dignity of them the union of Husband and Wife is the most excellent and that upon which the others do depend or if you regard their rise Man was an Husband before a Father or a Master GOD gave Adam a Wife before He gave him Children or Servants Now though in this prime union the Husband possesseth the first place yet the Apostle beginneth at the Wife and doth the like in the two following orders instructing Children before Fathers and Servants before Masters either for that the subjection to which Wives and Children and Servants are obliged is more difficult and displeasing to our nature than the love and government of Husbands and Fathers and Masters is or for that the subjection of the one is the foundation upon which the others good government doth depend We will handle at the present no more but the lesson which he gives to Wives and Husbands contained in the Text that you have heard reserving that which concerns Children and Fathers Servants and Masters to another time The Wife's lesson is for words short but for sense of great weight and large extent Wives saith the Apostle to them be subject to your own Husbands as is meet in the LORD In which words first he commands Married women that subjection which they owe to their own Husbands and next shews them the manner of that subjection as is meet in the LORD As for subjection it 's an order that GOD hath established generally in all things which constitute any kind of body whether it be in nature or in either Angelical or humane society that some should depend on others Thus you see in plants the other parts depend upon the root and in animals upon the heart and they all upon the soul that makes them live Among men there 's no estate without a superiour that governs and inferiours that are governed In the composition of the world it self as it is one total you know that earthly things depend upon the heavens it 's they that govern all the rest neither is there any union or any body or natural compacted frame in the whole universe all whose parts are entirely equal GOD whose wisdome is infinite hath so ordered it for the benefit of things themselves those that are feeble and imperfect finding their perfection in the conduct of such as are more perfect and the more perfect reaping commodity and dignity from the subjection of those that are less This induced the Apostle to say in another place that GOD is not a GOD of confusion or of disorder but of peace Whence followeth that to resist subjection when persons are called to it is a thwarting of His will and a perturbing of His order a mark also not of fortitude and courage but of folly and malignity to oppose it conform to that which experience taught the Heathen themselves to observe even that good men are easie to be governed and that those that most unwillingly endure a superior are alwaies such as have least worth It having therefore pleased GOD according to this general disposition of His wisdom that in marriage man should be the head it 's with good reason that the Apostle exhortâ—th married women to be subject That word compriseth all the duty of the condition to which GOD calleth them and therefore the Holy Spirit useth it almost alwaies in this matter as in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 5.22 Tit. 2.5 where these self-same terms occur and in the Epistle to Titus That saith he they be discreet chaste keepers at home good subject to their own husbands 1 Pet. 3.1 and in the first Epistle of St. Peter Ye wives saith he be in subjection to your own husbands I know well the expression doth displease our nature which in the corruption that sin hath brought upon it hateth all even the most lawful subjection And perhaps it is upon this accont that the Apostles have so often recommended it to Christian women that they might instruct them to combat this sentiment of our depraved nature and submit themselves unto GOD's order But certainly setting aside the word and the disorders which our sin doth sow in every condition there is no harshness in this conjugal subjection there 's nothing in it but is sweet and beneficial and advantageous both to the wife her self and also the whole family For it 's an error to think that all subjection is hard and vexatious That which the body oweth to the soul and the members to the head that which the air and earth do render to the heavens hath nothing of constraint nothing shameful in it on the contrary 't is in it that the glory of the body and the members and the elements does consist Among the Angels themselves whose being is full of perfection and of glory there wanteth not some kind of subjection the inferior Angels having dependance upon their chiefs And in the terrestrial Paradise if sin had not banished us thence amid the delights and perfections of an happy state the wise would not have been exempt from being subject to her husband an evident sign that this subjection is not incompatible either with her felicity or with her glory and that all the bitterness now found in it comes not from the thing it self but from sin which hath altered it as it hath all the other parts of our life and nature For in reality what does this subjection signifie but a just and rational a sweet and amiable dependance of the wife upon the husband like that of the body upon its head or upon its soul Of this subjection the first part which is as the root and stock of all the rest is a sentiâ—ent and disposition of heart when the wife acknowledgeth in her soul that the husband GOD hath given her is her head and as the wise man saith her guide who in the due order of their life ought to have the first place and that she is inferior to him since she is his wife whatever advantage she hath other-waies above him be it in wealth or in nobility yea even in prudence and abilites of spirit If she hath once setled this holy and respectful perswasion in her heart she will no more find ought of harshness or difficulty in all that subjection which she oweth her husband This sentiment alone is sufficient to form her unto it and bow without any violence all the actions of her life that way And it 's this in my opinion Eph. 5.33 that the Apostle meaneth when he saith else where that the wise should reverence her husband 1 Pet. 3.6 Such was the sentiment of Sarah whom St. Peter proposeth unto Christian women for a pattern of their demeanor She called Abraham her Lord as that Apostle doth expresâ—y note declaring by such respectful language in what esteem she had her husband and that she held him for her superior for the guide and governour of her life After this reverence the wives subjection comprehendeth also
if the Heavens and the Elements and the Winds and the Meteors and the Plants things deaf and dumb and inanimate do preach and celebrate the wonders of their LORD all of them obeying His voyce and faithfully serving His designs what will our ingratitude be if with these senses and this excellent reason He hath given us we alone of all His creatures should cross His counsels and dishonor His Name instead of glorifying it The glory He requireth of us is only that we walk in His Commandments that we abound in good and holy works that we depart from all evil and live in such manner as may oblige our neighbours to acknowledge that this JESUS whom we serve is truly a great GOD. Acquit we us then faithfully of these duties and assure our selves that if we advance His glory He will provide for our bliss and guard us from all that opposeth the same For since all things Celestial and Terrestrial visible and invisible were created and do still subsist by Him there is nothing in the whole world that should make us afraid All the Armies of Heaven of the Elements and of Nature are in our Masters pay and neither war nor work but for His interests and by His order These very Thrones these Principalities these Powers and these Dominions which He hath exalted above all His other creatures do not employ the mightiness and the glory of their nature but for Him and for those that fear Him They are ministring Spirits sent forth to serve for their sakes that shall receive the inheritance of Salvation They keep us in all our ways They defend us in life they assist us at death and convey us up into the bosom of our true Abraham Let us live in assurance under the protection of so good and so great a LORD that we may one day receive at His hand blissful Immortality the great and last Donative His Benignity conferreth To Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit the true GOD blessed over all things be for ever Honor Glory and Praise Amen THE IX SERMON COL I. Ver. XVIII Vers XVIII And it is He who is the head of the body of the Church and who is the beginning and the first-born from the dead to the end He might have the first place in all things IT is not without just cause Beloved Brethren that the Apostle St. Paul speaking of the union of JESUS CHRIST and His Church which was represented at the beginning of the world Eph. 5.32 by the marriage of Adam and Eve doth pronounce it aloud to be a great secret For in effect there is nothing in this mysterie which way soever you take it but is very great and worthy the admiration of men and Angels First if you weigh the thing it self is it not wonderful strange and unheard of in the world that the Creator should unite Himself with the creature The LORD of glory with worms The King of Heaven with dust and ashes The Saint of Saints with sinners Then again if you consider the foundation of this Union what can be conceived of a more ravishing nature than the birth and the death of the Son of GOD upon which this Divine alliaâ—â—e was contracted this mystical Spouse having had so vehement a passion for the Church that to make her His He made Himself a man like us and shed out all His blood upon a Cross If you contemplate the form and manner of this Union it is so strict and intimate that it perfectly mingleth together the parties whom it doth unite and makes them one only body one flesh and one Spirit joyning both their persons and their affairs and in such manner confounding their interests that JESUS CHRIST is wholly His Churches and the Church wholly Her CHRIST's The firmness of this Union is no less admirable being such as all the powers of the Earth of Hell or of Heaven are not able to dissolve it and whereas Nature hath bound nothing in the whole Universe but time doth lose it in the end the sacred clasps of this the Churches eternal Union with her LORD shall never be undone either in this world or in that which is to come by any of those innumerable ages that shall roul forth Finally if you respect the effects of it what can be mentioned of more glorious and saving import than the fruits this Union doth produce It filleth our understanding with light it purifies our affections it sanctifies our hearts it keepeth the peace of GOD in them it changeth slaves of Devils into Children of the most High it transformeth Earth into Heaven and instead of that death and curse which we deserved it giveth us eternity and glory For 't is from it alone that all those Divine graces do flow down which we enjoy in this world and all the advantages and felicities we hope for in the other It need be no wonder therefore that the Scripture doth make use of so many different resemblances to figure out to us so excellent and so rich a subject there being to be found no one so accomplished as might singly suffice to represent us all the marveils of it For this cause it borroweth to express this same one all the unions that nature or art or humane society doth afford us comparing it sometimes to the Union of a Vine with its branches or of an Olive with the graffs that are set into its slock sometimes to the knitting of a Foundation with the building which it beareth or of a corner stone with the two walls which it binds together sometimes to the conjunction of a Prince with His subjects or of an elder brother with the younger or of an husband with his wife But among all these sacred pictures of our union with the LORD there is hardly any more proper or more genuine than the two similitudes which the LORD my Brethren now sets before you the one in those words of His Apostle which we have read to you and the other on that sacred Table whither you are invited to the feast of His Lamb. The first is drawn from the natural union of the head with its members and the second from the union of bread and drink with the bodies which are nourished thereby By reason of the one CHRIST is our head and we His body By reason of the other He is called our bread our meat and our drink and we the creatures whom He feedeth and quickneth And though in other respects these two images be very different yet in this particular they agree that they excellently represent to us both our union with the LORD and the life which is thence derived to us it being clear that as well the head as the food doth each of them give life to the bodies with which they are united This hath induced me to believe that the meditation of this Text will be useful for the Sacrament of the LORD's Supper for which we prepare our selves since for the main
said in those two places concerning him doth oblige us to believe it was the same man but rather inferrs the contrary For it seems that Epaphroditus was Pastor of the Church of Philippi in Macedonia whereas Epaphras of whom question is here was Pastor of Coloss in Phrygia two Cities and Provinces very different and distanced from one another by much Land and Sea the second situate in Asia and the former in Europe The Apostle contenteth not himself with telling the Colossians that Epaphras saluteth them Unto this testimony of his affection for them he addeth divers others that he may gain him their hearts and streiten the tye of amity and good correspondence more and more between this Pastor and his Flock He saith first that he alway striveth in prayer for them that saith he ye might abide perfect and compleat in all the will of GOD. Prayer is the best office that we can perform to those we love But Pastors particularly owe it to their Flocks not only in their Assemblies where they serve for the mouth of the company to present their requests their vows and their thanksgivings unto GOD but also in private and even then when they are absent upon some occasion of importance for the good of the Church as doubtless that was which at that time held Epaphras at Rome by St Paul's order Though he was far from their abode he had them incessantly in mind and eloignment hindring him from rendring them his other devoirs he assisted them with his prayers The Apostle signifieth both the assiduity of them when he saith he prayed alway and the fervency and earnestness of them when he saith he strove or fought for them This word is admirable and excellently represents the efficacy of his prayer Think not Christian that he that prays for you contributes nothing to your welfare and that his prayers are but words and voices cast into the air It 's the best part of your battles you have no succour more active then the repose of a man of GOD who prays for you with faith and perseverance It 's he that as Moses heretofore standing on the mountain and rapt up in spirit into the heavenly sanctury defeated Amalek your spiritual enemies and by the uplifting of his hands draws down the blessing of Heaven upon your arms He oftentimes even takes those rods out of the hand of GOD which He is about to display upon you and couragiously wrestling with Him after Jacob's example quits Him not until he hath obtained his demand Such is the combat that Epaphras sought in the behalf of his Colossians being night and day in prayer for them But what is it that he demanded