Four sermons which doe manifest the true sence of the 1. Epistle to Timothie 6. Chaper 13. 14. 15. [and] 16. verses of that chapter. Preached by the reverend divine Mr. Iohn Forbes late preacher to the Companie of Merchant-Adventurers in Delft. Published by S.O.

1. Tim. 6.13.

I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickneth all things, and before Christ Iesus, who be∣fore Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. &c.

HItherto the Apostle hath set downe unto vs a perfect patterne, to teach all the servants of Christ, how to walke in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, in all the parts and portions of their spirituall function, for the advancement of Gods glorie, and for the edification of his saints, and for the avoiding of all those things, which might offend God in his worship, either in Doctrine, or Discipline: he hath set vs downe, and hath let vs see, what sorts of men must have charge in Gods house: and he hath war∣ned vs of the errour, that they must avoid in Doctrine, and of the vanitie they must avoyd in their forme of speach, and he hath likewise let vs see, what forme, of Discipline is to be used in Gods Church. In this Chapter he comes to the conclusion of it all: and first before he concludes it, he first deales against servants, who did abuse their Christian libertie, as a pretext, to the flesh, refusing to obey their Masters: some, because their Masters were heathens, and therefore they thought, that a Christian made free by Iesus Christ, should not be bound to serve them, others, because their Masters were Christians, therefore they thought it equall, that one Christian should not be bound to be a servant to ano∣ther, the Apostle answeres both these in the beginning of this Chapter, and after returnes back againe, and gives warning to Timothy, and in his person, to all

Pastors what should be done, that they should teach, and exhort the Church, this should be the substance of their Doctrine, which in this epistle is conteined, and to moove him to this, he sets downe an argument from the miserable estate of those which keep not this com∣mandement of the Apostle: for if any man teach other∣wise, and consenteth not to this wholsome Doctrine, which is according unto godlinesse, he is proud not knowing aright: and he lets vs see the vaine ground of this their vanity; as first, they are men of corrupt minds, the second is, they are destitute of the trueth; the 3. is this, they suppose gaine is godlinesse: and the A∣postle doth manifest, that this shewes it to be the plaine contrary, and that godlinesse is great gaine, and this he shewes by a strong argument, in the verses following, and he labours to draw all Pastors from this vice of co∣veteousnesse, and he teacheth them how they should exercise themselves continually, he setting downe a per∣fect patterne, for all Pastors, and Teachers to practice, they must follow after godlinesse, faith, love, meek∣nesse, and this is the first; Secondly they must fight the good fight of faith, and the last is, the end and in∣tent, that they may lay hold on eternall life: and he subjoynes 2. reasons why Timothie should do so, as first, because he was called thereunto of God, secondly be∣cause he had professed a good profession before many witnesses, therefore it should be a shame for him to faint, and not to goe forward and continue.

Now the Apostle concludeth with a most weightie Charge to Timothy, and in his person unto all Pastors, and Teachers, unto the end of the world: and this Charge is continued in 4 verses, from the 13 verse, unto the 17. and the substance of the charge stands in two things, the first is, in keeping of this commandement without spot, unrebukeably, and the second is, the

constant keeping of it. The first part concernes the matter he is to looke unto; The 2 is, concerning the time how long they must keepe this, and both parts have their grounds, and reasons in them. First wee will speake of them as they are generally set downe unto vs, in the first & 2 verses, wherein we have first to marke the matter of the charge: the word charg is the sāe word which the Apostle useth before, in this epistle the first chapter, wherin he saith, that the end of the cōmandement is love out of a pure heart, where the word here called a cōman∣dement is the same here used for charge, so that this is not an exhortation, or request, but it is a straight and severe commandement: secondly this commandement, is strengthened by a double authoritie, the authority of God, and of Christ, first I charge thee before God, and secondly before the Lord Iesus Christ; thirdly this authority is yet more strengthened; and greater weyght is added to it, not simply by laying God, or Christ before them; but by laying God before him, and Christ before him, ech of them in the particular considera∣tion of them, which is this, that hee doth quicken all things, the particular consideration of Christ in this, that hee witnessed, and confessed, a good confession before Pontius Pilate, of these I will briefly speake, before I come to the commandement it selfe: which is set downe in the next words, to keepe this commandement with∣out spot, or blamelesse, till Christs appearing againe. First cōcerning the charge, but before we come to enter into the particulars of it; It may be demaunded, what should move the Apostle to ad this heavy charge, to his former precept, especially to Timothie, whom hee so much commended, that be found no man like minded unto him: what is the reason hee knowing him to be such a man, yet he gives a severe charge unto Timothie, and in his person to all Pastores and Teachers; the reason I take to be twofold. First that men might not

