the father to the world and that in loue There is nothing in this new band but mercie vpon mercie mercie in the beginning mercie in the progresse and mercie in the end Indeede it is not without iustice and wrath but thou art spared and the iustice and wrath it strikes on the Mediatour so that that is iustice and wrath in the Mediatour it is mercie and grace to thee Nay he hath not spared his owne sonne yet he hath spared the stinking sinner Wilt not thou be thankfull for this benefit Well if there be not a sense of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ looke not for heauen I warne thee that art a King an Earle a Lord a Baron a subiect man wife lasse and lad if ye haue not a sense of this mercie of God in Iesus Christ ye shall neuer see heauen Now to come to the last circumstance after what manner is this reconciliation made with sinfull man The manner is set downe in these words making peace by his bloud shed on the crosse The father reconciles vs to himselfe after this manner by making peace with vs in the bloud of Christ Brethren when two men are at variance the third man will step in and intreate the person that is at variance with the other to be friends with him and he will obtaine it especially if he be an intire man But O that sonne of God! that deere and that welbeloued when he comes in it is not faire words it is not supplications that will doe the turne but him it behooued to go to suffer death and that dead stroke of hell that should haue lighted on me and thee and should haue brused vs euerlastingly he casts in his head and that stroke lights on him It cannot be holdē off thee by no other buckler but by his head and bloud shedding without bloud no remission Heb. 9. nay nay either shall thy bloud passe for it or els the bloud of the Mediatour O it is a terrible thing to haue to doe with the wrath of an infinite God! there is nothing can satisfie him but the precious bloud of his own deere sonne and no other death can satisfie him but a cursed death the death of the crosse a painfull death to be nailed quicke to a crosse It was the figure of the death of hell He was pained vpon the crosse with the paines of hell If he could not escape such a death who was an innocent how wilt thou who art a sinner escape that terrible death O what death shall abide thee if thou be not in him These words then teach vs two things first the greatnes of the enmitie that could not be remoued but by the bloud and execrable death of the Mediatour For if this enmitie had bin but a sillie and small feude what needed all this that the sonne of God should dye such a death Wherefore should all this adoe haue been wherefore should he haue suffered such extremitie So if there were no more to tell thee the greatnes of sin the death and the bloud of Iesus Christ shed on the crosse tels thee O sinne is great and yet the world will not heare it but the soule stinking sinner will wallow in it more and more O sinner sinne is foule and fearefull An euill thought is a great and terrible mountaine The first world had experience of this greatnes of sinne being without Christ Our Gentles in Scotland with the rest felt it I tell thee before this bloud came and the full time came there was nothing to hold off the dint of the wrath and stroke of God that that world found before the comming of Christ What was it a small matter to be an enemie to God was it a light thing to sinne No no for all that time before Christs comming for the greatest part God was doing no other thing but striking and hashing on sinners slaying her and slaying him Sinne raigned all the time to death saith Paul Rom. 5. in the end all perished and went to hell for the most part except some very few And I tell you this world thinkes there is no hell and very few get this grace for so long as that olde Tabernacle stoode few got entrie to grace So they miserable soules that lie now in torment they testifie and crie the horriblenes of sinne and O the preciousnes of the bloud that hath freed now the soules of men from sinne Now when he came into the world I put it out of question The calling of the Gentiles increased the number whereas one was saued before hundreds were saued after For Christ saith for once the bloud was shed men and women thronged into heauen Matth. 11. So all tels thee the blessednes of thy estate that hath fallen in this time If thou hadst any sense if thou wert sent out naked to begge thy meate thou art happie considering this time wherein thou art borne O the happines of this time when the bloud of Christ runnes abroad as a riuer to saue sinners but wee are blinded and as I said before that number is drawne in and beginning to be abridged and the force of the bloud is drawne in and begun to bee lessened and the force of faith is nothing now in respect of the former time of the Primitiue Church and daies of the Apostles and therefore as it began with a handfull so it shall end with a very handfull and blessed is that man that can striue to throng into heauen through this bloud of Iesus Now the Lord worke this in our hearts that as wee seeke for the kingdome of heauen so we may throng in at it through this bloud of Iesus To whom be praise and honour Amen THE EIGHT LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians COLOS. Chap. 1. vers 21 22. 21 And you which were in times past strangers and enemies because your mindes were set in euill workes hath he now also reconciled 22 In that bodie of his flesh through death to make you holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight THese daies past beloued in Iesus Christ wee haue heard a high description of the Sonne of God the Lord Iesus in the which he is painted out in a marueilous glorie In the last part of this description ye heard it was said that by him as the Mediatour it pleased the Father to reconcile to himselfe all things both in heauen and earth making the peace by the bloud of his crosse In the which words the Apostle turnes ouer vpon the whole Church that hee hath spoken of the sonne of God For all his glorie tends to the weale of his Church all to the reconciling of the Church with God the head in him as the Mediatour Now brethren in this text that we haue read vers 21. he applies this blessing of reconciliation to the Church of the Colossians in speciall And you also saith he hath he reconciled In the which words as before he turneth ouer
labour to put the feare of God in their hearts Nay it is no marueile though ye haue theeues and whores in your houses and families when as ye put not in this ground of sincere seruice in their hearts the feare of God Now followes the fountaine of all seruice What euer you do doe it heartily As if hee would say begin not at the hand or foote to doe thy seruice but begin thou at thy heart let it be The fountaine of good seruice the ground of all thy seruice All good actions should begin at the heart Therefore if thou wert but casting out the ashes looke thou doe that turne with thy heart so that thy heart be as well occupied as thy hand otherwise it is but a counterfeit action and I will not put a difference betwixt thy action and the action of an oxe drawing in the plough Indeede thy master may be profited by thine action yet if thy heart be not with it thou hast lost thy trauell The Lord that sits vpon thy conscience shall turne thy action to thy damnation In the next place the Apostle sets downe how they shall come to this way of seruice It is no small matter to get thy heart to serue thy master for thou that gettest a freedome to serue thou hast gotten thine hire in thy hand It is a rare grace then to get thy heart to concurre with thy action The way is How to serue heartily Doe it heartily as to the Lord. As if hee would say when ye are doing and labouring think not with your selues I am seruing man or woman a creature though he were a King in my seruice but say I am seruing my Lord Iesus Christ Then ye seruants whatsoeuer thing ye doe though it were but sweeping the house say all this that I am doing how vile soeuer it be I am doing it to my Lord Iesus Christ Haue thy eye lifted vp when thy hand is downe I shall tell thee how thou shalt get it If thou haue a respect to his will howbeit immediatly it be not done to him yet if thou haue the knowledge that it is his will that thou shouldest doe so the Lord takes that seruice rather done to himselfe then to thy master Therefore the Apostle saies Seruing Christ and not men Well is that seruant that can say I doe this to obey thy blessed will and then the Lord will say I giue thee thy reward Then the lesson is who is he that doth heartie seruice None but the seruant of Iesus Christ If thou be not his seruant thou shalt neuer be a heartie seruant to man nor a true subiect to the King Looke then if your seruants can serue Christ and if they cannot it is an euill token they cannot serue thee for there is not a faithfull seruant but he that is the seruant of Christ and in his seruice hath euer his eye to the will of Christ And if thou haue such a seruant then thou shalt haue a blessing of that seruant though it were but a kitchin lasse O blessed is that house that hath a seruant that feares the Lord and loues the Lord Yea a greater blessing followes that seruant then followes the master oftentimes Now followe the arguments to moue them to this holie Argumēts to moue seruants seruice The first is from the reward that the faithfull seruant shall receiue Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the reward of the inheritance The argument is taken not from an hire they get presently but from a promise of an hire Now certainly thou art a wicked seruant that wilt not doe a turne till thou get thy hire in thy hand thou art a wicked seruant that wilt doe nothing till thou get heauen in thy hand I tell thee thou shalt neuer get heauen if thou cannot depend vpon a promise of heauen There is here then a promise of an hire and a reward From whom The Apostle saies not your earthly masters will pay you no but he saies your Lord of heauen shall reward you Why speakes he so because hee durst not promise of earthly men for all men are lyars they will oft times hold backe the hire of the seruant but he promiseth in the name of the Lord for he is faithfull And therefore seruants you should reioyce in this for howbeit thou want thy earthly hire yet be faithfull in thy seruice and thou shalt not want thy hire What a reward is this what should hee haue his hire in his hand and so fare yee well Indeede this is the fashion of the world but this reward the Apostle speakes of is a reward of an inheritance O thou that wilt haue an eye to the Lord of heauen hee will not reward thee like a seruant thou shalt be a sonne and therefore an inheritour Rom. 8. 