William Fenner

[VirginiaHuguenot]

William Fenner, English Puritan (1600 - 1640), was a well-respected minister who was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Benjamin Brooks in Lives of the Puritans says that "he was much resorted to as a casuist, and much admired by some of the nobility." Some of his famous quotes and works (A Treatise of Conscience is not listed but is included in his Works) are noted below. His Works were published by John Geree, with a second edition published by Matthew Poole.

"œDive into thy own soul; anticipate and prevent thy own heart. Haunt thy heart with promises, threatenings, mercies, judgements, and commandments. Let meditation trace thy heart. Hale thy heart before God." - William Fenner

"œ[Meditation] musters up all weapons, and gathers all forces of arguments for to press our sins, and lay them heavy upon the heart." -- William Fenner

"Grace comes not to take away a man's affections [emotions], but to take them up." - William Fenner

William Fenner. The Works. London: E. Tyler for I. Stafford, 1658. This collected works of a highly regarded Puritan is often found seriously incomplete, with one or more parts missing. This copy lacks one page, a short paragraph of address to the reader between the title and text of 'Use and Benefit'; generally quite a nice copy of a very scarce work. The general titles are as follows (though there are subtitles as well): XXIX Choice Sermons [Use and Benefit of Divine Meditation and 28 further sermons with separate title pages], Treatise of the Affections, Christ's Alarm to Drowsie Saints, Wilfull Impenitency, The Spirituall Man's Directory, Hidden Manna, The Continuation of Christ's Alarm.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

I recently acquired William Fenner's Remains published by Simeon Ashe, Matthew Poole, et al. (1657), which contains seven of his works, including A Treatise on the Sabbath. Still reading, but the Sabbath Treatise is particularly good.