especially seeing God hath so disposed that the speech of the Minister reacheth to every one in the assembly being within compasse of hearing as sufficiently and effectually as if there were but one person standing before him so as every one may reape as much profit as if GOD and His Minister respected none but him The end of his Ministery was to fulfill the Word of God that is to accomplish the promise of God made concerning the exhibiting of CHRIST and the calling of the Gentiles which God fulfilled by sending the Apostles to preach CHRIST unto the Gentiles Looke Rom. 1.1 5. and Rom. 16.25 26. In regard hereof the Apostles are said to have entered upon the Prophets labours Ioh 4 37 38. and to have reaped that which they sowed because they were sent to performe and publish the performance of the things which God hath promised by the mouths of His Prophets Hereby then we learne That the Ministery especially of the Apostles and consequently of Pastors and Teachers in a proportion is appointed of God not onely to deliver and publish the promises of God but by their ministery to performe and fulfill them Which serveth greatly to commend our Ministery above the Ministery of the Prophets Vse 1 Which maketh the people more inexcusable if they profit not by it and secondly the Ministers more guilty if we strive not to adorne so excellent a ministery It may serve to confirme mens faith in the promises not yet performed which we preach and publish Vse 2 seeing we preach and by preaching fulfill many of Gods promises made by the Prophets in their times For who will not easily be induced to believe a second promise when his eyes doe see the former performed VERSE 26. Even the mystery which hath been hidde from ages and from generations but now is made manifest in His Saints THis Word of God that is the Gospell he commendeth by the quality of it calling it a Mystery as he doth also Rom. 16.25 Ephes 3.9 which is a word borrowed from the superstition of the heathen specially the Aegyptians whose religion was called a mystery and a secret because their religion was kept hidden from the people and was knowne only to themselves being expressed by pictures of birds and beasts so as the people might not understand it wherein the Papists agree well with them who would not have the people acquainted with their religion but to depend upon their Teachers Observe hence Obs The Gospell is a mystery that cannot bee attained to by any wit or learning of man All the Philosophers and wisest men of profoundest learning were never able to discover these mysteries of the Gospell they are such secrets as could never enter into the heart of any man to conceive 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh To know the Fatherly nature good will and mercy of God in CHRIST to know the eternall purpose and counsell of God to save us and bring us to glory us I say that are by nature sinners rebels to His Majesty for us to be reconciled to God here was a mystery to the world beyond all apprehension of men and Angels that Christ should be borne of a Virgin that the eternall Sonne of God the Lord of life should suffer death and be raised up againe by His own infinite power that we should be justified by the righteousnesse of another that these bodies after a dissolution to dust should be raised up in their numericall parts and live againe with God in glory c. Well may we understand these glorious and transcendent mysteries but we cannot possibly comprehend nor conceive them but cry out ô the depth of the wisedome of God c. Now the Gospell may be called a mystery in three regards 1 Absolutely because it is a thing of it selfe within the will of God which no creature by it selfe is able to know if a thing within my mind be such that no creature can know it further then I make it knowne none knoweth the things in man but the spirit of men how great a deepe and secret is that which is within God Himselfe Thus it ceased to be a Mystery when GOD did first reveile it 2 But yet a Mystery still in regard of the spare revelation and small number of those to whom it is made manifest For a thing is not onely hid while I keepe it in my selfe but while I shew it only to some few persons more neere me it is a secret matter still If the King acquaint some two or three of his most neere favorites with a secret it remayneth hidde still and a secret in comparison of things commonly knowne Thus was the Gospell a mystery when it was made knowne to the people of the Iewes onely but continued no longer a mystery in this sense when now it was notoriously published to all nations 3 The Gospell is still a mystery when it is now divulged in regard of those whose eyes are not opened to see it and their eares boared to attend to it as newes so common every where that they are no newes are still secret to such who being deafe have never heard of them thus it is at this day a hidden riddle to many Christians by outward profession No mervaile then to see so many men Vse 1 yea so many wise and learned men ignorant and erring concerning the Doctrine of the Gospell it is not every mans case to understand a mystery untill the spirit of the Lord come there is a vayle over our eyes that we cannot possibly discerne the wisedome of God Saint Paul was quicke sighted no Cyclop that held the truth in unrighteousnesse but in all the learning of the Pharisees very exact yet he could not discerne these matters till the Lord pulled downe the scales from his eyes and shined to his heart with a glorious light from heaven We see what we must impute our not profitting unto Vse 2 even this that we have not gotten the eye-bright of the Spirit wherewith our eyes should be cleered we doe many like the Woman who going to bed seeing and in the night taken blind waking in the morning complained of the Curtaines So we not discerning of our spirituall blindnesse we complaine of the Curtaine strange manner of teaching obscure speaking perplexed sentences I know not what in the Teacher when in truth the fault is neerer home we are too much in our owne light not knowing our selves for the points of the Gospell are not darke in themselves but that they light into the hands of such darke expositors as we are in whom is nothing but darkenesse so that we had neede to pray with David Lord open mine eyes Psal 119. that I may see the wonders of thy Law We see what great cause we have to mervaile at the goodnesse of God towards us who hath vouchsafed to reveile this blessed mystery unto us Of this mystery hee saith that it
