due respect to those to whom he giveth his Testimony and who agreeth and doth not contradict himself and yet is bold and couragious speaking with freedom hence you shall find that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used about the testimony that the Apostles did bear to the truth a free bold testimony in any cause doth it great service while the stammering lisping Witness that useth no freedom in his Speech rather hurteth a cause than doth it good the Scripture speaketh much of and commendeth a Christians boldness a boldness in Faith and Prayer and a boldness in a bearing testimony to our Lord when we are not afraid of the Faces of men that would outface the truths of God a Christian should be bold in the Faith bold in Prayer and bold in his Confession 7. Let your Testimony be a hearty testimony a free ready chearful testimony God loveth a chearful giver saith the Apostle indeed in all our Gifts unto God it is so God loveth a freedom and chearfulness of Spirit we should not be subpoena'd into a Testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ indeed we are subpoena'd by that dreadful Text Matth. 9. A Christian should give a Testimony freely not to provoke and challenge danger and dare a Trial but when he seeth suffering at hand so that God calleth him to give a testimony to him and to the truths of the Gospel then chearfulness becometh a Christian chearfulness as it is opposed to grudging 8. I will add but one thing more it should be a patient Testimony Rev. 19 St. John giveth this Character of himself I John who also am your Brother and Companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Patience under evils is what is often called for in Scripture and pressed upon the Servants of God with a great variety of Arguments by a patient Testimony I understand three things 1. A patient continuance in the Testimony of Christ a flitting and incertain Christian in the truths of God who is of one mind to day and another mind to morrow is no good Witness in the cause of Christ semper idem is the true Motto of every Christian of every such Witness he that is one day of one mind another day of another like a Wave of the Sea tossed about may possibly get to Heaven at last as through fire but he is no good Witness for Christ you know amongst men a good Witness must abide by his testimony if he varieth his testimony is weakned Therefore Christians are highly concerned to examine Propositions well before they profess them and when they profess them to think well with themselves before they part with them a man never is a good witness for the Lord in that point wherein he hath been incertain himself 2. It must be a patient testimony with respect unto those affronts which he may suffer from men while he is giving his Testimony a good and steady Witness in your Courts is not moved by the affronts of any Lawyer that setteth himself to baffle him out of his Testimony he that is a good Witness in the cause of Christ must not be affected at the affronts of Men that would baffle him out of his Testimony he must be patient both as to the flatteries and enticements of enemies and also as to their frowns and menaces 3. A patient Testimony must be a Testimony attended with that patience which they had need of who may suffer for giving their Testimony for though no Man ought to suffer for bearing Witness to the truth yet there is nothing more ordinary then for men and women to suffer for giving a Testimony unto truth and thus now I have shewed you what kind of Testimony it is that every good Christian is bound to give unto the Lord. I have but two things more to do first to encourage you to it by some Arguments then to direct you in the fulfilling of it now for Arguments to perswade you not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ you have heard enough already I have shewed you a Ten-fold Obligation lying upon you 1. It is the Will of God 2. Remember Christ is your Lord 3. You cannot otherwise shew your gratitude to him for that Testimony which he gave for you 4. Thus you shall be conformable unto Christ and what is behind of the suffering of Christ shall be filled up in you 5. Remember the nature of the Gospel and of the truths of it 6. Consider the Station which you take up in the World of a Witness a Souldier a Child to our Heavenly Father a Servant to a Heavenly Master 7. Remember the private Law that you have laid upon your selves 8. Remember the duty which lieth upon you to be conformable to your fellow members 9. Remember the danger of forbearing and the reward of your giving this Testimony 10. Consider your oneness with the Members of Christ after all these what need any further Arguments yet because we are of our selves not forward unto this our Hearts are awk and backward to the partaking of the affliction of the Gospel and averse to the giving of this Testimony let me by way of a further Argument in this cause name to you and press upon you the Arguments which the Apostle useth in this place and by which he himself presseth this Exhortation 1. The first lieth in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the power of God One great discouragement that is upon our Spirits to keep us in a day of Testimony that we should not testify is the fear we should never be able to speak and to give our Testimony To give a Testimony for our Lord is a noble thing to receive a Crown the Crown of Martyrdom is a great dignity But when the Lord by his providence seeketh out for us to set this Crown upon our Heads we too frequently hide our selves and the reason is we distrust our selves but Christian fear not we shall have the power of God it is a wonderful thing to observe that the power of God hath been so seen in no other thing as in this you read of a Testimony that Stephen gave to the Gospel First a vocal then a real Testimony Acts 6.9 10. And they were not able to resist the Wisdom and the spirit by which he spake Stephen had then a dispute with the Libertines The power and presence of God from the beginning of the Gospel hath been seen in nothing more than in Gods assistance of his Witnesses you have a promise Luke 12.12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say Matth. 10.19 20. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what you shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak For it is not you that speak but the spirit of your heavenly Father which speaketh in you Luke saith When they bring you unto the Synagogues and unto
