to a fact every man is a debtor to the truth and is bound as a man to bear Testimony Christ telleth Pilate John 18.37 to this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth but when I speak of the testimony that every good Christian is bound to give I understand it not thus largely for though it be that every good man is under an obligation to testifie the truth in any cause yet the Ministers of the Gospel and every good Christian is under a more special obligation to give testimony to some truths and these are the truths of the Gospel the truths that relate to Jesus Christ this is that the text calleth the Testimony of our Lord which may be taken in a double sense 1. Either for that Testimony which our Lord bare of himself 2. Or the Testimony which every good Christian is bound to give to the truths of the Gospel Christ bare a Testimony of himself he testified that he was the son of God that he was the King of Zion that he was the true Messiah but I understand it yet larger every Minister of the Gospel and every good Christian is obliged to bear a Testimony to the great truths of the Gospel which relate to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour there is a Testimony which he ought to bear to those Propositions of truth and to those matters of fact which the Gospel containeth and relateth concerning Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world 3. The third thing which is considerable in a Testimony is the way of giving it the proper giving a Testimony is by the words of our mouth either with an oath or without an oath it is one thing for a man to believe a Proposition and another thing for him to give Testimony to a Proposition he believeth a Proposition that hearing it doth in heart consent and agree to it that the Predicate is well fitted to the Subject whether he speaketh a word yea or no but he testifieth that with his words owneth and declareth his faith Rom. 10.10 For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation It is not enough for a Christian secretly in his heart to agree to the truths of the Gospel but he is bound to give a Testimony If thou shalt therefore confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved You may observe there are two things made necessary to to Salvation 1. A heart believing the Proposition of the Gospel 2. An external confession or profession There is a double confession a Christians duty 1. A confession of sin 2. A confession of truth Either confession is an open acknowledgment with our lips thus you read in Scripture frequently of confessing of Christ only it may be there is this difference betwixt a Testimony and confession any open asserting vindicating and defending Christ and his Gospel is giving a Testimony but when it is done in the face of Enemies in despight of opposition this is confession Matth. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Luke 12.8 whosoever shall confess me before men thus John 12.42 Many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him So that the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ signifieth that open acknowledgment of Christ and profession of the truths of the Gospel relating to Christ which is the duty of every good Christian Qu. 2. What is here meant by the afflictions of the Gospel The Original doth something differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer thou evils together with the Gospel where the Gospel is brought in as if it were a Person by a figure a Person that is subject to evils Timothy is exhorted to suffer evil with the Gospel this leads me to the consideration what those afflictions are what those evils are to which the Gospel is subjected there are several evils to which the Gospel is subjected or rather evils from three sorts of persons 1. From the true Professors of it such as own Christ in truth and sincerity 2. From the false and seeming Professors of it 3. From the professed enemies of it The afflictions of the Gospel are the afflictions which men are subjected to from their owning and professing of the Gospel and these I say are from 3 sorts of Persons 1. From such as are the true and sincere professors of it they may bite and devour one another and be thorns and goads in one anothers sides These commonly are so from one of these two heads 1. From an overheated zeal for the maintaining of different apprehensions in some matters of truth 2. From such corruptions as do attend Gods people considered as men made up of flesh and blood 1. From an immoderate zeal for the maintaining of different apprehensions in some matters of truth truth is an uniform thing and is but one two contradictory Propositions cannot be true but since the fall of man none have the same apprehensions there are different apprehensions concerning truth it is true we have the promise of the Spirit of truth to guide us and to lead us into all truth but the sense of the promise must not be extended so far that because all Christians have the spirit of God therefore they shall all be guided that they shall not have misapprehensions in a Proposition of truth they shall be guided into all necessary truth they shall not miscarry in any apprehension of truth upon which the salvation of their Souls depend but they may be mistaken as to a multitude of particular Propositions one may judge one thing and another another thing yet they all hold the foundation the fundamental truths of the Gospel but they may have very different apprehensions as to some particular truths now through an over-weaning opinion of our own apprehensions there are very great differences and also hard censurings and condemnings of one another and these are great afflictions but such as have attended the Gospel from the very beginning they were such different apprehensions that caused the first Christian Synod Acts 15.1 Some came and taught the necessity of circumcision such differences there were Rom. 14.2 For one believeth he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs hence they judged despised condemned and censured one another and the Apostle persuadeth to a friendly carriage one towards another a mutual forbearance one of another in these different apprehensions in matters of truth of a lighter nature mens immoderate zeal for their own opinions have in all times begot great heats and have caused great afflictions to the Ministers of the Gospel and to the Professors of it and have been a great root of bitterness amongst Gods own people we have seen enough of it in the age
a Child without a Parent alas that I cannot also say a particular flock without a Pastor but the whole flock of Christ I can say he hath left deprived of one labourer more and that in a time when the Harvest truly is great and the labourers too too few But it is no part of love for our own good to envy the more exceeding good happiness of our friends our sorrow for him as a publick loss is much alleviated by that useless condition as to publick service into which the wisdom of the Divine Providence had brought him for some years before it pleased God to take him to himself His conversation from his youth was better known to many of you then to my self he being born and bred up amongst you I shall limit my discourse concerning him by my Text having nothing in further design then to shew you that we who believe that there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up for some which the Righteous Judge will one day give out to all such as love his appearance have no reason for any dissatisfaction at this dispensation of Divine Providence because we have reason to hope that he was one of those who fought the good fight who finished his course who kept the faith who loved the appearance of our Lord Jesus 1. For fighting the good fight It respecteth the World the Flesh or the Devil as to the World there was none who knew him who can accuse him of any pursuit of it none