this obedience is a growing up into more familiar acquaintance with or knowledge of GOD. Now as they were to endure many things he wisheth them a convenient grace in this regard 1 Setting downe the grace it selfe That they might be strengthened with all might 2 The fountaine GOD's glorious power 3 The End which is double as trials sometime are strong and long so against the one wee must have Patience against the other long sufferance accompanied with joyfulnesse Thus is the Prayer The thing that needeth explication most is in those words with wisdome and spirituall understanding This Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as cockmah in the Hebrew to which it answereth hath a double acception Sometime it noteth out the knowledge of hidden heavenly things thus it is expounded Prov. 30.3 one end of the verse doth interpret the other wisdome in the beginning is construed by the knowledge of holy things in the end So in 1 Cor. 2.6 We speake wisdome amongst the perfect that is points of hidden knowledge the great mystery of CHRIST and thus onely prophane Authors take it as Aristotle Tully 2 This word Wisdome is put for that practicall vertue which doth deliberate about and move us to doe things behoofefull commandeth and ordereth actions And the Septuagint use this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the same which the Philosophers signifie onely by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now in this place it is thus to be taken for it cannot be put for the theory of GOD's will because it is annexed as a different thing from that which wee expressely asked in the words before Againe in the third Chapter Col. 3 1â— Wisdome seemeth to be that which maketh a man teach and admonish himselfe and so bring into act that which hee knoweth out of the Word Now if you ask what it differeth from understanding and how spiritual understanding differeth from knowledge To the first Wisdome maketh us put the thing in execution Spirituall understanding doth perceive and judge aright of that which Wisdome consulteth on and executeth And this differeth from knowledge because this as Wisdome is about matter of fact gotten by experience wheras Knowledge conceiveth onely things in themselves not considering of them as they are here and now performed Now for the doctrines from the ninth Verse First in generall the Apostles example doth teach That Ministers must not onely teach and admonish Observ but pray for their people 1 Sam. 12.23 GOD forbid that I should cease to pray for you Moses Aaron and Samuel were thus stiled such as called on His Name the Priest was as well to offer up incense and blesse in the Name of the Lord as to slay the sacrifice Againe all our watering and planting is nothing without GOD's increase which how can we looke for if we will not aske it Spare to speake and spare to speed Moses Prayer did more against the Amalekites than all Israels weapons Such therefore as bow not their knees to GOD in secret for their people Vse neglect their dutie yet some are so unacquainted with this exercise that out of their books they cannot say two lines it may be said of them The Priest hath forgot his Prayers We must be admonished of our duty The occasion was handled above And thus much from this that the Apostle saith We Pray From the time Observ marke wee must not delay going to GOD when occasion is offered that precept every where pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thus fitly construed Pray in every opportunitie let it not slip thee It is good taking the season in every thing striking while the iron is hot for time and tide stay not from that day he heard he did take the occasion of devout remembring them to God Delay is here alwayes dangerous For at the first comming of occasions we are affected with them but if we work not with this motion like as fire not blowed nor fed with fewell it goeth out Againe wisdome biddeth us redeeme the opportunitie Eph. 5. â—5 â—6 Here therefore men are to be taxed Vse who put off and quench the spirit whose modò modò non habet modum who are ever in purpose never in performance who cry yet a little sleepe a little folding the hands sleep over their spirituall harvest We must from his example be exhorted for as hee followed CHRIST so farre forth wee must follow him Marke thirdly that he prayeth uncessantly Observ which teacheth us how we must persevere in Prayer not like them who a day or two will begin this duty and then lay it by all the quarter the Apostle biddeth every one of us persevere in prayer for the Saints Eph. 6.18 not that we must keepe houres stinted as if those houres passe us we must not pray that day or like the Euchites never cease pattering but we must daily at fittest seasons take up this duty This not ceasing speedeth with GOD giveth Him no rest out-wrastleth Him this CHRIST by a double Parable calleth us to one of the widdow Luke 18.3 4. Luke 11.5 the other of the friend in the night-time importuning his friend For GOD doth often delay