they please whereas the Lord of Lords hath commanded to keepe his ordinaunces pure and therefore it is a great arrogancy against God and his ordinaunces for men to lay any law upon Gods ministers how they should order Gods house nay happy were the church of God if Pastours were not thus led away that those which are appoynted over the church of God to direct it that they themselvs are led away by others by which means religion is come to ruine let them which usurpe this authority take example by Ahaz Vzziah the King who for usurping the Priests office and presuming to offer incense was strucken with Leprosy so remained all his dayes the other for presuming to make a more costly altar By this we may see how dangerous it is to meddle with the holy things of God without a calling which is set apart for those God hath ordained for that end we are said in the scriptures to be those that are set over you to rule you and admonish and instruct you and you are commanded to obey us why is this but to shew you that we are the men which God hath given the authority and power unto to order the affayres of his house in his worship To come more particularly to speake of this keeping of it Keeping is our duty wherefore then doth the Apostle use these words that thou keepe this commandement he knew Satan would steale it away if he could pervert the Pastours by the glittering shews of honours and earthly preferment and so Satan by men of corrupt mindes hath usurped this holy order against this all Gods Servants must stand couragiously and Pastours must keepe it and hould it fast A Pastour cannot be more unfaithfull in any thing then in this to suffer the power that God hath put into his hands to be taken from him in this he is as unfaithfull to God as he can be in any thing the Preists of ould were not ashamed to oppose themselves to Kings telling them plainely to their faces that it belonged not to them but unto the Priests to doe this and that so it becometh Ministers well to say to any Magistrate under heaven that the ordering of Gods house the affaires belonging to his true worship is not in them to prescribe any other manner then the Lord Iesus Christ hath by his Apostles prescribed It is the Magistrates duty to order the common wealth and the affayres of policy but for Magistrates to take this authority from Ministers which Christ hath given them and so to betray the Church of God and deprive them of their lawfull power which Christ hath committed into their hands is an high dishonour to God and a vyolating of this grand charge which the Apostle hath so straitly commanded That this superstitious Church of Rome and the Idolatrous tricks in these points of their Religion there is more duty observed then among Christians for among them none of their Magistrates meddle with the Ministers Authority but in humility they submit to the order of their lawes to them which are their teathers whereas none are so undutifull unto God as Christians are in the reformed Church for there the Magistrate usurpes the place of Pastours and this is the cause why that amongst the Magistrats that are at this day that God treads them and their authority under foote and gives them over unto so many Iudgments all because neither God nor his servants can have that respect or honour among Christians as the servants of Satan have amongst Infidels Let us marke it then we are commanded to keepe this precept and not to suffer it to be taken from his Church This keeping hath many parts Many ment hinke it well kept if they keepe it where it is written and this they both should and ought to doe that is they must see that the Word of God perish not but that it may remaine as a perpetuall lawe to binde the conscience of the saincts unto the worlds end but this is not enough honely to keep it in print in a booke but we must have it in possessiō as Iohn is commaunded in the Revelation having a little booke given him he is commaunded to eate it they must lay it up within them in their hearts so that the teachers of Gods Word should be well instructed in those doctrines which God hath charged him withall to keepe till the end of the world This is that which Christ requires himself of every Christian that they keep his word it is not enough to lay the Bible besides thee in the house that wil serve the turn but he will have thee to read in it and to meditate in it day and night and to keep it in thy minde as the Apostles of Chist are said to lay up Christs words in their hearts and God opened the heart of Lydia that she gave heed to the things that Paul spake This is the keeping of his commaundements whenas they doe not onely keep them in writings but in their hearts and have knowledge to doe them and he commands us by keeping them to practise them so all Pastours are bound to practise them contynually and to performe whatsoever precepts concerne their duty which the Apostle hath set down in this epistle if they look that God shall approve of them in the day of their great accompt And not this onely is to be meant by the Apostle but more also that we must not suffer this commaundement to be changed or altered or to perish or decay but we must bould it in perpetual use in the house of God and if it be fallen Pastours must rayse it up if it be corrupted Pastours must reform it if it be chaunged Pastours must bring it to the auncient institution as Paul did in Corinth where hee found the celebration of the Lords supper corrupted amongst them hee reduced it to the first institution by Christ to reform them to the right practise of