who saw not his neglect of it he contented himself with a competency of it and could not be tempted to mend his commons in it by a compliance in any thing which he judged sinful he was no man of pleasure none of those who sought great things for himself He did not neglect the work of the Ministry while he had a liberty to exercise it and withal to exercise what he judged a good conscience but when he saw he could not do that the profits of such service was no temptation to him he rather chose to live upon the little God had given him and occasionally to preach the Gospel where he had an opportunity offered for near twenty years before God took him from us though indeed for 5 or 6 of those years he was not fit for any publick service of that nature The good fight with the flesh is a more secret combate of which we can make no judgment but from a mortified conversation to sensible satisfactions as to which I need say nothing to you you know how he walked in and out before you dying daily to the contentments of this life and bringing his body under and keeping it in subjection But it was his managery of this good fight with the Grand Adversary that was to us to me at least the most perspicuous and as to which I was the most competent witness in regard of my frequent converse with him It was in the year 1673. if I remember right when it pleased God to take from him his only Son a Child in which he much delighted and whose life probably by giving him some diversion kept him from those depths of Melancholy into which he soon after fell and câ—ntinued to his dying day though under some different circumstances It were infinite to recount all his doubts and fears some respecting his Spiritual and Eternal State Some with reference to the Actions of his life so as there was not the most lawful action of his life which he was not at one time or other questioning the lawfulness of He had the assistance of Divines whose success with him was but what is usual in those cases they could easily silence him and answer the Objections he made against himself and give him a little relief at present but his troublesome thoughts would return again and renew upon him yet we observed God blessing our indeavours so far as to drive the Enemy from one Post to another But still there came on new supply from those Principalities with which he was ingaged and this continued so long that his life grew a burden to him and he seemed weary of it not desirous to live alwaies when in living he did not live His Adversary brought forth all those usual fiery Darts which he commonly throweth at persons under his circumstances Temptations to Blasphemous thoughts Despair Self-Murder as to the first and second it so far pleased God to bless our Brotherly assistances to him advantaged by his own knowledge of the things of God and acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace which he was observed almost always to make the subject of his Sermons in later years that he was not many months in those combates but under the latter he laboured some years indeed so long as in the whole course of my Ministry I never knew any who was infested with those Temptations but was overthrown by them if they continued in much shorter times He hath often affrighted his nearest Relation and my self with telling us He must put an end to his days he was not able to bear the impetus of the Temptation Both my self and others would speak what we judged proper in the cause and for a time were successful to divert him but the Tempter came on again and that with that violence as I scarce ever knew I learned in my daily converse with this good man the great advantage which true faith in any gives a Minister of the Gospel in such an hour of temptation over what he hath towards one who hath no such root of Grace In my discourses with him I used a much different method from what others would have thought proper in the case and in the midst of these Paroxysms commonly made the eternal misery of damned Souls and the desperate state of persons dying in the commission of known sins the subjects of my discourse Knowing that if God would bless my discourses to revive his faith in such Revelations of Holy Writ I should countermine his adversary whose design was to blow up his Soul by the hopes of a freedom from a temporary affliction and misery In the mean time many prayers were put up to God for him many were made to God with him and himself if out of his bed was almost always alone upon his knees such was his condition that his friends durst not have trusted him the twentieth part of that time alone but they knew he was not alone while he was with God and they found that he was safe because in his company After the spending of some years in this degree of deep affliction it pleased God in a great degree to rebuke the Tempter that although his bodily distemper yet continued and by this time it had bred more yet his mind was much more free from these desperate Temptations and impetuous assaults that if at all any thing of them returned at any time yet they were not a continual dropping upon his Soul thus he fought the good
law of Charity to give a testimony to the truth for his Neighbour when his estate or his life is concerned or any thing of his interest and every Subject taketh himself more highly concerned to give his testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Prince or on the behalf of his Master because there is a relation betwixt the Prince and the Subject and betwixt the Master and the Servant certainly there must needs lie an obligation upon every Christian who owneth Christ as his Soveraign Lord and Master to give a testimony unto Christ it is a testimony for the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth for him whom we call our Father whom we own as our Master every Testimony to the Gospel and the truth of the Gospel is a testimony to Christ every testimony for Christ is a testimony for him who is our Lord and whom we own and avow to be our Lord. 3. This obligation ariseth from that gratitude which we all owe to the Lord Jesus Christ every one looketh upon himself indebted unto him who hath done him good and there is nothing more usual in that case then to promise a requital and to express a trouble that we know not how to make him or her amends and to express our willingness to it the testimony of our Lord is the testimony of him who left his Fathers Throne and came down upon the Earth and clothed himself with our nature and died in our stead that we might not perish for ever ever he ascending up into Heaven hath left us in charge with his truth Philip. 1.27 striving together for the faith of the Gospel Jude v. 3. that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Now which of you if you had but an ordinary friend like your selves who had done you some great and eminent kindness and left you in charge but to give a testimony unto him and for him should not think your selves under an obligation to it Oh! how great is the obligation which lieth upon every Christian that liveth in the world to bear his testimony for Christ if he doth but consider what Jesus Christ hath done for him shall Christ come and die for us love not his life unto death and shall we be ashamed to give a testimony unto him or to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel of our dearest Lord this ought not to be if the kindness of a man layeth an obligation upon us to do what in us lieth to serve him surely the kindness of the Lord our Saviour layeth a much higher obligation upon us 4. Another thing from whence this obligation doth arise is from the duty incumbent upon us to be conformable unto the Lord Jesus Christ we ought to study a conformity to him in his life and in his death in his life he commandeth us to be holy as he is holy in his death thus the Apostle prayeth for a fellowship of his sufferings For this cause