Christ working through that death in the behalfe of all His the death of the creature so farre forth as by the just judgement of God it hath a power through Sathans working to draw us from God to it selfe 3 A death of our corruption Galath 6.15 By the Cxosse of Christ the world is crucified to me and I to it that is by Christ crucified Briefly as Adam becomming mortall and dying to this mortall life wee all so soone as wee are borne members of Him are mortall and tend to death by force of that mortality in the roote of us So Christ dying spiritually to this world and the sin of all us His members that thus they might be abolished we so soone as by faith we are made His members or are borne of Him we begin to dye spiritually till in death we are fully mortified by vertue of that radicall death in Christ our Saviour who dying according to his flesh did so worke by His omnipotent spirit that as the guilt was at once remooved so the life of it was mortified that it lost the raigne and was successively to be abolished in the being of it in all those who by faith should come to be engrafted into him or all those who should spiritually descend from Him 4 Lastly He brought into our nature supernaturall life that so He in our nature might propagate it to all who were His. The use hereof is to stirre us up above all things to seeke with Saint Paul Vse 1 that we may know what is the power of His death the communion of His sufferings while I feele my selfe made like to Him in dying to this world and sin for by this we know that we are untied to Him suffering and dead to sin and this world while we feele our selves by virtue thereof in like case as I know my communion with Adam that I dyed in him while I see my selfe mortall hastening every day to death as he is dead The Lord Iesus make the scales fall off our eyes that we may see the vertue of His most powerfull death toward all that are His. This also letteth us see what we must doe when this world and the things of it are forcible upon us Vse 2 when our hearts feele the life of sin strongly making to them come to Christ dying speake to Him Thou Lord hast crucified this world thou hast overcome the strength of it thou didst dye not regarding the allurements of it why doe I feele it have so mighty a hand over me even bewitching me as it were at the sight of it So when I feele my sin stirring lively in the lawes of it then to fly hither Lord thou dying hast beene the death of the sin of thy people why doe I who am in thee find it stirre as if it never had received wound The more we get to see our selves in Christ dying for the abolishing of all our sins the more we shall feele them wasting in us Let us give glory to this glorious death which maketh us all to dye Vse 3 As in the naturall body kill the head and all the members dye after so here c. This sheweth us why it is that sin liveth in so many men in the world Vse 4 even from this that they are not engrafted into Christ and so doe not partake of the influence of that spirituall life which from Christ the head floweth into all His members Buryed with Him in baptisme you have put off your sins being set into Him dying and buryed ingrafted with Him buryed in or by your baptisme Observe hence Doct. God doth unite us with Christ even by our baptisme the Lord doth by baptisme signifie to us and confirme thus much yea worke it as by an instrument namely the putting His Christ crucified upon us and our ingrafting into Him dying and rising Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For first by baptisme is sealed our communion w th Christ dying and rising secondly our communion in the effects which are mortification and vivification but yet wee must not think though God useth outward baptisme of His minister that this ministeriall action bringeth forth grace as the Papists doe who hold that God doth so use the ministeriall baptisme that He lifteth up that action as an instrumentall cause to worke grace so that it neither commeth solely from God nor yet immediately For this must be held that the power and act of producing grace is only and immediately from God There are two sorts of instruments some worke somthing with the Principall worker others doe not operari aliquid but ad aliquid they worke to something but not any thing having force to cause that whereto they worke such are Gods meanes which He useth and coordeyneth with him selfe in working of all such things which are not wrought but onely by power omnipotent thus he healed the blind with clay and spittle thus He overthrew the walls of Iericho with the blowing of Rams hornes But one may say this is absurd Object to use meanes which shall doe nothing doth any man doe thus Men use meanes which worke something in that they doe with them Answ because their force doth not reach alone to the effect they intend without the helpe of the meanes concurring with them but Gods force being alsufficient it is not absurd for Him to take to Him selfe such instruments in giving grace which are of no force to produce it especially when hereby he exerciseth our obedience faith c. He that planteth and he that watereth is nothing 1 Cor. 3.7 in regard of working in the soule that they tend to the Gospell is sayd to be the power of GOD to salvation Rom. 1.16 because through GOD it is powerfull who accompanyeth it immediately and enty rely working faith by it Yet Papists will not say that the Preachers syllables are elevated by GOD to rayse up the dead in sinnes and trespasses This then is to be firmely held that GOD useth baptisme of engrafting us with Christ and mortifying and quickning us in Him Vse yet the baptisme of water doth not conteyne any force nor is not lifted up to any such agency whereby grace is properly produced But it may be asked Quest how we are set into Christ with baptisme when none must be baptised but those if they be adulti who have faith in appearance and so are already in Him Things are sayd to be done when they are manifested and done in a further degree then before they were Answ thus the believer baptised is by baptisme manifested to be so before the Church yea often to Himselfe the more plentifull grace of God comming into Him while he useth it faithfully and his faith being more strengthened the union is more confirmed The use is to stirre us up that we would looke backe to our baptisme Vse which sealeth unto us so great matters if we have sealed bonds we will have them sometime read to us that we may know what
dead in Christ from these why as if yee lived in the world No they cannot live in that which their head is dead to How can we that are dead to sinne live yet therein and therefore he saith as if you lived in the world for hee knew it was impossible for true believers to live unto the fashions of the world either in regard of civill duties or religious ordinances the children of God being set into Christ have presently wrought in them a death of their sinfull and sensuall life It is mortally wounded at the first though it liveth in us long after yea though the Lords children doe not often perceave it for many a man goeth awhile with his death and yet discerneth not till sometime after that he is deepely wounded Even as we our selves feele nothing lesse when we come into the world then that we are dead in our Father Adam and yet with our nativity entereth mortality which never resteth till we are utterly extinct by death The use is to reproove us who live in sinne after the fashion of the world Vse we have forgotten to what we dyed in Christ As if yee lived in the world Observe hence Doct. That Gods children live out of the world while they are in it this maketh CHRIST say they are not of the world for though they are in it for place yet their affection and conversation is in heaven and hence it is Phil 3 2â— that the Church is called by the name of heaven in some propheticall Scriptures and this is here taught while he saith as if yee lived in the world insinuating that it could not be that they lived in the world for they are called out of the world to a heavenly hope and to bee of another body even of that Corporation