of GOD for them The Apostle shewsit us expresly when he saith he strove for them in prayer that they might abide perfect and compleat in all the will of GOD. He desired not for them the riches and honours and contentments of the world he usual passion of men sleight and perishing goods unprofitable and oft-times even pernicious to those who possess them He prayed GOD to give them the best blessings perseverance in His love and in His fear and in the obeying of His will For it is this that the Apostle's words do signifie He demanded first that they might be perfect and compleat in all the will of GOD and secondly that they might abide firm in this perfection By the will of GOD he meaneth those things which GOD willeth which He hath a liking to and doth command us in the Gospel of His Son in the same manner as he elsewhere saith our hope for the things we hope to obtain and the promise of GOD for the things He hath promised us 1 Thes 4.3 He thus explains himself when he saith expresly in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians that the will of God is our sanctification which as you see is no other but that the thing which GOD willeth is that we be holy It 's that will of GOD which elsewhere he calleth good and acceptable and perfect which comprehendeth in it all the particulars of our duty that is in few words faith and piety towards GOD and charity towards our neighbour For this is that which GOD willeth that which He ordaineth and commandeth all men in the Gospel of His CHRIST even that we believe in Him embracing with a pure and thorough faith the verities He hath vouchsafed to 1. veal unto us and chiefly the promise of our salvation by the Cross of our LORD JESUS and that in sequel we serve Him religiously renouncing all impiety and love our neighbours living with them in all justice temperance and benignity This Brethren is that will of GOD which the Apostle doth intend and observe he saith not simply in the will but in all the will of GOD. For there are people that would be content to do some part of what GOD willeth provided they might be dispens'd with for the rest as for example to believe the truth which GOD hath revealed but not do the good works He hath commanded or to exercise some of them but utterly fail in others as they who live fair with men but remain in impiety and in the profession of errour or those on the contrary who make profession of errour or those on the contrary who make open profession of the pure service of GOD but spare not either the goods or honour of their neighbours or who absteining from one vice do licence themselves unto others are chast but covetous or liberal and beneficial to the poor but debauched and incontinent This partition is unjust injurious unto GOD impossible in truth and incompatible with the nature of the things themselves And it 's to advertise us hereof that the Apostle saith here expresly in all the will of GOD to the end no man might imagine it sufficient to embrace a part only of what GOD willeth Epaphras desired therefore that his Colossians might be perfect and compleat in all this will of GOD that is as we have now explained it in all the things that GOD willeth that He requireth of us that He commandeth men to do that they might be perfect in saith perfect in piety perfect in charity and in all vertue and sanctity The two words he expresseth himself by to wit perfect and compleat do signifie well nigh one and the same thing and the Scripture useth them indifferently to set sorth a being entire in one whom none of the parts of piety and sanctification are wanting Now this perfection or integrity in all the will of GOD doth comprehend two things the one is that we know it that we understand exactly all that GOD willeth all that He requireth of us as He hath reveal'd it in His word The other is that we pursue and effectively practise this will of His which we do know The first of these two points the Apostle recommends to us elsewhere Eph. 5.17 Be ye not unwise saith he but understanding what
have cause to complain of it as He yerst did of that of Israel I expected saith He it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes Sure He hath had no less care of ours than of theirs He hath planted it in like manner with choice Vines He hath also environed it with a brave and admirable hedge He hath watered it with the rain of His Clouds and made the beams of His Sun of Righteousness to shine on it and may justly say of it What was there more to be done to my Vineyard that I have not done to it Be we not ungrateful to so sweet a Master Let not our sterility confound His expectation Let our fruits be answerable to His cares and our secondity to His husbandry Let there be no soul barren and unprofitable among us Let each one Fructifie of that He hath each one improve the dressing and sap the LORD hath given us Let the sinner present Him his repentance the Just his Perseverance the Rich his Almes the Poor his Praises Old Age its Prudence Youth its Zeal Let the Knowing abound in Instruction the Strong in Modesty the Weak in Humility and all together in Charity And since it is the good pleasure of our Heavenly Father that we have here divers combats as none may live piously without persecution prepare we also for this other part of our duty and supplicate the LORD with the Apostle that He do strengthen us with all strength according to the power of His glory that He do give us a firm and unmoveable patience to persevere constantly in the Holy Communion of His Son so as neither the promises nor the threatnings of the World neither the Lusts nor the fears of Flesh may be ever able to debauch us from His Service O GOD our task is great and we are feeble Our enemies are Giants and we but Dwarfes Therefore thy self work in us merciful LORD the work which thou commandest us Perfect thy glorious power in our weaknesses Strengthen our hands and confirm our hearts that we may combat vigorously and atchieve great things in thy Name and after the trials and tentations of this life may one day receive in the other from the Sacred and Sweet hand of thy Son the glorious Crown of immortality which we breathe after So be it THE V. SERMON COL I. Ver. XII XIII Vers XII Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us capable to partake of the inheritance of Saints in light XIII Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of His well-beloved Son DEar Brethren Though the first Creation of man be a most illustrious master piece of the goodness power and wisdom of GOD this great worker then making Adam of the dust and forming Him after His own image to live and reign on earth in a soveraign felicity Yet it must be confessed that our restauration of JESUS CHRIST is much more excellent and admirable For whether you consider the things themselves which have been given us or have respect to the quality of those to whom they have been communicated or to what the LORD did for the communicating of them you will see that the second of these two benefits of His doth surpass the first every way The first gave us an humane nature the second hath communicated to us a divine one The first made us a living soul the second maketh us a quickning spirit By the one we had an earthly and animal being by the other we receive a spiritual and heavenly one The one seated us in the garden of Eden the other elevateth us to the Heaven of Glory There we had a Lordship over living Creatures and the Empire of the Earth here we have the fraternity of Angels and the Kingdom of Heaven There we enjoyed a life full of delight but infirm and depending as that of other living Creatures on the use of meat and drink and sleep Here we possess one full of vigour and strength which like that of blessed spirits is sustained by its own vertue without need of other nourishment The one was subject to change as the event hath declared the other is truly immortal and immutable and above the accidents that altered the first The advantage of the first man was that he might have not dyed the priviledge of the second is that he cannot dye But the difference will appear no less in the disposition of the persons to whom the LORD hath communicated these benefits if you attentively consider it I confess that dust which GOD invested with an humane form merited not a condition so excellent and received it from the meer liberality of the Creatour But if it were not worthy of such a savour at least it had nothing in it which rendred it uncapable thereof in the rigour of justice Whereas we not only have not merited the salvation which God giveth us in His Son but have over and above merited that death which is opposite to it If the matter upon which the LORD wrought in the first creation of man had no disposition for the form He put in it so neither had it any repugnancy thereto whereas in our second Creation that is in our redemption by JESUS CHRIST He findeth in us souls so far from complying with His operation that they potently resist it So you see that to effect the first work He employed only the single out-going of His will and word whereas for creating the second it was necessary He should shake the Heavens send down His Son to earth deliver Him up to death and do miracles that astonished men and Angels It 's with this grand and incomprehensible mysterie of GOD that the Apostle entertaineth us my Brethren at this time in the Text which you have heard For having finished the exordium that is the Preface of this Epistle and intending from thence to enter on His principal subject to slip the more gently into it after representing to the Colossians the Prayers he made to GOD for them he now adds the thanks he offered Him for their common salvation and by this means opens the entry of his dispute touching the sufficiency and inexhaustible abundancy of JESUS CHRIST for saving of believers which leaves no need of making any addition to his Gospel Giving thanks unto the Father saith he who c As this Text consists of two verses so it may be divided into two articles In the first the Apostle giveth thanks unto GOD for His making us capable of entring into the inheritance of His Saints In the second is proposed what he hath done to make us capable of this happiness namely delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son These are the two points we will handle if it please the LORD in this action humbly beseeching Him to guide us in meditating so excellent a mysterie and touch our hearts so vively with it as that it
it sets before our eyes though under a different resemblance that same mysterie of our union with the LORD which is represented and communicated to us at His holy Table For the Apostle to accomplish his design and fully shew us the infinite excellence and dignity of JESUS CHRIST our Saviour after He hath told us what He is in regard of the Father namely the image of the invisible GOD and what in regard of the works of the first Creation to wit the first-born that is the Prince and Master of all the Creatures as having created them all made and formed them from the very lowest to the highest of them the Apostle I say after this dispatched considers Him finally in regard of the new Creatures that be that is to say the Church and informs us that He is the head thereof and the Church His body and for the greater illustration of it adds moreover that He is the beginning and the first-born from the dead whence he deduceth this conclusion that so He hath the first place in all things These are the three points which we purpose the Grace of GOD assisting to treat of in this action for the exposition of this Text and your edification The first that JESVS CHRIST is the head of the body of the Church The second that He is the beginning and the first-born from the dead and the third and last that He hath the first place in all things As for the first of these three points it is not here alone that the Apostle calleth JESUS CHRIST the head of the Church He useth the same language in diverse other places of His Epistles as in that he writes to the Ephesians Eph. 1.22 23. where he saith that the Father hath set His Son above all things to be head of the Church which is His body the fulness of Him that filleth all in all and elsewhere again that CHRIST is the head from whom the whole body fitly joyned together Eph. 4.15 16. and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the body unto the edifying of it self in love And a little after in this Chapter of our Text we shall find him repeating that the Church is the body of CHRIST and in the first to the Corinthians Col. 1.24 speaking to the faithful You are saith he the body of CHRIST and members each one on his part In truth it is a figure very common in all languages to call him the Head of a Society who guideth and governeth it or who at least possesseth the first place in it As you see that every one calls a King the Head of His Estate and a General the Head of the Army wherein he commandeth and those the Heads of their Regiments or Companies who have the leading of them Whence comes our vulgar word Captain which according to its derivation signifies nought else but the Head The master of an houshold is in like manner termed the Head of it and so in all other societies of what nature soever they be But this manner of speaking is exceedingly familiar with the Hebrews as you may see in very many places of the Old Testament where every thing that hath the first place whether iâ— be for its authority or for its excellency or even for its birth and meer precedency in time is called the head of other things of the same kind And the reason of this figure is evident For the head standing highest of all the parts of the body of man and having the conduct of it because it is the seat of the eyes and other senses upon which the directing of our life dependeth the name thereof is very justy used to signifie by way of similitude whatsoever holdeth the first place in any society and which consequently hath in this respect a manifest resemblance of the Head properly so called It need not therefore be thought strange that this holy Apostle makes use of this figure to express the superiority the dignity and imperial power which JESUS CHRIST hath over the Church saying that He is the Head thereof And sure if there be a superiour in the whole universe who may and ought to be called head of the society which is under him JESUS CHRIST doth merit it infinitely beyond any other there being none at all in whom the reasons and respects which are necessary for the founding of this appellation are so clearly found as in Him For all the qualities actions and functions proper to the head of the body of man which give it its name and dignity JESUS CHRIST hath and doth exercise them much more nobly and magnificently than any General in reference to His army or any Monarch in reference to His State The first and most known office which the head doth the members is that it directs and guides them in their operations and governs their motion and their rest by the light of its eyes and the perceptions of its other senses Now Princes and Captains have some shadow of this perfection in that they discover and observe and sent at distance the things that concern those bodies over which they preside watching and viewing all that respects their interests while their people mean time quietly labour each of them in his own employment But JESUS CHRIST doth these offices to His Church much better and more perfectly For it 's in Him that all the light of this mystical body doth reside He considereth not only its interests in general He knoweth all that concerneth the least of His members He never slumbereth nor sleepeth He hath eyes and senses alwayes open He seeth all the parts of this His State and discerneth the posture and disposition of all that is its friend or foe be it neerer hand or further off He charily preserves it by this Providence of His governing it so prudently that there is no danger from which He doth not deliver it nor any difficulty but He surmounteth it It is He that ordereth His people warrs and over-ruleth their fights and dispenseth their truces and will one day give them an entire and eternal peace The second duty the Head performs to the body is that it influxeth into all the members of it all the motion and sensation that they have by means of the animal spirits which from the head as from their spring do spread themselves through the whole body flowing in the nerves as in so many channels which nature hath cut out and laid forth for the maintaining of this communication And I acknowledge that the authority and powers which a Prince distributeth into all the parts of His State and which cause His subjects to act diversly each one according to the degree they receive thereof I acknowledge I say this is a very good resemblance of the way of the heads governing the body But it is far beneath what we find in the LORD JESUS His conduct
