though in the accessory of degrees it shall be otherwise We inherit partly Re partly Spe. This inheritance is a glorious life or condition which to all the heires of it is here begun in the Resurrection is perfected That which is begun is the life of grace which is given us from CHRIST our Head from what time wee truely beleeve on Him with so much right in the creature as maketh for GOD's glory and our soules health Now for the perfection of glory and Lordship over all the creatures this in some sort we have in other regard we have not First in our Head we are seised of this CHRIST GOD and man our Head as man is in heaven infinitely glorious Lord over all the creatures Secondly we have this presently in regard of right to it though we have not right in it as an heire in nonage ward to the King he hath presently right to all his lands though till one and twenty they come not into his hand So wee have right presently to the whole state which is given us though we shall not come to it till the comming of CHRIST Glory is here begun though perfected hereafter And truly so it is we are the sons of GOD though it appeare not what we shall be 1 Ioh. 3.1 whom GOD hath justified those He hath glorified Rom. 8. that is hath given them the first fruits of the Spirit of glory in their sanctification Even as parents doe sometime trust their children while they yet live with some pensions stockes of money as part of their patrimony trying how they will husband it and reserving their full inheritance to be given hereafter whether we looke at the title or state of our inheritance in part we have it the Spirit of Sons is sent into our hearts the title of children confirmed to us What is it to have the inheritance of a Baron But to have the title with the lands this should more comfort us we love in earthly things to have something downe in hand Thirdly we have the things themselves present to our faith which is the evidence of things not seene With the Saints Observe hence Observ Who they are that are inherit ours in this glorious inheritance Saints If you aske me why we have this inheritance I will tell you it is GOD's free gift for CHRIST His sake the naturall Son and Heire on whom we beleeve But if you aske not why wee have but who shall have then I tell you the holy man onely Looke Act. 20. 32. Matth. 5. and Act. 26.18.1 Thess 1.10 No uncleane thing shall enter into GOD's kingdome The Pure in heart shall see GOD. Will a wise man leave his estate to one whom hee seeth to be of lewd qualities Shall GOD part these heavenly riches to prophane miscreants covetous earth-wormes No. Againe this inheritance is called a Crowne of righteousnesse though it be not deserved by our righteousnesse yet it is a recompence which GOD of grace giveth to righteousnesse onely Wherefore this putteth in a caution against all those that are children of this world Vse 1 not holy like their heavenly Father but loving covetousnesse lusts pride c. Doe you looke for an inheritance Will a man give a childes part from amongst his wife and children to base broods of some harlot or of his sworne enemie Shall GOD give you inheritance with his children who have amity and are the brood of the world an old adulteresse Yee that doe live in these sinnes which are the works of the Divell and therefore are his children and here mock Saints that walke after their lusts may see that they shall have no place but in utter darknesse with the Divell and his Angels It is added in light Marke Obs What for substance and nature our inheritance is it is light For if I should speak thus to one of my children you shall be heires with my other children in my money goods lands c. I expresse the matter of my substance in which hee should be coheire with the rest Earthly men leave earthly substance But our God is a Spirit the true light dwelling in that light to which there is no accesse like as himselfe is like is the matter of his inheritance it is light We by nature are in darknesse and the shadow of death as we shall speake in the next Verse God doth make us all manner of light in Himselfe doth give us our parts even while we live here 1 Pet. 2.9 in a marvellous light Awake thou that sleepest Eph. 5.8 and stand up from the dead and CHRIST shall give thee light What light are we in Even in the light of Gods countenance which is as the Sunne to the world of spirits We are in the light of knowledge Yee are light in the Lord In the light of holinesse light of joy 1 Pet. 1. even joy of the Spirit unspeakable and glorious Object But we cannot see this light Answ Not because it is not light but because thy owle-like eyes are not able to looke against the brightnesse of it To moove us to thankefulnesse Vse that wee should ever bee brought into such an happy estate If one lay shut up in a dungeon where hee could not see any light of Sun Moone or Starres no nor have the light of a Candle allowed how joyfull would hee bee if hee should bee brought forth and set at large to behold this Sunne the heavens the face of the earth men walking and conversing on it Oh then how should we rejoyce to be drawne forth of our spirituall darkenesse wherein wee lay unable to get any saving fight of our God He. 12.23 of our Christ the mediator of Angels ministring Spirits about us of the spirits of just and holy men in the heavens of those blessed habitations and that blessed Citie whose maker is God It teacheth us Vse 2 seeing we are in the light that we must have care to walke honestly as in the day in the night we care not how we goe what we lie in but when wee walke forth in the day amongst men then wee would bee comely attyred VERSE 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Son THe order followeth in which God wrought the former benefit set downe 1. From the state out of which wee were delivered 2. From the condition to which He brought us of mercy For though this followeth in the text yet it goeth before in Nature and sheweth how God did make us meete and therefore you have this first set downe Acts 26.18 First in the coherence we see Obs That none living in the state of darkenesse can be inheritors of Gods Kingdome Till wee come from under the powers and Principalities which rule in darkenesse we cannot bee heires unto God for beside that wee cannot live thrall to the Divell and be heires to God at once the matter as I shewed
Againe this remission is a general never-revoked pardon I will be mercifull to them and remember their sins no more Why doe we then still aske forgivenesse Que. We aske not every day to bee anew justified Ans but that the sense of this which our sinne doth weaken might bee renewed the Copie of our Charter is not every day anew graunted but exemplified onely The Papists erre that make remission of sinne onely a release of some part of the punishment and of sins before baptisme leaving us to penance to the treasury of satisfaction for our after offences as if we could have no new benefit by Christ His bloud they derogate from that worthy Sacrifice and abridge our royall Charter To shew us what cause we have to blesse God for this deare Sonne Vse to shew us likewise this comfortable estate to which we are brought If we were deepe in books and had Sergeants feed every where upon bils and bonds to lay us up Is it not a wofull condition would not one be beholding and glad of him that would set him forth of debt and danger that he needed not to feare the wolfe at his doore How much more are we to thinke that God hath forgiven us all our debts that CHRIST hath paid the uttermost farthing Hence commeth all our boldnesse whereas before we durst not shew our heads now we say it is God that justifieth who shall condemne us What can comfort a man which is ready to suffer if not this to see his pardon sealed him from the King Lastly marke that he saith in CHRIST wee have these things which noteth not onely CHRIST His meriting and effectuall applying but our being in Christ by faith which is a necessary antecedent before wee can have them applyed in us Observ Whence observe That before we can have any of these blessings which come from Christ we must have Christ by faith All benefits may be conceived as they are gotten by CHRIST as they are applied in us begun continued perfected Now our redemption CHRIST hath begged or rather bought of His Father yet wee are in our selves as if there were no such matter till by Faith we come to be in Him Suppose there were twentie traytours in the Tower lay condemned Say againe the Prince should yeeld his Father such satisfaction for some whom hee would save wherewith the King his Father should be contented and give him their pardon thereupon here the thing is done betwixt the King and his Son yet till the Prince send to them write to the Keeper to deliver such and such to him they are in the state they were in and so continue So it is with God Christ and us the redemption is all concluded betwixt God and His beloved Son yet till this is effectually made knowne to our hearts so that they beleeve on this grace of CHRIST we are as we were in hold in the feare of our condemnation we are justified through the redemption in CHRIST but so that before it can be applyed in us wee must have faith in His bloud being set forth unto us in the Word preached Can wee have the strength of bread without eating bread no more can we have any benefit by the bread of life without beleeving on Him In Christ by faith we have these things Wherefore rest not in your naturall conditions Vse 1 come forth of your selves to CHRIST get Him your own even to dwell in your hearts by faith and all is yours We see Princes doe give pardons but yet if men according to the forme will not sue out their pardons and take them out of my Lord Keepers Court they shall have no benefit by the Kings mercy and most worthily for they debase the benefit for we deeme that an ill benefit that is not worth the fetching So you if by faith and true repentance you doe not sue forth this free pardon of God then woe be to your soules you shall have no benefit by His mercy We that have our part in CHRIST Vse 2 what cause have we to rejoyce whom it hath pleased Him to ingraft into Himselfe we can want nothing being in Him and He in us Thus much for the benefit VERSE 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first borne of every creature NOw followeth the description of His Person first compared to God this His deare Son is said here to be the Image of the invisible God still hee continueth to amplifie the greatnesse of this benefit for which hee so blessed God that wee are got into the Kingdome of His Son to be such a kingdome whose King is not man only but God blessed for ever with the Father and Spirit who is Lord even by right of Creation over all the creatures who is head of His Church to be of His Kingdome is matter worthy all thanksgiving this is the scope See then What is matter of Praise Obs that we have such an one to be our King and SAVIOUR who is God with the Father Thus much is laid downe in this spoken of this Sonne that He is the Image of the invisible God this phrase indeed is spoken sometime by man as 1 Cor. 11.7 Man is the Image and glory of God though there onely for we are said to be made according to the image of God not to be the Image of God But we must understand these diversely when spoken of this deare well beloved proper only begotten Sonne naturall Son and when of us that are made sons by grace of adoption through faith on Him Ioh. 1.12 He hath the selfe-same invisible God-head or divine nature with the Father Wee have onely created qualities which have some proportionable resemblance of Him When I say Prince Charles hath the King his Fathers Image I meane one thing and when I take a shilling and say this money hath the Kings Image on it the one is a picture having some resemblance the other is a naturall Image that hath the same substance So Heb. 1.3 He is called the brightnesse of His glory and the expresse Image of his Person And besides that it is cleare by plaine testimonies else-where wee may convince it out of this Text for He is so the Image of God that He is no creature but the Creator of all creatures this then is the matter of praise that we are in such a Kingdome whereof not man but God is King Israel the type of us they had Kings indeed but all of them were flesh served their times and dyed But our King is God whose Throne is for ever this the men of God fore-saw and rejoyced in Thy God reigneth O Sion c. And in truth this is altogether it which doth so credit this kingdome of ours this is all the glory of our Israel Wee see in earthly Kingdomes the Persons and qualification of Princes is the chiefe grace and ornament of them This doth augment the felicity of England that God hath given us such a