that duty which they had corrupted so likewise in manie other churches where the truth of doctrine concerninge justification was corrupted the Apostle in his epistle to the Romans to the Ephesians Colossians Philippians Gallatians reforming the miserable abuses wherwith Gods worship was profaned in which he reformed the errors as doth appear in these epistles to inforce their wicked harts to bow to Gods ordinaunces for the preists lips shal preserve knowledge and they shal ask the law at his mouth But alas now adayes ministers must take the lawe from other mens mouths and they must doe nothing but as other men direct them wheras it is his part to instruct all by the law of God as wee have shewed what a strait charge God hath layd on his messengers which they must not be ignorant of hee must keep this commandement that it be not altered nor corrupted I tell you that these alterations will bringe the fierce wrath of God on us we protest before God we desire to walk in the trueth
keepe this Commandement without spot Secondly hee will let us understand by this charge what difficultie Pastours shall have to continue faithfull in Gods house for they have allwais need perpetually to have this Charge laid before them and sounding in their eares that the terrours of it may keepe them in their Compasse that they may practice this duetie which the Apostle hath charged them withall because whatsoever Sathan or this wicked world can do to make Pastours to pervert the waies of God and to walke in Gods howse otherwise then God hath Commanded hee knowes that if the shepheard be smittem the flock will be stattered that the corrupting of the Pastour will corrupt the flocke therefore mainly doth hee set himselfe against them that are Pastours if hee cannot quench the gospell yet that he may pervert the gospell that it may not yeald wholsome food of salvation to Gods people First in the charge we are to marke the manner of propounding of it it is commanded that a denunciation given with authority it is not a request or an exhortation but it is a straite injunction binding the soule and conscience to necessarie obedience Secondly wee declared unto you by what authority hee commands this law he doth it not by his owne but hee chargeth him before God that quickneth all things and in the sight of Christ the Lord hee laies the authority of God of Christ before him wherefore he did this we have allready shewed you and why that Christ is ioyned with God in this Charge because wee are to set before our eyes our Iudge and our advocate in this Charge God is the judge of the world and hee will judge the world by Christ Iesus the man so that although wee be guiltie of sinne in the sight of God and that God for the same may justly damne us yet there is hope of mercy in the mediation of Christ who hath given himselfe to death for us but in the transgression of this precept the Spirit will have Pastours to know that they are not to looke unto Christ as a mediatour but to God as a judge both God and Christ shall be against him that neglecteth this precept Yea all faithlesse Pastours shall find so farre as they neglect Gods service so farre Gods wrath shall be kindled against them We began to speake of the properties which are by the Apostle added to God and Christ to make this attestation of greater force and you heard that hee sets downe God by this that hee quickneth all things and the reason why above all the properties of God he chooseth this one fact of God in the secōd place as being of greatest weight to inforce this exhortation for the greatest weight or force or feare that wee can be in is of our lives this is the greatest feare that man can put in our hearts namely to take away our liues from us now that which armes us against this is the knowledge of God that hee hath all mens lives at his disposing and that hee both gives life and takes it away at his pleasure and can restore us to life when our lives are taken away from us so that wee need not to be afraid of any creature since we know this authority of taking away our lives is onely in his hands so as none can take them away without his permission and when they take it away God can restore it againe there is no feare of the losse of life that should make a faithfull Pastour to pervert the waies of God Now wee are to speake of the particulers that are here ascribed to Christ which in order followeth next to be handled and concerning him the Apostle ads this who witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate There are many things that may be said of God to make the conscience to tremble before him besides this that is here set downe that hee quickneth all things so there may be many things said of Christ besides this that hee witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate onely the Apostle chooseth this above all the rest to set forth our obedience to this charge the reason hee gives because the cheife thing that causeth teacheth us or Pastours to walke uprighly is the example of the Prince of Pastours Christ Iesus who is the Lord and head of all Pastours and hee that makes us Pastours as the Apostle shewes us that hee is ascended up on high and gave some to be Apostles some Prophets some Pastours and Teachers hee is the Prince of our calling and the Pastour of all Pastours to teach them how to discharge the duty of their calling therefore the Apostle sets Christ for the patterne which he did in the time of the greatest danger that ever he was in the very day that he was condemned to die even before a heathen judge to