to see if we will follow Him and not give Him over Those then who are set downe with fainting hands Vse letting fall their prayers must be stirred up to hold out uncessantly by this example Delayes should not hinder us from hoping well That seed that lyeth longest in the earth riseth higher than any other So that prayer groweth to the most glorious issue which GOD seemeth long to bury in forgetfulnesse From this that hee doth not pray howsoever Obs 4 but with an hearty desire Marke here That our prayers must bee fervent Hee doth not continue a forme of words without affection for it is not vox but votum that soundeth in GOD's eare Iâ—â— â— 16 The prayer of the righteous availeth much if it be fervent Our SAVIOUR doth reach that these onely speed these fervent prayers by that trebled phrase Aske Seeke Knocke all importing the same matter heartie calling on GOD. If one aske us a thing but being indifferent doth rather to prove us than that hee careth when we discerne it we hold our owne So GOD c. To rebuke luke-warme devotion Vse 1 nay our frozen prayers when the heart hath no desire in it after that the mouth speaketh To stirre us up in this dutie Vse 2 Now the mother of desire is spirituall Poverty from sight of our wants weaknesses perills c. From the Matter in generall he wisheth their proceeding in grace obedience and patience Observe hence Observ What things wee are to wish those that are called even these here named The Apostle knew how many begunne in the spirit but ended in the flesh hee knew that if they did not gather they would scatter He well perceived how busie Satan would bee to steale this grace out of their hearts For as theeves watch
of the former Chapter Now lest this report should seeme to drop from him unadvisedly for ordinarily another mouth must praise us not our owne lest it should thus be misconstrued he repeateth the strife he had with a more particular enumeration of the Persons for whom he thus contended v. 1. 2 The matter for which he laboured with GOD for them Verse 2 3. 3 The end why he telleth them these things or maketh such request V. 4. Namely that no Impostor might deceive them and draw them from that state wherein they were or perswade them as if the Apostle knew nothing of their matter nor yet tooke any care of them for the fourth Verse may be conceived as a reason of either of these you must know wee are in good cafe before you can wish us established in it But they might object Object thou never knewest us nor sawest us or you know not Paul how we stand how can you take care lest we be deceived Though my bodily presence is free from you Answ yet it is not out of sight and out of minde my Spirit is with you The first Verse then hath to be marked in it a deliberate asseveration of that he had in generall spoken I would have you know 2. A more particular repetition of this his strife applied in speciall to some certaine persons first definitely you and your neighbours about you those of Laodicea then indefinitely and all that have not seene mee in the flesh 1. Then wee learne this point of wisdome from the Apostle Doct. That we must warily prevent that which may be misconstrued of us in our speeches The Colossians might thinke him vaine-glorious in signifying such things as tended to his owne praise at least that his pen went too fast and he a little forgot himselfe in setting downe such personall matter the Apostle therefore goeth over again with it and sheweth a reason of it Vers 4. That he might wipe away the surmise of unadvisednesse and vaine-glorious humour To speake any thing either to the praise or dispraise of our selves is subject to imputation for it is a tickle theame hard to doe either without a spice of vanity in the one or dissimulation in the other the Apostle knowing this well had the hynt of their thoughts given him and therefore doth prevent them wisely There is great reason for this practice frequent with the Apostle For the just mainteyning of our owne honour with GOD in the fifth Commandement doth lay it on us Secondly the preventing of false witnesse-bearing by sinister surmises in my neighbour Reas 2 which if occasion offered I doe not so much as in me is hinder I become guilty of them Such therefore as give out speeches subject to misconstruction without any qualifying of them and salving such things as in probability are like amisse to be gathered by them Vse have not yet this wisedome which the example of the Apostle setteth before us being in this point for our imitation 2 Marke hence Doct. That in some case wee may report both our love and what we doe in love for others The Apostle telleth them now he out of his love to them strove in their behalfe There is reporting of kindnesse which out of proud displeasure upbraydeth those to whom we speake and this begetteth unthankfulnesse in them whom we have pleasured There is againe a reciting of that we doe out of religion love and wisdom which begetteth further love in those who heare it Out of religion I say for it is to