to a fact every man is a debtor to the truth and is bound as a man to bear Testimony Christ telleth Pilate John 18.37 to this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth but when I speak of the testimony that every good Christian is bound to give I understand it not thus largely for though it be that every good man is under an obligation to testifie the truth in any cause yet the Ministers of the Gospel and every good Christian is under a more special obligation to give testimony to some truths and these are the truths of the Gospel the truths that relate to Jesus Christ this is that the text calleth the Testimony of our Lord which may be taken in a double sense 1. Either for that Testimony which our Lord bare of himself 2. Or the Testimony which every good Christian is bound to give to the truths of the Gospel Christ bare a Testimony of himself he testified that he was the son of God that he was the King of Zion that he was the true Messiah but I understand it yet larger every Minister of the Gospel and every good Christian is obliged to bear a Testimony to the great truths of the Gospel which relate to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour there is a Testimony which he ought to bear to those Propositions of truth and to those matters of fact which the Gospel containeth and relateth concerning Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world 3. The third thing which is considerable in a Testimony is the way of giving it the proper giving a Testimony is by the words of our mouth either with an oath or without an oath it is one thing for a man to believe a Proposition and another thing for him to give Testimony to a Proposition he believeth a Proposition that hearing it doth in heart consent and agree to it that the Predicate is well fitted to the Subject whether he speaketh a word yea or no but he testifieth that with his words owneth and declareth his faith Rom. 10.10 For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation It is not enough for a Christian secretly in his heart to agree to the truths of the Gospel but he is bound to give a Testimony If thou shalt therefore confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved You may observe there are two things made necessary to to Salvation 1. A heart believing the Proposition of the Gospel 2. An external confession or profession There is a double confession a Christians duty 1. A confession of sin 2. A confession of truth Either confession is an open acknowledgment with our lips thus you read in Scripture frequently of confessing of Christ only it may be there is this difference betwixt a Testimony and confession any open asserting vindicating and defending Christ and his Gospel is giving a Testimony but when it is done in the face of Enemies in despight of opposition this is confession Matth. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Luke 12.8 whosoever shall confess me before men thus John 12.42 Many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him So that the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ signifieth that open acknowledgment of Christ and profession of the truths of the Gospel relating to Christ which is the duty of every good Christian Qu. 2. What is here meant by the afflictions of the Gospel The Original doth something differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer thou evils together with the Gospel where the Gospel is brought in as if it were a Person by a figure a Person that is subject to evils Timothy is exhorted to suffer evil with the Gospel this leads me to the consideration what those afflictions are what those evils are to which the Gospel is subjected there are several evils to which the Gospel is subjected or rather evils from three sorts of persons 1. From the true Professors of it such as own Christ in truth and sincerity 2. From the false and seeming Professors of it 3. From the professed enemies of it The afflictions of the Gospel are the afflictions which men are subjected to from their owning and professing of the Gospel and these I say are from 3 sorts of Persons 1. From such as are the true and sincere professors of it they may bite and devour one another and be thorns and goads in one anothers sides These commonly are so from one of these two heads 1. From an overheated zeal for the maintaining of different apprehensions in some matters of truth 2. From such corruptions as do attend Gods people considered as men made up of flesh and blood 1. From an immoderate zeal for the maintaining of different apprehensions in some matters of truth truth is an uniform thing and is but one two contradictory Propositions cannot be true but since the fall of man none have the same apprehensions there are different apprehensions concerning truth it is true we have the promise of the Spirit of truth to guide us and to lead us into all truth but the sense of the promise must not be extended so far that because all Christians have the spirit of God therefore they shall all be guided that they shall not have misapprehensions in a Proposition of truth they shall be guided into all necessary truth they shall not miscarry in any apprehension of truth upon which the salvation of their Souls depend but they may be mistaken as to a multitude of particular Propositions one may judge one thing and another another thing yet they all hold the foundation the fundamental truths of the Gospel but they may have very different apprehensions as to some particular truths now through an over-weaning opinion of