teach us by his patience what wee should do that are Pastours though wee be in danger of our lives Nay though wee know that our adversaries have power given them of God to take away our lives from us yet we should do like him that is our Prince which hath laid downe this foundation before us he having witnessed a good confession in the presence of Pontius Pilate and no terrour of the judge nor cruelty of the adversary nor feare of death made him afraid to confesse Gods trueth this example should wee set before our eyes all waies And this being the generall it should teach us this lesson that Pastours that would know how to walke faithfully in Gods howse must not be ignorant of the conversation of Christ the Lord but they must looke upon his boldnes perseverance faithfullnesse to the end make him to be the onely patterne of their owne carriage in Gods howse it is not enough for a Pastour to looke how this or that man behaves himselfe but hee shall answere in the day of account according as hee hath followed Christ who is the onely rule of our behaviour according unto which his damnation shal rest be just the Apostles them selves never durst presume to teach men to follow them absolutely but they bad the saints to follow them as they followed Christ for Christ is the pattern of all righteousnesse true Christianity according to whose footsteps wee must walke if ever we thinke to raigne with Christ in glory this is the patterne which the Apostle Peter tells us that Christ also suffered the just for the vniust leaving us an example that we should follow his footsteps what hee did in the worke of his ministrie in his life conversatiō was dō to teach us how we shold walke either as Christians in generall or as dispencers of the misteries of God and this is the reason why Christ is set in the scriptures before the Church of God that they might perpetually have their eye upon him who is the author and finisher of their faith so as that hee did endure
the crosse despite the shame for the glorie that was set before him so must we endure all the afflictions that the world can lay upon us and we must stand stedfast to Gods trueth or else we may justly doubt whether ever God will save us or no so that Pastours must looke upon Christ learne of him meekenes and lowlinesse of heart piety and the true service of God This being the generall wee will come more particularly to this that the Apostle here sets downe especially in confession he sets downe Christes confession there are two things upon which depends our salvation the first is the inward action of the heart the second is the outward action of the mouth with the heart man beleeveth to righteousnes with the mouth he confesseth to salvation Now the Apostle having to do with Pastours not so much in regard of the inward disposition of their hearts as of their outward patterne therefore he speakes not a word of the inward disposition of the heart but of outward faithfullnesse and this is that which principally we are to looke into namely how Christ professed confessed witnessed this his confession for these two are to be distinguished there is confession which is the matter there is witnessing that is the fact so that we are to cōsider his confession the witnessing of it the place where that it was even under Pont. Pilate or before him so much the rather are wee to take this to heart because wee have a sad saying which Christ sets downe not onely to Pastours but to all Christians where he saieth that he◠which is ashamed of mee before men denies mee before men of him will I be ashamed before my father deny him but hee that confesseth mee before men him will I confesse before my father in heaven it is therefore a dangerous thing to erre in this seeing so heavy a sentence is given of them which confesse him not this is the point which wee are to looke unto it is not enough for Christians to glory as many foolishly do to wit of their faith that they do beleeve and yet in the meane time although they professe God in word yet they deny him in deeds as Paule saith to Titus Now God will not have this but he will have as man beleeves with the heart so he should confesse the truth with his mouth if ever he thinke to be saved the Apostles were not ashamed no not in the very sight of the scribes Pharises when they were accused and forbidden to preach in Christs name they said plainely to them judge yee whether it be better to obey God or man the whole world could not silence them when God Commanded thē to speake he wil never hold his peace frō that which Christ had made him a witnesse unto Now all Pastours are Christs witnesses as Christ saieth hee hath chosen them to be witnesses to the gentiles of that which they had heard seene Pastours are the witnesses of Christ and are appointed to beare record of his trueth if they be silent in this the feare of death or life make thē to shutt their lipps from speaking of Gods truth this sentēce shall meet them in the day of judgment the prince of Pastours shall be their conviction that they have not walked as became them because they did not do as hee did so this confession is the thing that the Apostle laies before us because feare many times makes men dissemble with the trueth of God the feare of death many times makes men to pervert the trueth of God to keepe it close when God requires it should be spoken the sonne of God is an example to us who never did pervert the truth nor concealed it for if every Christian be bound to the Apostles commandement to give a reason of his faith to every one that shall aske