as Christ will own to be his brethren 2 Christ humbled what a wondrous abasement was this of Christ that he that enjoyed the height of Divinity should yet be the lowest of our nature that the Word should be incarnate should be borne that the great God should become a child that the Ancient of dayes should become an infant of one day that the Almighty Iehovah should become the weakest of men yea even as a child that glory should be so humbled that God should become man this is the wonder of wonders a miracle placed upon pinacle of admiration that he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain should be laid in a manger The inhabitants of the earth wonder to see a new star much more to see a new sun on earth he was accounted yea was equal with God yet made himself of no account in taking our forme he made himself like to us by a willing humiliation It was the saying of a Father Whether can be most to pity him that he was so or admire him that he would be so that he would so descend to come in person was a wonder but that he should come in the wants and weaknesses of a child that might have come in the glory of God is above all wonder and we are not more beholden to him that he came then that he should so come he must be nothing that would be made like us he made himself of no reputation not of his declining power but of his inclining mercy it was the goodness of God that he would not be glorious rather then not profitable and therefore the more and greater was his humility in debasing himself to us the more should we magnifie him not any thing of his but ours was the unworthiness And if our Saviour humbled himself thus are not we yet humbled our thoughts cannot be too meanly conceited of our selves since our Saviour was so low and vile the very heathen cannot debase us so low as the earth did God who likened himself to us let us compare our selves to nothing he was called the son of man born of a pure Virgin what should we call our selves worms and no men and say to corruption thou art my mother since Christ was thus borne for she brought forth her first-borne son And so I come to the second general the mothers tenderness 2 The mothers tenderness she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swadling-clothes She wrapped him that custome was the office of a midwife the visitation of friends and kindred among those many women in Bethlehem was there no tender mother to afford Mary the office of common civility none to consider the wants of a necessitous Virgin among the many that gave to Caesar was there none to give to God the things of God Never was heavenly majesty invested in so homely a throne Christ was now first borne that we might be borne again he became an infant in us that we might become men in him he was now straitned to a span of mortality that we might be inlarged to immortality his mother now embraces him in her armes she laps him not in a fine mantle for what cares he to be gorgeous that cares not to be glorious his rags they were pure clean though poor and mean so soon as we had sinned we could be clothed but so soon as he was borne he began to be miserable he was wrapt in swadling-clothes Christ was wrapt in our clothes to procure a blessing for us though God made us naked and innocent yet we presently made our selves nocent and we had not been clothed had we not blushed what was there in Christ that he should be clothed and thus clothed surely no unrighteousness of his procured it but Christ was covered with these onely for our sakes whose sinful nakedness wanted the covering of his righteousness O the vanity of men much more of Christians Christ took our clothes to take our sins yet we see not our sinnes in the vanity of our clothes we accounted it our ornament to be clothed and yet so full of poverty and indigency in our selves that all we have is either from the earth or from the beasts that inhabit therein it was sinne that brought us to borrow of the earth and beasts it was sinne that made us thus shamefully clothed to clothe our sinnes and why should we be proud in the gaiest clothing since it is but a remembrance of sinne why should we trim and deck our selves when Christ coming to save us was wrapped in swadling-clothes Necessity of clothes speaks us men and the decency of them speaks us Christians Christ was wrapt in swadling-clothes and laid in a manger And so I come to the Childs poverty viz. 3 She laid him in a manger God brought forth man like a King and placed him in Paradise but he brought forth God-man like a beast in a stable and laid him in a manger Christ was abased as to a beast left all honour as to understanding that he might restore them to spiritual wisdome who by sinne were become like the beasts that perish Christ came to restore man and therefore would become one with the lowest of men that none might come short of salvation O silly creature know thy master the Lord of honour is now companion of beasts obey him then in his humiliation that hath disobeyed him in his glory what can we behold in this his abridgment but the contemning of the pride and the glory of the world in his sanctified humility why should Christ be thus low and mean but to teach us to prize nothing but heavenly things To Apply this If our Saviour did so humble himself to this mean condition how low should we humble our selves before him did the Son of God abase himself to misery and death that he might exalt us to glory and life therefore why are you lifted up While Christ was vile thou wert raised up though Christ was patient thou art full of impatient malice he embraces where thou despisest thou likest not the tast of delicates yet he sucked a poor womans breasts thou grudgest thy finest apparel he contented to be in clouts he was though a King though a God borne in a stable laid in a manger to teach thee that where thou art thou should have nothing to regard or be proud of either in thy self or thine enjoyments For what was there about thee O blessed Jesus but poverty was visible in it a poor carpenter and a desolate Virgin and perhaps the beasts were thy onely companions what was magnificent there but that which was noysome and by the presence of Christ was made pure a dark dungeon by this bright sun becomes full of light the rags that wrapped him were more precious then rayment of purple the clouts that comforted him were of more value then if made of the finest and most gorgeous linen O Lord our hearts are by reason of sin become dens caves and stables
NINE SELECT SERMONS Preached upon special occasions in the Parish Church of St. Gregories by St. Pauls By the late Reverend JOHN HEWYTT D. D. Together With his publick Prayers before and after SERMON LONDON Printed for Henry Eversden at the Greyhound in St. Pauls Church-yard and Tho. Rooks at the Holy Lamb at the East end of St. Pauls near the School TO The Right Honourable LADY THE Lady Mary Hewyt Relict of the late Reverend JOHN HEWYT D. D. Madam THe principal intent of our publishing these ensuing Sermons is no other then Edification and for the avoiding all suspition of being accounted spurious and illegitimate we have assumed the boldnesse to dedicate them to your Ladiship with a confident hope of your Honourable Protection and that whereas heretofore they have been beneficiall to his Auditory they may now prove no lesse successful to the intelligent Reader it being pity the Works of so Famous and Eminent a Divine should be raked up in the embers of Oblivion And though they have no other Originall then the Pen of a ready Writer yet such diligent care hath been imployed in emitting them to the World that we doubt not but you will conclude we have endeavoured the perpetuating the memory of your Pious Consort For here lurks no Snake under these Verdant Herbs nor Poysonous Serpent under these Fragrant Flowers in this inclosed Garden growes no Root of Schisme no slip of Error no fruit of Disobedience but within this pleasant Grove are such variety of refreshing contentments to be found as may delight your Ladiship amidst your more Solitary Cogitations and yet these are but parts of that Image which ere long we hope to erect and in a larger Volume We shall crave leave to as we doe at present subscribe our selves Madam Your Ladiships humbly devoted Servants H. E. T. R. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader IT was not popular applause nor private interest that induced us to expose these ensuing Discourses to publick view but only an ardent desire to draw a Landskip of the reverend Authors abilities and though but in Transitu to give a dark representation of that glorious light which continually with unwearied beams did radiate the Souls of his faithful Auditory They are but the shadows of a faithful life therefore be not displeased to find them fall short of the living Voice such curious pieces cannot be drawn without the concurrence of sable lines so that if thou find them halt and only with a crooked finger to point at the Authors stile be not discouraged thereat nor with a prejudicate opinion deem this naked Babe illegitimate because destitute of a Patron for thou wilt find assuredly they are the true off-spring of that worthy Parent and want only the Fathers hand to lead them into and preserve them from a captious world Lay aside all partiall interests and we are bold to presume that thou canst not but with unspeakable profit give them perusal we are sensible of the many calumnies that will be cast upon our persons for this innocent work having already in part undergone the reproach of some malicious tongues who have indeavoured to render the Sermons abortive and our selves contemptible in the eyes of a deceived multitude nor are we able to divine what acceptance they will gain at the hands of any But we question not ingenious Reader whoever thou art but that thou wilt love the picture for the persons sake and wilt impute whatever defect shall be found therein to the want of the Authors pen and not the ignorant or willing mistake of the Perusers thereof for they are notes taken by the pen of a ready VVriter the swiftness of whose motion is able to overtake the most voluble tongue yet thou canst not but know that sometimes the smallest hair interposing it self will make a breach in the fullest sentence thereby interrupting the perfect sense therefore our care hath been extended to the utmost that no remarkable fault might appear obvious to the most critical Reader still indeavouring that those sacred truths which formerly have been beneficial to the intelligent Hearers when preached by the reverend Author may now prove advantageous to the eternal welfare of every Soul that shall peruse them which is the earnest desire of Reader Thy unfeigned Friends and Servants H. E. T. R. A Table of the Titles and Texts of the Sermons contained in this Book MErcy and Iudgement 2 Sermons Page 1. 28. Psal 130. v. 3. If thou Lord wilt be extreme c. A Nativity Sermon page 62. Saint Luke 2. v. 7. And she brought forth her first-born son c. A Funeral Sermon p. 81. 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life onely we have hope in Christ Testis Fidelis or the faithful witness Five Sermons upon 18. St. Iohn v. 37. To this end was I born c. whereof 1. Upon St. Thomas day p. 106. whereof 1. Upon Christmas day p. 126. Three more upon the same Text on several occasions Dr. Hewit's publique Prayer before Sermon O thou that hearest Prayers unto thee shall all flesh come for our help standeth in thy name O Lord which hast made heaven and earth we beseech thee therefore let the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and evermore acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our Redeemer O Most glorious and most powerfull Lord God whose dwelling is so far above the highest heavens that thou humblest thy self but to look upon the things that are in heaven and that are in earth thou art omnipotent and omnipresent dost whatsoever thou wilt both in heaven in earth in the sea and in all deep places thou art about our beds and about our paths thou spyest out all our wayes understandest all our thoughts long before we thought O Lord when we look up unto thee and consider thee to be a God of so pure eyes as that thou canst not behold iniquity without indignation and wrath and when we look within our selves and see that world of corruption that lyeth hidden in our breasts and those innumerable acts of transgressions that have stained both our persons and our lives we cannot but be confounded and ashamed before thy face and are not able to open our mouths for our sins witnesse against us and our iniquities are as sore burdens too heavy for us to bear they cry up to heaven for vengeance against us and it is of thy infinite patience and longsuffering towards us that thou hast not long since powred upon us the Vials of thy wrathfull indignation nor sentenced us to the pit of eternall destruction Lord who can tell how oft he offendeth The sinfulnesse of our natures the sins of our lives the sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies our secret and whispering sins our crying and open sins our idle and wanton sins our presumptuous and deliberate sins the sins we have committed to please our selves and the sins we have committed to
please others the sins we have committed in our own persons and the sins we have occasioned others to commit the sins we know and the sins we know not the sins that we have so long striven to hide from others knowledge that we have even now hid them from our own memories these O Lord are more in number then the sands upon the Sea shoar or the Stars of Heaven which cannot be numbred We have sinned against the light of Nature and against the light of Grace against thy Law and against thy Gospel against thy Promises and against thy Threats against thy Mercies and against thy Judgements against all vows and promises and resolutions of better obedience against the reproofs of thy word against the many motions of thy good Spirit in our souls against thy Fatherly admonitions against thy loving corrections against the many fearfull examples of thy Judgements against the infinite obligations of thy favours and against the checks of our own consciences These things have we done and because thou held thy tongue we have also thought wickedly that thou art altogether such an one as our selves or that either thou dost not see or dost approve or wilt not severely punish the crimes that we have so long doted on If thou Lord God shouldest be extream to mark what is done amisse Lord who is able to abide it but with thee there is mercy and with thee there is plenteous redemption and thou desirest not the death of him that dies but rather that be should turn from sin and be saved and seeing that without thee it is not possible for us of our selves to be able to please thee Lord turn us to thee and we shall be turned for thou art the Lord our God Draw us and we shall run after thee draw us by the cords of love and with the bands of loving kindnesse work powerfully upon our spirits by thy holy Spirit work contrition in our hearts and godly sorrow for all our sins even a sorrow to repentance and repentance to salvation never to be repented off Break these hard and stony hearts of ours by the hammer of thy word mollifie them by the oyle of thy grace smite these rocky hearts of ours by the rod of thy most gracious power that we may shed forth rivers of tears for all the sins we have committed Lord make us grieve because we cannot grieve and to weep because we cannot weep enough O that thou wouldest humble us more and more under the true sight and sense of all our ungodlinesse of all our wickednesse and of all our unworthynesse And O thou Father of mercies have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world take away the world of our sins they are too heavie O Lord for us to bear thou only art able to bear them and thou didst bear all our sins upon thine own body upon the tree O thou that wast wounded for our sins and bruised for our transgressions we beseech thee let the chastisement of our peace be upon thee and do thou by thy stripes heal us Hide us most gracious Redeemer hide us from the wrath of God in the glorious skars of those meritorious wounds which thou didst suffer for us and by the vertue of them create peace in heaven for us by reconciling the Father to us And O thou that wast our Saviour on earth we beseech thee be thou our Advocate in heaven be thou our High-priest still offering up thy self a Victim to the Father for us and besprinkle us with thine own most pretious bloud that through that bloud of sprinkling our persons our services and the desires of our souls may be acceptable to the Father Be thou our King set up thy throne in our hearts dismantle and disgarison all the strong holds and fortifications of sin that sin may no longer have dominion over us but do thou rule and over-rule us enable us to do thy will write thy Commandements in our hearts and thy Statutes in our inward parts put thy fear into our souls that we may fear thee and love thee and diligently live after thy commands Be thou our Prophet leading us into all truth Oh do thou inform us and teach us the way wherein we should go and do thou guide us by thine eye be thou the voice behind us still directing us this is the way walk in it guide us by thy counsels here and hereafter receive us unto thy glory And O Holy Spirit the Comforter do thou help our infirmities and with thy