render every man perfect in CHRIST JESVS For the first when he saith that he preacheth JESVS CHRIST his meaning is not simply that he speaks of JESUS CHRIST to those whom he instructed There never was an heretick but made some mention of Him and for the colouring of his dreams did mingle with them somewhat of the mystery of JESUS CHRIST even Mahomet himself the desperatest of all impostours that ever debauched men from the Gospel doth nevertheless speak of Him with honour and acknowledge in gross the truth of the call and doctrine of JESUS But the Apostle signiâ—ies that he declareth JESUS CHRIST alone preacheth none but Him that He is the only subject of His preaching and the filling up of his teachings according to the profession he expresly maketh elsewhere that he determined to know nothing among them 1 Cor. 2.2 whom he taught but JESUS CHRIST crucified His Epistles in which he hath left us a lively and a true picture of his preaching do sufficiently justifie his speech For such as have read those divine writings see that they are filled from the beginning to the end with JESUS CHRIST alone This adorable name shines out every where in them and there is no tract or chapter but it is engraven on it There are scarce two periods found together in which it doth not appear If he be to teach he proposeth no other secrets but those of the nature or the offices or the actions or the passions or the promises of JESUS CHRIST If he must combat error he wields no other weapons in it but the Cross of JESUS CHRIST If he aim to clear the obscurities either of nature or of the Law JESUS CHRIST alone is the light he useth to dissipate all kind of shadows and clouds From Him he fetcheth consolation for souls cast down either by the sense of their sins or by the heaviness of affliction In Him he finds all his motives and arguments for our sanctification JESUS CHRIST alone furnisheth him with all that 's necessary to pacifie our consciences to make glad our hearts to raise our hopes to confirm our faith to enflame our charity to inkindle our zeal to stiffen our constancy to encourage our patience to purifie our affections to loosen us from the earth and lift us up to heaven JESUS CHRIST is all his Logick and all his Rhetorick He is the rise of his arguments the magazin of his arms the great motive of his perswasions the soul of all his discourses In the determinations of this holy Doctor you no where meet with either Pope or Mass or devotions to Saints and Angels or Purgatory or auricular confessions or so much as one of those pretended mysteries that fill up the modern Theology He was fully content with JESUS CHRIST He believed it enough to preach Him and that he needed no more either to discharge his own duty or to advance our edification and truly he had reason For what is there I do not only say necessary and useful but any way good or great and excellent which is not in JESUS CHRIST Though other things which are recommended in religion were as true as they are false and as innocent as they are pernicious yet it is evident that in comparison of CHRIST JESUS they are miserably poor and childish In Him alone is found such true solidity as is able to content the soul in Him alone is wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption all the fulness of the Godhead all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge as S. Paul will tell us hereafter In this LORD alone is grace truth and life There is no salvation in any other Acts 4.12 No other name hath been given under Heaven unto men whereby they must be saved And yet alas though this be a truth so clear in it self and so authentically confirmed by the practice of our great Apostle there are people that professing to believe it do for all seek that elsewhere which is to be found in JESUS CHRIST only and having this living and overflowing spring of grace opened to all believers by the loving kindness of the Father yet go digging in the poor Cisterns of the creatures for the water of salvation They acknowledge that the merits of JESUS CHRIST are infinite His righteousness absolutely perfect His grace inexhaustible His power supereminent but they are not content with it however They adjoyn their satisfactions unto His the prayers of Angels and Saints to His intercession and do mingle the sufferings of men with the blood of the Son of GOD. But if the lusts of the world or the false blaze of error or the corrupt inclinations of the flesh do induce them to approve or to bear with so dangerous a mixture let us for our part Dear Brethren whom GOD hath delivered from such prepossessions adore the fulness of JESUS CHRIST Let us content our selves with his richness and never seek any true good any otherwhere than in Him Bless we GOD that from the Pulpits erected among us we hear no name sounded forth but His. Since S. Paul preacheth none but Him it is greatest reason that He alone should take up the mouth of Preachers and the faith of their hearers But the Apostle having declared the subject of His preaching addeth the matter of it We preach CHRIST saith he admonishing and teaching in all wisdom These are the two parts of the office of a good Preacher to wit admonition and instruction The first compriseth all the remonstrances that are made to sinners whether to reprehend their faults or to excite their diligence or to comfort their sorrows or to advertise them of any other part of their duty The second conteineth all the lessons of heavenly doctrine the exposition of each of the articles of the mystery of godliness Admonition reformeth manners teaching informs faith The one moveth the will and the affections the other instructeth the understanding The Apostle protesteth elsewhere Act. 20.21 31. that he carefully joyned these two offices together not contenting himself with teaching and testifying of faith in JESUS CHRIST but moreover incessantly admonishing every one with tears And you see these two wayes meeting thoughout his Epistles in which he not only expoundeth the mysteries of faith but ever and anon descendeth to the applying of those instructions to the carriage of those whom he instructeth reproving them chiding them comforting them encouraging them as they had need And as he practis'd thus himself so he gave order for the like procedure to others whom GOD had called to the holy ministry 2 Tim. 4.2 1 Tim. 3.2 2 Tim. 2.24 Tit. 1.9 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Preach the word saith he to Timothy be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all sweetness of spirit and doctrine And elsewhere he wills in general that every Pastor be not only apt to teach but also able to admonish by sound doctrine and to convince gainsayers Indeed these two offices are
the New Testament were then but fore-told and promised not fully and clearly revealed as now by their accomplishment they have been by means whereof it was meet that during all that time they should be exercis'd in the observing of these typical rites and held in and kept under the Pedagogie of Moses until the fulness of time according to the Apostle's Doctrine in the Epistle to the Galatians Now that JESUS CHRIST hath openly exhibited the very body of truth and fully brought to light all the causes and motives of true sanctification these exercises of the Church's infancy are no longer seasonable and they that still stick to them are no less ridiculous than he that would still keep up the centries of a vault or the models of a building even after the Fabrick is finish'd and brought to its perfection or retain under a School-master's Ferule and in the restraints of childhood a man grown up and come to ripeness of years This is that we had to say for the exposition of this Text. It remaineth for a conclusion that we extract those instructions and consolations which if we meditate on it attentively it will afford us First Since the Apostle assureth us that we are compleat in CHRIST you see how vain those mens pretensions are who set forth certain rules of perfection as they call them beyond the Gospel Let us content our selves with our LORD's fulness and seek our perfection in him alone And instead of amusing our selves about the inventions of men embrace and practise CHRIST's Discipline advancing daily towards the utmost degree of perfectness For we may not flatter our selves with an imagination that a man may nevertheless appertain to him though he lead an wholly vicious and corrupt life S. Paul here protesteth plainly to us that all such as are in him are made compleat Whence it necessarily follows that such as are not compleat are without his communion and by consequence should not promise themselves any share in his salvation it being prepared for those only that are in him If this Doctrine do trouble us let us impute it to our vices and our loosness and taking once this truth to heart with all our might endeavour after that perfection which is in JESUS CHRIST accounting that without it we cannot possess either his grace in this world or his glory in the world to come I well know that to speak absolutely no one is perfect and that if we compare our condition on earth with that in heaven all our perfections are but weaknesses Yet it is true that JESUS CHRIST doth even in this life in some sense compleat his faithful ones and this perfection which he giveth them is not a vain name or an imagination It 's a thing and a most real truth it is a piety and charity sincere and free and without hypocrisie which though it sometimes fail doth notwithstanding produce true fruits and works quite different from those of Worldlings and Hypocrites according to what our LORD said even that if your righteousness do not exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven Object not that you are yet on earth and that perfection is not to be found but in heaven and that to live as an Angel one should be without a body It is not the perfection of Heaven that we demand of you The LORD will not reject you for having not had in this life the transcendent brightness of the next But though a child be not obliged to conduct his life with as much prudence and reason as a man of years it doth not follow that he hath licence to live without rule and in the debanches and disorders of slaves Every Age hath its bounds and its measures and its perfection Our childhood here below must not be without discipline under the pretence that it is not come to full growth Christians I complain not that there are defects in your knowledg and practice which have no place in Heaven but that there are in you vices which ought to have no place on earth I blame you not for that there is a great difference between you and Angels but that there is none between you and worldly men I require not what is above the strength of your age but what is worthy of your profession and doth not at all exceed your light I beseech you only to labour as much for JESUS CHRIST as the children of this generation do for the interests of their lusts This doth not exceed the capacity of our nature since you see what the servants of sin do and it s necessarily your duty except you imagine that we owe less to JESUS CHRIST than Worldlings do to their foolish and vain passions The first piece of that compleatness which we have in him is this Divine Circumcision which is not made with hand but by the efficacy of his Spirit Without it we can have neither place in the communion of his people nor right to his Inheritance It 's a Circumcision of which we may truly say that every soul that shall not have receiv'd it shall be cut off from his people The Apostle shews us wherein it consists to wit in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh JESUS CHRIST hath put the sword in our hand that 's necessary to cut away this wretched flesh namely his sacred word wherein he discovers the horridness of sin and infernal venom of vices and the vanity and iniquity of all the lusts of the flesh He hath shew'd us the perdition which they that serve it fall into and hath put it to death on his Cross and buried it in his Sepulcher He hath spread before our eyes the wonders of GOD's love and the eternity of the Kingdom appointed for faithful servants He hath given us rules and examples of this part of our sanctification in his Gospel and in his life and offereth us the lights and consolations of his Spirit to lead us in this work Grasp we then this Divine Knife of his Gospel Thrust it hardily in to our hearts and cut out thence all the impurity of the vices that are there Let us rid our selves of them and cast them behind us Exterminate all the productions of the flesh as execrable things Leave not one of them in our selves Having subdued Avarice combat Ambition Pluck out Luxury and all its passions from our inward parts Root up Hatred and Wrath and Cruelty and spare the life of none of these Monsters Let us not rest until we have cleansed our hearts of all this cursed brood For it is not enough to have cut off some of them One sole Enemy abiding in our bosome is able to destroy us The body of the sins of the flesh must be put off saith the Apostle and not one or two of its sins only I confess the labour is hard but it is necessary and that at all times for it is the