it how much more is hee bound to this that hee that teacheth others should owne and maintaine this trueth as occasion is offerred this is therefore the trueth the dutie that especially wee must looke unto we must confesse the truth acknowledge the trueth com what can come wee must not be ashamed of it Secondly the Apostle saieth that Christ witnessed a good confession hee did not onely confesse the trueth but hee did likewise beare witnesse unto the trueth ratifying it by his testimony which is more he ratifyed it at his death and that is that the Apostle cheifly aimes at for that which Christ confessed before Pontius Pilate hee ratifyed it confirmed it by his death hee confessed himselfe to be the sonne of God and he ratifyed it by his death this is the maine cause why in Matthew Luke that they said unto him wee have found him perverting the Nation saying he is a King and this is the Question that Pontius Pilate mooved unto him when hee said art thou the King of the Iewes and Christ said unto him thou hast said it this is that confessiō which the Apost aimes at it is set downe fully in the 18. of Iohn where fore to the intent that wee may the better know the meaning of the place let us consider the words there sett downe at the 33 verse then Pilate entred into the judgmēt hall againe called Jesus and said unto him art thou the King of the jewes Iesus answered him saiest thou this thing of thy selfe or did others tell it thee of mee Pilate answered am I a jewe thine owne Nation the cheife preists have delivered thee unto mee what hast thou done Iesus answered him my Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servāts sight that I should not be delivered to the jewes but now is not my Kingdome from hence Pilate therefore said unto him art thou a King then Iesus answered thou saiest that I am a King to this end was I borne for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse unto the trueth every one that is of the trueth heareth my words and this is the confession which Iesus witnessed before Pontius Pilate First wee will consider the substance and matter of it secondly wee will consider the circumstances of it to wit the time and condition which Christ was in when hee made this confession the confession which hee witnessed hath these parts first that hee was a King secondly that his Kingdome was not of this world thirdly that hee was borne and came into the world to this end to beare witnesse vnto the truth and fourthly every one of the trueth did heare his voice these are the fower parts of his confession it is not therefore without great cause that the spirit of God chargeth Pastours in the name of Christ before him that witnessed this good confession before Pontius Pilate for it serves not onely for example but likewise for great instruction
find falshood in him that witnesseth the trueth the Apostle Iohn hath a comfortable saying of himselfe in the end of his gospell these things are written that ye may beleeve these things we witnesse and these things we know are true O would to God Pastours would speake of nothing to Gods people but that they know to be Gods will and not to teach mens foolish fancies but Gods truth onely for that will make us free as Christ saieth in the 17. of Iohn if you abide in my word the trueth shall make you free so that our freedome in Gods sight proceeds from his trueth and he which teacheth falshood cannot keepe himselfe from bondage doe what he can The last point of this confession is this who so ever is of the trueth heares my voice this might have bin thought a very proud word of Christ at that time for hee tells Pilate to his face that he had no part in the trueth what meanes hee by the trueth certainly the word of God which is the immortall seed to beget men to be the sonnes of God this is that Christ calls the children of wisdome saying wisdome is justified of her children this then is the 4. part of Christs confession which he doth boldly witnesse even before the judge who had power to take his life from him even to tell him to his face that he had no part in the trueth because he harkened not to his voice thus you see the substance of Christs confession Let us now see if it concernes not us in every point that as being ministers to follow his example there are many things that we are to confesse but the substance of it is this which Christ confessed which we must keepe and observe to the losse of our lives where in stands the faithfullnesse of a Pastour according to the example of Christ when no feare to loose our lives will make us to conceale or to deny any part of Gods trueth but we will witnesse it freely faithfully And if this were amonge us at this day there would not be found such eorrupting of his truth in the howse of God as there now is there would not be such vaine Inventions of men in the howse of God as there is Pastours durst not deny his trueth as they do if they made conscience of this charge To be short I will ad one word more so end that is from the circumstance of the place where he did make this confession and that was under Pontius Pilate even when hee was arraigned and accused and the sentence of death was ready to be pronounced against him so as there was no escaping for him yet the feare of the Iudge never terrified him nor kept him from witnessing that hee was the sonne of God this is that the Apostle will have us to consider it is an easy matter for a Pastour that hath libertie as I have now to speake freely unto a people which have no power over my life but when a Pastour must answere for