unutterable groans make intercession for us And thou that workest both to will and the deed in us of thine own good pleasure put into our hearts good desires and let the continuall assistance of thy grace help us to bring the same to good effect plant in our souls the love of thy name graffe in our hearts true Religion nourish us with all goodnesse and of thy great mercy keep us in the same so long as we have to live make us to love that which thou commandest and to desire that which thou hast promised that among the sundry and manifold changes and chances of this mortall life our hearts may surely there be fixt where true joyes are to be found And thou that sheddest the pretious ointments of thy grace upon all thy faithfull people O do thou open the eyes of our souls that we may see thee who art invisible that beholding thy glorious but invisible presence in all our actions we may be so awfully affected towards thee that whether either the Devil shall tempt us or the world shall allure us or our own carnal lusts and sinfull affections shall incline us to commit any wickednesse thy Holy Spirit O Lord may in all things so direct rule and overrule our hearts and awaken our consciences to aske us How shall we dare to commit any wickednesse and sin against thee Gratious God keep us from sinning against thee though it were to gain the whole world for it will not profit us to gain the whole world and lose our own souls help us rather we pray thee to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure Help us to eschew and decline all the occasions all the opportunities that have betrayed us unto sin and to hate the very garments spotted with the flesh O Lord with what affliction soever thou shalt punish us do not punish us with spirituall judgements and desertions give us not over to our own hearts lusts to our own vile lewd and corrupt affections give us not over to hardnesse and impenitency of heart but make us sensible of the least sin and give us thy grace to think no sin little committed against thee our God but that we may be humbled for it and repent of it and reform it in our lives and conversations
dunghil much more can the sun of righteousness appear in our clay without contagion can we suspect a deity to receive a contagion from humanity for he was born of a Virgin c. Though a Virgin yet espoused to a man that Christ might be Iosephs supposed son Esa 7.19 and Ioseph be Christs supposed father he chose one that was a Virgin that the Jewes might see their prophesie fulfilled in him the true Messiah and that they should not suppose him the son of an Harlot he was born of an espoused virgin that marriage might be honourable to all 2 Cor. 11.2 for a virgin shall conceive c. And thus the Church bears us as chast virgins to Christ the espoused head There was no need of the Elders of the City to judge of her purity for she was no Harlot but one under espousals 22. Deut. 15. and yet not a wife but a virgin for as yet she had not known man St. Luk. 1.34 Mary brought forth Christ for she brought forth which brings me to the second thing 2. The birth she brought forth when the fulness of time was brought to the period he that made time was in time he that created the world came into the world he that brought forth his mother was born of his mother the Angels wonder at the incarnation every good spirit groans to see this glorious wonder brought forth now or never truth flourishes out of the earth and righteousness out of the womb of the mother he that stept from heaven into the womb stept into the earth out of the womb he that at the first creation made man without a mother would not now make God-man without a mother the Creator makes use sometimes of a creature to produce his omnipotency and who cannot admire such purity virginity in such pregnancy that the fruit of her body should ripen and yet a virgin a maiden bringing forth what was not begotten but made and yet not created but begotten well might it be a virgin in whom it was made and a God by whom it was begotten Add to this that the begetting not the birth dishonours the party among men whose conceptions are in sin but here the begetting brings honour to the party both in the conception and birth because begotten from above the flesh of man is not of man but of the mother and the flesh of Christ God-man is not of man but a virgin that none should dispute his humanity and yet begotten not by man but of the Spirit that none might question his Deity Therefore let us not dispute how begotten of a virgin considering his power for I cannot believe him man without a mother and I cannot believe him God if I do not believe his virgin-mother The virgin did breed by her own but unusual way of conception if we believe not the Father begets him without the help of the wife we shall not believe he was born of a mother without the help of a husband she was a virgin and brought forth her first-born son which brings me to the third particular 3. The fruit her first-born son her first-born because none before not that she had any after but as it is first-born of many brethren not by nature but adoption so the first-born of his mother and the first-begotten of his Father and all that the begotten of men might become the sons of God that we cannot boast as we are natural but as made the adopted sons of God It was once the saying of an Heathen Philosopher that he thanked God because he had made him a man and not a beast because he was made man and not a woman Indeed nature did make man above the woman but grace preferr'd the woman it is our honour and happiness that God hath made and saved us by himself it made the holy virgin say I will sing and rejoyce in God my Saviour and yet her son a son in several natures a son equal with God and like to his mother so trâ—ly God as ever as truely man as now he began to be God before all time and man in time a son he was yet motherless because begotten and not born a man and fatherless because borne and not begotten One denyes that he is God another denyes that he is man one will have him man indeed but God apparent another will have him God but man in shew one calls him meer man yet deified another a meer God but carnal one the word transubstantiate to flesh another spirit in the likeness and similitude of flesh O the blindness of men because they conceive him not to be as he is they will have him to be as they imagine But we shall take the wary Christians way that will not utter any thing besides the worth of his humanity besides his divinity and they will confess him as truly man as God for he was born of the Virgin Mary she brought forth her first-borne son From hence learn Use 1. Our nature dignified 2. Our Saviour humbled 1 Our nature dignified what an honor is it to be dignified above the Angels and the natural Son of God thus becoming the son of man Our nature though it be base by degeneration yet it is noble by his regeneration he dignified us with his nature as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God Though many stand upon their blood as if true nobleness consisted in that which is derived from man to man but all is fetcht from Christ and not my blood but Christianity makes me noble said that worthy Emperour Constantine here is comfort that God is not ashamed to call us brethren and that 2 wayes 1 By right of propriety so we have interest in Father Son and Holy Ghost 2 Of neerness and that in relation to Christ for he is of kin to us for they that are sanctified and he that sanctifieth are all one Christ is both our father and brother our father as God our brother as man and what an honour and comfort is it to us to be brethren unto the son of God that we that have the earth for our mother should have the God of heaven for our father and will he deny us any thing that hath given himself to be our father and his son to be our brother he that hath given us Christ he will not deny us any thing he that hath given marks to redeem us will he not crown us shall we doubt to receive any good from him in regard Christ is our brother in that he took our nature upon him for he was born of the Virgin Mary for she brought forth her first-born son And why should we then debase our selves to lusts and give our selves to unworthy lovers the lusts of the flesh the vanities of the world or Satans temptations we are made heirs of God and coheirs with Christ let us walk as the children of the light as the redeemed ones of God and such