17. And Go ye saies Christ inherit that kingdom prepared for you frō the foundation of the world Matth. 25. 34. Yea shall the kitchin lasse be made a Queene and a sillie simple boy a King Yes the Lord will doe that and will giue them a kingdome in heauen So first reioyce for the certaintie of your reward next for the greatnes of it It is not an hire and a bountie that is smal in value Alas it may be thou thinkest little of it because thou hast it not in thy hand but blessed art thou if thou caust waite vpon the promise and beleeue it Now to proue that they shall get this reward first he takes an argument from their owne knowledge Knowing Know ye not I appeale to your owne conscience if there be not a reward laid vp for thee if thou serue faithfully tels not thy conscience thee this I will serue for I looke for a kingdome It is not this small hire No that Lord whom I haue serued from morning to night hee will giue me a kingdome Brethren it is a thing impossible that faith can beguile a man hope then I promise thee thy hope shall not beguile thee yea hope for things thou hast not seene and thou shalt get them It is impossible Note well that thy faith and hope can be disappointed And lay this ground thou hast to doe with a faithfull Lord that can not beguile thee So close thy eyes vpon all other things and rest in hope on Christ and thou shalt see a ioyfull end Blessed is that soule that resteth in hope for it shall receiue glorie The second argument is from the seruice done to Christ Ye serue the Lord. Fie on thee that wilt begin to serue another master and neglect thy dutie to him So the argument is because thou seruest the Lord Iesus Christ therefore thou must haue a reward of him hee will giue thee an heritage because his hand is the hand of an infinit God What are the heritages on the earth he thinkes it ouer little to giue them to thee therefore hee will giue thee the kingdome of heauen Then marke neuer man serued Christ
of heauenly inheritance of the Saints thou must come creeping to that communion of Saints be ioyned with them here if thou mind to haue any part with them in heauen separate thy selfe from that societie of the Church of God thou shalt be debard from heauen thou shalt neuer get a sight of it Looke the epistle to the Ephesians where he sheweth wherein the riches of the glorie of this inheritance is Where is it he saith it is among the Saints Ephes 1. 18. So then associate thy selfe to the society of the Saints in earth Men may passe their time and what reckon they of a Church It smelles in their nose what should they speake of it it is a stinking word mockage and scorne to them but I say glad shalt thou be to be of that number or else I shall debarre thee from all societie of the Saints in heauen Thou shalt be excommunicated out of heauen if thou excommunicate thy selfe here from the Saints Now where lies it you take heed where your heritage lyes and you will looke to your charters and euidences diligently for that cause you will looke the scituation of it Hee saith that this heritage of the saints is in the light there is the place a lightsome and a ioyful pleasant place The line of pleasant places saith Dauid Psalm 16. 6. is fallen to me It lyeth then in the light it is in heauen as Peter saith in his first Epistle 1. 4. It is kept and laid vp where God dwelleth it may well content thee to dwell where God himselfe dwelles Yet where is it Thy life is hid with God saith he O then thy heritage is in God! what can bee said more A faire heritage lying in so faire a light euen in heauen with God and in God I see then all our life and ioy either in this life or in the life to come is in that light of knowledge in that spirituall knowledge so that a man that hath his minde inlightened to see as the Apostle saith to the Ephesians the hope of his calling the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of the Saints the man that hath this light he liues and enioyes a great inheritance howbeit he hath neuer an ynch in this earth and his ioy is a true ioy And againe a man that is in darknesse not seeing the face of God in no measure knowing nothing that man liuing hee is dead if hee were an Emperor a King and a Lord. This countrie is full of dead stinking carrions because they want this light and they would pull out their eyes that they should not see this light But woe to them in the end when this darknesse shall bring an vtter darknesse when thou shalt be a dead stinking dog in hell Get thou this light if euer thou wouldest see heauen and haue a part of it which is not in darkenesse but in the light of God To whom we giue all honour praise and dominion for euer Amen THE FOVRTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 1. vers 13 14 15. 13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne 14 In whom we haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenes of sinnes 15 Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature THe last day welbeloued brethren the preface of this epistle being ended we entred into the doctrine The Apostle in his doctrine begins at the first grace that a man or woman getteth in this world in Iesus Christ The first grace or blessing of God in time after they are borne into the world for our grace mercie begins before all time ere we be borne our election began before the foundation of the world was laid but the Apostle begins at y e first grace in time the first grace in Iesus Christ for all is in him nothing without him is this christian calling from darkenesse to light frō that foule puddle of sinne wherein we lye by birth and nature nay if thou wert borne a king thou liest in the foule puddle of sinne we are taken out of hell for our birth is in hell and to hell we goe if we haue no more but nature Thou art taken out of hell and put into heauē there is the first grace in time Now to come to the text ye heard y e father he getteth the first glorie of our calling Thanking saith he the father He is the fountaine Then we heard wherein the calling consisteth not in a bare naming as one man would call another but the Lord in calling vs maketh vs meete of vnsufficient for heauen he makes vs sufficient of vnable he makes vs able of dead men he maketh vs liuely that is the effectualnes of our calling Then we heard whereunto we are called Our calling is not in vaine we are called to a lot a fairer heritage then all the kingdomes of the world nay y e poorest soule is called to be an heire of heauē Such as are called are called to the kingdome of heauen all other heritages are but dirt and draffe And who oweth this kingdom It is the kingdom of y e Saints It is distributed among the Saints and if thou be not a holy one and in their societie thou shalt neuer see that heritage laugh at them so much as euer thou wilt Where lieth this heritage To wit in the light of God thou neuer sawest such a light It lieth in God for God is thy light and thy life and if thou be an heire of this kingdome thy life is hid with God in Christ To goe forward yet the Apostle insisteth in this first blessing of our effectuall calling and maketh it more plaine in this verse His words are who hath raught vs out that is the force of the word From whence From the power of darknes What more And he translated vs. Whereto To the kingdome What kingdome Of his sonne the sonne of his loue his deere sonne the Lord Iesus Now brethren it is cleere but I shall briefly insist on the words to let you see the force and power of euery word for they are of weight For the words that speake of heauenly things are not the words of men Then the word he hath puld vs out with a force or strength with a constraining I hold it not a simple deliuerie Then look to thy calling It begins at haling of thee Thou art so fast holdē bound whē thou art called that if thou beest not pulled out with a strong hand thou wilt neuer come out and that Christ himselfe saith No man commeth to me no not one except the father draw him Ioh. 6. 44. Thou wilt neuer see heauen if thou be not drawne So our calling must begin at our drawing all the powers in the earth will not draw thee to heauē if the hand of the Lord draw thee not To goe forward He hath drawne vs out
