then stand against all the opposition that arises from men and Devils for why should not Christians be as ready to defend truth as others are to oppose it Christ Jesus the Captain of our Salvation hath led us the way for when all conspired against him because he spake the truth yet was he with his life ready to justifie the truth saying To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world c. In which words consider these two general parts 1. An Engagement 2. A Designe 1. An Engagement he was born he came into the world 2. A Designe to bear witness to the truth But since the end and the Object denominate every action here is 1. The action Christs incarnation 2. The end to bear witness 3. The Object the truth to bear witness to the truth Or if you will take them in this order 1. The end and that pointed at and pointed out 1. Pointed at for this cause and to this end 2. Pointed out by being born and brought into the world 2. The action to bear witness 3. The Object the truth to this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world c. But since the end is first in intention though last in execution I shall begin at the end yet the right end and that pointed at for this cause and to this end came I into the world c. The lives of most men are mispent only for want of a certain end to run at because they shoot their arrowes and know not at what mark they levell and direct their proceeding by they know not what rule therefore it is that they reach not to perfection and end not in comfort Some levell at the right end but levell amiss To levell without an end were folly to a false end were losse true Christians onely finde the right way for a wise Christian amidst the many changes of this mortal life still presses on to one steddy end by holy endeavours for the more he is unshaken in his resolutions the nearer he cometh to the great exemplar of life Christ Jesus who stood firm unto the end and continued stedfast in the truth witnessing the same with the losse of his most precious life as himself affirmes To this end was I borne c. It would be both needless and unprofitable for me to undertake the calculation of our Saviours Nativity or to make a discovery unto you of those signes which did accompany it in a most miraculous manner or to tell you the wonderful effects thereof set down in the Gospel which though they were above the ordinary course of nature yet you must know that those Celestial constellations did not contribute any thing to the producing of that glorious Birth but only in an admirable and unusual manner were made to bear witness unto this great truth that is in my Text said to be born that he also may give testimony to the truth Indeed there is a no lesse impious then foolish Proverb taken up by men in the world upon the event of any action or thing to lay the cause thereof upon the Stars and Planerary influencies and thereby men think when guilty to excuse themselves saying a fatal necessity brought it upon me or they were compelled to it saying irreligiously I was born to this or the Stars designed me to it as if some extrinsecal necessity did draw men to sinne as if the Stars were the causes of mens iniquity yet of the two those are better though justly to be condemned also that would excuse themselves by laying the fault upon the influence of malignant Planets or their own corrupt nature then those that inferre the cause from a necessity in the peremptory decree of Almighty God as if Holiness it self should take pleasure in making men criminal Such a principle imbibed is enough to bring a man to that opinion of the Stoicks at least if not to think that there is a good and an evil God yet that the one Almighty Essence acts as if he were divided by saying though God would have men otherwise then they are yet he hath decreed a certain end of misery to the greatest part of men without any respect of good or evil in their persons and so make the evil actions of men determined by Gods Decree and what will this come short of them that attribute the good actions of men to a good God and their evil actions to an evil God Yet those Stoicks that make two Gods and these Planetists that lay the fault of their actions upon the Stars are much better then those that say all things are absolutely necessary and that all their ends are undeterminable by any actions of men whether good or evil it will be better to raise the evil accidents from an evil then from a good God But that we are under a fatal decree of necessity as to event or that we were born to commit this or the other evil we utterly deny and that 1. First by considering the evil consequences that will follow upon asserting a peremptory decree for if Gods peremptory decree hath designed sin to come into the world then men sinne not in deed but in opinion onely necessity hath no law and where necessity bears sway there the will hath no power and so man becomes equal with the beasts of the field with the Lion whose unbridled appetite cannot be restrained by the rigor of the severest law and the reason is because they cannot upon admonition do otherwise they cannot use principles of reason and therefore is it that mad men and children are under no law because not capable of rational actions for no man is commanded to do those things necessity requires as for example no man is bidden to eat drink and sleep because these actions and affections are necessary for the preservation of life the will may govern but not suppress them indeed charity is of necessity whether it be considered as a free principle within or without and we are careless of those things that are without if necessity have no law for if actions in themselvs have no law then they are not sinful for where no transgression of the law is there can be no sin if all things be ruled by destiny then they are of necessity and so by consequence our actions are neither good nor bad in themselves but onely are good or evil as esteemed by us and in our opinion and if it be so then to what purpose was the Son of God made man and so became a sacrifice for sin to what end are exhortations and means used to hinder men from sin if they are but fancies a Christians calling and Christs dying are meer fables if sin be not sin if sin be nothing it matters not let men live how they list and whither tends this principle but to the subversion of all religion when a man layes the ground of all his actions upon the peremptory