of uncleanness oh that thou wouldest sanctifie and beautifie them by thy glorious presence they cannot be happy or blessed one minute without thee yet shall be as thou art if thou comest but into them but alas we are many of us as the Bethlemites that would not entertain Christ in the inne for there was no room for them in the inne Which brings me to the 4 thing viz. the peoples inhospitality 4 There was no room for them in the Inne What was the suddenness of the journey any cause of the virgins speedy travail or her sudden travail rather a cause of the Bethlehemites uncharitableness poor virgin and yet happy mother of so blest a babe she comes too late to be lodged in the Inne that came too soon to be entertained of her kindred but too late for the Inne and all the room was taken up before she came and therefore must be in the stable rather then an honest traveller will be burthensome the meanest room to his humility shall be great satisfaction indeed some had their delicates and fed onely for wantonness though she wants necessaries the Carpenter that had built many a house now wants a house wherein to rest himself and almost wearied traveller contentedly accepting the beasts for his companions rather then want a lodging just so the God of heaven and earth having left heaven was glad to shrowd himself in this clay of ours Ioseph came to his City and the Citizens received him not because they knew not that the Lord of glory was with him thus the Ox knows his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel did not know the Bethlemites did not consider Esay 1.3 Whom have you rejected you Bethlemites Will ye rather reject God in a stranger then entertain a stranger for Gods sake What do you throw God into a stable Know you not that out of you shall come the ruler of Israel Mich. 5.2 And are you so stupidly ignorant that now you will lose the accomplishment of that promise How unlike art thou to Bethlehem the house of Bread in regard thou neither affordest him house to harbour nor bread to succour him But alas woe unto us we censure thee O Bethlehem but if we had lived in thy dayes we should have been worse and now can expect nothing but that Bethlehem should rise up in Judgment against us for in this she is more righteous then we for Christ came but once to them and in humility but he comes often to us in power and we regard not How often doth he knock at the door of our hearts by his Word and by his Spirit yea and that untill his head be filled with dew and his locks with drops of the night but we will not entertain him O! if those rude heaps have had the dust of his feet shaken against them for their inhospitableness how shall these hard hearts of ours that will not receive him be ground to powder Matth. 21.24 when that great milstone shall fall upon us for our hardness and impenitency do not your hearts tremble to hear the sad doom I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not therefore ye shall go into everlasting punishment S. Mat. 25.43 46. With what sadness of countenance shall we hear this woe denounced and that by Christ himself and certainly without repentance it will be our portion how then should we pray oh that our hearts were worthy the harbouring of so rare a guest With what diligence and care should we sweep our houses set open our doors and make us in a readiness when we heard of some earthly monarch that were coming to us and thus we should by repentance and holy devotion prepare our hearts that they may be meet Tabernacles for him and labour to get all those graces his Spirit confers on those that love him that so our Lord might not come before expected nor passe by uninvited but freely turn unto us and dwell by Faith in us that we may dwell in him by the same Spirit that Christ dwelling in us here we may dwell with him for ever hereafter In whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore A Funeral Sermon SERMON IV. 1 COR. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable THere is a time to be born and a time to die saith Solomon Eccles 3.2 And the day of a mans death is better then the day of a mans birth for he is born to misery and trouble as the sparks flie out of the fire but by death he is delivered out of the misery of this sinfull world to enjoy true blisse and happinesse therefore why should we hang down our heads like a bulrush and afflict our souls or rather why should we not were it not that we know that God will give us beauty for ashes Isa 61.3 and the spirit of joy for the garment of heaviness or give us the felicity of his chosen and make us rejoyce with the gladnesse of his people or with S. Paul 1 Cor. 15 32. Why should I fight with beasts at Ephesus or contend with unreasonable men Why should I subdue the beastly lusts of the flesh or overcome sinfull corruptions or rather not run to all excesse of riot were it not that after this life there is laid up a crown of glory 2 Tim. 4.8 which God will give to them that love and serve him Why should we arraign and judge our selves for to bring these dayes to an end were it not that upon this moment hangs eternity which we shall be possessed of when death shall be swallowed up of victory 1 Cor. 15.54 and mortality shall put on immortality or why should we account all things loss and dung for the excellency of Christ Phil. 3 8. but that besides the hundred-fold which we shall receive here below God will reckon us among his precious Jewels Why should we not embrace liberty and freedom rather then abide a furnace of trials were there not the Son of God to comfort us and a fiery Chariot whereby to escape the fire that never goeth out And who can dwell with everlasting burning or who can abide with devouring fire Isai 33.14 Why should we not be discouraged at the death of friends and with great despondency hang down our heads in discomfort when we see the lives of our relations are cut off and withall remember that we our selves must shortly turn to dust were we not assured that he who out of stones can raise up children unto Abraham Mat 3.9 will from among these stones raise us again and give us a crown of righteousness And set this crown aside well may the world think Christians the most miserable Take away the hope of a better life I say take away the hope we have in Christ of a
are destructive in their courses and fight against their enemies thus the stars in their courses are said to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 and hence it is said there is a heavenly vessel that empties it self into the lower vessel and that every herb discovers it self to be useful for this or that part of mans body by the similitude which it carries unto that part for which it is medicinal and that every one hath governing from its proper star that every thing living hath a starry influence upon it and that there is not a man beast or stone but hath influence from the stars now granting all this to be a truth as it is the opinion of some yet it will be still found an infallible assertion that though all the stars at once were malignant they could not force any man to sin their malevolous aspects cannot compel any man to commit iniquity indeed by the fall of Adam our nature was corrupted and so the creature became subject unto vanity yet as we recover our selves from destruction in the second Adam they lose that power of vanity and so by consequence no extrinsecal meanes can be the cause of sin in respect of a fatal constellation but to say we were born during the predominancy of such or such a Plannet and our guidance in the way to eternal life is from God alone is a most certain truth for the sun and Moon which are the great luminaries of heaven and earth can do no more by their power towards our good or evil estate then a lame man can help himself to walk that hath no legs nay the Angels in Heaven can do no more then wish and long for the prosperity of Gods chosen Therefore how much of vanity is there in those minds who impute that power to celestial creatures which God never intended they should possess for take them at the best and they are but such instruments as can doe nothing without him that doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and in Earth the Sea and all deep places We must not when we doe that which is evil lay the charge upon God or the Stars or the Angels who are the instruments that act those Stars 1. We must not lay the blame on God Let no man say when he is tempted he is tempted of God c. St. James 13.13 No let no man say he hath caused me to erre or that it is through the Lord that I fell away for he hath no need of the sonne of man saith the son of Syrach Ecclesiasticus 15.11 12. For the Lord hateth all abomination so contrary is sinne unto his Holinesse that his eyes are upon them that fear him and they that truly love God will do his will and obey his Commandements for they know that Gods Justice hath no need to advance its glory by the destruction of their lives Nor 2. Can any man justly impute his sinnes to the holy