father and the father in me nay no sonne in the earth how verely so euer he represent his father may say so as Christ saith so the likeliest the quickest and the best representing of the image of God is the sonne of God There is no comparison and therefore in Iohn 14. 9. to Philip he saith In that thou hast seene me thou hast seene the father also Why because I am the brightnes of his glorie so that if thou seest me thou seest the father and without the sight of the father there is no life And thou must begin that sight of him here or else thou shalt neuer see him And if the sonne were not so liuely an image of God it were impossible to be content with the sight of the sonne but because he represents the whole maiestie of his father therefore the sight of the person of the sonne contents vs and we reioyce in him O if we had that sight of him as we should haue it then should we reioyce vnspeakably so to end the words imports this when he saith that he is the image of the inuisible God that he is visible Then I aske the question how is the sonne of God visible marke briefly in his manhood that is in our flesh he is visible because Iesus Christ in the flesh is as well seene with the bodily eye as a man and when we shall see him in heauen we shall see him in the very body so there is no question of his humane nature But how is that Godhead seene in the sonne that is a greater question I will assure thee it must be seene or else no life for thee But how is it seene first I answere with the eye of the mind A man hath a bodilie eye in his head and againe he hath another eye in his soule which when once it is illuminated by the spirit of Christ then that eye shall see better than a thousand bodily eyes it will pearce vp through the very heauens and neuer rest till it come to the sight and presence of God Indeede if it be not illuminated it will see nothing but being illuminated it will pearce through the very heauens and enter into the light of God see him So the sonne of God is seene in his Godhead by the eye of the minde and held fast by the heart and felt of the heart What meanes this sweete apprehension that a man will haue of the mercie of God of the wisedome and iustice of God what meanes it Nothing but a sense of the Lord Iesus Christ all is in the feeling of Iesus Christ who dwels in the heart by faith as the Apostle to the Ephesians 3. 7. saith so there is the first way how he is seene But yet would not the eye of the bodie see him Certainly I would see him with this same bodily eye And there is no faithfull man but their yearning is to see him with their bodily eye Now how shall I get a sight of him with a bodily eye I shall tell thee how thou shalt get a sight of him with the bodily eye Indeede thou wilt not get it immediatly but thou must looke in through the vaile There must be a vaile hung downe ouer betwixt thee and that glorious maiestie now through that vaile that glorie of God shines in that flesh of Iesus so the beames strikes so farre that they pearce within thee because thou wilt see the glorie of God through this vaile and thou wilt not onely see the person of the sonne in the vaile but through him thou wilt see the glorious father So in a word when thou commest to heauen thou wilt now goe here and there on the earth to see glorie and wilt gaze on heauen I say vnto thee all the glorie of heauen will be closed in Iesus Christ if thou turne thy eye from him no sight of glorie so all thy pleasure then will be to hold thy eye vpon that glorious son of God and that wil be our heauen and our ioy through the sonne to see the father and to see the glorie of the Lord Iesus clad with our nature sitting at the right hand of his father To whom with the holie spirit be all praise honour and thankes for euen Amen THE FIFT LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians COLOS. Chap. 1. vers 15 16 17. 15 Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euerie creature 16 For by him were all things created which are in heauen and which are in earth things visible and inuisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him 17 And he is before all things and in him all things consist WE shewed you the last day welbeloued in the Lord Iesus the Apostle when he ended his preface he entred into the doctrine and in it he beganne at the first grace and blessing that wee get in Iesus Christ in time which is our effectuall calling and deliuerance from vnder the power of darknes wherein we are conceiued and borne Euery man and woman is borne naturally a slaue to the diuel hell and darknes The best of vs all a slaue to hell the diuell and darknes so by this benefit of our calling wee are taken out from vnder this slauerie and translated to another kingdome not of slauerie but of libertie and light to the kingdom of his deere sonne the Lord Iesus Christ that is the first grace and benefit which the Apostle handleth Then from this hee comes to another benefit and he calleth it redemption or otherwise remission of sinnes Being now by your effectuall calling translated to the kingdome of Christ Iesus and being ingrafted into him the next benefit and grace we get is absolution we get a free remillion of all our sinnes and consequently we are freed from death and damnation that followes vpon sin This absolution and setting of vs at libertie from sinne and death is not without a price The iustice of God the wrath of God against sinne cannot suffer a sinner to be absolued without a ransome and price so our remission and absolution must be by a price and paying of a ransome But let vs see who paies it Indeede if wee our selues were bound to pay the ransome neuer any of vs could be safe no all the bloud of men and Angels and it were all shed to be a price for sinne would not redeeme a sinner Then who paies the ransome It is said we haue redemption not through our bloud but through his bloud It is then the bloud of Christ that is the ransome for our sinnes the Lord Iesus hath bought vs deere There was neuer from the beginning of the world nor shall not be vnto the end of the world such a deere price giuen as is the price of our ransome which the Lord Iesus hath giuen for vs. So that which he hath deerely bought to vs is nothing but a free
And againe you see no man needes to enuie the glorie that Christ hath in him for he communicates that glorie to vs you see we enuie the glorie of earthly Princes This wee haue by nature we would haue it all our selues and the seed of ambition is in the beastliest bodie that is vpon earth which Ambition raiseth all these seditions tumults warres and vprores that is now adaies and hath been from the beginning Such is the enuie that euery man hath against another mans preferment his honour and estimation that hee cannot away with it except he haue all in himselfe And therefore hee leaues nothing vndone if it were to cut his throte so be it he may get his glory and renowne But thou that beleeuest needs not in such wise to enuie the glorie of Iesus Christ A King will not communicate his glorie with thee no not a iot of it but Iesus Christ communicates all his glorie with thee and therefore thou shouldest loue him the more yea and the faithfull man the more he sees God glorified the more is his ioy but a reprobate wil enuie the glorie of God Nay there was neuer such a subiect that enuied the glorie and honour of a Prince or of his master as a reprobate will enuie the glorie of Iesus Hee would if he might plucke him from his glorie such is the malice of his heart against Iesus Christ Yea the reprobate would The reprobate if it were possible bereaue the Saints of their glorie and whē this glorie of the Saints shall be reuealed the reprobate shall fret and fume they desire not to heare tell of the glorie of Christ and of his Saints And when they heare of it for they shall heare of it in despite of their teeth they heare it with the sadnes of their heart it is no comfort nor consolation to them to heare of it And by the contrary the faithfull one reioyceth when he heares of it it makes his hart to leape for ioy as Iohns did in his mothers belly when Mary the mother of Christ A sure token of election spake to Elizabeth Luk. 1. 41. Therefore if thou canst reioyce when thou hearest of Gods glorie in Iesus Christ it is a good and sure token of thy election And againe seeing that in Iesus there is this fulnes thou needes neuer to be emptie or feare to want Thou that findest any wastnes or emptines put out thy hand to the ambrie of the Gospel wherein this fulnes of grace The Gospel is the meane whereby Christ communicates his fulnes vnto vs. and glorie is to be had A contemner of the Gospell if he were a King he shall not taste of this fulnes and of this glorie of Iesus for there is no way to be partaker of this fulnes but by the Gospell It is the ambrie wherein it is contained And if thou misse it thou shalt neuer get a cheekefull or morfell of any fulnes in thy soule When hee hath said And in him ye are filled he subioynes a glorious description of him who is the head of all principalitie and power He cannot leaue of to speake of that glorious maiestie he said before In him are hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and againe in him dwelleth the Godhead bodily and so foorth as you haue heard now againe when he hath cast in a word of him he leaues him not so but hee will yet paint him out in his glorie Then learne to speake fully of Christ Alas this hungry speaking of Christ testifies the emptines and voidnes To speake fully of Christ of God in our hearts It is a true saying Of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If thy heart were full of him as I haue said thy mouth would be full and thou wouldest speak fully of him but thy heart being so emptie what marueile is it to heare thee speake coldly of this Lord full