Gods glory that we should tell such things as not we so much as His grace worketh in us especially when He doth so stand by us that we are called to contend and strive in prayer with him in prayer for the good of any Out of wisdom as when it breaketh the neast of such as labour to slander us behind our backs with others Out of love to God and my brother when I tell it that God may have glory from my brother knowing it that his confidence may be strengthened that his love to me may be further kindled thus Saint Paul reciteth that matter thus Rom. 9. He doth not simply protest his love to his Country men but doth bind it with an oath that he might mollify their displeasure and wind in with them Yea we read of the Saints who before God have orderly and holily made appeale how they have walked before Him Though therefore such as either proudly or out of unadvised levity or contumeliously sound out their owne praises are not to be justified yet neither on the other hand must we censure all speeches of this nature a mans neighbours may dwell so farre off or be so malignant that hee that would keepe silence in this kind should betray Gods glory the truth his owne honour and neighbours safety 3 Observe Doctr. That we must not onely seeke the good of those we know as familiars but of those who have no outward acquaintance with us Eph. 16.18 Pray for all Saints If our naturall Parents travailing to other places we being left behind should beget other children would we not upon the hearesay of it be affected to them as our brethren So when we heare that our heavenly Father hath begotten Himselfe other children here or there though we have not seene them yet we should in all love embrace them and seeke their well-fare yea there was great need why he on whom lay the care of all the Churches should pray fervently for these because these might even in this regard more easily be seduced as who had not knowne him and seen his conversation who was the great Doctor of the Gentiles for such as knew what kind of man he was that delivered these things were hence somewhat strengthened and encouraged in their way But how may we be rebuked who are farre from striving for those we know Vse Husbands that pray not for their Wives Parents that pray not for their children If we doe thus by them we see what doe we for such we never sawe Let us imitate this duty even of entreating for such we have not seene Which of us would not have benefit by the prayers of Gods people who know us not let us doe to others as we would have them doe to us He were a gracelesse child that would never pray for his Mother and we would thinke he would doe little for us that would not lend us a good word here or there So when we remember not the Church and will not open our mouthes one for another to God what love is there Let us therefore frequent this duty not in word or shew but in deed and truth From the practice of this duty it commeth to passe that a Christian is like a rich Merchant who hath his factors in divers Countryes So a Christian hath in all places of the world some that deale for him with God that never sawe his face who are petitioners for him unto God VERSE 2.
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
that God revealeth to us 3 We must hang upon CHRIST the Author and finisher of our faith and pray Him to heale this trembling palley of our soules 4 We must be good husbands with the knowledge we have obeying it carefully Ioh. 7. If ye obey ye shall know my doctrine whether it be of God 5 We must attend upon the publike ministery of the Word which God hath appointed for the edification of the Church Ephes 4. VERSE 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge NOw followeth a description of CHRIST named in the end of the former verse taken from the infinite wisdome and knowledge in Him In whom may be referred to the mystery a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is fitlyer conceived of CHRIST b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the intent of the Apostle in this Epistle being to stablish the Colossians in the faith of Christ from whom Angels Ceremonies and the depth of Philosophicall wisdome did thorow Satans working assay to withdraw the beleevers therefore the Apostle doth upon all occasions amplifie the dignitie and all-sufficient riches of CHRIST IESUS Againe having before wished them all riches of understanding he doth fitly describe CHRIST from His Omniscience that he might thus point them at the fountaine whence they were to draw that which hee mentioned even all riches of understanding which they wanted Thirdly as in the third Chapter our life is said to be hidden in CHRIST So here all wisdome and understanding are said to be hid in Him Beside the reason following may be respective to these words I say thus For in spirit I see you that none may draw you from your solid faith in CHRIST 1 Then we learne hence Doct. That upon fit occasions we must publish the glorious properties of IESUS CHRIST the Apostle doth