dally with this doctrine, as though it might be alterable by his Church, or changed at the appointment of Prin∣ces, therefore hee will have them to know, this is not so, but it is of divine authority, which none dare to change, as hee will answere unto God, and to Christ, in whose name he chargeth him, that so neither Timo∣thy, nor any other potentate, should thinke these pre∣cepts, to be the precepts of men: or such as his Church might alter at their discretion, but this charge is given us to this end, to force us all, and most chiefly Pastours to observe it, as we will answere it before God, at his most dreadfull judgment, therefore no command of Princes, nor the feare of the losse of our lives, might cause us to violate this trueth. The second reason why the Apostle gives this weightie charge unto Timothy, who was so rare a man, of whose stedfastnes, the Apostle so well approved: is this, to shew that it is not an easy matter to performe this charge, but that all the grace that was in Timothie, was litle enough to inable him, with constancie and courage to keepe it inviolably: the reason of it is this, because there is nothing in this world which Sathan more opposeth, nor that men set themselves against, neither any thing so contrary to flesh and blood, as the trueth of Gods worship, and the sincerity of Preaching it, the Divell laboureth to corrupt the purity of doctrine, and the service of God in his Church, above all things in the world: Now seing it is so much opposed by Sathan and the world, who la∣bour to deprive us of salvation, that wee might perish with them; therefore the Apostle knowing how the world and Sathan would oppose it, hee seing by the spi∣rit of revelation the great temptations his servants must undergoe, that would keepe Gods worship pure, there∣fore, hee gives this strait charge unto his Church, that they should lay before their eyes, God, and Christ, con∣tinually, for otherwise, the terrours of men, and the

world will shake them, and cause them to corrupt the waies of God; otherwayes men stand allwayes in danger of being overcome, either by entisements of riches, or by the terrour of persecutiō, and of imprisonment, there∣fore the spirit gives us this strayt charge, to bind us more strongly to this doctrine, and thus we see the reasons which moved the Apostle, to set downe this weightie charge unto his Church.

Now let us come and consider this more particularly, first hee chargeth him before God, and secondly before Iesus Christ the Lord; the generall consideration of the manner of this charge, serves for to let us see, there is nothing cā stay the miserable heart of man in the wayes of God, except the consideration of God and Christ: Take these two out of his sight, and he is in darknesse, for if his heart be not set to see God, and Christ, hee will soone turne from the trueth, to vanitie: the very sight of men will make us to stoup, and change our mindes, if God be out of our sight, this made Moses so couragious before Pharaoh.

The Apostle saith of him selfe to the Corinths, that hee was not as other teachers who adulterated the word of God, he giveth this to be the reason, why he was not such an one, because hee spake as in the sight of God: and this kept him that he could not adulterate the word of God, it is his sight onely that stayes us, and keepeth the heart of man, and that keepes our hearts upright in the worke of God: See the trueth of this, spoken of Moses, it is said that Moses by faith, forsooke Egypt, and despised the wrath of the King, by seeing him which is Invisible: hee had such a sight of God, which stayed his heart, that no threatnings of Pharaoh could make him to alter his mind: and that wee may see this lesson belongeth generally unto us, yea every Christian, as well

as unto every Pastour, it doth appeare in the Hebrewes, where it is said, wee are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses; Let us cast off every thing that presseth downe, and the sinne, which hangeth so fast on: fixing our eyes upon Iesus, the authour & fimisher of our faith, who for the glory that was set before him, despised the shame or crosse: If our eyes be fixed upon Iesus, the authour and finisher of our faith, we shall goe thtough honour, and dishonour, so as nothing can hin∣der us, till wee have attained unto the price of our cal∣ling: God having in Iesus Christ, chosen us unto him∣selfe: thus we see how necessary it is, to have God con∣tinually in our sight.