of glorie Well there is no question but by this description wherein he makes him Lord ouer all both in heauen and earth hee meanes this that he is not onely Lord aboue them all but that also they are cast downe vnder his feete hee is mounted aboue them all Now there be two things that will make vs chiefly to account of this gloriousnes that is in Christ Iesus The one Two things do cause vs to thinke highly of Christ thing is his highnes a maiestie about all maiesties There is not a maiestie but that maiestie The other thing is thy lowlines and thy basenes thou art but a worme on earth hee is aboue all heauens Is not this a great goodnes that he that is so high should so lowly humble himselfe so that he should abase himselfe as it were to become a worme Men would wonder that euer the God of glorie should so haue humbled himself yea the Angels wonder at this that euer sinfull man should haue gotten a share or portion of that grace of God So this is my counsell if thou feele a smacke of grace of consolation or A speciall consolatiō of faith if it were but as a mustard seede count more of it then of all the kingdomes of the earth For it will weigh downe all keepe it well in thy heart and lose thy life and all before thou wilt lose it I counsell thee to looke vp to heauen first and say yet this Lord will giue me more of his grace and glorie when I shall see him with this eye of the bodie then the Lord will fill me with glorie and I will hope and be content to lose all before I should lose this Keepe this earnest peny for it is the ioy of the creature to keepe this earnest peny for one day thou shalt get the full summe and fulnes of ioy If thou keepe it not and haue no regard of it and hold not vp thy eye by night and by day by looking to Iesus in this Gospell thou shalt neuer get the full summe and entire payment The sucking of the hearts of the faithfull and the drinking in this milke of the word is the way to get Iesus to The way to get Iesus into the heart thy heart and to keepe him night and day yea it is the way appointed from all eternitie Abraham sought for him and got faith in him by the word of promise which is the Gospell Therefore it is said that he sawe him and reioyced Ioh. 8. 56. Nay Abraham neuer suffered himselfe to be seuered from that grace that was in him So the Gospel is the way to bring Christ out of heauen to thee and to fill the elect with all ioy and glorie To him therefore be euerlasting glorie praise and dominion for euer Amen THE SIXTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 11. 12. 11 In whom also yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh through the circumcision
thought it a thing indifferent that might be done without any fault they were come to that reprobate sense that nature condemneth Therefore the Apostle to let them see that this was a sinne and one of the first when he reckoneth the sinnes of the Gentiles he nameth fornication first to be the ring-leader to the rest and the more they extenuate it the more the spirit aggrauateth it The more thou shalt extenuate any sinne the more the spirit of God shall aggrauate it to thy conscience Wilt thou say murther which now is so rife is no sinne The Lord will say to thee it is a sinne and a huge great sinne if thou do not amend it thou shalt neuer inherit the kingdome of heauen Therefore wee learne that these sinnes the world accounteth least of the Lord accounteth most of and thou shouldest account most of them and in condemning of them thou shouldest insist This harlotry is euer conioyned with prophanenes Thou that takest pleasure to defile thine owne bodie thou growest a prophane bodie and so thou art ready to be drawne to al mischiefe for thou art left of God Heb. chap. 12. vers 16. Let no man be a harlot or a prophane person as Esau was meaning hereby that a harlot is a prophane dogge readie to be polluted with all vice But to come to the next vice It followeth Vncleannes Harlotrie is one sort of vncleannes But now hee subioyneth all manner of vncleannes And from the lesse member which is harlotrie he goeth to the greater This teacheth vs that we are full of filthines For if this vncleannes in all manner of waies were not in vs the Apostle would not bid vs mortifie the generall vice that is in vs and so though thou were come of a King thy nature is full of filth and vncleannes No the sow was neuer Greater filthines cōmitted by man then by a beast so vncleane as thou art by nature A sow hath not the filth of sinne but thou hast There was neuer beast that will fall into such filthines as man will doe wilt thou reade histories yea the Scriptures thou shalt finde greater filthines committed by man then by any beast This thing and that will make thee loathe but if thou hadst an eye to see thy sin thou wouldest loathe it more then all the filthines in the world The second thing that we learne here is this It is not enough to mortifie one sort of vncleannes In case thou be a drunkard it is not enough to mortifie that sinne in case thou be an harlot it is not enough for thee to mortifie this howbeit it be well done to do it but thou must passe from one sinne to another and neuer leaue it aliue in thee but mortifie them all slay all cut all away for I assure thee one vncleanenes will cause thee die it will cause thee goe to hell The Germanes thinke that drunkennes is no sinne but I say it is and it is enough to cause thee die as a sicknes will cause thee die if thou mend it not so one sinne will cause thee die if thou repent not Now to go to the next member He calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnruly Vnruly affection affection what euer it be Here it is taken for a raging lust that setteth a man on fire 1. Cor. chap. 7. vers 9. So yet I send you to nature looke what stuffe it is made of There is a fire in nature of foule lust that will burne thee to death and in the end put thee in hell if it be not mortified May ye not see this by experience when ye see that which is fit for y e a bating and quenching of lust cannot quench it but he will runne and mingle himselfe with harlots these harlots testifie of this fire Looke to the adulterer there is a fire Yet more then that when this fire hath burnt vp all the moysture of the bodie and wasted all yet it burneth in the heart Ye shall see this in filthie aged men when the bodie is decrepit yet the fire of this lust will be burning still in the heart and it looseth the tongue to filthines fie on thee it becommeth not an old man to speak foule filthie talke This is one thing I marke another thing by subioyning firie lust to vncleannes It teacheth vs that among all vices we should take heed of it This burning lost is not the least we should put out that fire first for I tell thee if thou let it burne all the things in the world will not quench it Thou must get the water of the spirit of Christ to quench it Therfore crie for that water or els thou and it both will burne in hell for euer When he hath spoken of this he goeth to euill concupiscence It is not one filthie affection but all filthie affections and euery kinde of them which are many in number Euill concupiscence that he will haue mortified Thinkest thou there be no more but vncleannes and burning lust in thee Yea although they were taken away yet thou art full of other affections This letteth thee see yet how foule thy nature is The Papist saith we aggrauate the filth of nature ouer much Ah filthie creature thou hast not felt the stinke of nature and therefore thou art Stinke of nature the worst teacher of nature I say to thee the filth of nature cannot be spoken of sufficiently enough yea an Angell can not paint out sufficiently the mysterie of sinne and the filthines of thy nature And therefore the Apostle teacheth vs to enlarge our mortification when thou hast mortified one sin two sins three sinnes yea many sins think alwaies there are more behinde when thou hast mortified all these former sins yet auarice is behinde suppose thou shouldest quit thy selfe of them all yet if thou be auaritious it shall cause thee die thou shalt not inherit heauen Then as there is no end of sinne so let there be no end of mortification of sinne There are more members of sinne within thee then there are members of thy bodie and therefore be slaying one And here I end crauing of him who is able to slay this filthines of nature to graunt his holy spirit and faith in Iesus Christ to that effect To whom with the Father be all honour and thanks for euer Amen THE XXV LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians beginning at the end of the fift verse COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 5. 6. 7. 5 And couetousnes which is Idolatrie 6 For the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience 7 Wherein ye also walked once when ye liued in them YE haue heard brethren the first exhortation the Apostle maketh to the Colossians in this chapter was that they should seeke the things aboue The second exhortation was that they should be wise in them And wee haue entred into the third exhortation the last day which is that