their profession sometime foysting Iewish ceremonies of the Law that so hee might adulterate the sincerity of their profession sometime by advancing the dignity of Angells offering to withdraw them sometime from the meanenes of their Teacher who was no Apostle nor pillar of account labouring to beate off this hand of faith from holding the Lord Iesus yet by the strength of Christ they standing against all But you will say Object you have said hee insinuates their wavering True Answ their faith might bee solid and stand and yet bee shaken a little too A house that standeth and will stand firmly shaketh when the winds blow about it So faith is firme when true and never shall faile though it tremble when the gusts of temptation beate against it Besides this solidity doth rather note the soundnesse as opposed to hypocrisie then the undoubted perswasion of it Let us therefore bee glad that GOD hath kept this Church that all the Popes malice Vse and the Iesuites monstrous attempts could never prevaile against it So let us who have beene often by Sathan assailed and yet stand by faith in that grace which Christ Iesus hath brought us yea when we see others whom the Divell doth many wayes annoy still keeping their innocency let us I say joy in it this is worthy our joy On the contrary how is the case of some to be bewayled who turne Catholiques daily halting betwixt God and Baal it is a heavy sight the Lord stay such apostasie yea all revolting which the world that three headed monster causeth in many VERSE 6. As yee have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walke yee in Him THus farre you have heard the Doctrinall part of this Epistle with the digression annexed to it from the foure and twentieth verse of the first Chapter to the sixth verse of this Chapter Now followeth the Second part of this Epistle which is exhortatory and it reacheth from this sixth verse of the second Chapter to the seventh verse of the fourth Chapter The exhortations are of two sorts Some generall that is conteyning matter which all sorts and sexes and conditions are to obey which beginning in this verse reacheth to the eighteenth verse of the third Chapter Some particular that is which doe not concerne all men and women in this or that particular calling of life as Wives Husbands Masters servants to the seventh verse of the third Chapter Where the conclusion beginneth To returne unto our generall exhortations they are Principall Or Secondarie serving to the principall The Principall mayne one in the sixth and seventh verses the other following First you have the duty it selfe walke in Christ Secondly the manner or consequents following on this their walking described by two Cardinall vertues 1 Confirmed faith 2 Thankefulnesse The first hee doth not simply propose but premiseth their good beginning which hath the force of an argument thus Those who have received Christ Iesus the Lord as their onely Saviour Priest Prophet King they must in their whole course onely acknowledge Him But yee have received Him that is believed on Him as your Lord and Saviour Therefore as you have received Him so walke in Him Marke first What is the property of true faith Doct. it receiveth Christ even as the hand doth take a thing from another reached unto it So doth Faith take Christ offered unto us and given us by GOD the Father in the ministery of the Word and Sacraments thus Galath 3.14 CHRIST was made a curse that we by Faith might receive the blessing of Abraham the spirit promised marke receive by Faith not into knowledge for the Saints doe not know onely that the spirit is given of GOD to His children but that it is poured on them in their measure and received to dwell in them Iohn 1.11 12. The Iewes received Him not that is they believed not in Him but so many as received Him Hee made them the Sonnes of GOD even so many as believed on His Name the latter words expound the former yea faith so receiveth Christ that He commeth to dwell in the heart Ephes 3.17 Hence it is that faith is said to put on Christ Rom. 13. to engraft us into Him to unite us with Him as the members and head are coupled For faith doth not onely know and assent unto but it hath a hearty affiance in it which maketh us rest upon Christ as made of God every thing unto us 1 Co. 1.30 Wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption It condemnes the Papists Vse 1 for faith by their doctrine as faith hath no affiance in it it is only a knowledg of Christ as a Saviour without any confidence resting upon him as a Saviour whence their Schoolmen dispute that a man may be sound in faith and in a damnable despayre at the same instant Now this faith leaveth Christ in the ayre doth not at all apply him unto us For as if one hold out a thing unto me and say it is thus and thus my sight and conceiving what it is without reaching my hand to it doth not at all receive it So while faith with the eye of it looketh on and conceiveth what GOD offereth but doth not by trust and confidence reach that which God offereth into the soule we receive nothing and therefore have no benefit by CHRIST For as medicine meate cloathes seene onely and conceived on but not taken in and put on profit nothing So in Christ our medicine our meate our apparell to heale us nourish us and cover us in the sight of GOD. Wherefore labour for this effectuall justifying faith let the confidence of your hearts be toward Christ that having Him within you spiritually all his benefits may be yours likewise This may serve to informe us something in the Doctrine of faith Vse 2 it letteth us see what is the ground of believing surely the free offer of GOD. That which is the ground and warrant of receiving the same is the ground and warrant of believing it is the free offer of God The offer of an almes from a rich man is a warrant sufficient for a poore man to receive it The free offer of Christ to a sinner is warrant sufficient unto a sinner for to receive Christ It is not then for a poore soule when he would settle the first ground of his faith to looke for something in himselfe that should make him worthy of Christ but in this businesse there is nothing to be done but for a man to goe out of himselfe and to take Christ with an empty hand as He is offered that is to save sinners to seeke the lost to heale the wounded to feede the poore The sense of nakednesse and poverty is warrant enough for a man to receive Christ This being well understood will be very avayleable to settle the faith of Christians to keepe them from wavering in believing whereunto they are exposed by Sathans malice they cannot thinke Christ will save them GOD will
rather than confirme it 2 Marke when he saith Walke on in Christ confirmed in faith growing to be setled in â—ull perswasion of the doctrine and grace brought unto you Observe hence Doctr. That resolved perswasion in the doctrine we professe and grace wee beleeve groweth out of a constant course in faith and obedience To be fully perswaded is not attained the first day Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe Faith is mixed with doubting at the first but in progresse of time we come to out-grace this wavering of which all beleeving hearts complaine at times justly This was Abrahams prerogative he was fully perswaded of that GOD had promised him without once making question of it There is no man learneth any Art who at first can see how every thing is true which others skilfull therein tell him but oportet discentem credere beleeving that which his master saith and going on with it he commeth in the end most fully to discerne and be perswaded of all things So it is in this Art of arts and so much the more by how much it is the more divine and surpassing all naturall capacity than others When a man recovereth some long sicknesse and beginneth to walke he walketh with great feeblenesse and faintnesse but going on in exercise and diet nature overcomming the remainders of sicke matter which were left he goeth strongly and feeleth not his former imbecillity So when God healeth an unbeleeving heart there are at first such reliques of unbeleefe as make him full of doubting but going on in CHRIST the Author and Finisher of his faith GOD doth so assist his faith that it subdueth this contrary forme so that the man walketh confirmed in those things which he beleeved sometime very waveringly The use of this is Vse first to encourage those weake ones which are at a stand know not what to think of any thing almost yet mourne under this as a burthen and hold their LORD CHRIST be not dismayed goe on thy judgement shall be strengthened yea while thou walkest thus thou art in growing to it though thou canst not discerne it Who that saw a linke beaten against a wall would not thinke it would be put out yea this tendeth to make it burne more clearely So thy faith thus knocked with these doubtings shall when it getteth up be so much more confident Here we are given to understand Vse 2 whence it is that men are neither flesh nor fish prophanely not mourningly will say in faith he were a wise man that knew what hee might beleeve they know not for their parts one saith one thing another the contrary What is the cause of this O thou hast not yet walked obediently after the rule of CHRIST therefore GOD giveth thee up to darknesse As yee have beene taught viz. As you have beene taught by Epaphras Note hence a point of wisdome in Saint Paul and mutuall honour confirming and countenancing Epaphras a faithfull labourer Which is our Patterne for imitation the honour we owe our brethren requireth it the love we beare the truth doth require wee testifie for it yea the care of others salvation doth move us every way to make God's wholesome truth gratefull to them For men of note having heard some of lesse reputation preaching after them it is not amisse to have recourse to their matter and sayings and mention them with honour Againe it seemeth insinuated hence that the Divell did a little move them to unbeleefe even from this circumstance though they doubted not of