rarely mention Him but he reciteth something or other which tendeth to glorifie Him the LORD commanding us no way to dishonour His name but by all meanes to seeke the glory of it doth tye us to this duty especially then we are to doe it when the subtilty of the enemie doth labour to obscure the account of CHRIST and seduce us from Him And if wee are bound to challenge the credit of our neighbour by lending him the best testimony wee may and not suffering his innocencie to be wronged how much more must we doe this when the honour of our God in some sort hangeth on it Which must rebuke the barrennesse of Christians this way Vse when doe wee upon naming of our SAVIOUR CHRIST breake forth to extoll Him and publish His glory Followers of great States how will they commend the deepe reach the great experience the universall knowledge of all State affaires which are in those they retaine unto CHRIST may long be out of account before we like the true Church preach forth his due praises and commendations 2 That Paul to stablish them in holding on Christ doth no other thing but tell them the excellencies of Christ here and every where Observe hence Doct. What maketh us listen to deceivers our ignorance of Christ Did we know the excellencie of His Person the riches of His Nature the offices and all sufficiencie of Him our hearts would be armed against all seducements then wee would reject them and say Wee knew whom we have trusted but dimly seeing these things 2 Tim. 1.12 it is otherwise with us A foole that knoweth not how good he and his money are soone parted So we like little children not knowing so fully what a rich Pearle this our LORD IESUS CHRIST is listen too much to such beguiling suggestions as the Divell by his instruments whispereth in our eares Wherefore Vse as you would be armed against all enticements and engines of this nature labour to get the knowledge of CHRIST's Person and offices of the riches of all glorious good things which are in Him that so nothing may make you start aside from your faith received Marke againe Doct. Who is the store-house of all wisdome and knowledge namely Christ our Lord. We know the treasury is it from whence we fetch for all occasions Our treasuries are stores sufficient to furnish our particular necessities So God hath made Christ a treasury and store-house as of all other spirituall gifts so of wisdome and knowledge that from His fulnesse every member might be served The Spirit of wisdome and knowledge rested upon Him above measure As the light is fully in the Sunne that Moone and Starres might thence borrow So the fulnesse of this and every supernaturall gift is in Him that thence it might be derived There is as in Christ a double Nature so a double treasure of wisedome and knowledge The first is uncreate that omniscient wisdome of God which knoweth perfectly and fully comprehendeth all the divine Nature and not only all which have beene are and shall be hereafter but all things which are possible to be done if God were so pleased Secondly there is as the nature of man so proportionably a created wisdome and knowledge whereby Christ knoweth God more fully than all the creatures though not so fully as God may be knowne and is knowne of Himselfe For a finite nature is not capable of an infinite so as to comprehend it for nothing can receive above that which it hath capacitie to receive Againe Hee knoweth in God as in a glasse all things which have beene are and shall be so farre as agreeth with His happie estate and the execution of His Offices which are committed to Him Thirdly Hee knoweth within Himselfe and by experience above all that can be uttered for Hee is filled with these gifts not onely for Himselfe but that He might send from Him into all His members Christ therefore as man though He know not God so fully as God is knowne of Himselfe and know not all things which are possible to be done because this cannot be knowne but by a full comprehension of GOD's omnipotencie which being infinite no finite nature can fully comprehend yet His knowledge is above all knowledge of Angels and men and is unmeasurable after some sort though not simply infinite that from it all of us might be supplyed This then thus opened First confuteth the Lutherans Vse 1 who will have the humane nature simply omniscient as the divine Nature is and the divine knowledge to become the humane Nature that it might know by it as wee know by created gifts of knowledge which they goe about to prove thus In Christ are all treasures of wisdome and knowledge Object all treasures therefore He is omniscient He doth not say in Christ's humane Nature Answ but in Christ Now in Christ is the divine Nature as well as the humane CHRIST hath it Therefore His humane Nature hath it followeth not à toto ad partem In a man is reason Therfore in His body Besides all treasure may be said simply or respectively compared with that other Creatures