ceaseth not to doe good to the liuing and to the dead but euen to all the Saints and Seruants of God in this world you manifesting it to these especiallie by sending abroad other fruitfull labours of his for the blessed building of them vp in sound knowledge stedfast faith and all vnfeined obedience of truth Assure your selfe good Sir that this labour of loue in you towards them shall not be left vnrequited neither of God himselfe nor of his deare people for besides that God who leaueth not a cuppe of colde water vnrecompensed giuen in his name to one of the little ones that beleeue in him will render it seuen folde into your bosome euen in this life as hee shall see good but speciallie in the resurrection of the righteous his Saints vpon earth will more and more pursue you with all holy loue and as a sure pledge thereof vouchsafe you their dailie prayers and performe all other fauours and furtherances that they can Nay I will say more the Saints in Heauen and particularlie our ROLLOK shall abound not onely in right and sound but in perfect affection to you and good reason because if when the Saints that dwell here amongst vs doe vnfeinedlie loue one another they cannot but in Heauen perfectlie loue all that are there and their fellow-seruants on earth as well because Heauen freeth vs from all corruption bodilie and spirituall as also because it is the place to and in which God hath appointed fulnes of all ioy and perfection of all graces But whither am I caried It is time to end speciallie sith I doubt not but the wisdome of the Word will teach you and the power of the blessed spirit will inable you to performe these and all other good things to the glorie of God the good of his people and the comfort of your owne conscience thorough Christ In whom I rest assuredlie yours now and for euer Iames Hamelton The Epistle to the Christian Readers THe Citie Colosse was a very auncient populous rich a Zenophon lib. 1. de expeditione Cyriminoris ad Colossas venit celebrem vrbē magnam opulentam Plin. lib. 5. c. 32 and flourishing Citie but much b Herodotus lib. 7. qui inscribitur Polymnia Xerxes praetergressus vrbem Anaua inuenit Colossas Phrigiae oppidum So Strabo li 12 decayed as some report long before the birth of Christ. And since this Church of Christ was founded among the Colossians these three Cities mentioned in this Epistle Laodicea Hierapolis and Colosse were much shaken if not vtterly ruinate with an Earthquake which happened in c Paulus Orosius lib. 4. c. 10. Ioh. Cal. ep ad Coloss Neros time a fearefull spectacle and iudgement sent of God for the d Exod. 5. 3. 1. Cor. 11. 30. Num. 14. 11. contempt of the Gospell as we may see the Citie of Corinth for the same cause euen then smitten with the Pestilence for the instruction no doubt of all succeeding ages to the worldes ende As touching the writing of this Epistle albeit this blessed Apostle had trauailed twise or e Acts. 15. 32. 16. 18. 23. thrise thorough Phrigia where these three Cities were yet came he not to Colosse for that Epaphras Onesimus Tychicus with others had first planted the Church of Christ in those parts The reason is rendred by himselfe when he saith I f Rom. 15. 20. 1. Cor. 3. 9. enforced my selfe to preach the Gospell not where Christ was least I should haue built on another mans foundation Being therefore afterwards occasioned as is most like by Epaphras and Tychicus with other seruants of Christ he wrote this worthy Epistle being prisoner in Rome to the Colossians for their further instruction and confirmation in the faith of Christ. The argument is this in effect Because the turbulent and superstitious Iewes disquieted the peace of the Colossians intending as else where often to make a mixture of the Lawe and the Gospell therefore the Apostle giues The argument of the Epistle to the Colossians in this Epistle a short abridgement of all the heauenly doctrine of our saluation describing vnto vs in a most liuely manner what Christ is in his natures and offices working most powerfully in all his liuing members vnited vnto him and not to be as the world imagineth a dead deformed idle painted Popish Christ. So that this Epistle will teach Christians soundly and truly to discerne betweene the shadow and substance of true Religion betweene the true Christ and fained and consequently betweene the true and false professors of the Gospell There are seuen parts of this Epistle I finde them so Seuen parts of the Epistle to the Colossians set downe in Maister Rollocks latine Commentarie very briefely and truly obserued as followeth The first part is the Salutation chapter 1. verse 1 2. The second is the Preface wherein he reioyceth for their faith in Christ and loue to the Saints from the 3. verse to the 12. The third part containes his doctrine of Christs benefits to the Saints namely their calling and redemption where the Apostle proceedeth vnto an high description of the Sonne of God into whose kingdome they were called and translated by the Gospell applying all things to the Colossians from the 12. verse of the first chapter to the 23. of the same In the fourth part he exhorteth to perseuerance in the faith and admonisheth that they take heede of false teachers from the 23. verse of the first chapter to the end of the second chapter In this part he intermingleth admonition with exhortation for verse 23. of the first chapter he exhorteth to perseuerance in the faith verse 4. of the second chapter he admonisheth them to take heede of false teachers and in the sixt verse of the same chapter he returnes againe to his exhortation but verse 8. he fals againe to his admonition and doth insist therein to the end of that chapter The fift part begins at the third chapter verse 1. and continueth to the seuenth verse of the fourth chapter This part containeth exhortations to holinesse of life And here yee haue againe admonitions partly generall concerning all Christians from the first verse of the third chapter to the 18. of the same partly speciall which concerne certaine particular states of men as of Husbands and Wiues Children and Parents Seruants and Maisters from the 18. verse of the third chapter to the second verse of the fourth chapter where he returnes againe to generall exhortations which be continued to the seuenth verse of the fourth chapter The sixt part is from the seuenth verse of the fourth chapter to the tenth of the same wherein he signifieth to the Colossians that as touching his priuat affaires he had committed them to Tychicus and Onesimus who should report of all things vnto them as they desired The seuenth and last part is the conclusion of the Epistie containing Salutations mixt with some Apostolicall iniunctions and this is from the
for nought It is impossible that he who serues Christ can want a reward thou who caust serue Christ with many crosses it is the very way to bring thee to a kingdome So blessed is that feruant that serues Christ Iesus if thou get not this benefit to be a seruant in his house though it were to be but a porter for the vilest seruant that serues Christ shall get a hire euen a kingdome woe shall be to thee Therefore seeing now is the time to serue him shew your selues faithfull seruants to Iesus for when all vantage failes thee the Lord Iesus will be thine aduantage and therefore serue the Lord and thou shalt not want a reward And thou must not thinke that this rewarde comes vnto thee through merit it comes of grace for when thou hast done all that is commaunded thee say I am an vnprofitable seruant Luk. 17. 10. And so fie on the Papists that thinke their seruice shall merit such an hire as is the inheritance of heauen This reward comes of grace onely and of his faithfulnes that hath promised otherwise hell would be thy reward Therfore thou who lookes for a reward of thy seruice thinke thou art seruing Christ thinke againe thou shalt get a reward but beware of presumption to thinke this turne shall merit heauen No but the thing I doe shall not be the cause of my saluation no I am but an vnprofitable seruant and in the meane time looke for a reward of mercie and grace because he is a faithful Lord that hath promised thee a reward and in the end thou shalt get a kingdome purchased by the bloud of the Lord Iesus Now I come to the second argument to moue seruants to The second argument doe their dutie contained in the last verses of this chapter These seruants in old time were in hard condition for they were slaues liuing to the appetites of men bought sold beaten and slame at their pleasure for looke what power men had ouer beasts the like had they ouer their seruants Therefore these seruants might haue said there is a faire reward abiding vs but yet our present estate is intolerable wee are intreated as beasts and we sustaine great iniurie he meetes with this and in a word promiseth a iust amends and reuenge of the wrong done to them Let no man abuse his power ouer poore ones what euer wrong is done to them it shall be repayed So the lesson pertaining to the inferiour and opprest by the mightie ones in this world Masters and Lords especially is this Art thou a seruant doest thou well seruest thou the Lord Iesus Christ in thy seruice is thine eye set to please him thou shalt receiue the reward of thy weldoing that of an inheritance in heauen In well doing sufferest thou gettest thou wrong art thou opprest roughly handled with crueltie and seueritie The Apostle answers thou shalt haue an assisement beside the reward What wouldest thou haue The Lord shall oppresse them that oppresse thee This generally appertaines to all estates Doest thou well Thy reward shall be an eternal heritage In well doing sufferest thou wrong The Lord promiseth thee an assisement and an acquittance of them that doe thee wrong Brethren it is marueilous to see the care and regard the Lord hath to his owne if they were neuer so poore wormes that the great folke will not vouchsafe themselues once to looke to it would seeme enough that a poore seruant should get such an heritage howbeit his iniuries hee suffered were neuer reuenged