Magistrates and powers take no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that same hour what you ought to say It is a promise that some have applied to the assistance of God in the performance of other duties as Prayer Preaching c. and it may be there hath been but an ill use made of that promise the promise in the first place manifestly relateth to a time of testimony I do not say but there is a dabitur in hora which those who are much with God in Prayer and which the Ministers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 experience but that promise respectâ—â—â— not that so much as it respecteth men in confession and their Testimony for Christ in giving our Testimony for Christ the Spirit of God shall assist words shall be given us in that hour and courage and strength shall be given us in that hour you shall not give a Testimony for the Gospel you shall not suffer affliction for the Gospel in your own strength it shall be according to the power of God the Holy Ghost shall teach you what to say and what to do and you shall experience that it is not you that speak and act but the Spirit that dwelleth in you what you do in this case shall be according to the power of God you shall not spend meerly upon your own Stock you shall spend upon Christs Stock when you are upon Christs Service you shall spend upon the fulness of the Spirit of God and there have been many experiences of those that could never find the presence of God so strong in the consolation of their Spirits as in that hour be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord for not only the thing which you testify is the Testimony of the Lord but your action in testifying the testimony which you give shall be from the Lord the Holy Ghost speaking in you so that this is a great Argument it is a standing up for Christ and the Spirit of God shall use your tongue and your hand 2. Another Argument the Apostle useth is frâ—â— the nature of the truth to which you testify and the person for whom you testify You testify for the truth which bringeth eternal Salvation you testify for him who hath called you with an holy calling and he hath done this freely not according to your works but according to his own grace for him who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Apostle saith He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation I told you before that every one is a debtor unto truth there is such a cognation betwixt a rational Soul and Truth that every rational Soul is a debtor to truth he is a debtor to own the truth as to himself and to own the truth as to another and I told you by how much a truth is of higher importance to our or anothers interest by so much a Man or Woman is a greater debtor a Man is a debtor to the truth when it concerneth but his honour and reputation and when it concerneth his estate but much more when it concerneth Life and so when it is for his Brother by how much his Brother is more concerned by so much he is more obliged and as the nature of the truth raiseth his obligation so the relation of the person increaseth it a Man is bound by the Law of charity to give testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Neighbour much more on the behalf of his Brother and higher yet on the behalf of his Father or Mother that begat him and brought him forth but yet his obligation riseth higher when it is for his Saviour for him who hath done him the greatest kindness that ever was done without which he had better never have been born such is the Testimony that we are bound to give unto Christ The truth is of highest import the person is of the highest concern Oh! be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God to your Salvation of the Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to light you testify for Christ who Witnessed a good confession before Pilate who hath done more for you than all the friends you ever had in the World could do for him who hath called you with an holy calling this is another Argument to enforce this Exhortation the consideration for whom and for what this Testimony is given 3. Another Argument which the Apostle bringeth here to perswade Timothy not to be ashamed of this Testimony is his own example v. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed The Apostle saith God is not ashamed to be called their God And he saith of Christ Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call us Brethnen Shall we be ashamed to testify his truth Shall we be ashamed of the name of his Witnesses And observe the reason why the Apostle saith he is not ashamed I am not ashamed for I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 4. Let me use one Argument further with you Blessed be God we yet can say as Heb. 12.4 You have not yet resisted unto Blood striving against sin There are divers Arguments in that Text to make a Christian valiant in his spiritual fight 1. That a Christians fight is against sin 2. That in this fight of Christians against sin we ought if called to it to resist unto Blood 3. By how much the lesser the Trial is that God calleth to us to undergo by so much the greater obligation is upon us to endure it all a Christians fight and striving is against sin He giveth a Testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospel it is against sin to prevent the coming in of damnable errors which would sink the Souls of people into eternal ruine and destruction he giveth a Testimony for the pure Worship of God it is to keep out Superstition and Idolatry he giveth a Testimony for the Government of Christ this is also against sin against those that say the Lord shall not rule over them or others but we will rule over you all our fight all the resistance that we make is against sin Now the fight against sin is so noble a fight that every good man ought to resist unto Blood rather to die than to sin against God or to suffer sin to prevail in the World but now when God doth not call us to lay down our Lives but only to bear a lower Testimony there our obligation riseth much higher if God had called us to lay down our Lives should we not do it How much more when the Lord only calleth us to give a Testimony St. John Rev. 6.9 saw them under the Altar that were slain for the Testimony that they