and obedience is utterly ceased Lastly Qu. 5 it may be asked how these Ceremonies were nailed on the Crosse As we conceive our selves Answ and all our sins with Christ on the Crosse So all the specialties which were to shew against us yea all the conversation of us as it was after this world is to be conceived with Him that the whole old man with his debt with the deeds he had done acknowledging this debt with his manner of conversing in carnall rites I say all of the old man is to be conceived thus in CHRIST and crucified with Him that all old things might be abolished Now to come to the Doctrines Observe first Doct. That not onely our sinne which is our debt is answered but that whatsoever may shew any thing against us is done away in CHRIST not onely our debt but every thing which might testifie any thing or breed us future danger is cancelled If a debter doe know his debt is answered yet hath his bonds and bills uncalled in he is still in feare but when he hath all such things as might speake any thing crossed torne made utterly void then he is safe for the LORD will have man doe all things so as he may shew his true meaning and wisdome in the dealing betwixt him and our Lord Iesus Christ doth give us example for in CHRIST answering our debt it had not been wisdome not to have defaced and abolished all such things as made acknowledgement of our debt and in GOD to have taken from His CHRIST satisfaction for us and kept with Himselfe such things which might witnesse us still indebted to Him had not so agreed with that single and upright meaning which GOD sheweth in all His wayes Againe our peace had not beene provided for for the Divell our restlesse enemie would never have rested to have followed the suit on us if he had so good evidence as our owne confession whether in heart word or under our hand to shew against us to that most just GOD. The use of this is first to teach us the great bounty of God yea and to shew us a patterne of sincere dealing Vse 1 to pardon us our debts is much but to deface all such specialties which might shew any thing against us to give in cancell crosse teare the least bill he had against us this doth amplifie His bounty It is storied of Adrian that seeking to win the favour of His subjects in Rome and Italy he for gave them all they were indebted to his Exchequer and the more to amplifie his free pardon he gave them out all their bills and bonds by which they made acknowledgement of any due to him Thus the great God amplifying His love dealeth with us and teacheth men what to doe when a debt is answered even to keepe nothing to shew for it that so their sincere dealing may be witnessed This letteth us see the fulnesse of CHRIST's redemption Vse 2 would He leave a great part of our debt unanswered as veniall sinnes the temporary punishment of sins and not suffer the least line of a bill to be uncrossed and torne asunder Lastly this maketh much for our comfort Vse 3 when we know that every thing that might breed us dread for hereafter beside the Ceremoniall Law there are many other hand-writings as it were which the Divell will threaten against us what will he say thou justified Daniel Saint Paul and others doe they not confesse they are sinners miserable and wretched their righteousnesse as Esay speaketh like stained cloathes This confession of the greatest Saints speaketh against thee Againe thy conscience doth know that thou art a grievous sinner thou hast not crucified the lusts of thy flesh and how oft hath thy owne mouth said thou hast no true faith no lively grace Nay sometime he hath got the hand to shew for their owne damnation How shall all this be answered Even by granting that indeed there are such confessions and bills of mine owne out against me but my CHRIST He did answer them and take them away This in generall Now in particular Doct. First we see That by CHRIST the Ceremoniall Law is taken away Looke Ephes 2.15 and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes which doth set it forth at large for the Law was not given that it should be perpetuall but only till the time of CHRIST which is called the time of correction or the setting things straight to that which they respected As a Physitian without changing his art giveth one thing to a childe another thing to a man And as a learned Schoole-master teacheth one booke to a novice another to a riper schollar so GOD without any change in Himselfe doth change these ordinances and did alwayes intend their ceasing in CHRIST Now we must know that when we say this Law of Ceremony was abolished in Christ the meaning is that it doth not binde any unto obedience As we see with us when Statutes are repealed they are not blotted forth of bodies and abolished from being monuments of advertisement but their force only taken away from constraining obedience so here c. not that the doctrine and knowledge of it nor yet the liberty of doing a rite in it while the edification of the Church so required is taken away the one is perpetuall the other was by the Apostles for a time lawfully practised For as the Morall Law is taken away