truth Introduction AN imprudent discourse attended with ambitious thoughts was the first occasion of Adams misery and the mercie of God in making the New Covenant is the principal cause of the Serpents ruine whose mischeivous head was early broke by the promised Seed the true Messiah whom the Patriarchs foresaw and the Prophets foretold The Patriarchs foresaw him Genesis 49.10 The Prophets foretold him under diverse representations Esay Esay 7.14 Jer. 23.5 Dan. 9.25 26. Zachary 6.12 Haggai 2.7 by the Emanuel Ieremy the Branch Daniel the Messiah Zachary By him that riseth on high Haggai The desire of all Nations That God should be Incarnate that sinners should be saved that a despicable man should save a World was thought so incredible that the Prophet Esay cryes out Who hath beleeved our report which was in time fulfilled But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman c. Gal. 4.4 though the newes was true and proclaimed from Heaven by an Angel and that of great Joy for that on this day was born a Saviour Christ the Lord what was in the Prophets prophesied concerning his coming was by himself fulfilled in time what they pointed at he pointed out and by a Miracle shewed it to the Wise Men saying Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes for we have seen his Star in the East and we are come to worship him St. Matthew 2.2 Yet when he came to his own they received him not but rejected the counsels of God as they did that slew the Prophets who declared the coming of the just One for when he was come he was forced to be gone and flie for the safety of his life into a forraign Country to avoid the fury of that mighty Nimrod whose pretended worship was onely the dark vizour of an inhumane murder disguising his wicked purposes under the beautiful mask of a desired amity no wonder therefore that there are some amongst us that call themselves Christs when there are those that call themselves Christians that would and doe disown Christs Nativity and this old Simeon by inspiration calculated at his Nativity saying This child is set for a signe which shall be spoken against St. Luke 2.34 And wicked people make it good as if he had not been foretold by Prophets nor come into the world in the fulnesse of time at an appointed day and that for us men and for our Salvation Christ came down from Heaven and was incarnate in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary it is a work that many would not believe saith God Hab. 1.5 which was fulfilled Acts 13.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your dayes a work which you shall not beleeve c. For so would they have hindred the Author and finisher of our Faith from working that which he had wrought and what God had set down should be done which wâ—… accordingly fulfilled that he should not be borne but to witnesse to the truth 〈◊〉 he himself saith so much of himself To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse to the truth In which words you may remember I have formerly observed these three parts 1. An Action 1. The End 3. The Object 1. The Action Christs Incarnation He was borne he came into the world 2. The End and that pointed at and pointed out 1. Pointed at To this end and for this cause 2. Pointed out To bear witnesse 3. The Object was the truth To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world to bear witnesse to the truth And since the end is the first thing in the intention though last in execution I did begin with the end Pointed at and that was to this end and for this cause But I shall now proceed to the proper work of this day Christs Nativity I was born I came into the world and here at the first step of our discourse we are plunged into an unfathomed depth of mystery for this he that was here borne is the same he that calls himself I am that I am Exodus 3.14 That Socinian that saith he was not very God is a blasphemer I am that I am it is the Name of God whose Essence is from everlasting to everlasting and to be born notes his humanity and how this work was that he that is I am should be borne and close with the Deity tongue cannot expresse and heart cannot conceive we can conceive how nothing is but what is in and of our selves and not that neither but with much imperfection for the first of us that was so desirous of knowledge left us nothing but a penury of what we were and if we know not our selves we cannot possibly conceive how God was made man and at the same time remain incommunicable or how he being incommunicable did vouchsafe to partake of humane Nature yet thus was Christ both God and Man in the same person as man he had a mother that bare him and as God a Father that begat him but who can without admiration speak of such a Sonne or tell of such a generation that was like both yet like neither like neither for consider him as Man and so he hath no similitude of an ineffable Essence look upon him as God and so he bears no proportion with the Virgins Womb and yet like both as God like his Father as man like his mother God and yet the sonne of a woman Man and still the Image of his Father and that from Eternity being without beginning of dayes or end of time Gods Son and Motherlesse a Virgins Babe and Fatherlesse without a Father as borne of a Woman and without a Mother as begotten of God Thus was he God and motherlesse as begotten and not borne a man and Fatherlesse because borne and not begotten we must beleeve both beyond enquiry because more is possible with God then is conceiveable with man and divine Mysteries should perswade us to beleeve that they are undoubted truths though our reason cannot comprehend them for what we cannot understand by beleeving we must believe beyond understanding and of all the divine Mysteries this of our blessed Saviours Incarnation especially whose very mystery heightens Faith to no lesse then a Miracle and where a Miracle is wrought wonder must needs be created and both these two meet in this one act of Faith exercised about the hypostaticall union for beleeving we wonder and marvelling we beleeve and make our blessed Saviours Incarnation the object of both we beleeve what we marvell at and yet wonder at our Faith still doubling the Miracle by marvelling that we can at once both wonder and beleeve it is a wonder and yet this wonder is the object of our Faith for how can we doe lesse then marvell when we consider that on the Fathers side he should be God and no man
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
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
are destructive in their courses and fight against their enemies thus the stars in their courses are said to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 and hence it is said there is a heavenly vessel that empties it self into the lower vessel and that every herb discovers it self to be useful for this or that part of mans body by the similitude which it carries unto that part for which it is medicinal and that every one hath governing from its proper star that every thing living hath a starry influence upon it and that there is not a man beast or stone but hath influence from the stars now granting all this to be a truth as it is the opinion of some yet it will be still found an infallible assertion that though all the stars at once were malignant they could not force any man to sin their malevolous aspects cannot compel any man to commit iniquity indeed by the fall of Adam our nature was corrupted and so the creature became subject unto vanity yet as we recover our selves from destruction in the second Adam they lose that power of vanity and so by consequence no extrinsecal meanes can be the cause of sin in respect of a fatal constellation but to say we were born during the predominancy of such or such a Plannet and our guidance in the way to eternal life is from God alone is a most certain truth for the sun and Moon which are the great luminaries of heaven and earth can do no more by their power towards our good or evil estate then a lame man can help himself to walk that hath no legs nay the Angels in Heaven can do no more