threatnest us How hast thou the insolency to accuse those whom GOD justifies and to condemn those for whom the Son of GOD dyed and rose again 'T is thus Dear Brethren that we must repel the tentations of the enemy and maugre his assaults possess in peace the loving-kindness of GOD adoring his bounty and ardently employing our selves to his glory For this is the scope and the end of his grace He hath acquitted us of all our debts and made void the obligation which was upon them that we being ravish'd with a Goodness so divine might love him with all our strength and all our soul according to that veritable Maxime acknowledged by Simon in the Gospel He to whom much is forgiven Luk. 7.43 Luk. 1. 74 75 ougth to love much He hath delivered us by his Son out of the hand of our enemies that we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life And indeed how can we have the heart either not to love at all or to love but coldly a GOD who is so good to us who seeing us overwhelm'd in debt hath freely forgiven us all hath made void the obligation and for the razing out and making void the same spent the blood of his only begotten Son and for the rending it in pieces suffered his Divine Body to be all rent with strokes After a goodness so ravishing must not that man be worse than a Devil who loves not this Father who hath given us his Son and this Son who hath by his death obtained our salvation Oh how much reason had the Apostle to count him execrable who loves not this great Saviour 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man saith he love not the LORD JESVS CHRIST let him be anathema maranatha GOD forbid there should be any so wretched and odious a person in the midst of us Yet if any be sure he believes not of our Saviour what he makes profession to believe For it is not possible to believe him without loving him Let us love him then and faithfully serve him setting his Name and Honour above all the Interests of the World and our Flesh Let us obey his holy Discipline and conform all that life unto his will which we hold not but by his grace Let us imitate that Divine Pattern he hath left us diligently walking in humility and patience and charity whereof he hath given us so great and so admirable examples Let us have compassions and tendernesses for our Brethren that may resemble those which he hath had for us He hath pardoned us all our sins and quitted to us all our debts He hath shed his blood to blot out the obligation that was against us He dyed on a Cross that he might thereunto nail up and for ever abolish all the instruments of our condemnation Having experienced so great a goodness towards our selves how can we dare to have so little towards others to be obdurate to them and implacable when they have offended us cruel and inexorable when they owe us any thing He hath forgiven us Talents and we exact of them even Farthings He hath pardoned us a thousand and a thousand crimes We retain against them the slightest offences What shall we answer when he one day shall say to us Behold I have forgiven thee all this great debt at thy request shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow-servant as I had pity on thee Without doubt my Brethren we should It is a duty too just and too reasonable for us to fail in If yet our flesh oppose let us pray the LORD to subdue it to his will by the power of his Spirit granting us to do what he commands that after we have had part here below in his Grace and in his Sanctification we may one day participate on high of his Eternal Glory So be it The Twenty-sixth SERMON COL CHAP. II. VER XV. Ver. xv Having spoiled principalities and powers which he publickly made a shew of triumphing over them on that Cross DEar Brethren The Cross of our LORD CHRIST which at the first preaching of the Gospel was a scandal to the Jews and the scorn of Gentiles is in truth the greatest mystery of the Wisdom of GOD and matter of highest admiration to Angels and men In it the Supream Majesty hath mixed together with incomprehensible art and reconcil'd most contrary and most incompatible things death and life ignominy and glory condemnation and absolution defeat and victory The Devil having put it in the heart of Judas to betray JESUS and push'd on the Princes of the Jews to take him and deliver him to Pilate who condemn'd him and caused him to dye a cruel death upon a Cross this mortal Enemy of our salvation seemed to have got the day inasmuch as by his artifices he had brought the Prince of Life to so shameful an execution But it succeeded quite otherwise The blow he gave our LORD struck himself and our Saviour by suffering of death overthrew for ever all the power of the Devil as Sampson the Heroe of Israel who when he dyed pulled down and involved in the same ruins some thousands of his enemies This Cross on which JESUS hung was to say truth the instrument of his glory rather than of his ignominy and the trophee of his victory rather than the gibbet of his execution He suffer'd death on it I grant but a death that lasted no longer than three days and got him immortality whereas he there defeated and ruin'd the Devil and all our Enemies without recovery It 's this the Apostle represents to us in the Text where in connexion with that he had said before namely that the LORD effaced the obligation which is contrary to us and abolish'd it and fastned it to the cross he now adds Having spoiled principalities and powers which he publickly made a shew of triumphing over them on the cross Good GOD what a change is this He tells us of the death of CHRIST the most painful the most shameful and most execrable punishment in the world as of a triumph and doth not stick to compare that fatal Tree whereon he suffer'd it to a triumphal Chariot He puts in chains those that put him to death and causeth them to go not for authors or spectators of his sufferings but for part of the pomp of his victory This is the sight my Brethren to which the Apostle inviteth us the triumph not of a Caesar or some other of the World 's great Captains but of the Son of GOD the Father of Eternity In it you shall see this King of Glory riding in a Chariot bath'd all over with his divine victorious blood Isa 63.1.3 and as the Prophet Isaiah yer-while represented him with Princes and people under foot and he marching over them with his garments died red In it you shall see not Soldiers and Commanders in chains but Daemons the Princes of this world bound and
cashier all the doctrines of Rome which we contest with her For if you examin their serving of Saints and Angels their Sacrifice of the Mass their Papal Monarchy and other like opinions you shall find that they have no foundation but their will and when they are pressed they go so far themselves and boldly assert that they are judges of all things judges of the faith of men and of the Scriptures of GOD and that a Declaration of their Popes ought to suffice for the reason of any thing into which also their whole religion and belief is finally resolved So as if ever there were a generation of whom it might be said that they mastered it over the faithful at their pleasure without doubt it is they who do call themselves their Judges their Lords and their Monarchs who make their will pass with them for the supream law of the Church who put off to them an end less multitude of traditions and services upon the sole credit of their good-pleasure and undertake to distribute to them the rewards of their piety after their death meerly according to their phantasy exalting some to be Saints others to be Beatisied ordaining for some the service of Hyperdulia for others of simâ—â—â— Dulia as they call it commissioning some to be over one Country or City or over one sort of Diseases or Affairs and others over another As Kings disâ—ibute according to their good pleasure the Honours Charges and Dignities of their State while they cannot produce for one particular of all this any command or foundation from the Word of GOD But come we to our Apostle who declareth in that which followeth what the Discipline was that these voluntary Masters of the Faithful did pretend to impose upon them Let no man saith he master it over you by an humility of spirit and the service of Angels In these words he shews us what it is to which they would oblige Christians namely the service of Angels and what the pretext was upon which they promoted this new service to wit an humility of Spirit As for the former of these the word used in the original doth signifie not in general all kind of service but particularly that of Religion whence it is that the Latin Interpreter doth render it the religion of Angels This religious service comprehendeth in it those pieces of worship and those ceremonies which are peformed to the Deity and the actions by which homage is done it in that quality as adoration invocation thanksgiving trust and such others These mens meaning therefore was that besides that supream service which Christians do render unto GOD the Father Son and Holy Spirit they should serve Angels also as their Mediators and Intercessors with GOD and that under this quality they should address prayers and thansgivings and other duties of religion to them This was their error The pretext they took up to authorize this service was an humility of spirit alledging that we are too poor a thing to present our selves directly unto GOD and address us by our selves to so sublime a Majesty as also that JESUS CHRIST being the Son of GOD and GOD with Him blessed for ever it would be presumption in us to pretend the presenting our selves immediately to Him whereupon they concluded that we must have recourse to Angels who are middle natures between GOD and us to the end that they receiving our prayers may present them to our common Soveraign and intervening with Him on our behalf obtain access for us to His otherwise inaccessible Throne Such was the false and fair-seeming discourse wherewith these people painted over their Tradition Whereupon you may observe first in general that the alledging of some specious and seeming reasons is not sufficient for the authorizing a worship or an observance in religion All that is proposed to us in this kind must be founded on the word of GOD who alone hath the wisdom and the authority that is necessary for the setting up of things religious For if we once licence the mind of man to rely upon its own imaginations there is no error nor extravagancy but it will put some colour upon Sure the discourse of these Seducers doth not want shew and men have found so much of that in it as both Heathens and the Hereticks which have troubled Christianity and in sine those of Rome have all of them made use of it to colour their Superstitions Yet you see the Apostle without sticking at all this vain lustre without vouchsafing so much as to examine it does reject and absolutely condemn that service for which it was taken up only because such service was not ordained of GOD but founded solely only on the will of men Let this example make us wise to abhor and refuse without delay whatsoever men would introduce into religion without the order and the word of GOD. Let us not stay at all upon those gaudy reasons wherewith they endeavour to paint over their inventions Let us not so much as hearken to them It is sufficient warrant for our rejecting of their services that they are not ordained in the word of GOD. From hence alone it follows that they assuredly are vain and unprofitable neither is there any pretext how specious soever it be that can or ought to authorise in religion a thing that GOD hath not appointed Again you see here in particular that that Humility of Spirit wherewith our adversaries do at this day colour over the services they perform to Angels and Saints is but an old paint which ancient hereticks did use to bad purposes and the Apostle long ago expresly rejects so as it is not only a vanity but a very impudence for them to serve themselves of a thing so decried Let them cease alledging unto us that we are too poor to present our selves directly unto GOD Let them forbear to lay before us the Courts of earthly Kings where men make use of the mediation of Officers before they speak to the Princes themselves to inferr thereupon that we must betake us to the the intercession of Saints and Angels in like manner that they may lead us unto GOD and present Him our persons and requests S. Paul hath blasted all this artifice and they should be ashamed to use a pretext which the first hereticks took up for the covering of their errors and this great Apostle hath manifestly taken from them In very deed all this pretended humility of spirit wherewith the one and the others mask themselves is but a cover of real presumption which disdaining to be subject to the commands of GOD would serve Him after its own fantasie and not as He hath appointed Isai 7.11 12. It 's the humility of Ahaz who haughtily refused the grace that the goodness of the LORD offered Him upon pretence that He would not tempt Him GOD in His great mercy giveth us His Son JESUS to be our Mediator He humbleth Himself and is made man that He might
spirit and knit together by one and the same Faith Hope and Charity No one hath part in the Kingdom of Heaven who lives not in the communion of this body Sure then it 's one of our greatest concernments to maintain peace among our selves and to put it as the Apostle gives us order in the highest place of our hearts that it may govern with supremacy all our thoughts all our motions and sentiments For there are no natural bodies but their members do conspire and live with one another in a perpetual and inviolable peace The societies of States and Families which are bodies but of another kind namely political and oeconomical are governed in the same manner their primary and most sacred law is that all the orders and persons of which they are compos'd have peace with one another Now if this hath place both in nature and in the societies of mankind how much more ought it to be observ'd in the Church which is a divine a coelestial and supernatural body Our own interest doth naturally require it For as war doth weaken and ruine the States into which it thrusts its self and whose members it divideth so on the contrary Peace establisheth fortifieth and conserves them according to that saying of our Saviour Matt. 12 2◠Every kingdom divided against its self shall be brought to nought and every City or house divided against it's self shall not stand The Apostle addeth in the close and be ye thankful which some referr to the same scope that the rest of the Text hath as if he intended that those thanks we owe to GOD for the free favour He hath shewed us in receiving us unto peace with Him do also evidently oblige us to maintain peace with our brethren And I acknowledge the argumentation is good and pertinent Yet it is better to take this clause for an exhortation he maketh us in general to be thankful towards GOD and towards men For as ingratitude is one of the blackest and most detestable vices expresly enrolled by the Apostle among the marks of those wretched times whose extreme corruption he foretells in the second Epistle to Timothy so is it sure that gratitude 2 Tim. 3.2 or thankfulness is a vertue most necessary of any and in my opinion he went not very wide from the truth who called it the mother of all other vertues Cicers It enkindleth piety in our hearts raiseth up the love of GOD and of His CHRIST and carrieth us to serve and obey Him and by consequence to exercise all honesty and vertue It is certain that upon this account no man sins without ingratitude Add hereto that thankfulnesse is the source of all the services and duties we persorm to our Princes to our Countrey to our Parents to our Superiors and all that have obliged us offices as you know that have an huge extent in 〈…〉 it's with a great deal of reason that the Apostle 〈…〉 give us charge also touching Thackfulnesse Dear Brethren These are the three Vertues which he tells us of in this Text. Let us not neglect any one of them But embrace them all three and deck our lives internally and externally with them In the first place above all let us put on Charity as the soul of Christianity the perfect bond of your union the mark of GOD's children the abridgement of all our duties and the mother of all Vertues Having it you have all and without it you have nothing Without it all the profession you make of the Gospel your prayers your religion and your services are but an empty noise a sounding brass 1 Cor. 13.1 as the Apostle speaks and a tinkling cymbal Because the Israelites wanted this GOD had all their devotions and all their sacrifices in abomination How much more will He reject yours if you have the impudence to present Him any without Charity Now that His Son JESUS hath so magnifically discovered to you the necessity and excellency of it For what can you alledge any longer for excusing