FOUR SERMONS Which do manifest the true sense of the 1. Epistle to Timothy 6. Chapter 13. 14. 15. & 16. verses of that Chapter.  
Preached by the reverend divine Mr. john Forbes late preacher to the Company of Merchant-Adventurers in Delft.  Matth. 15. 9 
But in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines men's precepts.  Psalm 31. 6. 
I hate them that hold of superstitious vanities.  Psalm 119. 113. 
I hate vain inventions but thy law do I love.  Mark. 8. 35. 
Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, and the Gospels, he shall save it.  
Published by S. O.  
Anno 1635.   

To the READER  
CHristian Reader seeing the Holyghost hath left us an honourable memory of David's worthies who helped him to attain his Kingdom, 
2. Chron. 11.  who was but a type of our King jesus Christ, I think it necessary to manifest some of those famous doctrines this servant of Christ Mr. John Forbes taught in his life time, touching the right of Christ jesus, which God the father gave him to ordain all things in his Church. This truth of God he witnessed more than 30. years, not only unto the loss of his living, and unto bonds; but also unto banishment, for defending that it is not lawful for any Prince or Potentate to command any human devises, for to compel them to be used in the worship of God, and for maintaining this endured these great trials. And about 4. years after he was chosen preacher to the Company of the English Merchant Adventurers, and after he had served them 22. years he was displaced by our King, and shortly after the Lord took him out of this world, he having served in the Ministry 42. years, he now (as or hope is) is with the assembly of those which have been killed for the Word of God, and testimony which they maintained, who do cry, How long Lord, which art holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on the persecutors of thy truth? But this doctrine is thought strange unto the world, for the Papists do say, that the Pope hath authority to institute ceremonies in the Church, which he himself doth judge fit, and our prelate's, with their doctors, do affirm that Princes and Potentates of the world have authority with the assembly of their Bishops, to institute ceremonies, rites, and orders, such as they do judge fitting to worship God by, and they are endued with deep Philosophy, and learned arts, which I do confess are good, so as they be always ruled by divine truth, but otherwise we are commanded to avoid them Col. 2.18. And the Holyghost calleth them, when they are not according to divine truth the deep learning of Satan, as he hath in this epistle manifested. Against them both this servant of IEsus Christ doth clearly manifest, that no human devises or ceremonies that Christ hath not appointed for his worship, may be used in his worship, for God the Father hath placed him far above all principalities, and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that that is to come, as the Holyghost doth show us in many places, and that Christ is King and ruler in his Church.  
Pilate and Caesar were content that Christ should be accounted High priest of his church, and that he should be their Prophet, but for him to affirm he is a King, that cost him his life, Caesar could not endure it: So in this age, princes cannot endure that his church should receive no ordinances and decrees but those that the Apostles established, for they will have their own superstitions used in the worship of God, yet here the Holyghost doth sereously condemn it, and that Christ must have the whole pre-eminence in his worship, and that his ministers must maintain this, as they will answer it at his glorious appearing, to judge all the world, these sermons do manifest this straight charge he received from the Holyghost to withstand all Human superstitions which are brought into God's worship, they were taken by pen, by one of his ordinary hearers, the chief of these I had in writing two years before he departed this life, and I showed them to him, and I told him I would publish them without naming any author, he answered if I did publish them, the adversaries would know it to be his work, to which I answered, that then I would not publish them, except I did survive him.  
If all the sermons this reverend divine taught out of this epistle were published, it would be profitable unto this generation, and to that to come, for he doth manifest that as God by Moses ordained him to be his penman to order his church under the law: So Christ hath made this Apostle his penman to appoint what ordinances his church must practise until his second appearing, and that with the straitest charge we do read of, that his servants may not admit of any other devices to be brought into his worship, as they will answer it at the great and dreadful appearing of all the world before Jesus Christ, with his holy Angels, to recompense all opposers of his truth according to their works.  
This Author doth mention that in all Ages God hath had his faithful witnesses as in the 48 page appears, and Mr. Fox hath instanced many, and here I think fit to add some others, in the dark time of Popery, which he hath not.  
Two Preachers in France, one named Peter Breves, the other is called Hendrick van de Tollhouse, 
An. 1135:  they were well known in France, and of good estimation for their great learning, and they did much bewail the Apostasy of the church, and they spared no man of any degree, whatsoever they were, affirming that they were fallen from the estate of grace and from Christ, and they affirmed the Pope to be the Prince of Sodom, and the City of Rome to be the Mother of all abomination, that all the Bishops were cruel Wolves, they detested the doctrine of Transubstantiation, and affirmed the mass, prayer for the dead, was Idolatry before God, and that Images & the Cross might not be prayed unto, nor suffered in the Churches: That the Priest's manner of singing was mockery before God●, that praying to Saints and vowing of Chastity, and their manner of building Temples, and observing of Holidays were superstitious and wicked, and all humane inventions in God's worship wicked Idolatry. These men continued in their preaching twenty years, and having great resort coming to their preaching of all sorts & estates, at last they were apprehended by the Pope's command, by a Legate of his, and Peter Brise was burned at St. joils, the other was apprehended & committed to prison, but what came of him we find not: but there followed great persecution, & many of their Disciples went to their death joyfully▪ Look the 65. and 66. Letters of Barnod to the Earl of St. joylls. There wrote against them Peter Abbott of Clugnam, which Barnod did record, and in likelihood with envy. See the Chronicle of Paulus Meriam.  
Doctor Fulck in his answer 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 jesuit saith that one Cesarius writes, that ihe doctrine of these Waldenses was spread in more than a thousand cities, and that they had an army of 70000. that were destroyed by Simon of Momford, with a small army: but there is no mention of an army, which they had in the Chronicles.   
1. Tim. 6.13. 
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. etc.  
HItherto the Apostle hath set down unto us a perfect pattern, to teach all the servants of Christ, how to walk in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, in all the parts and portions of their spiritual function, for the advancement of God's glory, 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 us down, and hath let us see, what sorts of men must have charge in God's house: and he hath warned us of the error, that they must avoid in Doctrine, and of the vanity they must avoid in their form of speech, and he hath likewise let us see, what form, of Discipline is to be used in God's Church. In this Chapter he comes to the conclusion of it all: and first before he concludes it, he first deals against servants, who did abuse their Christian liberty, 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 jesus Christ, should not be bound to serve them, others, because their Masters were Christians, therefore they thought it equal, that one Christian should not be bound to be a servant to another, the Apostle answers both these in the beginning of this Chapter, and after returns back again, 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 contained, and to move him to this, he sets down an argument from the miserable estate of those which keep not this commandment of the Apostle: for if any man teach otherwise, and consenteth not to this wholesome Doctrine, which is according unto godliness, he is proud not knowing aright: and he lets us see the vain ground of this their vanity; as first, they are men of corrupt minds, the second is, they are destitute of the truth; the 3. is this, they suppose gain is godliness: and the Apostle doth manifest, that this shows it to be the plain contrary, and that godliness is great gain, and this he shows by a strong argument, in the verses following, and he labours to draw all Pastors from this vice of covetousness, and he teacheth them how they should exercise themselves continually, he setting down a perfect pattern, for all Pastors, and Teachers to practice, they must follow after godliness, faith, love, meekness, 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 eternal life: and he subjoins 2. reasons why Timothy 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 go forward and continue.  
Now the Apostle concludeth with a most weighty 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 commandment without spot, unrebukeably, and the second is, the constant keeping of it. The first part concerns the matter he is to look unto; The 2 is, concerning the time how long they must keep this, and both parts have their grounds, and reasons in them. First we will speak of them as they are generally set down unto us, in the first & 2 verses, wherein we have first to mark the matter of the charge: the word charge is the sane word which the Apostle useth before, in this epistle the first chapter, wherein he saith, that the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, where the word here called a commandment is the same here used for charge, so that this is not an exhortation, or request, but it is a strait and severe commandment: secondly this commandment, is strengthened by a double authority, the authority of God, and of Christ, first I charge thee before God, and secondly before the Lord jesus Christ; thirdly this authority is yet more strengthened; and greater weight is added to it, not simply by laying God, or Christ before them; but by laying God before him, and Christ before him, each of them in the particular consideration of them, which is this, that he doth quicken all things, the particular consideration of Christ in this, that he witnessed, and confessed, a good confession before Pontius Pilate, of these I will briefly speak, before I come to the commandment itself: which is set down in the next words, to keep this commandment without spot, or blameless, till Christ's appearing again. First concerning the charge, but before we come to enter into the particulars of it; It may be demanded, what should move the Apostle to add this heavy charge, to his former precept, especially to Timothy, whom he so much commended, that be found no man like minded unto him: what is the reason he knowing him to be such a man, yet he gives a severe charge unto Timothy, and in his person to all pastors 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 he will have them to know, this is not so, but it is of divine authority, which none dare to change, as he will answer unto God, and to Christ, in whose name he chargeth him, that so neither Timothy, nor any other potentate, should think 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 Pastors to observe it, as we will answer it before God, at his most dreadful judgement, therefore no command of Princes, nor the fear of the loss of our lives, might cause us to violate this truth. The second reason why the Apostle gives this weighty charge unto Timothy, who was so rare a man, of whose steadfastness, the Apostle so well approved: is this, to show that it is not an easy matter to perform this charge, but that all the grace that was in Timothy, was little enough to enable him, with constancy and courage to keep it inviolably: the reason of it is this, because there is nothing in this world which Satan more opposeth, nor that men set themselves against, neither any thing so contrary to flesh and blood, as the truth of God's worship, and the sincerity of Preaching it, the Devil laboureth to corrupt the purity of doctrine, and the service of God in his Church, above all things in the world: Now seeing it is so much opposed by Satan and the world, who labour to deprive us of salvation, that we might perish with them; therefore the Apostle knowing how the world and Satan would oppose it, he seeing by the spirit of revelation the great temptations his servants must undergo, that would keep God's worship pure, therefore, he gives this straight charge unto his Church, that they should lay before their eyes, God, and Christ, continually, for otherwise, the terrors of men, and the world will shake them, and cause them to corrupt the ways of God; otherways men stand always in danger of being overcome, either by enticements of riches, or by the terror of persecution, and of imprisonment, therefore the spirit gives us this straight charge, to bind us more strongly to this doctrine, and thus we see the reasons which moved the Apostle, to set down this weighty charge unto his Church.  
Now let us come and consider this more particularly, first he chargeth him before God, and secondly before jesus Christ the Lord; the general consideration of the manner of this charge, serves for to let us see, there is nothing can stay the miserable heart of man in the ways of God, except the consideration of God and Christ: Take these two out of his sight, and he is in darkness, for if his heart be not set to see God, and Christ, he will soon turn from the truth, to vanity: the very sight of men will make us to stoop, and change our minds, if God be out of our sight, this made Moses so courageous before Pharaoh.  
The Apostle saith of himself to the Corinth's, that he 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 he spoke as in the sight of God: and this kept him that he could not adulterate the word of God, it is his sight only that stays us, and keepeth the heart of man, and that keeps our hearts upright in the work of God: See the truth of this, 
Hebr. 11.  spoken of Moses, it is said that Moses by faith, forsook Egypt, and despised the wrath of the King, by seeing him which is Invisible: he had such a sight of God, which stayed his heart, that no threatenings of Pharaoh could make him to alter his mind: and that we may see this lesson belongeth generally unto us, yea every Christian, as well as unto every Pastor, it doth appear in the Hebrews, where it is said, 
Hebr. 12.  we are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses; Let us cast off every thing that presseth down, and the sin, which hangeth so fast on: fixing our eyes upon jesus, the author & fimisher of our faith, who for the glory that was set before him, despised the shame or cross: If our eyes be fixed upon jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, we shall go thtough honour, and dishonour, so as nothing can hinder us, till we have attained unto the price of our calling: God having in jesus Christ, chosen us unto himself: thus we see how necessary it is, to have God continually in our sight.  