the Gospell yet whether as he taught it or no it was true that might be questioned which if it be wee may see that continuing in faith and obedience will make us out-grow such carnall exceptions at which sometimes we stumbled If the Divell cannot bring us to say the meat is naught yet he will make us to thinke it is not aright handled the Cooke is not as he should Thus many thinke though they cannot gain-say the matter why the man is no great schollar no Doctor in schooles he preacheth plainly not a testimony of Fathers nor sentence of any Author Well if thou hast an honest heart goe on in CHRIST and these things shall vanish This by the way 3 Marke he saith abounding in it whence we learne What constant walking in CHRIST will bring us to Doct. and what we must endevour to not only to be well confirmed but to abound in perswasion Let every man abound in this sense If we doe any thing of things indifferent or beleeve any thing it is good to abound in the perswasion of it A man cannot trust God too much a man cannot goe too farre in this which doth glorifie God and put to His seale that He is true and good in all He speaketh to us We must therefore endeavour it Beside as waters a while dammed downe that they could not have course when once they breake thorow they over-flow all farre and wide even so doth Faith borne downe a while with doubting so much the more abundantly breake out and drowne all scruples in us Or as fire long smoothered and smoaking at length breaketh out with flames that touch the skie and like another Sunne enlighten the ayre So doth true faith when it swimmeth from under these waves of doubting which sometime over-whelme it The same uses which before may serve for this point Especially this confuteth Papists Oh say they Vse take heed of too much confidence lest you presume but God speaketh of true faith as if this were the onely measure to keepe no measure Indeed carnall presumptions as faith on our owne worthinesse workes c. wee cannot too much abandon but beleefe grounded on God's truth is not this while they hang it upon the Churches yea and nay But Saint Paul speaketh of the Gospell and this faith he calleth for which did root them in Christ But who can be sure of repentance and faith Object many have beene deceived judging wrong He that hath them may know them Answ and shall in time when infancie is over and temptation doth not intoxicate For those that have bin deceived though one in a dreame thinketh he eateth and doth not this hindereth not but a waking man who truely eateth may know the same infallibly Lastly marke What walking in CHRIST hath at length going with it hearty thanksgiving while we know not through weaknesse the things bestowed there is little thankfulnesse that can come from us but as we grow up to see what is given us thankfulnesse getteth up also You see in babes though their parents doe hang never such rich jewels and bracelets upon them alas they cannot thanke them for they know not how they are adorned but let them come to some knowledge and give them a thing then they will a little thanke you but let them grow to ripenesse of understanding and give them some great pretious things they will be much affected Two things breed thankfulnesse the one knowing that the benefit is of
was in the name of us all and had in it a seed-like vertue to worke the resurrection of us all Hence it commeth that we no sooner come to be in Him but the power of His resurrection is felt of us making us rise to newnesse of life 2 Cor. 5.17 In Christ all things are new Whosoever have learned CHRIST as the truth is in Him have so learned Him as they are dead to sinne the life of the old man is killed and they are alive in the life of grace For looke as a member truly by inward ligaments knit with a living head hath life in it so wee when we come to bee in Christ raysed up and living to God in life glorious we cannot but live in Him Wherefore how woefull is the state of many that professe Christ yet live in ignorance Vse know not what a resurrection meaneth are dead while they live in all kinde of fin and wantonnesse these never were in Christ but like as glasse eyes are set in the body or wooden legges which being by outward meanes joyned to it doe not receive life and sense with other members Wee never knew communion with him who is the quickning spirit if we be dead in our sins 2 Observe What it is that maketh us rise to new life Doct. viz. faith on Christ We are sayd to live by faith because after some sort it is life but most properly it bringeth life into us He that believeth hath everlasting life fully in Christ his head inchoative or imperfectly in himselfe For as in bodily death the reuniting of the soule with it doth make it rise againe and become a living body so faith as a spirituall vinculum tying God who is the soule of our soules againe unto them they which before were dead are anew quickened Thus then as an instrumentall cause of our conjunction with God in Christ who is our life it may be sayd to quicken us or rayse us up though further faith it selfe may bee conceived as a part of this life For as the soule died in falling into ignorance of God estranged from the life of GOD through ignorance in them Ephes 4.18 so comming by faith to know God it beginneth to live Ioh. 17.3 hence to know God in Christ faith being an affianced knowledg is life everlasting This then is the first thing which God worketh in us as the beginning and instrumentall cause of our other following life even as in our waking from our naturall sleepe which is a shaddow of death first the eyes open and then our senses and motions doe come fully to us in their order So in awaking from this sleepe of sin first the eye of faith lookes up to GOD and that invisible world then our life returneth more fully the spirit of God from Christ working it in us Marke then hence Vse that all such beliefes as make not new creatures are not sound faith toward CHRIST the reason is playne a true faith bringeth Christ to live in us Now as a quickning soule cannot returne into the dead body of it but there will be new life So Christ that quickning spirit cannot returne to live in a dead soule but needs it must bee raysed up Wherefore if wee feele no life but that we brought from our mothers wombe let us cast downe our selves we have not yet truly believed and we see how our faith doth not shut out good life as the Papists slander us but bringeth it forth as an effect which cannot be severed Finally Vse hence men may assure themselves of the truth of their faith if they bee renewed in life The last thing here to be noted is Doctr. That the omnipotent action of God which raysed Christ from the dead is it that begetteth faith in us Eph. 1.19 It is called the exceeding greatnesse of His power toward us which believe according to the working of His mighty power Faith is the eye of the soule by which we looke upon CHRIST it is the hand by which we receive all good from Christ Now if a man be borne blind or borne without a hand an eye that seeth but these aspectable creatures and discerneth not distinctly but things at hand a hand that cannot reach an ell or two from us yet all the world cannot supply these nor no power but His onely that created the body how much lesse then shall any power bee able to give us that eye which looketh within the vayle that hand which claspeth Christ in heaven but only the Almighty power of God But what Object doth that power that raysed Christ rayse us up Yea that power though daily continued Answ as the Lord creating Adam and Eve with the law of propagating all the race of mankind did by that power which created and coupled them after a sort make all mankinde though the Father and Son and spirit doe still worke in continuing that first power put forth So here GOD raysing Christ up in whom we all were that he might be a roote and fountayne of supernaturall life to us all that power may be sayd fitly to rayse us all Wherefore let us learne to admire and give glory to GODS power which worketh our fayth Vse 1 if we saw a man raysed from the dead ô how would we speake of such a wonderous power but this is the same that raised Christ from the dead which raiseth us to believe If we creepe up from some deadly sicknesse we tell what a power of God it was to rayse us But when our soules creepe out of darknesse and death to believe on the living God it is as nothing with us This teacheth us whither we must fly for the strengthening and susteyning of our fayth even to this power Vse 2 the same power that made all things upholdeth all things He that knoweth how all the considence of his heart is set upon himselfe and the creature how his reason and senses and his own inclination which is not quieted but in outward meanes how Sathan and the course of this world resist us in believing he cannot but confesse it is the Lords power that first brought him to it and that must keepe his faith from fayling Lastly we see hence how wide they are Vse 3 who never felt any want of such a power who thinke of fayth as a thing they have alwayes had since they came to reason Yea Papists that if GOD offer hold it in the power of man to believe when God sheweth the promise and inlighteneth the mind VERSE 13. And yee which were dead in sinnes and in the uncircumcision of your flesh hath Hee quickened together with Him forgiving you all your trespasses NOw he commeth to repeate this benefit insisting more largely upon it and first he setteth downe the state of them before they were quickened Secondly the quickning of them Thirdly the manner of the action the order in which he quickened them which standeth in a threefold antecedent in nature before
best of all Obs 2 but especially of Ministers though not outwardly glorious Nay the lesse glorious they are we must put the more upon them that their ministry through such good testimony might be more effectuall As in the naturall body the face hath no cover the lesse honest parts have So in the mysticall body This is required in the ninth Commandement to give good testimony and put honour one on another 2 We must the rather commend others because ordinarily they may neither praise for that were pride nor yet dispraise themselves for that were folly 3 It doth strengthen their hands in the worke of the ministery and maketh them better regarded with their people CHRIST Himselfe refused not Iohn's testimony in this regard and Paul lest he should run in vaine did come to Peter that he might have testimoniall from him Now we must give them testimony 1 So farre as we know else wee should not say true 2 Not to their face 3 To some good end as to glorifie GOD in winning authority to those we commend To teach us our duties Vse 1 to credit and countenance all we can one another especially faithfull Ministers The Divell is very diligent to ply their disgrace Especially we must not so dishonour our owne Ministers who are Fathers to us in the 〈◊〉 as to thinke and speake basely of them The Apostle his fact convinceth such as will detract Vse 2 speake by halfes with buts and ifs a good man but c. yea if they see a man downe the wind will betray him with silence dare not speake what truly they may on his behalfe VERSE 8. Who declared unto us your love in the Spirit THe doctrine of this Verse is to be gathered on a double ground 1 As it is the relation of the Apostle to the Colossians 2 As it sheweth the fact