And this is that which made David reioyce, that God was with him, at his right hand to uphold him: which made him not to be afraid of death: and to the same end the Apostle saieth, if God be on our side, who can be against us: This generall sight of God, and of Christ, is the onely thing which will stay a miserable conscience, and unconstant heart, against the feare of man: we see Ioseph was stayed by this, not to yeeld to his wicked Mi∣stris, where hee said, how shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God.

We have need to set God, and Christ before us, and that will keepe us from falling into evills against God or against our Neighbour, and it will establish our hearts in goodnesse: againe it may be demanded why the Apostle joynes God, and Christ; is not the sight of God suffi∣cient to stay our hearts? Now here may be 2 reasons given for it, in giving this charge, to joyne God, and Christ togeaher, first because there is no fruit to us, in the sight of God alone, except the sight we have of God we have it in and through Christ, that except we know God, in Christ, our Saviour, the sight of God will ne∣ver

allure thee unto obedience, for there is no sight of God, that will establish thy heart in obedience, except thou see God as the Father of Christ, that gave his sonne unto the death for our transgressions, and this sight makes us to love God, with all our hearts, and to preferre this God, before all the world, which causeth us, wee dare do nothing that shall offend him, for to please men.

Secondly the distinct consideration of these two, is of great force to further and provoke mans heart unto obedience: First in consideration of God, who is the judge of all the world, before whose face, all the world shall appeare, to receive according as they have done in their bodies, whether it be good or evill: the considera∣tion 2of God, as my judge, as the Apostle calleth him, and Abraham calls him so likewise, this is a great stay to restraine men from sinne, when I do know that hee who is my judge is before mee, and hee sees me, and hee doth observe all my waies; and this if I do mind, is of mightie force, to keepe mee from sinning against him.

Moreover if there be any safety from Gods judgments, it is by the mediation of Christ alone: Now seeing that God, and Christ, are perpetually joyned togeather in judgment, so that what the one approves, the other ap∣proves, therefore I must see God as my judge, and Christ as my mediatour, as a meanes to keepe mee from sinne, and for both these reasons it is, that the Apostle joynes them together, God and Christ in this his charge, to let us see, wee have God, and Christ, for our ene∣mies to convince us, and to condemne us in that great day, seeing in both their names we were charged, to keepe this commandement without spot, and thus we are taught the reasons, wherefore hee joyneth God,

and Christ together in this great Charge.

Now we are to come to the particular consideration, of this Charge, first he laieh God before us to be consi∣dered in this particular, that hee quicke neth all things, ād secondly, he laieth Chist before us, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession, why this?

The reason of this, is, of great moment to be consi∣dered of us; for the ignorance of this one point, is the cause of many foolish pastors, and of many foolish Chri∣stians? for it is not the naked setting of God and of Christ before us, that wil serve the turne, to stay thy wicked heart from pollution; Vnlesse I set God before mee as hee is in Christ & as he is a patterne of doing good, shewing me how I shold walke, I say unlesse I thinke of them, & thus see them, the sight of them shal never do mee good, or be of force to stay my wicked heart from sinne, for wic∣ked men beleeve there is a God, and so do the Divells also, and this workes as much in the divells, as in many Chistians: (doth the sight of God and of Christ, hinder men from prophanenesse, in this world, doth it either stay the heart of Preacher, or hearer, from sinning? it doth not;) the reason is, because they have onely a generall mooving, and notion of God, but they never, or sel∣dom take notice of him, in his nature, and properties, as hee is layd before us, as a patterne, in whose footesteps we must walke, and therefore the Apostle laide God be∣fore Timothy in the particular consideration of him, as he quickeneth all things, & Christ as he witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate.