from the use of seeking righteousnesse in it yet it remaineth as a rule of manners instructing us in our duties which we owe in thankfulnesse So this Law is taken away in regard of all the obligation and exercise of it but remaineth for many uses of doctrine and instruction The Vse is to let us see GOD's goodnesse to us Vse 1 what a benefit we count it when some one harmefull Statute by act of Parliament is repealed But what a benefit is this that a yoke which our fathers could not beare is taken away so that it never shall be laid upon us It letteth us see our happinesse above the Iewes Vse 2 that are free of so many fleshly grievances wherewith their worship abounded Wee see hence Vse 3 that it is GOD's will we should not be pestered with carnall rites and services GOD who will have His owne give place to our liberty how farre is He from liking that men should impose upon us their yokes of bondage This were misery for a man to be set free from GOD's hand and fall into mans usurpation Wherefore superstitious and lewd preambles of that popish captivity were those primitive ceremonies and observances which Saint Augustine in his hundred and nineteenth Epistle to Ianuarius complaineth of that all was pestered with humane presumptions And the Popish religion is hence erected as a yoke from whence by Christ we are redeemed The second thing to be marked here is Doct. That the Iewish Ceremonies as they were purely legall were as bills testifying the debt of the people before GOD The
to condemne you or no weake Iew condemne you in not using these things but this is not probably here understood because the Apostle dealeth with the Colessians shewing them their duty as may be gathered by the inference and the next Verse Againe weake converts of Iewes it is not probable there were any with them The second sense Let none condemne you that is doe not take up these shadowes or continue the practice in them and so give occasion to other Churches of the Gentiles to condemne you but this though a good sense I doe not allow for these reasons 1 Because after the rule of the Apostle Rom. 14. Churches were not to condemne Churches though they were a little levened this way if they did it was a fact not very warrantable 2 Because in the twentieth Verse hee dehorteth them from detaining and using these rites 3 Because that as in the next Verse he doth call them to stand their ground against Philosophicall seductors So here against Iewish Ceremony-masters I thinke then this is the meaning Let none condemne you that is stand in the liberty so dearely purchased yeeld not your selves for any mans condemnation in these matters passe not if any man condemne you for not using rites crucified in CHRIST This is a way whereby we suffer not any to condemne us when wee stand not to any censure of them challenging our freedome Thus though we cannot keepe the Pope from cursing excommunicating us in regard of his deed and minde yet we may truely be said not to let him excommunicate us in respect wee submit not to any censure he passeth in kinde This then is the meaning Passe not if Iudaising spirits doe condemne you for not keeping a part of an holy day a new Moone c. for all these things are shadowes which in CHRIST and His Church the substance of them is accomplished 1 Observe hence Doct. That wee must not make account of mens sinister judgements as any way giving place unto them It is the property of erroneous spirits they will be prodigall in their peremptory condemning of all that dissent from them Thus you see how the Pope thundereth anathema's in every article against us and Papall spirits subscribe not to every Canon you shall be excommunicate yea an anathema presently Now then if we might not turne our deafe eare and contemne subjecting our selves to their sentences we should quickly shake in our beliefe Thus our Saviour taught His Disciples When they revile you excommunicate you for my Names sake passe not what they count of you great then is your reward So when the Apostles told Him what the Pharisies would except at Tush let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blinde and how doth Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4.3 I esteeme it the least matter of a thousand to be judged of you or men And we see how in the Primitive story when Victor would in the matter of Easter condemne all the other Churches differing from him they gave no place but rebuked his insolencie and contemned his audacious censure For wee stand and fall to our owne Master What have they to doe to judge us Yet this must be rightly understood For there is a sinfull carelesnesse of others censure when a man out of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a selfe-conceited proud pertinacious humour passeth not for others or when one regardeth not this or that because of the base account in which he hath the persons that speake it or when one distinguisheth not persons but is most carelesse of all alike whereas we must never out of pride or contempt