Angels for it is the property of them to hearken to the voice of God and alwayes to be doing of that which is good O praise the Lord ye Angels of his ye that excel in strength ye that fulfill his commands and hearken unto the voice of his words Psal 103.20 21. Therefore certainly they that fulfil Gods command and hearken to his voice will be farre enough from causing others to commit that which they hate especially in the Children of God for whose sakes they are made ministring Spirits But then some will be ready to excuse themselves and lay the fault upon the Devil and his evil Angels it is true the Prince of the Aire rules in the children of disobedience but it is as true they give up themselves unto him their lusts first ruled in their members before Satan got domination over their hearts they are taken captives at his pleasure but they first give up themselves willingly to be captivated they are willing to lie under the yoke of Egyptian bondage nor care they for other freedome then what the service of sinne will allow of and therefore our Saviour tels the Jews You are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father you will doe The lusts of your father you will obey you have a lust to doe whatsoever he wills and your will is bent to doe whatsoever your lust dictates and yet men would fain make God the author of their evil as if he had decreed that to come upon them which they cannot refuse To this end saith St. Austin evil men lay not the blame of their vicious actions upon their evil nature but upon the Stars or on Gods peremptory Decree whereas what is sinne is voluntary and what is not voluntary is not sinne Saint Paul saith Ye have yeilded your members servants unto sinne So that we must not lay the fault upon the Stars but upon our own perverse wills for though the Stars doe draw vicious passions as in melancholy hearts in some anger and in others wanton love c. And though by nature we readily yeild to those influences yet there is power in grace which is able and doth break in every regenerate man the power of the Stars But if we give up our selves to sinne we must needs yeild unto those evil passions whereas a wise man even by his very reason will domineer over the malignant influence of any Star and though the corruption of our nature or the evil influence of the Stars may incline us to any kinde of vice as lying stealing to commit adultery c. yet as we are rational creatures we may and ought to strive against them labouring to get power from above to assist us and to that end is it that we are born again by holy Baptisme for this cause came we into the Christian Church that we might no longer live after the lusts of the Gentiles which know not God but that we forsaking the lusts of the flesh following godliness with the greatest eagerness and sharpest conflicts that a renewed heart can use against stubborn and rebellious flesh that our whole man may be wounâ— up to so high a pitch of Piety that in righteousnesse and godly sincerity we may perfect holinesse in the fear of God and in our several stations follow God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God c. Ephes 5.1 2. And so I have done with the end as asserted To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world c. The next thing in order to be handled is the Action viz. To bear witnesse For so saith our Saviour To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth FINIS A second NATIVITIE SERMON SERMON VI. St. IOHN 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the
on the Mothers side man and no God and yet both God and Man For Eternity had begotten man but once because begotten from Eternity his Father begot him equall to God his Mother bare him like to Man he was man besides God and therefore Man and no God and yet God and Man for when he was made man he ceased not to be God which he was before like as the Sun loseth not its brightnesse though shadowed in the clouds so not Christ his glory though obscuted in flesh he was not so conceived in his Mother as to be separated from his Father Christ was not lesse equal to his Fathet by being like his Mother the Word was made flesh St. John 1.14 and not lesse Word then Flesh by an assumption of the flesh not consumption of the Word the Word that God by flesh did present to our sight was real Flesh and was not lesse God still for he is no lesse God now that he is clad in humane clay then when onely clothed with deified Glory he remaines God and Man in one person very God and very Man in one singular subsistence he took the person of Man and the substance by converting the person to his proper being and that this may not altogether seeme strange to your understandings please to turn your eyes inward and an example thereof will be presented for if man hath the life of Plants and the sense of Beasts and both in conjunction with the reasonable soul in an individual being why may not Christ take the Soul of man into union with himself and yet consist in his Divinity making a Trinity in the union of his Person For as he was God and Man in the humane nature he consisted of a Deity a soul and a body there a Trinity in unity here unity in Trinity he was one person not divided a person of the Trinity distinguished not divided for every person in the Sacred Trinity is perfect God distinguished into persons but not divided in substance for all take propriety each with the other the Father God the Son God and the holy Ghost God and yet not three but one God as we are taught by the holy Catholick Faith to beleeve yet that God might redeeme us from our iniquities he that was perfect God equal with the Father took upon him our flesh and therefore it is that God was said to suffer what man himself should have borne onely here is the admired union of natures but not natural of persons But what were the reasons why he whose name is I am should be borne so as to say of himself To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world to bear witnesse to the truth 1. To make God and Man one by atonement and therefore it was necessary he should be of both natures whose office is to reconcile both persons 2. He was to doe that for us which was impossible for man to doe and to suffer what was unmeet for God to undergoe and that he might both doe and suffer for us he took the blessed Virgin Mary for his mother that from her he might receive a body capable of suffering but it was his Divinity which enabled his Humanity to suffer what our Souls deserved 3. He was to undergoe for an infinite offence for man had sinned and none but God could satisfie for an infinite offence it being reasonable that the same nature that broke the Law should pay the Debt and therefore it was necessary for him to be God as well as Man that did undertake to make God and Man to be reconciled and made one 4. Had he been God and not Man man could not have been redeemed had he been onely man and not God the Devils would have boasted but he was both God and man that our redemption might be finished and the Devils malice silenced whence wisely was our redemption shared between God and man because the arbitrement was such that a mere man could not undertake to appease a God offended neither one nor the other nature would have or could have relieved us single because he must be God that will be mediator from God to man and he must be man that he may be an intercessor to God for man and this mystery though our reason cannot fathom yet our belief must reach it our faith must believe what our hearts and tongues cannot expresse our faith is then proficient when it hath attained so high and not before for we can say more by silence then by words when we find him in our souls by Hallelujahs and praise we shall then know thee O Saviour not for thy self but our selves and it is our faith to believe that as thou art so shall we be though not so fully therefore let every one make it his request O that thou wouldst come down from heaven and dwell in our hearts by faith and love who out of love to mankind came in flesh when faith and truth were banished out of the earth and that thou shouldst so come as to say To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world c. And so much may suffice for that part of his incarnation the end of his coming I now come to that of his Nativity his coming into the world and here three things are to be considered 1. The Dignity of his person 2. The Humility of his condescention 3. The Place of his entertaintainment 1. The Dignity of his person in that he was the Sonne of God 2. The Humility of his condescention in that he would clothe himself with the rags of our mortality 3. The Place unworthy of his enterment being the world Of these in their order 1. The Dignity of his person and that as he is the Sonne of God by nature and as in his Birth the most noble person that ever was on the Fathers side he is God very God the very God of one substance with the Father as you have heard and which to deny is no lesse then blasphemy for when he calls God Father the Iewes knew that thereby he made himself equall with God St. John 10.33 He as Gods Sonne was alwayes with the Father and so everlastingly great as he was God and not onely so but he was full of dignity on his Mothers side as he was descended from the Patriarchs and Royal Kings of Iudah so he was a Prince renowned 1. For his authority because he doth what he will both in heaven and in earth Psal 13.5 6. in the sea and in all deep places 2. For his power St. Mar. 4.41 he commands the wind and the waves and they obey him 3. For the largeness of his dominions heaven and earth is his Psal 72.8 and the fulness thereof his dominion is from one part of heaven and earth unto the other 4. For multitude of Subjects Angels Saints and Kings yea and those that depose Kings are his Subjects either voluntarily