then wish and long for the prosperity of Gods chosen Therefore how much of vanity is there in those minds who impute that power to celestial creatures which God never intended they should possess for take them at the best and they are but such instruments as can doe nothing without him that doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and in Earth the Sea and all deep places We must not when we doe that which is evil lay the charge upon God or the Stars or the Angels who are the instruments that act those Stars 1. We must not lay the blame on God Let no man say when he is tempted he is tempted of God c. St. James 13.13 No let no man say he hath caused me to erre or that it is through the Lord that I fell away for he hath no need of the sonne of man saith the son of Syrach Ecclesiasticus 15.11 12. For the Lord hateth all abomination so contrary is sinne unto his Holinesse that his eyes are upon them that fear him and they that truly love God will do his will and obey his Commandements for they know that Gods Justice hath no need to advance its glory by the destruction of their lives Nor 2. Can any man justly impute his sinnes to the holy Angels for it is the property of them to hearken to the voice of God and alwayes to be doing of that which is good O praise the Lord ye Angels of his ye that excel in strength ye that fulfill his commands and hearken unto the voice of his words Psal 103.20 21. Therefore certainly they that fulfil Gods command and hearken to his voice will be farre enough from causing others to commit that which they hate especially in the Children of God for whose sakes they are made ministring Spirits But then some will be ready to excuse themselves and lay the fault upon the Devil and his evil Angels it is true the Prince of the Aire rules in the children of disobedience but it is as true they give up themselves unto him their lusts first ruled in their members before Satan got domination over their hearts they are taken captives at his pleasure but they first give up themselves willingly to be captivated they are willing to lie under the yoke of Egyptian bondage nor care they for other freedome then what the service of sinne will allow of and therefore our Saviour tels the Jews You are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father you will doe The lusts of your father you will obey you have a lust to doe whatsoever he wills and your will is bent to doe whatsoever your lust dictates and yet men would fain make God the author of their evil as if he had decreed that to come upon them which they cannot refuse To this end saith St. Austin evil men lay not the blame of their vicious actions upon their evil nature but upon the Stars or on Gods peremptory Decree whereas what is sinne is voluntary and what is not voluntary is not sinne Saint Paul saith Ye have yeilded your members servants unto sinne So that we must not lay the fault upon the Stars but upon our own perverse wills for though the Stars doe draw vicious passions as in melancholy hearts in some anger and in others wanton love c. And though by nature we readily yeild to those influences yet there is power in grace which is able and doth break in every regenerate man the power of the Stars But if we give up our selves to sinne we must needs yeild unto those evil passions whereas a wise man even by his very reason will domineer over the malignant influence of any Star and though the corruption of our nature or the evil influence of the Stars may incline us to any kinde of vice as lying stealing to commit adultery c. yet as we are rational creatures we may and ought to strive against them labouring to get power from above to assist us and to that end is it that we are born again by holy Baptisme for this cause came we into the Christian Church that we might no longer live after the lusts of the Gentiles which know not God but that we forsaking the lusts of the flesh following godliness with the greatest eagerness and sharpest conflicts that a renewed heart can use against stubborn and rebellious flesh that our whole man may be wounâ— up to so high a pitch of Piety that in righteousnesse and godly sincerity we may perfect holinesse in the fear of God and in our several stations follow God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God c. Ephes 5.1 2. And so I have done with the end as asserted To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world c. The next thing in order to be handled is the Action viz. To bear witnesse For so saith our Saviour To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth FINIS A second NATIVITIE SERMON SERMON VI. 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
so prepared for him that he himself was a witnesse of himself for so he saith I am one that bear witnesse of my self St. John 8.18 The way to the truth and the truth of the way and the life of all came to witnesse to them both yet you finde him saying If I bear witnesse of my self my witnesse is not true St. John 5.31 Places seemingly contradictory and yet easily reconciled if truly considered for in the one he spake to those that acknowledged no more in him then Humanity in the other he discovers his Deity and equality with the Father shewing his submission to him as man that though in the one they would not yet by the other they may be convinced And since Christ as man was without errour and could not be guilty of falshood then it is not true to affirme Christs witnessing to the truth is invalid as the Iewes supposed for though what he spake was truth in it self yet in their acception it was not so accounted and though that truth most times is suspected which barely testifies of it self yet it could not be so imputed unto Christ because he is light it self and light helps to discover both it self and others and therefore it must remain a truth that Christs coming into the world was to bear witnesse to the truth both In Words and Works Christ Jesus our Redeemer bare witness to the truth 1. In Words his words were such as the Iewes were convinced by them For they conclude never man spake like him St. John 7.46 his words were of such energy as that they proved all his actions authentick 2. In his works he testified of the truth in so much that his very enemies said when Christ comes will he do more miracles then those which this man hath done St. Joh. 7.31 and since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind Saint John 9.32 33. for if this man was not of God he could do nothing therefore when St. Iohn Baptists Disciples came with this message art thou he that should come or do we look for another he saith no more then Go tell Iohn what things you have seen and heard how that the blind see the lame walk c. Saint Luke 7.22 and presently that precursor knew by his works that it was no other then the Messias nor did he onely testifie by saying and doing but also by suffering and dying for rather then truth shall suffer he will die and not one drop of blood shall be left in his veines rather then the least part of truth shall want a testimony for he came to bear witness to the truth and by dying gave testimony to the truth And so I have done with the first namely the end and I come to the second thing viz. 2. The object the truth