the meaning thereof yet now that he is sure it is the thing it self the mistaking or leaving out but of one circumstance may make the whole action sinful there being no excuse to be drawn for the same either from the goodness of his person now or the holiness of his former life that can make good or fill up what was wanting and defective in his actions Nor is David excusable in feigning himself mad before the people 1 Sam. 21.13 though he was a man after Gods own heart No much more is commendable the saying of old Eleazar when at the command of Antiochus all were to die that would not eat swines flesh and when he had eaten it or at least seemed to eat it for he spit it out again and repenting came of his own accord to the torment choosing to die gloriously rather than live stained with such an abomination therefore saith he excellently when perswaded by friends to bring flesh of his own and make as if he obeyed the King in eating the flesh taken from the Sacrifice It becomes not one of my years to dissemble for then any young person may think that I being fourscore years old and ten were now gone to a strange Religion and so they through my hypocrisie and desire to live a little time and a moment longer should be deceived by me and so I get a stain and make my old age abominable and though I should at present be delivered from men yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead 2 Maccab. 6.19 20 21. When it once comes to this strait that we must either deny the truth or fall under the sword of persecution we are rather to die in or for the Faith then forsake it and as we may not for the saving of our lives doe that which is unlawfull much lesse must we free our goods from danger by similation or making a lie we must not similate good into evil nor truth into falshood by wicked words or works nor seeme to doe good when we intend nothing lesse because of the lye which will lie upon us and we shall be guilty of for so doing and withall because there is a lye in deed as well as in saying and neither is allowable in any man under what pretence soever though the doing thereof were to save his life For we must not doe evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3.8 4. Deniall of the truth and that either by subscribing against it or by doing that in our lives and actions which is directly opposite unto it for there is a double denial of truth 1. In Faith 2. In practice 1. In Faith for the love of pleasures 2. In Practice for fear of pain 1. In Faith Some have made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 and the reason is given in 2 Tim. 3.4 why they so did it was because they were lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God And as they for love of worldly pleasure cast away truth of Faith So 2. Others for fear of pain have done it in fact having a forme of godliness but denying the power thereof c. 2 Tim. 3.5 And in words profess that they know God but in workes they deny him Titus 1.16 being reprobate to every good work c. But besides this denying of truth in faith and practice there is also a deniall of the truth in judgement and this admits of divers degrees 1. Apostasie when men fall from truth into sinfull errours 2 When they revile the truth by evil speeches Thus wicked men detect themselves to be enemies to that truth which with their tongues and hands they violently oppose 3. The sin also against the holy Ghost comes in under the notion of a sinfull Apostate and reviling judgement and that appears 1. In matter of Faith 2. In matter of Fact 1. In matter of Faith when men fall off from the truth of Faith first forsaking of it then denying and at last blaspheming the truths of God and continuing in that blasphemy this is to sinne against the holy Ghost in matter of Faith 2. In matter of Fact and that is when men doe those things which are utterly contrary to the revealed will of Almighty God and obstinately persist in the same this is to sinne in matter of Fact against the holy Ghost for every action that dishonours God and heartens others to doe the like is to deny the truths of God therefore it concernes every man to look to himself and make a curious examination by what hath been said in reference to his words and works that so he may not be found guilty of those errours and crimes which the workes and words of our Saviour eminently convince of for we are obliged though with the losse of our lives to bear witness to the truth for to this end were we born regenerate made Christians came into the world the Christian Chruch that we both in our words in our workes in our lives by our deaths if called thereunto should bear witness to the truth And so I have done with the act Bear witness To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth Testis fidelis OR The faithful Witness SERMON VIII St. IOHN 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth THe lives of most men are mispent it being onely they who have a certain end of their actions that shall attain to the right end for which those actions are designed namely the glory of God and their own salvation some there are that shoot at they know not what mark they direct themselves to an universal scope not minding or regarding the particular tendency of their doings hence it is that they arise not to perfection they continue in that evil which ends in discomfort some level at the right end but level amiss wanting prudence and discretion rightly to manage their actions so as may best direct to the true end of their creation It is only true Christian wisdome that shewes the right end and certainly finds out the way thereunto and a wise Christian amidst the many changes of this life continually presses to one end with reverence and respect still setting his resolution in all his wayes if possible to get near to the great centre who when he was summoned unto death and betrayed thereunto by his seeming friend yet stedfastly asserted the end of his life saying To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth In which words I have already observed these particulars 1. An Action 2. An End 3. The Object 1. The Action he was born he came into the world 2. The End and that Pointed at Pointed out 1. Pointed at to this end and for this cause 2. Pointed out to