whereof CHRIST is the head So that as a Townsman in the Vniversity if he be taken to be a Scholars servant though he live in the towne he is no longer of it as who is gone from them and belongeth to another body So it is here Wherefore Conforme not your selves to the fashions of the world you are pilgrims forreyners Vse sojourners at the most here is not the place of your aboad And how farre they are from knowing CHRIST and the power of His death whose life is altogether carnall whose conversation doth not so much as smell of Heaven may hence be convinced to them VERSE 21. Touch not taste not handle not Now he commeth to lay downe more distinctly these rites enjoyned them from Pharisaicall seducers and he doth unfold it by a mimeticall expressing the charge that these false teachers gave Touch not taste not handle not O take heed you know all the old people were tyed from the eating and touching of many things as upon the touch whereof they were uncleane God out of His most wise pleasure annexing a legall uncleannesse unto them as the touching of a dead body of a garment spotted with leprosie of one troubled with a bloudy issue c. Now the Divell that soweth tares did by some pharisaicall spirits which so received Christ that they would still hold the Law he did set on foot by these amongst the Gentiles that unlesse they kept the Law they could not be saved this occasioned the first Councell about some eighteene yeares after CHRIST'S death and within some yeares after this occasioned the Apostle to write that Epistle to the Galathians the same kinde of men began to vent the same wares amongst the Colossians and gave them these caveats Touch not taste not handle not 1 Observe from this practice of theirs Doct. How exact and precise men are in their outward observancies who know not the power of godlinesse It is the Property of all pharisaicall spirits that care not for the great things of the Law and the true spirituall obedience of it they will tithe mint and cummine precisely wash hands and cups their hearts being all foule and full of lusts For looke as idle bodies which will not follow due labour they will go with their tales as a Pedler with his packe from one to another yea their fingers shall goe and their feet shall speake they will occupie themselves busily in that which is superfluous So here when men will not exercise themselves in the power of godlinesse it is strange how they will abound in c. This may be seene in the Church of Rome who not knowing the powerfull ordinances of God have turned all into such dumbe shewes as are the Masse their Precessions c. as full of superfluous observations as emptie of substance To teach us how to know these spirits Vse 1 he that stands precisely on every little trifle is at least halfe a Pharisie Wee must take occasion by them to be precise in the least points of spirituall obedience and not to stand so nicely on externall rites and empty shadowes those that doe diligently looke to themselves this way have no leasure and lesse affection to follow such bawbles Even as a man seriously occupied hath no fancie to dally and sport as others will who have little to doe So here Who more in heavenly labour than Saint Paul Hee laboured through the grace of GOD in Him more abundantly than they all who more despised those kinde of Iewish legall rites who cryeth them downe as beggarly things which profit nothing 2 Marke in this their enforcing these things Doctr. What a hard thing it is to forgoe such old rites to which we are accustomed these had beene brought up in them and had seene no other and loe they will not part with them no not when GOD will have them cease and CHRIST nailes them to the crosse Nay they are more fond on them than before for such is the malice of our wils that when GOD will not then commonly we will like those Israelites when they should have gone up to bid battell to the Canaanites discouraged with the Spies they murmured and refused when GOD would have them go backe into the wildernesse and not goe on against them then they would have no nay to battell they would to die for it Besides as in other things man taketh on like a god so in affecting a kinde of immutability which maketh him hee will not be beaten off that whereunto he hath beene accustomed thus it is in opinion likewise that one is bred up in is often maintained too too stiffely the first things make the deepest impressions Let a false tale get the start and come the first to us truth spoken in the second place is lesse beleeved Wherefore let us take heed Vse and not thinke therefore things must stand because they have beene so since our knowledge and long before but let us see how all customes agree with GOD's Word and will and so accordingly be affected to them If this had beene a good reason These Mosaicall rites have ever beene observed since we can remember any thing yea by all our ancestours these
for the people yet not inferior to them Answer Emperors are so for the people that they are Lords over them and the people are for them even their Subjects and bodies politique but Saint Peter nor no Apostle are so for the Church that they are Lords of it and that the Church is their Church and body mysticall therefore they are so for the Churches that they are inferiors to them Object Was not Saint Peter and the rest immediate legates from Christ Object and had they not authority which all the Churches were to obey Answer They had yet their persons still under the Church and their worke of Ministery not to domineere over the Churches the reason is because it was the message and order of the Churches Husband which was of authority above her not their persons that did relate it If a man send one of his servants with a command to his Wife the servant when he hath got this errand is not a Lord over the Wife but a servant under her though his message from her Lord is such which she may not gainesay Fiftly Observe Obs the dignity of the faithfull and their neere conjunction with Christ they are the body of Christ not the naturall body united to the second person nor the Sacramentall body but a mysticall body such who by force of Christ His Spirit are knit to Him and receive all things from Him proportionably as the body naturall doth from the head Many other comparisons as of Vine and branches Man and Wife c. doe set it downe but none more lively then this which is the oftenest frequented To shew us the excellent condition to which we are brought Vse 1 to assure us of Christs love who ever hated His owne flesh He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of Mine eye This letteth us also see the fearefulnesse of abusing the godly that are truely faithfull Vse 2 they lift at mill-stones Lastly Obs seeing Christ is risen from the dead we must labour and strive thither also if a Captaine hath made a breach and entered the hold of the enemy will not the souldiers presse after and ambitiously affect who should get next him so we Christ hath led us the daunce and broke through the gates of death into the City of God we should affect to come after as Saint Paul did strive for conformity with Christ in this point both in the first and second Resurrection The third point is Observ That Christs Resurrection hath speciall priviledge above all others for all others before were not