Who would thinke otherwise O but the Apostle answers not after this manner It may suffice that you shall get a faire reward for the seruice ye doe as for the rest what matters it No but hee saith in effect as for the wrong done to you it shal be auenged So the Lord is not content to giue them a reward but for the wrong they suffer the Lord will be auenged on them that wrongs them if they were the greatest Monarchs in the world Howbeit thou wouldest forgiue them as Steuen did Act. 7. and say Lord lay not this to their charge yet the Lords iustice will not suffer thee vnreuenged the Lord shal take them that oppresse thee and throw them into hell if they continue impenitent yea it comes to passe oft times that oppressors of the poore and Church before they goe out of the world that the Lord in the sight of the poore and oppressed takes them and rents and riues them in such sort as they are compelled to pitie them O then how terrible is the iudgement that abides oppressors and abusers of their seruants whatsoeuer Well then there are two things well doing and suffering of wrong well doing shall receiue an inheritance suffering shall receiue a reuenge vengeance shall come vpon the oppressour So let none be wearie in well doing in this world nor be impatient in suffering for it is all but for a moment we doe and suffer in respect of that eternitie The second thing to bee marked is this Who is this that shall reuenge the cause of the poore seruants Hee saies not your masters haue masters aboue them as no doubt they had for all superiours haue Magistrates aboue them to take order with them if they doe wrong alas if hee had answered so it had been little comfort to them as they found by experience for they accepted of the persons of men they accounted of the master not of the seruant they permitted thē by their lawes to abuse their seruants The Apostle knew how slacke the Iustices are to reuenge the cause of seruants and therefore he promiseth no amends at their hands but at the hands of the Lord. So now speaking of reuenge he promiseth it not to come of the Magistrate but from the Lord for hee knew the Lord would not beguile him Ye may then see he hath trusted much to God and depending on him he promiseth much in his name What wouldest thou haue a reward a reuenge the Apostle promiseth both to thee but at the Lords hand The lesson then is the man that knowes God well and is well acquainted with his mercie with his iustice with his power and his wisedom it is wonderful what he will promise in his name flesh and bloud scarsely will beleeue it Note Againe a poore bodie and one opprest one that knowes not this when he heares of this it is wonderfull how he will swallow vp these promises nay thou neuer didst eate meate with such pleasure as this poore one will swallow them vp And I say a Pastor should not promise ought of God except he knew him thou that art an hearer if thou know him in his power iustice and the rest in despite of all the world thy heart will rest on him Therefore know him in Iesus Christ and pray night and day O Lord I lie in darknes let me see thee in Iesus Christ and the glorie that is in thee
Lord allowes it him and thou who pinchest the belly of him the Lord shall pinch thee in things heauenly the Lord will haue an eye to him beware therefore how thou dealest with them in this life Then he saith Giue them What That that is iust that is that that thou hast conditioned with them Hast thou conditioned for such a hire keepe thy condition yea there is more giue them but giue them that that is equall what is that Haue they serued thee according to the rule that I prescribed haue they serued thee in all things then be not so streight with them but giue aboue thy condition made to them be more liberall and stand not with them in their hire The Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 18. sets downe two properties of a master Iust and liberall Compare this with that that went before when he spake of the reward of the Lord. There there was not such a modification but a kingdome was promised but turning to the dutie of masters he modifies a stipend hee bids not giue all his inheritance but giue him that that is iust and equall that is a part of it according to their labour and condition and that liberally without niggardlines This imports something This lets thee see a great difference betwixt God and man in rewarding The thing that man will giue thee is but a hire a thing measured but the thing the Lord giues is not modefied nor measured to thee it is an inheritance and all that is gotten here is but an earnest peny of thy reward Of this followeth another difference The thing thou gettest of thy master it is a debt to thee thou merits it at his hand but when thou commest to God there is no debt there and thy doing is no merit but a thing giuen of beneuolence It hath pleased God to giue thee a reward and so to giue it by no debt goe thy way with thy merits for if thou sticke to them thou shalt get no merit but hell Gods giuing to thee of any thing is of fauour Now to end briefly To moue the masters to their dutie he addes to an argument Knowing that yee also haue a Lord in the heauens What followes on this There is something suppressed to wit a Lord in the heauens who if you giue that that is iust and equall shall giue you that that is iust and equall hee will doe iustice both to you and them he will make all oddes euen there is no respect of persons with him This is the office of the Lord to make all oddes euen neuer soule shall receiue wrong at his hands but when thou gets punishment thou gets thy due punishment pertaines to thee c. The thing that I marke is this It is the Lord that makes masters and that makes this inequalitie that giues this preferment that raiseth vp and casteth downe When Adam was created was there any preferment No as the Lord doth this so the eye of that great Lord is neuer off him whom he hath preferred Hath he made thee a Lord or hath he raised thee to any preferment his eye is vpon thee and as his eye is vpon thee so he stands aboue thee with mercie in the one hand and iudgement and vengeance in the other And the greater thou be the greater mercie and iudgement is aboue thee No thy hand is not so readie to take vengeance of thy seruant as his hand is readie to reuenge the wrong And thy vengeance and his differs in this thine is wrong but his is neuer wrong but al is right he doth But yet brethren to weigh the words Knowing saith he there is the first word The light of knowledge is the ground of dutie Light of knowledge ground of dutie What can a blind bodie doe that sees nothing if he were a King a Iudge and a Master The light then of knowledge is the ground of dutie as ignorance is the ground of all euill doing Knowing What That ye also haue Then the masters that did not their dutie they misunderstood the thing they had and men know not that they haue if it were but this wee haue a God yet they know him not The next word is Ye haue a Lord. It is the ignorance of the Lord that makes men misknow their dutie their eye is euer beneath the eye of the King is vpon the subiect but it is a rare grace to get an eye to looke to the Lord that is aboue him and therefore he thinkes hee hath no more adoe but with the poore subiects and so hee cannot doe his dutie aright Where is this Lord In the heauen Thou art in the earth though thou wert a King but thy Lord is aboue thee thou art farre beneath him and therefore the iudgement and stroke that must fall from him must be sad and heauie because it is farre fetcht The furthest stroke thou canst bring will be from thy Crowne but what is that to the stroke of God fetched from the high heauens yea from aboue Gods stroke all heauens that must be a very sore stroke beware of it for if it light on thee thou shalt neuer rise againe The last word also makes a comparison betwixt the Lord and the seruants you haue a Lord as they haue as they are seruants so are ye likewise seruants yea to a greater Lord. Yea the more high the Lord is aboue you in comparison ye are the lower seruants then the sweeper of your house is Note if ye were a King the very dust is greater in comparison then thou art Thou canst not make a pickle of dust Would to God Kings and Lords knew this Abraham knew it when he said What am I but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Now then to make the masters to doe their dutie he brings them downe vnder the feete of the Lord of heauen hee brings thee out of thy chaire hee hurles the King out of his throne It teacheth vs that there will be no dutie gotten of superiours except thou bee first humbled vnder thy God If thou be not humbled vnder God thou wilt not nor canst not doe thy dutie Lastly I see a different dealing in the Apostle when he deales with seruants he Note well doth it comfortably but comming to Lords and Masters he drawes vp their head to see that there is a Iudge sitting aboue them this is another manner of dealing So marke his discretion hauing to doe with sundrie estates and persons he vseth sundrie arguments Our folke may not abide this forme of dealing who bad him say they threaten Lords and Kings speake to the Commons and poore people Well well let not the mouth of the Gospell be closed which speakes sometimes comfortably and sometimes boysterously and lets men see an angrie God and all to their saluation Further I perceiue this all Superiours would be threatned Masters would be threatned Princes would be threatned and the higher the greater matter of threatning For such is the