or not doing what he commands for as he did endure the contradiction of sinners in witnessing to the Truth so should Christians and though they meet with unreasonable dealings from men yet they should undergo all with patience for since Christ was a pattern of goodness we must so look to Iesus in our lives that we should bear witness to the Truth for to this end were we as well as he born and for this cause came we into the world c. In which words I have already observed these three things 1. An Action 2. An End 3. An Object 1. The Action He was born he came into the world 2. The End Pointed at and Pointed out Pointed at for this cause and to this end Pointed out to bear witness 3. The Object The Truth I have discoursed over all the parts of the Text as they concerned our Saviour and came to the two last parts as they generally concern us and dispatcht the act the end of Christs coming into the world shal now go on with the last part of the Text The object the truth And shall shew 1. What it is so as that it is distinguished into past present and future truth is as the sun which hath an intrinsecal light in it self and as in the sun so there is an essence of light in the understanding and this is as the light of the sun uncommunicated But 2. There is an extrinsecal light communicated to other things which in their beings are no other then uncreated truths of things and these are divided from the created truths of God and are as the light of the sun to the moon and stars and then there is a proposition following the thing exprest which is no other in being but the thing it self and is demonstrated in the truth by a double application to the thing exprest and which is conceived in the mind by word and in the understanding by knowledge and this is as the light of the sun communicating it self to this region of the lower aire and this hath multiplicity of acts derived from the matter conceived and accordingly we must distinguish truth into these four parts there is a divine historical moral and civil truth though especially the divine truth is that which is to be witnessed unto though the other in a subordinate manner are to have their attestation also yet divine truths most of all whether we consider them as Principal or Less principal 1. Principal and they are the Scriptures of truth the law of truth and the word of truth 2. The less principal are the necessary conclusions which upon inferences are deduced from those grounds therefore every parcel of truth whether it be Scripture or deduced from Scripture is to be the subâ—ect matter of a Christians testimony and these are they which we are to witness unto and comprehend the truth of faith and manners which is to be witnessed unto both in words and works I have spoken of the doctrine of faith formerly and shewed that we are to witness to it by doing and suffering and if God call us thereunto by dying also I shall now come to the Second branch which contains these divine moral truths that are for the regulation of our lives laid down in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament there Gods law is the truth and the truth of the Gospel is that law whose precepts and promises we are to imitate It was a custome among the heathens to derive their lawes from their Gods giving them names accordingly but we that are Christians have our law from the true God who is the author of truth The law was given by Moses but Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Saint Iohn 1.17 where you see the truth of salvation is ascribed to the Gospel and that which we are to consider the end of Christs coming into the world for is that it was not to give new lawes but to fulfil the old law for we find not the forme of the new Testament to carry in it the authority of a law but onely the precepts thereof to be brought in occasionally by our Saviour in a way of interpretation exhortation and also by application but not in a way of constitution therefore saith our Saviour think not that I came to destroy the law and the Prophets c. Saint Matt. 5.17.18 It is not that I come to take away the law and the Prophets but rather to fulfil them this is that law which is the rule of mens actions written First by Moses and Then by the Prophets It is to be understood of all the law as it was given unto the Jews and others whether they were men just or unjust but especially unto the Jewes in a more ample translation then to other people the law of works it is true was abolished by our Saviours comming but the law of doctrines and rules of holy living given by Almighty God in the Mount though these were in some sense perfected by bringing in the substance for the shadowes flie away when the substance appears yet I say this law is not disanulled but perfected in such a manner that it is now become the perfect rule of Christian piety whatever the Antinomians say in opposition thereunto as that it was nayled to the Cross of Christ and so abolished by his death but it is evident to the contrary that still the whole commanding power remains because the whole world shall be judged by the law and word of truth for every man shall be judged according to his works Rev. 2.23 and we are to bear witness to this truth by the testimony of our hands and tongues our words and works of our tongues and that two wayes Both by speaking the truth to the religious and also by defending of it against the erroneous 1. By speaking of the truth to the religious though they know it already yet that they may be established in the truth and therefore holy David makes it his prayer to get direction from God how to be enabled to walk in the truth of God under divers denominations Psalm 119. sometimes he prayes to be directed in the law of God verse 18. sometimes in the statues of God ver 26. sometimes in the Iudgements of God v. 7. sometimes in the truth of God ver 43 sometimes in the word of God ver 17. and sometimes in the Ordinances of God v. 91. thereby giving us to understand that in the most confirmed Saints there is still so much of corruption that if left to themselves they will be in danger of relapsing and therefore saith St. Paul to his Ephesians who were great Christians Let no man deceive you with vain words c. Ephes 5.6 intimating that there was a possibility for them to be led away with the error of the wicked for what Saint Peter long since foretold is in our dayes found too true as there were false teachers among them so there should be amongst us