begotten from among the dead because they were raised up with mortality tending to death againe but our Saviour Christ in that He dyed He dyed at once not long to be held of it but in that He is risen He is raised to live for ever death shall no more have dominion over Him 2 All other rose as private and singular men not as publique persons in the name of other making hope to all the dead of their resurrection therefore they were not the first fruits duely gathered but like a singular eare of corne by occasion more timely gathered Now Christ is risen as He dyed not for Himselfe onely but for all us so Christ is risen in al our names so that as we all dyed in Him so we all are raised in Him as a Burgesse of a Parliament what he doth or speaketh it is in the name of the Corporation who doth it in him When God created Adam He made all mankinde in as much as He made him who was to be a Principle of naturall generation to all mankind conveying life and being to them in their order so when He raised Christ He raised us all in as much as He hath raised up a second Adam a Principle of spirituall regeneration even of the first and second resurrection to all Gods chosen in their order Hence it is that Paul saith Eph. 2.6 We are raised up in Christ and set in heavenly places in Him that Peter saith 1 Peâ— 1.3 God hath begotten us to that happy hope in the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Lastly He raised Himselfe as who was the Lord from heaven the quickening Spirit Destroy this body and in three dayes I will raise it up Great therefore every way is the prerogative of our Lord IESUS CHRIST even in regard of that Nature which was dead but now is alive He was slaine before the foundation of the world Hee is raised up as the hope and fore-runner of all our immortality Thou lookest at His death as thy death and against all guilt of sinne and terrour of conscience threatning the Curse doest say I have borne the Curse in my Lord Gal. 3.13 made a curse for me So against all terrours of bodily death hold this I am raised up in CHRIST for He is risen in all our names who beleeve on Him If wee beleeve that IESUS is dead and risen againe 1 Thess 4.14 so also God shall bring those who are slept in Iesus say to life eternall with Him VERSE 19. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulnesse dwell NOw he commeth to give a reason of the former opening the fountaine where the Man IESUS CHRIST found such grace as that in Him all of us should be redeemed that Hee should be God in Person over all creatures yea the Head of His Church filling all in all Now the Reason is here set downe to be the good pleasure of God the Father First that the fulnesse of the God-head for so it is best construed out of the second Chap. Vers 9. and not only that the fulnesse of created gifts should dwell personally in this humane Nature as a Temple 2. That this Person God-man should by the Sacrifice of Himselfe reconcile all unto God First then in generall we see Obs That whatsoever the manhood of CHRIST is lifted up unto it is the meere grace of God not the merit of the Creature What could this Man doe which could deserve this grace that it should be personally united with God and so lifted up to be incomparably above all the Angels in heaven And therefore Saint Augustine doth not doubt to make CHRIST the Sampler of GOD's free Predestination the free grace of God appearing in none so much as in Him which is the Head of all This CHRIST looketh to in His members Lord I thanke thee that thou hast beene pleased to reveile these things unto babes and sucklings and hast kept them from the wise and learned Even so O Father because it pleased thee Yea I doubt not but as God did predestinate him of grace to this honour of being God in fellowship of Person and of being the Prince of our salvation So God in the Covenant He did make with Him and the commandement He gave Him of laying downe His life did strike it and fulfill it of grace not requiring any thing Hee imposed on His Sonne more than duties of free
this their restoring to life The first is pardon of sin The second is cancelling the obligation against them The third is the setting them free from those jaylors and executioners in whose keeping they were The two first are in this thirteenth verse the latter in the end of the thirteenth verse and in the other two following The first of the antecedents in the end of the thirteenth verse The second in the fourteenth verse The third in the fifteenth verse To returne to the thirteenth verse And first in genenerall from this his Commoration in this benefit wee note Doct. That our quickning in CHRIST is such a benefit which we must not quickly have done with and lightly passe over The Apostle cannot move from this till hee have dwelt a while upon it and amplified and enforced on them the consideration of it So it is we lend it little thought but the more is our fault we should when wee thinke on God's benefits in Christ make a stand and dwell upon them that so we might be more affected 2 Marke What Ministers must doe Doct. viz. they must amplifie to their people the benefits bestowed on them how often doth Moses this in Deutr. For 1 It is for the honour of God that His benefits should be set forth 2 It edifieth others and gaineth glory to God while they are to know the things bestowed on them and they are by this meanes wrought unto thanksgiving Againe wee are like children wee know not the worth of those great things wherewith GOD hath enriched us As a young childe that hath great patrimonies and priviledges doth not to any purpose conceive the worth of them yea we are as forgetfull as the eaten bread is quickly forgotten And beside a benefit while enjoyed groweth no dainties with us in all these regards we must use this practise of the Apostle If men have outward commodities and abilities and gifts of any kinde they know them too well even till they be proud of them but in heavenly things it is quite otherwise Now for their condition it is described from the state of death You when you were dead 2. The kinde of death viz. in sin 1. Actuall in trespasses 2. Originall in uncircumcision of heart which is set downe by a Synecdoche or Metonymie of the signe for the thing signified Outward Circumcision put for outward and inward which is more emphatical when they were so dead that inwardly and outwardly they did lye in evill the meaning is when you were utterly dead in soule mortall in body subject to eternall damnation by reason of your actuall transgressions and original corruption You then He quickened that is GOD the Father out of the Verse before with His CHRIST First then observe That we are by nature dead to God the same is Eph. 2.1 We are not like a man in a sleepe nor like the Samaritan greatly wounded but we are starke dead in regard of the life of GOD. Rom. 5. he saith Wee are of no strength not of feeble strength and the naturall man is often so called My Sonne was dead and is alive let the dead bury their dead A man is every way by nature dead his body is mortall in dying from his birth eternall death of soule and body hangeth over him His soule is quite dead for God in regard of His presence of sanctifying grace going from a man he dyeth in soule As the soule going from the body the naturall life is extinct But it may be