was I born and for this cause did I come into the world that I might bear witness unto the truth and it is particularly said of him that before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good confession 1 Tim. 6.13 He endured affliction in the first publication of the Gospel what was the testimony Christ gave but this that there were a people in the world who were very dear to him chosen unto eternal life for him though he was the eternal Son of God thought fit to cloath himself with flesh and to die upon the Cross that he might redeem this people unto himself now it is our duty to be conformable to Christ conformable to this testimony not being ashamed of this testimonony conformable also in not being ashamed of Affliction this yet is advantaged by another consideration that we are to fill up the Afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ The sufferings of Christ are either those things which he suffered in his own person Now concerning them he said all is finished the Papists vainly dream of the filling up of those sufferings or else those sufferings which every good Christian shall suffer in his Mystical Body to the end of the World and there is much behind of the sufferings of Christ which we are to fill up and filling them up we act both in a conformity unto Christ who is our Head and also unto the multitude of the Churches that have gone before us who have tasted of this Cup and drank a little of it but there is much more of these that is yet to be filled up 5. The Obligation ariseth upon Christians from the nature of the Gospel and the truths of it to which we give our Testimony I have told you before in this Discourse that every Man and Woman is a Debtor to truth no Man ought to decline a Testimony unto truth but now by how much any truths are of greater moment of greater weight and importance by so much we are the greater Debtors to them you have the substance of the Gospel in that one Text 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners He said true who said that Christians could better want the Sun in the Firmament than that one piece of the Gospel the truths of the Gospel are of that high importance that the comfort and peace of all the Souls of the People of God in this Life and the eternal Salvation of the Souls of all People in the Life to come doth depend upon the stability of them if the truths of the Gospel did not stand firm and fixed the Souls of Christians are undone to all eternity there is no foundation of peace for them in this Life there is no hope of an eternal Salvation for them in that Life which is to come We stand therefore highly concerned to give a Testimony to these truths and to be partakers of afflictions in giving a Testimony to those truths and to that Gospel upon which so much of our eternal interest and concern doth lye there is no truth but we owe a Testimony to it but there are some Propositions of Truth that are not of that moment that we should endure affliction for the justification of them but the truths of the Gospel are of that nature that no Testimony we can give to them can be too high no affliction we can suffer for them can be too great 6. A Sixth Obligation that lyeth upon Christians is from the station they take up in the World I shall here inlarge upon Three things 1. They are God's Witnesses 2. They are God's Soldiers 3. They are God's Children and Servants and Christ's Members 1. Every Christian is the Child of God the Servant of God the Member of Christ now should a Child be ashamed to attest the truth for
due respect to those to whom he giveth his Testimony and who agreeth and doth not contradict himself and yet is bold and couragious speaking with freedom hence you shall find that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used about the testimony that the Apostles did bear to the truth a free bold testimony in any cause doth it great service while the stammering lisping Witness that useth no freedom in his Speech rather hurteth a cause than doth it good the Scripture speaketh much of and commendeth a Christians boldness a boldness in Faith and Prayer and a boldness in a bearing testimony to our Lord when we are not afraid of the Faces of men that would outface the truths of God a Christian should be bold in the Faith bold in Prayer and bold in his Confession 7. Let your Testimony be a hearty testimony a free ready chearful testimony God loveth a chearful giver saith the Apostle indeed in all our Gifts unto God it is so God loveth a freedom and chearfulness of Spirit we should not be subpoena'd into a Testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ indeed we are subpoena'd by that dreadful Text Matth. 9. A Christian should give a Testimony freely not to provoke and challenge danger and dare a Trial but when he seeth suffering at hand so that God calleth him to give a testimony to him and to the truths of the Gospel then chearfulness becometh a Christian chearfulness as it is opposed to grudging 8. I will add but one thing more it should be a patient Testimony Rev. 19 St. John giveth this Character of himself I John who also am your Brother and Companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Patience under evils is what is often called for in Scripture and pressed upon the Servants of God with a great variety of Arguments by a patient Testimony I understand three things 1. A patient continuance in the Testimony of Christ a flitting and incertain Christian in the truths of God who is of one mind to day and another mind to morrow is no good Witness in the cause of Christ semper idem is the true Motto of every Christian of every such Witness he that is one day of one mind another day of another like a Wave of the Sea tossed about may possibly get to Heaven at last as through fire but he is no good Witness for Christ you know amongst men a good Witness must abide by his testimony if he varieth his testimony is weakned Therefore Christians are highly concerned to examine Propositions well before they profess them and when they profess them to think well with themselves before they part with them a man never is a good witness for the Lord in that point wherein he hath been incertain himself 2. It must be a patient testimony with respect unto those affronts which he may suffer from men while he is giving his Testimony a good and steady Witness in your Courts is not moved by the affronts of any Lawyer that setteth himself to baffle him out of his Testimony he that is a good Witness in the cause of Christ must not be affected at the affronts of Men that would baffle him out of his Testimony he must be patient both as to the flatteries and enticements of enemies and also as to their frowns and menaces 3. A patient Testimony must be a Testimony attended with that patience which they had need of who may suffer for giving their Testimony for though no Man ought to suffer for bearing Witness to the truth yet there is nothing more ordinary then for men and women to suffer for giving a Testimony unto truth and thus now I have shewed you what kind of Testimony it is that every good Christian is bound to give unto the Lord. I have but two things more to do first to encourage you to it by some Arguments then to direct you in the fulfilling of it now for Arguments to perswade you not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ you have heard enough already I have shewed you a Ten-fold Obligation lying upon you 1. It is the Will of God 2. Remember Christ is your Lord 3. You cannot otherwise shew your gratitude to him for that Testimony which he gave for you 4. Thus you shall be conformable unto Christ and what is behind of the suffering of Christ shall be filled up in you 5. Remember the nature of the Gospel and of the truths of it 6. Consider the Station which you take up in the World of a Witness a Souldier a Child to our Heavenly Father a Servant to a Heavenly