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
of our Saviour John 17. I have finished the work which thou hast given me to do This course must not be only entred and some Progress made in it but it must be finished and brought to an end If any mans soul draw back Gods soul will have no pleasure in him We must not only begin to run well but we must take heed that nothing hindereth us or turneth us back it is he who indureth to the end that shall be saved He that draweth back doth it to destruction Every Christian hath a double course both must be finished 1. The first is his more general course common to him with all Christians this lieth in the discharge of those duties which concern him as a Creature with reference to God as his Creator or as a Christian with reference to Christ as his Redeemer There is a great deal of such common duty which belongeth to every one under these circumstances Thus every one is obliged to the Commandments of God respecting all his creatures the Commands of Christ respecting them as bought with a price This is that course which David promiseth God to run when God should inlarge his heart and we are commanded to run so as we may obtain This St. Paul ran not incertainly not as one that did beat the Air. This to note the certainty and steadiness of our indeavours is compared to a walk to denote the alacrity and chearfulness and readiness of our spirits to it is compared to a Race we are not to sit still and take our rest nor to move slowly but to run making hast and not delaying as David speaks to keep God's Precepts pressing hard after God as he in another place expresseth it forgetting what is behind and pressing forward to what is before as Paul speaketh to his Philippians 2. The Second is a Christians more particular course which comprehendeth those actions of a man which are by the law of God his duty as fixed in such or such an Orb and clothed with such or such circumstances Thus Pauls course was his duty as an Apostle and a Minister of Jesus Christ Another mans course is his duty as a Magistrate or in any degree of Superiority to others for there is no Relation but hath a particular duty annexed to it and he must finish his course with reference to that Paul here speaketh with reference to both both his duties as a Christian and his duty as an Apostle The Christians reward in heaven is sometimes compared to a Crown and a Victory to let us know that we must fight for it sometimes to a rest to teach us that we must labour for it Heb. 4.11 sometimes to a mark a goal a prize to let us know that we must run if we will obtain and so run that we may obtain striving after Perfection as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.1 the finishing of our course signify the two things 1. That we must do the whole work which God hath given us to do 2. That we must not give over until it be all done we must not be weary of well doing the promise of Victory is to him who overcometh the promise of reaping is to him that is not weary that fainteth not Thus I have opened the 2d thing 3. Qu. What is meant hy keeping the faith The third thing is keeping the faith I have saith the Apostle kept the faith The term faith signifies several things in holy Writ But there are three more famous and usual acceptions of it 1. Sometimes it is of the same import with faithfulness Rom. 3.3 shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect That is the faithfulness of God Gods truth to his word his faithfulness to his promise so Matth. 23.23 where Christ chargeth the Pharisees for omitting the great things of the law Judgment Mercy and Faith while they were strict as to little things but I shall not inlarge on this which I do not take to be any part of the sense of this Text. 2. Faith in Scripture doth very often signify the Doctrine of faith Thus you read Acts 6.7 Acts 6.7 a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith That is to the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of faith so Rom. 12.6 Rom. 12.6 Let us Prophecy according to the Proportion of faith that is of our knowledge of the Doctrine of faith I take this to be a great part of the sense of these words Paul elsewhere speaketh of the Gospel as of a thing committed to his trust now saith he I have kept the faith He had kept his own heart from erring or warping as to it and he had kept it so as he had not suffered corruptions as to it to break in and prevail upon those Churches which he had planted or which had been under his watering he had kept it personally so that in his own Judgment he had not warped from it and he had kept it ministerially keeping others in the faith of the Gospel This was a piece of his good fight and a piece of his course as a Minister And this must be the business of a Christian contending earnestly for the faith Jude 3. which was once delivered to the Saints 3. Faith sometimes signifieth the habit and grace of faith That power of the Soul by which it either giveth a fixed and steady assent to the Proposition of the Gospel or receiveth committeth it self unto resteth upon the Person of the Mediator which in Scripture is called a believing in him and in his name Thus the Apostle often useth it Ro. