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
and in likelyhood with envy See the Cronicle of Paulus Meriam Doctour Fulck in his answere to the Rhemish Testament doth say that the Church of Leodium before this was under great persecution under Pope Pascus for affirming him Antichrist The Iesuite saith that one Cesarius writes that ihe doctrine of these Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand cities and that they had an army of 70000. that were destroyed by Simon of Momford with a small armie but there is no mention of an armie which they had in the Chronicles 1. Tim. 6.13 I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Christ Iesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession c. HItherto the Apostle hath set downe unto vs a perfect patterne to teach all the servants of Christ how to walke in the house of God which is the Church of the living God in all the parts and portions of their spirituall function for the advancement of Gods glorie and for the edification of his saints and for the avoiding of all those things which might offend God in his worship either in Doctrine or Discipline he hath set vs downe and hath let vs see what sorts of men must have charge in Gods house and he hath warned vs of the errour that they must avoid in Doctrine and of the vanitie they must avoyd in their forme of speach and he hath likewise let vs see what forme of Discipline is to be used in Gods Church In this Chapter he comes to the conclusion of it all and first before he concludes it he first deales against servants who did abuse their Christian libertie as a pretext to the flesh refusing to obey their Masters some because their Masters were heathens and therefore they thought that a Christian made free by Iesus Christ should not be bound to serve them others because their Masters were Christians therefore they thought it equall that one Christian should not be bound to be a servant to another the Apostle answeres both these in the beginning of this Chapter and after returnes back againe and gives warning to Timothy and in his person to all Pastors what should be done that they should teach and exhort the Church this should be the substance of their Doctrine which in this epistle is conteined and to moove him to this he sets downe an argument from the miserable estate of those which keep not this commandement of the Apostle for if any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to this wholsome Doctrine which is according unto godlinesse he is proud not knowing aright and he lets vs see the vaine ground of this their vanity as first they are men of corrupt minds the second is they are destitute of the trueth the 3. is this they suppose gaine is godlinesse and the Apostle doth manifest that this shewes it to be the plaine contrary and that godlinesse is great gaine and this he shewes by a strong argument in the verses following and he labours to draw all Pastors from this vice of coveteousnesse and he teacheth them how they should exercise themselves continually he setting downe a perfect patterne for all Pastors and Teachers to practice they must follow after godlinesse faith love meeknesse and this is the first Secondly they must fight the good fight of faith and the last is the end and intent that they may lay hold on eternall life and he subjoynes 2. reasons why Timothie should do so as first because he was called thereunto of God secondly because he had professed a good profession before many witnesses therefore it should be a shame for him to faint and not to goe forward and continue Now the Apostle concludeth with a most weightie Charge to Timothy and in his person unto all Pastors and Teachers unto the end of the world and this Charge is continued in 4 verses from the 13 verse unto the 17. and the substance of the charge stands in two things the first is in keeping of this commandement without spot unrebukeably and the second is the constant keeping of it The first part concernes the matter he is to looke unto The 2 is concerning the time how long they must keepe this and both parts have their grounds and reasons in them First wee will speake of them as they are generally set downe unto vs in the first 2 verses wherein we have first to marke the matter of the charge the word charg is the sāe word which the Apostle useth before in this epistle the first chapter wherin he saith that the end of the cōmandement is love out of a pure heart where the word here called a cōmandement is the same here used for charge so that this is not an exhortation or request but it is a straight and severe commandement secondly this commandement is strengthened by a double authoritie the authority of God and of Christ first I charge thee before God and secondly before the Lord Iesus Christ thirdly this authority is yet more strengthened and greater weyght is added to it not simply by laying God or Christ before them but by laying God before him and Christ before him ech of them in the particular consideration of them which is this that hee doth quicken all things the particular consideration of Christ in this that hee witnessed and confessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate of these I will briefly speake before I come to the commandement it selfe which is set downe in the next words to keepe this commandement without spot or blamelesse till Christs appearing againe First cōcerning the charge but before we come to enter into the particulars of it It may be demaunded what should move the Apostle to ad this heavy charge to his former precept especially to Timothie whom hee so much commended that be found no man like minded unto him what is the reason hee knowing him to be such a man yet he gives a severe charge unto Timothie and in his person to all Pastores and Teachers the reason I take to be twofold First that men might not dally with this doctrine as though it might be alterable by his Church or changed at the appointment of Princes therefore hee will have them to know this is not so but it is of divine authority which none dare to change as hee will answere unto God and to Christ in whose name he chargeth him that so neither Timothy nor any other potentate should thinke these precepts to be the precepts of men or such as his Church might alter at their discretion but this charge is given us to this end to force us all and most chiefly Pastours to observe it as we will answere it before God at his most dreadfull judgment therefore no command of Princes nor the feare of the losse of our lives might cause us to violate this trueth The second reason why the Apostle gives this weightie charge unto Timothy who was so rare a man of whose stedfastnes