as they in the Gospell what doe you stand upon that these old cursed people thinke that know not the Law but from a good conscience testifying with us in that we doe before GOD 1 Cor. 4.3 2 We must distingush betwixt weake ones misconceiving through weaknesse of judgement and malicious ones the latter are not to be regarded but for the other though we must not cease from that which is good necessarily to be done of us yet we must pity it in them and seeke at GOD to shew them the truth The Vse is to us Vse that we never feare men slavishly we are the servants of CHRIST if wee doe that which is His will what need wee care who condemne that wee know He approveth in us We that are taught of GOD shall we give place to blinde Bats who speake they know not what and have no savour of heavenly things they are incompetent judges wee yeeld not to them What careth an Artist if an ignorant person find fault with him he will say Cobler not beyond your last So may we to such who condemne us holding to that which is the truth Hence then may be reproved that pusillanimity in many who will give in if they be opposed in the least degree 2 Observ That to put no difference in meats for conscience sake or religious respect is no sinne the text proves it Doct. Let no man condemne you in meat that is care not for their condemning you when you put no religious difference betwixt meats as pure and impure so in drinkes Wee know the Iewes if a thing stood in a pot uncovered were not to touch the liquor it was legally impure to them for these things are all the good creatures of GOD and all these things in CHRIST are made pure to the pure There is a foure-fold distinction of meats 1 The one Naturall 2 The other Politike 3 Religious 4 Superstitious Some in regard of natural properties and wholesomenesse to our bodies good some have a malignancie in them and are hurtfull thus in way of diet to distinguish them is not evill So politikely for the benefit of the fisher-man and breed of cattell A truely religious difference is when GOD for some holy purpose doth make a distinction permitting some and denying others or when we in Christian wisedome abstaine from some things which we finde through our weaknesse to be hurtfull for us The fourth kinde is that we are to marke the superstitious difference when we will out of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sinfull imitation or out of mecre humane presumption prohibit the use of some meats and allow others and that as a thing pleasing to GOD thus Montanus forbade all drie things and would have them religiously refrained as comming from an evill beginning Thus the Papists forbid flesh egges and white meats though not as evill in their nature yet as defiling the conscience of him that useth them when now they are forbidden and that not onely because he transgresseth the commandement of the Church but because he neglecteth a thing which is good in it selfe even as a religious exercise But this was the old opinion of the Pharisies who did thinke that some meates did defile them not onely which GOD had forbidden but which they refrained out of humane tradition for they had their weekely fasts of their owne making Matth.
rule over you The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is borrowed from those who sit as judges of sports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when there is running of tilt before the King there is some that sit by with white wands or staves who marke how every one breaketh and hits according as the law of the sport requireth and therafter give sentence with or against the Champions So we must remember that Prayer is a spirituall wrastling with God for the due manner of it it is to be done in all humility through Him who is our Mediatour to God this is a law of this heavenly wrastling the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the recompence of this strife is that God beareth us and will give us what we aske in the Name of His CHRIST Now these false seducers take upon them as judges in this case and determine against the Colossians that they did not strive or serve GOD in humility neglecting to worship Angels and to use them as intercessors to GOD and in this regard did make all their wrastling in vayne judging from them their reward because this law was neglected by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Willing that is at His pleasure it is fitliest reduced to that former Now followeth the difficulty In humility and worship of Angels These words may have as I conceive a threefold accommodation 1 They may note instruments wherewith those false Apostles seduced and the matter whereupon they grew thus censorious Let none deprive you of your reward or take upon him to judge you through humblenesse of minde 2 The second sense they may be joyned with the words following thus Let none at his pleasure play the judge over you entering into things he neve saw through shew of submission and through worship of Angels The third sense These words