of Epaphras by the Colossians Now that the Apostle writeth to the Colossians such a good part of Epaphras as might further encrease their affection to him it doth teach us That we are to speake such things of man to man as may tye them more neerely in love one to another We must not like envious men sow tares of discord and whisper such things as may set them further and further out like as whisperers and back-biters who will speake this and this if you will keepe their counsell which tendeth onely to make debate But let us wisely report such things which may heale and conglutinate the bond of love somewhat loosed Blessed are the Peace makers For Epaphras his fact 1. We must consider him as communing with the Apostle 2. As affected toward the Colossians of whom he speaketh Marke from the matter which the holy apostle and he a faithfull Minister entreat of Observ What intelligence and newes are the fittest for Ministers to speake and heare of viz. How it fares with the soules of the faithfull what grace of GOD is in them How they walke this way looke into Paul's communication and the Brethrens that came from the Churches with him all is about this point We see how in Princes as in our Kings you have Embassadours from all States sometime France Venice Low-countries c. and there are politike relations of strength wealth civill deliberations and occurrances in Kingdomes So Paul a great overseer in the Church had his intelligence as his care was over them all so from them all but the matter altogether spirituall what oppositions against the Gospell what successe how the Churches walked c. Happie overseers that lye in the wind onely for this newes As Epaphras doth make good report of grace in his people Obs 2 viz. their love his example is our instruction That we are to tell what good things GOD worketh in our people It is GOD's glory when His gifts are confessed it is their encouragement It is a fruit of our love and evidence to them that we give them good allowance Parents delight to speake of their childrens good qualities So Ghostly Fathers Lastly marke how he beareth the witnesse of love in the Spirit that is spirituall inner hearty love whose example teacheth us Obs 3 That our love must bee heartie and unfained Saint Paul Rom. 12.13 requireth that love be without dissimulation So Saint Peter Love with a pure heart Saint Iohn Love not in word and shew but in deed and truth And such love was in Paul and other Saints they had desires one to another even from the heart-roots The effects are more common but the affection of love is exceeding rare We must chiefly labour for this GOD is a Spirit and he loveth the spirit in our workes Againe the affection of love is proper to the Saints the worke others may doe likewise To lay our selves to them Vse 1 and bewaile our key-cold counterfeit times our age wherein lust and selfe-love have devoured Love For exhortation Vse 2 the LORD thaw our frozen soules kindling and keeping in them this holy fire which may make us affectionate to Him and one to another He who is love it selfe effect it What is our love but formality and externall complement doing one good turne for another bidding to meat such as reinvite us Loving not so much our friends as our selves in them a copie of the countenance without hearty affection But what is this but a gilded potsheard as Salomon saith a golden glister without there being nothing within of any worth VERSE 9. For this canse wee also since the day wee heard it doe not cease to pray for you and to desire that yee might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding I Told you in the third Verse how the Apostle propoundeth his fact of Thanksgiving and Prayer digressing hitherto as matter did occasion Now hee returneth to expound and open to them the forme and summe of them the order inverted first of his Prayer which was last mentioned in the third Verse then of his Thanksgiving His Prayer to the twelfth Verse His Thanksgiving with the occasionall opening of a head of doctrine to the eighth Verse of the second Chapter In the Prayer these points lye in order 1 The occasion For this cause 2 The Persons the Apostle with other Wee 3 The time From the first heare say of it The manner in two points 1 Vncessantly not ceasing 2 Fervently which is infolded in this double word We pray we desire Lastly here is the matter of his Prayer which respecteth them either as they were to doe GOD's will or to endure his pleasure For the first The grounds of obedience The obedience it selfe The fruit of it For the first The grounds of obedience are 1. The gift of knowledge that they might know the will of GOD fully 2. Gifts or graces practicall with wisdome and spirituall understanding The obedience it selfe followeth first set downe in generall That they might walke worthy the LORD Secondly opened by two particulars pleasing Him fruitfully the fruit of
see one that should sinke when any thing were laid on him we would say hee were but a weake man Which convinceth that valour falsely so called Vse many thinke that valour to challenge the field and cast their gauntlet of defiance downe upon any trifling provocation to sweare GOD out of heaven if any thing crosse them but blinde men discerne not of colours this is notable impatience and weaknesse As a man whom with halfe a finger we may throw downe to the ground is a weake body So thy soule which every thing moveth out of place is a very weake spirit Marke how Long-suffering is an argument of great spirituall strength Obs 2 This is a vertue which maketh us hold out in patience under the continuance of evill on us it maketh Patience have her perfect worke and be at length no lesse than in the beginning it is not counterfeit biting in of anger by two yeares together like as in Absolom but a continuance of true patient bearing our crosse to lift up a quarter of wheat or two were rare strength though one should stand under it but a while but to carry it foure or five miles were a token of ten-fold strength So to beare our burthens any time is a fruit of glorious strength but to carry them at length argueth treble vertue To convince the false estimation of men touching this matter To assure those that long have endured Vse 2 of GOD's strength dwelling in them Now as Paul desireth these three things for the Colossians so he teacheth us thus much Obs 3 That wee have need of these vertues we have need of Patience saith the Scripture Heb. 10.36 need indeed to beare our evils to forbeare and expect the receiving of our good things wee looke for a Porter whose calling is to beare had need of shoulders So we that are called to beare many afflictions had need of patience but wee have no lesse need of long-suffering for so deepe are our staines that they will not come out unlesse we be long dowsed in these waters of afflictions which maketh GOD many dayes continue our evils Now how shal we hold under long afflictions without long-sufferance yea we have need of the joy of the HOLY GHOST No life can last without delight and though to the being it be not so necessary yet it is altogether needfull for the well being of us that like Paul and Silas we sing not able to sleepe for joy To seeke these things Vse we have need of them and may have more it is not good to seeke them when we should use them begge them before Observe how hasty and impatient thou art short-spirited not able to beare any thing Pray the Lord to give thee wisdome patiently to endure his will he will give it and not upbraid thee think how though thou art patient now yet ever and anon it is ready to be crazed yea broken in thee pray for long-suffering treasure up joy against evill houres fire doth well against winter and while thou mayest take it deny thy foolish rejoycing exercise thy heart with godly sorrow Such as sow in teares Psal 126.5 shall reape in joy We live neither having exercise of these things nor feeling want of them nor seeking after them our hearts love to be in the house of vaine mirth woe will be to this security and this laughter shall end in mourning Woe to you that now laugh Luk. 6.25 yee shall weepe VERSE 12. Giving thankes unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light THus having laid downe his Prayer he commeth to mention expresly the matter of his thanksgiving which was first named in the third Verse In it two things are to be considered 1 The fact it selfe of giving thankes with the person to whom they are offered of which we have spoken something above Verse 3. 2 The arguments moving him or the things for which he is thankfull The first in those words Giving thankes to GOD the Father The matter is two-fold first a benefit a great good thing given them even an inheritance Part in an inheritance which is set downe with three circumstances 1 Their qualification which maketh them capable this goeth before 2 From the quality of their being fellow-heires with whom they were joyned the Saints 3 From the matter of this inheritance in light The second argument of his thankesgiving is a great evill from which they were delivered in setting downe which 1 Hee sheweth the point or passe from which GOD did deliver them From the power of darknesse 2 The state to which hee brought them and hath translated us into the kingdome of His deare Sonne Now to amplifie the greatnesse of this last benefit he describeth the Sonne first from the effect Verse 14. which is propounded in whom wee have redemption after expounded that is the remission of Sinnes Secondly he describeth the nature of His Person to the nineteenth Verse three wayes 1 As He was in reference to GOD Who is the Image of the invisible GOD. 2 As He was in relation to the creature in generall in those words The first begotten of every creature Verse 15. and sustainer of them Verse 16 17. 3 As He is in regard of His Church And Hee is the Head of the body the Church Then followeth the reason how came this man to be personally GOD the Creator of all things the Head of the Church It pleased the Father that in Him all fulnesse should dwell Vers 19. How come we to have redemption by Him It pleased the Father by Him to bring us to these benefits the benefit is repeated First in generall Verse 20. Secondly with application to the Colossians Verse 21 22 23. Where first he setteth downe what they had their state antecedent Secondly their state present where we have the worke of their reconciliation and the manner of working Verse 21 22. Thirdly to shake off security the condition of all is annexed Verse 23. Whence the Apostle taketh occasion to digresse in signifying his Apostolical affection to them to the eighth Verse of the second Chapter Giving thankes Observe first From his suffixing thanksgiving Obs That we must as well give thankes for the things given us as begge for that we want Many are suiters when any necessity presseth but few returne to give thankes we see it in the ten Lepers one onely returned to give thankes Eaten bread is soone forgotten that we have we take no further thought of but we must remember to couple these together For first in this is GOD's chiefe honour Reas 1 He that offereth praise honoureth me Psal 50. This is forcible to make us speed in that wee intreat Reas 2 a thankfull petitioner hath alwayes gracious hearing We have more cause when GOD hath given us faith c. to give thankes than to intreat Reas 3 for the things we have are more than those we desire the Apostle maketh