is but a lame consent yeilded by constraint for he that by a Tyrant is compelled with force of punishment to deny the Truth doth in a sort deny and not deny he denies it outwardly with his lips but his heart greives inwardly for the same because his conscience bears witness to the Truth but he that with a wicked life is given wholly to sin that he hath all his delights in it that man hath made himself perfect in evil 4. From the more full signification we do signifie more of wickedness to be in us by our works than by our words he sits at a farre greater denial of truth that denies it by a wicked life than he that denies it onely with his lips for fear of death though both these are great aggravations since in our lives words and works we are to bear witness to the Truth for to this end were we born and for this cause came we into the world c. Application Our Saviour bids Let your light so shine before men c. Saint Matthew 5.6 then we may hence learn that those that should light others to Heaven by their Doctrine must not darken their way by the evil example of an unholy life and not only must Ministers but people also let the light of holiness appear visible in their lives When God places a man a private Christian in the lower Orbe he puts him there to shine like a starre bright and clear in his own sphere Christians should shine and bear witness in their lives and be cautious how they walk because every sin puts a dimness upon the soul and darkness internal can expect no other but to go to darkness eternal and therefore St. Peter saith that our good works should make those that look on us as evil doers glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Saint Peter 2.12 There be some that must believe in Christ throughout the world and witness his Truth to unbelievers by a holy life and why may it not belong to us but if on the contrary we be found to live as they live how shall they be brought to believe as we believe It was the saying of a Heathen If I did see the Christians lives better I should think their faith better than mine Religion and the Doctrines of Faith are often disgrac'd by wicked Professors 1 Tim. 1.6 7. the rebellion of a Christian that is a Servant though to an Heathen Master brings a scandal both upon God and on holy Religion Sure I am God and Religion is very much disgrac'd and the Gospel dishonoured and the Church of Christ abused by the wicked lives of those that are called the Sons of the Church Oh therefore that by holy lives judicious reading faithful hearing and constant studying and meditating in the wayes of God and the Truths of God we would make our selves able and ready to give an account of the hope that is in us that so both in our knowledge and practice we bearing witness to the Truth here on earth we may have the truth in our consciences to bear witness to our selves that we are the Sons of God that so he that ascended into Heaven to take possession of his own Glory may in time bring us thither who himself affirmed and after whose example we should walk that as he was born and came into the world to bear witness to the truth so we should also account of our selves that we were born and that we came into the world that we might bear witness to the truth that we came into the world this Christian world to witness to the truth as common Christians that we came into the world the Church of God as members thereof to justifie that faith by a holy life unto which our parents had baptized us still indeavouring to carry the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus that as he did so we came into the world to bear witness to the truth for he justified himself before the judgement-seat of Pilate saying in the words of my Text To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth The end of the Sermons Dr. Hewit's publique Prayer after Sermon O HOLY HOLY HOLY Lord God of heaven and earth heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord glory be to thee glory be to thee glory be to thee for all those infinite favours which thou of thine infinite goodnesse hast voucsafed to us who are lesse then the least of all thy mercies for the fountain of all mercies Jesus Christ in whom thou hast loved us with an everlasting love before ever we or the world were made that thou hast created us after thine own Image and redeemed us by the bloud of Jesus Christ when we were utterly lost that thou hast called us with an holy calling and in some measure sanctified us by the graces of thy holy Spirit that thou hast spared us thus long and given us so long and so large a time of repentance when as thou mightest have cut us off in the midst of our transgressions whilst we were rebelling against thee Blessed be thy name O Lord for all thy mercies vouchsafed unto us thy mercies to allure us thy promises to wooe us thy patience and long-suffering towards us to lead us to repentance thy corrections to reclaime us thy judgements to affright and better us blessed by thy name for all opportunities of wel-doing for all hinderances of evill-doing for all the good purposes and resolutions thou hast put into our hands to draw our souls from the dregs of sin and ignorance into the glory of thy Saints for any assistance that thou hast given to any of us in any holy performance for the Communion of thy Saints the aide of their counsels the benefit of their Prayers the comfort of their conversations the protection of thy Holy Angels for all corporall spirituall temporall and eternall mercies mercies concerning this life and mercies concerning the life to come Blessed be thy name for thy mercies to us all the dayes of our lives thy mercies unto us this present day for the light thereof the greater light the light of thy truth to shine into our soules to guide our feet into the way of all truth For that portion of Scripture wherein thou hast been pleased to reveal thy self unto us at this time Lord though it be sowne in much weaknesse do thou raise it up in great power let it not be as water spilt upon the ground but let it be as seed sown in good ground that it may take deep root downward in our hearts by faith and bring forth much fruit upwards in our lives and conversations to the glory of thy holy name to the edification of thy Church and people and to the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus Christ to whom with thy self and holy Spirit we desire to