To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world to bear witness to the truth Truth is threefold 1. There is the truth of Gods promises concerning the Messias 2. The truth of the Substance whereof the Types were but shadowes 3. The truth of the Doctrines delivered to the people 1. The truth of Gods promises concerning the Messias he was promised in the beginning of time to him that was to be the Father of all living for when God had made man a living Soul and man by sinne had made himself a dying body then was the promise of a quickning spirit Gen. 3.15 She that was accursed for eating the forbidden fruit shall now be blest in the fruit of her body 2. As God promised him to the father of all living so to the father of the Faithfull Gen. 15.18 and it was to procure our good For in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 18.18 In him we have freedome from misery and fulness of glory and by him we have interest in glory and comfort in calamity 3. God promised Christ by the Prophets and not onely that he should but how he must be borne Behold a virgin shall conceive bear a Son and call his name Emanuel Isa 7.14 How he should die After threescore and two weeks shall the Messiah be cut off but not for himself Dan. 9.26 How he should rise again for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 Thus the Prophets foretold the incarnation of Christ together with the several gradations thereof but if you please we will once more consider the Messias as chalked out in the Old Testament you find him promised Gen. 22.18 then promised to be of the tribe of Iudah Gen. 49.10 his conception birth death and passion at large set down by the Psalmist in the 22. Psal his being derided at and lightly esteemed his being a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence expressed in the 118. Psa nay foretold to be of the body of Mary Isa 7. c. Hath God spoken and will he not do no he spake that he might do it yea he came to bear witness of his promises that they might have a consummation not a consumption for as God promised and the Prophets foretold so he was looked for in the beginning and in the fulness of time he came beeause so promised for the promises are the most and best part of his word we expect nothing but promises and of all the promises none but Christ for it is his mercy not our deserts that all the promises are in Christ yea and amen Thus you see the first truth demonstrated the truth of Gods promise in sending the Messias 2. The truth of the substance whereof the types and figures under the law were but shadowes how many things were there that presented Christ nay in every thing where and when was not Christ prefigured each promise and prophecy speaks nothing foretold which he did not fulfil and do that the shadowes might yield to the substance that the types might have accomplishment as well as abrogation Christ came into the world all the types end in him He came to witness to the truth 3. The truth of doctrines of faith and manners 1. For the doctrine of faith take this instance the Prophet Isa hath foretold that those that sate in darkness have seen a great light Isa 9.2 and Saint Iohn saith this is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world St. John 1.9 indeed concerning the doctrines of faith there were divers in the world some were false and some likely but the most true the first two were they of the Philosophers the third of our Saviour and how false they of the Philosophers were is obvious to most for they often changed the truth of God into lies and truth was vanished from those children of men some of them fancied many gods some believed no God at all some granted an eternal being but no providence and some a providence and yet did attribute
bear witness to himself when he said I am from him and he hath sent me Saint John 7.29 And 3. The holy Ghost in Scripture testifies of him yea all the Scriptures St. Iohn 5.8 And all the testimonies therein that speak of him whether it be by way of promise or prophesie you shall finde them all meeting as so many lines in this one centre Saint Luke 1.31 Yea the Scriptures of the New Testament especially clearly set down all the parts of his incarnation both as to the divine and humane nature 1. His Nativity Saint Matthew 1.18 2. His Majesty 1 Saint Iohn 1 2 3 4. 3. His Life in the story of all the Gospels 4. His Death St. Mat. 27.35 Saint Marke 15.24 Saint Luke 23.35 Saint Iohn 19.18 5. His Resurrection Saint Luke 24.1 c. 6. His Ascension into Heaven Acts 1.10 Nay Saint Iohn Baptist was sent before him as a witness to prepare his way and to bear witness of that light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that all men through him might beleeve Saint John 1.6 7. For truth musâ— have its testimony from Heaven and by the Scriptures besides the witness of men and that for these reasons 1. Because that man is such a flatterer of his own reason and knowledge that he is apt to have a better conceit of himself then Divine rules and principles he thinks to guide himself well enough without the assistance of Almighty God and therefore it is that many are so studious to finde out some unheard of thing and endeavour to make themselves the authors and inventers of something that may make them seeme wiser then their brethren and at last to lay aside the rules of God as if they knew what was fitter and better for them then he and much if not all of this is to be found in those innovations and reformations which have been made upon the worship and service of God men have itching eares devising new opinions and professing extraordinary lights and revelations such strange stuffe as our Fathers never knew nor we ever heard of before and being Authors thereof themselves they highly extol their own conceptions looking upon well-ordered and religious discipline as no better than popish zeal and superstitious worship proceeding even to the questioning of the Truths of God and the Principles of Christian Religion whether plainly or covertly laid down in his holy Word 2. Nothing is more loud than errors and the more false the matter the more loud the clamour getting more voices for its entertainment than truth can find for every illiterate tongue is ready to cry out Great is Diana and with the noise of their new erected goodness quite stop their ears against all religious serving of the true God yea we find this project to have been practised of old where we read of their inhumane zeal in burning their children and making them passe through the fire to Moloch that the people might not be incensed against them for their cruelty nor themselves moved to pitty they had the noise of Instruments to drown the cryes of their children that their voice might not be heard And in allusion to this I may say that the loud cry of error and heresie may be so great in a Nation that the voice of one man or more that is faithful and would plead in defence of truth cannot possibly be heard but may be over-born by a multitude because each man will have his vote and as much if not more talk than he yet know this that one Micaiah speaking from the Oracle of God is better than many Balaams offering sacrifices and cursed devotions from inchanted Altars whose great conspiracy is only to work the ruine of Gods people yea such is the wickedness of ungodly men that if a Micaiah speak the truth he must presently suffer and be buffeted on the cheek with a contumelious reproof saying as that wicked one did Which way went the Spirit of God from me to speak unto thee 2 Chron. 