And this is that which made David rejoice, 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 sayeth, 
Rom. 8.  if God be on our side, who can be against us: This general sight of God, and of Christ, is the only thing which will stay a miserable conscience, and unconstant heart, against the fear of man: we see joseph was stayed by this, not to yield to his wicked Mistress, where he said, how shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God.  
We have need to set God, and Christ before us, and that will keep us from falling into evils against God or against our Neighbour, and it will establish our hearts in goodness: again it may be demanded why the Apostle joins 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 join 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 son unto the death for our transgressions, and this sight makes us to love God, with all our hearts, and to prefer this God, before all the world, which causeth us, we 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 man's heart unto obedience: First in consideration of God, who is the judge of all the world, before whose face, all the world shall appear, to receive according as they have done in their bodies, whether it be good or evil: 
Rom. 3.  the consideration 2of God, as my judge, as the Apostle calleth him, and Abraham calls him so likewise, this is a great stay to restrain men from sin, when I do know that he who is my judge is before me, and he sees me, and he doth observe all my ways; and this if I do mind, is of mighty force, to keep me from sinning against him.  
Moreover if there be any safety from God's judgements, it is by the mediation of Christ alone: Now seeing that God, and Christ, are perpetually joined together in judgement, so that what the one approves, the other approves, therefore I must see God as my judge, and Christ as my mediator, as a means to keep me from sin, and for both these reasons it is, that the Apostle joins them together, God and Christ in this his charge, to let us see, we have God, and Christ, for our enemies to convince us, and to condemn us in that great day, seeing in both their names we were charged, to keep this commandment without spot, and thus we are taught the reasons, wherefore he joineth 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 he quickeneth all things, and secondly, he layeth Chest 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 will serve the turn, to stay thy wicked heart from pollution; Unless I set God before me as he is in Christ & as he is a pattern of doing good, showing me how I should walk, I say unless I think of them, & thus see them, the sight of them shall never do me good, or be of force to stay my wicked heart from sin, for wicked men believe there is a God, and so do the Devils also, and this works as much in the devils, as in many christians: (doth the sight of God and of Christ, hinder men from profaneness, in this world, doth it either stay the heart of Preacher, or hearer, from sinning? it doth not;) the reason is, because they have only a general moving, and notion of God, but they never, or seldom take notice of him, in his nature, and properties, as he is laid before us, as a pattern, in whose footsteps we must walk, and therefore the Apostle laid 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 speak of any matter concerning God, or his glory, Commonly he sets down a certain description of God, that out of it, men may see him so, as to fear to do any thing that he forbiddeth: Yet among all the glorious descriptions of God, there is none more glorious than this, which the Apostle hath here set down in these 4 verses; first that it is he, that quickeneth all things, secondly that he is the only Potentate, & king, of kings, & Lord, of Lords; dwelling in that light which no man can attain unto; to whom be honour, and glory everlasting, so he sets down a straight description of the living God, because much is to be considered of God, to make all pastors and teachers, to be faithful, and to stay sinful man from corrupting Gods truth: it is not the knowledge of one particular concerning God; nor yet of many, that will serve the turn; but it must be a great and wonderful knowledge of God, that will sanctify a profane heart, to true obedience therefore Christ himself ascribeth eternal life, unto the knowledge of the true God, 
Joh. 17.  and him whom God hath sent.  
This is not the general knowledge of God, which many have, & yet shall be damned, but it is such a knowledge, as will daunt the most vain, & proud heart of man, and make it to stoop 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 learn to know him aright; for it is not the knowledge of God simply, but the knowledge of God aright: that will make both Pastor, and Christians, to walk conscionably, and sincerely, whereas on the contrary wicked men through their Ignorance of God; because God holds his peace, and doth not presently execute judgement, therefore they thought that God did approve of their wickedness, as if God took pleasure in sin, as much as they; we read in the psalms: the wicked saith in his heart that God hath forgotten, 
Ps. 10.11  he hideth his face, he will not see it, and this makes them to scorn at them which reprove them, and all because the sight of God is hid from their eyes.  
The cause of all looseness of life, and wickedness of heart, is chiefly this, that though we think we know God, yet we know him not as we should, therefore let us every one labour to understand this, that God will have us to know him, as he hath revealed in his word.  
To come to speak 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 he is set before us, in his mighty power and the efficacy thereof, & jesus 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 only in his goodness, and mercy, & not in his power & justice: for that will make men make shipwreck of faith, & not to walk with an upright heart before God; when men look only to God's mercy, and forget his power; indeed God's mercy is the most kindly motive, to make us to obey God, but it is not the only motive, for the power of God must likewise be laid before our eyes: David was astonished when he did see, what judgements God did execute upon men, & in the 1. Corinth. the Apostle tells us what it is, that made him a faithful minister, knowing the terror of the Lord to persuade men, he sets before himself, the horrible judgements that shall be inflicted upon unfaithful ministers at the last day: and this made him to set himself, to draw men to God, by all the strength he could, he considered not only God's goodness, but he likewise sets before himself the terror of the Lord, so as he durst not dalley with God's truth, but he did labour to the utmost of his power, faithfully to dispense God's truth.  
jesus Christ he is set before us as a pattern, for Christ is not only to be considered by us, as our Redeemer, or mediator, for this doth but beguile foolish men, & causeth them to sin more, but they should consider an other thing in Christ: to wit, that he is not only given for this, but also for a pattern, and unless we serve God, after his example, his blood shall never ransom us.  
These are the two things we are to mark, to set God before us, not only in mercy, but also in his power, & we are to set Christ before us, not only as a redeemer, but also as a pattern for us to follow his footsteps: concerning God, he makes choice of this, that he quickeneth all things: why this? (to be short,) God power is to be seen in many things, but especially God's power shines in this, and hath the greatest force in it, to daunt the hearts of men more than any thing whatsoever when he sees God to be the author 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 moving, 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 God's hand to give it to thee, & to continue it, and to restore it, when it is taken from thee; this consideration, is of great moment to preserve us, not to offend this God, for the pleasure of any Potentate in the world, since all the world cannot give me life, nor continue life, and when I am dead, and life is gone, none in heaven, or earth, can restore me to life, except God do it; why then should I not be careful, that I offend not this God, nay far be it from me, for to do it, for any flesh in the world: O let us be careful that we provoke not this good God to wrath, who hath given us life, that in his wrath, we provoke him not to take it from us again: seeing that God only gave it me, to honour him: am I not bound to consecrate my life to him alone, & not to obey any creature to disobey him, it was not my father, or mother, that gave me life, but the Lord only, who is the Lord only, who is the Lord of life, he hath put life into me, therefore neither for father, nor mother, should I give my life otherwise then for the honour of God: O but some may say, 
Objection.  if I do so, & so, these men will take away my life from me, have they power to do it without God? saith not Christ, 
Luc. 22.  fear not them which can kill the body, but rather fear him, which can cast both soul and body into hell fire, and he said again, are not there two sparrows sold for a farthing and yet not one of them falls on the ground, without the providence of our heavenly father, how much better are ye then many sparrows: if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground, nor any man can take away the life of it, without God's providence, than surely all the tyrants of the world, cannot take away thy life, except the Lord suffer them: the Lord jesus himself, giveth a sweet warning to his disciples, when he sayeth to them, Rise, & let us go to judea again, & his disciples said unto him, Master, the jews of late sought to stone thee, & goest thou then thither? they thought it an hard saying of Christ, that they should go thither again: but jesus answered them & said, are there not 12. hours in the day? if any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he hath the light, & seeth the light of this world, 
question  but if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth because there is no light in him. What means Christ by this, he means by this to tell them, that as long as the day of man's life doth last, which hath a period set, so long he goes without fear, as he that walketh in the day, fears not, for the Lord is with him, but if they walk in the night, that is, if the time appointed of their life, be at an end, he must fall then, letting us thereby understand; that men may walk in their lawful callings without fear: for all the world cannot make him stumble, if God give them not leave, as Christ said concerning Herod, tell that fox, I must walk to day, & to morrow, until the third day, which is appointed of God for me: so that we may see, that none can give us life but God, so in the last place, when we are dead, none can restore our souls and bodies to life again but God only, & therefore we must not consecrate our life to any but to God alone, these considerations are worthy to be laid up in our hearts.  
Besides these considerations, of God's quickening all things, it is an especial ground of our faith, 
Rom. 4.17▪  as it is written concerning Abraham, I have made thee a father of many nations before God, & he believed the word of God, even that God that quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were, and this was that which made Abraham to walk steadfastly with God, because he knew as the Apostle boasteth saying, I am persuaded that neither life, nor death, nor any other creature can separate me, from the love of God: 
Rom. 8.  death is not able to keep me under the power of it, for Christ by death hath overcome death, as the Apostle affirmeth, if the spirit of him which raised Christ from the dead, dwell in your mortal bodies, even he that raised the Lord jesus, shall likewise raise your mortal bodies by the same spirit: so that this is the ground of our faith, and hope, to wit, that God quickeneth all things: and this made Abraham to be obedient, & ready to offer up his son Isaac, for he knew, that (notwithstanding) God would not fail to make good what he had promised in the person of Isaac.  
To conclude this point at this time, there be manifold considerations of this argument, to strengthen all, Pastors, especially in their calling, that they pervert not God's word, for any man's pleasure in the world: for if I look to their lives, that will oppress me, or if I shall look to my own life, I shall find it to be a great terror, to keep me from displeasing God in my calling, for any man's pleasure; first, if I consider their lives, they have it from God, and as their life is from God, so is all their working, power; that they cannot stir a foot further than it pleaseth God: for God can cut off their days in an instant: is it not then a vain thing to fear man, whose breath is in his nostrils, it being so easy a matter for God to take away the life of all flesh, how dare I then sin against God, to obey any man? Secondly, if I consider mine own life, I have no cause to obey man, and to sin against God, seeing none can take my life away, but God: and none can give it me, but he which gave it: therefore I should only fear him, who gave me life, and can take it from me: and thus we see, how the spirit of God, in this particular consideration of God, who quickeneth all things; lays a strong ground to all Pastors, & Teachers, for to hearken unto this Charge, that they violate not this commandment.   


The second Sermon.  OF this great grave & weighty Conclusion (beloved in the Lord) wherewithal the Apostle ends his Doctrine, which concerns the ordering of the affairs of God's house aright, according to the will of God: we began to speak to you the last time, and we did show you the reason why the Apostle did add this so weighty & grave Charge, and Commandment to Timothy; a man otherwise of excellent gifts, it was to let us see, that these things are not of humane invention, but of divine authority: they are things which are not to be dispensed with all, as men may dispense with the precepts of men; for they are the Commandments of the living God: otherwise the Apostle would never have charged Timothy, and in him all Pastors in such a manner, as in the sight of God, and of Christ jesus, to keep this Commandment without spot. Secondly he will let us understand, by this charge, what difficulty Pastors shall have to continue faithful in God's house, for they have allwais need perpetually, to have this Charge laid before them, and sounding in their ears, that the terrors of it, may keep them in their Compass, that they may practise this duty which the Apostle hath charged them withal; because whatsoever Satan, or this wicked world can do, to make Pastors to pervert the ways of God, and to walk in God's house otherwise then God hath Commanded: he knows that if the shepherd be smittem, the flock will be stattered, & that the corrupting of the Pastor will corrupt the flock, therefore mainly doth he set himself, against them that are Pastors, if he cannot quench the gospel, yet that he may pervert the gospel: that it may not yield wholesome food of salvation to God's people.  
