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
for us that are Pastours to teach us what God requires at our hands who witnessed a good confession saieth the Apostle a better confession can none make nay this daunts the hearts of feeble minded Pastours they not dareing to shew forth their faithfullnesse to Christ and this is the maine point both in the confession of Christ the Prince of Pastours and of all that shall succeed him to avouch the Lord Iesus Christ to be King for the world is content of any thing else that wee can say of Christ they will allowe of his propheticall or priestly office but for him to rule and raigne that they will not indure they will not have him to be king It was no offence to Cesar that Christ was called a Prophet or a Priest by office but to call him selfe a King that brought him to his death Cesar cold not endure it so now a daies Kings and Princes will be content to have Christ called by any name that can be given him besides this but you must not say hee is a King the King of his Church every Magestrate now will be King himselfe of the Churche therefore the Papists call the Pope the King of the Church and those likewise that have shakeÌ„ off the Popes authority yet themselves will be Lords in Gods house and if Pastours will stand to maintaine that there is no other king in the Church but Christ alone there is nothing vnder heaven which will more endanger his life then this and yet this is the confession wee must stand vnto vnder the paine of loosing eternall life and this is that which Christ lost his life for and for this wee must be willing to lay downe our lives rather then to suffer any to be the King of Saints but Christ alone and therefore it is that the Apostle calls this a good confession But a man may aske me why this is called a good confession more then to have confessed Christ to be the onely high Priest and Prophet of his Church I answere that both these acknowledgments are good for we must not acknowledge any more high Priests to reconcile us to God but Christ alone and hee is the onely Prophet of his Church whose voice must onely be heard but why is this acknowledgment of him to be king called to be a good confession above the rest Certainly there is great reason for this and it is not without cause that in the scriptures of God this title is given to him more then any other titles all the kings of Israell were but tipes of him Salomon was but a shadow of him therefore the scriptures tell us that when the Iewes shall be gathered together they shall submit to David their king meaning Christ The reason of it is because in the Kingly office stands the crowne of his glory I say it againe that the crowne of his glorie stands in his Kingly office how â—o because God hath not given to any in heaven or earth by which a man can besaved but by the name of Iesus onely Now which is more the Apostle writing to the Ephesians in his first Chapter speaking of the mightie power of God that raised him up from the dead and set him at his owne right hand in the heavenly places far above all principallities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but in the world to come and hath put all things vnder his feet and gave him to be head over all things in the Church So the Apostle concludes the greatnesse of the sonne of God by this that God hath made him to be the head of the Church who is the fullnesse of him that filleth all things so that this exaltation of Christ to glorie and the dignitie which Christ is exalted vnto above all men or angells this is the cheife glory and honour of the sonne of God wee shall speake somewhat more of this hereafter how that all the other offices of Christ they are but servile Christ doth abase himselfe to be the Prophet of his Church and hee was not ashamed to take vpon him to teach the law of God to the people with his owne mouth neither was hee ashamed to take upon him to be our Priest to offer to God for sinnes of the world in all these hee was abased and suffered himselfe in a manner to be spoiled of his honour and glorie but when hee comes to his Kingdome which hee sheweth by his resurrection and when hee hath prevailed against his enimies and had subdued sinne and Sathan then hee stands triumphing in heaven and there sits at the right-hand of God and herein stands his dignitie and it is a wonderfull thing that the world considers it not those which were the former offices to be Prophet or Priest in his Church stands in the abasing and humiliation of the sonne of God but in his kingly office stands his exaltation this is his dignity and Royall prerogative hee that medleth with it medleth with the cheifest dignitie of Christ Furthermore as the former 2. offices of Christ are but servile functions so the third by vertue of his exaltation makes the other 2. both effectuall both his word as Prophet or of his sufferings as a Priest depends vpon his Royall power for except hee have power over all things hee were not able to keepe us in his feare nor present us into the favour of God nor make it effectuall to salvation for Sathan and sinne and the world would prevaile against us but Christ by his power is stronger then all so as neither man nor angell can make frustrate that which hee hath done for his Church therefore hee is said to be declared to be the sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead who was ever able to loose the sorrowes of death but hee which is stronger then death Christ therefore by death destroyed death and him that had the power of death the divell and for this cause Christ saieth speaking of the vertue of his exaltation to wit his Blessing when to his owne hee saieth every one that thirsteth should come vnto him and hee would give them the waters of life this hee spake of the spirit because Christ was not yet glorifyed for vntill hee was set in his Kingdome hee could not dispence his spirit to his disciples as afterwards hee did therefore when hee was to depart from his Disciples hee gave them commandement that they should not depart from Ierusalem till hee had indued them with vertue from above the world must be subdued to Christ and therefore hee could not dispence that measure of the spirit till after his ascension then did hee send the Holy ghost downe vpon them and indued them with all vertues necessary to speake all languages constantly to preach the gospell notwithstanding the opposition of men so this was verified likewise in the prophesie of Micha concerning the powring forth of
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