our own apprehensions there are very great differences and also hard censurings and condemnings of one another and these are great afflictions but such as have attended the Gospel from the very beginning they were such different apprehensions that caused the first Christian Synod Acts 15.1 Some came and taught the necessity of circumcision such differences there were Rom. 14.2 For one believeth he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs hence they judged despised condemned and censured one another and the Apostle persuadeth to a friendly carriage one towards another a mutual forbearance one of another in these different apprehensions in matters of truth of a lighter nature mens immoderate zeal for their own opinions have in all times begot great heats and have caused great afflictions to the Ministers of the Gospel and to the Professors of it and have been a great root of bitterness amongst Gods own people we have seen enough of it in the age
but yet they are not all of equal import the nature of Propositions doth very much differ 1. According to what doth depend upon them 2. According to the evidence that they have in Scripture 1. According to what dependeth upon them Some Propositions of truth are the foundation look as it is with the foundation of a House take it away and the whole Building tumbleth to the ground So there are some Propositions of the Gospel that the whole Fabrick of Gospel truths lieth upon them the whole Body of truth is built upon them here now the Obligation of our Testimony lieth higher and riseth higher and further but there is no truth that we are not debtors unto 2. According to the evidence that they have in the Gospel there are different apprehensions concerning truth for although the Gospel hath revealed all truth yet not all with the same evidence so that Christians have differed concerning truth and every man as he believeth so he ought to speak so he ought to live but the apprehensions that some men have had that they are bound to give a Testimony to every Proposition of truth which they do in heart imbrace hath begot a great deal of stir the Apostle giveth another Rule when he saith Hast thou Faith Have it to thy self before God There are some Propositions of which a Christian may have a particular perswasion and of which he may be very confident of the truth of them but yet they will not bear the weight of a Testimony to the disturbance of the Church of Christ now a good Christian ought to regulate his Testimony accordingly Qu. 2. What kind of Testimony is that which a good Christian is bound to give unto the Lord I will open this to you in seven or eight particulars 1. He ought to give a knowing believing Testimony there is a Testimony of Faith and a Testimony of Faction that Man giveth a Testimony of Faith that doth in his Heart believe what he with his Mouth confesseth and as the Apostle saith as he believeth so he speaketh So in this case a Christian must speak as he believeth and when he speaketh and owneth and defendeth a truth because he believeth it to be the eternal truth of God this is a Testimony of Faith but then there is a Testimony of Faction when a man runs with a multitude to attest a truth and crieth for it but understandeth not and believeth not what he professeth I would have every Christian not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ but I would have him be sure that it be a Testimony of Faith that he giveth not a Testimony of Faction for a man to give a Testimony to truth if it be in Faction it is abomination to God whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin The word not mingled with Faith profiteth not and a Testimony not given in Faith signifieth nothing Oh! Christians beware of this that none of you in this day be factious Professors be not ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord. But first see that you understand it see that your selves believe it to be a good Testimony a Man or Woman will have very little peace or comfort in giving a Testimony to that which either he knoweth not or in Heart believeth not when a Man believeth and therefore speaketh he speaketh that with his Lips which his Soul hath first examined and he seeth bottomed in the Word of God and in Heart agreeth and assenteth to this is his Testimony take this note with you in every Testimony let it be vocal or real let it be a Testimony of Faith not a Testimony of Faction and a meer running along with a cry like the rout of Ephesus when Acts 19.32 Some cried one thing some another for the Assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together 2. It must be a Loving Testimony or it is not accepted Faith and Love mâ—st be the principles of all those actions that do or can speak any obedience unto the Will of God if a Man receiveth the truth and not in the love of it it is of no effect as whatsoever is not of faith is Sin so whatsoever is done and not out of love is not accepted of God Love is that which giveth the sweet savour to all our doings and to all our sufferings for God If saith the Apostle I give all my goods to the poor and my Body to be burnt if I have not love it is all nothing Let a man give never so great a Testimony to Christ if he doth not this out of love it is out of some evil principle of contradiction or faction or some stubbornness of Spirit and God accepteth it not it is not a Christians saying I am for the true Doctrine I am for pure Worship and I am for the Kingly Government of Christ but his doing this out of a true pleasure and delight in these