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God and so in a multitude of other texts in holy Writ This that Christian that hopes for the Crown of righteousness must also keep he must dye in the faith not only steadily assenting to the Doctrine of the Gospel but in a steady affiance and recumbency upon the Lord Jesus Christ This is now the third condition annexed to the obtaining of the Crown of righteousness The 4th is a loving of Christs appearing Here arise two Questions 1. What appearing is here meant 2. What is this to love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ The Orginal word here translated appearing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth a bright and glorious appearance it is used to express Christs first coming into the world his manifestation in the flesh But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 1.10 That first coming of his was attended with a great deal of glory proclaimed by Angels ushered in by a Messenger sent as an harbinger before his face to prepare his way declared by a new Star conducting the wise men from the east to Hierusalem and then to Bethlehem to inquire for him But the glory of his first appearing was not like the glory which shall attend his second coming when he shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of an
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 preferment as some men are that they will go over hedge and ditch go through thick and thin for it had but faith as a grain of mustard seed to believe this notion of Heaven the Kingdom of Heaven would again suffer violence 1 Joh. 2.27 and the violent would storm it The head of the meanest Saint in the day of Judgment will be a Crowned Head They have an anointing now they will be crowned then when they dye they shall enter into rest but in the Resurrection they shall be crowned O the Love of God to the Sons Daughters of men There is love in the providing a reward so high so great so full a reward and there is love in the proposing of this reward under this notion as a bait to allure us who are tickled with honour and prone to seek great things for our selves to invite us first to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Who would labour for dust and pebles when he may labour for pearls and those of great price Who would sweat for a peny when he may for a little sweating have a crown How should this notion of our future blessed state send us all home this day with David to sit down in our houses before the Lord and say 2 Sam. 7.18 Who are we O Lord God that thou hast brought us hitherto And this was yet a small thing 1 John 2.2 Beloved saith the Apostle now we are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be In this day the Saints are called with an holy calling they are justified adopted in that day they shall be crowned that the Lord should not only speak of a reward for us but of a Crown such so great so noble a reward nor is it an earthly Crown which is clogged with care incumbred with thorns but a Crown of life a Crown of glory Surely a less thing then a Crown might have been enough for the worms of the earth for all the homage they do or can pay all the duty they do or can do for all they can suffer for Christ This God must give as a King the reward is too great for us to conceive too great for us to receive only it is not too great for God to give which of us can think any more of merit when he heareth the reward of Heaven called a Crown The notion of a Crown sets it above the Proportion of merit 2. That the Lord should not only provide a Crown for us but also make it a Crown of Righteousness thereby giving us the greatest security imaginable for our receiving of it Had it been only a Crown of grace and favour we might have doubted concerning it whether it should have been ours or no. But it being a Crown of Righteousness we cannot doubt our one day wearing of it without calling the truth and Righteousness of God in question 3. It is a Crown laid up prepared for us saith our Saviour Math. 25. Laid up for us saith our Apostle a Crown not in our own keeping laid up in the inalterable Counsels of God laid up in the promises of the Gospel laid up in the hands of Christ Gods People are kept by faith through the power of God for this Crown and the Crown is in safe keeping for them John 10.27 28. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand God hath blessed them and they shall be blessed 4. And lastly to put us out of all doubt by reason of the disproportion of our works when we have done our most to this reward it is said The righteous judge shall give it After all our fighting the good fight running the race keeping the faith there is yet a room for a gift in the disposal of this Crown to the Saints where there is no purchase nor any natural claim what can give us a title to Heaven save only gift and Righteousness If it be righteous for God to give it because Christ hath purchased and God hath promised yet God was free as to the promise and free in giving to us the purchase of another It is a Crown of gift free gift though at the same time also it is but a Crown of Righteousness upon other considerations Use 2 Secondly this discourse will inform us How vain the expectations of this Crown of Righteousness a great many nourish nothing more discovereth a mans weakness then vain and ungrounded hopes and expectations building castles in the air as we say yet admitting the truth of the latter Proposition that the Crown of Righteousness shall be given to none but such as fight the good fight such as finish their course as keep the faith as love the appearance of Christ How vain must the hopes of the greatest number of expectants of this nature be Would the generality of men and women in our Parishes admit us to come so near them as to ask them sufficiently possessed of this that they must dye what they think will become of their Souls at death And of their bodies souls in the resurrection from the dead Their reasonable nature will not suffer them to think of an annihilation