this and therefore cannot say much Euen here he hath two names the one Hebrue that is Iesus the other Latin that is Iustus Both his names imply and signifie good things by which also it should seeme he was a good man But because we haue no more certaintie of his life and qualities this shall be sufficient that hath been generally spoken Now it followeth to see what the Apostle saith of all these together These onely are my workefellowes vnto the kingdome of God which haue been vnto my consolation This is a general commendation of them and in it concerning them he affirmeth two things The first that they were fellow-labourers or workmen with him in aduauncing the kingdome of God they all ioyning hearts and hands together in setting forward that excellent A good thing when faithfull men ioyne together in well doing worke The second and it doth in part proceed from the former namely that they were no small comfort vnto him meaning thereby not onely as in regard of aduauncing the worke of the ministerie but also yeelding him sound consolation in his imprisonment and bands and that made me to say before in part proceeding from the former By the kingdome of God in this place omitting the diuers acceptions of the word in the Scriptures specially of the New Testament is meant the glorious Gospell of Christ by which as it were by What is meant by the kingdome of God a standerd lifted vp God gathereth a Church vnto himselfe and thereby manifesteth to men a meanes whereby they may haue entrance into the said Church yea by which he guideth and gouerneth both the Church it selfe and all those that are gathered thereinto the Gospell seruing not onely to begin and beget faith and a good conscience but to hold men on in the same and to cause them to grow therein And yet this double commendation of them is amplified by these words in the text that these were they alone of the Circumcision who holpe him in promoting Christs kingdome at Rome and did much comfort him as before hath bin shewed And that word onely would be marked because that from it we may probably conclude either that Peter was neuer at Rome at all or else that if he were there he was not so good and faithfull a head to Peter not at Rome the Church nor so comfortable a companion to his fellow Apostle as the Romane Catholikes do make him For if he were at any time at Rome I would faine know what time we should rather thinke him to haue been at Rome then a little before that time which they themselues assigne to his passion or suffering there which in their owne opinion is the very selfesame time in which this Epistle was written they affirming that both Peter and Paul suffered and were crucified at Rome in one and the selfesame yeere But it appeareth by this which is said here that Peter was not then at Rome when from thence he wrote this Epistle And besides how can it be credible that if hee had been then at Rome hee should not haue furthered Paul in aduauncing Christs kingdome or should not haue yeelded him comfort in his bands To say or thinke the first is at the least to make him a dissembler of his religion or a denier of Christ as once he had done before but they hold that after he had receiued the holie Ghost he was freed from all error specially in faith though they forget his fall mentioned in the Galathians remember not that if that intituled him into not erring the rest of the Apostles had as great a priuiledge that way as he because they al equally receiued the spirit And to affirme the other is to make him vncharitable and to note him to be a forsaker of the brethren and not a fellow sufferer with them in their bands and afflictions So that whilest they goe about to bring him to Rome they haue spunne a fayre threed in that they pull vpon him and by consequent vpon themselues these inconueniences at the least But the truth is hee was not there And for the further strongthening of vs therein we are to be perswaded that if he had been there the Apostle who is so carefull yea so curious as it were both in this and other Epistles of his written from Rome mentioning so many men of meane note in the Church and the names of so many faithfull teachers also as then were present with him there and yet maketh no mention at all of Peter whom yet notwithstanding in another place he calleth the Pillar of the Church Galath 2. vers 9. But to leaue this and to proceed to another point In that the Apostle is so carefull to giue charge and order touching Marke and the receiuing of him we may see first that Marke was a good man and so learne by that who should be deare and precious vnto vs euen the Saints that are vpon the Whom Gods people should most affect earth as the Prophet saith Psal 16. and find in our selues thereby the true note that wee are sound members of the Church militant and therfore shall be gathered to the Church triumphant in that a vile person is despised in our eyes but wee make much of them that feare the Lord Psal 15. But the world is quite and cleane contrarie for it loueth her owne and hateth the godly So that wee may say as the Prophet saith He that frameth himselfe vnto righteousnesse maketh himselfe a pray And surely if it bee a great sinne to condemne the generation of the iust then it cannot but be a transgression also not to commend and esteeme the godly for besides that God accounteth the fauours done to them as done to himselfe and on the other side reckoneth the indignities offered them as accomplished against his own Maiesty the very graces y t he hath shed abroad into their hearts should make vs to esteeme thē So that if we would not behold their persons yet we shuld acknowledge his mercies graces in thē and accordingly reuerence and regard thē Secondly in this act of Paul what great care diligence the Primitiue Church had in giuing testimonies vnto men No doubt the cause mouing them thereto was many seducers and false brethren went abroad and they To whom the Church should veeld testimonie would not willingly haue had the godly and faithfull deceiued by them which sinne no doubt they might the more easily haue fallen into if the Church had not kept this good course in yeelding faithfull testimonie to the holie professors yea preachers it may bee of Christs Gospell It there were at this day the like diligence and care amongst such Christians as dwell in diuers regions and parts of the world or amongst them that liue in one and the selfesame kingdome countrey and Church these vagrant men that so much runne vp and downe from place to place and from countrey to countrey and trauaile so sore
all the graces that are in the bodie that is a great benefit yea the graces that are not in thee thou maist challenge them being in thy brethren members with thee of one bodie Therefore enuie not any mans grace but challenge it as thy owne Euery one would haue al who is he or she that would not haue all graces and perfectiō But I shall teach thee how thou shalt be perfect Wilt thou stand vp thy self alone like an A per se A and say I wil not be in any mans Common and so seuer thy self frō the body I say thou shalt haue no perfection thou shalt be as a rottē branch cast into y e fire if thou were a King the Lord shall cause thee stinke and die in thine owne pollution Away with a proude headed lowne who cannot humble himselfe to creepe in to the bodie Then the way to be perfect is to seeke to the body for there euery member shall supplie thy want Thus for this faire peece of garment Loue or charitie Goe to the rest that followes The eight peece of this garment is set down in these words And let the peace of God beare rule in your hearts So the eight 8 The eight part of the garment of the nevv man peece of this garment is vnitie of minde concord followes vppon charitie for he that loues must be a peaceable man They will not be restles spirits full of enmitie and strife I will not insist much to speake of this peace onely this I call this peace nothing els but a sweete quietnes in the heart of man and woman together with amitie and concord with thy neighbour for when thy heart hath peace within thee then thy heart is in Peace vnitie with thy neighbour and therefore it is opposed to that restlesnesse of the affections of mens hearts Alas what pleasure canst thou haue when thy heart cannot rest within thee The peace of heart comes not of nature no no by nature thy heart is troubled and out of tune and all is vnruly reeling and rumbling within thee From whence comes it then Of grace that God giues in Iesus Christ If thou haue a pacified heart the Lord hath giuen it thee and therefore it is called the peace of God and it is not of one sort for there is a peace Note of the kinds of peace that is with God himselfe and that is the first peace there is another peace that is with thy neighbour The peace that thou hast with God is a pacified heart with God so that thy Peace with God heart is setled with him that it stirres thee not vp to enmitie against God When thou findest that thou art iustified by faith in Christ O the peace of heart that thou shalt haue with God! thou wilt appeare before his tribunall with boldnes Rom. 5. 