Touching the first, the spirit of God throughout the scriptures, when they speake of any matter concerning God, or his glory, Commonly hee sets downe a certaine description of God, that out of it, men may see him so,

as to feare to do any thing that hee forbiddeth: Yet a∣mong all the gloriouse discriptions of God, there is none more glorious then this, which the Apostle hath here set downe in these 4 verses; first that it is hee, that quickneth all things, secondly that hee is the onely Po∣tentate, & king, of kings, & Lord, of Lords; dwelling in that light which no man can attaine unto; to whom be honour, and glorie everlasting, so hee sets downe a strait discription of the living God, because much is to be considered of God, to make all pastours and teachers, to be faithfull, and to stay sinfull man from corrup∣ting Gods trueth: it is not the knowledge of one parti∣cular concerning God; nor yet of many, that will serve the turne; but it must be a great and wonderfull know∣ledge of God, that will sanctify a prophane heart, to true obedience therefore Christ himselfe ascribeth e∣ternall life, unto the knowledge of the true God, and him whom God hath sent.

This is not the generall knowledge of God, which many have, & yet shall be damned, but it is such a knowledge, as will daunt the most vaine, & proud heart of man, and make it to stoupe under his hand: I say such a knowledge of God we must have, & such an apprehension of God, as will not make us to jest at it, but such a knowledge as may make us perpetually to tremble, and it should be our care to increase in this knowledge of God, and to learne to know him aright; for it is not the knowledge of God simply, but the knowledge of God aright: that will make both Pastour, and Christians, to walke consciona∣bly, and sincerely, whereas on the contrary wicked men through their Ignorance of God; because God holdes his peace, and doth not presently execute Iudgment, therefore they thought that God did approve of their wickednesse, as if God tooke pleasure in sinne, as much as they; we reade in the psalmes: the wicked saith in his heart that God hath forgotten, hee hideth

his face, he will not see it, and this makes them to scorne at them which reprove them, and all because the sight of God is hid from their eyes.

The cause of all loosenes of life, and wickednesse of heart, is cheifly this, that though we thinke wee know God, yet wee know him not as we shold, therefore let us every one labour to understand this, that God will have us to know him, as hee hath revealed in his word.

To come to speake of this knowledge more parti∣cularly, how God is set before us, to be considered in his working, in his power, and in his Omnipotency, but in this place hee is set before us, in his mightie power and the efficacie thereof, & Iesus Christ is here set before us for an example to us, who witnessed a good Confession, and this we must consider of God more particularly, for we may not consider God onely in his goodnesse, and mercy, & not in his power & justice: for that will make men make shipwracke of faith, & not to walke with an upright heart before God; when men looke onely to Gods mercy, and forget his power; indeed Gods mercy is the moste kindly motive, to make us to obey God, but it is not the onely motive, for the power of God must like∣wise be laid before our eyes: David was astonished when hee did see, what judgments God did execute upon men, & in the 1. Corinth. the Apostle tells us what it is, that made him a faithfull minister, knowing the terrour of the Lord to perswade men, he sets before himselfe, the horrible judgments that shall be inflicted upon unfaith∣full ministers at the last day: and this made him to set himselfe, to draw men to God, by all tbe strēgth hee could, he considered not onely Gods goodnesse, but he likewise setts before himselfe the terrour of the Lord, so as he durst not dalley with Gods trueth, but he did labour to the utmost of his power, faithfully to dispense Gods truth.

Iesus Christ hee is set before us as a patterne, for

Christ is not onely to be considered by us, as our Re∣deemer, or mediatour, for this doth but beguile foolish men, & causeth them to sinne more, but they should con∣sider an other thing in Christ: to witt, that hee is not onely given for this, but also for a patterne, and unlesse wee serve God, after his example, his blood shal never ransome us.

These are the two things we are to marke, to set God before us, not onely in mercy, but also in his power, & we are to set Christ before us, not onely as a redee∣mer, but also as a patterne for us to follow his foot∣steps: concerning God, he makes choice of this, that hee quickneth all things: why this? (to be short,) Gods power is to be seene in many things, but especially Gods power shines in this, and hath the greatest force in it, to daunt the hearts of men more then any thing whatsoe∣ver when he sees God to be the authour of life to all things: so that no man lives but by him, if any man con∣sider this, to wit, that they have no breath, nor life, nor mooving, but from God; and that it is not in the power of any king, or Potentate in the world, to give life but God alone, and thy life is in Gods hand to give it to thee, & to continew 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 Poten∣tate in the world, since all the world cannot give mee 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 carefull, that I offend not this God, nay farre be it from me, for to do it, for any flesh in the world: O let us be carefull that wee 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 againe: seeing that God onely gave it mee, to honour him: am I not bound to consecrate my life to him alone, & not to obey any creature to diso∣bey