your selves from this duty Nature it self verily sufficiently obliged you afore to love your neighbours since that they are your brethren even after the flesh issued from the same Adam and the same Noah animated by the same Spirit clothed with the same body born and bred upon the same earth and if you devest your selves of all the difference that vanity and opinion hath created you will see that in truth there is none at all between you and them You are subject to the same accidents they are and the death that at last brings them down will no more spare you than it does them Having so strict a conjunction with them you ought to look upon them as your other selves and love them as your neer relations and not account any thing that betides them forein or indifferent The Heathen who knew no more had the understanding to draw this conclusion from it But the Cross of our LORD and Saviour hath discovered to us other reasons of Charity that are much more excellent and much more pressing For He so loved men that He died to save them Christian how can you hate or despise persons whom your Master hath so much loved and esteem'd upon whom you see His blood whereby they have been wash'd and purified together with your selves His Spirit with which they have been sealed as well as you The first-fruits and earnests of that heavenly inheritance unto which they and you are called to live eternally together in the same It 's by that they are to be considered and not by what they are upon this earth which with the whole heap of all its pomps and riches and nobility and honours and other pieces of vanity is but a figure that passeth away and perisheth If your neighbour hath nothing on the earth if he be despised and accounted the filth and off-scouring of the world as the Apostle speaks remember that he hath his share in Heaven that he is an heir of this eternal Kingdom the child of GOD and brother of JESUS CHRIST Let this dignity of his which is so high and so precious in the sight of GOD and His Angels induce you to love him to tender him and apply your self to him let it mitigate your resentments if he hath offended you let it stretch for your hands to a ready communicating of the succour of your alms of your consolations and of your good offices if any necessity of his does call for them For such is the nature of true Charity it loves not in word and with the tongue but indeed and in truth Let ours then abound in alms and in beneficence unto the poor in consolations of and in good offices to the afflicted Let it be firm and constant Let not our brethrens ill successes no nor their offences if it befall them to do us any be ever able to break this sacred bond of perfectnesse which spiritually joyneth us and them together in our
he never setting about them but when he may do them in the name of CHRIST For though the nature of them be indifferent the usage of them is not so but must be governed by the good and the evil that may thence redound either to or against the glory of GOD and the edification of men as the Apostle sayes elsewhere All things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient All things are lawful for me but all things edifie not Whence you see 1 Cor. â—0 2â— how vain the pretext of those is who excuse the excess of their habits of their tables and of their houses by the liberty which they pretend the LORD hath left them to clothe and feed and lodge themselves as they think good alledging that He hath not forbidden them Velvet or Silks or Gold or Silver or precious Stones or Tapistry or any sort of Furniture nor excluded from their Tables any kind of Meats or Services they being taken with thanksgiving I grant the use of these things to speak in general is free they all being created of GOD for man Yet this hinders not but each of you ought to observe certain rules about them and this one in particular namely that ye consider whether the thing be such as ye may do it in the name of JESUS CHRIST whether the money you waste in it might not be better employed in the service of His poor or of His Sanctuary whether your making men believe that you are vain glorious or intemperate or voluptuous by clothing or lodging or treating your selves more richly and more magnificently than beseems your condition whether this opinion I say which you give your Neighbours of you does not scandalize them and be not prejudicial unto the name and interests of our Saviour Hence again appears how inexcusable they are that marry with persons of a contrary Religion I confess that Marriage is honourable and that it is not prohibited to any But this action as well as all a Christians others must be done in the name of the LORD JESVS 1 Cor. 7.9 and so much the rather for that it is more important and continues as long as our lives Wherefore the Apostle doth expresly modifie the liberty he gives the believing widow by this exception She is at liberty saith he to marry again only so as it be in the LORD Now judge if it be a marrying in the LORD when you make alliance with a person allienate from your communion who will be a snare to pervert you from it will pluck the name of CHRIST out of your house and consecrate your blood to error and be so far from helping you in the exercises of your piety that the person will disturb them In fine this saying of the Apostle's shews us also what we are to think of Dances and Balls and such other vain pomps of the world If you can truly say that it is in the name of CHRIST you Masque and Dance I will accord that you fail not of your duty in it But if it be clear and manifestly known as it is that the LORD JESUS hath no part in these follies that in them His name is blasphem'd rather than glorified that His Spirit breaths not in them but indeed the Spirit of Satan and the world that scandal is given in them but no edification received confess it a thing contrary to your duty Add not impudence to guilt acknowledge if you be a Christian that it 's a violation of the Apostle's order to participate in such things which neither are nor can be done in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST I advertise you particularly of it because we are entring on the season in which the world is won't to give it self the greatest licence for such debauches Dear Brethren let not it's ill examples seduce you Let not the custome of the age nor the pleasing of men induce you to forget the respect you owe to the Apostles voice and the Churches consolation Seek your joys in the service of your LORD and Saviour and in the meditation and expressing of His life and having always before your eyes the love He beareth you the death He suffered for you and the Heaven to which He calleth you love Him with all your heart and whatever you do whether in word or work do it all in the name of this sweet and merciful Saviour rendring thanks by Him to our GOD and Father unto His glory and the edification of your Neighbours and your own Salvation Amen THE FORTY THIRD SERMON ON COLOSSIANS CHAP. III. VER XVIII XIX Verse XVIII VVives be subject unto your own Husbands as is meet in the LORD XIX Husbands love your VVives and be not bitter against them DEAR Brethren As man is subject to a twofold consideration first in regard of his nature simply as he is a reasonable creature secondly in reference to his condition or the rank he holds in humane society that is as either a Master or a Servant a Magistrate or a Subject or the like so he is obliged according to these two different respects to two divers sorts of duties those of the first sort are general and common universally to all men the others of the second do relate but to some certain order of persons only I place in the first rank piety towards GOD honesty temperance justice and charity and such other vertues for which neither sex nor age nor condition doth dispense with any because every man whatever he is otherwayes being a reasonable creature is bound upon that account to practice all those vertues as a perfection and ornament meet for such a nature I reckon among the duties of the second sort the service that bondmen owe their masters the obedience of children to their fathers the dependance of wives in relation to their husbands and the like which pertain as you see only to persons in such conditions and not to all men generally This difference hath produc'd in the Schools of Heathen Sages the distinguishing of active Philosophy into divers parts the first whereof which they call Moral Philosophy or the Ethiques do's explain that first sort of common and general duties the others do treat of the second to wit the Economicks which regulate and form the several different conditions that constitute a family namely husband and wife parents and children master and servants and the Politicks whose task is to expound the devoirs of all the divers orders that compose an Estate as the Prince and the Subject the Magistrate and the Citizen men of the long Robe and of the Sword and the like The Apostles of our LORD in those writings which they have left us where they have unfolded to us the Divine Philosophy of their Master have also followed the same order though their difference otherwayes be very great For they set before us in like manner some general duties which oblige all Christians of what quality soever and in whatever
degree of society either civil or domestick or religious they be placed And though this part being once well comprehended hath in it a great and almost sufficient light to direct and govern all the rest yet they forbear not upon it to descend unto the particular duties of each of those estates and conditions which the faithful live in in humane society Thus the Apostle S. Paul hath done in this Epistle for after having formed us all in general unto piety and sanctity and charity which belong to all Christians equally as you have heard in the precedent exercises he now addresseth himself in particular to each of those three orders of which an houshold is composed the first whereof is the Husband and the Wife the second the Father and the Children the third Master and Servants giving each of them a good lesson for their conduct in the condition to which GOD hath called them Elsewhere he regulateth the duties of Subjects in reference to the civil Powers under which they live of the faithful in reference to their Pastors and reciprocally of Pastors in reference to their flocks not omitting Deacons the other part of Ecclesiastick Ministry and this not in one place alone but many In consideration hereof before we proceed any further permit me I beseech you to make here at the entrance one general reflection upon this the Holy Apostles way of treating thus Whence comes it that having been so careful to instruct and to direct in particular each of those different ranks of persons which then were and still are in the Church they never drop'd one word of the duties of three kinds of conditions in which now a dayes Rome makes the main and in a manner the all of the Christian Commonweal to consist I mean the Pope Sacrificers or Priests and Monks The Apostles do instruct the lowest Masters how they ought to treat their attendants and the simplest Presbyters or Bishops that is Pastors how they ought to feed their flocks They never tell the Pope in what manner he ought to deport himself in that great government of all Christendom which as is said hath been given him of GOD. The Apostles do advertise the most abject slaves of the servitude they owe their Masters and every flock of the diference and respect it owes its Pastors They never speak a word either to single believers or their guides of that infinite subjection which they are obliged to profess unto the Pope or of kiâ—â—ing his feet or of submitting the conscience or any other such like thing The Apostles do exactly inform Bishops or Pastors of the duties of their charge of preaching exhorting instructing of watching of correcting of censuring of excluding the scandalous from communion They never order any Sacrificers to offer a propitiatory hoast unto GOD for the sins of quick and dead nor tell them of the preparations ceremonies and observances necessary thereto nor of purifying by means of an auricular confession the consciences of such as are to participate of such a sacrifice nor of the precautions and subtilties that are necessary for the right administration of it In fine the Apostles verity vouchsafe to take the pains to enter into Families and there regulate the demeanour of Husbands and Wives of Virgins and Widows of Fathers and Children of Masters and Servants Why say they nothing unto Monks neither to the solitary as Hermits and Anachorets nor to those that live associated in separated dwellings Why do they not somewhere instruct the Guardians the Abbots the Superiours and Generals of these orders Why do they not exhort their inferiors to yield them a blind obedience Why say they nothing of their three vows and of the means of well observing them And why give they no instructions to Religious women who imitating the zeal of men shut themselves up in Convents But what say I that they no where regulate the carriage and particular duties of these three sorts of conditions More than so they make no mention of them at all neither expresly nor implicitly And if you read the Books of the New Testament you will find that there is no more speech in them of the Pope and the Sacrificers and the Monks of Rome than of the Bramines of India or the Bonzians of Japan or the Muphti of the Musulmen Whence comes so strange a silence so universal an obliviousness Is it that the thing was not worthy of the Apostles care and quill But how can that be imagin'd since if you believe those of Rome it 's upon these three orders that Christianity depends For as to the Pope he is the head of the Church and exerciseth so necessary an imperial power that out of his communion there is no salvation And as for Priests or Sacrificers it 's they alone that purifie the souls of men both by the absolution they give those whom they confess and by that Deity which they deliver unto such as they communicate Lastly as for Monks their order is the state of perfection They are the Angels of the earth the glory and the rampart of the Church the sole patterns of Evangelick piety and sanctity wherefore they call their fraternities Religions and disdaining their old name of Monks each sex of them stiles themselves Religious as if the piety of other Christians did not deserve to be called Religion in comparison of theirs Whence comes it then that the Apostles have so forgotten these three sorts of people which are as highly or more necessary in the Church than the four elements in the world Dear Brethren you plainly see the reason and if passion did not blind our adversaries they might see it too as well as we The Apostles have said nothing to these three sorts of people because there were none such among Christians in their time Had there been then a Pope and Sacrificers in the Church the Apostles without doubt would have told them their duty as well as Bishops and Elders that is Pastors And if there had been Monks and Religiouses they would undoubtedly have spoken unto them as well as unto men and women that live in wedlock Since they did it not be we certainly assured that neither of these three plants was sown or set by JESUS CHRIST or His Apostles but they have all sprung up since their dayes partly from the imprudence partly from the superstition and corruptness of men who also affording them cultivation have raised them by little and little to that prodigious greatness which now for divers ages they have had And this be spoken at the entrance upon occasion of the care the Apostles in general had to form and regulate the duties of the divers conditions of persons which are found in the Church As for S. Paul's particular in this place he speaks here first unto Husbands and Wives next unto Fathers and Children and last of all unto Masters and Servants following therein the natural order of the things themselves For if you consider the