said Object why man hath some reliques of knowledge Againe some of the Heathen have excelled in vertuous actions without grace Every knowledge is not the life of God strictly so called Answ but that knowledge which affecteth the heart to follow God to trust in Him love Him They that know thee will trust in thee otherwise the divels doe know God in their kinde 2 The knowledge of man is able to make him unexculable onely not able to make him alive according to GOD for these Heathens vertues they were but pictures without the soule and life of vertue in them splendida peccata good trees they were not and therefore their fruit could not be good all is not gold that glisters This then confuteth all doctrines of free-will Vse 1 or of any power in man which holpen a little can helpe it selfe Dead men have nothing in them to help themselves toward this world so it is with us toward the other Yea we see hence that it is not suggestions to the minde nor exhortations that will doe it we doe but tell a dead man a tale and all in vaine till God create a new light in the minde and take away the heart of stone and give us tender new hearts let us confesse our utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotencie and inability and give glory to God Hence must be enforced to the natural man what is his estate dead in his soule Vse 2 hee heareth not the thunder of GOD's Law nor His sweet promises he seeth no heavenly thing neither GOD nor any spirituall matter hee tasteth no relish in any meat of the soule he speaketh not a word powdred with grace hee stirreth not hand nor foot to that which is good Oh the world is full of these ghosts twice dead as Saint Iude speaketh yea the relikes of this spirituall death hangeth about us all Marke from this that we who are alive through grace Vse 3 must not associate our selves with those that are meere naturall men for we see that no living thing can abide that which is dead the beasts will start at a dead carrion our dearest friends we put from us when dead but alas the LORD's children now can goe hand in hand with such who have not a sparke of grace in them Oh this death is not terrible we are al so much in it that we see not the filthinesse of it As a blacke hue among the Black-moores is not reproachfull So dead ones with us whose graces are ready to dye agree well enough In sinnes Observe Doct. That sinne both originall and actuall is the death of the soule Mors animae peccatum Our sin in which we are borne and live is the death of our soules and the demerit of further death Death it is to death it goeth Now what is death is it not the absence of life the soule being gone with the entrance of corruption And what is sinne Is it not the absence of saving knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse with the corruption of the minde will affections so that the spirituall stinch of it streameth out at the eye lust at the eare itching after vanity at the mouth rottennes is the best I mean unfruitfull speech sometime bitternesse Looke as holinesse is the beginning of life everlasting which goeth on till it end in glory so is sin the death of the soule which doth if the grace of CHRIST heale it not never stay till it come to everlasting damnation As for sinfull actions they
meane while see nothing into those favours which they themselves have enjoyed But let us learne hence so to be affected to God for that we have received that we faile not to tell what God hath done for our soules when we are telling of His kindnesse Lastly Doct. marke the largenesse of God's grace forgiving all our sinnes all past present and to come If any future sinnes were not forgiven us we could not have life eternall restored For as one of our sinnes kept without pardon would have kept CHRIST from rising from the dead so it would keepe us from feeling the power of His Resurrection if all our sinnes were not remitted to us There is no condemnation to one that is in CHRIST Rem 8.1 Hee hath passed from death to life and shall not come into condemnation God doth not forgive as justifying us judicially but once neither doth he remit all present to the beleever suspending the pardon of future till hee should anew repent and beleeve for this standeth not with the nature of that everlasting Covenant I will remember thy sinne no more Againe unlesse one would hold a totall which must needs also bee a finall fall from CHRIST it would follow that one should be in CHRIST and yet for a time in state of damnation before God Why then doe we pray Object Answ forgive us our sinne That we may have continuance of our pardon sense and feeling of it that we may have pardon of God's Fatherly displeasure and so of bitter corrections which our sinne might cause not that we would have a new justification with GOD. How are those that are excommunicate made as Publicans Object and it is good in Heaven The Church doth not cut them off from all conjunction with GOD Ans but separate them from all communion with her selfe and in this regard doth censure them as Publicans and not let them communicate with them no more than prophane persons though she may think they may be brethren in God's secret sight and estimation and this censure of hers is ratified Hence then let us thinke of the Lord 's wonderfull love Vse to forgive one fault a second and a third this is much but to pardon such thousands of talents is wonderfull If the King should forgive a traytor against whom one treasonable practice was proved is it not great clemencie but to pardon one against whom there is good proofe of a thousand Articles in this kinde Thus it is with God hence Rom. 5. God amplifieth His grace and maketh it to glory above justice justice condemned in one sinne but grace is given to the pardon of many offences This is to be noted against the Papists they say God forgiveth all sinnes fully in Baptisme only after Baptisme God forgiveth not veniall sins and if we fall into mortal God forgiveth for CHRIST the eternall punishment but leaveth us to satisfie the temporall Thus when God forgiveth us not all our sins but sins committed before Baptisme not all after but mortall only nor mortall fully but in regard of the eternall punishment thus they infringe the Charter of all the Christian world that they may maintaine their merchandize of Pardons and indulgencies But this were to make God no pardoner but a mitigater of punishment If the King now when a traytour is condemned to dye doe change his sentence of of death into perpetuall imprisonment hee is not said to forgive the treason but to mitigate punishment Privilegiasunt amplianda When God saith He forgiveth all who but such enemies of mankinde would restraine it further than God Himselfe doth True it is that many punishments doe still lye upon GOD's children but they are childe-like chastisements not judiciary penalties whereby the Law might be satisfied VERSE 14. Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrarie to us and tooke it out of the way nailing it to his Crosse NOw he commeth to the second benefit which went before our quickening In laying it downe 1 He setteth downe the benefit 2 The manner of working it In describing the benefit he doth by a gradation set it forth 1 He blotted out the hand-writing against us 2 He tooke it out of the way quite abolished it The manner of working nailing it on the Crosse But to cleare the Text some Questions are necessary It may be asked Qu. 1 what is meant by this hand-writing The Apostle leadeth us to know it Answ 1 By the Quality it was Contrary 2 The Subject about which it was occupied in rites which doe define it sufficiently to be the Ceremoniall Law but it is more evident by comparing it with Ephes 2.15 Abolishing the Law of Commandements in rites by that which he presently inferreth Therefore seeing that CHRIST hath blotted out the hand-writing in rites let none condemne you in legall rites not obeyed by you This illation doth shew that legall rites are meant somewhere in the precedents Further Verse 20. he thus useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why doe yee use rites as touch not taste not handle not It may be asked Qu. 2 how this was a hand-writing against any They have a double consideration the one Evangelicall Answ whereby they are visible words preaching Christ thus they are not the other legall purely Mosaicall whereby they preached our guilt and the wrath belonging to us thus they were hand-writings against us It may be asked how Saint Paul can say Qu. 3 these were hand-writings against the Colossians and how he can name the taking of them away as a benefit to the Colossians seeing that nothing is more evident than that the Ceremoniall Law was laid on none by God but the houshold of Abraham Saint Paul saith to us who was of the tribe of Benjamin Answ Phil. 3. and it may be he changeth the Person in the Verse before having respect to this But to passe this Conjecture it may be answered that the Iewish rites had a double testification the one direct which respected their owne persons that worshipped with them the other indirect by force of Consequent onely and thus they did witnesse the guilt of all the world For if they testifie that the peculiar people of God were by nature in sin and guiltie of death then à fortiori they witnessed all the world beside lay in sinne and death And thus Saint Paul on the contrary maketh those Scriptures which are spoken against the Gentiles in the old Testament to witnesse against the Iew by nature the Iew is no better than the Gentile Now this was a benefit to all the Gentiles the abolishing of them not that it easeth us from any thing had beene upon us but because it doth save us from ever having this importable yoke laid on us and this I take to be the sound answer of this question What it meaneth Qu. 4 that God is said to blot out and take them away Because they are so answered in CHRIST Ans that their obligation
when we beleeve first translated out of the power of Satan before we have our new life infused from Christ Even as a traytour cannot be safe from the sentence of death untill he be first taken out of the hand of a cruell Executioner So here with us Hence it is that Heb. 2.15 Christ is said first to abolish him who hath power of death and then to deliver those who through feare of death were still subject to bondage But it may be asked Quest how these were subdued by Christ when we finde them still encounter us Because they have no right in us Answ nor power to hurt us and are totally in due time to be troden under our feet therefore they are said subdued not that they have not leave a while to exercise us This then must make us rejoyce in God our Saviour Vse who hath vanquished such enemies in our behalfe When the great Armado in eighty eight was overthrowne what a joy was it to all true English hearts But this is the joy of all joyes to the Israel of God to thinke how Christ hath troden on the Serpents head and captivated all their power who sometime lead us captive In particular when he saith Doct. Who hath spoiled Observe hence That God hath in Iesus Christ crucified and disarmed Satan that he hath no weapon against us It is the custome of conquerours to disarme their vanquished enemies and make a prey of what ever they have so hath Christ Iesus done with Satan For first whereas they had sin and our owne confessions against us CHRIST tooke away our sins laying them on Himselfe and satisfying for them Secondly whereas they having power of death did hold us under CHRIST bare the death in His owne Person that so this weapon might not hurt us Thirdly whereas we by reason of sin and death were in their power He stripped them off us likewise making the mighty deliver these captives for sin and death being taken away by which they held us in their power they had nothing to shew why wee should be detained now this was the spoiling of him of his free-hold as hee imagined This must teach us to stirre up our selves in serving GOD confidently for why Vse Wee are delivered from our enemies who are spoiled that we might serve the LORD without feare Great are these spirituall powers in their nature but to those that are in Christ they are disarmed so that they cannot hurt us they are naked divels and we being in Christ are in a strong for t Wherefore as for armed men being in a strong hold it were too much shame to be afraid of naked enemies that should offer with nothing in their hands to assaile them So here True it is as children not knowing what is what are afraid of bull-beggars which cannot hurt them So are we here but the LORD maketh us grow up in His strength We see how to comfort our selves when we feele sinne darted against us or seeme to feele feare of death Vse 2 or discerne that the Divell doth halfe hold us still as we thinke what must we doe but looke to Christ tell Him LORD thou hast taken sin and death out of the Divels hand and tooke me from him likewise Lord make my eye of faith cleere that I may see this thy victory for me thy victory I know is full though in my feeling it seeme otherwise Looke with the eye of faith to Christ give glory to Him that He hath done it and thou shalt quickly see His victory applyed in thee And though the Divell hold hard feare not all is vaine he must yeeld the bucklers when all is done to thy Lord Christ his prey must be delivered up he hath no right in it nor power to hold CHRIST did discharge him of the one and brake the other in his death He hath made a shew of them openly Observe hence Doct. How Christ in His death made a scorne of all the powers of darknesse they are exposed to open shame It is said of the wicked Dan. 12. they shall be an everlasting reproach and it is a part of their deserved punishment So here it was just that these wicked powers should be exposed to all reproach But what was this open shew of them Quest The taking them captives Ans 1 the pinioning them with His Almighty power the presenting them before GOD Angels and every beleeving eye as naked things who are spoiled and cast out of their usurped possessions the filling them with confusion Yea not onely doth He thus make them stoope to His command but made them become hang-men doing execution at the command of His servants in His Name as Paul saith of Hymeneus and Alexander I have delivered them up to Satan 1 Tim. 20 Now as a serpent that leaveth the sting in one cannot sting againe so it was with this old serpent his sting was so stricken into Christ that he could not now any more sting us who are His Nay more the putting him under the feet of such demie creatures as we are and making him serve for our good whom he usurped over as cruell