it before Kings is in danger of his life then to stād to it there is the triall of a faithfull Pastour a faithfull Pastour must do this although it were befor Pont. Pil. a faithfull Pastour must do this he must not shrink for the terrours of the flesh but we must openly beare witnesse to the trueth of God so the circumstance of the danger of the place where Christ did this is that wee are to lay before us how many are there of us that all though wee have preached the trueth of Christ Yet if it come to this that either we must change our minds or loose our livings how many are there that basely falsifie the trueth of God because they will not loose the favour of the King or of some great men yea they will rather falsifie the trueth of God for ever how many such are there to be found in this age that contrary to their knowledge conscience do beare witnesse to falshoode and lyes only to uphould them in their livings and in the favour of men Let these men thinke of that sentence the Apostle doeth speake of where he saith you have not resisted unto blood where the Apostle accounts it a base thing in a Christian that will deny the trueth when or before it come unto blood I say it were a happie thing if professours nay if Pastours would stand unto the trueth till it come unto blood that other allurements did not draw them from the trueth the contrary hereof doth declare how few faithfull Pastours God hath in his church and thus much for the circumstance of the place and of the danger that Christ was in when he made this good confession under Pontius Pilate Let us make use of all here we see that of all whatsoever is written or spoken in the gospell concerinng Christ the Pastour that above all we should lay this confession of Christ before our eyes for the carriage of Christ before Pontius Pilate is a lively patterne for all ministers to follow and it is set downe not onely to let us see the manner of our redemption but it is likewise to teach Pastours to know their duetie and to teach them how to walke in Gods house to maintaine his trueth when God shall call them to suffer the not consideration of this makes many Pastours and Christians carelesse of their duety because they looke not upon Christ for their patterne the Lord of his mercie give Pastours grace that they may follow him as in all things so in this constancie of maintaining his truth Amen vers 14. That thou keepe this commandemt without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ IN this comandement charge givē by the Apostle to Timothy we have heard already in what a waightie manner he imposeth this duety upon all that are Pastours teachers unto the worlds end It is a charge from the mouth of the Apostle and a charge in the sight of God of God considered in his omnipotency in that hee quickneth all things and it is before Iesus Christ to be considered of us as a patterne for us to follow in his witnessing a good confession before Pontius Pilate Now it followeth that wee should speak of those things wherewithall Pastours stand charged what the matter is which is of this high moment which the Apostle doth lay with such authoritye upon all Pastours teachers this is layd downe in this verse in these words that thou keepe this commandemēt without spott unrebukeable ūtill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ this is the matter the keeping of this commandement and the keeping of it without spott unrekukeable and continuing this till Christ appeare againe Now to encourage all pastors and teachers in the performance of this duetye which must last til Christes appearing againe he setts us downe the assurance of his comming againe in the next verse to keepe us that
we doe not faint under the difficulties that we shall find in keeping this commandement untill Christs second coming which in his due time he will accomplish God hath reserved this time in his owne hands and in his owne time hee will shew it Now that we may be assured that God will performe this he setts downe a glorious description of this God that wee may see in God wonderfull and undoubted reasons that God will in his time shewe the Lord Iesus againe This description of God is one of the most magnificent descriptions that is sett downe of God in all the scriptures to let us see what need wee have to take to heart this precept First he setts downe God that he is the most blessed one which in his time will shew that hee is the blessed Secondly that he is the onely potentate and this he illustrateth by more particular demonstrations in this that he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords his blessednesse is further expounded in these particulars 1. that he hath onely immortality 2. that hee is inaccessible dwelling in that light which no man hath seene nor can see This description he concludes with ascribing to God two things honour and power everlasting thus wee see how the Apostle in most divine manner high stile doth still propound this charge to all those that are ministers of his word that all the world may see the necessity that lyeth upon Pastours teachers to doe their duetye seing they are so straytlye charged before this God of might majestie and blessednes to whom belonges all power and glorye so that wee must not dallye in this point of keeping this commandement here charged upon us therefore it stands us upon under no lesse payne then the wrath of God to keepe this charge against all the world that shall oppose it Now let us come to the words in particular the first thing that all Pastours are Charged with all is