equally children Nay the weakness of maids is so far from diminishing that it strengthens their obligation in that it renders the conduct of those who brought them into the world so much the more necessary for them as they are of themselves more infirm and the fitter young mens strength makes them to serve their Fathers and their Mothers so much the more do they owe them obedience Tell me not that time or fortune as they call it hath freed you from this subjection whatever years you have attained to and whatever degree or honour ye possess you remain unalterably your Fathers and your Mothers children so that since it is unto this name the Apostle affixeth the obligation you have to obey them it 's evident that there is neither age nor Office that can or should give you a dispensation for it The Scripture sets before us an eminent example of it in Joseph who though of ripe years and the father of a family and a great LORD in Egypt where he was the second person in the State yet all this made him not forget that he was Jacob's son Gen. 46 2â— and when he knew him to be come into the Countrey he went presently to meet him his dignity withheld him not from rendring this honour to his Father He bowed down his purple before him and notwithstanding the extreme inequality of their conditions in the world respected him alwaies as his Father But let us see what that duty is which the Apostle here commandeth children to perform Obey saith he your Fathers and your Mothers in all things The Law of GOD useth the term honour Honour thy Father and thy Mother But all comes to one For sure it is that under this honour which the Legislator injoyneth just obedience also is comprised and in like manner under the obedience which St. Paul commandeth is that respect which is one of the principal sources of it understood and presupposed Only it may be noted that perhaps he chose the word obey the more effectually to shew us what that honour is which we owe our Fathers and our Mothers that it is not a vain respect which consisteth meerly in countenances and in ceremonies but a true and real reverence accompanied with obedience so as to execute readily and chearfully what they order us to do learn what they teach us correct what they dislike and forbear what they forbid us And hereby is condemned the hypocrisie of those who give their parents respects and civilities enough as to words and gestures but at the bottom take no pain to do any thing they desire of them Mat. 21.30 Like that mocker in the parable who having promised his Father to go and labour in his Vineyard yet went not But the Apostle to anticipate the vain pretexts which impiety does inspire ill natures with ordereth children not simply to obey their parents but to obey them in all things extending their authority to an infinity nor shutting up within any bounds that power which GOD and nature have given them to comand the persons they have brought into the world Why then you will say is it true indeed that Fathers and Mothers have so vast and immense an Authority and that their Children whom GOD hath created reasonable are obliged notwithstanding this advantage to obey all their commands how harsh soever and contrary to the light of their judgment they be Dear Brethren if you consider the thing in its self according to its own nature and the terms of its first institution it is very true that the authority of Parents is so great as Children are indeed obliged to obey them generally and without exception in all things they command them Nor doth this disagree with that advantage of reason wherewith GOD hath honoured children For if things had continued in their due order Fathers would command their children nothing that were contrary to right reason Now I confess sin hath disturb'd this order and it oft happens that such as are Fathers do command their children unjust things yet neither can it be deny'd but that in this case they decline from the quality of Fathers and become Tyrants For the name of Father involving in it an unfeigned love of the child a love desirous of his good and most remote from all that 's contrary to his welfare it is evidently a renouncing of this quality when a man would oblige him to things that are evil and incompatible with the duties of a reasonable creature It 's therefore this abuse and this corruption of our nature brought in by sin that hath bounded the paternal power which of its self continuing in its right use would be absolute it 's this that hath obliged both Divine and Humane Laws to annex unto it certain just and reasonable exceptions which the Apostle in another place where he treats of the same subject hath comprised all in one word Eph. 6.1 Children saith he obey your Parents in the LORD that is as far as you may without disobeying the Soveraign LORD both theirs and yours as far as their commands thwart not GOD's orders and the words he addeth in the Text it self do necessarily lead us thereto Obey them saith he in all things for this is pleasing to the LORD an addition that evidently restraineth the obedience of children to that which is pleasing unto GOD so as if the Father happen to command what displeaseth GOD the child is obliged by all kind of rights to regard more the will of GOD than the will of man This maxim remaining firm and immoveable that whatever we owe to an inferiour and subalternate power the rights of the superiour and soveraign must still remain entire For since it is GOD who gave the father himself all the authority he hath it is clear that he hath none against GOD but that as the child ought to obey him so he ought to obey GOD. When he doth it not but by an unsufferable felony casts off the yoke of this heavenly Father to whom both he and we do owe infinitely more obedience than to all the men on earth it is just to deny him that obedience which he gives not to GOD it is just that of two contrary commands the one of GOD the other of a man we do prefer the Divine before that which is humane As if a Father should command his Son to be an Idolater or to kill or to hate his Neighbour or should forbid him to embrace the service of GOD or to make profession of the Gospel of His CHRIST in these cases and other such as these disobedience would be just and obsequiousness criminal And hereto properly doth that saying of our LORD and Saviour refer Luke 14.26 If any man come unto me and hateth not his Father and his Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters and even his life it self that is as another Evangelist expounds it Mat. 10.37 if he love these more than me he
For seeing themselves still put back by their own Fathers what can they hope for from other hands Some which is yet worse are by this means hardened and together with sensibility and nature do lose all shame and modesty and fall at last by little and little into desperate impiety no longer making any account of GOD or men which is the utmost and horrid'st degree of viciousness Consider if the fear of so great a mischief do not oblige all fathers who have any remainder I will not say of piety but even of judgement and good sense to take heed that they provoke not their children Brethren I beseech you improve now this instruction of the Apostles Children to whom first he addresseth his discourse render ye to your Fathers and Mothers in all things the obedience he commands you Remember the life they gave you the pains they have taken to preserve it to you the cares they have had to adorn and enrich it both with necessary knowledges and with conveniences requisite for the happy passing of it the fears and tears they have been and at every turn are still in for you their patience in bearing with the weaknesses of your infancy and the extravagancies of your youth the tenderness and constancy of the love they bear you a love so great so ardent that you are the principal object of their desires that they preferr your contentment before their own and toil not but for you and have you night and day in their hearts the vows wherewith they follow you every where craving nothing of GOD more instantly than your advancement and happiness and looking on you as the principal subject of their hopes and of their joy Have not so unnatural a soul as not to resent all these strict obobligations which you have to love and serve and honour them Pay their love with your respects and their pains with your obedience and be not so wretched as to render them trouble and affliction for so many benefits as you have received of them nor so ingrateful as to frustrate the just hopes they have conceived of you Certainly you would owe them this obedience though no other consideration did oblige you than what is founded in themselves But there is more than so The Apostle assures you that in performing your duty unto men you will please GOD the Father of Spirits and Ruler of the World This saith he is plaesing unto Him He will reckon it to you as a part of the piety you owe Him and charge Himself with the services you shall render unto those whom He hath given you for authors of your life It 's the best and the most pleasing devotion you can offer Him Miserable Superstition that goest to seek in cloysters for exercises pleasing unto GOD There was no need to go out of the Fathers house for this Thou hast enough at home wherewith to please the LORD As for the particular exercises about which Monks are busied in their cloysters we know not whether they please GOD who never commanded them But for the services which our Parents demand of us for their consolation and the easing of their lives we cannot doubt but that they are most pleasing to Him since He commands them and His Apostle assureth us here expresly of it Consider I pray the imprudence of these people They say they would please GOD and that it 's their whole aim to content Him Mean time to attain thereto they renounce the obeying of their Parents which is pleasing to him and subject themselves unto the fansies and the rugged rules of certain men of which they neither have nor can have any assurance that they please GOD Is not this to quit a certainty for an uncertainty and to do the wrong way what one pretends and go further off from what one seeks and cast one's self upon what he would eschew But ye Brethren better instructed by the word of the LORD seek to please Him in doing what He orders you and in employing that time and labour to the serving of and obeying your Parents which superstition loseth in its painful but vain and fruitless exercises This is the way to be pleasing unto GOD and to assure unto your selves that crown of blessednesse which He hath promised to such children as faithfully discharge this duty As for you Believing Parents nature it self and the interest of your own happiness so forcibly impelleth you to love your children and to treat them well that if the Apostle had forborn to give such an express advertisement against provoking them I think there would not have been much need to say any thing of it We offend much more on the other hand I mean in excess of affection and in the softnesses of indulgence not heeding that to treat them so laxely is in truth to hate and not to love them to destroy and not to breed them up The Apostle forbids you to provoke them but hinders not your correcting your reproving your chastening them if they deserve it He willeth only that your conduct be just and temperate that it keep a mean between the two extremes the roughness of severity and the remisnesse of indulgence The care you owe them is to form them unto true Vertue unto the knowledge and the fear of GOD unto charity and justice and honesty towards men to give them examples hereof in your lives and inculcate the lessons of them with your lips Whereas we our selves ruine their manners and form them early to our Vices almost before they know them Our greatest care is to keep their courage high and instruct them unto pride and inure them unto vanity as if nature had not given them enough of it And hereto they that have the means fail not to add Ball and Dance and Comedy And that they may the better learn these brave lessons Fathers and Mothers give them examples of ' em We need not wonder if under such education we see our youth to speed so ill if it become insolent if it hath little sentiment of true piety if it treat those so much amiss to whom it oweth most respect Brethren if you have children remember that beside the interest you have in their vertue and their vices you shall render an account for them unto GOD who hath given them to you to breed them for His glory and for the edification of His Church and not to content the world or to serve vanity But Dear Brethren of whatever state or condition we are let us further take out two lessons here which the Apostle gives us The one is to render all of us unto GOD an exact and humble obedience in all things since we have the honour to be His children It 's this that the child owes his Father We are not His if we obey Him not We falsly vaunt our selves in that glorious title if we neglect the duty to which it obligeth us The other lesson is that the Will of GOD should be
