they neither catch or eat it. The ſaving myſtereis of God flutter before their eyes, and before their underſtandings, they feed their eyes with knowledge, but never feed their ſoules unto everlaſting life, unleſſe they fowl for it, dreſſe and digeſt it in their hearts.
There is an apt word, Geneſis 24. 63. Iſaac went out to meditate in the field: the originall hath it, to ſignifie …nall conference, his minde conferred with the truth, and the truth with him, a mutuall working he wrought upon the truth, by meditating of it, and it wrought upon him by leaving an impreſſion upon his ſoule: this is a rare practice in the world, and yet as neceſſary as moſt, it is the art of the ſoule in being heavenly, it is the inuring of thee to every good duty; for by meditation a man comes to have his minde and heart fixed upon every thing that he would; would he pray? he that hath inured his heart to meditate, his minde is fixed in his prayer. Would he receive the Sacrament? He that hath inured his heart by meditation, his minde is fixed in the Ordinance. David that was excellent at meditation, had a fixed heart, Pſalm. 57. 7. Pſal. 112. 17.