First in the charge, we are to mark 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 straight injunction, binding the soul and conscience, to necessary obedience. Secondly, we declared unto you, by what authority he commands this law, he doth it not by his own, but he chargeth him before God, that quickeneth all things, and in the sight of Christ the Lord, he lays the authority of God & of Christ before him: wherefore he did this, we have already showed you, and why that Christ is joined with God in this Charge: because we are to set before our eyes, our judge and our advocate, in this Charge. God is the judge of the world, and he will judge the world, by Christ jesus, the man; so that although we be guilty of sin, in the sight of God, and that God for the same may justly damn us, yet there is hope of mercy in the mediation of Christ, who hath given himself to death for us, but in the transgression of this precept, the Spirit, will have Pastors to know, that they are not to look unto Christ, as a mediator, but to God as a judge, & both God and Christ, shall be against him that neglecteth this precept: Yea, all faithless Pastors shall find, so far as they neglect God's service, so far God's wrath shall be kindled against them.  
We began to speak of the properties which are by the Apostle added to God, and Christ, to make this attestation of greater force, and you heard that he sets down God by this, that he quickeneth all things, and the reason why (above all the properties of God,) he chooseth this one fact of God in the second place, as being of greatest weight, to enforce this exhortation, for the greatest weight, or force, or fear that we can be in, is of our lives; this is the greatest fear, that man can put in our hearts, namely, to take away our lives from us: now that which arms us against this, is the knowledge of God, that he hath all men's lives at his disposing, and that he 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 we need not to be afraid of any creature, since we know this authority of taking away our lives, is only in his hands, so as none can take them away, without his permission, and when they take it away, God can restore it again: there is no fear of the loss of life, that should make a faithful Pastor to pervert the ways of God.  
Now we are to speak of the particulars, that are here ascribed to Christ, which in order followeth next to be handled, and concerning him, the Apostle adds 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 down, that he quickeneth all things: so there may be many things said of Christ besides this: that he witnessed a good confession, under Pontius Pilate; only the Apostle chooseth this, above all the rest, to set forth our obedience to this charge: the reason he gives, because the chief thing, that causeth & teacheth us or Pastors to walk uprighly, is the example of the Prince of Pastors, Christ jesus, who is the Lord, and head of all Pastors, and he that makes us Pastors, as the Apostle shows us, that he is ascended up on high, and gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets some Pastors, and Teachers, he is the Prince of our calling, and, the Pastor of all Pastors, to teach them how to discharge the duty of their calling: 
Eph. 4.  therefore the Apostle sets Christ for the pattern: 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 we should do, that are Pastors, though we be in danger of our lives; Nay though we 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 down this foundation before us, he having witnessed a good confession in the presence of Pontius Pilate: and no terror of the judge, nor cruelty of the adversary, nor fear of death, made him afraid to confess God's truth, this example should we set before our eyes all ways. And this being the general, it should teach us this lesson, that Pastors that would know how to walk faithfully in God's house, must not be ignorant of the conversation of Christ the Lord: but they must look upon his boldness, & perseverance, & faithfulness to the end, & make him to be the only pattern of their own carriage in God's house: it is not enough for a Pastor to look how this or that man behaves himself: but he shall answer in the day of account, according as he hath followed Christ, who is the only rule of our behaviour; & according unto which his damnation shall rest, & be just: the Apostles themselves never durst presume to teach men to follow them absolutely, but they bade the saints to follow them, as they followed Christ, for Christ is the pattern of all righteousness, & true Christianity, according to whose footsteps, we must walk, if ever we think to reign with Christ in glory: this is the pattern which the Apostle Peter tells us, that Christ also suffered, the just for the unjust, leaving us an example, that we should follow his footsteps, what he did in the work of his ministry, & in his life, & conversation, was do to teach us, how we should walk either as Christians, in general, or as dispensers, of the mysteries 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 he did endure the cross, & despite the shame, for the glory that was set before him; so must we endure all the afflictions, that the world can lay upon us, and we must stand steadfast to God's truth, or else we may justly doubt, whether ever God will save us or no: so that Pastors must look upon Christ, & learn of him, meekness and lowliness of heart, & piety and the true service of God. This being the general, we will come more particularly to this, that the Apostle here sets down, especially in confession, he sets down Christ's 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, 
Rom. 10.  with the heart, man believeth to righteousness, & with the mouth he confesseth to salvation.  
Now the Apostle having to do with Pastors, not so much in regard of the inward disposition of their hearts, as of their outward pattern, therefore he speaks not a word of the inward disposition of the heart, but of outward faithfulness: and this is that which principally we are to look 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 consider his confession, & the witnessing of it: & the place where, that it was, even under Pont. Pilate, or before him, & so much the rather are we to take this to heart, because we have a sad saying, which Christ sets down, not only to Pastors, but to all Christians, where he sayeth, that he● which is ashamed of me, before men, & denies me before men, of him will I be ashamed, before my father, & deny him▪ but he that confesseth me before men, him will I confess before my father in heaven; it is therefore a dangerous thing, to err in this, seeing so heavy a sentence is given of them which confess him not: this is the point which we are to look unto, it is not enough for Christians to glory, as many foolishly do, to wit of their faith, that they do believe, and yet in the mean time although they profess God in word, yet they deny him in deeds, as Paul saith to Titus.  
Now God will not have this: but he will have, as man believes with the heart, so he should confess the truth with his mouth, if ever he think to be saved: the Apostles were not ashamed, no not in the very sight of the scribes, & pharisees, when they were accused, and forbidden to preach in Christ's name: they said plainly to them, judge ye whether it be better to obey God, or man; the whole world could not silence them, when God Commanded them to speak, he will never hold his peace, from that which Christ had made him a witness unto: Now all Pastors are Christ's witnesses, as Christ sayeth, he hath chosen them to be witnesses to the gentiles, of that which they had heard & seen: Pastors are the witnesses of Christ, and are appointed to bear record of his truth: & if they be silent in this, & the fear of death, or life, make them to shut their lips from speaking of God's truth, this sentence shall meet them in the day of judgement: & the prince of Pastors, shall be their conviction, that they have not walked as became them: because they did not do as he did: so this confession, is the thing that the Apostle lays before us, because fear many times makes men dissemble with the truth of God, & the fear of death many times makes men to pervert the truth of God, & to keep it close when God requires it should be spoken: the son 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 commandment to give a reason of his faith, to every one that shall ask it: how much more is he bound to this, that he that teacheth others, should own, and maintain this truth, as occasion is offerred: this is therefore the truth, & the duty that especially we must look unto, we must confess the truth, & acknowledge the truth, come what can come, we must not be ashamed of it. Secondly the Apostle sayeth, that Christ witnessed a good confession, he did not only confess the truth, but he did likewise bear witness unto the truth, ratifying it by his testimony, & which is more, he ratifyed it at his death, and that is that, the Apostle chiefly aims at: for that which Christ confessed before Pontius Pilate, he ratifyed it, & confirmed it by his death: he confessed himself to be the son of God, and he ratifyed it by his death, & this is the main cause, why in Matthew & Luke, that they said unto him, we have found him perverting the Nation, & saying, he is a King, and this is the Question that Pontius Pilate moved unto him, when he said, art thou the King of the jews? and Christ said unto him thou hast said it, this is that confession which the Apost. aims at, & it is set down fully in the 18. of john, where fore to the intent that we may the better know the meaning of the place, let us consider the words there set down, at the 33 verse, than Pilate entered into the judgement hall again, & called Jesus, and said unto him, art thou the King of the jews, jesus answered him, sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered am I a jew? thine own Nation, the chief priests have delivered thee unto me, what hast thou done? jesus answered him my Kingdom is not of this world, if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants sight that I should not be delivered to the jews, but now, is not my Kingdom from hence: Pilate therefore said unto him, art thou a King, than jesus answered; thou sayest that I am a King, to this end was I borne, & for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth: every one that is of the truth, heareth my words, and this is the confession, which jesus witnessed before Pontius Pilate.  
First we will consider the substance and matter of it, secondly we will consider the circumstances of it, to wit the time, and condition, which Christ was in, when he made this confession, the confession which he witnessed hath these parts, first that he was a King, secondly, that his Kingdom was not of this world, thirdly, that he was borne, and came into the world to this end, to bear witness unto the truth, and fourthly, every one of the truth, did hear his voice; these are the four parts of his confession; it is not therefore without great cause, that the spirit of God, chargeth Pastors in the name of Christ before him, that witnessed this good confession before Pontius Pilate, for it serves not only for example, but likewise for great instruction for us that are Pastors, to teach us what God requires at our hands, who witnessed a good confession, sayeth the Apostle, a better confession can none make, nay this daunts the hearts of feeble minded Pastors, they not daring to show forth their faithfulness to Christ, and this is the main point, both in the confession of Christ, the Prince of Pastors, and of all that shall succeed him, to avouch the Lord jesus Christ to be King: for the world is content of any thing else, that we can say of Christ, they will allow of his prophetical, or priestly office, 
How the world esteems of Christ.  but for him to rule and reign, that they will not endure, they will not have him to be king.  

The potentates of the earth cannot endure that Christ should be the king of his church but they will have some of their traditions to be used in his worship. Note this.  It was no offence to Cesar that Christ was called a Prophet, or a Priest by office, but to call himself a King, that brought him to his death: Cesar could not endure it, so now a day's 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 he is a King, the King, of his Church: every magistrate now will be King himself of the Church, therefore the Papists call the Pope, the King of the Church, and those likewise that have shaken off the Pope's authority, yet themselves will be Lords in God's house, and if Pastors will stand to maintain, that there is no other king in the Church but Christ alone, there is nothing under heaven, which will more endanger his life, than this; and yet this is the confession we must stand unto, under the pain of losing eternal life, and this is that which Christ lost his life for: and for this we must be willing, to lay down our lives, rather than to suffer any to be the King of Saints, but Christ alone, and therefore it is, that the Apostle calls this a good confession.  

Objection.  But a man may ask me, why this is called a good confession, more than to have confessed Christ to be the only high Priest, 
Ans.  and Prophet of his Church: I answer that both these acknowledgements are good, for we must not acknowledge any more high Priests, to reconcile us to God, but Christ alone, and he is the only Prophet of his Church, whose voice must only be heard: but why is this acknowledgement 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 than any other titles: all the kings of Israel, were but tips of him, Solomon was but a shadow of him, therefore the scriptures tell us, that when the jews 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 crown of his glory, I say it again, that the crown of his glory stands in his Kingly office: how ●o▪ because God hath not given to any, in heaven, or earth, by which a man can besaved; but by the name of jesus only: Now which is more, the Apostle writing to the Ephesians in his first Chapter, speaking of the mighty power of God that raised him up from the dead, and set him at his own right hand; in the heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in the world to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head, over all things in the Church.  
So the Apostle concludes the greatness of the son of God, by this, that God hath made him to be the head of the Church: who is the fullness of him that filleth all things: so that this exaltation of Christ to glory, and the dignity which Christ is exalted unto, above all men, or angels, this is the chief glory, and honour, of the son of God: we shall speak somewhat more of this hereafter, how that all the other offices of Christ, they are but servile: Christ doth abase himself, to be the Prophet of his Church, and he was not ashamed to take upon him, to teach the law of God, to the people with his own mouth: neither was he ashamed, to take upon him to be our Priest, to offer to God for sins of the world, in all these he was abased; and suffered himself in a manner to be spoiled of his honour and glory: but when he comes to his Kingdom, which he showeth by his resurrection, and when he hath prevailed against his enemies, and had subdued sin, and Satan, than he stands triumphing in heaven, and there sits at the right-hand of God, and herein stands his dignity: and it is a wonderful 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 son of God: but in his kingly office stands his exaltation, this is his dignity and Royal prerogative: he that meddleth with it, meddleth with the chiefest dignity of Christ.  