1. For being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. The peace with man is a pacified heart with man when the affection is ioyned in loue with man This peace comes of the other for being at peace with God thou art at peace with all the world get once a setled heart towards God of necessitie Peace with man thou must be at vnitie and peace with all men O then begin at God! What is the cause of all these variances debates and al these slaughters It is the want of the peace with God O murtherer thou hast no peace with God thou hast nothing to do with God and therefore that wrath of God shall consume thee O murtherer when thou fightest with man thou hast to doe with the great God O restles spirit that canst not rest till thou haue bathed thy selfe in thy neighbours bloud thou art at warres both with thy selfe and with the great God who shall at one time or other meete with thee and plucke off all thy harnesse and then thou shalt neuer get peace nor rest Now to come to this peace that is with man that is spoken of here This peace it must beare rule in thee it must be a commaunder of thee She must sit ouer thee and hold downe thy foule affections when they are fighting within thee Where must she sit In thy heart and not in thy hand for oftentimes when thy hand will be hindred to murther thy heart will be persecuting thy neighbour to death therefore it must be in thy heart Now marke the order When hee hath required all good vertues at last hee requires peace Whereunto To be commaunder of thine affections This teacheth thee that except they be commaunded and put in order looke not that thou Affections must be cōmanded can doe any good turne in the world Canst thou who art disordred in thine affection doe any good to thy neighbour No therefore minde not to doe any good without this peace Then beseech the Lord that hee will put this peace in thy heart to put these affections into an order For when enmitie possesseth the heart what good canst thou doe Well is that bodie that can lie downe in peace with God and man Therefore aske the peace of God that thou maist rest in peace with thy selfe and liue in peace with thy neighbour O villaine thou that liest downe with anger and a restles affection and risest vp and goest out and stabst thy neighbour what disorder is in thee and what peace hast thou with God No thou art in rage with God himselfe when thine affections be not ruled with loue to thy neighbour and peace thou canst not haue with thy neighbour if thou haue not the first peace which is with God And so thou in bearing hatred against thy neighbour tellest plainly thou hast no peace with God and wanting this thou tellest plainly that thou art yet in thy sinnes and therefore vnder the wrath of God Now when hee hath exhorted them to this peace hee subioynes the argument To the which saith he ye are called in one bodie They who are in one bodie should liue in peace together An argument to moue vs to peace The first argument then is from our Christian calling It is a shame to a man not to be answerable to his calling if thou be called to such a thing why shouldest thou not doe it But aboue all a Christian man is called to this peace and therefore woe is to him in that great day if he bee one who hath wanted it Now take the lesson As ye see a man is called to be a member in any citie not to liue at variance or debate with his neighbours no no he is called to peace and to be a quiet man an vnquiet man is an euill neighbour a restlesse spirit a seditious and an vnpeaceable spirit is an euill neighbour euen so a man called to be a member in the citie of God in the kingdome of Christ for that is our calling he is called to be a quiet and peaceable body For saith the Apostle what is
the kingdome of God It is peace and ioy in the holie Ghost Rom. 14. 17. So if thou be one of that kingdome thou wilt be a peaceable bodie Then the man that cannot liue in peace but is full of variance euer troubling and renting the members of the Common-weale who will not say that that man is not to bee suffered in the towne hee is not worthie to dwell in it much more a restles spirit in the kingdome of Iesus Christ Disturbers of the peace of Church and Common wealth should bee driuen out of the towne Looke if our text speakes not this These restles spirits that trouble not only the Common-weale this whole kingdom and haue studied to the subuersion of the whole land but haue by their meanes gone about to trouble the whole kingdome of Christ they should haue no place neither in Church nor Common-weale they are vnworthie of any calling either in Church or policie they haue pulled themselues asunder from both The second argument is from the body wherein we are vnited Were it not a monstrous thing to see the hand strike the face if thou hadst spiritual eyes it would seeme as monstrous a thing to thee to see a member of that body of Christ to strike another Then briefly as the ioyning of men in a citie requires a peaceable life and that they should liue in peace much more this vnion of the members not in a citie and Common-weale onely but in a body so that some of them are the hand some the eye some the foot and so foorth This vnion requires peace and quietnes they should not be restles spirits nor full of variance and therefore thou that art a restles spirit in the Church of God and yet saist thou art of the Church and wilt say thou beleeuest I say to thee thou shewest plainly thou hast nought to doe with the bodie And as I said before these troublesome men full of debate I will affirme it againe they neuer wist what that vnion with Christ is for if they had that vnion with Christ that grace of Christ would come downe from the head and bind them with the bodie So thou shewest Such as loue not peace haue nothing to doe with Christ nor his Church plainly that thou hast not to doe neither with the bodie nor with the head O murtherers your hearts are full of dissension ye shall perish in that great day I giue you this doome ye shall not escape Thus much for the eight peece of this garment of regeneration and sanctification In the end of this verse wee haue the ninth grace and peece of this garment and it is this Be thankefull that is the force of The ninth part of the garment of the nevv man the word so it is thankfulnes that he requires All the rest before are offices and graces that preuent a good deede done As when a man begins to bee mercifull to any or mercie bee shewen to him of that person that is a good deede done and so the former graces stand in doing But this grace of thankfulnes VVhat thankefulnes is it is such as stands in recompencing a good deede done In rendring good for good If thou wilt compare this grace with them that went before it is lesse then any of them for it is a greater matter to be the beginner of any good deede then to recompence a good deede done to thee And thou art a wretched bodie that neither canst doe good nor when good is done to thee canst not render thankes for it There be three Three sorts of good mē sorts of good men First he is a good man that can begin to do any good to another not prouoked by any thing that is done to him which for Gods cause can bee beneficiall to his neighbour Secondly he is a good man that can render good for good and recompence the good done to him but there can no true recompencing come without the spirit of grace Lastly he is the best man that can render good for euill that can finde in his heart to meete an euill deede with any good There be as many sorts of euill men he is an euill man that cannot shew mercie to another nor begin to doe any good but hath Three sorts of euill mē his heart locked vp Againe hee is farre worse that when hee hath gotten good cannot recompence it with good againe especially to them to whom he hath been most indebted as to his parents This countrie is full of such this man is a wretch he is worse then an Infidell An Ethnick can render good for good thou shamest thy parents What if this ingratitude were to common men but it is to them to whom they are most bound to and it is an argument that thou art vngratefull to the Lord. But the worst of all is he that for good repaies euill and this land is full of such also yea they who haue done them most good they will meete them with an euill turne All these are vngratefull men and when thou hast called a man an vngratefull man thou hast called him all the euill in the world for such a one is vnworthie to liue Therefore studie to be thankfull and thou that gettest any good done to thee by any man at the least meete him with thankfulnes It is meruaile how a man can lie downe without this consideration for if thou suffer thy selfe to be opprest with ingratitude thou shalt perish If the time would serue I would goe forward I will marke onely this All these graces are grounded vpon the word of Iesus Christ vpon this Gospell Wouldest thou be mercifull let the word dwell in thee Wouldest thou be kind wouldest thou be humblie minded and so foorth of the rest of the graces let the word of Iesus Christ raigne in thee This is the meane that ingenders these graces and keepes them in thy heart to wit the word of Iesus So thou who wouldest be gracious The Gospell is Gods hand to fill vs vvith graces and full of grace be full of the Gospell For it is that word that purifieth the heart neuer rest til thou get thy heart full of the Gospell Thou thinkest that nothing can fill thee but a bodily foode no no the word of Iesus is as effectuall to fill the heart as sensible as euer thou foundest thy stomacke fed with foode But consider this this fulnes of the heart is not gotten so long as we liue here Therefore let our pleasure bee euer in filling of our hearts with the Gospel as thou hast pleasure to fill thy stomacke with meate and drinke so fill thy Simile heart thine emptie heart that is full of nothing but winde fill it with the Gospell Alas if we could get an hunger of the word for the soule that hungers for the foode of the word it shall be filled and it shall feele the sweetnes of the word But the heart is so filled