Pharaoh sometime Even as Conquerours taking their enemies captive doe make them serve for base slaves in the basest ministeries lead them along pinnioned one to another So doth our Conquerour IESUS CHRIST This must the more make us magnifie God Vse and animate our selves under the shadow of His wings who is all our salvation Note againe that our SAVIOUR hath openly triumphed on His Crosse which doth let us see the perfect victory of Christ over all our enemies in His death this was the consummation of His Conquest that the Victor did ride in His Chariot of triumph the vanquished captives of divers Nations led beside him When the Emperour came home he went up to the top of the Capitoll and there in publike view triumphed as he saith of Augustus Ille triumphata Capitolia ad alta Corintho victor aget currum This is the fulnesse of victory But here a Question ariseth Quest How doth this triumph on His Crosse stand with His humiliation For the first degree of His exaltation is made His resurrection He is said to triumph in regard He suffering Answ wrought that whence His after triumph ensued Secondly Christ who in His man-hood lay conquered and humbled under death the same Person in regard of His God-head was conquering and triumphing for though to faine the same nature in contrary taking is a contradiction as Schoole-men doe who will have the humane nature formally in the greatest felicity and greatest sufferings at one instant yet to affirme the same Person in divers regards humbled extreamely and yet triumphing is no contradiction because it is not understood secundum idem and in respect of the same but a diverse nature Which must be all our rejoycing Vse 1 with what acclamation doe subjects meet and welcome their Princes returning with victory Such should be our entertaining this
Finally doth not onely doe things evill but applaudeth others that doe so with him Which things may open this truth that naturally a man converseth and maketh a trade of evill workes for figges cannot bee gathered from thornes nor an evill tree cannot doe other than bring forth evill fruits We are no murtherers adulterers c. Object There are two sorts of evill workes Answ some apparantly such as the light of nature condemneth Others more close which have the shew of externall righteousnesse now such are honest courses world-ward without religion and the Pharisees course externally both honest and religious but yet wanting the power of godlinesse of which our Saviour testifieth That many things glorious in mans eye are abomination before God Would not every one condemne such a course in a servant if he should spend his time doing things that had no hurt in them but out of his owne head never vouchsasing to know his masters minde in any thing if he should doe the things bidden him but when his master would have them done thus he will doe them after his owne fashion and when his master saith doe such things first and chiefly after take these in hand hee shall let the principall alone and onely be occupied in the other were not this a wicked course in a servant This is the course of every honest naturall man that is no more than honest world-ward To urge upon men the unrighteousnesse of their wayes Vse 1 yea of those wayes which may be called righteousnesse in comparison of the other that they may count all losse to be found having part in grace through CHRIST To shew us the difference of one converted and not converted the one slippeth and intendeth and endevoureth to doe good though evill be present and steppeth in everywhere the minde of the other is set upon evill the one beareth the presence of it mourning under it the other committeth it willingly he lyeth in evill he taketh care to fulfill the lusts of his flesh hee is a worker of iniquitie VERSE 22. Hath He now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault in His sight HItherto of their former Condition Now he having beaten them downe in remembrance of their misery doth raise them up in recounting GOD's mercy Observe hence in generall As wee must looke with one eye downe to our unworthinesse Observ so wee must cast the other upon GOD's mercies to us These two doe well together the one corrects the other so that both as wholesome purging medicines without interlacing restoratives will weaken too much 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but now yee are washed c. Eph. 2.13 Now in CHRIST IESUS yee which once were a farre off are made neere by the bloud of CHRIST Tit. 3.3 4. We also in times past were unwise disobedient deceived c. But when the bountifulnesse and love of GOD our SAVIOUR toward man appeared c. This is to be noted from this that Paul doth not shew them their estate of Nature alone but being a bitter pill doth gild it over with annexing their comfortable condition in CHRIST We must learne to compound these meditations Vse now taking a course in remembring our wretched estate now refreshing our selves in recounting the blessed benefits we have by CHRIST as men will walke in some garden or orchard or go a while to some pleasant exercise when they are wearied with bodily labours 2 From this that such are reconciled Obs marke the free and large grace of God if we had beene enemies in heart only it had beene much to finde favour but where wee have made a trade of evill workes and lived all our lives in open rebellion how undeserved and how rich is the grace which giveth pardon If the King doe pardon one whose good will is doubtfull and take him to grace it is much but when one hath lived in making attempts on his person then to forget and to forgive were more than credible clemencie The love of God is seene in this Rom. 5.10 that when we were enemies He gave His Son to reconcile us It is the greatest love that ever the sons of men enjoyed 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby wee perceive the love of God because He laid downe His life for us Herein is love not that we loved God but that He loved us 1 Ioh. 4.10 and sent His Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes See how the holy Apostle speaking of the love of God still layes his finger upon the matter in this not in noble birth in high Parentage no no away with that carnall plea I hope the LORD loves me why because He hath kept me to this day and He hath given me wealth and health No in this it appeares that He died for you make this good to your soules In the time of the old Law there were as it were some shadowes and glympse of Gods love but now CHRIST is come the Sunne shines in his full brightnesse The blessed Apostle who was almost as neere CHRIST's heart as his body stands admiring at this love So God loved the world as who should say Ioh. 3.16 so wonderfull it is I cannot expresse it it even ravisheth my heart to thinke on it but so it was that God should stoope to man and Majesty to meanenesse and Heaven bow to earth The Reasons hereof are divers The first is taken from the Partie that loved us Reas 1 it was God blessed for ever had He sent to a poore man in time of misery and poverty honour or money it had not been such a wonder but that he should send his Son and that to die for us this is miraculous It hath bin heard that a man hath sent a Pearle to his friend but this was never heard that any should send his whole treasury but God hath not spared to send all His whole treasure Coloss 2.3 the Text saith that in Him are all these treasures of wisdome and knowledge Heare this all you poore creatures that have any part in CHRIST you complaine you are poore comfort your selves in this you have a treasure better than the best gold in India you have the treasures of heaven how then can you be poore Consider this when the least favour was too much for us and the smallest mercy more than we deserved or desired yet God accounted the greatest favours too little for us earth He hath given to us and that 's not enough heaven Hee hath prepared for us with the joy and glory thereof and yet that 's not enough He hath sent His Spirit to guide us His CHRIST to redeeme us nay He hath bestowed Himselfe upon us hath laid downe His life for us that by His death we might live As the person is incomprehensible Reas 2 so the excellencie of the worke is beyond our reach or conceit me thinkes this love goes beyond God Himselfe The