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
all things ād secondly he laieth Chist before us who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession why this The reason of this is of great moment to be considered of us for the ignorance of this one point is the cause of many foolish pastors and of many foolish Christians for it is not the naked setting of God and of Christ before us that wil serve the turne to stay thy wicked heart from pollution Vnlesse I set God before mee as hee is in Christ as he is a patterne of doing good shewing me how I shold walke I say unlesse I thinke of them thus see them the sight of them shal never do mee good or be of force to stay my wicked heart from sinne for wicked men beleeve there is a God and so do the Divells also and this workes as much in the divells as in many Chistians doth the sight of God and of Christ hinder men from prophanenesse in this world doth it either stay the heart of Preacher or hearer from sinning it doth not the reason is because they have onely a generall mooving and notion of God but they never or seldom take notice of him in his nature and properties as hee is layd before us as a patterne in whose footesteps we must walke and therefore the Apostle laide God before Timothy in the particular consideration of him as he quickeneth all things Christ as he witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate Touching the first the spirit of God throughout the scriptures when they speake of any matter concerning God or his glory Commonly hee sets downe a certaine description of God that out of it men may see him so as to feare to do any thing that hee forbiddeth Yet among all the gloriouse discriptions of God there is none more glorious then this which the Apostle hath here set downe in these 4 verses first that it is hee that quickneth all things secondly that hee is the onely Potentate king of kings Lord of Lords dwelling in that light which no man can attaine unto to whom be honour and glorie everlasting so hee sets downe a strait discription of the living God because much is to be considered of God to make all pastours and teachers to be faithfull and to stay sinfull man from corrupting Gods trueth it is not the knowledge of one particular concerning God nor yet of many that will serve the turne but it must be a great and wonderfull knowledge of God that will sanctify a prophane heart to true obedience therefore Christ himselfe ascribeth eternall life unto the knowledge of the true God and him whom God hath sent This is not the generall knowledge of God which many have yet shall be damned but it is such a knowledge as will daunt the most vaine proud heart of man and make it to stoupe under his hand I say such a knowledge of God we must have such an apprehension of God as will not make us to jest at it but such a knowledge as may make us perpetually to tremble and it should be our care to increase in this knowledge of God and to learne to know him aright for it is not the knowledge of God simply but the knowledge of God aright that will make both Pastour and Christians to walke conscionably and sincerely whereas on the contrary wicked men through their Ignorance of God because God holdes his peace and doth not presently execute Iudgment therefore they thought that God did approve of their wickednesse as if God tooke pleasure in sinne as much as they we reade in the psalmes the wicked saith in his heart that God hath forgotten hee hideth his face he will not see it and this makes them to scorne at them which reprove them and all because the sight of God is hid from their eyes The cause of all loosenes of life and wickednesse of heart is cheifly this that though we thinke wee know God yet wee know him not as we shold therefore let us every one labour to understand this that God will have us to know him as hee hath revealed in his word To come to speake of this knowledge more particularly how God is set before us to be considered in his working in his power and in his Omnipotency but in this place hee is set before us in his mightie power and the efficacie thereof Iesus Christ is here set before us for an example to us who witnessed a good Confession and this we must consider of God more particularly for we may not consider God onely in his goodnesse and mercy not in his power justice for that will make men make shipwracke of faith not to walke with an upright heart before God when men looke onely to Gods mercy and forget his power indeed Gods mercy is the moste kindly motive to make us to obey God but it is not the onely motive for the power of God must likewise be laid before our eyes David was astonished when hee did see what judgments God did execute upon men in the 1. Corinth the Apostle tells us what it is that made him a faithfull minister knowing the terrour of the Lord to perswade men he sets before himselfe the horrible judgments that shall be inflicted upon unfaithfull ministers at the last day and this made him to set himselfe to draw men to God by all tbe strēgth hee could he considered not onely Gods goodnesse but he likewise setts before himselfe the terrour of the Lord so as he durst not dalley with Gods trueth but he did labour to the utmost of his power faithfully to dispense Gods truth Iesus Christ hee is set before us as a patterne for Christ is not onely to be considered by us as our Redeemer or mediatour for this doth but beguile foolish men causeth them to sinne more but they should consider an other thing in Christ to witt that hee is not onely given for this but also for a patterne and unlesse wee serve God after his example his blood shal never ransome us These are the two things we are to marke to set God before us not onely in mercy but also in his power we are to set Christ before us not onely as a redeemer but also as a patterne for us to follow his footsteps concerning God he makes choice of this that hee quickneth all things why this to be short Gods power is to be seene in many things but especially Gods power shines in this and hath the greatest force in it to daunt the hearts of men more then any thing whatsoever when he sees God to be the authour of life to all things so that no man lives but by him if any man consider this to wit that they have no breath nor life nor mooving but from God and that it is not in the power of any king or Potentate in the world to give life but God alone and thy life is in Gods