18.23 the truth is none are more ready to boast of the Spirit of God than they that have it not 3. The wickedness of mens lives is such that Gods glory loses much honour by them and therefore he is pleased to vindicate himself by bearing witness to the truth by his own Word Many saith St. Peter shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of 2. St. Peter 2.2 not so much neither by the blasphemy of tongues and Jewish calumnies as by those that have the confidence to call themselves Christians the wickedness of whose actions causeth Gods glorious Name to be dishonoured and those sacred Truths that ought to be prized and valued above gold and silver or any earthly treasure so much as in them lies is disgraced by their unholy conversations who prefer lying vanities before them the consideration whereof should make those that are Christians indeed to defend truth against the loud noise of errors and preserve it against the malice of those that study nothing so much as to contradict it for this end are we made Christians for this cause do we receive a second birth for this end are we made members of the holy Catholick Church namely that we should defend the Truths of God with our lives and estates though it must be granted that truth lyes not within the power of men or the malice of Devils that they should harm it Truth is not lesse glorious in it self for being contradicted but only in the worlds estimation Truth is of the nature of God whose Glory is not capable of augmentation or diminution though God is said to be glorified by his creatures serving of him now you must not suppose it to arise from any addition we can make to his Glory but only a satisfaction he is pleased to take in beholding our obedience to his Will for though we be never so wicked yet we must continually conclude thou art holy O thou holy One of Israel that art the same for ever and changest not and as is God himself the same is his Truth whose Excellency lies in this that it is unchangeable in its being it is that Verity unto which nothing can be added or substracted for if the one were found the other would necessarily follow as we find it by daily experience that those things that may be extended may also be contracted and where there is room for addition there will be also place found for substraction but God and his Truth can have nothing added or taken from them the highest part of our greatness being unable to reach the lowest part of his Glory and when we have said all that can be expressed we can say nothing more than this that he is infinite for when we magnifie God we only express him great but do not thereby make him great when we blaspheme him we indeavour our utmost to lessen his Glory but no harm
bear witnesse 3. The Object the truth To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world c. I have traversed over all the parts of my Text in the primary intention thereof as it concerned our Saviour and have entred upon the two last parts as they concern us in the extension thereof and have insisted upon the former of the latter parts namely To bear witness I shall now come to the third and last thing The Object The truth To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth Truth is the first thing in intention though last in enjoyment as being the end of all and he that would be happy in the end must lay hold of truth in the beginning it was a question too good for a Pilate to ask What is truth St. John 18.38 because his jesting speech shewed he never intended a sober inquiry after it and besides the Schooles have wearied themselves in their Questions raised about the power and Infiniteness of God as distinguished into parts how all could be in one and yet that one in all so as that it is distinguished into past present and future and so he hath a time of giving and receiving Thus the body of the Sunne containes all light essentially in it self and when communicated to the Moon and Stars it is still the same though multiplyed So is truth according to the divers acceptations of it for as it is considered in it self so it is one intire being but as embraced by severall apprehensions it is divided though in it self still the same and this truth is that light which is really one in all yet so as this one light gives information to severall capacities For 1. There is essentially a cause of light in the understanding and this the Schooles call the first light and this you may understand to be as the light in the Sunne when intire in it self and uncommunicated to the lesser and inferiour Globes 2. There is a formal light and that consists in the exercising the dictates and right informations of the understanding and therefore Saint Austin rightly defines truth when exercised to be the creature of an enlightned understanding and this created truth is called a life exemplary from the increated truths of God and this is as the light of the sunne-beames to the moon and stars c. or the diffusions of truth from the understanding received into all the parts and faculties of the Soul together with the affections which are as the lesser stars but besides this there is also a secondary light conformable to the thing exprest and this whether it be in the minde or in words conceived or uttered it must first suppose a forme of knowledge received by the apprehension of a man according to the will of God and these two do but differ as the understanding to the thing conceived which in it self is so necessary that without it no Salvation can be received But then this truth as it may diversly be distinguished is not to be the object of our Faith so as that without the knowledge thereof we cannot be happy for there are truths naturall and truths theologicall but those truths which we are called out principally to witness unto in speaking and doing by words and workes are theologicall and that is those truths that are declared in the principles of divine Scriptures and they are the Scriptures of truth the law of truth the word of truth that necessarily call for our testimony together with all those doctrines of Faith and manners therein exprest as they are reduced from errors for every divine truth laid down in Scripture or drawn from Scripture is that the subject we are to bear witnesse unto and this is the truth that containes in it the doctrine of Faith and manners the one in words the other in workes so as that we in testimony of words and workes should bear witnesse to the truth 1. We must bear witnesse to the doctrines of Faith by the testimony of our words as with the heart man beleeves to righteousnesse so with the tongue confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 What we beleeve in our hearts we must confesse with our lips and in Saint Iohn 1.20 St. Iohn Baptist confessing himself not to be Christ it is clear he denyed not the truth but onely that he was not the Christ but he that confesses not the truth openly denies Christ in that place where God hath set him whether he be