Furthermore as the former 2. offices of Christ are but servile functions, so the third by virtue of his exaltation, makes the other 2. both effectual; both his word, as Prophet, or of his sufferings as a Priest, depends upon his Royal power, for except he have power over all things, he were not able to keep us in his fear, nor present us into the favour of God, nor make it effectual to salvation: for Satan, and sin and the world, would, prevail against us: but Christ by his power is stronger than all, so as neither man, nor angel can make frustrate that which he hath done for his Church: therefore he is said to be declared, to be the son of God, by the resurrection from the dead: who was ever able to lose the sorrows of death, but he which is stronger than death? Christ therefore by death, destroyed death, and him that had the power of death, the devil: and for this cause, Christ sayeth (speaking of the virtue of his exaltation) to wit, 
john. 7.  his Blessing, when to his own he sayeth, every one that thirsteth, should come unto him, and he would give them the waters of life, this he spoke of the spirit, because Christ was not yet glorified: for until he was set in his Kingdom he could not dispense his spirit to his disciples, as afterwards he did: therefore when he was to depart from his Disciples, he gave them commandment, that they should not depart from jerusalem, till he had endued them with virtue from above, the world must be subdued to Christ, and therefore he could not dispense that measure of the spirit, till after his ascension: then did he send the Holy ghost down upon them, and endued them with all virtues, necessary to speak all languages, & constantly to preach the gospel, notwithstanding the opposition of men: so this was verified likewise in the prophecy of Micha, concerning the pouring forth of the spirit upon all flesh: it shows the great abundance of grace, that Christ should give his elect, he being glorified, being made the head of the Church and was possessed with all power to give grace: so this work of his Kingdom, is that which we must take to heart, as being the ground of our comfort, to wit, that the King of Saints, as he is called in the Revelation, he is with us, he it is that fighteth our battles against the dragon, and the whore: his might, and power only prevails; and the scripture telleth us, that if we will fight, valiantly, Christ shall tread Satan under our feet: all our strength, stands in his strength; as the Apostle sayeth, he was able to abound, and to want, and to do all things through Christ that strengthened him: elsewhere he sayeth, with what power he laboureth to convert men unto God, by power from him, which worketh mightily in him, where he did acknowledge, that all the power he had, to do any good in God's house, was even in Christ the son of God alone: therefore saith he, it is not I, but the grace of God that is in me: seeing then that all the virtue of a Preacher, 
1. Cor. 15.  and strength of a Christian, and all the virtue of Christ's mediation, & suffering, depends upon Christ's Kingdom, and power; how much the more should we consider this with joy, as the Chief ground of our consolation, in all dangers, to wit, that Christ the Lord, hath all power given him in heaven, and in earth, to give eternal life to those, that the Father hath given unto him, as he sayeth of himself, the end of Gods giving such great power unto Christ, is that he may bring his Children unto glory, therefore is he called the Prince of our salvation, and he sayeth, 
Heb. 2.  Christ being to bring many to glory, to consecrate the Prince of their salvation: well then, this point being of such high moment, it is not without cause, that the Apostle in this case, calleth this confession of Christ, a good confession, which is nothing but his professing himself to be King.  
And the reason of it, may likewise be this, because Christ's prophetical, and Priestly office, are in two respects, more easily embraced, than his kingly office: first in what respect they are more manifested, and more sensible, and more easy to be seen of the world, than his Kingly power, for he was seen to teach on earth, and he taught with authority, and not as the scribes, and pharisees did, and he performed his Priestly office in the sight of all the world, the world heard him preach, and the world saw him die: these are not things of much secrecy, as this is: to wit, this man so base on earth: that now they should see him Crowned with honour and glory: there is great difference between the glory of his messengers here, and the glory of the servants, or messengers of earthly kings: for the one is wholly earthly, & the other is wholly spiritual, and heavenly, so that so far as heaven differs from earth, so far differs Christ's Kingdom, from the Kingdoms of the earth: his Kingdom stands not in fleshly pomp, but it stands wholly in the spirit, and power of it.  
So this brings us to the second point of his confession to wit, that his Kingdom was not of this world: the jews would have made Christ a King, but he refused, & as he was a King, so he was constant to avouch the matter of his kingdom to be spiritual, and not carnal; why should we that are his ministers, make his glory, and his kingdom, a worldly kingdom: Do we not thereby falsify God's truth? seeing our master refused all carnal and worldly authority: but only the power of the spirit, & why should we seek after a carnal glory and pomp, when the glory of the son of God, and his kingdom is not of this world: Certainly the less we are in the world, and the less we are like to men in worldly honour: the more like we are to the son of God: if we be clothed with grace, with Sanctification, and the truth of God dwell in us plentifully, this should be our honour: and thus we see, how we are bound to place the kingdom of Christ in this, wherein it stands, certainly, all earthly power is so far from appertaining, to the kingdom of Christ: as that those that seek it, walk not with an even foot, in the ministry, 
1. Cor. 4.  neither doth he the part of a faithful Minister: the Apostle hath a strange saying, and yet a true one, if our gospel be hid, it is hid in them that perish, whom the God of this world hath blinded: for we preach not ourselves, but Christ jesus the Lord: and ourselves your servants, for Christ's sake; and that the excellency of the power, may be of God, and of Christ, that all the world may see, that the power of our Ministry, is not from ourselves, that we should force your consciences to submit unto the son of God: for our Ministry is wholly spiritual, as the Apostle tells us, that all the weapons of our warfare, are from God in heaven: 
1. Cor. 10.  they are not carnal, but mighty through God: it is God that makes the gospel powerful, and that makes the labours of mortal men powerful to subdue men to obedience. Thus to be brief, the second point of Christ's confession is to disclaim his kingdom, from being a worldly kingdom: therefore we should Disclaim all worldly pomp, and not compare Christ, to any worldly petty king, for it is wholly spiritual, as the Lord saith to his peoples, to comfort them against the Egyptians: he saith, the Egyptians are flesh, and not spirit, as if he would say, they are but flesh, and therefore they can do nothing, against the spirit.  
The 3. point of his confession was this, that he came into the world, and was borne to this end, to bear witness of the truth: wherefore this is to teach Pastoures, to follow his footsteps, and to know what is our calling: wherefore the Lord hath sent us into this world: which was to bear witness of the truth: God hath not sent us into this world, to bear witness unto a lie, nor to justify any falsehood, but to maintain the truth until death: as Christ avouched this to be his office, and he did accordingly, so should we that are Pastors acknowledge this to be our office: not to justify men's lies, but to bear witness and record to God's truth: so we see this affords great instruction for us, to show us wherein our felicity stands, especially in witnessing him to be our King, and his Kingdom not to be of this world, thus the penitent thief did believe, that he was a King: and that his Kingdom was not of this world: therefore he besought him, to remember him, when he came in his Kingdom: and that we are sent of God, to bear witness unto his truth, and for this we are to lay down our lives: it is a woeful thing to find falsehood in him that witnesseth the truth: the Apostle john, hath a comfortable saying of himself, in the end of his gospel, these things are written, that ye may believe: these things we witness, and these things we know are true: O would to God, Pastors would speak of nothing to God's people, but that they know to be Gods will, and not to teach men's foolish fancies, but God's truth only: for that will make us free, as Christ sayeth in the 17. of john, if you abide in my word, 
john. 17.  the truth shall make you free: so that our freedom in God's sight, proceeds from his truth, and he which teacheth falsehood, cannot keep himself from bondage, do what he can.  
The last point of this confession, is this, who so ever is of the truth, hears my voice, this might have been thought, a very proud word of Christ at that time: for he tells Pilate to his face, that he had no part in the truth: what means he by the truth? certainly the word of God which is the immortal seed, to beget men to be the sons of God, this is that Christ calls the children of wisdom, saying, wisdom is justified of her children: this than is the 4. part of Christ's confession, which he doth boldly witness, 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 truth, because he hearkened not to his voice: thus you see the substance of Christ's confession.  
Let us now see if it concerns not us, in every point, & that as being ministers, to follow his example: there are many things that we are to confess: but the substance of it is this which Christ confessed: which, we must keep, and observe, to the loss of our lives & where in stands the faithfulness of a Pastor, according to the example of Christ? when no fear to lose our lives, will make us to conceal, or to deny any part of God's truth, but we will witness it freely, & faithfully.  
And if this were among us at this day, there would not be found such eorrupting of his truth, in the house of God, as there now is: there would not be such vain Inventions of men in the house of God, as there is: Pastors, durst not deny his truth as they do, if they made conscience of this charge.  
To be short, I will add 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 he 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 fear of the judge never terrified him▪ nor kept him from witnessing, that he was the son of God: this is that the Apostle will have us to consider: it is an easy matter for a Pastor, that hath liberty as I have now, to speak freely unto a people which have no power over my life; but when a Pastor must answer for it, before Kings, & is in danger of his life, then to stand to it, there is the trial of a faithful Pastor: a faithful Pastor must do this, although it were before Pont. Pil., a faithful Pastor must do this: he must not shrink for the terrors of the flesh: but we must openly bear witness to the truth of God: so the circumstance of the danger of the place where Christ did this, is that, we are to lay before us, how many are there of us, that all though we have preached the truth of Christ: Yet if it come to this, that either we must change our minds, or lose our livings: how many are there, that basely falsify the truth of God, because they will not lose the favour of the King, or of some great men, yea they will rather falsify the truth of God for ever: how many such are there to be found in this age, that contrary to their knowledge, & conscience, do bear witness to falsehood and lies, only to uphould them in their livings, and in the favour of men.  
Let these men think of that sentence, the Apostle doth speak 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 truth when or before it come unto blood.  
I say it were a happy thing, if professors, nay if Pastors, would stand unto the truth till it come unto blood, that other allurements, did not draw them from the truth: the contrary hereof, doth declare, how few faithful Pastors' 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 gospel, concerinng Christ the Pastor; that above all we should lay this confession of Christ before our eyes, for the carriage of Christ, before Pontius Pilate, is a lively pattern, for all ministers to follow: and it is set down, not only to let us see, the manner of our redemption, but it is likewise, to teach Pastors to know their duty▪ and to teach them, how to walk in God's house, to maintain his truth, when God shall call them to suffer: the not consideration of this, makes many Pastors, and Christians, careless of their duty, because they look not upon Christ for their pattern. the Lord of his mercy, give Pastors' grace, that they may follow him: as in all things, so in this constancy, of maintaining his truth. Amen.   
vers. 14. 
The third Sermon.  
That thou keep this commandemt without spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
IN this commandment & charge given by the Apostle to Timothy, we have heard already in what a weighty manner he imposeth this duty upon all that are Pastors & teachers unto the world's 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 he quickeneth all things and it is before jesus Christ to be considered of us as, a pattern for us to follow in his witnessing a good confession before Pontius Pilate.  
Now it followeth that we should speak of those things wherewithal Pastors stand charged, what the matter is which is of this high moment which the Apostle doth lay with such authority upon all Pastors & teachers, & this is laid down in this verse in these words, that thou keep this commandment without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord jesus Christ, this is the matter, the keeping of this commandment, and the keeping of it without spot unrekukeable, and continuing this till Christ appear again.  