things out of a true love to God and zeal for the glory of God And this is another thing that I fear in a crowd that give Testimony in an evil time as that some testifie they know not what so that others testifie rather out of a principle of contradiction or fullenness than out of a true principle of love to Ordinances and truths hence you shall observe that as in a serene and fair time there are a multitude of Professors that are like Swallows that will stay with the Gospel in its Summer time so you shall observe there are a multitude of others that in a time of opposition especially when the Persecution reacheth not high busie to give their Testimony to truth which when they may imbrace freely they never regard and make no conscience of you have an example of both these at home on the one side we had a company of Professors that have now forsaken us and fled and embraced this present World in a time of temptation they are gone away and you shall observe a multitude of others that cried out lately for Sacraments and against robbing Christians of the Sacrament of the Supper the great pledge of Christs Love Now that none hindreth their coming to them they regard not the Sacrament both these were sick of the same Disease they gave or thought they gave some testimony to their Lord but their Testimony was equally acceptable to God neither the one nor the other was out of a love in their heart to Christ and to his truth and ordinances but meerly out of faction and turbulency of Spirit or for some base worldly end I would have you own the Testimony of Christ I would have you fear being ashamed of it as you would fear that Christ should be ashamed of you at the day of Judgment I would have you â—onfess him as you would have him to confess you as you would expect he should confess you But be sure you give your Testimony out of love as what you know and in heart truly believe
God hath made an inseparable connexion betwixt faith in the Mediator in him whom God hath sent and eternal life and salvation this indeed cannot be without obedience but faith and obedience are two things and must neither be separated nor confounded 7. Lastly What love have we to the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ How Christs second appearance is the object of our love and wherein our love to it is discernable I have already opened Fourthly This notion affords a great deal Use 4 of consolation to every good Christian and that in two cases 1. Concerning all the labours difficulties pressures of this life The good Christian you have described in the text He is one who fighteth the good fight who not only runneth but finisheth his course who not only receiveth but keeps the faith c. The labours of such persons their difficulties their pressures are usually not a few not light but yet they are not such but a Crown a Crown of life and glory will compensate Let them therefore keep their Eye upon the recompense of reward Jacobs prospect of a Rachel made his fourteen years hard service seem to him but as a few days What should the prospect of this mighty reward this glorious crown do The Apostle having his thoughts upon the exceeding weight of glory calls the afflictions of this life light and momentany Let this crown promised in the text alleviate all our troubles if we suffer from God or for God how little must it be to him that considers he shall also be glorifyed with Christ Secondly It relieveth us against all our doubts and fears about our eternal state the promise is made to pious affections and actions not to Spiritual enjoyments a man may love both the first and second appearance of Christ he may fight the good fight finish his course keep the faith and yet walk in the dark and see no light but be troubled with his own dark and melancholick thoughts molested with Satans temptations want the witnessings of the Spirit with his Spirit The promise is not made to those who here enjoy much of God but to those who love God to those who do and suffer much for God We have therefore to uphold our hopes nothing to inquire upon but the faithful discharge of our duty and then to believe that he is faithful who hath promised Use 5 Fifthly Let this ingage us all to the duty of the text Let others be ingaged in the bad fights of the world let them if they will be found fighters against God against his truths ways ordinances people his interest and whole concern in the world let others be finishing their courses of sin and wickedness till their sins being finished shall bring forth death Let others be ingaged in the feuds and quarrels of the world This Sirs is not your fight this is not the good fight this is not your course it is not that for which God sent you into the world for not the work which he hath given you to do let others who have begun well in all appearance be weary faint turn back with the dog to the vomit the swine to the wallowing again in the mire remember you that God hath promised you shall reap if you faint not 1. Let me speak first to such as are strangers to God and hold up this Crown this glorious Crown to reasonable Souls while I sound a retreat to them from that bad fight wherein they are ingaged did ever any man fight against God and prosper How happy might you be if you would be persuaded to understand your true enemies and to ingage against the world the flesh and the Devil if you that are fighting for your lusts and for the Devil would turn and fight against those lusts which war against the Soul will all the victories which you can get over the people and and