all to fate but Christ came to maintain a Trinity of persons and that in a divine Essence and that he takes care of the whole world and doth not necessitate any mans actions by a fatal destiny And not onely were there errors in mens judgements but 2. In their manners and waies how great the errors of the Philosophers were is well known to those that are and have been conversant in their writings and not onely they but the Rabbins of old under the law taught against literal hypocrisie that no obedience is profitable if it be not in observation of the whole Law and that not then neither but when onely in the letter and to mans appearance but Christ when he came he required truth in the inward parts and what they stood for in the letter he required in the spirit expounding their doctrine more strictly saying It hath been said of old Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement but I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement as is set down the 5 6 7. chap. of Saint Matthew Christ came to witness to the truth and did witness to it in his Sermons Judgements and Censures Answers and Reproofes 1. In his Sermons that his adversaries could not but passe this censure of them Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth St. Matthew 22.16 2. In his judgements and censures for how did he use in reading pleading and deciding to demonstrate his faithfulness you have the full story of the first of these in Saint Luke 7.4 and so on concerning his willingness to forgive the greatest debt an example of the second is pregnant to this purpose when he defended the pious woman against his Disciples for anointing his Head with preous ointment Saint Matthew 26.10 11 12 13. You have his faithfulness in the third when against the Scribes and Pharisees he became an advocate for himself to defend that true power which the Father had committed to him Saint Iohn 8.12 and so on 3. In his Answers and Reproofes in his answers though they were many times in silence yet he convinced them by saying nothing and in his reproofes how true for when he spake they were such as never man uttered for faithfull seasonable and meek never expressing any seeming passion but once in purging the Temple of those buyers and sellers who had made his Fathers house a place of Merchandise and instead of the house of Prayer had turned it into a Den of Theeves indeed he spared neither friend nor foe for when he reproved his Disciples Saint Luke 9.46 upon their contention for greatness he did it in meekness by the innocent similitude of a Child ver 48. When to the Pharisees he said Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautifull outwardly but are within full of dead mens bones he did it in faithfulness St. Matthew 23.27 And even of Herod he said no lesse nor shewed he any fear of his power for he said Goe ye and tell that Fox behold I cast out Devils and I doe cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Saint Luke 13.32 whereby you see he alwayes bare witness to the truth and wherein else should we follow his example for every one is obliged in word and work in life and in death to bear witness to the truth every man in his place and calling Indeed there is a speciall duty lies upon Magistrates and all publick Officers that they in their severall spheres move exemplarily towards the mark of truth but most of all upon the Ministers of the blessed Word and Sacraments for that which is laid upon on them by way of obligation is double because they come into the world the Church as members thereof and Officers therein and that extraordinarily as called thereunto inwardly by the Spirit of God and outwardly sent by those that have power in the Church lawfully to commission them thereunto and then they are obliged also to bear witness to the truth as common Christians in their degree that they may bear witness to the truth in excellency of goodness following the excellency of all good that good man God and man the man Christ Jesus who left us his example as a pattern to imitate who was full of Humility strong in beloeving wonderfull in patience rich in love and in all a patterne of Holiness and it is the highest reason imaginable that we should imitate him whom we pretend to worship being carefull that we bring no dishonour to his name by doing what he did not or in refusing to doe what he did and commanded but rather looking upon him as the author and finisher of our Faith we may be ingaged to run as he did with patience the race that is set before us taking all manner of encouragement from him that so if we are unable or unwilling to follow Christ in his Word commanding yet we may doe it by his Word directing And what though Christians meet with unreasonable dealings from men yet they must not turn away their ears from hearing nor their tongues from speaking nor their lives from suffering for the truth if called thereunto for since they were borne for this end to follow the great examplary who died for witnessing to the truth they must not basely decline it for he himself saith To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world c. And so I have done with the words in their primary intention as they concerned our Saviour and come now 2. To the extension of them as they concerne us for since Christ in the whole course of his life is presented as a pattern of Holiness we that profess our selves to be Christians our eyes must so look to Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith that we should follow his steps and as he did so we should bear witness to the truth and to this end were we borne and for this cause came we into the world that we should bear witness to the truth And so I begin again with The act to bear witness For though all the Sacred Word be called a testimony because sufficient to bear witness to it self yet God will have every truth of his established by the mouths and lives of Christians also and for this cause besides others came Christ into the world yea Christ who is the Word and Truth it self took the witness of others to himself and joyned himself to their witness for the whole sacred Trinity bears record of his truth 1. The Father and that to the Saints of old he did then bear witness of him the substance whereof was audibly delivered in that voice This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased hear ye him St. Matthew 17.5 2. The Word he did