that is a retribution and a prize to the end he might raise our hearts unto this sublime hope and incite us thereby to labour chearfully for the receiving of so rich a recompence For as prizes are not given but to those that have laboured and striven so this life of GOD is not prepared but for those that shall in their vocation have fought a good fight and kept the faith and duly finished their course And as the Prince promiseth a Souldier honour and the Master a work-man wages and the one do perform if the others discharge their duty so the LORD promiseth us His kingdom and will according to His faithfulnesse assuredly give it to every one that doth believe and persevere Lo wherefore the holy Apostle calls that blessed life we hope for a reward or guerdon But lest this term should cause us to presume of some merit in our labours he pertinently adds another name to cure us of that error and calls the same reward an inheritance For an inheritance as all know comes not by merit but by another different title even because one is a child of the Family Expect then Faithful souls this Divine retribution not from the dignity or merit of your works but from the bounty and munificence of GOD who having freely adopted you into the number of His children will give you part in this eternal inheritance to which neither you nor any mortal man had naturally any right at all It is His grace and His faithfulness and His promise that conferrs upon you all the share you have in it And His goodness and word being immutable you ought to expect it with as much assurance as if you merited it though you acknowledge that you never can But because it might seem strange that the Apostle should promise Christians the reward of the inheritance of the LORD for services done to men he repeats what he had intimated afore namely that to speak properly it 's JESUS CHRIST they serve and not men For saith he you serve the LORD CHRIST It is true this Soveraign LORD is in Heaven in perfect glory and hath no need of our services much less of such as slaves and mercenaries do their Masters But such is His goodness that He allows us all that as done to His own person which we do to men according to His command and for His sake Thus He assureth us in the Gospel that it is to Him we give all the alms the visits and assistances wherewith we gratifie the least of His servants in His Name Mat. 25.40 You have done it unto Me saith He in that you have done it to one of the least of these All the duties of that obedience which He commands us are of the same nature in this behalf Doing them unto men we do them unto JESUS CHRIST who hath commanded them therefore it 's also unto Him that the least and lowest services do pertain which men perform to the Masters unto whom the order of His Providence hath put them in subjection which they perform I say because of Him or for His sake so that He being infinitely good and liberal they ought to attend assuredly that precious recompence which He promiseth those that serve Him But if so high and glorious an hope be not sufficient to affect us and sway us to that willing obedience which He requireth of us let us regard at least the penalty He denounceth in case we fail of our duty It 's this the Apostle sets here before the eyes of Christian servants when after proposal of the reward of the heavenly inheritance to such as discharge their duty he addeth But he that doth unjustly shall receive what he hath unjustly done and there is no regard to the shew of persons It 's a general sentence reaching all men of whatever condition they be servants or masters men or women poor or rich Whoever doth another wrong either by positive outrage or by not rendring what he owes him according to the laws of the Gospel shall receive at the hand of the supreme Judge what he hath unjustly done that is be payed for his fault and punished with a penalty exactly proportioned to their crime Nor should any one perswade himself either that the miserableness of his condition will move the Judge to pity him or that the splendor and grandeur of his quality will blind His eyes and so conceit the possibility of an escape In this Divine judgement no regard saith the Apostle is had to the look or outside of men GOD will weigh your cause alone not consider your person And as He will not take notice of the rich or the mighty not of Lords or Monarchs so as to spare them if they have lived in the practice of unrighteousness and violence so neither will He regard the poverty or meanness of the lowest as to exempt them from the punishments which their unjustness or infidelity deserveth but as He sometime commanded the Judges of Israel Lev. 19.15 He will judge justly not honouring the countenance of the potent nor respecting the person of the poor Whence it follows that servants which rob their masters or serve them not as they ought shall surely suffer for their injustice since granting that men do let their wickedness pass unchastised yet the supreme Judge of the World will not fail to call them to their tryal one day and bring to publick light the infidelities the theeveries and acts of disobedience which they think they have hid safe enough in the dark of their deceits and condemn them to the just torments they have merited by violating the sacred orders He hath made for humane society and doing that to others which they would not any should do to them Such is Brethren the Apostle's instruction to servants Let us now peruse what he prescribes to Masters Masters saith he render to your servants right and equity knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven First he gives them in charge their duty Secondly sets before them an excellent reason to sway them to it Their duty is to render right and equity to their servants It may not be imagined that the power of Masters over their servants is unlimited A mutual justice there is between them which obligeth them each to other reciprocally and either of them that trespasseth against the rules thereof is faulty And as it is just that servants should obey and be subject so is it likewise just that Masters should be of good conduct and give meet entertainment It 's this the Apostle means by that right which he chargeth them to render to their servants It compriseth work maintenance correction and wages So that Masters are obliged for the right discharging of this duty towards them to carry themselves in these four points with all prudence and equity giving them a reasonable task to do sufficient food moderate chastisement and a meet salary They that do otherwise and transgress in these things
GOD. Let us eschew at once these peoples miscarriage and their misery and according to the Apostle's prudent and divine injunction whatever we do whether the action be addressed unto GOD or respect our neighbour do it all as unto GOD and not as unto man Let us seek for neither other spectator nor other remunerator than Him alone Be we content with his approbation and with the testimony of our own consciences whatever censure men do pass upon us being assured as St. Paul here adds that if we serve the LORD if it be Him we obey if it be to His will and glory that we consecrate and direct the course of our lives we shall infallibly receive from His bountiful hand the reward of the inheritance and on the contrary that they that do unjustly and despising His truth are injurious either to His Majesty or His creatures shall receive what they have unjustly done without respect of persons Looking for so great and dreadful a judgement at which the least of our actions whether they be good or evil shall be examined in presence of the assembly of the whole universe what manner of persons 2 Pet. 3.11 I beseech you ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Let us search our hearts and make inspection into all the parts of our life let us cleanse our souls and bodies from all filthiness and impurity and timely judge our selves wounding and cutting off with the righteous sword of a lively and serious repentance all the evil we find in our selves and living henceforth justly soberly and religiously without scandal before men and with all good conscience in the sight of GOD that we may next week present our selves at His holy Table to our edification and comfort and appear at the last day before His sacred and dreadful tribunal without confusion to the glory of JESUS CHRIST who hath redeemed us and our own eternal salvation Amen THE FORTY SIXTH SERMON ON COLOSSIANS CHAP. IV. VER II III IV. Verse II. Persevere in Prayer watching in it with thanksgiving III. Praying together also for us that GOD do open us the door of the word to publish the mysterie of CHRIST for which also I am prisoner IV. That I may manifest it as I ought to speak DEAR Brethren Prayer is the Christian's sacrifice the holiest exercise of his devotion his consolation in troubles his stay in weaknesses the principal weapon he useth in combats his oracle in doubts and perplexities his safety in perils the sweetning of his bitternesses the balm of his wounds his help in adversity the support and ornament of his prosperity and in a word the key of the treasury of GOD which opens it to him and puts in his hand all the good things that are necessary for the one and the other life this of the earth and that of heaven Hence it is that the holy Apostles give it us in charge with so much affection and diligence in all those divine instructions of theirs which are come to our hands Not to seek further off for instances of it you see how St. Paul being upon the point to conclude this excellent Epistle to the Colossians after he had informed their faith and regulated their manners and explained their duty both in general towards all men and towards certain sorts of men in particular within the societies in which they live sets an exhortation to prayer at the head of some other documents which he addeth before he makes an end Persevere in prayer saith he watching therein with thanksgiving And in truth it 's with a great deal of reason that he reminds us of so important and so necessary a duty For since GOD is the Father of lights from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift how can we without His favour and benediction either acquire or conserve the faculties and habits of this divine life unto which the holy Apostle would form us together with the vertues that relate to it Since then prayer hath the promise of obtaining from His liberality whatsoever it shall ask of him in faith it 's upon good ground that the Apostle wills the Colossians to address themselves continually to GOD by prayer for the meet and faithful discharging of those duties he prescribed them After this he further adds two advertisements more the one of conversing wisely with those that are without and the other to season their speech the principal instrument of conversation with the salt of grace Whereupon he concludes this Epistle with the praises of Tychicus and Onesimus who were the bearers of it and with salutations he makes them on the behalf of some then with him adjoyning his own to the Colossians themselves and likewise to the faithful of Laodicea This is the summ of this last Chapter of his letter as you shall here more particularly by the will of GOD in the following actions At present we purpose His grace assisting to entertain you with what he saith of prayer in those three Verses we have read and to do it in order we will treat one after another of the two points that offer themselves in the same first of prayer in general Persevere in prayer watching therein with thanksgiving Secondly of their praying particularly and expresly for him which he requireth of them Praying together also for us c. Man being in some sort secretly conscious of his own weakness and knowing how little succour second causes can afford him for the conservation and the happiness of his life is in a manner naturally inclin'd to call unto his aid by prayer that veiled and invisible Deity whose Providence he scenteth in every thing though he perceiveth not its form All religions in the world do give clear and very express testimony to this truth there never having been any known but that had its prayers and letanies addressed to GOD and greatest idolaters and the deplorablest wicked men are wont to cry out when a danger surpriseth them O LORD help me O GOD deliver me lifting up their eyes at that time to Heaven as if nature in that case did its self compell them to do homage to that Majesty which they outrage or blaspheme through the rest of their lives But what Nature doth too too imperfectly teach us we learn plainly and fully from the Scripture where we have both express commands to call on GOD and promises of favourable audience and examples of all holy men under the one and the other Covenant whose orisons the Holy Spirit hath taken care to keep up for us in these sacred registers of the Church St. Paul presupposing therefore here that the Faithful he wrote to had this exercise of prayer familiar among them according to that common principle of nature and of Scripture does only regulate them in the manner of performing it advising them to persevere in it to watch in it and to accompany it with thanksgiving As for perseverance in prayer 't is not without reason that
some do harbour namely that it is lawful to break promise with such as are without and to deceive or use a person ill when we can plead that he is not of our communion On the contrary it 's to these that we must shew most justice and integrity these of all men are the persons towards whom we must acquit our selves of all that we owe them with greatest religiousness and scruple And he that thinks to draw me to side with him by an act of injustice or cruelty or perfidiousness is so far from gaining any thing that way that he makes me believe with a great deal of reason the religion which permits him such things and excuseth them under colour of a good intention and pretends them serviceable for greater glory to GOD is an impious and abominable superstition and much worse in this particular than the sects and disciplines of Pagans themselves who how ignorant soever they were yet never held any of these horrible maxims GOD will not be serv'd at all with unrighteousness and treacheries and to make account or ascribe to Him that He taketh pleasure in such services is one of the greatest outrages that can be done Him They are grateful to the devil and to none but him A Christian looks not upon any man on earth as his enemy he knows that they are all the creation of the LORD his GOD and that his Master died for them and shed His blood to save them He respects this character in them however disfigured by vice or error And his rendring them these dues is not out of a fear he hath of their power or their ill will as some would perswade us that the primitive Christians submitted not to their heathen Emperors and Magistrates but only out of prudence or rather a world-like craftiness because they were the stronger and themselves the weaker and that had they had the means they would have pluck'd the scepter out of their hands and without scruple trampled that diadem under foot which they made semblance to honour with such humbleness No dear Brethren this is not the nature or the foundation of a Christian's carriage towards those that are without It is GOD it is his conscience and not simply some other consideration that obligeth him to live with them as he doth according to the Apostle's doctrine in another place where he says we must be subject Rom. 13.5 not only for wrath that is for fear of vengeance and of the sword which the Magistrate bears in his hand but also for conscience sake which in like manner extendeth to all other duties that is we must pay our creditors keep our word perform our promises honour our fellow-subjects live honestly with them though they be not of our religion not only for avoiding of the evils we should incurr by doing it not but also for conscience sake so as what impunity yea what salary soever we might expect for neglecting such duties we yet do never neglect them accounting our selves bound to do them by a supreme and indispensable law namely the just and holy will of GOD. But besides these things which we owe Christian prudence in its conduct towards those without maketh use of others also which in rigour of right we owe not For in this behalf it aimeth not simply at our discharging our selves but at the winning of those whom we treat withal so that if any thing unto which otherwise justice obligeth us not may be serviceable to this its end that reason is that reason is sufficient to make us do them On which account it opens the bosome of our humanity courteousness and beneficence to those that are without to give them all the assistance favour and succour that we can in their need as often as they ask it of us yea when they ask it not We should in this case imitate the goodness of our LORD who maketh His Sun to shine and His rain to fall even on them that blaspheme Him Make me not those frigid and frivolous excuses that they are out of our communion that they hate us that they do us evil that they are ungrateful This is good discourse for a worldling who measures his devoirs by nothing but his own interest As for you that are a disciple of JESUS CHRIST it 's the least thing you should consider You should principally respect the glory of GOD the service of his Son and the edification of men Do you good to all as your Heavenly Father doth disdain no one whom He hath made Account any one your neighbour that hath need of you be he Samaritan or Pagan It imports not so he be a man There is nothing more effectual to perswade him that your religion is holy and divine than this vertuous and generous deportment At least you will hereby take from him all pretext of calumniating your profession You will remain justified in his thoughts and oblige him if he be ever call'd to give testimony of you to speak in that glorious and honourable language which the probity and innocence of the primitive beleevers sometime drew from the mouths of Pagans such a one is a good man and there is nothing to be blamed in him but that he is a Christian Again for our living prudently with those that are without it 's one principal duty incumbent on us to accommodate our selves to them as far as piety will permit not needlesly contrarying them at any time nay willingly yielding them some part of our rights bowing and conforming themselves to their laws their humours and wills in things indifferent that they may see it 's not capriciousness nor hatred but the force of our consciences alone that constraineth us to dissent from their religion and that setting this aside and our consciences salved there is nothing but we would both do and suffer to pleasure them Such was the Apostle's practice and he hath left us an excellent pattern of this holy prudence which he proposeth and representeth at large in the ninth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians I have made my self saith he a servant to all 1 Cor. 9.19 c. that I might gain the more Vnto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews and unto the Law as if Jew that I might gain the more Vnto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews and unto them that are under the Law as if I were under the Law to them that are without the law as without the law to the weak became I as weak and all things to all men that in conclusion I might save some Imitate we this holy example of the Apostle only take heed to limit as he did this complacentialness unto things which we have power to dispose of that is such as are free and indifferent for us not extending it to those that are evil and prohibited in the School of CHRIST as contrary to piety or sanctification remembring