it more that we are reconciled to GOD already than that we shall have full salvation in due time If we are reconciled to GOD by the death of His Sonne which is the greater Ro. 5 1â— much more shall we be saved by His life which is the lesser To pardon a traytour when he is enemy-like affected to us and take him to favour is more than when he is a friend to give him a preferment To beget and bring forth a son Vse is more than when now it is to nurse it to full stature Wee must stirre up our selves to praise GOD in our precious blessing we are ashamed to take common kindnesse from men but we will returne them a thousand thanks yet who almost heartily praiseth GOD for these spirituall blessings which passe understanding Our plough would speed the better though we should not beg so much if we were more in thanksgiving up goeth thanksgiving downe comes blessings That we by nature are unfit for GOD's Kingdome Obs 2 So our SAVIOUR saith Vnlesse we be borne anew Ioh. 3. â— we cannot enter into GOD's Kingdome What disposition can be in such as are the children and thralls of the Devill to be the sons and heires of GOD No there is nothing in us but enmity against God Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God and in the one and twentieth Verse of this Chapter now who can make me owner of that which I am not nor cannot be willing with We see in outward affaires an out-landish man a forreiner cannot have inheritance in our Land untill he be naturalized the son of a traytour whose lands are confiscate cannot inherit them as before till his bloud be restored So it is with us wee are all strangers by nature to God and heaven where Hee dwelleth wee are a tainted bloud rebels from the wombe and therefore till God doe restore us and make us fit wee cannot have part in this heavenly inheritance we love our hell as well as if there were no other heaven Ezek. 16. we are such as have an Amorite to our father an Hittite to our mother such as lye weltering in our bloud It is the worke of God alone that must prepare and fit us for this blessed inheritance all our sufficiencie is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 we are not able to thinke a thought this day No man can beget himselfe and therefore what man can fit himselfe for the heavenly estate none but the Father of spirits can effect this matter he that only can draw us changing our wils who can purge us beautifie us adopt us c. he hath begotten us to this inheritance Which letteth us see Gods exceeding grace to us Vse if there had beene an aptnesse in us as in those children which were trained up to minister before the King his love had not beene so great but when there is nothing but indisposition and withall utter unwillingnesse ready to put His grace from us to set light by and scorne this heavenly birth-right as Esau did his earthly that then he should look lovingly toward us and allure our hearts to Himselfe make us sons and daughters who can sound the depth of this love Suppose a King should take some youth up by the high-way all in ragges ill-favoured ignorant of all liberall education ill mannered such a one as loved a rogueing humor more than a kingdome were it not strange love in him that should fit such a one win his good will and proclaime him heire apparant to the crown So stands the matter betwixt GOD and us This serveth to humble us and make us walke modestly Vse 2 with an holy blush seeking to please our GOD. Away with all kinde of merit as well of congruitie as of condignity What disposition hath darknesse to light that have we to grace and salvation 3 That you may further see His love and what cause we have to give thankes marke what it is Hee putteth upon us Verse 17. an inheritance Observe then Obs 3 That as GOD's manner of taking us up so the matter he taketh us unto must move us to blesse Him The Lawyers know that the title of inheritance is the greatest title to give a stocke of money to one is much to bestow an office to let to farme rich things upon easie rent all are beneficiall good estates but to make one my heire this is farre greater this made Saint Peter so breake forth Blessed be GOD the Father 1 Pet. 1.3 who hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall undefiled that fadeth not away From whence it may be further amplified for if one were made an heire of some three halfe peny possession the benefit were not much to be stood on but to such an inheritance as there is described who can utter this mercy Looke at men on earth can they doe greater displeasure that to dis-inherit their children Can they shew any further love than to write this or that man the heire of all their estates It is so with God what greater love than this can Hee shew than to make us heires unto Him The use of this is to stirre us up to al thankfulnesse Vse 1 dutie yea spirituall joy Looke at children whose parents have great matters to leave them if they be good children what duty will they shew how obsequious will they be how glad to serve their earthly parents yea how jocond will they be for though they be kept low now they know they shall have faire patrimonies Thus should we be affected toward GOD yea much more should we joy in these heavenly possessions We must labour to looke into this our inheritance Vse 2 for if a man have any matter of estate in the world he will be sure to prie into the worth of it to looke upon the severalls to improve it and make the most of it he will lose nothing for the knowing thus we should doe in the heavenly riches But alas it is as nothing to us because we are ignorant of these things and wil not beg the spirit of illumination which might teach us to know the things bestowed upon us And as men that know not the worth of their heavenly things do make cheape and eafie peny worths passing away rich things for matters of nothing So we do even through ignorance like Esau for a little sinfull delight forgoe our inheritance This comforteth the Saints Vse 3 who though they count themselves poore yet they are rich heires of a Kingdome It might be marked that he saith Obs 4 To take part it teacheth That every Saint hath but a childes part GOD giveth not as men all to one the rest have nothing but he giveth every one a severall part as Hee seeth meet Some have greater some have lesse though all shall be blessed not knowing lacke of any good thing in that they possesse nor envying any thing they see in others and have not in the principall all are equall
discipline practised where those duties flourish to which the communion of Saints doth tye us They that are estranged from Gods Church can have no society with God He is walking amongst the golden Candlesticks amongst His Saints onely where two or three are met together in His Name He is present among them As they have no acquaintance with God so they are under the power of Sathan where it is that Saint Paul calleth excommunication the giving up to Sathan Hee that hath not the Church for his Mother cannot have God for His Father In a word heaven and earth the Eden and Paradise of God is His Church So that miserable is that state neverthelesse this was ours sometime in our predecessors We were all of us alients from Israel but God hath kept us for happy times Let us therfore be thankfull and bring forth fruites least he take away our Candlesticke Vse 1 and deface the face of our Churches causing us to want our holy assemblies Let us not leave our fellowship Vse 2 and estrange our selves from Gods people from the assemblies as Brownists and other Novelists doe To be discommoned a Towne for a Citizen to be banished a City is a great reproach but to be an exile from Gods City and discommoned from the communion of Saints this is lamentable indeede being alients from this Common wealth of the Church they have nothing to doe with the covenants of grace and of the Gospell but strangers from all meanes of salvation This letteth us see that all true comfortable affinity Vse 3 kindred and society is in Christ onely and in the Word and Ordinances count all strangers that are not allyed to us in Him count them forreyners that will not communicate with us in the Word and Ordinances of GOD strangers as men of another Nation though never so neere allyed in Nature and let our neerest society fellowship and acquaintance be with Saints and holy Christians in the word and ordinances as our neerest kindred our spirituall brethren in CHRIST Therefore Abraham after he was called of GOD and sanctified was commanded to come out from his kindred and fathers house to count them Aliens and strangers to seeke new kindred a new Nation of his owne nature and bloud the generation of the righteous Why should we like prodigalls withdraw our selves from our fathers house and bring upon our selves by such singular separations this great misery to be estranged from them who are Gods true Israell Againe he saith they were enemies in mind and workes affection and action note hence What is our estate by nature Observ we are enemylike affected to God and His people the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8. it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be In his Iudgement he counteth the things of God foolishnesse in his affections he doth not savour them he counteth of His Commandements as a yoake intollerable and maketh a tush at sincere obedience so for the Saints the righteous is an abomination to the wicked Gal. 4.29 Were not the Iewes a mocking in the mouth of the heathen did they not reproach them for their circumcision To let us see our selves Vse 1 we are altogether by nature thus heathens beasts the most of men in part we have a law in our flesh rebelling against the law of our mindes not enduring the spirituall obedience of Gods law What is all our love of this world know you not that the amity of the world is enmity with GOD If a woman cared not for her husband but were bent to the imbraces of other men were she not enemylike affected to him so we to God what is enmity if this be not not to care for him and his wayes to incline and looke another way for the Saints they are our enemies as we thinke and they are hatefull of all other to us our spirituall phrensie like not them of all others whose presence doth binde us in some sort We must labour to be changed Vse 2 seeking to God to give us another mind who can endure to heare these termes thou art an enemy a hater of God yet who laboureth to be free of the thing praying to God to purge forth the secret hatred which maketh him hee cannot assent to and affect that which is good Could an honest woman find a heart strange to her husband would shee not be ashamed of it labour to the contrary doest thou finde a heart averse not affected toward thy God ô wilt thou not cry who shall deliver me from this body of death Seeke to GOD to put enmity against the seede of the Serpent and to circumcise thy heart making thee love Him Deu. 30.6 Who ever hardened his heart against GOD and prospered Your mindes were set in evill workes By repeating the words from the part of the sentence before it teacheth thus much Obs What it is that maketh discovery of this enemy-like affection our naughty actions when we do that which crosseth God's will that evill worke is the triall of the inward affection He that loveth me keepeth my Commandements he that keepeth them not and saith he knoweth me is a lyar and the truth is not in him As the tongue is the interpreter of the minde so is the action to the affection A traytor we see may be a traytor in heart and not in attempt but when his treason breaketh forth in some disloyall action then it is manifest that he bare a trayterous heart So it is with this inward corruption when now ripe it practiseth the rebellion of it in the workes of unrighteousnesse Which meeteth with such as will say they love God Vse he were unworthy to live that is an enemie to God but if we looke at their course of life they leave the wayes of God and will have leave to walke in their owne wayes This is to give God good words and speake Him faire but indeed to deny Him But we have no such intention in any thing we doe Object If we through ignorance sinfully contracted Answ doe not know that we sinne against God when we doe this mitigateth not our offence If one should make himselfe drunke and after practice against the life of the King and State would this excuse him from being a traytor if he say I had no such meaning in that I did I meant the Kings person no hurt Lastly marke hence That men by nature are altogether occupied in evill works None doth good no not one the thought of man is evill onely and continually It is strange how the naturall man is devoted to his owne wayes which are all evill He museth mischiefe on his bed hee sleepeth not if hee have not done his mind For his mind is as meat and drinke to him and hee is fasting not able to take rest when hee hath not effected it He committeth sinne and doth his owne will with greedinesse he hateth to be reformed in these wayes
