William Burkitt (1650-1703) Church of England clergyman and devotional writer.

(On Hebrews 12:26)
"As if the apostle had said, "The voice of God, at the promulging of the law on mount Sinai, shook the earth; but he promised after this to shake all nations, and that Christ, the expected Messias, the desire of all nations, should come, which is now fulfilled."

Question. But what means our apostle by God's shaking not the earth only, but also heaven?

Answer. He means thereby all the Mosaical worship, all the Judaical state, those were shaken at the coming of Christ, in order to the introduction of the immoveable gospel-state, which was perpetually to remain. Learn hence, That the coming of the Messias was to be the last dispensation of God for the salvation of mankind, and consequently was to be perpetual and unchangeable. The apostle argues from the words, once more, that the former dispensation should be removed to make way for that which should perpetually remain.  Several things are here asserted by our apostle,

1. That there were some things which were intended by God to be shaken, namely, the Levitical priesthood, and all the Jewish sacrifices and services; these things were to be shaken, moved, yea, altogether removed out of the way.

2. That there were things that could not be shaken or removed, but remain; these were the gospel-state, the Christian religion, which shall continue until time shall be no more.

3. That the former things were removed, that the latter might be introduced and established; the law and the gospel were inconsistent; the legal and evangelical administration could not stand in force together, therefore there was a necessity for the nulling of the one, in order to the establishing of the other. 

4. That the removal of the law, to bring the more perfect administration of the gospel, doth prove the stability and immutability of the gospel, that it stands fast forever; there shall be no more shaking, no farther alteration in matters of religion to the end of the world. For thus it follows." (Many Thanks to Bill Kuegler)

SAYINGS CREDITED TO BURKITT

Gifts are as gold that adorns the temple; grace is like the temple that sanctifies the gold.

He praiseth God best that serveth and obeyeth Him most: the life of thankfulness consists in the thankfulness of the life.

Look carefully that love to God and obedience to His commands be the principle and spring from whence thy actions flow; and that the glory of God and the salvation of thy soul be the end to which all thy actions tend; and that the word of God be thy rule and guide in every enterprise and undertaking. "As many as walk by this rule, peace be unto them, and mercy."

Speak not in high commendation of any man to his face, nor censure any man behind his back; but if thou knowest anything good of him, tell it unto others; if anything ill, tell it privately and prudently to himself.
 

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

Henry Clissold
REV. WILLIAM BURKITT. DIED 1703. AGED ABOUT 53.

THIS pious divine was vicar and lecturer of Dedham, in Essex; and is well known by his excellent commentary on the New Testament. A seven days' conflict with a very malignant fever carried him off. He was, according to his desire, taken with his death-sickness upon a Lord's day, when he was in the service of God at church, and he went to keep his everlasting Sabbath upon the Lord's-day after, about eleven of the clock in the forenoon.

When he came to lie upon his death-bed, there was a sweet calmness and serenity upon his spirit, and expression of his glorious hopes. I will give you his words, when he took his solemn leave on the Friday night after the fit was returned that proved fatal; they were these, " I shall leave you, but may the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be with you; may the presence of the Holy Trinity be with you: I hope to see you again with joy at the resurrection of the just;" and he added, " What you have seen in When his friends about him bewailed their great loss, which they feared was coming upon them by his departure, he desired them not to be too much concerned for him; " for to him," he said, " to live would be Christ, and to die would be gain," and added, " that God would provide for them." He blessed God that he had finished what he designed upon the New Testament, and that the way of it was prepared and ushered in with very many prayers of his; and he hoped, through God's blessing, it would prove beneficial to many, and especially to his own people. me that is good and imitable, follow it; but what you have observed in me that is not so, let not your affection and love to me sway you to it."

There were several persons by his dying bed, who having declared that under God he had been the instrument of their conversion, put him into an ecstasy of joy. So happily fruitful was his ministry.- His patience in his last sickness was very exemplary. He declared that God made his sick bed easy to him, and said, " he had preached patience, and wrote of patience, and therefore was bound to practise patience." The concluding scene of his life was a continual course of prayer, thanksgiving, and cheerful resignation to the will of God. He counselled those about him to remember what he had instructed them in from the pulpit, and in private, and that they would order their lives agreeably thereunto : his natural temper was of the happiest and best sort, cheerful enough, and withal very serious. This holy man, a very little time before his expiring breath, signifying his desire to leave this life, prayed in these words, " Come, Lord Jesus3."
3 Nath. Parkhurst, Vicar of Yoxford, Suffolk ; Biog. Diet.

REFLECTION.—In disease, decay, and the prospect
of death, great is the comfort of the Christian, resting as he does on the words of divine truth, " I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." When we meditate on such words, we see why it may be said of this servant of God, "when he came to lie upon his death-bed, there was a sweet calmness and serenity upon his spirit, and expression of his glorious hopes."  (Last hours of Christians; or, An account of the deaths of some eminent, p. 174-175)

William Burkitt was born in Hitcham, Suffolk, England on July 25, 1650.

He studied at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, earning a B. A. in 1668 and M. A. in 1672. He became a Church of England curate at Milden, Suffolk, about 1672, and vicar of Dedham in 1692.

Burkitt died in Essex on Oct. 24, 1703.

William Burkitt is known for his Bible commentary, Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament (Matthew through John published 1700, Acts through Revelation published 1703). C. H. Spurgeon regarded Burkitt's commentary as a "goodly volume," and recommended "attentive perusal" of it.