in death they cannot think that their souls melt into air abhor the thoughts of an eternal misery so as certainly their answer would be We hope to be saved we hope for a Crown of glory of life and immortality which God will give us but can a rush grow up without mire Or a flag without water saith Job He is a righteous judge that giveth out this Crown and the Crown it self must be a Crown of Righteousness as well as a Crown of life glory and immortality It is given out as a Crown of Christs Righteousness to those who are clothed with it what is this to Souls out of Christ To Souls that have not believed that so his Righteousness might be imputed to them for Righteousness to those who are not by faith united to Christ Admit it to be the Crown that is the free reward of mans Righteousness his holy and pure and sincere though not perfect conversation what claim can they lay to it that live impure unholy filthy and unrighteous conversations How shall the Crown which is the Crown of Righteousness be given to him that is unrighteous Admit it to be the Crown of Gods Righteousness that is his faithfulness to his word and promise how shall it be given to those to whom God hath in his whole book not made so much as one promise of any such thing nay against whom he hath denounced many threatnings as to the contrary as to the fulfilling of which his truth is as much concerned as it is as to his promises He hath promised it and his word is a sure word he cannot as to it lie he cannot repent but
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
held 5. Lastly Consider you shall overcome by your Testimony Rev. 12.11 John saw the Devil overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony Magna est veritas Truth is a great thing and it will prevail look back upon the former Ages of the Church the Witnesses which God raised up to his Truth in the beginning of the Gospel were very few the persons seemed contemptible yet God overcame the whole World by them and brought the whole World into some professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ often before the Church had degenerated many errors prevailed at last Popery prevailed then stood up Luther in Germany those that look upon that Story would have thought it impossible that Luther's Doctrine should have prevailed in the World but they overcame by the word of their Testimony and to that Victory they held doth the Protestant Religion owe it self Now this should greatly encourage us not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ it hath ever been victorious and shall be to the last it is by the Faith and patience of the Saints and Servants of God who stood close to their opposers and managed their spiritual fight that the Gospel hath obtained and they ought still to hold fast for they are sure of victory so long as Christ remaineth King in Sion I shall add but a few words more and that is to direct Christians what they should do that they may not be ashamed of their Testimony 1. Look that you be rooted and grounded in truth a Tree that is not well rooted you know is very easily shaken Col. 1.23 If saith the Apostle you continue in the Faith grounded and settled The truth is to make a Christian that he should not be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord he had need of a double ground he had need be grounded in Faith according to that Text Col. 1.23 And he had need be rooted and grounded in love according to that Text Eph. 3.17 that you being rooted and grounded in love Col. 2.7 Rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith Christians look to this every Witness ought to understand the cause well to which he is to give his testimony many a poor Creature beareth a testimony to they know not what labour to be rooted in the Faith rooted in love and rooted in Christ that Soul that is filled with the knowledge of truth and warmed with the love of truth never faileth in an hour of testimony that Soul that is either ignorant of the ground of that truth which he pretendeth to own and defend or that wanteth a love for God never holdeth longer than till he meeteth with a contradiction 2. Look up to the power of God for your assistance I told you these words in the Text according to the power of God might be taken as an Argument to perswade Christians not to be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord because the power of the Lord shall be manifested for them but they may also be interpreted as signifying that which we ought to have an Eye to in our Testimony and in our suffering affliction we have no spiritual enemy we can prevail against in our own strength our enemies you know are the World the Flesh and the Devil for the Flesh the Apostle saith Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body you shall live Never yet was lust mortified by meer moral Arguments and for the Devil we are bid to take upon us the whole Armour of God to resist him strong in the Faith and it is the same for the World Our help is in the name of the Lord and therefore it hath been observed that none in an hour of Testimony have come off worse than those who have been most confident our Book of Martyrs telleth us of two that were in prison together the one was very confident and couragious and told the other that his fat should fry in the fire next day the other was very timorous and fearful the first recanted and denied the truth the second was burnt at the Stake David might possibly mean it of his external enemies but he repeateth it thrice My enemies compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them they compass me about yea they compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them they compassed me about like Bees they are quenched as the fire of Thorns for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them It must be so as to our spiritual enemies we shall never prevail but in the name of the Lord. 3. Remember in your Testimony There is more with you than there is against you While we bear Testimony to Christ God is with us Christ is with us the Spirit is with us all the Holy Martyrs are with us there is none but sinful men against us Christ the faithful and true Witness is with you Rev. 1.5 From Jesus Christ who is the faithful Witness He was the first Witness The Apostle St. John saith 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost What did the Father witness This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased This is the Lord our righteousness What did Christ witness He witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate he owned himself to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World that they that believe on him should not be ashamed he owned himself to be the object of our Faith to be the Lord our righteousness the Spirit testified the same thing and the Spirit beareth witness for us and in us 4. Fourthly Would you not be ashamed of your Testimony love not the World nor the things thereof nor the persons therein take heed of being swallowed up in the love of creature comforts and enjoyments How dwelleth the love of the Father in him that doteth on the World The World taketh off Christs witnesses both the Men of the World and the things of the World you must be fond of none of these 5. Take upon you the whole Armour of God of which you read Eph. 6.14 Stand therefore having your Loins girt about with truth and having on the Breast-plate of righteousness and your Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace taking the shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit Finally pray always with all Prayer and Supplication in Spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance SERM. 8 9 10 11. Matthew 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven v. 11. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake v. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you THe Evangelist
that unlikeness that is betwixt a man in the state of nature and a Holy God a natural man is quite contrary and unlike unto God our Saviour giveth this very reason John 15.18 If the World hate you you know that it hated me before it hated you 3. A third reason of it is because the works of the people of God do condemn the works of the World The Apostle Rom. 1.30 Describeth the Heathen as under the notion of such as are haters of God so under the notion of proud persons they are proud the proud man cannot endure to think that any should be better or do better or be in a better case or condition then he is now there is a light of holiness by which the Child of God doth outshine wicked men and even to rational eyes doth appear more beautiful and comely as John 7.7 The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil Iohn 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved John 17.14 the world hath hated them because they are not of the world the men of the world have so much corruption as will not suffer them to be as good as the Disciples and Servants of God but they have so much pride as will not let them be patient to think them better then themselves or that they should be reported better then they the truth is every good man is a Preacher of righteousness to a sinful world he preacheth by his conversation and they will not endure the Sermons that are made by a good example any more than that which is made by word of mouth 4. A fourth great reason of the persecution of the people of God by the men of the world hath been the liberty they have delighted to take in the things of God and their ambition to bring all others into a Subjection to their humours in it This upon search will be found to have been one of the most universal causes of persecution at all times this caused the persecution of the three Children which threw them into the Fiery Furnace this was that which threw Daniel into the Lions Den There was a Law made that no man should pray but only to the King and Daniel could not be tied up to this Law he is thrown therefore into the Den of Lions This was the cause of Christ and his Disciples persecution they did not observe the Tradition of the Elders The Apostles could not abide by the Decrees which commanded them straitly that they should preach no more in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ this hath been the cause of all the Popish persecution in short this always hath been and always will be a root of violence and persecution of the people of God the conscience of a man in things of God is a thing that will not or cannot be controuled by a humane Law it is matter of Life and Death of Salvation and Damnation and a Christian must act according to the dictate of his Conscience when it doth not sute with the Conscience of the men of the World then they fall upon him and this I say hath continually been a fountain of blood and persecution I come now to the Application Use 1. This may let us see the favour of God to persons whom the Lord hath spared more than others from this bitter Cup Some particular periods of time there have been and some particular Christians there may be in all times whom the Lord doth more favour than others I would have such understand that the Lord useth them as Benjamins he sendeth them out a double Mess the ordinary portion of those that own the