considered as a private man or a Minister as a Minister he denies Christ in words who is guilty of abusing the Scriptures by false glosses for the countenancing of rebellion or error either against God or man He denies Christ as a private man that omits to do what God wills as well as by doing of that which he nills you finde this in the song of Deborah though they denyed not to go out to battail yet because they stood still and appeared not for Israel it is said by the Angel of the Lord Curse ye Meroz curse them bitterly because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty Jud. 5.23 and wherever there is truth of faith in the heart there wil be confession of God in the mouth for confession is an act of faith I believed therefore have I spoken c. he forsakes the truth that doth not profess it in words and works therefore let not any man think that onely silence where the truths of God are to be manifested will argue his consent for they that will bear witness must confess the truth indeed there is a confession which is onely by constraint even the Hereticks and hypocrites do so they will confess truth but they do it with equivocation for if it be from their minds it is extorted or if otherwaies they do it it is from conviction of conscience so we find the Egyptian sorcerers confessed it was the finger of God when they saw no likelyhood of longer deceiving the people for we find by experience that those that will not voluntarily and freely shall be driven by constraint to confess the truth thus Balaam shall bless those people for nothing he was formerly hired to curse But though some speake well of goodness against their wills and by constraint yet a voluntary acknowledging of the truth best becomes a Christian therefore saith Saint Peter sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to any man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear 1 Saint Peter 3.15 But further it is not enough to witness a good confession though before a Pilate when brought thereunto as a Malefactor but also as a free Christian thou art bound to profess the truth openly not onely against persecutors and Schismaticks but also against Hereticks and all others whatever
that say or do any thing that we know is contrary or against the truth when we see men bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them as Saint Peter saith 2 Pe. 2.1 then take heed lest our silence at those be found to give occasion to men of corrupt minds to say loe here is Christ and there is Christ as some have blasphemously done and I know you are not ignorant of that which I tremble to speak that there are those that call themselves God the Lamb of God and the Virgin Mary c. But I fear they are no better then Magdalen but before her conversion and whence hath this proceeded but from the unholy conversations of men silently suffering the glorious name of Almighty God to be blasphemed and now that this wickedness is already come to so great a fulness shall I hold my peace no rather shall my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth then with silence I suffer such blasphemy to go unreproved the watchman ought alwaies to be in readiness to give the alarum when he sees the enemy approch lest his silence incurre the guilt of the peoples blood if shed through his default and that minister that holds his peace when errors and heresies begin to destroy the Church and servants of God doth by that his silence give consent to their destruction and their blood if they dy in their sins will God require at his hands Ezek. 33.8 and wo unto that man that suffers his flock to be scattered by his neglect and so they become meat to all the beasts of the field Ezek. 34.5 for when once the flock is scattered they must needs be devoured by the wild beasts of the Forrest and our Saviour tells us plainly that the Talent which is not improved in Gods service shall be taken away from him and given unto those who have better deserved it Saint Matt. 25.28 noting thereby unto us that we are to improve all the gifts and graces that are in us for the best advantage both of our own and other souls welfare lest God charge the loss of any soul upon our account for certainly if any perish through our default the blood of that man shall be required at our hands and woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 9.16 that is surely above all others my condition will be extremely sad if through my neglect of faithful declaring the mind of God any poor soul miscarry and as it was the condition of that great Apostle so is it of every minister of the Gospel for we kill those souls we see going to destruction through ignorance or otherwaies and do not admonish them therefore it is that St. Paul saith he kept nothing from the people of God that was for their good which makes him truly to boast that he was pure from the blood of all men Acts the 20.26 and he himself gives a reason of his pureness because he had declared unto them the whole counsel of God v. 17. therefore it concerns all the Ministers of the Gospel that are faithful to deliver their message truly not withholding from the people any thing of the whole counsel of God for the unwarned sinner shall die in his iniquity but his blood will be required at the watchmans hands therefore saith the Lord Ezek. 33.8 If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his evil way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thy hands and for us to be guilty of silence when any of our brethren go astray is no other then bringing their iniquities upon our heads who are set to watch over their souls and seeing it is so necessary a duty to warn people of their sins to this end do I come to wait upon you that I should bear witness to the truth by telling you of those evils that will certainly follow upon unholy walking and sinful apprehensions either of God or his truth and Ordinances for to this end came every man into the world but Ministers especially that in words they might bear witness to the truth and not only in words but 2. In works also we must witness to the doctrines of faith by doing for the testimony of the life in action and the hand in communicating is far more effectuall then the mouth can express and not onely must we by holy actions do that which may convince and strengthen them that are with us but also by communicating the truth in writing to those that are absent from us for the pen conveyeth to many the tongue but to a few and therefore the Church of God hath in all ages made provision accordingly to this end were those six general Councels held at Nice Trent c. besides we find the enemies of the truth are busie and careful to instruct their followers by all wayes and means that may make them able to defend error and heresie and therefore it would be a shame to Christianity that our zeal should not be as great to defend the truth as the malice of wicked ones is to destroy it O let it never be said of us that we are so careless of mens souls that we never endevoured to arm them against the errors that rise up in opposition to the truth but suffer the adversaries thereof to get advantage against them and so by our negligence and remisness the undervaluers of truth come to prevail O let it never be spoken to