Finally doth not onely doe things evill but applaudeth others that doe so with him Which things may open this truth that naturally a man converseth and maketh a trade of evill workes for figges cannot bee gathered from thornes nor an evill tree cannot doe other than bring forth evill fruits We are no murtherers adulterers c. Object There are two sorts of evill workes Answ some apparantly such as the light of nature condemneth Others more close which have the shew of externall righteousnesse now such are honest courses world-ward without religion and the Pharisees course externally both honest and religious but yet wanting the power of godlinesse of which our Saviour testifieth That many things glorious in mans eye are abomination before God Would not every one condemne such a course in a servant if he should spend his time doing things that had no hurt in them but out of his owne head never vouchsasing to know his masters minde in any thing if he should doe the things bidden him but when his master would have them done thus he will doe them after his owne fashion and when his master saith doe such things first and chiefly after take these in hand hee shall let the principall alone and onely be occupied in the other were not this a wicked course in a servant This is the course of every honest naturall man that is no more than honest world-ward To urge upon men the unrighteousnesse of their wayes Vse 1 yea of those wayes which may be called righteousnesse in comparison of the other that they may count all losse to be found having part in grace through CHRIST To shew us the difference of one converted and not converted the one slippeth and intendeth and endevoureth to doe good though evill be present and steppeth in everywhere the minde of the other is set upon evill the one beareth the presence of it mourning under it the other committeth it willingly he lyeth in evill he taketh care to fulfill the lusts of his flesh hee is a worker of iniquitie VERSE 22. Hath He now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault in His sight HItherto of their former Condition Now he having beaten them downe in remembrance of their misery doth raise them up in recounting GOD's mercy Observe hence in generall As wee must looke with one eye downe to our unworthinesse Observ so wee must cast the other upon GOD's mercies to us These two doe well together the one corrects the other so that both as wholesome purging medicines without interlacing restoratives will weaken too much 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but now yee are washed c. Eph. 2.13 Now in CHRIST IESUS yee which once were a farre off are made neere by the bloud of CHRIST Tit. 3.3 4. We also in times past were unwise disobedient deceived c. But when the bountifulnesse and love of GOD our SAVIOUR toward man appeared c. This is to be noted from this that Paul doth not shew them their estate of Nature alone but being a bitter pill doth gild it over with annexing their comfortable condition in CHRIST We must learne to compound these meditations Vse now taking a course in remembring our wretched estate now refreshing our selves in recounting the blessed benefits we have by CHRIST as men will walke in some garden or orchard or go a while to some pleasant exercise when they are wearied with bodily labours 2 From this that such are reconciled Obs marke the free and large grace of God if we had beene enemies in heart only it had beene much to finde favour but where wee have made a trade of evill workes and lived all our lives in open rebellion how undeserved and how rich is the grace which giveth pardon If the King doe pardon one whose good will is doubtfull and take him to grace it is much but when one hath lived in making attempts on his person then to forget and to forgive were more than credible clemencie The love of God is seene in this Rom. 5.10 that when we were enemies He gave His Son to reconcile us It is the greatest love that ever the sons of men enjoyed 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby wee perceive the love of God because He laid downe His life for us Herein is love not that we loved God but that He loved us 1 Ioh. 4.10 and sent His Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes See how the holy Apostle speaking of the love of God still layes his finger upon the matter in this not in noble birth in high Parentage no no away with that carnall plea I hope the LORD loves me why because He hath kept me to this day and He hath given me wealth and health No in this it appeares that He died for you make this good to your soules In the time of the old Law there were as it were some shadowes and glympse of Gods love but now CHRIST is come the Sunne shines in his full brightnesse The blessed Apostle who was almost as neere CHRIST's heart as his body stands admiring at this love So God loved the world as who should say Ioh. 3.16 so wonderfull it is I cannot expresse it it even ravisheth my heart to thinke on it but so it was that God should stoope to man and Majesty to meanenesse and Heaven bow to earth The Reasons hereof are divers The first is taken from the Partie that loved us Reas 1 it was God blessed for ever had He sent to a poore man in time of misery and poverty honour or money it had not been such a wonder but that he should send his Son and that to die for us this is miraculous It hath bin heard that a man hath sent a Pearle to his friend but this was never heard that any should send his whole treasury but God hath not spared to send all His whole treasure Coloss 2.3 the Text saith that in Him are all these treasures of wisdome and knowledge Heare this all you poore creatures that have any part in CHRIST you complaine you are poore comfort your selves in this you have a treasure better than the best gold in India you have the treasures of heaven how then can you be poore Consider this when the least favour was too much for us and the smallest mercy more than we deserved or desired yet God accounted the greatest favours too little for us earth He hath given to us and that 's not enough heaven Hee hath prepared for us with the joy and glory thereof and yet that 's not enough He hath sent His Spirit to guide us His CHRIST to redeeme us nay He hath bestowed Himselfe upon us hath laid downe His life for us that by His death we might live As the person is incomprehensible Reas 2 so the excellencie of the worke is beyond our reach or conceit me thinkes this love goes beyond God Himselfe The
I will bee to them saith God a Covering and a shadow in the day from the heate and for a place of refuge and for a Covert from storm and raine That is You shall be as men within doores others shall be as men without doores And the Apostle sayth 1 Cor. 3.17 Him that destroyes the Temple him shall God destroy For it is His Temple and Christ will not suffer His house to bee pulled downe over His head for it is the place where Hee dwelleth He will protect and defend them If you would therfore have a greater measure of grace comforting and refreshing you Vse if you would be full of life and grace then fasten your eyes upon Christ the fountaine But it is your fault you desire grace remission of sinnes and the parts of Sanctification abstracted from Christ we goe to God and thinke not of Christ but get Christ into your hearts get Him knit to you and then you shall receive grace from Him Looke as it is with a Wife in marriage of her husband she must not thinke of the Titles wealth and honours that he brings separated from her husband if she doe it is an adulterous thought but she must first take her husband and then take those things that are derived from him So let us first get our selves united with Christ cleave to Him live to Him get our hearts moove to Him in holinesse and righteousnesse and then looke for remission of sinnes adoption and reconciliation and every particular grace from Him If a man will have the treasure he must first have the field he must not thinke to have the treasure abstracted from the field but first get the field and then digge for the treasure First get Christ in whom are hid all treasures and then receive them from Him Remember still that Christ must first dwell in your hearts for although the spirit doe immediately act all yet it is CHRIST Labour therefore to be knit to Christ more and more and as you are neerer in union with Him so He dwells more in your hearts As there are degrees of light from the Sunne as it is higher or lower So there are degrees of Christs Vnion and habitation and of all the effects of His cohabitation labour therefore to get Christ into your hearts more and more How shall we doe that 1 Labour for a contrite and humble spirit for there CHRIST dwels and delighteth in such a soule Esay 57.15 He hath but two places to dwell in the highest heavens and an humble heart 2 Againe the lesse you love your selves and the more you emptie your selves the more will Christ dwell in you the cleaner you keepe your hearts the more unspotted the more pleasure and delight will Hee take to dwell in you 3 The larger spirit any man hath the more rich in grace any man is the larger the house is the more Christ will delight to dwell there Which is Christ in you the hope of glory This Christ he describeth by His effect toward us calling Him the hope of glory that is He in whom and by whom wee hope and looke for glory Observe hence Doct. Christ is he in whom we hope for glory Hereupon He is called Our hope 1 Tim. 1.1 God that cannot lye hath promised to give us further assurance of of it He hath lift up Christ on high placed Him at His right hand farre above all Principalities and Powers and made Him partaker of His glory when He shal appeare then we shall appeare with Him in glory this wee wait and looke for this is our