Master 7. Remember the private Law that you have laid upon your selves 8. Remember the duty which lieth upon you to be conformable to your fellow members 9. Remember the danger of forbearing and the reward of your giving this Testimony 10. Consider your oneness with the Members of Christ after all these what need any further Arguments yet because we are of our selves not forward unto this our Hearts are awk and backward to the partaking of the affliction of the Gospel and averse to the giving of this Testimony let me by way of a further Argument in this cause name to you and press upon you the Arguments which the Apostle useth in this place and by which he himself presseth this Exhortation 1. The first lieth in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the power of God One great discouragement that is upon our Spirits to keep us in a day of Testimony that we should not testify is the fear we should never be able to speak and to give our Testimony To give a Testimony for our Lord is a noble thing to receive a Crown the Crown of Martyrdom is a great dignity But when the Lord by his providence seeketh out for us to set this Crown upon our Heads we too frequently hide our selves and the reason is we distrust our selves but Christian fear not we shall have the power of God it is a wonderful thing to observe that the power of God hath been so seen in no other thing as in this you read of a Testimony that Stephen gave to the Gospel First a vocal then a real Testimony Acts 6.9 10. And they were not able to resist the Wisdom and the spirit by which he spake Stephen had then a dispute with the Libertines The power and presence of God from the beginning of the Gospel hath been seen in nothing more than in Gods assistance of his Witnesses you have a promise Luke 12.12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say Matth. 10.19 20. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what you shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak For it is not you that speak but the spirit of your heavenly Father which speaketh in you Luke saith When they bring you unto the Synagogues and unto
Magistrates and powers take no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that same hour what you ought to say It is a promise that some have applied to the assistance of God in the performance of other duties as Prayer Preaching c. and it may be there hath been but an ill use made of that promise the promise in the first place manifestly relateth to a time of testimony I do not say but there is a dabitur in hora which those who are much with God in Prayer and which the Ministers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 experience but that promise respectâ—â—â— not that so much as it respecteth men in confession and their Testimony for Christ in giving our Testimony for Christ the Spirit of God shall assist words shall be given us in that hour and courage and strength shall be given us in that hour you shall not give a Testimony for the Gospel you shall not suffer affliction for the Gospel in your own strength it shall be according to the power of God the Holy Ghost shall teach you what to say and what to do and you shall experience that it is not you that speak and act but the Spirit that dwelleth in you what you do in this case shall be according to the power of God you shall not spend meerly upon your own Stock you shall spend upon Christs Stock when you are upon Christs Service you shall spend upon the fulness of the Spirit of God and there have been many experiences of those that could never find the presence of God so strong in the consolation of their Spirits as in that hour be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord for not only the thing which you testify is the Testimony of the Lord but your action in testifying the testimony which you give shall be from the Lord the Holy Ghost speaking in you so that this is a great Argument it is a standing up for Christ and the Spirit of God shall use your tongue and your hand 2. Another Argument the Apostle useth is frâ—â— the nature of the truth to which you testify and the person for whom you testify You testify for the truth which bringeth eternal Salvation you testify for him who hath called you with an holy calling and he hath done this freely not according to your works but according to his own grace for him who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Apostle saith He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation I told you before that every one is a debtor unto truth there is such a cognation betwixt a rational Soul and Truth that every rational Soul is a debtor to truth he is a debtor to own the truth as to himself and to own the truth as to another and I told you by how much a truth is of higher importance to our or anothers interest by so much a Man or Woman is a greater debtor a Man is a debtor to the truth when it concerneth but his honour and reputation and when it concerneth his estate but much more when it concerneth Life and so when it is for his Brother by how much his Brother is more concerned by so much he is more obliged and as the nature of the truth raiseth his obligation so the relation of the person increaseth it a Man is bound by the Law of charity to give testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Neighbour much more on the behalf of his Brother and higher yet on the behalf of his Father or Mother that begat him and brought him forth but yet his obligation riseth higher when it is for his Saviour for him who hath done him the greatest kindness that ever was done without which he had better never have been born such is the Testimony that we are bound to give unto Christ The truth is of highest import the person is of the highest concern Oh! be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God to your Salvation of the Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to light you testify for Christ who Witnessed a good confession before Pilate who hath done more for you than all the friends you ever had in the World could do for him who hath called you with an holy calling this is another Argument to enforce this Exhortation the consideration for whom and for what this Testimony is given 3. Another Argument which the Apostle bringeth here to perswade Timothy not to be ashamed of this Testimony is his own example v. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed The Apostle saith God is not ashamed to be called their God And he saith of Christ Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call us Brethnen Shall we be ashamed to testify his truth Shall we be ashamed of the name of his Witnesses And observe the reason why the Apostle saith he is not ashamed I am not ashamed for I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 4. Let me use one Argument further with you Blessed be God we yet can say as Heb. 12.4 You have not yet resisted unto Blood striving against sin There are divers Arguments in that Text to make a Christian valiant in his spiritual fight 1. That a Christians fight is against sin 2. That in this fight of Christians against sin we ought if called to it to resist unto Blood 3. By how much the lesser the Trial is that God calleth to us to undergo by so much the greater obligation is upon us to endure it all a Christians fight and striving is against sin He giveth a Testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospel it is against sin to prevent the coming in of damnable errors which would sink the Souls of people into eternal ruine and destruction he giveth a Testimony for the pure Worship of God it is to keep out Superstition and Idolatry he giveth a Testimony for the Government of Christ this is also against sin against those that say the Lord shall not rule over them or others but we will rule over you all our fight all the resistance that we make is against sin Now the fight against sin is so noble a fight that every good man ought to resist unto Blood rather to die than to sin against God or to suffer sin to prevail in the World but now when God doth not call us to lay down our Lives but only to bear a lower Testimony there our obligation riseth much higher if God had called us to lay down our Lives should we not do it How much more when the Lord only calleth us to give a Testimony St. John Rev. 6.9 saw them under the Altar that were slain for the Testimony that they