or against their wils for he sits down among the Gods 5. For lasting his Dominion is everlasting and he shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever Psal 16.11 6.7 and of his Kingdome there shall be no end St. Luke 1.33 6. For fulness In his presence is fulness of joy c. 7. For subduing of enemies Bring those my enemies that would not that I should reign over them c. St. Luke 19.27 But why go I about to describe that which is infinite or blazon the glory of a power that is incomprehensible It made holy David cry out Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him c. Psal 8.4 Man is as a thing of nought for when he was not guilty being innocent and had not sinned he could merit no favour but when he was guilty and by sinning had deserved not to be what he was before yet then God to shew the freeness of his mercy that he who had made the world for man would not make man for nothing and though his Image was defaced by him yet he would not have it ruinated that goodness that planted him in uprightness would not have him presently destroyed when found in wickedness no he was prone to mercy though provoked to wrath by beholding that in man which his infinite Power never created and therefore to this purpose he came into the world 1 St. John 3.8 that he might destroy the works of the devil To apply this Since God was pleased so to honour us as not to redeem us with corruptible things 1 St. Pet. 1.18 as silver and gold nor with the bloud of buls and goats nor the power of men and Angels but by the death and passion of his own Son St. John 3.16 of his own Substance If God so loved us that he gave his only begotten Son for us why should we think any thing too much for him or through the ambition and pride of our hearts think our selves too good to serve him or imagine we can be happy without him Or on the contrary let us not suppose our sins to be more and greater then he is able or willing to pardon since God is pleased to send his Son to redeem you why should you think your selves too good to serve him let the beasts be sensual and the divels wicked why should you be scornful or so far degenerate as to do any action that may intitle you to the insensibleness of the one or to the losse of the other to be ungrateful to the God of Heaven is impious therefore bear your selves worthy of the Favourites of Heaven since Gods Son came into the world to redeem you And so I come to the second thing noted in his coming namely The humility of his Condescention If love to the Father and respect to our souls became to the Son of God so strong and powerful an inducement as to cause him to humble himself so far as in his own person to come and bear witness to the Truth then thou art inexcusable O man that sees the Truths of God opposed his Worship represt his Ministers supprest and dost not what thou canst to maintain the truth for every one in his proportion and degree to this end is born and comes into the world that he after the example of his Saviour should bear witness to the truth And so I come to the Nativity it self Christs coming into the world Came into the world We read in Scripture of a threefold coming of Christ 1. Imperiously To give the Law 2. Graciously To give the Gospel 3. Gloriously When he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The first was to the world the second in the world and the third will be at the end of the world In the first he came as a God In the second as a Saviour In the third he will come like a Iudge to require an account of every man for every particular action whether it be good or whether it be evil His first coming under the Law in Levitical types is not here intended but the coming mentioned in this place is his second coming when he came as a Saviour to give the Gospel Christ Jesus who is God-man thus came into the world and because as God he is omnipresent some will have his presence in every place and his being in every thing 't is true he was with us before he came to us but that God that is omnipresent and fils all places yet hath divers tranmsissions in Scripture Heaven is his place or throne of glory and earth his foot-stool but he is said to come to us when he manifests himself to us after a new manner and this coming of his is by an act of new Mercy he that is all Mercy now vouchsafed to his Creatures a new way of coming such as was never manifested before for he came to the old world in types and figures he was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world when the Elect was Christ was there not only as the second person in the sacred Trinity but as a Propitiation for man in short he alwayes came in purpose he early came in the Promises and he successfully came in the fulness of time the Promises could not be frustrated and the Prophets could not be mistaken he is given to us in the Gospel and married to us by his Spirit having assumed our flesh in the blessed Virgin and that he should thus come to us was great humility from sitting in Heaven and hearing the Quire of Angels singing his praises working wonders in heaven and in earth c. yet he forsook all this to find us out who were rolling in clay for when he came to glorifie our nature we were in trouble we could be found in no condition but that of misery when he bowed the heavens and came down he then turned the name of Majesty into Pity his Glory into Humility and laying aside his Glory he leapt from that his Greatness and came and dwelt among us clothed in flesh indeed had he come in the form of an Angel that had been condescention or but to our flesh or had he but come to the circumcision of his flesh that had been a large extent of his love for his circumcision was no other than the shedding of his most precious bloud one drop whereof would have been sufficient for the ransome of a world but he took upon him the form of a servant and that to wash his Disciples feet which was a step lower for God to tread nay lower than that he humbled himself to the death and that of the crosse 2 Phil. 8. where he found his enemies to be his Judges and those that hated him falsly to accuse his sacred Works but both divided for there you have one drawing up a charge against his life and here another answering for his life here one proclaiming his innocency there another crying out he is
guilty yet notwithstanding amidst the many divided tongues there are found some united hands to slay him Indeed the Atheists scoffe at this saying shall we begin our Religion at a Babe in the manger or believe in him whose poverty was so great that to pay tribute for his allegiance was fain to be obliged to a Fish for money whose penury necessitated him to beg for a living who was hungry and thirsty and sleepy and sorrowful yea so despicably mean and contemptible that his own kindred was ready to lay hands on him as one out of his wits and he complained for want of lodging esteeming himself more despicable than the foxes of the earth or the fowles in the air this was the esteem or very little better which the world had of him of whom they were altogether unworthy not considering why he so came for he came to be thus mean that we might become honourable therefore did he come to be killed by sinners that sinners might live in his death to die for them that they might die to sin and though they now crucifie afresh the Son of God by their iniquities yet a time will come when they will be glad of the saving virtue of one drop of that bloud which they now disgrace To apply this If the Son of God came in such humility as to humble himself to come into the world to die for us why should we disdain to do our friends good though