him, it was not my father, or mother, that gave mee life, but the Lord onely, who is the Lord onely, who is the Lord of life, hee 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, if I do so, & so, these men will take away my life from mee, have they power to doe it without God? saith not Christ, feare not them which can kill the body, but rather feare him, which can cast both soule and body into hell fire, and he said againe, are not there two spar∣rowes sold for a farthing and yet not one of them falls on the ground, without the providence of our hea∣venly father, how much better are yee then many sparrowes: if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground, nor any man can take away the life of it, without Gods pro∣vidence, than surely all the tirants of the world, cannot take away thy life, except the Lord suffer them: the Lord Iesus himselfe, giveth a sweet warning to his dis∣ciples, when hee saieth to them, Rise, & let us go to Iudea againe, & his disciples said unto him, Master, the Iewes of late sought to stone thee, & goest thou then thither? they thought it an hard saying of Christ, that they should goe thither againe: but Iesus answered them & said, are there not 12. howers in the day? if any man walke in the day, he stumbleth not, because hee hath the light, & seeth the light of this world, but if a man walke in the night, hee stumbleth because there is no light in him. What means Christ by this, hee meanes by this to tell them, that as lōg as the day of mans life doth last, which hath a period sett, so long he goes without feare, as hee that walketh in the day, feares not, for the Lord is with him, but if they walke 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 walke in their lawfull cal∣lings without feare: for all the world cannot make him stumble, if God give them not leave, as Christ said

concerning Herod, tell that foxe, I must walke to day, & to morrow, untill the third day, which is appointed of God for mee: so that wee may see, that none can give us life but God, so in the last place, when wee are dead, none can restore our souls and bodies to life againe but God onely, & therefore wee 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 Gods quickning all things, it is an especiall ground of our faith, as it is writ∣ten concerning Abrahā, I have made thee a father of many nations before God, & hee beleeved the word of God, even that God that quickneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were, and this was that which made Abraham to walke stedfastly with God, because hee knew as the Apostle boasteth saying, I am persuaded that neither life, nor death, nor any other creature can seperate mee, from the love of God: death is not able to keepe 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 mortall bodies, even hee that raised the Lord Iesus, shall likewise raise your mortall bodies by the same spirit: so that this is the ground of our faith, and hope, to wit, that God quickneth all things: and this made Abraham to be obedient, & ready to offer up his sonne Isaack, for hee knew, that (notwithstanding) God would not faile to make good what he had promissed in the person of Isaack.

To conclude this point at this time, there be mani∣fold considerations of this argument, to strengthen all, Pastours, especialy in their calling, that they pervert not Gods word, for any mans pleasure in the world: for if I looke to their lives, that will oppresse mee, or if I shall looke to my owne life, I shall finde it to be a great ter∣rour, to keepe mee from displeasing God in my calling,

for any mans 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 stirre a foote further then it pleaseth God: for God can cut off their daies in an instant: is it not then a vaine thing to feare man, whose breath is in his nostrils, it being so easy a mat∣ter for God to take away the life of all flesh, how dare I then sinne against God, to obey any man? Secondly, if I cōsider mine owne life, I have no cause to obey man, and to sinne against God, seeing none can take my life a∣way, but God: and none can give it mee, but hee which gave it: therefore I should onely feare him, who gave mee life, and can take it from mee: and thus wee see, how the spirit of God, in this particular consideration of God, who quickneth all things; laies a strong ground to all Pastours, & Teachers, for to harken unto this Charge, that they violate not this commandement.

Notes

• Hebr. 11.
• Hebr. 12.
• Rom. 8.
• Rom. 3.
• Joh. 17.
• Ps. 10.11
• Objection.
• Luc. 22.
• question
• Rom. 4.17▪
• Rom. 8.