interest of God in the world or over your Brethren bring you to this Crown of Righteousness Will your eager pursuit of the world and out running of others in worldly business and concerns think you bring you to it If not cease that race and turn into the right path as of Gods Commandments run that race the winning of which will bring you to this prize why should you spend your strength for nought and your time for that which will not profit you in your latter end 2. Let what you have heard ingage you who have begun well to go on If the Righteous man forsake his Righteousness Commit iniquity his righteousness shall never be remembred but he shall dye in the iniquity which he hath committed O let not your hands be weary with holding up the Spiritual weapons nor your feet be weary of running the spiritual race do not forget your particular course you can hardly be good Christians if you in some tolerable measure answer not the duties of your particular Relation God hath set all of us in some particular Relation or other scarce any amongst us but have more then the charge of our own Souls upon us some of us are set in Conjugal Relations some in Parental Relations some in a Despotick Relation as Governours of Servants O let us be all able to say As to these we have finished our course we have done the work which as to them God hath given us to do we shall find it an hard matter cheerfully to look upon the day of our departure as at hand or to love or cheerfully think upon the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ till this be done Use 6. In the last place This notion affords us a great deal of Consolation to those who are mourners for their near and dearest Relations and are not mourners without hope I must confess there are some mourners to whom something may be said to satisfy them from the Revelation of the good and irresistible will of God and such other Topicks but little to comfort them concerning those that are gone But if any have lost an Husband a Wife a Parent a Child a Friend of whom they can judge that while they were alive They fought the good fight and finished their course and kept the faith and loved the appearance of our blessed Lord. We have no reason to mourn there is a Crown of Righteousness which the Righteous Lord hath in part already set upon their heads their Souls are in Abrahams Bosom and with which he will further incompass their heads dignify both their Souls and Bodies in that day that glorious day in the expectation of which we live when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead and this leadeth me to a more particular discourse for the end for which I have this day turned out of the common road of my discourse to take notice of Gods Providence to us in taking from us a Servant of his in the great work of the Gospel Who hath left a Widow without an Husband
that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodys sake which is the Church That which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ Is there any thing behind of Christs sufferings Hath he not suffered and entred into his glory where he is impassible living with and unto God where he can suffer and die no more The sufferings of Christ are to be considered in a double notion either as Expiatory or Exemplary If we consider them as Expiatory there is nothing of them behind nothing of them to be filled up He said upon the Cross All is finished And he trod the Wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone there was none of the people with him But if you consider them as they were Exemplary as he suffered setting us an example so there is much of the Afflictions of Christ to be filled up and they are to be filled up in the bodies of his Saints Or else thus Christ is taken personally or mystically Christ mystically is the Church he the Head Believers Members both making but one body and that his body which is the Church Now of Christ taken in this sense much of his Afflictions are to be filled up And Christians suffering in conformity to Christ is a Testimony to them that they are Members of an afflicted Christ yea and also that they are Members of that body of which Christ is the Head for in all Ages it hath been the Lot of those who would live godly in Christ Jesus to suffer persecution 3. It turns unto a Testimony to them both of the truth and of the strength of their Faith The Apostle describing Faith Heb. 11.1 calleth it the evidence of things not seen the substance of things hoped for For saith the Apostle What a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Many talk of Faith few understand it The work of Faith lies in a being persuaded of God and depending upon God for the things which we do not see Now it is the want of this Faith which makes men shrink in a day of Trial. The Apostle Heb. 10.34 ch 11.13 14 16. concludes from the Servants of God of whom he there speaks taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods that they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and an enduring substance And from their confessing that they were Strangers and Pilgrims upon the Earth that they plainly declared that they sought a Country and desired a better Country that is an heavenly Mens unwillingness to suffer the loss of any thing that shall be made up with so great advantage speaketh them at least weak in Faith and but faintly persuaded of that better state and that they find a difficulty to depend upon God's Word for it But when men can freely for the Name of Christ leave their Country and go into