Now to encourage all pastors and teachers in the performance of this duty which must last till Christ's appearing again, he sets us down the assurance of his coming again in the next verse, to keep us that we do not faint under the difficulties that we shall find in keeping this commandment: until Christ's second coming, which in his due time he will accomplish, God hath reserved this time in his own hands, and in his own time he will show it: Now that we may be assured that God will perform this, he sets down a glorious description of this God, that we may see in God wonderful and undoubted reasons that God will in his time show the Lord jesus again. This description of God is one of the most magnificent descriptions that is set down of God in all the scriptures, to let us see what need we have to take to heart this precept.  
First he sets down God that he is the most blessed one, which in his time will show that he is the blessed.  
Secondly that he is the only potentate, and this he illustrateth by more particular demonstrations, in this that he is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, his blessedness is further expounded in these particulars, 1. that he hath only immortality, 2. that he is inaccessible dwelling in that light which no man hath seen nor can see. This description he concludes with ascribing to God two things, honour, and power everlasting, thus we see how the Apostle in most divine manner & high style, doth still propound this charge to all those that are ministers of his word, that all the world may see the necessity that lieth upon Pastors & teachers to do their duty, seeing they are so straitly charged before this God of might, majesty, and blessedness, to whom belongs all power and glory, so that we must not dally in this point of keeping this commandment here charged upon us, therefore it stands us upon under no less pain than the wrath of God, to keep this charge against all the world that shall oppose it.  
Now let us come to the words in particular, the first thing that all Pastors are Charged with all, is the keeping of these commandents; and that is not only charged upon them, but the keeping it without spot, and unrebukeable, the time how long they must keep it, is set down, till the appearing of the Lord jesus; So we have 3. things in this precept, which the Apostle lays upon all Ministers, to be considered by us. First we must consider what is the matter we must keep without spot, unrebukeable, and that until the appearing again of Christ.  
The matter is, this commandment: What means the Apostle by this commandment? by this, he means all the duties that he hath in this Epistle charged upon all Pastors and Teachers, this he calls a commandment, to let us see and understand, that the office of Pastors so described as we have heard, is this straight commandment of the living God, and it is the Law of God himself that is laid upon us to keep.  
Now he calls it a commandment, that we might understand what is the thing that we must obey and practise and it is a great encouragement for us to do this, since it is the charge of the living God, and the precepts which Pastors must lay to heart, that these are the things which God hath commanded. Therefore those which make no conscience to transgress this charge, but they will make all the order of God's house 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 commandment of God may be changed, whereas we see, the Apostle doth charge us in the sight of God and of Christ, to keep this commandment of God without spot, and that till Christ come. Again is then this a changeable commandment? can any power of flesh or blood alter or change this, when we are charged under pain of damnation to keep 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, seeing in so strait a manner we are charged and commanded to hold them.  
Well then, these things are commandments. I mark this for another end, and not only to show that these things are not indifferent things for men to do, 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 only counsels as the Papists speak, when they make distinctions betwixt precepts and counsels, and they make these things not necessary, but voluntary.  
And in nothing under the Tun hath the Church of Rome gone more against God's ordinances, and commandments then in this, yea they have wholly trodden this precept under their feet, which here the Apostle commands them to keep so straight, that neither the function itself may be abolished, nor any particulars of them may be neglected of any Bishop, nor the duty he should perform in preaching or in Governing, but long since all is changed among them, and a new fashion is set up in the ordering of God's house, which God never commanded.  
We have the more need to look unto ourselves in this, seeing there is no precept of God which hath been more adulterated and violated then this precept of the Apostle, yea not only in popery is this so, but this violation of it remains in the reformed Churches themselves, our duty is therefore in this respect to look to our selus, and see how short we come of performing this commandment, and how we shall answer in the day of judgement for our abuse thereof.  
Next, observe upon whom this charge is laid, it is laid, upon Timothy, and in his person upon all Pastors, by which we may see who are chiefly to keep this order in God's house, which are the Pastors in God's house, most and Chiefly here charged on us, it is not on the Magistrate so much laid to keep, at it is charged on us, & judgements shall light upon us if we keep not this charge, we are they that are commanded of God to look to this, the ordering of God's house is not so much committed to any as to us, therefore we must look to it; Let the world rage as they will against pastors, yet they may not neglect to keep this.  
If the Apostle had not known 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 doing it, with such weighty charge as he hath done, but he knew that the world would not endure to worship God as they are here commanded, therefore he had great care to back this commandment with the waightyer authority of the living God, now we see who it is that is chiefly charged for the ordering of God's house, namely his ministers. It is a woeful thing, and the Lord in mercy forgive this iniquity, for now every man will have a law for Pastors and Teachers, he must not preach but as they will, neither must he administer the sacraments, but as they please, whereas the Lord of Lords hath commanded to keep his ordinances pure, and therefore it is a great arrogancy against God and his ordinances, for men to lay any law upon God's ministers, how they should order God's house, nay happy were the church of God, if Pastors were not thus led away, that those which are apppointed over the church of God to direct it, that they themselves are led away by others, by which means religion is come to ruin, let them which usurp this authority, take example by Ahaz & Vzziah the King, who for usurping the Priest's office and presuming to offer incense, was strucken with Leprosy, & so remained all his days, 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 show you that we are the men which God hath given the authority and power unto, to order the affairs of his house in his worship.  
To come more particularly to speak of this keeping of it. Keeping is our duty; wherefore then doth the Apostle use these words, that thou keep this commandment? he knew Satan would steal it away if he could pervert the Pastors by the glittering shows of honours, and earthly preferment, and so Satan by men of corrupt minds hath usurped this holy order; against this, all God's Servants must stand courageously, and Pastors must keep it, and hold it fast. A Pastor cannot be more unfaithful 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 unfaithful to God as he can be in any thing, the Priests of old were not ashamed to oppose themselves to Kings, telling them plainly to their faces, that it belonged not to them but unto the Priests to do this and that; so it becometh Ministers well, to say to any Magistrate under heaven, that the ordering of God's house, the affairs belonging to his true worship is not in them to prescribe any other manner then the Lord jesus Christ hath by his Apostles prescribed; It is the Magistrates duty to order the common wealth, and the affairs 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 lawful 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 straight 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 laws to them which are their teathers, whereas none are so undutiful unto God, as Christians are in the reformed Church, for there the Magistrate usurps the place of Pastors, and this is the cause why that amongst the Magistrates that are at this day, that God treads them, and their authority under foot, and gives them over unto so many judgements, 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 mark it then, we are commanded to keep this precept, and not to suffer it to be taken from his Church. This keeping hath many parts.  
Many meant think it well kept if they keep it where it is written, and this they both should and ought to do, that is, they must see that the Word of God perish not, but that it may remain as a perpetual law to bind the conscience of the saints unto the world's end: but this is not enough honely to keep it in print in a book, but we must have it in possession, as john is commanded in the Revelation, having a little book given him, he is commanded to eat it, they must lay it up within them in their hearts, so that the teachers of God's Word should be well instructed in those doctrines which God hath charged him withal, to keep 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 will 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 mind, as the Apostles of Chest are said, to lay up Christ's words in their hearts, and God opened the heart of Lydia that she gave heed to the things, that Paul spoke. This is the keeping of his commandments, whenas they do not only keep them in writings, but in their hearts, and have knowledge to do them, and he commands us by keeping them to practise them, so all Pastors are bound to practise them continually, and to perform whatsoever precepts concern 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 account.  
And not this only is to be meant by the Apostle, but more also, that we must not suffer this commandment to be changed or altered, or to perish or decay, but we must bold it in perpetual use in the house of God, and if it be fallen, Pastors must raise it up, if it be corrupted, 
1. Cor. 11.  Pastors must reform it, if it be changed, Pastors must bring it to the ancient institution, as Paul did in Corinth, where he found the celebration of the Lords supper corrupted amongst them, he reduced it to the first institution by Christ, to reform them to the right practice of that duty which they had corrupted: so likewise in many other churches where the truth of doctrine concerning justification was corrupted, the Apostle in his epistle to the Romans, to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, Gallatians, reforming the miserable abuses wherewith Gods worship was profaned, in which he reform the errors, as doth appear in these epistles, to enforce their wicked hearts to bow to God's ordinances, for, the priests lips shall preserve knowledge, and they shall ask the law at his mouth: But alas now adays ministers must take the law from other men's mouths, and they must do nothing but as other men direct them, whereas it is his part to instruct all by the law of God, as we have showed what a straight charge God hath laid on his messengers which they must not be ignorant of, he must keep this commandment that it be not altered nor corrupted, I tell you that these alterations will bring the fierce wrath of God on us, we protest before God we desire to walk in the truth of God, and we have showed the truth, and if ye will not suffer yourselus to obey this truth we have taught you, your blood be upon your own heads, for unto alterations we will never consent, and if God assist us, while we breath, I will yield to do 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 any man's pleasure in the world, the keeping of this is the main part of the Pastors' office, as he will avoid the wrath of God and of Christ at his appearing.  
Now let us consider the manner how they must be kept; and here we may take notice of another misery in our time, which is, preaching is kept, the Sacraments are kept, & the ministry is kept, but whether these be kept without spot or rebuke judge ye, first consider the meaning of the words, there be many which do put no difference between these two words; but only this, that the first word spot signifies a lesser slip in the duty of the ministry, and the second word unrebukable signifies greater offences in the duty of the ministry, some reason there is for this distinction, for there are some things as spots, which are not worthy to be reproved, but that which is worthy reproof is a palpable sin: but the true distinction of these words is this, according to the new Testament, there is a two fold thing to be observed by Pastors in the work of the ministry, the first is without spot which argues his inward sincerity in his judgement, mind and understanding; and unrebukeable is in respect of his outward practice before the world, and these two words we may either refer to the person that is commanded these duties, or to the commandment itself, which they stand bound to keep, either to the commandment, that he keep it without spot, or that he keep himself without reproof, both these stand with the truth of the Scriptures, elsewhere we must keep the practice of this commandment without spot or rebuke, and we must keep our selus without rebuke, that the word of God be not evil spoken of by our iniquities, and that we suffer nothing to be added or taken away from the blessed ordinances of God, for every addition of man to God's ordinance is a blot, every device of man is a fleshly spot, it pollutes and defiles the things that are holy, and the teaching of them by profane pastors doth pollute the holy commandment of God, yea to suffer them to be dispensed profanely in a profane manner, or in an unlawful form, contrary to the patrern which the Apostles have set before us is miserable profaneness.  
Besides as men should keep the word and ordinances 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 work he hath in hand, if he deserve rebuke himself, than he brings rebuke thereby upon his office; It is a ministers going out of the way, and yielding to men's traditions, which brings pollutions upon God's ordinances; If ministers would stand fast, and not dispense otherwise then they are commanded, it is most certain Gods worship should never be so polluted, there never came pollution into God's house, but it came in by those that had the charge of God's house, all the blotting of God's ordinances came in by those that had the power to dispense them.  
But mark, 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, judgement & affections, by yielding unto any devices of men, so that if he suffer his judgement to be defiled, or his affections to be polluted, or suffer any evil thing to take place beside or contrary to this commandment, he is a polluted person before God, therefore he must keep himself unpolluted, & then his practice will be unpolluted, for it is true as Christ tells us in the Gospel, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, & so the hand practiseth; out of an evil heart comes evil practices, so that if a Pastor his heart be kept pure & spotless, he will embrace nothing but the truth of God, he will suffer nothing to defile God's ordinances, but he will be sure to keep them pure & unpolluted: whereas on the contraty if the hearts of schismatics & heretics were seen, & the hearts of all that corrupt God's truth, if we had spiritual eyes we might discern the corrupters of the truth of God, there is no sound cleanness in them who maintain idle toys, and set them down in place of solid substantial truths of God's worship, in such men's hearts is nothing but a stinking idol of corruption.  