held 5. Lastly Consider you shall overcome by your Testimony Rev. 12.11 John saw the Devil overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony Magna est veritas Truth is a great thing and it will prevail look back upon the former Ages of the Church the Witnesses which God raised up to his Truth in the beginning of the Gospel were very few the persons seemed contemptible yet God overcame the whole World by them and brought the whole World into some professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ often before the Church had degenerated many errors prevailed at last Popery prevailed then stood up Luther in Germany those that look upon that Story would have thought it impossible that Luther's Doctrine should have prevailed in the World but they overcame by the word of their Testimony and to that Victory they held doth the Protestant Religion owe it self Now this should greatly encourage us not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ it hath ever been victorious and shall be to the last it is by the Faith and patience of the Saints and Servants of God who stood close to their opposers and managed their spiritual fight that the Gospel hath obtained and they ought still to hold fast for they are sure of victory so long as Christ remaineth King in Sion I shall add but a few words more and that is to direct Christians what they should do that they may not be ashamed of their Testimony 1. Look that you be rooted and grounded in truth a Tree that is not well rooted you know is very easily shaken Col. 1.23 If saith the Apostle you continue in the Faith grounded and settled The truth is to make a Christian that he should not be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord he had need of a double ground he had need be grounded in Faith according to that Text Col. 1.23 And he had need be rooted and grounded in love according to that Text Eph. 3.17 that you being rooted and grounded in love Col. 2.7 Rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith Christians look to this every Witness ought to understand the cause well to which he is to give his testimony many a poor Creature beareth a testimony to they know not what labour to be rooted in the Faith rooted in love and rooted in Christ that Soul that is filled with the knowledge of truth and warmed with the love of truth never faileth in an hour of testimony that Soul that is either ignorant of the ground of that truth which he pretendeth to own and defend or that wanteth a love for God never holdeth longer than till he meeteth with a contradiction 2. Look up to the power of God for your assistance I told you these words in the Text according to the power of God might be taken as an Argument to perswade Christians not to be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord because the power of the Lord shall be manifested for them but they may also be interpreted as signifying that which we ought to have an Eye to in our Testimony and in our suffering affliction we have no spiritual enemy we can prevail against in our own strength our enemies you know are the World the Flesh and the Devil for the Flesh the Apostle saith Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body you shall live Never yet was lust mortified by meer moral Arguments and for the Devil we are bid to take upon us the whole Armour of God to resist him strong in the Faith and it is the same for the World Our help is in the name of the Lord and therefore it hath been observed that none in an hour of Testimony have come off worse than those who have been most confident our Book of Martyrs telleth us of two that were in prison together the one was very confident and couragious and told the other that his fat should fry in the fire next day the other was very timorous and fearful the first recanted and denied the truth the second was burnt at the Stake David might possibly mean it of his external enemies but he repeateth it thrice My enemies compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them they compass me about yea they compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them they compassed me about like Bees they are quenched as the fire of Thorns for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them It must be so as to our spiritual enemies we shall never prevail but in the name of the Lord. 3. Remember in your Testimony There is more with you than there is against you While we bear Testimony to Christ God is with us Christ is with us the Spirit is with us all the Holy Martyrs are with us there is none but sinful men against us Christ the faithful and true Witness is with you Rev. 1.5 From Jesus Christ who is the faithful Witness He was the first Witness The Apostle St. John saith 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost What did the Father witness This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased This is the Lord our righteousness What did Christ witness He witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate he owned himself to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World that they that believe on him should not be ashamed he owned himself to be the object of our Faith to be the Lord our righteousness the Spirit testified the same thing and the Spirit beareth witness for us and in us 4. Fourthly Would you not be ashamed of your Testimony love not the World nor the things thereof nor the persons therein take heed of being swallowed up in the love of creature comforts and enjoyments How dwelleth the love of the Father in him that doteth on the World The World taketh off Christs witnesses both the Men of the World and the things of the World you must be fond of none of these 5. Take upon you the whole Armour of God of which you read Eph. 6.14 Stand therefore having your Loins girt about with truth and having on the Breast-plate of righteousness and your Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace taking the shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit Finally pray always with all Prayer and Supplication in Spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance SERM. 8 9 10 11. Matthew 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven v. 11. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake v. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you THe Evangelist