such as have had the curiosity to enquire what this letter might be have faln upon different opinions as in a matter both obscure and besides of no great necessity Some of the Ancients say that it is the first Epistle of St. Paul to Timothy written from Laodicea as is expresly reported by an old tradition which is read still to this day at the end of that Epistle And the truth is it cannot be deny'd but this Epistle containeth divers instructions fit to edifie the Colossians about the business of those seducers whom St. Paul here opposeth they dogmatised a discrimination of dayes and meats and this is there expresly condemned And whereas it is alledged against these Authors that the Apostle had not been in the City of Laodicea by means whereof he could not have thence written any letters either to Timothy or any other they perhaps would answer with an Ancient Author Theodoret by name that the History of the Acts assuring us St. Paul had traversed Phrygia it is not very probable but that he pass'd through Laodicea the capital City of the Province And whereas he saith in the 2. chap. to the Colossians that he hath a great conflict for them and for those at Laodicea and for all such as had not seen his presence in the flesh this shews indeed that the Apostle had care even of those of the faithful whom he had not seen but not that they of Laidicea or of Coloss were of the number and that the sense of these words is he was in pain not only for them whom he had seen and known but even for the Christians he never saw Yet because this exposition may seem a little forced it is better and more easie to stick to the common opinion follow'd by the greater part of Expositors both Ancient and Modern even that the Epistle from Laedicea here mention'd by the Apostle was a letter written by the Church of Laodicea to St. Paul which letter he desireth the Colossians should read in their Assembly because it contained things which he judged helpful to their edification perhaps concerning the persons or the errours or the procedures of those very seducers whom he combateth in this Epistle This in my opinion is that which may be said in the matter with greatest probability There remaineth the third and last order he gives them say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry thou hast received in the LORD that thou fulfill it We learn from the Epistle to Philemon that Archippus was a fellow-souldier of the Apostle's that is a Minister of the holy Gospel The meaning then is that the Church do advertise him on St. Paul's behalf to mind both the quality of that excellent Ministry and the Authority and Divinity of the LORD in whose name he had been called to it that he might acquit himself worthily in it and diligently fulfill all the functions of it leaving no part of them unperformed It is thought that some negligence or other defect of this Pastor might oblige the Apostle to cause this advise to be given him But for my part I would not without a more pressing reason suspect such a thing of a person whom the Apostle had so much honoured as to call him his fellow-souldier in the Epistle he wrote at the same time to Philemon and should rather beleeve that Archippus having been newly receiv'd into this sacred charge the Apostle would encourage him by this advertisement to a good discharge of his duty in it However it were you see he gives the body of the Church a power to address some remonstrances sometinâ—es to it 's own Pastors An evident sign that they are not the Masters and Lords of it as those of Rome pretend but Ministers and Officers only In fine he adds for a conclusion The salutation by the own hand of me Paul The rest of the Epistle had been dictated by the Apostle and written by another hand He writeth these and the following words himself with his own hand 1 Thes 3.17 and it was his ordinary use so to do as he declareth elsewhere 2 Thes 2.2 to assure his letters by this mark against the fraud of falsifiers who even then impudently dispersed forged letters under his name as himself in another place intimates unto us Yet before he shuts up he conjures them to remember his bonds as an excellent seal of the truth of his Gospel and an irrefragable testimony of the affection he bore to them and to the rest of the Gentiles for whose sake he suffered these things which consequently obliged them to love him and to pray the LORD ardently for him and above all to imitate his constancy and his patience on the like occasions if they should be called to them After this he gives them his blessing in these words Grace be with you Amen He means the Grace of GOD in JESUS CHRIST His Son our LORD and it was not possible to crown this divine Letter with a fairer and a fitter close Bless we GOD my Beloved Brethren who hath vouchsafed us the grace to read and to explain it throughout in these holy Assemblies and pray Him that he would please to continue the same liberty and tranquility still unto us causing His word to fructifie among us At present let us particularly meditate the remarkable Lessons which this conclusion doth contain to the end we may sedulously practise them each of us according to our Vocation Let Ministers mind the advertisement given to Archippus and imitate the example of Epaphras in loving cordially their flocks in striving for them both by prayer and by word and by deed fulfilling their Ministry and so demeaning themselves in it as may be worthy both of the excellency of the charge and of the respect and love they owe to the son of GOD who hath honoured them with it Let Flocks have reverence and amity for their Pastors and live an good intelligence with their neighbours as Coloss and Laâ—dicea mutually communicating all things that tend to their common edification Let the Epistles of St. Paul and the Books of his fellow-brethen the Prophets and Apostles of the LORD resound eternally in our Assemblies Let their Voice alone be there heard and their Doctrine alone receiv'd and every tradition not marked with their zeal be banish'd thence Let heads of Families imitate the zeal of Nymphas so conscionably forming their children and their people unto piety and so regularly establishing the exercises of it among them that it may be truly said of them they each have a Church in their house And all of us together of what order or condition soever let us study to be perfect and compleat in all the will of GOD and persevere unto the end in this holy profession remembring also the bonds of St. Paul and the sufferings of the faithful by which GOD hath confirmed the truth of His Gospel and so walk in the steps of these blessed ones enjoying the favours of
GOD with thankfulness and undergoing his chastisements and trials with patience that His grace may be with us for ever both in this world and in the world to come Amen FINIS Books to be Sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel A Commentary on the Hebrews By John Owen D. D. Folio An Exposition of Temptation on Mat. 4. verse 1. to the end of the Eleventh By Dr. Thomas Taylor fol. A Learned Commentary or Exposition on the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians By Richard Sibbs D. D. fol. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Man's Choice on Psal 4. vers 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess fol. The dead Saint speaking to Saints and Sinners living in several Treatises The first on 2 Sam. 24.10 The second on Cant. 4.9 The third on John 1.50 The fourth on Isa 58.2 The fifth on Exod. 15.11 By Samuel Bolton D. D. fol. The view of the Holy Scriptures By Thomas Broughton fol. Christianographia or a Description of the Multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope By Eph. Pagit Fol. These Six Treatises next following are written by Mr. George Swinnock 1. The Christian Man's Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones business in Religious Duties Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. 2. Likewise a second Part wherein Christians are directed to perform their Duties as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants in the conditions of Prosperity and Adversity The second Part. 3. The third and last part of the Christian Man's Calling wherein the Christian is directed how to make Religion his business in his dealings with all Men in the Choice of his Companions in his carriage in good Company in bad Company in solitariness or when he is alone on a week day from morning to night in visiting the sick on a Dying-bed as also the means how a Christian may do this and some motives to it 4. The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration 5. Heaven and Hell Epitomized And the true Christian Characteriz'd 6. The Fading of the Flesh and the flourishing of Faith Or One cast for Eternity with the only way to throw it well All these by George Swinnock M. A. Quarto's A Learned Commentary on the fourth Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is added First A Conference between Christ and Mary Second the Spiritual Man's Aim Third Emanuel or Miracle of Miracles By Richard Sibbs D. D. 4to An Exposition on the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon By Will. Greenhil 4to The Gospel-Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New-England By Peter Bulkley 4to Gods Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in ten words or ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer By Edward Elton B. D. 4to Fiery Jesuite or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4to Horologiographia Optica Dialling Universal and Particular Speculative and Practical together with the Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method By Silvanus Morgan 4to Praxis Medicinae or the Physicians Practise wherein are contained all inward diseases from the head to the foot By Walter Bruel Regimen Sanitatis Salerni or the School of Salerns Regiment of Health containing Directions and Instructions for the guide and Government of Mans Life 4to Heart-Treasure Or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every Christian with soul-inriching treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts to help him in Meditation Conference Religious Performances Spiritual Actions Enduring Afflictions and to fit him for all conditions that he may live holily dye happily and go to Heaven triumphantly By O. H. with an Epistle prefixed by John Chester Large Octavo Closet-prayer a Christians Duty The sure Mercies of David Both by the same Author The Conversion of a Sinner explained and applyed from Ezek. 33.11 The Day of Grace Discovered from Luke 19.41 42. Worthy walking pressed upon all those that have heard the Call of the Gospel All three by Nath. Vincent The Duty of Parents A Little Book for Little Children Method and Instruction for the Art of Divine Meditation All three by Thomas White The Childs delight together with an English Grammar By Tho. Lye The Life and Death of Dr. Sam. Winter The inseparable Union between Christ and a Beleever which death it self cannot sever or the Bond that can never be broken Opened in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mrs. Dorothy Freeborn By Tho. Peck An Antitode against Quakerisme By Stephen Scandret 4to A Glimpse of Eternity By A. Caley A practical Discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the Nature and Duty of Prayer By Tho. Cobbet Of Quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects discovered By Theophilus Polwheile Wells of Salvation opened or Words whereby we may be saved With advise to young Men By Tho. Vincent The re-building of London encouraged and improved in several Meditations By Samuel Rolles The sure way to Salvation or a Treatise of the Saints Mystical Union with Christ wherein that great Mystery and Priviledge is opened in the nature properties and the necessities of it By R. Steedman M. A. The greatest Loss upon Matth. 16.26 By James Livesey Small Octavo Moses unvailed By William Guild The Protestants Triumph being an exact Answer to all the sophistical Arguments of Papists By Ch. Drelincourt A Defence against the fear of Death By Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed By Will. Geering A sober Discourse concerning the interest of words in Prayer The Godly Mans Ark or City of Refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mrs. Moor's Evidences for Heaven By Edm. Calamy The Almost Christian discovered or the false Professor tryed and cast By Mr. Mead. Spiritual Wisdom improved against Temptation By Mr. Mead. 1. A Divine Cordial 2. The Doctrine of Repentance 3. Heaven taken by Storm 4. The Holy Eucharist or The Sacrament of the Lords Supper briefly opened 5. The mischief of Sin it brings a person Low All five by Tho. Watson The True bounds of Christian Freedom or a Discourse shewing the extents and restraints of Christian Liberty wherein the truth is settled many errours confuted out of John 8. verse 36. The Lords Day enlivened or a Treatise of the Sabbath By Philip Goodwin The sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ two Sermons By W. Bridge A serious Exhortation to a Holy Life By Tho. Wadsworth Comfortable Crumbs of Refreshment by Prayers Meditation Consolation and Ejaculations with a Confession of Faith and sum of the Bible Aurifodina Linguae Gallicae or the Golden Mine of the French Language opened By Edw. Costlin Gen. Four Centuries of Select Hymns collected out of Scripture By Will. Barton Sins Sinfulness By Ralph Venning Sober Singularity By R. Steedman The Parable of the great Supper By John Crump of Maidstone in Kent The Christians dayly Monitour By Joseph Church A Memento to young men and old By J. Maynard The History of Moderation or the Life Death Resurrection of Moderation None-such Wonder in Martha Taylors Life who hath been supported above a year without use of Meat or Drink FINIS