never so mean even to the degree of a servant seeing that when the Son of God came to redeem us he did it in the form of a servant Again why should we think our selves too good to serve our brethren since Christ disdained not to wash his Disciples feet shewing himself in nothing so much as in humility And what doth this teach us but to lay a foundation for greater glory that we beginning in humility here may be raised to glory hereafter for he that is low shall be exalted and in his humility is a follower of him that came to the place of his reception in the lowest form which brings me to the third particular namely The place of his entertainment the World And it is taken two wayes 1. Either for the frame of this vast Globe 2. Or for the Inhabitants thereof But I understand it here for the fabrick of this vast earth which is too mean and altogether unworthy to entertain him nay it is not of capacity to do it for how should this great house hold his glorious Majesty when the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him It was humility for him to come into this world and yet he came to the world to shew his humility for the Word was made flesh St. John 1.14 and dwelt among us c. and he abhorred not the Virgins womb though a simple Lady I mean simple in respect of outward glory or worldly riches for so poor she was that at her Churching she was necessitated instead of a Lamb to offer a pair of young Pigeons and though he did seem to straiten himself at his conception because he had little room in the womb yet he was more straitened at his birth for there was no room for him in the Inne which shews the greatness of his love to us that our blessed Saviour will want room on earth rather than we shall want Mansions in heaven the blessed Virgin is driven to so great necessity that her chamber must be in the stable her bed no better than that of straw and the glorious Babe lodged in no other cradle but that of the manger Never was Glory in so homely a place before God at first brought forth man like a King and placed him in Paradise to rule over the Beasts but God is brought forth man in the place of beasts See then vile man who it is whom thou hast neglected in Heaven by sinning on earth the Lord of Men and Angels is now made the companion of Beasts because thou hast made thy self like the beasts that perish how canst thou not admire at the low condescention of thy Saviour that he should so come into the world and be born of such mean parents and in so base a place as is a stable and that which is worse to be laid in a manger also O the heighth and depth of the love of the Son of God! Who would not fall into admiration to see God in a manger God is in his holy Temple what shall he descend Yea we believe him when he said he would do so and now that he hath so done who can forbear loving of him view him in the manger and there you see him become food for beasts for men who are transformed by beastly lusts and yet he will be found in the Temple also that so he may gather both great and small he is meat for strong men yea and he will be milk to the little ones also and unless every one of us become as little ones St. Matt. 18.3 we shall in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven he was born that he might have us born again he was wrapt in swadling-cloths to teach us that we should not despise men how mean soever in appearance and in a stable to shew his communicableness to all persons he was laid in a manger not for food to the beasts but for bread to men Indeed as he is God he gives fodder to the cattle of the earth and the fowles in the air for he feeds the young Ravens but it is only unto men that he gives himself as bread and in a mystery was he found in a stable to shew us that as men became beasts by their fall so he was found among the beasts that he might be food for all and that beastly man might find and tast the bread of life he will also become bread that so we may indeed eat his flesh and drink his bloud St. John 6.55 Therefore since Christ came in such elements hence learn Use That none but clean beasts must eat of such food and none but such truly can do it those that consider not what is really the body and bloud of Christ eat not bread and drink not wine 1 Cor. 11.29 but eat and drink their own condemnation but they that by a true and lively faith do eat and drink the body and bloud of Christ spiritually in the blessed Eucharist do truly fulfil the great end of his coming into the world for thus he came and was born that we might reap the benefit of his life and death and he came so meanely that his poverty might enrich us so lowly that his humility might strengthen us and though we disdainfully neglected the means of our salvation yet he took care of us before all time and manifested his love in coming to us in the fulness of time Ttherfore to wind up all Praise thou the Lord O my soul Ps 103.1 2 3 4 c.
and all that is within me praise his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thy iniquities and healeth all thy infirmities which saveth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles for he will not deal with us after our sins nor reward us according to our iniquities Testis fidelis OR A faithfull Witness SERMON VII St. IOHN 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth Introduction THe words of my Text are like the eye of a well-drawn picture that still which way soever you go looks towards you for which way so ever you consider the words they still have reference to all the parts and circumstances of Christs coming in the flesh if you look upon his conception which coming was foretold by an Angel as witness thereof S. Luke 1.31 yet there it was but the preparation to that coming which is in my text viz. his Nativity which is not left without a witness neither in that St. Stephen one of the twelve who was to testifie of him is joyned next unto the birth-day of our Saviour he being the first that suffered for him and therefore called by the Holy Catholick Church St. Stephens day but that Protomartyr who here is a witness to that witness in my Text did witness what the great witness did both do and suffer but that this truth might be established by more then a single testimony our Mother the Church doth celebrate St. Iohns day in commemoration of that beloved Disciple whose faithful affection begot in him an Eagles eye wherewith to behold those glorious mysteries which none else of all the Disciples were able to reveal and that we might not be without occasions of stirring up our affections also God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son and here is the onely begotten Son so loving that he gives himself for us and as his Disciples testified the truth of Christ living and dying so the innocent babes slain for his sake by cruel Herod did witness to the truth not by speaking but by dying but he who is the great witnes both by speaking dying did bear witness for us while himself was an infant antedating his cruel passion by a bloody circumcision instituted as a pledge of our interest in his covenant which was wonderfully effected by his own person when manifested in the world hence the Epiphany is famous for the wise men who first made discovery of this blessed babe by the guidance of an unusual light and here now is that star of Iacob which leads to the rising in his birth and by this was the King of the Jewes first found out that afterwards by his people was betrayed into the hands of enemies to be condemned as a malefactor and as an enemy to Caesar and that with the greatest formality of justice being brought before a President and arraigned for his life and yet notwithstanding their malice and cruelty he still asserted his innocencie though he knew he should die for it and therefore he saith To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness of the truth Look upon the words once more and they present you with the faithfulness and constancy of our blessed Saviours testimony even then when he was deserted by his most intimate friends and servants and at that time especially wherein as man he stood most in need of them being now had in examination before the Judgement-seat of Pilate wherein you have fulfilled that saying of his that he came to his own and his own received him not Nay he was so far from being received by them that he was forsaken by all despised of most and pitied by few and yet herein also he came to do his Fathers will by a willing death witnessing to that truth which some had foresworn and others denyed saying To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth In which words you may remember I have observed these parts 1. An action 2. An end 3. The object 1. The action he was born