Secondly as a Pastor must not only keep himself pure within, so must he not suffer his affections to he tainted without, but that he keep them pure in his own integrity, so that he keep himself unrebukable, and this will follow on the former, for so long as he remains without spot, so long the world cannot find fault with his practice, they may bark at his practice, they may backbite him, and say of him as they did of Christ, that he had a devil, but in truth to lay aught to his charge they cannot, for it is most certain that a pure practice flows from a pure heart, that there can be no just cause of reproach against him which keeps himself within the compass of God's truth, we know how against Christ they hired witnesses to get matter to charge him with, when in truth they could find nothing against him, yea the same Scribes and pharisees when they sent for the Apostles, and caused them to be scourged, yet they could find nothing to lay to their charge, to punish them, because they did keep themselves pure, and kept this commandment without spot, so they were punished not for any vice, nay they themselves were constrained to confess, that they had nothing to tax 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 many that punish Gods servants, not for any fault they can find in their ministry, but because their own authority & policy would be taken from them, if they suffer God's truth to be spoken plainly. To go forward, we see ministers must do nothing which may give just occasion to the world, to blame them, because he is charged before God that he keep this commandment without spot. But why doth the Apostle this? since (as I have said) he must walk, more holy than Christ if it were possible, that they should not be evil spoken of, and Christ tells his Apostles that all shall speak evil of them for his sake, and this Pastors must expect to find of men, not for that he handles the Word of God deceitfully, but because he 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 he 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 say he is faithful; therefore the Apostle saith, if the Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, and shall perish, so that the wicked themselves, as Peter tells us, shallbe compelled to justify, them in the day of their visitation, they that rail upon them now, shallbe forced to justify them, these than be the two things which the Spirit of God will have Pastors to look unto, that they keep this commandment, without spot or rebuke. Out of this we may see and discern, what the estate of God's church is this day, there is no church under the sun but is guilty of one of these two miseries, the one is this, that Pastors cannot be suffered to perform this, or else that Pastors have suffered themselves to be corrupted to do the contrary, either their hands are shortened that they have no liberty, that though they would never so fain practise God's commandments, yet they cannot get liberty to do it, or if they have liberty to do something, yet not all things: he may do a part, yet not the uhole truth of God, this is one of the miseries which lies upon the Church of God this day; I will not enter into judgement whether the fault be in the Pastors, or in the people, but this I am sure, if there were more courage in Pastors for God's truth then there is, it were well, we will leave them to answer for themselves, which are guilty of it.  
The second impiety is this, that Pastors for the pleasure of men have corrupted the ordinances of God many ways, even in the reformed churches, which they have taken from the church of Rome, see what corruption now there is in God's house in many 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 any thing more corrupted than they are? is any thing left of public prayers and preaching or of administration of the Sacraments according to God's appointment? is that order of government practised among them as the Apostle hath here laid down for the churches practise? Let them look to this epistle, and judge themselves according to the rules here set down, and do not say because it is like the best church, therefore it is the best church; No, if it be not according to this commandment it is accursed, I need not speak of this, for it is too palpable and abominable. In many churches there is all corrupted, they will have men's inventions, they are not content with God's ordinances, 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 God's anger, and of his fierce wrath, to see this charge thus to be trodden under foot by Pastors, who have so little studied this portion of scripture: they learn all things which others should practise, and learn nothing which themselves should practise and learn,  
We all know this, that a physician that studies natural physic for the good of men's bodies, that it is a dangerous thing if he shall proffer any physic to the patient, except those things that are of use, and with such mixtures which are profitable for the sick, because a little thing amiss may kill the patient: and do we think that there is such danger in natural helps for the preserving of our natural life, and is there not much more danger in corrupting of the spiritual medicine, which should keep us in the life of God that it benot extinguished? what a woeful change is it to corrupt the word and Sacraments, so that there is nothing but the very poisoning of the word and Sacraments, it is nothing else but poisoning the ordinances of God. The Apostle let's us see this plainly, that the force of saving grace is taken from God's ordinances when they are done otherwise than he commanded. In the 1 Cor: 1. The Apostle showeth the reason why he will not preach the Gospel in the intiseinge words of man's wisdom, lest (saith he) I should make the cross of Christ of none effect; & is it not a strange thing that the preaching of the word in the intiseing words of man's wisdom or eloquence should take away the force of Christ cruifyed from saving of our souls? and yet the Apostle saith it doth so.  
In the 1. Corinth's 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 God's ordinance to comfort the conscience, thus we may see the saving force of God's ordinances are taken away, when they are polluted by human authority and vain inventions.  
To go further you see how purely and without spot God will have his ordinances to be kept, he will not have men to deal with them, but that they must be kept entire and pure, but how long must they be so kept? until the appearing of our Lord jesus Christ, what an important charge may this seem to be unto Timothy! This let's us see two things in the duty that God hath charged on all Pastors, first that in this charge all Ministers are charged with it, and that this is not a commandment to Timothy only in his time, but for all that shall follow in the ministry unto the end of the world, till Christ appear again.  
Secondly let us see another thing, namely, how this must be done, every Minister must keep 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 faithful 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 do the like, and this Timothy is said to do this, till Christ's appearing when he doth it all his own time.  
Oh what a fearful thing is it when Pastors are not careful to leave the ordinances of God and of Christ, and the purity of them to those that follow after them, they know not what they must answer, for who are examples of the contrary, oh with trembling remember the history of jeroboam the King of Israel, who was the first that caused the jews to separate from the Temple of Solomon, and he is branded with this note, jeroboam, that made Israel to sin, he was the first occasion of it, and he is charged above all, for corrupting the Worship of God: The like we read before of Gideon judges 8. who thinking to adorn an ornament God had commanded his Priests to wear, but it was abomination unto the Lord, and it was the utter destruction of him and his house, for which the Lord recordeth all Israel went a whoring after it.  
If those men were so noted that have caused the Church to err from God's law, and not embrace his order he hath set down, but in the place of it to receive idle ceremonies, certainly they shall know, that God takes this to remembrance and more to his heart than they do dream of, yea they shall see that of all men they are liable to the greatest judgement in the sight of God, their own devices shall aggravate their judgement for corrupting the Church of God, therefore faithful Pastors must have a double care in their own persons and of others committed to their charge, that they keep it without spot, and that they deliver it to others without spot.  
Again we do here see that these ordinances are not to be changed so long as the world endures, the Apostle to the Hebrews comparing the law with the Gospel, and the dispensation of the Gospel to the dispensation under the law, he calls them both Kingdoms, because they were in his church where his Kingdom is; now saith the Apostle this word once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain, where the Apostle shows that the dispensation under the law was not to continue; but (saith he) we receiving a Kingdom which cannott be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, so that these ordinances of his Kingdom under the Gospel they cannot be shaken, except thou wilt shake thyself out of God's Kingdom; This Kingdom must remain constant till the end of the world, so that it is a fearful matter when men keep not this in their time, since it must not be changed till the world's end, yet there is scarce any degree of men in the ministry that doth not pervert this.  
What a fearful and dangerous matter is it to us, that we cannot keep it for so short a time? and if the Kingdom of God had stood and his ordinances according to his truth, here prescribed, there had never been another ministry nor an other government, or other doctrine than this here commanded, if Gods will were observed, and Pastors had been faithful, they would never have corrupted God's ordinances and worship as they have done, This Epistle is the only form that God allows, and by which ministers shallbe examined, for men need not to doubt how the Church may be reform and set in right order, if the fear of God did possess their hearts to look unto this Epistle, but when this is not looked unto, nor regarded, but what will please men, and what is the custom of these times, this makes that God's house is pestered w●th vanities, and still remains defiled, and if Pastors would bend their studies to learn this Epistle, it would show them their folly, and therefore all which labour to avoid Gods fierce wrath in this age, and love the salvation of their souls in obeying God according to his ordinances, let them read and understand this Epistle, for this will teach them the truth of God, how his Church should be ordered and governed.  
One lesson more I will add, and withal will make an end, This commandment you see is to be kept till the world's end, let us gather this lesson from it. Hath God charged his Church to do this, and will he not have his Church to practise it? let the devil and Antichrist rage as they will, and rage against his servants, yet the Lord will keep them, and this commandment shall be kept till Christ's coming again in despite of them, though not in the most part of the world, yet in some obscure places he will have his own witnesses to stand for him, to convince the world of error, the reason of it is this, God gives no commandment to his church that he will have kept to the world's end, but it must stand as long as the time that he hath appointed it, so that all the power of darkness shall not root it out of the world, although they may banish it in many countries, but out of the world they shall never banish it, but there shallbe one or other that shall stand for the truth.  
This we may see hath been accomplished, as we find in histories, although many of their testimonies are suppressed, yet in all ages God hath had sundry who have maintained the truth, so that there shallbe a Church of God in which the purity of his worship shallbe maintained, so long as the world shall remain. It is testified that No condemned the world, so the testimony of Christ's witnesses shallbe condemnation to the world, to this end the Apostle saith, if our Gospel be hid it is hid in them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds; So God and Christ will and shallbe worshipped, although obscurely, although not at jerusalem nor among the scribes and pharisees, yet in the wilderness there shallbe a john Baptist; or in some corner of the earth or other God will have his faithful witnesses, for this commandment shall take place as long as God doth reign, although the tyrants of the earth obscure it, this is most sure, that his Gospel is an everlasting Gospel, and God will keep it in some corner of the earth till the end of the world, therefore raise up your hearts with joy, although it be put down in this or that place, yet it shallbe raised again in an other quarter of the world, it came from the East to us, and we had it a long time, and now it is going from us, and God hath apppointed another place to receive it, never shall God want a place to keep his ordinances, let the world do what they can to hinder it, it is vain for men to seek to suppress that which God will have kept.   
1. Tim. 6.15. 
Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed, & only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  
HAving spoken of this description of God in general, 
The 4▪ Sermon.  now (considering the order of the words) we will come and speak of them in particular. First let us speak of them in particular, and first of God's power, then of his blessedness, for the proof of this, is set down the contrary order, he named blessed first, but he sets down power last, his power is this, because he is the only Potentate, that is, he is the Lord of all powers and principalityes, the argument is this, he that is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, he must needs be the only potentate in heaven and earth, and so it is that God is the head of all principalities and powers, therefore he must needs be the only Potentate. It is strange that this argument should hold, since it is granted that there are many Kings and Lords besides God, how then can this prove God to be the only Potentate, there being other Kings and Lords besides him?  
It would seem by this property here ascribed unto God, that it would confirm the false fancies of the Anabaptists, who hold, that now under the Gospel there should be no Magistrate but God only, because in the New Testament he is called the only Potentate, and this is one of their grounds whereupon they build their opinion: but the argument of the Apostle doth manifest the contrary, so the argument is set down by the Apostle in great wisdom, for this argument doth not take away all Magistrates in the world, but only makes God to be over them all, to be the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, now if there were no more Kings nor Lords but God alone, how could he then be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? So that the very words of the Apostles argument do confute this vanity, and lets us see that the authority which he claims to God, doth not take away man's authority over their subjects, but lets that remain still, notwithstanding that God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  
But to understand aright what is the Apostles meaning in his argument, it is of great force, for God is said to be King of Kings in diverse respects, first because there is not a King or Lord but by him it is, and by him Kings reign, it is he only that raiseth to authority, and none but he, so for this reason God is said to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, because they have not their authority but from God, and this is that for which Nabuchadnezar that great king of Babel did suffer such a great judgement from God, as to be cast out from amongst men, and to live among beasts for the space of seven years, that he might know that the most high had rule over the Kingdoms of men, as Daniel tells him in plain terms, because he in the pride of his heart did think he had raised himself to his honour, when these words came out of his mouth, Is not this great Babel which I have built for mine honour, and Honour of my Kingdom? Immediately his kingdom was taken from him, until he was forced to acknowledge that the most high had rule over men, this is a fearful spectacle to teach kings to know from whom they have their kingdoms and their authority. Pilate when he did boast of his authority to Christ, saying unto him, knowest thou not I can save thee or take thy life from thee? Christ answered him, thou couldst not have any power over me except it were given thee from above. This is the first reason why God is called the king of kings and Lord of Lords, because it is not by succession, nor by birth that kings come to rule over others, but by the special providence of God, and this is the reason why we must reverence them that are in authority, because (saith the Apostle) all authority is of God.  