our reproch that they that make it their business to speak evil of God and Godliness are more industrious to promote error and heresie then we are to manifest the word of truth in sincerity rather let us lift up our voices like trumpets and tell Iudah of her sins and Israel of their transgressions then suffer our selves to be meal-mouth'd and afraid to speak against error and heresie though we should meet with it in robes and gorgeous apparel for an unfaithful minister is like an unjust judge which cannot but condemne himself while he passeth sentence upon others But then 3. If our active testimony by words and works be not received then our passive testimony in suffering for the Truth must not be denied for it is a Christians duty both to do and if God call for it to die for the truth yea though the world should condemn us of folly for becoming Martyrs to rescue Truth from the snare of the wicked and our cheerful contests for the same be laid upon us by wicked and unregenerate men as a mark of contradiction yet let us not be discouraged therewith as knowing that thereby we do but fill up the sufferings of our blessed Redeemer who will have us to contend earnestly for the faith though it be sometimes not without losse of goods estate yea and suffering of pain imprisonment losse of bloud and that in great abundance but also by death it self For it is a Tyrants way to torture
that shall deceive many c. 2 St. Peter 2.12 though indeed he tells us that they were the unlearned and the unstable that wrested the Scriptures to their own destruction ch 16. yet he admonisheth the faithful that they should not be led away by the errors of the wicked 2 St. Peter 3.17 18. and St. Paul saith if he or an Angel from heaven should come and offer any other doctrine let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 which implyes that there would some come which would offer another doctrine and that to the eminent Christians of Galatia and if it were possible the very elect should be deceived so saith our Saviour Saint Matth. 24.24 therefore I say in a matter of so high concernment as divine truth is we cannot do better then to confirme and bear witness to the truth as by speaking of it to the religious so Secondly by speaking of it against the erroneous passing the sentence of condemnation upon them that contradict the Scriptures that by it we may confirme the truth to the faithful by confutation of the opposite errors with the holy Scripture which is the word of truth and as it is the will of God so the rule of righteousness and they that will rove from this rule of truth are erroneous whether it be in understanding or conversation for those teachers that are already gone astray and by breaking Gods commands teach others so to do are chiefly erroneous however they may think to pacifie the world onely with a bare pretence to the truth and call the wisdome that is above their father thereby intending to deceive the simple with a shew of relation unto Almighty God while indeed they are the servants of the Devil for they know that if error should come in its proper shape it would be loathsome to every eye but now that it comes in the name and semblance of truth they think none will refuse it for many saith our Saviour shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many Saint Mat. 24.5 so that you see truth is wounded by her own bow and as Iacob got the blessing in the hairy garment of Esau his elder brother thereby deceiving his Father so the wicked and erroneous men that are in the world seek to deceive the Church and servants of God in the apparel of our elder brother Christ Iesus so the Devil that father of lies could come and tempt our Saviour with the words of holy Scripture for when Christ alledged Scripture against him he did the same to our blessed Redeemer St. Mat. 4.6 no cunninger way for Apostates to bring in others under the same condemation with themselves then by pretending truth and piety to be the ground of theit actions The Prince of darkness will not think scorne to borrow the shape of an Angel of light if he thinks it may prove to his advantage and is it not a countenancing of blasphemy for any nation or people to give dispensation for all manner of heretical opinions who are ready upon all occasions to betray the truth and the professors thereof into a state of sin and misery Examine but Acts 18.19 and 1 Kin. 22.20 therefore seeing the factors of Satan are ready to betray many souls to perdition by corrupting Gods holy word is it not time for us to snatch the sword out of their hands and beat them with the strength and edge of those spiritual weapons which they endeavour to wound our heads withal for the truth is not like wax which is made to receive the image of every phanatical brain no where doubts arise in the holy Scripture they must be answered by its own spirit and not anothers But as we must defend truth with our tongues so Secondly practically by our words and works when the doctrine of Christianity is that way of truth which is evil spoken of and when men in profession are Christians but in conversation are Pagans and Papists c. Ro. 2.24 and St. Iam. 2.7 and when that truth is disgrac'd by the bad lives of men their sins become ours if we rebuke them not therefore Saint Paul saith have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Ephes 5.11 That tongue which rebukes not his brother when he sees him go astray draws all the guilt of the action upon himself and so we make our selves sharers with him in misery for it is most certain he gives consent that holds his peace and no way contradicts the action Num. 30.4 the father by his silence at the daughters vow is there made co-partner with her and not onely the father but the husband also or any other person by their silence are said to give consent to the action as appears at large in that chapter Indeed there are two waies to keep a man from evil The one by reproof The other by not consenting to the action when committed For the truth is any Christians connivance or evil example but Masters and Rulers especially do harden the sinners heart and make him think well or ill of himself according as they approve or condemn the actions they see committed by him the truth is the Ministers silence at the sins which he sees committed often encourageth his people to go to hell therefore it is St. Pauls complaint The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Rom. 2.24 and God himself hath commanded expresly Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Levit. 19.17 not to rebuke thy brother when he does amisse is as much as to hate thy brother therefore it is said cry aloud and spare not tell Iudah of her sins and Israel of their transgressions if we please men we cannot speak the truth and we must speak the truth what man soever we displease Indeed there are three things especially which breed enmity in men against us for speaking the truth unto them 1. Displeasure 2. Disprofit 3. Discredit 1. Displeasure for hearing of the truth onely spoken many times galls some for let but truth be rightly spoken or seeme in the application but to touch their iniquities and they will presently like the frantick patient flie in the Chirurgeons face when he searches deep though it be for their safety so sometimes the least touch of truth will make men fret and fume and vent their malice in furious words against them who do but discharge their duty by a faithfull reproof of their sinfull actions 2. If it be against their profit or against their trade when application of truth is so made they cannot endure such doctrine but presently the Minister must suffer an ejection at least for his faithfulnesse and this must be done too with the greatest pretence of Piety for they think it no sacriledge to take the houses of God and make them dens of Theeves so that you may see and cannot but finde that many times the witnessing of the truth against that where the gain of wicked men lies