Apostles that all shall speake evill of them for his sake and this Pastours must expect to finde of men not for that hee handles the Word of God deceitfully but because hee teacheth the truth in sincerity in the evidence of the spirit to the consciences of all men in the sight of God as the Apostle avoucheth concerning himself that hee had preached the truth in the evidence of the truth and in the spirit of God to their consciences so that if their consciences were examined before God they durst not but saye hee is faithfull therefore the Apostle saith if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost and shall perish so that the wicked themselvs as Peter tells us shal be compelled to justify them in the daie of their visitation they that rayle upon them now shal be forced to justify them these then bee the two things which the Spirit of God will have Pastours to looke unto that they keep this commaundement without spott or rebuke Out of this wee may see and discern what the estate of Gods church is this day there is no church under the sunne but is guilty of one of these two miseries the one is this that Pastours cannot be suffered to perform this or else that Pastours have suffered themselvs to be corrupted to doe the contrarie either their hands are shortened that they have no liberty that though they would never so faine practise Gods commaundements yet they cannot get liberty to doe it or if they have liberty to doe something yet not all things he may doe a part yet not the vhole truth of God this is one of the miseries which lyes upon the Church of God this daye I will not enter into judgment whether the faulte be in the Pastours or in the people but this I am sure if there were more courage in Pastours for Gods truth then there is it were well wee will leave them to answere for themselvs which are guiltye of it The second impiety is this that Pastours for the pleasure of men have corrupted the ordinaunces of God manie waies even in the reformed churches which they have taken frō the church of Rome see what corruptiō now there is in Gods house in manie places see if such be chosen for Bishops as the Apostle hath here described in this epistle come to the administration of the Sacraments and then unto the preachers of the word is anie thing more corrupted than they are is anie thing left of publique prayers and preaching or of administration of the Sacraments according to Gods appointment is that order of government practised among them as the Apostle hath here layd down for the churches practise Let them looke to this epistle and judge themselves according to the rules here sett down and doe not say because it is like the best church therfore it is the best church No if it be not according to this commaundement it is accursed I need not speake of this for it is too palpable and abhominable In manie churches there is all corrupted they will have mens inventions they are not content with Gods ordinaunces but they will have them to be mingled with human inventions or with the devises of that cursed church of Rome this is no small cause of Gods anger and of his fierce wrath to see this charge thus to be troden under foot by Pastours who have so little studied this portion of scripture they learn all things which others should practise and learn nothing which themselvs should practise and learne We all know this that a phisitian that studies naturall phisick for the good of mens bodies that it is a dangerous thing if he shall proffer anie phisick to the patient except those things that are of use and with such mixtures which are profitable for the sick because a little thing amisse may kill the patient and doe we thinke that there is such danger in naturall helps for the preserving of our naturall life and is there not much more daunger in corrupting of the spirituall medicine which should keep us in the life of God that it be-not extinguished what a wofull change is it to corrupt the word and Sacraments so that there is nothing but the very poysoning of the word and Sacraments it is nothing else but poysening the ordinaunces of God The Apostle letts us see this plainly that the force of saving grace is taken from Gods ordinaunces whē they are done otherwise thē he cōmanded In the 1 Cor 1. The Apostle sheweth the reason why he will not preach the Gospell in the intiseinge words of mans wisdom lest saith he I should make the crosse of Christ of none effect is it not a strange thing that the preaching of the word in the intiseing words of mans wisdom or eloquence should take away the force of Christ cruifyed from saving of our soules and yet the Apostle saith it doth so In the 1. Corinths 11.20 When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lords body or Lords supper the abuse in eating the Lords supper made that it could not serve as Gods ordinance to comfort the conscience thus we may see the saving force of Gods ordinaunces are taken away when they are polluted by human authority and vain inventions To goe further you see how purely and without spot God will have his ordinaunces to be kept he will not have men to deale with them but that they must be kept intire and pure but how longe must they be so kept vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ what an important charge may this seeme to bee unto Timothy This letts us see two things in the duty that God hath charged on all Pastours first that in this charge all Ministers are charged with it and that this is not a commaundement to Timothy onely in his time but for all that shall follow in the ministery unto the end of the world till Christe appeare again Secondly let us see another thing namely how this must be done every Minister must keepe it pure and pure he must deliver it into the hands of them which shall succeed him that is he must keep it sincere as the Apostle tells Timothy in his second Epistle deliver that thou hast received unto faithfull men that they may deliver it to others there must be a delivering of it from hand to hand as the Apostle taught Timothy so should he teach other Ministers that they should so preach and administer the sacraments as they might be examples unto them that should come after them to doe the like and this Timothy is said to doe this till Christs appearing when he doth it all his owne time Oh what a fearfull thing is it when Pastours are not carefull to leave the ordinaunces of God and of Christ and the purity of them to those that follow after them they know not what they must answere for who are examples of the contrary oh