Gospel is persecution God hath promised his people no more Mark 10.30 Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with persecution 2 Tim. 3 12. All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 1.8 Hath the Lord hid thee in the storms and tempests hath he provided for thee that thou dost not meet with these trials that others of the Servants of God have met with thou hast more abundant cause to bless the name of the Lord thou seest what severity befalls thy Brother and the goodness that attends thee Use 2. This speaketh unto all the people of God to be preparing for trials And Secondly To study their duty under them that they may as the Prophet speaketh glorifie the Lord in the Fires this is a word in season and therefore I shall take liberty to speak more fully to both Branches and that under these two Questions Qu. 1. What is the duty of the people of God in reference to Persecution not come upon them or not to that degree which it is posble it may come to Qu. 2. What is the duty of the people of God in reference to Persecution already come either upon themselves or upon others Qu. 1. What should the people of God do in reference to Persecutions that are not yet come upon them or at least not to that degree which they may expect or fear or which are come upon other Churches or people of God I answer 1. Live in a dayly expectation of them we never worse encounter any evils then those that surprize us what we live in a dayly view of usually when it cometh doth not take so much impression upon our Spirits as the evils that fall upon us at unawares 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal do not look upon it as a thing that shall not come there is nothing so much prejudiceth any man as putting the evil day afar off and saying with David I shall never be moved when God hideth his face in the least then we are troubled look for a time when your goods shall be rifled when you shall be put into Prison when you shall be brought to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ there is nothing so pernicious to you as security is Job puts a case to himself if the Lord should kill me saith he yet I will trust in him say sometimes to your selves what should I do if God should strip me naked If I should be put to wander in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins be destitute and forsaken You have all the reason in the world to expect this at the world the world hateth you as much as it hated all the Prophets all the Servants of God in former Ages who met with this usage from it why should you not expect it when the Lord hath said That all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution I say when the Word hath said that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution what reason hast thou to say to thy self I will live godly in Christ Jesus and yet I shall not suffer persecution You have not in this Age yet resisted unto blood
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
me at Hierusalem so must thou also bear witness at Rome Be of good cheer one would have thought it should have quite deadned Paul and put him out of all good cheer God did not so judge he would not have said so to his Servant if he had not judged that it had been a proper argument of comfort and for the filling of his Soul with chearfulness Let not therefore your hearts fail indeed this ought to be no argument to a Christian to pull troubles of this nature upon himself he ought to maintain both the wisdom of a serpent and the innocency of a dove and to look that he cometh by his sufferings honestly But to suffer as a Christian is not a matter of trouble or shame but a good cause to glorify God 1 Pet. 4.16 What would not any considerate christian give to have a testimony that he is one whom God delighteth to honour one whom the Lord hath influenced with great degrees of grace and intendeth yet further to influence one whom God designeth a great reward for either in this life or that which is to come to have a Testimony that he is a Disciple of Christ and that not in name but in deed a true believer one that loveth God and that not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth I have read of one who in a great agony of Spirit had this expression I could be content to lye in Hell a thousand years were I sure then but to have one good look from God What saith the Apostle If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him If you suffer as Christians you may speak to your adversaries in the language of that ancient Martyr Sententiis vestris gratias agimus quum à vobis damnamur à Christo absolvimur We thank you for your sentences when you do condemn us Christ absolveth us In our Book of Martyrs we read of the condemnation of three famous Martyrs all Bishops Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The first replieth to his Judges I appeal from this your sentence to the Judgment seat of God The second told them Although I be not of your company yet I doubt not but my name is written in a better place whither your sentence will send me sooner The third saith I thank God most heartily that he hath prolonged my life to this time Mark how all these good men counted it all joy when they fell into these terrible temptations a good Christian ought not indeed to desire suffering for Christs sake the Apostle speaking of suffering saith 1 Pet. 3.17 It is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evil doing Sufferings are things ingrateful to the flesh and upon that score evils as they are temptations Our flesh always is crying to us Master spare thy self They are not therefore to