The second reason why God is called the king of kings is this, because he never made king yet of absolute power, he never yet made an absolute king on earth, but always made them substitutes to himself in authority, reserving to himself the supreme authority over them to thrust them out of their thrones whensoever it pleased him. All the kings of the world are but subjects to the king of heaven, so that even in their ruling, and exercising of their power, they are to know there is another power above them, unto which they must give an account of all their doings, for the Lord will not let the power he hath over them to go out of his own hands, so that no kings nor Lords have any power to do as they list. 
This shows that kings must render an account of all their actions to God.  It is blasphemy to say that any king hath absolute power, for that is as much as to set him in the throne of God, for there is no absolute king but God alone, and this is the second reason why the spirit of God describes the power of God after this manner, to prove him the only Potentate, if he that is a king have another power above him which is the Lord, them must this Lord be the only Potentate; but every king hath the Lord above him, so as he can hold it no longer than it pleaseth him, neither can his race enjoy it longer than God will suffer it; therefore the Lord took away the kingdoms from some, and gave it to others, he took away authority from the house of David, and gave it to jeroboam, and for the iniquities of jeroboam he took it from Ahab and gave it unto jehu, many changes of kingdoms the Lord hath made, taking kings out of their thrones, and placing their enemies in their places, to let us see that kings are not absolute Lords on earth, but they are at the Lords disposing, at his pleasure.  
Thus we see the third reason proved, wherefore the Apostle describes the power of God after this manner, that by necessary evidences he concludes the main point. Since there is not a power or Potentate, but God is the only Potentate to do with men as himself please, it is he that casteth down, and it is he that raiseth up, and thus he will have all men to know, but specially his ministers to know this.  
There is a fourth reason of this manner of describing God, and that is for the comfort of his children, which I have touched before, to arm them against all the terrors of kings, that the terror of no power make them to dispense with the ordinances of this great Potentate, therefore he would imprint this in their minds, that God is the king of kings, therefore no king can do more harm to them than it pleaseth God, this is comfort, and the same which Christ gives his desciples in the tenth of Matthew, where he bids them not to fear them that can only kill the body, for he tells them that their lives are more precious than birds, and are there not so many sparrows sold for a farthing? and yet not one of them shall fall to the ground without the providence of God, therefore Christ knowing that power was given over him, though he could have prayed to his Father and obtained legions of Angels, yet he would not, because he knew there was no resistance of God's will, therefore he comforts himself against the losing of Pilate, that he had no power but was given him from above. First of all this, let's us see that it is a vain thing to be astonished at the fury of Princes, it is but miserable weakness of men that know what God is, certain it is if we serve God aright we would not be moved with the fear of any man in the world.  
Ye see when as jeroboam would have apprehended the Prophet that God sent to threaten his judgements upon 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 counsel of God, what need any man to fear, whenas our Saviour and God is on our side. We know what Saul did unto David, he did use all his skill to destroy him, but it was impossible for him to do it because God who is the King of Kings was with David, and God did show his power against Saul in this, when he put Saul's life into David's hands, but he never put David's life into Saules hands. We know what enmity Ahab had against Elias the Prophet, yet the Lord commands him to go to him, & the Prophet answered the Lord, that he sought his life, but the Lord answered him saying, go, be not afraid, and the Prophet goes to him & tells him that it was he that troubled Israel, and the Lord restrained him that he could do the Prophet no harm. Infinite examples in the Scriptures we have of this, to let us see, that he can hold Kings that they shall do no more harm than 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, therefore 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 do not this, it is just with God to make them will they nill they, to acknowledge this to their destruction, for the saying of isaiah shallbe accomplished which the Lord there speaks, all knees shall bow to him, and every mouth shall confess him to be the Lord, for the Lord will not suffer himself long to be despised, but in his own time he 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 do reign, observe what it is Christ shall do in the last day, the proper effect of this Kingdom shall be to put down all principalities 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 truth 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 than they do, but this sort of doctrine is harsh to Prince's ears, to think that there is a God above them, or that there should be any of whom they hold their sceptre, and yet they must know this, or feel the truth of it by experience in God's judgement.  
The second use for Kings and Lords is this, that the Apostle doth teach them to do that which is right to all men, that they oppress no man, because they have a King over them in heaven, unto whom they must give an account of their doings; This Argument the Apostle useth to Masters in sundry places, that they should do that that is right to their servants, knowing they have a master in Heaven. If superiors 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 inferiors, surely it would make them to do nothing but that which is right, these are the uses that do concern Kings and rulers.  
Now there is great use of this likewise for ourselus, besides the encouragement it gives us, not to be afraid of any 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 shows.  
Now since all authority is of God, he that resists authority he resisteth God, but some object, what if they be tyrants and merciless men: and such as make no conscience to do wrong? I answer even as the Apostle doth to servants, whom he commands to be subject, not only to their good masters, and such as are gentle; but also to them which are froward: so I say, if thou wilt do thy duty, thou oughtest rather to suffer wrong, and to suffer thyself to be oppressed, rather than 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 we may use all lawful means to eschew wrong, and Magistrates may plead in Parliament with their Princes, for they have also their authority from God, we ought to use all lawful means to escape wrong, but if there be no possibility of escaping, we 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; he gave to Israel a King in his wrath, and he stirred up a wicked King in Israel to avenge himself upon the people for their idolatry, do you not think but that the devil is God's instrument against the wicked, so is every wicked king th● Lords scourge, the rod of his justice to inflict upon his enemies, when as good rulers are the blessings of God upon a people that are careful to please him, the Lord will make them nursing Fathers and Mothers unto his church, and so God in his infinite wisdom makes Kings and Rulers to subjects as he sees cause, either to plague them or to preserve them, this is the secret of God's providence, thus to order the World according as he sees they carry themselves towards him; we see that so long as Israel did not know God, so long God gave them into their enemy's 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 enemies, and as soon as they fell from God again, God took those rulers from them again, and made their enemies their Lords: to let us see the truth of this, that it is our sin against God which causeth him to send wicked tyrants over a people, to repay them home according as they have dealt with him, and it is his mercy to his own, that he gives them good and gracious rulers. Always it teacheth us this, that reverence must be given to him which God hath set in authority over us, since they are set over us by God. To come yet nearer to the point, doth not God give power to the devil to be the prince of the air? How could he prevail as he doth over the souls and bodies of men, if God did not give him liberty? look to the history of job, what could he do against job? nothing but by the permission of God, so in the Gospel when there were two men possessed of the devil, which met Christ in the way, and he dispossessed the devils, when they were cast out, they had not so much power as to possess the swine, till Christ gave them leave, & so doth God give power to the devil as we read in the Revelation, where it is said that he sets up his vicar in the Church, who shall exercise the power of the devil in the Church, and yet all this is of God, to punish the wickedness of the world, and to avenge himself upon his enemies which have not the knowledge of God as they should, and if God give such power to wicked men, it is to make them his firebrands, to plague the contemners of God and despisers of his word.  
But to go farther, this is not only a lesson to teach us not to be afraid of men's terror, and to reverence the whom God hath set in authority over us: but likewise it serus us for another lesson, and that is this, that Kings, and Superiors we are to obey in the Lord, & no farther, for they have a Lord over them who hath made them our Lords, therefore I must obey them but in the Lord, 
observe this  we must not obey the king against that king that made him a king, for God is the king of kings and Lord of all Lords, and therefore above all he is to be obeyed, though it should cost us our lives, yet we must not obey princes to the prejudice of God, it would be thought treason; if a subject should hearken to an inferior Magistrate against his own king, 
he that doth aniething at the command of his king, which is contrary to the word of God he is atraitour to Christ.  although the king had made him a Magistrate, yet if I should hearken unto him in any thing against my prince, I were a traitor to any prince, and is it so amongst men, and shall not God have the like authority? king's are but God's subjects, and inferior Magistrates under him, and is it not high treason to obey them against God? So all obedience that is given unto princes under pretence of subjection to them, being contrary to Gods will, is rebellion against God and thus much concerning the power of God, that he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  
Now only blessed▪ we have heard already how that he is the only potentate, Now we shall see that none is so blessed as he, and blessedness can be expected from none but from him alone, for who can make a man blessed that is not blessed in himself, but God alone? therefore it is vain to think to have an happy & blessed estate from any Princes under heaven, except from God alone, for only he which hath blessedness without measure can bestow it, but let us consider how the Apostle proves it by two things, first because he only hath immortality, and secondly because he only dwells in that light that no man can approach unto, and from these two he concludes that he is blessed, and he only can give it.  
He that hath life and an eternal life that is so glorious, and a life which is light, and is such as makes the glory of him that hath it incomprehensible, certainly that must be unspeakable felicity, and this is the first point of true felicity, and this is the reason why all creatures are said to be subject to vanity, because they are subject to death, so that all things although they should have their hearts desire in the world, yet they cannot be happy, for when they dye their happiness ceaseth, therefore to be truly happy, is first to be immortal, which is not only to be exempted from death, but to be in such an estate where death cannot come, and to have corruption swallowed up of life, when God shall be made glorious in them that believe, this makes men truly happy, therefore the saints of God have both in the old and New Testament lamented the misery of man in this, that his life is but threescore and ten, and it is quickly gone as a race that is run, so vain a thing is man; and if we had nothing else to humble us but this, namely, our corruption and mortality, it were argument enough to know our base estate, and far from being happy in this world, in that we are not exempted from death, therefore it is, that God makes the vanity of man who heaps up riches, and cannot tell who shall enjoy them, as the rich glutton in the Gospel, who said, soul take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years, when Christ told him, he had not a day to live, than thou fool whose shall those goods be? the scriptures mock at these vain desires. so that be a man what he can be in this world, yet his mortality makes him wretched and unhappy, therefore in regard God is immortal therefore he is only blessed.  
But it may be objected are not the Angels immortal, 
Objection.  why then do ye say God is only said to have immortality?  
I answer, that none have immortality properly but God alone, for true immortality requireth true eternity, 
Ans.  that is to say, it is without beginning as well as without ending, and none is so but God alone, therefore none truly is immortal but God alone, though notwithstanding God hath made the Angels immortal, and the souls of men immortal, that is, for durance only, and yet endurance simply doth not make immortality, for though the devils endure for ever, yet it is not to live for ever. A thing may be said to be immortal, that is, to live for ever, and yet not free from God's wrath, as experience shall prove in wicked men and evil Angels and reprobate men, but to speak of the blessed Angels and the souls of the elect, to speak truly as the matter is, the immortality of Angels and of men, it is not in the souls themselves, nor in the Angels themselves, what then? even from God alone, as it is said Acts 17. That in him we live, move, and have our being, and if God should but withdraw his up-holding hand and power, neither should the souls of men, nor Angels be immortal; so that it is not from themselves but from God that they have their immortality, and therefore the objection takes not away this truth, that God is only immortal.  