such riches of mercy as can admit of no decrease for God is rich in mercy and great in love yea and he accounts it his glory to pass by iniquity transgression and sinne O then who would not be in love with him that is so lovely in goodness who would not in want flee to him for salvation who is so rich in mercy that he sent his only begotten Son into the world that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 9.15 5 Great in respect of his works for his mercy is over all his works If you survey Gods curious architecture in creating of the world you 'l find mercy communicating its goodness to poor man in making him possessor and Lord of so rich a dominion nor were the hands of mercy bound up by mans rebellion or consumed by the Angels flaming sword but it took its proper seat to make restauration of his own most glorious Image in the death of his beloved Son which is and will be manifested to the whole world the Gospel of the ever-blessed Iesus being that holy city set upon a hill unto which all nations are invited to come and make their habitation each word of truth made manifest before us being a particular cal to every individual son of Adam to come and embrace him the power of whose resurrection will raise their dead souls from a state of sinne to newness of life and thus hath mercy rid triumphant through the whole proceedings betwixt a faithful God and a rebellious creature 4 God is not alwaies extrem to mark what is done amiss in respect of his Saints elected ones for they are his beloved and his delight for whose sake alone the foundations of the earth are kept firme and not thrown into the midst of a bottomless sea God is not willing to use holy Abrahams expostulation to destroy the righteous with the wicked no for tens sake destruction shall not fall upon a people or city if any doubt the truth of this assertion let them but peruse the 12. chap. of Genesis where they shall find the great unwillingness the father of compassions doth express to go about the destruction of that sinful city with righteous judgement which to him is accounted a strange work nay it shall go well with Potiphars house and Pharaohs court also if upright Ioseph dwell therein He 'l defer his plagues to another generation rather then his children should suffer or else which is far better they shall be taken away from the evil to come that their blest eyes may never see what utter ruine divine vengeance doth bring upon a sinful peoplâ— therefore for his elect sake he will not alwaies be angry 5 In respect of the reprobate he is not alwaies extreme to mark what they have done and that upon a two-fold account 1 To let them see their just condemnation 2 In respect of judgement 1 To let them see the justice of their condemnation that though he hath long spared them and given them space and opportunity to repent yet they have chose their own destruction by a wilful impenitency nay God complains in the Prophet Esay All the day long have I stretched out my arme to a rebellious people c. but saith he I will not alwaies keep silence but will recompence even recompence into their bosome Esa 65.9 their continued rebellion it makes God ingeminate his threatned severity which though he be loth to execute yet he will not alwayes be silent abused patience turning into the greatest fury witnesse his passionate compassion over sinful Ierusalem whom thus he speaks Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you would not There is their times for repentance but now upon their neglect and abuse thereof must needs follow Gods severest vengeance for so it follows Behold your house is left unto you desolate c. Luke 13.34 35. Yea thus he dealeth with Iezabel her self that mother of Fornications I gave her space saith the merciful God but she repented not therefore behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds and I will kill her children with death Rev. 2.21 22. By all which as in a chrystal mirrour you may clearly see the sad event which continually attends an impenitent state Gods mercy affords us space and leaves us without excuse but his Justice will certainly punish us if we repent not 2. In respect of Judgment shall I call it a mercy to the wicked that God suffers them to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath had it not been a greater mercy rather to have cut them off by shortning of their dayes for by it surely something had been substracted from their torments which is proportioned to and measured out by their sins but that God should in Judgment spare them to prosper in sin that they may sin themselves finally into perdition and spare them that the sin may grow as old as the sinner that he may go into his grave with bones full of sinne though on the one hand their length of dayes shewes Gods unwearied patience yet on the other hand it gives full proof of their final intolerable misery God then is not alwayes extreme in punishing of sinne and that in respect of Judgment to the persons guilty he will not presently destroy the Amorites though their sins come up with a loud cry before him no there is a measure of sinne to be filled up as well by Nations as particular persons before the decree go forth and Judgment come upon a Land to the utter ruine thereof nay a Nation may be arrived to the very Zenith of Sinne and yet Judgment not immediately follow witness Ierusalem and oh that England might not be brought in for a testimony also I mean as not deserving what she did for they had committed the greatest of sinnes in not only slaying the Prophets stoning them that preacht repentance unto them but also in killing the Lord of Glory and yet God spared that rebellious City forty two years after which shews that God is not alwayes extreme with them that are come to the Zenith of sinne Oh therefore let Ierusalems space of repentance move us to turn unto the Lord with speed lest we also perish in our sinnes and there be none to deliver For God will make his power known that his name may be declared throughout the earth Rom. 9.17 Thus in respect of Sinners unconverted of Saints that are converted and of Reprobates that will not be converted God is not alwayes extreme to punish And so I have done with the second conclusion and shall onely make a little Application thereof to our selves and so passe to the third observable in the Text. Application 1. Admire the riches of