4. The command of the Superiour doth not excuse the inferiour agent from the guilt of persecution nor yet deprive the sufferer from the blessing of him that is persecuted If a person be pursued for righteousness sake for the Kingdom of Heavens sake for doing that which God obligeth him to do the persecution is as well persecution in the inferiour agents as in the first causes and the more superiour agents the Jews accused the Lord Jesus Christ they brought him before Pilate Pilate condemned him the Jews nailed him to the Cross did not they who nailed him to the Cross persecute him Paul was but an inferiour agent against the Church of God Act. 9. the Letters were from the Magistrate and the Chief Priests of Damascus the guilt lieth in the act in the inflicting of punishment upon such as ought to be really freed from punishment it is true he that commandeth he that counselleth and adviseth is not excused but much less the next immediate actor and this is the most reasonable thing in the World doth not the Law of man thus deal with offenders Nay when it excuseth the principal agent it thinketh it justice to punish severely the inferiour Minister for were there no Minister in wickedness Superiours could do no hurt and therefore if any be so vain as to think they are excused because they are but Ministers and do but execute the Will or Sentence of others they are mistaken Pauls holding the clothes when Stephen was stoned brought him into the guilt of his death 5. They are not only persecuted who resist sin unto Blood and choose Death rather than sin but they who are reviled and reproached our Saviour you see putteth all together blessed are you when you are reviled and persecuted and when they shall speak all manner of evil of you for my names sake Gal. 4.29 He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit If you look into the story of Isaac and Ishmael it is said Ishmael mocked him thus Paul complaineth Rom. 8.39 for thy sake we are killed all the day long all kind of suffering to avoid sin is persecution and those that make them to suffer are persecutors those that are sufferers are so persecuted it is true there are degrees both of this and of other sins but he that smiteth with the Sword of the Tongue persecuteth as well as he that smiteth with a Sword that is made of Iron and he who is so smitten is in the Eye of God persecuted as well as he whose Life is taken from him Now I say this hath been the lot of the people of God of the Disciples of Christ in all Ages to suffer persecution to be pursued by wicked and malicious men both with their Tongues reviling them and with their hands endeavouring to do them mischief either spoiling them of their goods or depriving them of their lives and that because they will not sin against God 2. I come now to the second thing How this doth appear to have been the portion of the people of God It appears by the whole story of the Scripture and also all Ecclesiastical story Take Adam's Family immediately after the fall Abel was persecuted by Cain indeed he did not suffer because he would not sin but because he was more righteous and had offered up a better Sacrifice consider Abrahams Family of that the Apostle speaketh Gal. 4.29 He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit Acts 7.52 Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted But if you come unto the New Testament and consider the Church of God in that state you shall find it was persecuted at all hands First by the Jews then by the Heathens then by false and pretended Christians as is evident in the example of Christ in the example of Stephen the Proto-Martyr and of Christians ever since First by the Jews of which you read in the Acts of the Apostles then by the Heathens which persecution lasted 300 hundred years till Constantine the Great then by false Christians the Papists and others those that were born after the flesh always persecuted them who were born after the spirit It may therefore be worth the while rather to fathom the bottom of this to understand the reason why the people of God in all Ages have been the Mark and But of the Worlds envy Reas 1. The original cause must be fetched from that Text Gen. 3.15 where God saith I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed that Text giveth you an account of the reason of a three-fold antipathy or enmity which you find in the World 1. You see there is a natural antipathy between the nature of Man and a Serpent though we have little experience of it in England In Egypt and Africa they are mortal enemies unto Men and though we have no such exceedingly mischievous Serpents yet we see men generally averse to them and shunning them and seeking to destroy them 2. There is an antipathy betwixt the Devil and us you see by daily experience that the Devil is the destroyer though men serve him yet he destroyeth them Witches are the worst of people they are his slaves he is their ruine and destroyer at last and for the people of God he is continually molesting them Here is the reason 3. There is an antipathy betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent who was the Womans seed but Jesus Christ Who are the seed of the Devil but wicked men You are of your Father the Devil saith Christ John 8.44 for his works you do But although this be the first and more remote cause yet there are other proximate and immediate causes and some of them I shall endeavour to give you an account of 2. The next cause is that Innate hatred of God and the Image of God which is in every man since the fall Rom. 1.30 The Apostle telleth us of the Heathen that they were backbiters haters of God This is a fruit of the fall when Man lost the Image of God in which he was created No Man hath a natural love for God or for the Image of God as they say of the Basilisk that it hath such a hatred to a man that it will fly upon the Picture of a man so it is true that every Man and Woman by nature are Basilisks they fly upon God and the Image of God where ever they see it Now persecution is but the daughter of hatred and though every one hath not the like rough and harsh nature so that he is not so furious as some men are yet it is most certain that no man naturally loveth yea every man naturally hateth God and the Image of God hence the more any one hath of the Image of God upon his Soul the more he is the object of hatred and the reason of this hatred lieth in
patience presently subjoineth this of wisdom If any of you want wisdom let him ask it of God there is a great wisdom to be used in suffering 2 Tim. 2.5 And if a man also strive for masteries yet is he not Crowned except he strive lawfully To this of the Apostle is subjoined v. 3. Thou therefore endure hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ This point of wisdom to be used in suffering is a large point and I cannot speak so much to it as I should I shall only here say that it lieth very much in avoiding needless provocations of our adversaries either by word or deed they will be angry do we what we can but certainly it is the wisdom of a Christian to avoid needless provocations by suffering as patiently as meekly and calmly as we are able 10. Would you prepare for an hour of persecution walk close with God Walking holily and closely with God is the duty of a Christian at all times both with reference to his eternal Salvation and in reference to his peace but never more needful than at such a time Deut. 23.9 You shall find this passage When the Host goeth forth against thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing Israel was not only concerned to take heed of wickedness at all times but especially then for fear of provoking God when the Lords Sword is drawn when the Lion roareth the Beasts of the Forrest tremble when a man entreth into persecution he goeth out to Battel this is our Battel with the world We do at all times stand obliged to take heed of sin but more at such a time than at another Our Lord speaking of his coming saith Blessed is that Servant whom when his Master cometh he shall find so doing When the Lord letteth loose the men of the world to execute their rage against the people of God the Lord doth come in a way of wrath and anger against his own people you had need at such a time take heed to your selves every one girdeth his Rayment close to him in a time of Winter and pulleth his Cloak close about him in a storm though a Christian standeth obliged at all times to walk close with God yet if ever he may give himself a liberty and looseness as to a garment of holiness certainly it should not be in the Winter it should not be when a storm is coming 11. Be much in Prayer As we do nothing in our own strength so do we much less suffer in our own strength Philip. 