to God such was this name Timothy some think Timothy was born at Lystra a place in Asia there Paul found him Acts 16.1.2 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certain Disciple was there named Timotheus the Son of a certain Woman which was a Jewess and believed but his Father was a Greek Which was well reported of by the Brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium chap. 14.6 They were awâ—re of it and fled unto Lystra and Derbe Cities of Lycaonia His Father was a Greek his Mother was a Jew Acts 16.1 Her name was Eunice her Mother Lois they brought him up from a Child in the knowledge of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also chap. 3.41 15. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus His Father being a Greek he was not circumcised at his birth but afterwards Acts 16.1 2 3. After which Paul took him about with him in his Travels and made great use of him sometimes he was sent as a Messenger 1 Tim. 5.11 Sometimes as a Preacher and he had many bodily weaknesses so as he was glad to drink a little wine for his stomach sake but he abounded with excellent graces faith wisdom temperance he was at last ordained a Minister with the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands the Apostle telleth us he had none like minded to him Phil. 2.19.20 21 22. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state V. 20. For I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state For all seek their own V. 21. not the things which are Jesus Christs V. 22. But you know the proof of him that as a Son with the Father he hath served with me in the Gospel he calls him his Brother his Beloved Son faithful in the Lord his natural Son in the faith the Minister of God his fellow helper he joineth him with himself At last he leaveth him at Ephesus but he seemeth not to have been there when he wrote this Epistle 2 Tim. 4.12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus This Epistle seemeth to have been written the last of the Epistles and a little before Pauls death 2 Tim. 4.6 For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand Paul died as is said in the 37th year after Christ in the 14th year of the reign of Nero. This Epistle as the rest consisteth of a Preface wherein is shewed the substance of the Gospel the Preface is in the five first verses The substance of the Epistle is hortatory consolatory and minatory he exhorteth Timothy v. 6. To stir up the gift of God that was in him and this he presseth by some arguments v. 6.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind in the verse where the text is he exhorteth him not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ nor of him though a prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel which he presseth by several arguments to the end of the 12th verse This verse is made up of an Exhortation and the Argument the Exhortation is in three branches 1. Not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord Jesus 2. Not to be ashamed of St. Paul who was at this time a prisoner 3. To partake of the afflictions of the Gospel the Propositions of the text are these Prop. 1. That Ministers and Christians have a testimony to give unto our Lord Jesus Christ in the giving of which they are not to decline a Prison Prop. 2. That it is the duty of faithful Ministers and People not to be ashamed to give this testimony nor of others when they do give it Prop. 3. There are Afflictions that are proper to the Gospel Prop. 4. That both Ministers and People ought to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel Prop. 5. It must be through the power of God that any one is inabled to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel According to the power of God It is the third of these only that I intend to make the subject of my discourse the others will fall in in the handling of that Prop. That it is the duty both of Gospel Ministers and Christians owning the Gospel not to be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ nor of the afflictions of the Gospel but to be partakers of them In the handling of this Proposition there are these Questions which I shall speak unto in their order Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Qu. 2. What afflictions are they which are said to be the afflictions of the Gospel Qu 3. When may men be said to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord and how far are we bound not to be so Qu. 4. Why are we bound not to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ and why ought we not to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ A Testimony is an attestation which any one giveth concerning any person or concerning any thing In every testimony there is to be considered three things 1. The Person who giveth the Testimony 2. The Thing to which the Testimony is given 3. The Way by which the Testimony is given As to the present Testimony of which we are speaking the Persons that give it are the Ministers of the Gospel such a one was Timothy but they are not all so Rev. 6.9 St. John saith I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held every Minister is a special witness and to bear his Testimony and every good Christian is also to be a witness It is said of Christ 1 Tim. 6.13 who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession every Christian ought in this to be conformable unto Christ 2. Another thing which is to be considered in a Testimony is the thing or person to which it relateth for the term Testimony is a Relative word and the proper Correlate to it is Truth which relates again either to a Proposition or to a matter of fact no person can be under any obligation to give Testimony to a lie but now truth relateth either to a Proposition or