of uncleanness oh that thou wouldest sanctifie and beautifie them by thy glorious presence they cannot be happy or blessed one minute without thee yet shall be as thou art if thou comest but into them but alas we are many of us as the Bethlemites that would not entertain Christ in the inne for there was no room for them in the inne Which brings me to the 4 thing viz. the peoples inhospitality 4 There was no room for them in the Inne What was the suddenness of the journey any cause of the virgins speedy travail or her sudden travail rather a cause of the Bethlehemites uncharitableness poor virgin and yet happy mother of so blest a babe she comes too late to be lodged in the Inne that came too soon to be entertained of her kindred but too late for the Inne and all the room was taken up before she came and therefore must be in the stable rather then an honest traveller will be burthensome the meanest room to his humility shall be great satisfaction indeed some had their delicates and fed onely for wantonness though she wants necessaries the Carpenter that had built many a house now wants a house wherein to rest himself and almost wearied traveller contentedly accepting the beasts for his companions rather then want a lodging just so the God of heaven and earth having left heaven was glad to shrowd himself in this clay of ours Ioseph came to his City and the Citizens received him not because they knew not that the Lord of glory was with him thus the Ox knows his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel did not know the Bethlemites did not consider Esay 1.3 Whom have you rejected you Bethlemites Will ye rather reject God in a stranger then entertain a stranger for Gods sake What do you throw God into a stable Know you not that out of you shall come the ruler of Israel Mich. 5.2 And are you so stupidly ignorant that now you will lose the accomplishment of that promise How unlike art thou to Bethlehem the house of Bread in regard thou neither affordest him house to harbour nor bread to succour him But alas woe unto us we censure thee O Bethlehem but if we had lived in thy dayes we should have been worse and now can expect nothing but that Bethlehem should rise up in Judgment against us for in this she is more righteous then we for Christ came but once to them and in humility but he comes often to us in power and we regard not How often doth he knock at the door of our hearts by his Word and by his Spirit yea and that untill his head be filled with dew and his locks with drops of the night but we will not entertain him O! if those rude heaps have had the dust of his feet shaken against them for their inhospitableness how shall these hard hearts of ours that will not receive him be ground to powder Matth. 21.24 when that great milstone shall fall upon us for our hardness and impenitency do not your hearts tremble to hear the sad doom I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not therefore ye shall go into everlasting punishment S. Mat. 25.43 46. With what sadness of countenance shall we hear this woe denounced and that by Christ himself and certainly without repentance it will be our portion how then should we pray oh that our hearts were worthy the harbouring of so rare a guest With what diligence and care should we sweep our houses set open our doors and make us in a readiness when we heard of some earthly monarch that were coming to us and thus we should by repentance and holy devotion prepare our hearts that they may be meet Tabernacles for him and labour to get all those graces his Spirit confers on those that love him that so our Lord might not come before expected nor passe by uninvited but freely turn unto us and dwell by Faith in us that we may dwell in him by the same Spirit that Christ dwelling in us here we may dwell with him for ever hereafter In whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore A Funeral Sermon SERMON IV. 1 COR. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable THere is a time to be born and a time to die saith Solomon Eccles 3.2 And the day of a mans death is better then the day of a mans birth for he is born to misery and trouble as the sparks flie out of the fire but by death he is delivered out of the misery of this sinfull world to enjoy true blisse and happinesse therefore why should we hang down our heads like a bulrush and afflict our souls or rather why should we not were it not that we know that God will give us beauty for ashes Isa 61.3 and the spirit of joy for the garment of heaviness or give us the felicity of his chosen and make us rejoyce with the gladnesse of his people or with S. Paul 1 Cor. 15 32. Why should I fight with beasts at Ephesus or contend with unreasonable men Why should I subdue the beastly lusts of the flesh or overcome sinfull corruptions or rather not run to all excesse of riot were it not that after this life there is laid up a crown of glory 2 Tim. 4.8 which God will give to them that love and serve him Why should we arraign and judge our selves for to bring these dayes to an end were it not that upon this moment hangs eternity which we shall be possessed of when death shall be swallowed up of victory 1 Cor. 15.54 and mortality shall put on immortality or why should we account all things loss and dung for the excellency of Christ Phil. 3 8. but that besides the hundred-fold which we shall receive here below God will reckon us among his precious Jewels Why should we not embrace liberty and freedom rather then abide a furnace of trials were there not the Son of God to comfort us and a fiery Chariot whereby to escape the fire that never goeth out And who can dwell with everlasting burning or who can abide with devouring fire Isai 33.14 Why should we not be discouraged at the death of friends and with great despondency hang down our heads in discomfort when we see the lives of our relations are cut off and withall remember that we our selves must shortly turn to dust were we not assured that he who out of stones can raise up children unto Abraham Mat 3.9 will from among these stones raise us again and give us a crown of righteousness And set this crown aside well may the world think Christians the most miserable Take away the hope of a better life I say take away the hope we have in Christ of a