the keeping of these commandents and that is not onely charged upon them but the keeping it without spot and unrebukeable the time how long they must keepe it is set downe till the appearing of the Lord Iesus So we have 3. things in this precept which the Apostle lays upon all Ministers to be considered by us First wee must consider what is the matter we must keepe without spot unrebukeable and that untill the appearing againe of Christ The matter is this commandement What means the Apostle by this commandement by this he means all the dutyes that he hath in this Epistle charged upon all Pastours and Teachers this he calls a commandement to let us see and understand that the office of Pastours so described as we have heard is this straite commandement of the liveing God and it is the Law of God himselfe that is laid upon us to keepe Now he calls it a commandement that we might understand what is the thing that we must obey and practise and it is a great incouragement for us to doe this since it is the charge of the liveing God and the precepts which Pastours must lay to heart that these are the things which God hath commanded Therefore those which make no conscience to transgresse this charge but they will make all the order of Gods howse to be indifferent and will make all the precepts of this Epistle to be alterable and changeable as some cursed divines have written to prove that this commandement of God may be changed whereas we see the Apostle doth charge us in the sight of God and of Christ to keepe this commandement of God without spot and that till Christ come Againe is then this a changeable commandement can any power of flesh or bloud alter or change this when we are charged under paine of damnation to keepe this as inviolable and unchangeable an ordinance I say the curse of God must light upon him that takes upon him to alter any of these ordinances seing in so streit a maner we are charged and commanded to hould them Well then these things are commandements I marke this for another end and not onely to shew that these things are not indifferēt things for men to doe or to leave undone but this doth likewise let us see that these are of the nature of such things which are absolutely necessary and therefore are not onely councells as the Papists speake when they make distinctions betwixt precepts and councels and they make these things not necessary but voluntary And in nothing under the Tunne hath the Church of Rome gone more against Gods ordinances and commandements then in this yea they have wholy troden this precept under their feete which here the Apostle commands them to keepe so straitly that neither the function it self may be abolished nor any particulars of them may be neglected of any Bishop nor the duty he should performe in preaching or in Governing but long since all is changed among them and a new fashion is set up in the ordring of Gods house which God never commanded Wee have the more need to looke unto our selfs in this seeing there is no precept of God which hath beene more adulterated and violated then this precept of the Apostle yea not onely in popery is this so but this violation of it remaines in the reformed Churches themselvs our duty is therefore in this respect to looke to our selvs and see how short we come of performing this commandement and how we shall answer in the day of Iudgment for our abuse thereof Next observe upon whom this charge is laid it is laid upon Timothy and in his person upon all Pastours by which we may see who are cheifely to keepe this order in Gods house which are the Pastours in Gods house most and Cheifely here charged on us it is not on the Magistrate so much laid to keepe at it is charged on us judgmēts shall light upon us if wee keep not this charge we are they that are commanded of God to looke to this the ordering of Gods house is not so much committed to any as to us therefore we must looke to it Let the world rage as they will against pastours yet they may not neglect to keepe this If the Apostle had not knowne that this was a difficult thing to practice and that there would be mighty opposition against it he would not have laid the necessity of doeing it with such waighty charge as hee hath done but he knew that the world would not endure to worship God as they are here commanded therefore hee had great care to back this commandment with the waightyer authority of the liveing God now we see who it is that is cheifely charged for the ordering of Gods house namely his ministers It is a wofull thing and the Lord in mercy forgive this iniquity for now every mann wil have a law for Pastours and Teachers hee must not preach but as they will neither must he administer the sacraments but as