Banishment part with their Estates and be content to be stript of all they have part with their Liberty and be content with a Prison part with their Lives and bid Death even a violent and most ignominious Death welcom it argueth that they both truly and strongly believe what God hath revealed concerning a better Country a more enduring Substance the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God a life everlasting and full of glory and not only that they are persuaded of the truth of the things but they depend and rely upon God and by hope patiently wait upon God for the bestowing these things upon them and making them their portion Now what would not many a good Christian give for an Evidence of the truth and reality of his Faith How many doubts how many fears hath he oft times about it An ability to suffer for the Name of Christ mightily tends to their confirmation The Apostle therefore putteth them together Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Suffering a freedom to suffer is a great confirmation of our Faith both to our selves and also to others 4. It will be a Testimony to the people of God of their Love to him True Faith worketh by Love Love to another is discerned in nothing more than in suffering for them and indeed this is the heighth of Love It speaks a Soul to have discerned a great excellency in Christ and in heart to cleave to him that rather than part with him will suffer the loss of any thing Upon this account among the Heathens is celebrated the Love of Pilades and Orestes Theseus and Pirithous c. But see it in Paul Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ The Soul that may have had its doubts and fears whether it loveth Christ or no measuring its affections to this spiritual invisible Object by the motions of its affections to Objects more sensible which indeed is not a true and just measure can doubt no longer when once the Lord hath enabled the Soul to suffer for his Name sake it speaks a Soul to love Christ more than all sensible things when to serve and enioy him it hath freely parted with whatever it had of sensible enjoyments and satisfaction Nothing speaks Love like a deep suffering for the Object beloved Gen. 22.12 Now saith God to Abraham I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me That term of fear and fearing God in the Old Testament hath often a larger sense than as signifying that passion which we call fear God then knows that a Soul loveth him and the Soul it self may know that it loveth God when it can readily and chearfully suffer for his Names sake 5. Lastly It will be to a Soul not only a Testimony of Faith and Love and Patience and Perseverance and Constancy Steadiness and Unmoveableness in the work of the Lord but it will be also a Testimony of the Soul's Zeal for God Zeal is rather the intention of all the affections than a particular affection of it self A small degree of Love will not carry a Soul thorough sufferings That Love must be at a great degree of warmth which shall carry a Soul thorough great difficulties great trials great losses 6. To these I may add one thing more Suffering for the Name of Christ is a Testimony of the presence of God with the Soul The Three Childrens induring the fiery Furnace was a Testimony of a fourth persons being with them Dan. 3.15 Daniel's being in the Den of Lions and induring that danger turned to him for a Testimony of God's special presence with him and sending his Angels to stop the mouths of the Lions Paul's couragious suffering was a Testimony to him that the Lord stood by him and strengthened him 2 Tim. 4.17 A Christian needs desire no more than a
token of God's special presence No man suffereth for God without the special presence of God None can pass through these deep Waters nor this hot Fire unless the Lord be with him according to his promise Isa 43.2 Thus now I have opened the second thing and shewed you how a good Christians suffering for the Name of Christ turneth unto him for a Testimony towards God I find yet some other senses given of these words which I shall but name 3. It shall turn unto you for a Testimony that is say some for a Testimony for the Truth The Sufferings of God's people are their Testimony indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Martyrdom signifies a Testimony I know not how to fix upon this as the sense of the words because of the Pronoun To you For those Souls must be rooted and grounded in the Truth that are persuaded to suffer for it unless we will say that the Primitive is here put for the Possessive and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the sense is this It shall be your Testimony It is indeed the sealing of their Testimony and a real Testimony to the Truth of Christ and that which alone some are able to give as that female Martyr who told her Persecutors She could not dispute for Christ but she could die for Christ Every one cannot give a Verbal Testimony they can conceive and believe more than they can with their Tongues express Suffering is their Testimony 4. In Testimonium contumaciae eorum qui non crediderint for a Testimony of the stubborness of those who shall not believe The sufferings of God's people for the Truth speak the stubborness of men that will not imbrace that Truth which the Servants of God seal with their bloods But I shall not inlarge upon this not judging it the best account of the Phrase I have done with the Doctrinal part of my Discourse and come now unto the Application of it which will be dispatched under two Heads The first of Discouragement