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
of God and wee have shewed the truth and if ye will not suffer yourselvs to obey this truth wee have taught you your bloud be upon your own heads for unto alterations wee will never consent and if God assist us while we breath I will yeald to doe no otherwise then is here commanded the ministers they must keep this and preserve this and not suffer it to be altered or changed for anie mans pleasure in the world the keeping of this is the maine part of the Pastours office as he will avoyd the wrath of God and of Christ at his appearing Now let us consider the manner how they must be kept and here wee may take notice of another misery in our time which is preaching is kept the Sacraments are kept the ministery is kept but whether these be kept without spot or rebuke judge ye first consider the meaning of the words there be manie which doe putt no difference between these two words but onely this that the first word spot signifies a lesser slip in the duty of the ministery and the second word unrebukable signifies greater offences in the duty of the ministery some reason there is for this distinction for there are some things as spotts which are not worthy to be reproved but that which is worthy reproofe is a palpable sinne but the true distinction of these words is this according to the new Testament there is a two fold thing to be observed by Pastours in the worke of the ministery the first is without spott which argues his inward sincerity in his judgment minde and understanding and unrebukeable is in respect of his outward practise before the world and these two words we may either referr to the person that is commanded these dutyes or to the commandement itself which they stand bound to keepe either to the commandement that hee keep it without spot or that he keep himself without reproofe both these stand with the truth of the Scriptures elsewhere we must keep the practise of this comandement without spott or rebuke and we must keep our selvs without rebuke that the word of God be not evill spokē of by our iniquityes and that we suffer nothing to be added or taken away from the blessed ordinaunces of God for every addition of man to Gods ordinaunce is a blott every device of man is a fleshly spott it pollutes and defiles the things that are holy and the teaching of them by profane pastours doth pollute the holy commandement of God yea to suffer them to be dispenced profanely in a profane manner or in an unlawfull forme contrary to the patrern which the Apostles have sett before us is miserable profanesse Besides as men should keep the word and ordinaunces of God pure and unpolluted in the sight of God so he must keep this charge himself in his own person in an unspotted manner and certainly this is principally to be referred to the persons for a man cannot spot himself but he must defile the worke hee hath in hand if hee deserve rebuke himself then hee brings rebuke therby upon his office It is a ministers going out of the waye and yealding to mens traditions which brings pollutions upon Gods ordinaunces If ministers would stand fast and not dispence otherwise then they are commaunded it is moste certaine Gods worship should never be so polluted there never came pollution into Gods house but it came in by those that had the charge of Gods house all the blotting of Gods ordinaunces came in by those that had the power to dispence them But marke in them two things are to be looked unto first they must be without spot secondly they must be without rebuke to be without spot I take it as before to be meant of an undefiled conscience judgment affections by yealding unto anie devices of men so that if he suffer his judgment to be defiled or his affections to be polluted or suffer anie evill thing to take place besides or contrary to this commandement hee is a polluted persō before God therefore he must keep himself unpolluted then his practise will be unpolluted for it is true as Christ tells us in the Gospell that out of the abundaunce of the heart the mouth speaketh so the hād practiseth out of an evill heart coms evill practises so that if a Pastour his heart be kept pure spotlesse he will embrace nothing but the trueth of God hee will suffer nothing to defile Gods ordinaunces but he will be sure to keep them pure unpolluted wheras on the contraty if the hearts of scismaticks heretiques were seen the hearts of all that corrupt Gods trueth if wee had spirituall eies we might discern the corrupters of the trueth of God there is no sound cleanesse in them who mainteine idle toyes and sett them down in place of solid substanciall truths of Gods worship in such mens hearts is nothing but a stinking idoll of corruption Secondly as a Pastour must not onely keepe himself pure within so must he not suffer his affections to he taynted without but that hee keepe them pure in his own integrity so that he keepe himself unrebukable and this will follow on the former for so long as he remains without spott so long the world cannot finde fault with his practise they may bark at his practise they may backbite him and say of him as they did of Christ that hee had a divell but in truth to lay ought to his charge they cannot for it is most certayne that a pure practise flowes from a pure hearte that there can be no just cause of reproach against him which keeps himself within the compasse of Gods truth we know how against Christ they hired witnesses to get matter to charge him with when in truth they could finde nothing against him yea the same Scribes and Pharises when they sent for the Apostles and caused them to be scourged yet they could finde nothing to lay to their charg to punish them because they did keep themselvs pure and kept this commaundement without spott so they were punished not for anie vice nay they themselvs were constrayned to confesse that they had nothing to taxe them with and that they had nothing to accuse Christ yet they said if we suffer this man to live the whole world will follow after him So at this day there be manie that punish Gods servāts not for anie fault they can finde in their ministrye but because their owne authority policy would be taken from them if they suffer Gods truth to be spoken plainly To goe forward we see ministers must doe nothing which may give just occasion to the world to blame them because he is charged before God that hee keep this commaundement without spott But why doth the Apostle this since as I have said hee must walke more holy then Christ if it were possible that they should not be evill spoken of and Christ tells his