from above First of all this letts us see that it is a vain thing to be astonished at the fury of Princes it is but miserable weaknes of men that know what God is certain it is if we serve God aright we would not be moved with the fear of anie man in the world Ye see when as Ieroboam would have apprehended the Prophet that God sent to threaten his judgments upō him for his idolatry when he stretched out his hand to apprehend him God so decred that his hand withered that when he had stretched it out he could not pull it in again This God that could make the hand of a King to wither when he did oppose the counsell of God what need anie man to feare whenas our Saviour and God is on our side We know what Saule did unto David he did use all his skill to destroy him but it was unpossible for him to do it because God who is the King of Kings was with David and God did shew his power against Saule in this when he put Sauls life into Davids hands but hee never put Davids life into Saules hands We knowe what enmity Ahab had against Elias the Prophet yet the Lord cōmaūds him to goe to him the Prophet answered the Lord that he sought his life but the Lord answered him saying goe be not afraid and the Prophet goes to him tells him that it was he that troubled Israell and the Lord restrained him that he could doe the Prophet no harme Infinite examples in the Scriptures wee have of this to let us see that he can hold Kings that they shall doe no more harm then God will suffer them to prove this truth of God that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords To come yet to make more use of this why doth the Apostle lay this before us the use is partly for Kings and partly for us the first lesson for Kings is this that I touched before concerning Nabuchadnezar how God forced him to learn how to know God to be the King of Kings therfore let all Potentates learn to know that God hath rule over them and their Kingdoms and it is he that makes them Kings and serts them in their thrones and if they doe not this it is just with God to make them will they nill they to acknowledge this to their destruction for the saying of Isaie shal be accomplished which the Lord there speaks all knees shall bow to him and every mouth shall confesse him to bee the Lord for the Lord will not suffer himself long to be despised but in his own time hee will challenge his right in despite of the world it were a blessed thing if Kings would consider this that it is by God that they doe reigne observe what it is Christ shall doe in the last day the proper effect of this Kingdom shall be to put down all principallityes and powers and to give up his Kingdom to God that God may be all in all 1. Corin 15 then shall they see the trueth of this that he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords if Kings would consider this that the time shall come that the world shall not have a Kingdom nor King but God alone me thinks they would then reverence this God in greater measure then they doe but this sort of doctrine is harsh to Princes eares to think that there is a God above them or that there should be anie of whom they hould their scepter and yet they must know this or feele the truth of it by experience in Gods judgment The second use for Kings and Lords is this that the Apostle doth teach them to doe that which is right to all men that they oppresse no man because they have a King over them in heaven unto whom they must give an accompt of their doings This Argument the Apostle useth to Maisters in sundry places that they should doe that that is right to their servants knowing they have a maister in Heaven If superiours would but acknowledge this that they have a Lord over them that shall take a reckoning of them aswell as they take a reckoning with their inferiours surely it would make them to doe nothing but that which is right these are the uses that doe concern Kings and rulers Now there is great use of this likewise for ourselvs besides the incouragement it gives us not to be afraid of anie power in the world but it teacheth us this lesson not to resist power nor authority because there is no power nor authority but it is from God as the Apostle shewes Now since all authority is of God he that resists authority hee resisteth God but some object what if they be tyrants and merciles men and such as make no conscience to doe wrong I answere even as the Apostle doth to servants whom hee commands to be subject not onely to their good masters and such as are gentle but also to them which are froward so I say if thou wilt doe thy duty thou oughtest rather to suffer wrong and to suffer thyself to be oppressed rather then to lift up thyself against authority which thou art under for if this bond of subjection to Princes were loosed Kingdoms could not stand if every servant should stand against their master and every subject against his Prince when he is wronged no common wealth could stand it is true wee may use all lawfull means to eschew wrong and Magistrates may plead in Parliament with their Princes for they have also their authority from God wee ought to use all lawfull meanes to escape wrong but if there be no possibility of escaping wee must rather suffer them to wrong us for power and authority is to be reverenced as being of God and indeed God doth sometimes in justice give bad rulers to avenge himself for the sins of his people hee gave to Israel a King in his wrath and hee stirred up a wicked King in Israel to avenge himself upō the people for their idolatrie doe you not think but that the divell is Gods instrumēt against the wicked so is every wiked king th◠Lords scourge the rod of his justice to inflict upō his enimies when as good rulers are the blessings of God upon a people that are carefull to please him the Lord will make them nursing Fathers and Mothers unto his church and so God in his infinit wisedom makes Kings and Rulers to subjects as hee sees cause either to plague them or to preserve them this is the secret of Gods providence thus to order the World according as he sees they carry themselvs towards him we see that so long as Israel did not know God so long God gave them into their enimies hands and they had tyrants to rule over them but when they sought the Lord as they should and ought the Lord gave them gracious judges to deliver them out of the hands of their enimies and assoone as they fell from