to the Enemies of Christ and his Gospel The second of Incouragement to the friends of it VSE I. For Discouragement to the Enemies of Christ and his Gospel It shall be that 1 Sam. 2.3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogancy come out of your mouths for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed The Bows of the mighty men are broken and they that stumbled are girt with strength Sinners out of their innate Enmity to Christ are ready to talk proudly by their threats Lord say the Apostles Acts 4.29 Behold their threats and to act cruelly and barbarously Every wise man propoundeth to himself an end of his actions and doth nothing but for some end that shall be worthy of his pains not willing to labour in vain and to bring forth nothing but trouble and sorrow The Actions as to which I am discouraging you and from which I am dehorting you are those mentioned in the verse before my Text laying hands upon the people of God persecuting them delivering them into prisons c. for Christ's Names sake I would willingly have all men think with themselves what their End of such actions is It is one of these two either that themselves may live alone in the Earth and enjoy their sensual satisfactions without disturbance and the sensible enjoyments of the World without any Rivals or Competitors Or else that they might ruine the Interest of God in the World Now admitting that to be a truth which you have heard that these sufferings shall be a Testimony turn for a Testimony none of these Ends are feasible If they be a Testimony and shall turn to God's people for a Testimony against the Adversaries they are not like by such actions to advance themselves by actions which are evident tokens of their perdition both a sudden destruction here and an eternal destruction hereafter There are two bodies of people of which no instance can be given but that God after a short time that he hath made use of them for his purpose he hath destroyed them The first are Armies the second are Bands and Troops of Persecutors there hath been some of these in all times some need of them God the wise God in his Government of the World hath had occasion to make use of them You shall observe that the generality of these bodies are usually made up of the dregs of Mankind God hath often used them but they have never lasted long of all bodies of people they have been the most mutable perishing bodies The first are usually guilty of much blood and cruelty for it is an hard thing for men with their Swords in their hands to keep from smiting but where the Lord bids them smite The latter are guilty of blood mingled with rage and malice against what is supremely good their rage is against Heaven and they at last find it hard to kick against the pricks So far is the Persecutor in reaching his ends in advancing and setting up himself that he finds he hath taken the next course to ruine and destroy himself Look back upon the Records of time you read in Holy Writ of several Troops of Persecutors The Jews Where are they They were the first owners of the Field of Blood they are scattered and Vagabonds over all the Earth The Roman Empire those I mean that ruled it were the next Where are those great Powers that were a terrour to all the World The stump of that Empire remaineth in Germany that is all the Papists are yet in play but God hath broken them in many places What is become of all the Generation of those in Queen Mary's days Gardiner was soon cut off in his wickedness Bonner buried upon a Dunghill I do but name some things to you leaving it to you to look back and see where you can find that there hath been any Troop or Band of Persecutors that God in a short time hath not scattered by his providence and broken or any single person almost who hath been eminent in these Atchievements that hath died an old man and full of days and gone with peace to his Grave Tell me who ever prospered in this Trade When the Devil thus entreth into a man it is a Testimony that God is about to destroy him and that his Judgment is not far off What is it then that a man in such actions should propound to himself as the end Is it the rooting out of Truth the doing of a mischief to the people of God whom he hateth Alas neither of these ends are practicable or feasible The sufferings of God's people have always rooted and confirmed the Truths of God the Truths of the Gospel have got as much confirmation by the steady sufferings of the people of God in the defence of them as they have done by the Preaching of them Three things have mightily contributed to settle mens minds in the Truth and to
and agree to so out of a burning love and zeal in your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Our Testimony ought to be a Judicious Testimony it is one thing that God requireth when we swear that it should be in truth righteousness and judgment Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth righteousness and judgment Swearing is an Attestation a Solemn Attestation of a truth The Testimony which I am now speaking to is not necessary to be performed by Oath though we ought not to refuse if called to that but as it must be to the truth in righteousness so it must be in judgment The judgment that I would have attend the Testimony of which I am now speaking is not a judgment that the thing is true the truth of Christ but that it is a truth of that nature that will bear the weight of such a Testimony too as it must bear if it bear any for I must tell you though truth all truth be a very sacred pin yet