he came into the world 2. The end 1. pointed at 2. pointed out 1. Pointed at to this end and for this cause 2. Pointed out to bear witness 3. The object the truth And whereas the end in every action is first in intention though last in execution I did begin with the end the right end and that pointed at To this end and for this cause c. and I came to the second thing namely 2. The action which was Christs incarnation and his coming into the world To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world and come now to the third thing the end of the action wherefore he came and why he was born and that is 3. The object the truth to bear witness And to bear witness to the truth and in this third part there are two things considerable 1. The end 2. The object The one in reference unto Christ the other unto Christians 1. In reference unto Christ as the primary intention of them and so the words concern our Saviour as he was a witness unto the truth in his own person 2. In the extent of them so they concern us for we also are to bear witness to the truth and as in the testimony of our Saviour so in ours there must concurre to demonstrate our fidelity 1. The end 2. The action 3. The object For we are in our particular station to bear witness to the truth as well as others for Christ in all the ages of the world hath still had some faithful servants to witness for him though they continually met with opposition For though under the Law witnesse was given unto him at divers times and in sundry manners c. yet not onely the vain errours of the Gentiles but also the careless perversness of the Iewes led multitudes of people into a disbelief of God himself and the truth of our blessed Saviours coming into the world insomuch that the Prophet Esay saith Who hath believed our report Esay 53.1 Yea the people changed the truths of God into lies and caused the way of truth to be evill spoken of endeavouring by all means if possible to banish truth out of the earth but notwithstanding all their malicious oppositions the truths of God were not left without record for there is not any one person in the Sacred Trinity but bears witnesse to the truth for there are three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one St. John 5.7 The Father promising the holy Ghost preparing and the Son assuming or taking what was
is but a lame consent yeilded by constraint for he that by a Tyrant is compelled with force of punishment to deny the Truth doth in a sort deny and not deny he denies it outwardly with his lips but his heart greives inwardly for the same because his conscience bears witness to the Truth but he that with a wicked life is given wholly to sin that he hath all his delights in it that man hath made himself perfect in evil 4. From the more full signification we do signifie more of wickedness to be in us by our works than by our words he sits at a farre greater denial of truth that denies it by a wicked life than he that denies it onely with his lips for fear of death though both these are great aggravations since in our lives words and works we are to bear witness to the Truth for to this end were we born and for this cause came we into the world c. Application Our Saviour bids Let your light so shine before men c. Saint Matthew 5.6 then we may hence learn that those that should light others to Heaven by their Doctrine must not darken their way by the evil example of an unholy life and not only must Ministers but people also let the light of holiness appear visible in their lives When God places a man a private Christian in the lower Orbe he puts him there to shine like a starre bright and clear in his own sphere Christians should shine and bear witness in their lives and be cautious how they walk because every sin puts a dimness upon the soul and darkness internal can expect no other but to go to darkness eternal and therefore St. Peter saith that our good works should make those that look on us as evil doers glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Saint Peter 2.12 There be some that must believe in Christ throughout the world and witness his Truth to unbelievers by a holy life and why may it not belong to us but if on the contrary we be found to live as they live how shall they be brought to believe as we believe It was the saying of a Heathen If I did see the Christians lives better I should think their faith better than mine Religion and the Doctrines of Faith are often disgrac'd by wicked Professors 1 Tim. 1.6 7. the rebellion of a Christian that is a Servant though to an Heathen Master brings a scandal both upon God and on holy Religion Sure I am God and Religion is very much disgrac'd and the Gospel dishonoured and the Church of Christ abused by the wicked lives of those that are called the Sons of the Church Oh therefore that by holy lives judicious reading faithful hearing and constant studying and meditating in the wayes of God and the Truths of God we would make our selves able and ready to give an account of the hope that is in us that so both in our knowledge and practice we bearing witness to the Truth here on earth we may have the truth in our consciences to bear witness to our selves that we are the Sons of God that so he that ascended into Heaven to take possession of his own Glory may in time bring us thither who himself affirmed and after whose example we should walk that as he was born and came into the world to bear witness to the truth so we should also account of our selves that we were born and that we came into the world that we might bear witness to the truth that we came into the world this Christian world to witness to the truth as common Christians that we came into the world the Church of God as members thereof to justifie that faith by a holy life unto which our parents had baptized us still indeavouring to carry the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus that as he did so we came into the world to bear witness to the truth for he justified himself before the judgement-seat of Pilate saying in the words of my Text To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth The end of the Sermons Dr. Hewit's publique Prayer after Sermon O HOLY HOLY HOLY Lord God of heaven and earth heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord glory be to thee glory be to thee glory be to thee for all those infinite favours which thou of thine infinite goodnesse hast voucsafed to us who are lesse then the least of all thy mercies for the fountain of all mercies Jesus Christ in whom thou hast loved us with an everlasting love before ever we or the world were made that thou hast created us after thine own Image and redeemed us by the bloud of Jesus Christ when we were utterly lost that thou hast called us with an holy calling and in some measure sanctified us by the graces of thy holy Spirit that thou hast spared us thus long and given us so long and so large a time of repentance when as thou mightest have cut us off in the midst of our transgressions whilst we were rebelling against thee Blessed be thy name O Lord for all thy mercies vouchsafed unto us thy mercies to allure us thy promises to wooe us thy patience and long-suffering towards us to lead us to repentance thy corrections to reclaime us thy judgements to affright and better us blessed by thy name for all opportunities of wel-doing for all hinderances of evill-doing for all the good purposes and resolutions thou hast put into our hands to draw our souls from the dregs of sin and ignorance into the glory of thy Saints for any assistance that thou hast given to any of us in any holy performance for the Communion of thy Saints the aide of their counsels the benefit of their Prayers the comfort of their conversations the protection of thy Holy Angels for all corporall spirituall temporall and eternall mercies mercies concerning this life and mercies concerning the life to come Blessed be thy name for thy mercies to us all the dayes of our lives thy mercies unto us this present day for the light thereof the greater light the light of thy truth to shine into our soules to guide our feet into the way of all truth For that portion of Scripture wherein thou hast been pleased to reveal thy self unto us at this time Lord though it be sowne in much weaknesse do thou raise it up in great power let it not be as water spilt upon the ground but let it be as seed sown in good ground that it may take deep root downward in our hearts by faith and bring forth much fruit upwards in our lives and conversations to the glory of thy holy name to the edification of thy Church and people and to the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus Christ to whom with thy self and holy Spirit we desire to