be desired No man knoweth what his heart will prove in an hour of trial but if it be the will of God you suffer saith the Apostle It is never the will of God that we should suffer in that sense wherein the Apostle there mentioneth the will of God but when we suffer for doing the will of God if this be our lot that a shower overtaketh us walking not in any crooked paths of our own but in the way of Gods commandments let us rejoice Christ is magnified in our body as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1.20 And as Christ is magnified in you so you are magnified by Christ The spirit of glory and of God resting upon you 1 Pet. 4.15 Wherefore as the same Apostle saith Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful creator v. 19. I need not much enlarge in this branch of application What it is to suffer for Christs name sake I have in my former discourse shewed you There are as I have shewed you arguments enough in these few words It shall turn unto you for a Testimony VSE III. Let us therefore in the last place labour for this degree of grace That we may be ready to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ It is every manâ— wisdom though he be at present in health to prepare for sickness because sickness is but a common accident to mortality none can promise himself that he shall always enjoy his health I call this Grace for the Apostle lets us know it must be given unto us to suffer Phil. 1.29 There are but two things that I know of necessary to us for suffering 1. The one is a mortified heart to the World both in the sensual satisfactions and in the sensible enjoyments of it We may do a great deal toward this by considering the vanity and incertainty of these things the inconsiderableness of them weighed and compared with the enjoyments of God By difusing our selves to them c. The second is courage now this is partly natural and morally partly infused There is a natural and moral courage which many have shewed in their personal dangers and in the more publick dangers of their country we find a great deal of this amongst Pagans this will not do in this case The courage here necessary must be given from above and the product of Faith in things that are invisible It is a courage by which Christians are as the Apostle saith out of weakness made strong by which Women have received their dead raised to life again Heb. 10.34 35. For this we had need be much in Prayer Our Saviour commandeth us that we should Pray that we enter not into Temptation And Luke 21.36 with which I shall conclude Watch ye therefore saith our Saviour and Pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to â—â—and before the Son of man We ought to pray that we enter not into Temptation as Temptation signifies no more then trials but more especially in a second sense as Temptation signifieth a motion to sin which is the Temptation of the former temptations But if that it be not the will of God that we should escape temptations in the former sense yet we may escape them in the latter sense and may be able to stand before the Son of man That sufferings may not be Testimonies against us which they will be if we be ashamed of the Lord Jesus or of his truths or ways but that they may as is here promised turn unto us for a testimony for us FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for and are to be sold by Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-place SEveral Discourses concerning Actual Providence A word in Season Defensive Armour against four of Satans most fiery Darts Sermons upon the whole first and second Chapters of the Canticles All published by John Collings D. D. The way of the Spirit in bringing Souls to Christ The Glory of Christ set forth with the necessity of Faith in several Sermons Both by Mr. Thomas Allen late Pastor of a Church at Norwich Enoch's walk with God and Christ A Christians gain By Mr. Timothy Armitage late Minister in the City of Norwich Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers By Mr. John Lougher Minister in Norfolk The Saints Eben-ezer By Mr. Francis English late Minister in Norwich Directions to spell English right The History of the Protestant Reformation as it was begun by Luther The Dead Saints speaking being a Sermon Preached upon the death of Mr. Newcomb The English Presbyterian The orderly matter of Prayer drawn into Question and Answer Two Treatises the first Of Rejoycing in the Lord Jesus in all Cases and Conditions The second is Of a Christians Hope in Heaven and freedom from Condemnation by Christ Both by Mr. Robert Asty late Minister of Jesus Christ in Norwich Obedience to Magistrates Recommended By Mr. John Clapham Rector of Wramplingham in Norfolk A Present for Youth and Example for the Aged FINIS
this promise is to those that fight the good fight that finish their course that keep the faith c. Ah how many are there that fight indeed but is it the good fight They are fighters against God opposers of his interest they would if possible root the very name of of God and profession of Godliness out of the world They have such an antipathy to piety that as they say of the Basilisk it hath such an emnity to man that it will fly upon his picture so they have such an enmity to Christ and holiness that they fly upon any Persons or things who have any thing of Christs Image and Superscription upon them others are fighters great disturbers of humane societies with their quarrels But now for the good fight which is to be managed against our passions exorbitant affections and all the motions of the Soul that are contrary to the will of God how few of those are to be found