may signifie the matter as I have noted in which they judged Christians defective and therefore seeking in vaine to GOD thus Passe not you nor yeeld not to the sentence of any who doe condemne you in humility that is as wanting humility and in worship of Angels that is judge against you as not using any mediation of Angels or intercession to them The first opinion I admit not for these Reasons 1 As hee said above Let none seduce you by Philosophie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he would here have used the same particle rather than another 2 I see not how a fained humility is fitly made a ground or pretence of usurping judiciall authority 3 The Greekes put little difference betwixt this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the simple is here put for the compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did note there the matter about which their censure was occupied The second interpretation I like not neither 1. Our common Prosodie dis-joyneth them making the former part of the sentence all one Complexum 2. Shewing the meanes and ground of their going into things they never saw he telleth us it was their being puffed up with fleshly wisedome Wherefore with best correspondence this noteth out the matter as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Verse the matter I say in regard of which the false teachers condemned them because herein they were not conformable to themselves Now to the Doctrines Marke first Doct. That false teachers are led with a spirit of arrogancie which maketh them usurpe judgement over others This was apparant in the Scribes and Pharisies who judged of CHRIST and His doctrine as a seditious noveltie who excommunicated all that would professe His Name Thus the wise Gentiles judged the Gospell to be nothing but folly This having alwayes been the practice of lewd hereticall spirits to speake evill of things they know not Iude v. 10. And herein the Papists excell who challenge to their Pope fulnesse of power to determine of truth impose lawes to accurse all that come against his determination in matter of religion to translate Crowns to open and shut Heaven and all at their pleasure But you will say Object Doth not the true Church take upon her to condemne doctrines which if shee doe how can this be made an hereticall guise She doth Answ but ministerially pronouncing that condemnation which shee heareth the Scripture passe of this or that as contrary to Gods truth before her but it is otherwise with these erroneous spirits who out of their owne hearts or selfe-willed pleasures doe passe sentence against that they receive not Let them not at pleasure beare rule over you This is the property of the naturall man hee will take upon him to judge and condemne whatsoever doth not agree with him much liarning makes thee madde said Festus to Paul and doe not carnall men account those that walke more conscionably than themselves proud hypocrites schismatickes seditious persons what not For looke as fooles and distracted persons will have a fling at every thing which doth not humour their crazed phantasies whence we say A fooles bolt is soone shot So here c. This may serve further to informe us touching the manner of carnall men Vse that it is their kinde to breake out in this manner and therefore we must not be dismayed when we suffer it at their hands A second thing may here be added that the Apostle giveth them such a caveat againe and againe Let none condemne you Let none take upon him as a judge over you for in repeating these He doth not only shew our duty above noted Doct. but bewrayeth our softnesse and pufillanimity which doth make us subject too much to take to heart such sinister judgements A quicke horse need not be spurred and if we were not prone to yeeld too much in this nature hee need not againe and againe to dehort us Even as children though they know and conceive things aright yet great words facing downe the contrary and calling them children and fooles to thinke thus doe so amate them that they cannot tell what to say So we through childish weaknesse the things which wee have truly learned and quietly alone have received them into perswasion when wee heare others cry them downe condemn them as heresie schisme call us reprochful termes for holding them we let it sinke so with us that wee cannot tell what wee may thinke of the matter Seeing then there is such infirmity in us Vse let us arme our selves against it Shall we let the sentence of carnall men shake us in things we have learned of GOD Why they know not these things that they condemne them of folly falshood wickednesse should confirme us in the contrary A little childe come to any understanding so farre as to know a foole by his habit as his motley coat his woodden dagger if twenty such should say any thing against that he thinketh he would not beleeve it but would say these are fooles I know them well enough So if you doe but know naturall men of corrupt mindes by their outward fruits never be