excellencie of it appeares in two particulars 1 In regard of the difficulty thereof had the Lord sent CHRIST to have beene a King over us or a Ruler among us what a comfort had it beene Should a King send one of his favourites to a poore creature in prison how would it comfort him but to send his sonne hee would thinke it unspeakable and transcendent love The LORD IESUS hath done much more than this He came down from heaven where He sate at the right hand of God and is now blessed for ever he suffered here by most wicked wretches the cursed death of the Crosse that Blessednesse it selfe should be accursed that Life it selfe should dye that Glory it selfe should be ashamed that Happinesse should become misery Nay yet to goe further that He should be content to lose for a time the sense and feeling of the love of His Father not onely to forsake His being but thus to be tormented for a company of traytors He that bare up the whole frame of heaven was scarce able to beare the burthen of our sins but was even crushed under the waight thereof in that Hee was forced to cry My God my God Psal 22.1 why hast thou forsaken me 'T is true as He was a Son Hee was alwayes beloved but as He was a surety He was not so if this be most free love and large grace judge you 2 Adde to this the good of the worke it is that which gives good to all other goods so that without this we never had enjoyed any good truely good There are two things that hinder our good 1. The poyson of sin that defiles us and poisons all the creatures 2. The just anger of God for our sinne and that curseth all had not CHRIST dyed these would never have beene removed Consider the unworthinesse and basenesse of those for whom Hee dyed Reas 3 Wee dye because of some worth in a man or some benefit formerly received from him but CHRIST dyed for sinners for enemies to Him traytors against Him this is the wonder the miracle of all mercies I may say of CHRIST what Saul of David Who findes his enemie and stayes him not but who findes his enemy and dyeth for him Had He dyed for Angels it had beene no great wonder but for a Son to dye to redeeme a slave to pardon a traytor to free a rebell this is unspeakable To shew the abundance of grace Reas 4 Where sin aboundeth grace aboundeth much more Rom. 6.2 To shew us presidents of mercy Reas 5 as Saint Paul saith of himselfe Here we have matter of admiration Vse and daily remembrance Oh suffer not this kindnesse to slip out of your minde that a company of miscreant wretches should be beloved saved and a Sonne slaine reason cannot reach it religion doth not desire it nature doth not require it nay justice doth not exact it only love hath done it Oh with David call earnestly upon thy soule to praise the Lord Psal 103.1 Praise the Lord O my soule againe and againe awake O my soule and praise the Lord when we have done what we can it is not enough oh that we could doe more when we have done what we can call upon the Angels for help Praise the Lord all yee Angels and hoasts of the Lord. Let a poore soule goe aside and thinke with himselfe Good Lord how comes this that the Lord Iesus should dye for me if it had beene a creature or an Angell that had done it it had not beene so much but a Son the beloved Sonne of God to doe all this heaven and earth Angels and men can never sufficiently admire this If this be so Vse 2 that God's love is so great to us Brethren what will ye doe now for God I will say nothing your hearts shall speake Hath CHRIST done thus for me then I will labour to walke answerably to his love and in some measure worthy thereof that 's the right use Had a man but common reason or good nature in him he must needs thinke it a vile thing to be a traytor againe to that God that hath beene so mercifull to him Be not content sometimes when the fit takes to stumble upon a good dutie but thinke all too little for Him that thought not His heart bloud too little for you be frequent in prayer and abound in holy duties live no more to your selves but to CHRIST CHRIST dyed for us But wherefore that we should live in sinne still No but that wee should dye to sin and live hence-forth not to our selves but to Him Nay saith he the love of CHRIST constraines mee Most mercy requires most duty the greatest kindnesse asketh the greatest thankfulnesse at the hand of the receiver It was that which Moses pressed upon the children of Israel to remember alwayes to praise the Lord for His goodnesse that had so miraculously delivered them from the hand of the Aegyptians and carryed them thorow the red Sea Oh how much more should we praise Him for this that He not onely redeemed us from Aegypt but from Hell not onely from Pharaoh but from Satan therefore above all admire this and yeeld your soules and bodies and all you have wholly to the service of the Lord when any temptation violently presseth in upon you speake to your hearts and tell them as sometime the Apostle Paul did the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the HOLY GHOST which is in you and that you are not your owne as who should say ye know it full well that ye are not your owne ye were bought at a deare rate even with the bloud of CHRIST why then doe you follow sinne and serve your lusts for shame away with this ill dealing and give every man his owne let GOD have His and the Divell his downe with this hatred and Pride send them packing to the Divell from whence they came and resolve to say thus if sinne presse in upon you I am not mine owne the Lord hath bought all and therefore Hee shall have all Say to Satan I am pressed to serve the King I have received presse-money at the hands of the Lord Iesus Christ therefore be gone Imitate Him Vse 3 Love your enemies doe good to them that hate you Not to despaire of Gods grace for others without Vse 4 who yet are enemy-like affected toward Him To assure us that Hee will not faile us Vse 5 till Hee hath brought us to salvation now we are friends who when we were enemies did reconcile us Now for the Particulars in this benefit repeated 1 He setteth downe the fact of reconciling us 2 The instrument in the body of His flesh that is His humane Nature a Synechdoche Heb. 5.7 In the dayes of His flesh He offred up strong cryes to God For this our Nature is an instrument personally united wherein the second Person worketh and by which as by a conduit Hee conveyeth