that fight this fight How few are those that will manage an opposition for the glory of God against the temptations of the world How few are there that can glory in this that they have finished either their more general course as Christians or more particular Course as Christians under such or such circumstances How full is the world of those who have yet their first step to take in the way of Gods Commandments their life is a meer walking in the counsels and Imaginations of their own hearts a meer gratification of their sensitive appetite not only as moving contrary to the law of Christ but to the very law of reason Living beneath the better sort of heathens How many more whose only business is to heap up gold as dust and silver as thick clay but the way of Religion and holiness they have not known How few are there that mind the duties of their particular relation but as they use their own Souls as if they were the meer condiment of their bodies so they behave themselves to their Wives Husbands and Children as if they had no trust of their Souls committed to them How many that have lost the faith first delivered to the Saints and are fallen into pernicious and damnable heresies making Shipwrack both of faith and a good conscience Can these men possibly love the appearanâ—e of Jesus Christ But leaving others let us take the advantage Use 3 of this discourse to enter into our own Souls and to commune with our own hearts inquiring whether we be such Persons as when we shall be ready to dye shall by any Providence of God be made apprehensive that the time of our departure is at hand shall be able to say that henceforth there is laid up for us a Crown of Righteousness which the righteous Judge shall in that day give out to all such as love the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To satisfy us as to these things we have heard in the explication of this text that we have several things to inquire upon they may be reduced to six or seven heads 1. What opposition we have made to the carnal desires and motions of our own hearts contrary to the revealed will of God You shall observe that a sinful walking in holy Writ is very ordinarily expressed by a walking according to the counsels and imaginations of our own hearts so contrary are the natural desires counsels and imaginations of the heart of man to the revealed will of God there is no surer sign of a wicked man then for him to walk after his own imaginations or for him to use Jobs expression to suffer his heart to walk after his Eyes Hence self-denial is by our Saviour made the condition and character of being one of his disciples and we are often in Scripture Commanded to mortify our members and the deeds of our bodies This kind of conversation which lyeth in the gratifying of our sensitive appetites is the broad way in which many walk but it is the high way to eternal destruction 2. What opposition we have made to the world either the men of the world or the things of it attemping either to frown or flatter us out of the duty which we owe unto God He who is at the worlds beck cannot be at the Command of Christ If we be the Servants of men we cannot be the Servants of God As Christ pleased not himself so neither did he please the men of the age wherein he lived in their oppositions to the will of his Father It is most certain that the generality of the men of the world love no Child of God as such they are two different seeds betwixt which there ever was and ever will be an emnity If they take us by the chin and kiss us it is but that they may have the better opportunity to smite us under the fifth rib The truth is their open war is better than their dissembled amity but that also requires in us wisdom when to oppose so as not to suffer as evil doers and courage and resolution that we may be able to stand 3. How we walk as to our more general conversation It is certainly a true saying grande est Christianum esse non dici It is a great thing not to be called but to be a Christian and in Christianity Tantum es quantum agis a man is just so much as he acteth in an uniform obedience having a regard to all the Commandments of God He that wilfully breaketh any of Gods Commadments is guilty of all for there is the same reverence due to God as to one Precept as unto another We have also further to enquire 4. How we discharge the duties of our particular Relations Not only how we run that race which we have to run in Common with others but that particular course which God hath set us how we have managed our duties as parents Children Husbands Wives Masters Servants Magistrates or Subjects Ministers or People c. 5. What steadiness wee keep as to the faith once delivered to the Saints It is true every warping in opinion from the truth is not damnable but we must take heed of warping in such points as a warping in is inconsistent with the exercise of repentance and faith I will not undertake punctually to determine what things are to be believed upon pain of damnation but I am sure every one that doth not repent and believe in or close with the Lord Jesus Christ is in an ill condition and from thence it follows that such opinions drank in as hinder the exercise of repentance or faith must needs be pernicious unto Souls 6. What particular faith and dependance we keep up in God and the Lord Jesus Christ The Scriptures are so full of texts giving testimony to the necessity of faith in Christ in order to eternal salvation that I need not instance in many see John 3.18 36. the Scripture saith expresly that he that believeth not shall be damned
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