Again observe this, that although the Lord give immortality to my soul and unto Angels, yet neither man nor Angel can give immortality to any creature in the World, God only is able to do this, therefore he only hath immortality, because he only hath it of himself, and because he only is able to give it to others, therefore must he needs continue to be immortal, that hath the only keeping of it himself, and dispenses the same to others at his pleasure, so that in this point God is only happy, for man may beget children, but we cannot make them immortal, only the Lord must do this, nay we cannot make ourselus immortal, do we what we can, read Psalm. 43. and you may see the spirit of God taxeth the miserable vanity of men, that think their names great on earth, and yet he saith, no man can redeem his brother from death, all must go to the grave, the rich die aswell as the poor, and yet vain man he will call his Lands by his own name, and all is but in vain, so that this is proved, that God is only blessed. We know that the devil did speak true to God concerning job, when the Lord said unto him, Hast thou not considered my servant job, who is a righteous man, that doth no evil but good, what saith the devil to God, skin for skin and all that a man hath will a man give for his life, Whereas the hand of God being stretched forth against job in his children, & in his estate, yet it could not make job to blaspheme God, but the devil thought that if God would stretch out his hand upon his own person, that it would make him to blaspheme God, a man will part with any thing so as he may have his life, for what is riches unto a man if he cannot enjoy them, without life there is no conceit of happiness, let men therefore learn this, that their life, and the continuance of their life, & the eternity of their life is in the hands of God alone, and since it is so that he only can give eternal life, why then should I for the pleasure of any man in the world offend this God, and make him to be mine enemy? can any Prince in the world give me eternal life, but he only? why then should I for the pleasure of any man offend him in whom my life stands? unless I care not what become of me, whether I be cast away into hell, or whether I have eternal life; If I desire life let me then make conscience not to grieve this good God, since he only can give life, and he only can take it away, this is still but one part of his felicity, and of our felicity in him, if we obey him, he hath promised to give eternal life unto us; and they that remember not this promise that God hath promised to them that fear him, certainly that man cannott walk as a Christian.  
To come then to speak of the 2. point, of the felicity of God, which is thus set down, be dwelleth in that light, which no man can attain unto, I will consider two things in these words, first that he dwells in the light, secondly, he declares what manner of light this is, it is such a light as no man can approach unto. The first shows the infinite glory of God, in that the very place of his habitation is light itself, and such a light as the sun cannot give, it is a light surpassing all created light, yea this light comes from God himself, 1 john. God is light, if any man say he hath fellowship with God, and walk in darkness, he is a liar, for God is light, and they which have fellowshich with God walk in the light, and therefore those that are called of God, they are called the children of light, and God is said to call us out of darkness into his marvellous light, that is, God calls us from death to life, so he doth call us from darkness to light, and this is the second part of our felicity, for in this we must be like God, in whom is no darkness, for when God shall translate our vile bodies unto his glorious light then shall the light of the sun be inferior to this bright shining light of this mortal flesh, what glorious creatures shall we be in that day when this our mortal flesh shall not only be made immortal, but our bodies shallbe raised in glory, as the Apostle saith, they are sown in weakness, but they shallbe raised in glory, glorious bodies, even like unto the son of God, who is now at the right hand of his father, so that whatsoever is in man's body that makes it defective it shall then be taken away, and the glory of God himself shall be put upon our bodies in that day, so this is the first thing to be considered of us, that God dwells in the light.  
What use should we make of this, it should teach us where to lay the blame if we see not God, for in the dark we can see nothing, but in the light we can see any thing▪ now if thou canst not see God, it is not because God is in darkness, for God dwells in the light, something therefore must be the reason why thou canst not see him, and the reasons are one of these two.  
First if thou seest not God at all, the reason is this, because thou art a child of darkness, and the light of life was never put into thy soul, therefore the wicked are said to be of them which know not God, and what wonder is it they do not know him, since they were never called out of darkness to the light of God, the want of this calling out of darkness, is the reason why they cannot see nor know this God, as for example, if a man be in a dark dungeon or prison, that hath no windows in it to show light, he cannot see, such a man in such a place cannot see the sun, for until he be taken out of that dark place he cannot see any thing, so until men be taken out of that beastly blindness wherein he is conceived and born he cannot see God.  
But the second thing will bring us to a non plus in this point, for suppose I be called out of darkness what will that help me? what the better am I for this calling, if I cannot approach to this light? this is the second thing that we are to mark in the felicity of God, that besides his dwelling in the light, he dwelleth in such a glorious light as is unspeakable, which no man can approach unto, which shows the unspeakable glory of the Majesty of God.  
But than it may be objected, what avails this light of God, since we cannott approach unto it? To understand this more clearly the words following make this doubt greater, where he saith, no man ever saw this light nor can see it, Abraham never saw him, nor Moses never saw him, neither can any man see that unapproachable light that he dwells in, all which doth let us see the incomprehensibleness of the glory of God, if all the Angels in heaven, and all the men in earth should put their wits in one, yet they could never see God's face as he is, it is but the back parts of God that ever any man saw, or attained to, for God faith himself that it is impossible for man to see God and live, well then how shall we resolve these phrases of scripture where it is said, 
Matt. 5.  blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, and the Apostle saith, 
1. Cor. 13.  we now see but in part darkly as in a glass, but then we shall see him face to face. How can this be true, if none can see God?  
To resolve this doubtful point the Scriptures lead us to the knowledge of the diverse kinds of the sight of God; first there is a sight of God which is perfect, secondly there is a sight of God which is imperfect, the perfect sight of God no man can see but Christ, neither Angel nor man ever had, or shall have the full and perfitt sight of the Majesty of God, it cannot be seen, for it is infinite and incomprehensible, which cannott be comprehended by any creature, no not by glorified men, nor glorified creature, for the brightness of God is such, that it would strike to death man or Angel if he should behold it, therefore no man or Angel can see it and live, as God said to Moses my face can no man see and live, yet if any man could have seen God, Moses could, but the Lord tells him, my back parts thou majest see, but my face shall no man see, that is, we may have an obscure sight of God as Moses had, but a perfitt sight of God can no man have, in heaven the Angels dare not behold God's glory, and therefore in the 6. Esay, the Angels are said to have 6. wings, with two they cover their faces, and with two they cover their feet, and with two they fly. They had two to cover their faces, to let us see that they dare not set their eyes upon the immediate Majesty of God, they could not endure the brightness of God's nature if it were exposed to their sight immediately, so this perfect sight of God is proper to God himself and Christ, and no man else besides himself.  
An imperfect sight of God the saints may have, and that we may know the bounds and the limits of it, we must first know the end of it and the fruit of it, and that will let as see what it is to see God.  
The ends of the sight of God are twolfold, or we may observe it in one, and that is, that we may be like him, all similitudes of God flow from our sight of God here in this world, and in that which is to come, there is no conformity to God nor likeness to him, but by the shining of God's light upon us, therefore it is that in this world he sends such a light amongst us, as is able to make us like unto him in grace, though not in glory, the small light we get in the Gospel, is to show with open face the glory of God, it puts the image of God in righteousness and holiness upon us, and it is given us to this end to beget us again, and to translate us from the similitude of sinful flesh to the glorious image of God: see therefore what conformity in holiness and righteousness God hath appointed us in this life, according to this he gives us a sight of himself in the Gospel, it is a glass wherein we may see God, and according as he gius us a sight of himself, so doth he conform us to his image, and the measure of our conformity to God doth arise from the measure of our sight of God, if we had a greater measure of the sight of righteousness possess us, we should have a greater measure of the sight of God, so that is the reason of this light that God reveals to us in this world, that we may see the glory of God manifested in Christ jesus, that we may attain to this blessedness in this life to be like unto him.  
There is yet more, a second degree of blessedness in the sight of God, which is not only to have a similitude like unto God in holiness, but in glory and immortality, we shall not only be made righteous and holy, but immortal and glorious, this doth proceed from the sight of God, when Christ shall come again in the clouds, then shall mortality be swallowed up of immortality, but this effect of the sight of God cannot come to pass until we attain such a sight of God as the Scriptures speak, when he saith, we are now the sons of God, but when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.  
The sight that we have of God in this life, though it be but a poor sight, yet is effectual to regeneration, and it is as far as sinful man can see him here, and yet this sight of God is nothing to that he is in himself, and to that which we shall see in him at the last day: So likewise that sight we shall receive at Christ's coming again, it shall not be the sight of God's Majesty immediately, but we shall see this God clothed with his manhood, for the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily, the Godhead is overshadowed with the flesh of Christ, and we can never see it but in and thorough his flesh, his flesh is the veil, and except through this veil, woe cannot see the Majesty of God in heaven, now this glorious light of his godhead which we shall see in heaven through the flesh of Christ is not the essential glory of the deity, but the created glory that is put upon the manhood of Christ, which glory of the manhood shall transform our flesh to the similitude of the same glory, so that the sight we shall have of God in heaven shallbe an earthly object in the glorified body of the sone of God, take away this flesh of the son God in heaven, and neither man nor Angel can see the Lord, therefore in the 3. Chapter of this Epistle the Apostle tells us that Christ was manifested in the flesh, and seen of Angels, the Angels durst not look upon God before, but had two wings to cover their faces, they durst not see the Majesty of God until God had put this veil upon it, and then the Angels did see it, which is one of the greatest points of the mystery of godliness.  
Since than there is no happiness, but in conforming ourselus to God in Holiness, in immortality and glory, and that by the sight of him, what will that teach us? it should teach us to labour to see this God, which though he be invisible in himself, yet we should labour, to get a sight of him, without which there is no conformablenes to him, nor blessedness in the world, therefore Christ himself counts his disciples blessed that they saw the glory of God in him, saying, blessed are the eyes, that see what you see, many have desired to see it, and have not seen it, this sight which the saints have of God on earth is of two sorts, the first is according to that God shows himself in the law, the second is according as God did manifest under the Gospel, under the law he did show himself but darkly in shadows, types and figures, but now under the Gospel he doth manifest himself in his sone, which is the engraven form of the Father's person. God in the old law did show himself in sacrifices; and oblations and purifications, in these things God did show himself darkly, and not plainly as he was, therefore the law is now abrogated that the Gospel is come, and we are not now to look on God as they did in shadows, but to see him in open face, it is not now as the glory of God was upon Moses, which the people could not behold the glory of God which did shine in Moses face, much less could they then see God himself, but now saith the Apostle we show forth the glory of God with open face in the Gospel, which transforms me by the same image from glory to glory.  
Yet this bright sight of God which we have in the Gospel, is but a dark sight in comparison of the sight of God, which we shall have in glory like unto Christ, that is reserved till Christ come again; If Christ at his first coming into the world had come in glory and not in weakness, than he should have transformed the world to it, but he came not for that end then, but he came then only to make us holy, and not to make us glorious, he came in our nature, and was subject to hunger and thirst and weariness, that he might conform us to his nature, as far as flesh and blood could be capable, but when he shall come again in Majestye then shall he appear in glory, and when he appears, we shallbe like to him in Glory, so as I said before in the beginning, all our felicity comes from our sight of God, and look what felicity God bestows upon us, he will let us see it by transforming us to his image in holiness here, and in glory hereafter; and all doth arise from the sight of God, and yet this remains a truth as I said, that all the sight we have of God is not a perfect sight, we shall never see God as he is, but it shallbe such a sight as is sufficient for the ends he gives it for; God is as far above us, as it is possible an infinite creature can be above a finite creature, and giving this glory to God only, that he knows himself perfectly, and that he will bless us with that measure of the sight of him which is sufficient to make us happy for evermore.   
FINIS.