rest What then though shame and reproach befal us in this world Vse Let us beare it with patience and with joy look up to the glory prepared for us And what if armies of evils meet with us here below and troopes of miseries follow us at the heeles By the helpe of Christ wee shall overcome them all and be more than conquerours and in the end be crowned with a crowne of immortall glory There wanteth nothing but a little waiting Yet a little while and He that shall come will come and will not tarry Behold Hee commeth in the clouds and His reward is with Him In the meane time let us live as those that looke for His glory and not dishonour our selves with base actions of sinne who are appointed for such glory VERSE 28. Whom we preach admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that we may present every man perfect in Christ Iesus HAving thus by occasion of speaking of his ministery Verse 25. expressed the subject of it namely the mysterie of the Gospell He returneth now to speake of his ministery againe and of his faithfulnesse and diligence in the execution of it First that which was common to him with Timothy and other Apostles Verse 28. Then that which was proper to himselfe Verse 29. His faithfulnesse and diligence appeares almost in every word of these two Verses Where first observe generally that these two things Doctr. Faithfulnesse and diligence are required of every Minister in his place and calling they are required of every man in his calling but of a Minister in a speciall and singular measure For whether wee looke to the Lord that hath put him in trust or to the things committed to his trust not crownes nor kingdomes but the soules of men who should be faithfull if not he who diligent if not he To whom or wherein will he be faithfull that is not faithfull to God and in these things to whom or wherein will he be diligent for conscience sake that is not diligent in serving the Lord in these things And if he be cursed that doth the work of the Lord negligently withholding his sword from bloud how much more is hee accursed that doth the worke of the Lord in saving mens soules negligently Which our SAVIOUR would have done with such expedition that He forbade His Disciples going about that businesse to salute any man by the way Particularly their faithfulnesse appeareth both in the subject matter and in the manner of preaching For the matter it must bee in generall with all the Word of God concealing nothing that is convenient Act. 20.20 I kept backe nothing that was profitable unto you c. I will give you Pastors after mine owne heart Ier. 3.15 and they shall feed you with wisdome and understanding But Principally they must instruct them in the doctrine of repentance and remission of sinnes in the Name of Christ Secondly in the doctrine of Faith in Christ for Hee is the Bread of life Repentance is but the sowre salled it is the Lambe that makes the feast 1 Cor. 2.3 I cared to know nothing amongst you but Christ crucified Thirdly with the doctrine of good works 1 Tim. 15. Let them that have beleeved have care to shew good workes teach these things they are good and profitable This is for the matter The faithfulnesse of a Minister is seene also in
not looke upon them GOD will vouchsafe no such priviledge unto them because they are poore blind and naked But I say for that cause receive Him and take Him for that end He is offered therefore when the Lord convinceth the Church of Laodicea thou art wretched poore blind and naked then I counsell thee to buy of mee eye-salve that thou maist see and white rayment that thou mayst be clothed Say not Christ is not myne I dare not apply Him because I am a sinner indeede if thou hast a purpose to goe on in sinne thou must not venture to apply Christ But if thou be humbled in the sight of thy own unworthinesse and doest account it the greatest favour of GOD to be freed from sinne thou hast good warrant to receive Christ thus offered for so the LORD IESUS doth invite poore sinners Mat. 11.28 Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavy loaden and I will ease you It may serve to teach us Vse 3 by way of examination to try whether we have received Christ or not To receive Christ is a thing done with the whole heart It was a question which the Apostles were woont to put when they received any man to be baptized Acts 8. Doe you believe with your whole heart as Philip said to the Eunuch It must be a receiving of Christ with the whole soule 2 True faith apprehends Christ such a Saviour as the spirit of God in Scripture setteth Him out to be Hebr. 7.25 a perfect Saviour who is perfectly able to save all that come to Him through faith As He alone trod the wyne-presse of Gods wrath So He alone worketh our salvation This the Apostle presseth because of the false Apostles that were crept into the Church they would graunt that Iesus Christ the Sonne of Mary was the true Christ in whom the Iewes and Gentiles should trust yet they would have something else to be joyned with him they would have Moses joyned with Christ and the Law with the Gospell in the matter of salvation against which the Apostle much laboureth and to settle their hearts onely upon Christ excluding all other causes and things from having any hand or share in being meritorious causes of mans salvation 3 All is not done when the judgement is informed that Christ is the onely Saviour and a perfect Saviour without any act of ours concurring to merit salvation there is another thing to be added which must fasten upon the affections Christ must be received with the whole heart not onely with the understanding but the will and affections the whole soule must incline to it thus to rest onely upon Him to prize Him onely for Himselfe faith fixeth upon the person of Christ and takes all other things as consequents deduced from that which is in Christ So the joy of a Christian the delight of a Christian the love of a Christian should bee fixed onely upon Christ 4 There is yet another thing to be done to receive whole Christ into the whole heart is to receive Christ in all His offices Ioh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life He is our way He is our Peace-maker so He is our Priest He is the truth as He is our Prophet to leade us into all truth and He is our life as He is our King and mighty Lord to worke effectually in the hearts of all that shall be saved Take Him thus expect not onely peace by Him but truth also nor knowledge of the truth onely but life also and ability to walke in obedience to that truth thus you must receive whole Christ not only as a Saviour to free you from the wrath of God but also as a Lord and King to rule over you and to guide you Hereby you may know whether you have received CHRIST or not 2 Marke hence Doct. That true beliefe on Christ must have with it perseverance and a life obedient unto Him A true believer on Him must be a constant believer and a good liver in Him for to walke in Christ is every where to converse as those who must in all things acknowledge Him As Christ is the author and object of our faith so He must be the Soveraigne commander the chiefe worker the end of all those workes which I walke in and occupy my selfe about through my whole life But the phrase is worth the opening 1 It signifieth as much as to doe all we doe after the rule and command of Christ the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after CHRIST verse 8. He is our onely law giver we are in all things to heare Him and to attend His pleasure not stirring without His warrant 2 It signifieth continuing in Him in faith on Him to which Hee hath brought us not to recoyle or give in 3 To walke in Christ is to set before our eyes His glory as the white we shoote at in all our affaires great and small Whatsoever you doe doe all to the glory of GOD and so of Christ I count not my life deare that I may fulfill the ministery which the Lord Iesus hath given me whether in my wits or out c. I am to the Lord. And what is more equall when a woman hath married a man must she not live to Him alone Is she to be commanded by others Is shee not to seeke to please him to obey him honour him in all things with feare How much more meet is it that we being by the hand of faith contracted to our Lord should live to Him And as a woman new married must not start but for better or worse continue where her faith is plighted So must we having given our faith not goe backe from Christ our husband that hath bought us deare and given us in joynture heaven it selfe Wherefore this must both admonish us of our duties Vse and be applyed to convince such as say they believe in Christ but live not in Him looke not to His will deny not themselves seeking for His strength labour not to set forth His glory Nay they are at the command of men what such and such like of is their ten commandements yea walke in the flesh in obeying the lusts of their owne hearts following their owne corrupt mindes and affections and the examples of others like themselves O wretch hart thou not ashamed hast thou the face of an honest man and wouldst thou not blush to take a woman to thee and make no conscience of following every trull and leaving her so as she scarce from the beginning of the weeke to the end comes into thy thoughts thus thou servest thy husband Christ Observe lastly Doct. That our good beginnings must be a bond unto us to make good proceeding Have you begunne saith Saint Paul in the spirit and will you end in the flesh have you suffered so many things in vaine So he exhorteth Timothy even from this that hee had beene brought up in the Scriptures of a child and
expoundeth the other as a more knowne and frequent phrase in Saint Paul's Epistles for so I take it as if he should say my meaning is by body of sins the flesh the originall corruption in which is all kinde of sin or the body of sins of the flesh that is of the flesh or native corruption which is a whole body of sinfull members the corruption originally and principally seated in the soule is called by the name of flesh because the soule most manifests it selfe in the flesh the soule being incarnate after a fort and living more in the flesh than in it selfe For the life of naturall man is little but sensuality and the Scripture maketh the heart of man the Seat of the soule because the soule in regard of his action is rather naturall than animall For as a man extremely loving here or there liveth in the person loved more than in himselfe so the foule fallen from God is wedded in such impotent sort to the love of its owne flesh that it liveth there altogether Lastly by Circumcision of Christ Note that this phrase may be taken actively and passively passively Christ's circumcision is that Circumcision with which Christ the eight day as circumcised Actively that Circumcision wherewith Christ doth circumcise in others and this is here meant Now this is the meaning You have beene circumcised in CHRIST insomuch as you have put off that frame of sin in which are many distinct kindes of sin I meane the flesh or originall corruption with which as a most filthy rayment your soules were sometimes clothed and this not by vertue of legall Circumcision or any outward act whereof man is Minister but by vertue of that powerfull Circumcision wherewith CHRIST circumciseth These words first in generall lay open Doct. In what standeth our spirituall Circumcision viz. in putting