the Apostle so well approved is this to shew that it is not an easy matter to performe this charge but that all the grace that was in Timothie was litle enough to inable him with constancie and courage to keepe it inviolably the reason of it is this because there is nothing in this world which Sathan more opposeth nor that men set themselves against neither any thing so contrary to flesh and blood as the trueth of Gods worship and the sincerity of Preaching it the Divell laboureth to corrupt the purity of doctrine and the service of God in his Church above all things in the world Now seing it is so much opposed by Sathan and the world who labour to deprive us of salvation that wee might perish with them therefore the Apostle knowing how the world and Sathan would oppose it hee seing by the spirit of revelation the great temptations his servants must undergoe that would keepe Gods worship pure therefore hee gives this strait charge unto his Church that they should lay before their eyes God and Christ continually for otherwise the terrours of men and the world will shake them and cause them to corrupt the waies of God otherwayes men stand allwayes in danger of being overcome either by entisements of riches or by the terrour of persecutiō and of imprisonment therefore the spirit gives us this strayt charge to bind us more strongly to this doctrine and thus we see the reasons which moved the Apostle to set downe this weightie charge unto his Church Now let us come and consider this more particularly first hee chargeth him before God and secondly before Iesus Christ the Lord the generall consideration of the manner of this charge serves for to let us see there is nothing cā stay the miserable heart of man in the wayes of God except the consideration of God and Christ Take these two out of his sight and he is in darknesse for if his heart be not set to see God and Christ hee will soone turne from the trueth to vanitie the very sight of men will make us to stoup and change our mindes if God be out of our sight this made Moses so couragious before Pharaoh The Apostle saith of him selfe to the Corinths that hee was not as other teachers who adulterated the word of God he giveth this to be the reason why he was not such an one because hee spake as in the sight of God and this kept him that he could not adulterate the word of God it is his sight onely that stayes us and keepeth the heart of man and that keepes our hearts upright in the worke of God See the trueth of this spoken of Moses it is said that Moses by faith forsooke Egypt and despised the wrath of the King by seeing him which is Invisible hee had such a sight of God which stayed his heart that no threatnings of Pharaoh could make him to alter his mind and that wee may see this lesson belongeth generally unto us yea every Christian as well as unto every Pastour it doth appeare in the Hebrewes where it is said wee are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses Let us cast off every thing that presseth downe and the sinne which hangeth so fast on fixing our eyes upon Iesus the authour fimisher of our faith who for the glory that was set before him despised the shame or crosse If our eyes be fixed upon Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith we shall goe thtough honour and dishonour so as nothing can hinder us till wee have attained unto the price of our calling God having in Iesus Christ chosen us unto himselfe thus we see how necessary it is to have God continually in our sight And this is that which made David reioyce that God was with him at his right hand to uphold him which made him not to be afraid of death and to the same end the Apostle saieth if God be on our side who can be against us This generall sight of God and of Christ is the onely thing which will stay a miserable conscience and unconstant heart against the feare of man we see Ioseph was stayed by this not to yeeld to his wicked Mistris where hee said how shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God We have need to set God and Christ before us and that will keepe us from falling into evills against God or against our Neighbour and it will establish our hearts in goodnesse againe it may be demanded why the Apostle joynes God and Christ is not the sight of God sufficient to stay our hearts Now here may be 2 reasons given for it in giving this charge to joyne God and Christ togeaher first because there is no fruit to us in the sight of God alone except the sight we have of God we have it in and through Christ that except we know God in Christ our Saviour the sight of God will never allure thee unto obedience for there is no sight of God that will establish thy heart in obedience except thou see God as the Father of Christ that gave his sonne unto the death for our transgressions and this sight makes us to love God with all our hearts and to preferre this God before all the world which causeth us wee dare do nothing that shall offend him for to please men Secondly the distinct consideration of these two is of great force to further and provoke mans heart unto obedience First in consideration of God who is the judge of all the world before whose face all the world shall appeare to receive according as they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evill the consideration 2of God as my judge as the Apostle calleth him and Abraham calls him so likewise this is a great stay to restraine men from sinne when I do know that hee who is my judge is before mee and hee sees me and hee doth observe all my waies and this if I do mind is of mightie force to keepe mee from sinning against him Moreover if there be any safety from Gods judgments it is by the mediation of Christ alone Now seeing that God and Christ are perpetually joyned togeather in judgment so that what the one approves the other approves therefore I must see God as my judge and Christ as my mediatour as a meanes to keepe mee from sinne and for both these reasons it is that the Apostle joynes them together God and Christ in this his charge to let us see wee have God and Christ for our enemies to convince us and to condemne us in that great day seeing in both their names we were charged to keepe this commandement without spot and thus we are taught the reasons wherefore hee joyneth God and Christ together in this great Charge Now we are to come to the particular consideration of this Charge first he laieh God before us to be considered in this particular that hee quicke neth
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
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