and all that is within me praise his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thy iniquities and healeth all thy infirmities which saveth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles for he will not deal with us after our sins nor reward us according to our iniquities Testis fidelis OR A faithfull Witness SERMON VII St. IOHN 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth Introduction THe words of my Text are like the eye of a well-drawn picture that still which way soever you go looks towards you for which way so ever you consider the words they still have reference to all the parts and circumstances of Christs coming in the flesh if you look upon his conception which coming was foretold by an Angel as witness thereof S. Luke 1.31 yet there it was but the preparation to that coming which is in my text viz. his Nativity which is not left without a witness neither in that St. Stephen one of the twelve who was to testifie of him is joyned next unto the birth-day of our Saviour he being the first that suffered for him and therefore called by the Holy Catholick Church St. Stephens day but that Protomartyr who here is a witness to that witness in my Text did witness what the great witness did both do and suffer but that this truth might be established by more then a single testimony our Mother the Church doth celebrate St. Iohns day in commemoration of that beloved Disciple whose faithful affection begot in him an Eagles eye wherewith to behold those glorious mysteries which none else of all the Disciples were able to reveal and that we might not be without occasions of stirring up our affections also God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son and here is the onely begotten Son so loving that he gives himself for us and as his Disciples testified the truth of Christ living and dying so the innocent babes slain for his sake by cruel Herod did witness to the truth not by speaking but by dying but he who is the great witnes both by speaking dying did bear witness for us while himself was an infant antedating his cruel passion by a bloody circumcision instituted as a pledge of our interest in his covenant which was wonderfully effected by his own person when manifested in the world hence the Epiphany is famous for the wise men who first made discovery of this blessed babe by the guidance of an unusual light and here now is that star of Iacob which leads to the rising in his birth and by this was the King of the Jewes first found out that afterwards by his people was betrayed into the hands of enemies to be condemned as a malefactor and as an enemy to Caesar and that with the greatest formality of justice being brought before a President and arraigned for his life and yet notwithstanding their malice and cruelty he still asserted his innocencie though he knew he should die for it and therefore he saith To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness of the truth Look upon the words once more and they present you with the faithfulness and constancy of our blessed Saviours testimony even then when he was deserted by his most intimate friends and servants and at that time especially wherein as man he stood most in need of them being now had in examination before the Judgement-seat of Pilate wherein you have fulfilled that saying of his that he came to his own and his own received him not Nay he was so far from being received by them that he was forsaken by all despised of most and pitied by few and yet herein also he came to do his Fathers will by a willing death witnessing to that truth which some had foresworn and others denyed saying To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth In which words you may remember I have observed these parts 1. An action 2. An end 3. The object 1. The action he was born he came into the world 2. The end 1. pointed at 2. pointed out 1. Pointed at to this end and for this cause 2. Pointed out to bear witness 3. The object the truth And whereas the end in every action is first in intention though last in execution I did begin with the end the right end and that pointed at To this end and for this cause c. and I came to the second thing namely 2. The action which was Christs incarnation and his coming into the world To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world and come now to the third thing the end of the action wherefore he came and why he was born and that is 3. The object the truth to bear witness And to bear witness to the truth and in this third part there are two things considerable 1. The end 2. The object The one in reference unto Christ the other unto Christians 1. In reference unto Christ as the primary intention of them and so the words concern our Saviour as he was a witness unto the truth in his own person 2. In the extent of them so they concern us for we also are to bear witness to the truth and as in the testimony of our Saviour so in ours there must concurre to demonstrate our fidelity 1. The end 2. The action 3. The object For we are in our particular station to bear witness to the truth as well as others for Christ in all the ages of the world hath still had some faithful servants to witness for him though they continually met with opposition For though under the Law witnesse was given unto him at divers times and in sundry manners c. yet not onely the vain errours of the Gentiles but also the careless perversness of the Iewes led multitudes of people into a disbelief of God himself and the truth of our blessed Saviours coming into the world insomuch that the Prophet Esay saith Who hath believed our report Esay 53.1 Yea the people changed the truths of God into lies and caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of endeavouring by all means if possible to banish truth out of the earth but notwithstanding all their malicious oppositions the truths of God were not left without record for there is not any one person in the Sacred Trinity but bears witnesse to the truth for there are three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one St. John 5.7 The Father promising the holy Ghost preparing and the Son assuming or taking what was