1.29 For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake It is a gift and it must be given to us of God for to suffer all gifts we have from God are obtained by asking the Lord giveth his holy Spirit unto them that ask it and reason teacheth us to double our Petitions and to double our fervour and heat in petitioning when the mercy we ask is more necessary for us or at such a time when we stand in a more special and particular need of that mercy which we go to God for our Lord hath taught us this by his example He went and prayed and thrice repeated the same words that is the same matter of prayer I say by that example our Lord hath shewed us what is our great duty in such a time to pray to God either that the Cup may pass from us or that he would furnish us with grace and strength to glorify God in the fire thus much for the first Question Quest 2. What is the duty of Christians when the hour of persecution is come upon them Here in the first place is a case of Conscience to be spoken to about flight Whether it be lawful for Christians to fly in a time of persecution to avoid the storm There have been very different opinions of Divines some have asserted it utterly unlawful to fly others moderate it and say That before a Christian is taken he may fly but if he be taken they think he ought to stand to it and not to fly others have affirmed it as a duty to fly I do not think the case is to be spoken to in the general because circumstances will much alter this case as to flight or voluntary withdrawing our selves 1. It is lawful for a Christian to fly when the cause of God cannot be advantaged by his stay but may be prejudiced and when particular ties do not oblige him for to stay our Saviour bids his Disciples Math. 10.23 When they persecute you in this City flee you into another I know some say that this was only a permission of a duty enjoined the Disciples of our Lord to the intent the Gospel may be Preached but there is no question of this that self-preservation is a duty that we owe to our selves and the very Law of Nature obligeth to it when some particular law of God doth not countermand the law of nature so long as there is any probable hope that the cause of God may be advantaged by our stay that a man standeth as a stake in a Hedg take it out and the Hedge falleth he must not stir but when the case is so as a mans stay can no way further the interest of God he may lawfully withdraw it is a rule in War when the Field is lost no Captain doubteth of providing for himself so though a man be a Minister of the Gospel and of great use in a place yet when he seeth the Church is dispersed and he can do no good by his stay there is no question but in this case he may fly and secure himself 2. It is yielded on all hands That when the persecution is personal it is lawful for a Christian to avoid the dint of it when a particular Minister is aimed at or a particular Christian and there be others who if he be gone may do his work and bear up the cause of God I say in this case it hath been granted to be the duty of persons to fly in a time of persecution in short I take it to be the duty of Christians in such cases to withdraw when they can do it without sinning against God the flight barely considered is no sin if no other sin attendeth it If a man hath boasted of his standing and then fly if a man cannot stir but he must betray the interest of God in the place where he is or fail in his discharge of his duty to them whom the Lord hath set him in near Relation to he may sin But in the general when a man can withdraw and by his withdrawing not run into a neglect of any other duty by which he is tied to glorify God or to do good to the Souls of others I believe it to be so far from the duty of a Christian not to fly as it is his duty to fly I conclude therefore 1. In the first place It is the duty
Sometimes taking the wise in their own craftiness Job 5.12 13. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot find their interprise he taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Counsel of the froward is carried head-long Thus the Jews experienced the presence of God in the case of Hamans conspiracy to destroy them all Infinite instances might be given of this in all ages 2 Sometimes he will fit his people sufficiently to deal with them Luke 21.15 I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your Enemies shall be able to resist This was verified as to Stephen Acts 6.20 Of whom it is said Acts 6.20 That his adversaries were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake Hence Christ commanded his first disciples that when their enemies should deliver them up they should take no thought how or what they should speak for it should be given them in that same hour what they should speak For saith our Saviour it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Matth. 10.19 20. This was eminently made good to the first and most famous Ministers of the Gospel and hath in its measure been since made good in all succeeding ages so as plain illiterate ignorant creatures have been able to put to silence the wisest and most learned of their proud and cruel adversaries 3. Sometimes the presence of God is seen with his people in giving them a great liberty and freedom of Spirit so as they have not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straitned in their own bowels they have been straitned as to room for their bodies shut up in close prisons but their Spirits have been at perfect liberty This liberty of our Spirits is seen in a Well pleasedness a satisfaction and contentment with the will of God concerning us So as we are never less in prison then when we are in prison and the Truth is a prison is nothing to him who hath his Soul and spirit at liberty Those who have read any Martyrologies have found instances enough of this how many Servants of God have found in prisons and under their great variety of sufferings the greatest freedom of their Spirit both for doing and suffering and from slavish fears imaginable 4. Sometimes they experience the presence of God with them giving them courage This was that boldness which the Sanhedrim took notice of in Peter and John Acts 4.13 which made them marvel and it is said that they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus God sometimes will not let his people see his power in delivering them from an evil nor his wisdom in countermining their Adversaries but they shall experience him making them couragious and valiant in the spiritual fight so as they shall not be afraid at what man can do unto them Nothing destroyeth a man in sufferings but slavish fears and dejections whiles the Spirit of a man holds he can bear his infirmity he may be cast down but he cannot be destroyed You shall observe it in reading the History of the Church as recorded in holy writ or in other Books that it hath pleased God sometimes to pick out some persons to be his witnesses to some Truths with these now the presence of God hath not been to cover them and preserve them from their Enemies nor yet to deliver them once faln into their hands but giving them a mighty Spirit and courage to go thorough their sufferings For this was the Apostles prayer Acts 4.29 And now Lord behold their threatnings and grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word This was Paul's declar'd expectation and hope Phil. 1.20 That in nothing he should be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now Christ should be magnified in his body whether by life or death Such is reported to have been the courage of Cyprian when he heard the Sentence of condemnation published against him He thanked God for it and when the Proconsul would have had him to have deliberated upon it he presently and boldly replied In re tam justâ nulla est deliberatio there was no need of deliberation in so just and righteous a Cause Such was the Spirit of Basil when the Emperour Valens threatned him with punishment and banishment Pueris illa terriculamenta propone saith he Scare Children with those Bugbears you may take my life from me but the confession of the Truth you