breeds in them enmity both against the truth and the revealers thereof 3. Discredit rebuke the persons that commit such deeds as are offensive to Almighty God and presently they conclude their reputation is vanished for they think truth no sooner beholds then accuses their actions and which they account worst of all it condemnes them and their courses for truth hath the nature of light it will discover all the darknesse of our works and therefore doe men hate the light of truth because their deeds are evil for truth in the whole tenor of it cannot be otherwise then a revealer of evil for though no man can hate the truth as pleading for it self in the generall yet men doe envy it when particularly it shines upon them and lets them see themselves and because men would have a full swindge in their courses therefore doe they take offence at the truths of God when manifest to their faces but however it should not discourage any whether Minister or other from the discharge of their duty if we doe it in the discharge of a good conscience because the world frownes upon us for so doing knowing this for a truth that while we bear the ill will of men in witnessing for the truth yet we gain the good will of God What though flesh and blood shall say favour thy self and comply with wicked men for thy safety and bid thee change thy voice as often as the men of the world their principles and advise thee that this or that thing is true because the great ones will have it so doe not thou incline to any such perswasions for Solomon saith Better is a dinner of herbs where love is then a stalled Ox and hatred therewith Prov. 15.17 Which shewes that the enjoyment of Gods love in the depth of misery is more to be priced then the greatest plenty and the anger of God therewith But flesh and blood will perswade to the contrary as if truth had place but not at all times but our Saviour shewes it is farre otherwise for now being before Pilate he carries the same face he had when he was in the Temple Innocency is as meekly bold and faithfully confident when pleading at the barre as preaching in the Pulpit nor is it lesse ashamed of truth because pleading before men whose intentions are to condemne not to applaud it for the same our nakednesse and inability to secure us from their malice and cruelty should not at all frighten us from our duty in witnessing to the truth but rather incourage our whole man to be employed in so acceptable a service for we should bear witnesse to the truth in our understanding opinion practice and in our good workes for the testimony of the tongue without the hand is not sufficient profession of good workes is the whole work of a Christian and walking contrary to the truth is a deniall or casting a soul aspersion on the truth we should bear witnesse to the truth both in words and workes and it is certainly a great offence to be guilty of either but most offence when found tardy in both yet of the two it is the farre greater sinne to deny God in workes then in words and that will appear if you consider these following reasons 1. From the Object the greater it is that we sinne against the greater is the sinne we commit now to deny the truth is to sinne against God himselfe because he is the Author of truth therefore to work wickednesse against God must needs be most criminall the sinnes against the first Table being those which especially concern him for which cause Divines conclude him the greater sinner that is found guilty of the first then he that offends against the second Table onely because that by the one he is but guilty of impiety against men but in the other of wickednesse against God the one being of defect the other of excesse so that the Object which is offended in the first Table being the greater must needs make the sinne to be the more grievous 2. From the greater evidence he that denies the truth with his lips as Saint Peter did he evidently injures God and Christ but he that by a wicked life denies the truth and the God of truth not onely injures their natures himself but incourageth others also to doe the same by giving them an example of wickedness the difference as to men is onely this the one seemes openly to deny him in words the other with his works the one speaks and the other doth evil against him 3. The sinne is greater in regard of punishment inflicted for a farre greater punishment is imposed upon the swearer and blasphemer under the Law then upon him that offended man onely the denyall of God in the old Law was to suffer no other punishment then stoning to death and the civill Law amongst us doth command that offenders in this kinde should have their tongues cut out or bored thorow which it seemes was thought too gentle a punishment among the people of the Iewes And if evil tongues deserve this heavy doom what think you is the just desert of wicked hands and evil works so that still it remaines a truth that he that denies God and his truth by a wicked life is a farre greater sinner then he that doth it onely with his lips which will more fully appear if you consider but these four grounds of sinne in their severall causes and degrees 1. Consider the moving cause 2. The voluntarinesse 3. The perfection 4. The full signification of sin 1. From the moving cause of sinne the more forcible it is the more grievous it will be to us after the commission thereof for the seeming pleasures which move men to wicked lives end in no other then reall disquiet and let the moving cause of open denying the truth be what it will yet this is certain the lesse forcible it is from any extrinsecal cause the more guilt we contract by doing of it as for example the fear of death may sometimes make a man to deny the truth with his lips which in many respects will receive a more favourable construction then if with violence we should turn from professors in shew to reall persecutors of the truth 2. From the voluntariness thereof where there is no consent of the Will the sin is little but where there is full consent of the will there is very much of sin and sin is therefore sin because voluntary therefore he who denies the Truth only with his lips for fear of death doth sin lesse than he who with a wicked life sins with a full liberty of the will by a free consent and unconstrained thereunto by either tyranny or self-interest 3. From the perfection of all the parts of a man united in full strength to resist and persecute the Truth which very much differs from compulsion because in the one there is a full consent of perfect parts and in the other there