Christians by cruel usage and at last destroy them yea such hath been the lot of Gods Saints in all ages thus to be persecuted and destroyed for the Prophet Elijahs must be in danger the Ieremies in prison the Disciples lose their goods and the holy Confessors pay their tribute of allegiance to Almighty God with pain and the Martyrs with their lives and though these afflictions may seem terrible to Christians to suffer for the Truth yet the highest of them is no more than lawful and necessary if called thereunto for the pious hearts of true Christians have alwayes thus testified to the Truth witness Saint Paul What mean you to weep and break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Acts 21.13 and Acts 20.24 He saith elsewhere Neither do I account my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy It is remarkable to consider the way which Almighty God took to support his Disciples and Servants in despight of the wisdom and malice of the Iews for the planting of his Church in Christianity that it will appear almost incredible to hear what were the afflictions of the Church how intolerable her sufferings that had they not had one to support them who was Almighty and All-sufficient it had been impossible they should have continued stedfast but they had not only the inward support of the Spirit to strengthen but the outward example of our Saviours Passion to incourage them unto a conformity to him both in doing and suffering and so nearly did the Saints copy out one anothers lives that their spirits were seemingly converted into one anothers bodies and one would have thought that the dying bloud of the one was infused into anothers veins for no sooner was one cut off by the hands of cruelty but God presently inspired another with faith and patience to witness to his Truth and the torturing of the body made but the mouth speak the louder in witnessing unto the Truth So that by what you have already heard you may see Christian Profession is no secure kind of living for he that believes in Christ must be no niggard of his life for the Truth when God cals to bring him home by death Indeed it is yet our happiness that in these cloudy dayes we are not brought to the fire and faggot for the tryal of our faith God only knows when and upon whom that heavy lot must fall and in what manner it will come this we are not able to demonstrate but by the luke-warmness of most mens zeal in the truth of Religion it is to be feared that when those dayes do come that many will turn from Christ rather than burn for the Truth because it appears that many untrained souls are so wedded to their lusts that they had rather lose their interest in Gods love then forgoe one darling sin many do so love the works of vanity that they have made shipwrack of faith and turned their eares unto fables and when you shall read or hear of these then may you imagine those locusts are come upon the earth spoken of by St. Iohn in the 9th of the Revelation 8 9. verses which had power to torture men and like Scorpions with their power able to sting them to death then beware lest you be led into the errors of the wicked 2 St. Pet. 3.17 but be you stablished in the known acknowledged and established Church of England which I dare be bold to say for doctrine and discipline is more purely true and truly pure from errors than any Christian Church or Congregation whatsoever and shall be ready to prove them so when occasion shall call me thereunto for the Truth of God will remain pure notwithstanding the malice of gain-sayers and therefore we should defend it with all our might for the Truth will spread it self though there be no other place but Pulpits to declare it in nor no other witnessing but by preaching nor no witnesses but Prophets but yet many in their lowest condition have yet highly exalted God by a faithful testimony to his Truth and though this life be encombred by sickness and infirmities yet this readiness to suffer shall be able to silence any gain-sayer when thou art not able to witness much because of thy weakness yet do as much as thou canst do your best and God will accept it though mean if from a willing mind for it will be nothing to suffer by martyrdome when we consider it is for so great a prize as is the Truth of God and will be to our souls if we continue stedfast therein for still in every age God will keep some defenders of the Truth and why may not we be the persons therefore should God call us to it and we refuse to suffer for the Truth it would be but a just judgement for God to take his Gospel from us and give it to a more faithful people for so the Apostles were commanded to serve the Iews Acts 13.46 the Truth of God in the House of God had dwelt among us for many years together in much serenity till of late years it hath been tossed upon the troubled waters therefore let us in our words and works witness to it lest he take it from us also and give it to others that will give it better entertainment than we have done Therefore let all of us make it our prayer unto Almighty God Oh Lord rather let our hearts witness to the Truth that thy Truth may witness unto us then by our not witnessing for thee we come to be destroyed by thee let thy Truth dwell with us here that we may dwell with thee hereafter Brethren let not your faith be shaken or moved by tribulations or any kind of sufferings whatsoever knowing this that after you have fought a good fight and kept the faith there shall be laid up for you and all other his faithful Servants a Crown of righteousness which the righteous Iudge shall give you at that day 2 Tim. 3.7 8. and to this end were we born and for this cause we all came to the Christian world the Church of God that we in our estates and callings lives and deaths should bear witness to the truth Testis fidelis OR The faithful Witness SERMON IX St. IOHN 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 THe pattern of all Presidents and the life of all that is good in man is the God in man the man in God the man Christ Jesus who in his birth was a pattern of humility in his life of innocence in his death of patience in all a pattern of holiness as it is the marrow of Religion to worship God in spirit and Truth and to serve him with truth in the inward man so the iniquity of a Christian consists in not doing what he did