off all our corruptions our corrupt confidence the rebellion of our wills the disordered frame of our affections Wee saith Saint Paul are the Circumcision in the heart Phil. 3. â— who rejoyce in CHRIST IESUS and have no confidence in the flesh this depravation of our Nature is the fore-skin of the heart in the removall whereof standeth this Circumcision Let us then all seek to be thus circumcised Vse many yea who amongst the old people would not run unto the Circumcision of the flesh carefully procure that as wee doe the Baptisme of water to which it answereth But few of them and few of us seeke this inward Circumcision without which the other is nothing not the Circumcision wich is open in the flesh but that which is secret in the heart is it which God requireth which hath praise with Him If they that wanted Circumcision outward were cut off in Israel from their people what shall be done with us if we get not this Circumcision inward without which none pleaseth God This in generall for having told them that they were circumcised he doth tell them in what the matter of Circumcision standeth Now in particular first observe hence Doct. That the soule of the naturall man is clad with sinne putting off you know doth imply that there is some thing as apparell upon him who is said to put off And truly so they are for what is in the naturall minde but ignorance unbeliefe curiosity pride What in the will but wicked propensity to evill aversenesse and crossenesse to good yea rebellion against light What in all the affections but inordinacie What in his eyes but uncleannesse revenge His eares but itching after vanity His tongue but rottennesse This maketh the Prophet say Psal 73.6 7. That Pride compasseth about the wicked man as a chaine and violence doth cover him as a goodly garment And looke as the body is so covered that it cannot be seene for the rayment on it So wicked men are so wrapped about with sin that the beautifull worke of God in mans soule cannot be discerned for it yea as men thinke their apparell an ornament so doe sinners their sin The use of this is to warne us of our misery Vse to see a poore Snake goe in filthy tottered rags all stinking loathsomely is a pittifull spectacle But if we could see with what menstruous garments all thy soule is covered every faculty being cladde with ungodlinesse unrighteousnesse intemperancy it is farre more woefull Wherefore weigh this and begin to put off looking to Iesus these filthy rags Oh you that will not let the least moth lye on your bodily garment doe suffer with patience your soules to goe thus filthily attyred yea begin betime for to make thee unready asketh time So this garment of sin cleaveth unto thee and hangeth so fast on that were not God with us in this businesse we might sooner put off our selves then these sinfull qualities so firmely they cleave to us The Christians when baptised did in those primitive times lay aside their old cloths as testifying and speaking by this action that they had put off these rags of sinfull lusts with which formerly their soules had been clothed In putting off the body Observe then That we must foregoe not some part of our corruption but the whole frame of it Doct. Wee are in other places called to put off the old man marke the whole man to shew that our leaving off corruption must not be by halves but entirely old things are gone in CHRIST all are new we must when we come by faith to CHRIST forgoe all our old corruption Such as are all over filthily apparelled they will desire to have all new all or none for some old and some new doe worse then all old but if the garment bee so woven that one cannot put off one part but all will follow then needs it must be that either all of it be put off or none at all So it is in this body of sin it doth goe so together that he that putteth one member off truely he putteth off all other likewise and therefore Saint Iames saith he that liveth in sin against one commandement he breaketh all that is hee hath in his soule that corruption which inclineth to breake every one he is not mortified to the sin against any one that is not mortified to every one The body of darknesse which is in the night upon the first rising of the Sun is in some degree all at once scattered So this whole body of spirituall darknesse when the Sun of righteousnesse getteth up in our hearts is at once all in some degree dispersed But you will say happily Object we have much sinne hanging about us and some corruptions more strongly then other 1 We are sayd to put it off Answ because we have begun to doe it through the grace of Christ 2 Because we desire further to doe it through Christ strengthening us 3 We know that Christ our sanctifier will abolish all the reliques which still hang with us We must not therefore thinke because we have not perfectly for the degree put off all
this their restoring to life The first is pardon of sin The second is cancelling the obligation against them The third is the setting them free from those jaylors and executioners in whose keeping they were The two first are in this thirteenth verse the latter in the end of the thirteenth verse and in the other two following The first of the antecedents in the end of the thirteenth verse The second in the fourteenth verse The third in the fifteenth verse To returne to the thirteenth verse And first in genenerall from this his Commoration in this benefit wee note Doct. That our quickning in CHRIST is such a benefit which we must not quickly have done with and lightly passe over The Apostle cannot move from this till hee have dwelt a while upon it and amplified and enforced on them the consideration of it So it is we lend it little thought but the more is our fault we should when wee thinke on God's benefits in Christ make a stand and dwell upon them that so we might be more affected 2 Marke What Ministers must doe Doct. viz. they must amplifie to their people the benefits bestowed on them how often doth Moses this in Deutr. For 1 It is for the honour of God that His benefits should be set forth 2 It edifieth others and gaineth glory to God while they are to know the things bestowed on them and they are by this meanes wrought unto thanksgiving Againe wee are like children wee know not the worth of those great things wherewith GOD hath enriched us As a young childe that hath great patrimonies and priviledges doth not to any purpose conceive the worth of them yea we are as forgetfull as the eaten bread is quickly forgotten And beside a benefit while enjoyed groweth no dainties with us in all these regards we must use this practise of the Apostle If men have outward commodities and abilities and gifts of any kinde they know them too well even till they be proud of them but in heavenly things it is quite otherwise Now for their condition it is described from the state of death You when you were dead 2. The kinde of death viz. in sin 1. Actuall in trespasses 2. Originall in uncircumcision of heart which is set downe by a Synecdoche or Metonymie of the signe for the thing signified Outward Circumcision put for outward and inward which is more emphatical when they were so dead that inwardly and outwardly they did lye in evill the meaning is when you were utterly dead in soule mortall in body subject to eternall damnation by reason of your actuall transgressions and original corruption You then He quickened that is GOD the Father out of the Verse before with His CHRIST First then observe That we are by nature dead to God the same is Eph. 2.1 We are not like a man in a sleepe nor like the Samaritan greatly wounded but we are starke dead in regard of the life of GOD. Rom. 5. he saith Wee are of no strength not of feeble strength and the naturall man is often so called My Sonne was dead and is alive let the dead bury their dead A man is every way by nature dead his body is mortall in dying from his birth eternall death of soule and body hangeth over him His soule is quite dead for God in regard of His presence of sanctifying grace going from a man he dyeth in soule As the soule going from the body the naturall life is extinct But it may be said Object why man hath some reliques of knowledge Againe some of the Heathen have excelled in vertuous actions without grace Every knowledge is not the life of God strictly so called Answ but that knowledge which affecteth the heart to follow God to trust in Him love Him They that know thee will trust in thee otherwise the divels doe know God in their kinde 2 The knowledge of man is able to make him unexculable onely not able to make him alive according to GOD for these Heathens vertues they were but pictures without the soule and life of vertue in them splendida peccata good trees they were not and therefore their fruit could not be good all is not gold that glisters This then confuteth all doctrines of free-will Vse 1 or of any power in man which holpen a little can helpe it selfe Dead men have nothing in them to help themselves toward this world so it is with us toward the other Yea we see hence that it is not suggestions to the minde nor exhortations that will doe it we doe but tell a dead man a tale and all in vaine till God create a new light in the minde and take away the heart of stone and give us tender new hearts let us confesse our utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotencie and inability and give glory to God Hence must be enforced to the natural man what is his estate dead in his soule Vse 2 hee heareth not the thunder of GOD's Law nor His sweet promises he seeth no heavenly thing neither GOD nor any spirituall matter hee tasteth no relish in any meat of the soule he speaketh not a word powdred with grace hee stirreth not hand nor foot to that which is good Oh the world is full of these ghosts twice dead as Saint Iude speaketh yea the relikes of this spirituall death hangeth about us all Marke from this that we who are alive through grace Vse 3 must not associate our selves with those that are meere naturall men for we see that no living thing can abide that which is dead the beasts will start at a dead carrion our dearest friends we put from us when dead but alas the LORD's children now can goe hand in hand with such who have not a sparke of grace in them Oh this death is not terrible we are al so much in it that we see not the filthinesse of it As a blacke hue among the Black-moores is not reproachfull So dead ones with us whose graces are ready to dye agree well enough In sinnes Observe Doct. That sinne both originall and actuall is the death of the soule Mors animae peccatum Our sin in which we are borne and live is the death of our soules and the demerit of further death Death it is to death it goeth Now what is death is it not the absence of life the soule being gone with the entrance of corruption And what is sinne Is it not the absence of saving knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse with the corruption of the minde will affections so that the spirituall stinch of it streameth out at the eye lust at the eare itching after vanity at the mouth rottennes is the best I mean unfruitfull speech sometime bitternesse Looke as holinesse is the beginning of life everlasting which goeth on till it end in glory so is sin the death of the soule which doth if the grace of CHRIST heale it not never stay till it come to everlasting damnation As for sinfull actions they