PAUL'S

DEPARTURE AND CROWN;

OR,

An Exposition upon 2 Tim. iv. 6, 7, 8.

For I am now ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

T

HESE words were by the Apostle Paul written to Timothy, whom he had begot to the faith, by the preaching of the gospel of Christ; in which are many things of great concernment both for instruction and consolation, something of which I shall open unto you for your profit and edification. But before I come to the words themselves, as they are a relation of Paul's case, I shall take notice of something from them as they depend upon the words going before, being a vehement exhortation to Timothy to be constant and faithful to his work; which in brief may be summed up in these particulars; 1st. A solemn binding charge before God and Jesus Christ our Lord, that he be constant in preaching the word, whether in or out of season, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine; and that because of that ungodly spirit that would possess professors after he was dead: for the time will come, saith he, that they will not endure sound doctrine, (neither sound reproof nor sound

trial of their state and condition by the word,) but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, (the plague that once God threatened to rebellious Israel,) and be turned unto fables. Much like this is that in the Acts of the Apostles: "For I know that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in amongst you, not sparing the flock; and also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.-Therefore watch, and remember that by the space of three years Iceased not to warn every one of you night and day with tears."

This evil then is to be prevented; 1. By a diligent watchfulness in ministers; 2. By a diligent preaching the word of the Lord; and, 3. By sound and close rebukes, reproofs, and exhortation to those in whosoever in the least there appears any swerving or turning aside from the gospel. The ministers of the gospel have each of them all that authority that belongs to their calling and office, and need not to stay for power from men to put the laws of Christ in his church into due and full execution. This reminant of Jacob should be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. Therefore he adds, Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, (if thou shouldest be apposed in thy work,) do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. How our time-serving and self-saving ministers will salve their conscience from the stroke that God's word will one day give them, and how they will stand before the judgment-seat to render an account of this their doings, let them see to it; surely God will require it of their hand.

But, Timothy, do thou be diligent, do thou watch in all things, do thou endure affliction, do thou the work of an evangelist, make thou full proof of thy ministry; "for I am now ready to be offered up," &c. The words then of my text are a reason of this exhortion, of this exhortation to Timothy, that he should

continue

continue watchful, and abide faithful in his calling."For I am now ready to be offered up," that is to be put to death for the gospel.

Hence then learn two things.

First, That the murders and outrage that our brethren suffer at the hands of wicked men, should not discourage those that live, from a full and faithful performance of their duty to God and man, whatever may be the consequence thereof. Or thus; when we see our brethren before us fall to the earth by death, through the violence of the enemies of God, for their holy and Christian profession, we should covet to make good their ground against them, though our turn should be next: We should valiantly do in this matter, as is the custom of soldiers in war; Take great care that the ground be maintained, and the front kept full and complete. Thou therefore, saith Paul, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ: And in another place, We should not be moved by these afflictions but endure by resisting even unto blood. Wherefore Paul saith again, be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner; but be thou a partaker of the affliction of the gospel, according to the power of God. Thus let the spirit of Paul rest upon Joshua, and the spirit of Elijah rest upon Elisha: stand up therefore like valiant worthies, as the ministers of my God, and fly not every man to his own, while the cause, and ways, and brethren of our Lord are buffetted and condemned by the world. And remember that those that keep the charge of the Lord when most go a whoring from under their God, they, when he turns the captivity of his people, shall be counted worthy to come nigh unto him, "to offer the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God." But for the rest, though they may yet stand before people, because they stood before them in a way of idolatry, yet it shall not be to their honour, nor to their comfort; but to their shame, as the same scripture saith.

1. Let us therefore smite with conviction those

that

that in this day of Jacob's trouble have been false with God, his cause and people; I say, those first and especially as the chief ringleaders of this cowardliness, who have done it against light, profession, and resolutions. Behold, thou hast sinned against the Lord, and be sure thy sins will find thee out; and though thou mayest now have as a judgment of God upon thee, thy right eye darkened that thou mayest not see, yet an awakening time will overtake thee, and that too between the straits, when he will shew thee, to the great confusion of thy face, and the amazement of those that behold thee, how great an affront he counts it to be left by thee, in a day when his truth is cast dowd to the ground. I have often thought of that prophet that went down from Judah to Bethel, to prophesy against the idolatry that was there set up by the king; who, because he kept not the commandment of God, but did eat and drink in that place, at the persuasion of a lying prophet, was met at last by a lion, who slew him there in the way, where his carcase was made a spectacle of God to passengers. If thou be spiritual, judge what I say, and think not to be one of that number that shall have the harps of God, when God appears for Zion, and that shall sing that song of Moses, and also the song of the Lamb; for that is only for those who have fought the godly fight, and got the victory over the beast, his image, mark, number, and name.

2. Let this also be an awe to thee, who hast hankerings to do as the other; Beware, and remember Judas, and the end God brought upon him; he will not always bear such things; these times have shewed us already, that he beholds them with great dislike; why shouldest thou hang up in chains as a fetter to all that know thee? And never object, that some have done it, and yet are at peace in their souls; for peace in a sinful course is one of the greatest of curses.* And the man that wandereth

*The apostacy and looseness of the times we live in, should stir up all Christians, especially ministers," to reprove, rebuke, exhort,

wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead," Prov. xxii. 16.

The second thing to be learned from these words, as they have relation to them going before, is encouragement to those that are yet in the storm; and that from three great arguments.

1. Paul's peace and comfort now at the time of his death, which he signifieth to Timothy by these three expressions; "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

2. By the blessed reward he should have for his labour from Christ in another world, together "with all those that love the appearing of the Lord, at that great and notable day."

3. That now his last act should not be inferior to any act he did for God, while he was alive and preached in the world; for his body should now be an offering, a sacrifice well pleasing to God. To all which I shall speak something in my discourse upon these words; and, therefore, to come to them:

"I am now ready to be offered up."

In these words we have to inquire into two things. 1. What it is to be "offered up."

2. What it is to be "ready to be offered up." " I am now ready to be offered up."

I. For the first of these.

Paul, by saying "he was to be offered," alluded to some of the sacrifices that of old were under the law; and thereby signified to Timothy, that his death and martyrdom for the gospel should be both sweet in the nostrils of God, and of great profit to his church in this world; for so were the sacrifices of old. Paul therefore lifts his eyes up higher than simply to look

upon

with all long-suffering and doctrine;" and to be valiant for the truth, in the midst of reproaches; that, being endued with patience and constancy, they may accomplish all the parts of their ministry, strengthening the weak, comforting the afflicted, reclaiming the wanderer, and adorning their doctrine by a pure and unblameable conversation; agreeable to the advice of Paul to his son Timothy.