cannot take from me 5. Lastly To name no more sometimes God 's not forsaking his people when they are persecuted appeareth in consolatory influences The consolations of God in such an hour are not small with them Stephen saw the glory of God and Christ sitting at the right hand of God when the stones were flying about him to take away his life Infinite almost are the stories that might be produced out of Ecclesiastical History to this purpose One when the fire was put to the wood under him to burning crying out Methinks you strew Roses under my feet That of Mr. Samuel who is reported to have had the day before his death one in white appearing to him and bidding him be of good comfort after that day he should never hunger nor thirst more And that of Robert Glover who is reported to have cried out to his Fellow-Martyr O Austin he is come he is come And that of Ridley to Latimer Be of good comfort said he God will either moderate the flames or strengthen us under them But these stories are endless and every where occurring in Ecclesiastical History Q. But will some say May one that feareth God build upon this and exercise a Faith in this experience of Paul as having in it the force of a promise Are there no instances of the Servants of God who have been sufferers for his Name sake and for Righteousness sake who have despaired and been forsaken Sol. 1. I answer When we speak of exercising Faith we must find some Word of God to be the object of that Faith for tho God be the object of our Faith yet we know nothing of God of this nature but in the Revelation of his Word So as tho God be the primary and remote object yet the promise is the proximate object Secondly There are general promises of God's presence with his people in danger such as that Isa 43.1 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Now these are the objects of peoples Faith and every Child of God may repose a sure trust and confidence in God that they shall as to him be made good and prove Yea and Amen Thirdly For particular promises of preserving from dangers or deliverance out of dangers or comfort or courage it is enough if they be made
to God such was this name Timothy some think Timothy was born at Lystra a place in Asia there Paul found him Acts 16.1.2 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certain Disciple was there named Timotheus the Son of a certain Woman which was a Jewess and believed but his Father was a Greek Which was well reported of by the Brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium chap. 14.6 They were awâ—re of it and fled unto Lystra and Derbe Cities of Lycaonia His Father was a Greek his Mother was a Jew Acts 16.1 Her name was Eunice her Mother Lois they brought him up from a Child in the knowledge of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also chap. 3.41 15. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus His Father being a Greek he was not circumcised at his birth but afterwards Acts 16.1 2 3. After which Paul took him about with him in his Travels and made great use of him sometimes he was sent as a Messenger 1 Tim. 5.11 Sometimes as a Preacher and he had many bodily weaknesses so as he was glad to drink a little wine for his stomach sake but he abounded with excellent graces faith wisdom temperance he was at last ordained a Minister with the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands the Apostle telleth us he had none like minded to him Phil. 2.19.20 21 22. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state V. 20. For I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state For all seek their own V. 21. not the things which are Jesus Christs V. 22. But you know the proof of him that as a Son with the Father he hath served with me in the Gospel he calls him his Brother his Beloved Son faithful in the Lord his natural Son in the faith the Minister of God his fellow helper he joineth him with himself At last he leaveth him at Ephesus but he seemeth not to have been there when he wrote this Epistle 2 Tim. 4.12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus This Epistle seemeth to have been written the last of the Epistles and a little before Pauls death 2 Tim. 4.6 For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand Paul died as is said in the 37th year after Christ in the 14th year of the reign of Nero. This Epistle as the rest consisteth of a Preface wherein is shewed the substance of the Gospel the Preface is in the five first verses The substance of the Epistle is hortatory consolatory and minatory he exhorteth Timothy v. 6. To stir up the gift of God that was in him and this he presseth by some arguments v. 6.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind in the verse where the text is he exhorteth him not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ nor of him though a prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel which he presseth by several arguments to the end of the 12th verse This verse is made up of an Exhortation and the Argument the Exhortation is in three branches 1. Not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord Jesus 2. Not to be ashamed of St. Paul who was at this time a prisoner 3. To partake of the afflictions of the Gospel the Propositions of the text are these Prop. 1. That Ministers and Christians have a testimony to give unto our Lord Jesus Christ in the giving of which they are not to decline a Prison Prop. 2. That it is the duty of faithful Ministers and People not to be ashamed to give this testimony nor of others when they do give it Prop. 3. There are Afflictions that are proper to the Gospel Prop. 4. That both Ministers and People ought to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel Prop. 5. It must be through the power of God that any one is inabled to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel According to the power of God It is the third of these only that I intend to make the subject of my discourse the others will fall in in the handling of that Prop. That it is the duty both of Gospel Ministers and Christians owning the Gospel not to be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ nor of the afflictions of the Gospel but to be partakers of them In the handling of this Proposition there are these Questions which I shall speak unto in their order Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Qu. 2. What afflictions are they which are said to be the afflictions of the Gospel Qu 3. When may men be said to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord and how far are we bound not to be so Qu. 4. Why are we bound not to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ and why ought we not to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ A Testimony is an attestation which any one giveth concerning any person or concerning any thing In every testimony there is to be considered three things 1. The Person who giveth the Testimony 2. The Thing to which the Testimony is given 3. The Way by which the Testimony is given As to the present Testimony of which we are speaking the Persons that give it are the Ministers of the Gospel such a one was Timothy but they are not all so Rev. 6.9 St. John saith I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held every Minister is a special witness and to bear his Testimony and every good Christian is also to be a witness It is said of Christ 1 Tim. 6.13 who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession every Christian ought in this to be conformable unto Christ 2. Another thing which is to be considered in a Testimony is the thing or person to which it relateth for the term Testimony is a Relative word and the proper Correlate to it is Truth which relates again either to a Proposition or to a matter of fact no person can be under any obligation to give Testimony to a lie but now truth relateth either to a Proposition or