every such pin hath not an equal degree of strength and will not bear a like weight I am afraid we have too loud a Testimony to some truths which though they may have spoken the faith of Christians and their love yet have not spoken the Wisdom and Prudence of Christians such Testimonies were those the Christians gave Rom. 14. For things that were in themselves of an indifferent nature and yet Christians on either side were too warm Any Christian is thus far bound to give his Testimony to every truth as not to deny it 2. In his own particular practice to own it but we ought not to make a party for every truth Now this dependeth upon this great truth That though there be no truth of God but we ought to own and being convinced of to Practise yet there are some truths of God as to which God willeth not that we should be contentious For God hath given his people a Latitude in them without hazard of their Salvation and therefore we must give our Testimony to truth with prudence a prudential judging of the weight and value of a truth before we give a zealous Testimony to it 4. Our Testimony must be with prudence Prov. 8.12 I Wisdom dwell with Prudence Wisdom doth often signify Grace and truly all true Grace in a Soul should dwell with Prudence we are commanded to be wise as Serpents and to walk circumspectly not as fools Matth. 10.16 but as wise there is a great deal of prudence to be used in giving our Testimony to our Lord our Lord himself if you observe him did it with prudence and we ought to let our Wisdom dwell with Prudence This Prudence must not be extended so far as to deny any necessary truth or to dissemble so as to declare our selves against it or not to own it for it must be such a prudencâ— as is opposed to impiety if there be a failure in piety there can be no prudence Prudence doth not so much respect the doing or the not doing of the thing as the manner of the doing of it In general we then give our Testimony with prudence when we give it without any just offence to Jew Gentile or the Church of Christ a Testimony of our Lord may be spoiled by the heighth of our Spirit through pride shewed in judging contemning and despising of others or through the boisterousness and the passion of our Spirits or by our noise and clamours so that to the prudence of a Testimony there are three things required 1. Humility in opposition to Pride Pride is a Colloquintida that maketh all our Messes of duty and Service to God bitter God abhorreth the proud he abhorreth a haughty and contentious Spirit he giveth grace to the humble and he accepteth his Testimony Paul saith Acts 20.19 He served the Lord with all humility of mind We are bid to put on humility of mind Col. 3.12 and 1 Pet. 5.5 To be clothed with humility Humility is our garment a Christian must do nothing but in humility in what he doth in the service of God there must be a vein of humility and in that part of our service to God where humility is wanting in that part a Christian always walketh naked and Men see his shame a fastidious scornful contemning sufferer is no Christian sufferer â— Another thing is meekness with respect to passion This is often called for we are bid to put it on Col. 3.12 And the Minister is to instruct in meekness those that are without The Apostle beseecheth you by the weakness of Christ meekness is opposed to frowardness and passion a passionate Testimony to a truth is at best but an imprudent and indiscreet Testimony The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God 3. A third thing that commendeth a Testimony is courtesy in opposition to morosity and soureness when Festus told Paul That much Learning had made him mad he answered I am not mad most noble Festus Observe with how much complement Paul speaketh to Festus and others while he was bearing testimony unto the truth of God the soureness and morosity of a Christians behaviour in bearing his testimony maketh his testimony more unlovely and not so prudent as it ought to be 4. A Fourth thing is peaceableness The Servants of God must not strive there is nothing more asperseth the Gospel and the Profession of it then the imprudence of a Professor of it in the managery of his business 5. Your Testimony unto God must be uniform and sincere it cannot be uniform if it be not sincere the testimony of the Life must agree with the testimony of the Lips you know a Witness that contradicteth his testimony doth by it make his testimony invalid he that liveth contrary to his Profession giveth himself the lye he testifieth with his Lips but he denieth in his Life The Apostle telleth us of some Titus 1.16 They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate You shall observe therefore that when the Devil at any time gave a testimony to a Truth concerning Christ and the Apostles they constantly refused and would not hear him speak the testimony of one of the Children of the Devil is rather a dishonour and weakning of the Truth than any strengthning and credit and confirmation a Man that is Holy in his Life bearing testimony with his Lips is a great Servant of God he by his Mouth declareth what he believeth and by his Life he declareth that he doth indeed not mock and dissemble with the World but he believeth what he professeth to believe You shall see in some cases some foolish Witnesses do more hurt than good so a Christian may do more mischief than good to the Gospel of Christ by his owning of it and professing to it 6. Let it be a bold and undaunted Testimony he is a good Witness in a cause who speakest modestly and with all