Sermon The third Sermon COLOSS. 1. 4. 4 Since wee heard of your faith in CHRIST IESVS and of your loue towards all Saints WE haue heard the last day of the prayer and of the thanks-giuing giuen by the Apostle vnto God for the Colossians Now followeth to speake of the causes of the thankes-giuing the matter was for their faith towards CHRIST and loue towards all Saints these are the causes of the thankes-giuing and prayers the Apostle made daylie and ordinarily for the Saints at Colosse Doctrine These thinges we are to pray and giue God thanks for especially in others Quest Quest How cometh it to passe that there being diuers guiftes bestowed on the Colossians yet the Apostle prayseth God and prayeth to him for these onely Seing there is nothing but which is receaued from God all he is to be praysed and prayed vnto for them especially seing he before wished them peace Viz. All temporall benefits and hauing prayed to God for these why did he not thanke God for them as health peace c Answer The reason that the Apostle made choise of faith and loue not of other though he Faith and charitie are graces chiefly to be desired and God is chiefly to be praised for them as being the Cardinall vertues of Christians was not vnmindfull of them is to teach vs what gifts we are especially to pray for desire of God and to giue thanks for being receiued Where he meeteth with the corruption of men that will pray and desire worldly thinges and will labour mightely in the comforts of this present life and neuer make mention of these which are principal whereas the other are but sweepinges and those thinges which are to be cast to dogs in comparison and as dung and drosse nay lesse then nothing in comparison of CHRIST and the thinges belonging to him which are of most singular price As if a man Note should be carefull for the hangings of a house and haue no care for a house to put them in or to lye in and for the bosses of the bridle and not the bridle for the traps of the horse and haue neuer a horse to ride vpon And therefore the Apostle sets downe these two notwithstanding he gaue God thankes for euery blessing they had receaued Perticularly he first bindeth and limâ—teth faith to Christ is the obiect of faith the obiect which is CHRIST by whom by our faith we lay hould on God and his promises therefore CHRIST saith Beleeue in God but beleeue Ioh. 14. 1. in me also as if he should say ye cannot beleeue in God vnles ye beleeue in me first for none can see the father but by the sonne And as the Apostle saith God dwelleth in light that none can come vnto but by 2. Tim. 6. 16. CHRIST without whom we are vnto God as stubble to the fier And as a man cannot looke on the sunne without Note hurt of his eyes vnles there be a cloud betweene so God the father sonne and holy Ghost is as a sunne that vnles the cloud of CHRIST the mediator come betweene vs we cannot behold the sunne-shine of Gods glorie And without the screene of CHRISTS mediation we cannot come neere to God which is Heb. 12. 29. a consuming fire Now by CHRIST we come neere to God boldly and lay hold on him Doctrine Further here he sets forth that we are not to beleue in any but CHRIST not in any Angel or Saint as the Virgin Mary as the Church of Rome and the Papists wretchedly expound the Articles of our faith For faith onely layeth hold on God and cannot be communicated to any Indeed loue spreadeth it selfe to men but faith is onely in Gods promises For as it is said Thou shalt â—oue the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 5. Et. 10. 20. and him only shalt thou serue and sith faith is the chiefest worship and seruice of all and the instrument of Math. 4. 10. all true worship it ought onely to layd hold on God in CHRIST Loue to the Saintes here we see to whom loue properly belonges namely to the Saintes who are as we haue heard iustified by CHRIST and haue his righteousnesse imputed vnto them and haue the beginning of holinesse in them which is the true feare of God The Apostle doth not here shut out all men euen those that are aliens from the house of God for the Iewes Turkes c. are our neighbours and of our flesh as the Apostle saith and therefore to be prayed for Here we are to examine our selues whether we haue true loue or no Viz. if we loue the Saints Viz. those that are ioyned to vs in the bond of Christianitie for our loue is vsually so strait laced that it cannot goe from our selues and if it goe to our wiues and those in our house yet so poore it is that it cannot goe out of our doores ouer our threshold where as we are to loue others euen those that hate vs to speake well of those that speake ill of vs. Math. 5. And our loue must be to all the Saintes to the poore aswell as to the rich whom Saint Iames meeteth with and sayeth If a poore man though of the true religion come in he is bid to goe behind the dore and to sit at our foot-stoole if one rich he is Iames. 2. 3. 4. exalted whereas true loue doth embrace euen all that doe professe the truth Here Saint Iames discouereth the hipocrisy of men in their excuses why will they say are not we to loue our neighbours and the rich men are our neighbours True he is your neighbour but if you loue him why doe you not loue him also that is poore which is more neare peraduenture if he be a professor and againe if your loue be to the rich because of the commaundement of God then ye will loue the poore aswell as the rich As if for the loue of God ye abstaine from adultery theft murder c. Then ye will abstaine from all other sinnes which are of the same nature all the commaundements being of the same nature comming from God who is one and the same and therfore if I abstaine from one sinne for the loue of Note Gods sake I will aswell abstaine from another for that cause And therefore this condemneth the common practize of men that being blamed for some one sinne as drunkenesse c. will say I am no theefe no murderer c and so will iustifie himselfe But if he haue no conscience of that sinne he is guilty of all Iames. 2. 10. other Indeed a man by infirmity may faile and be inclining to one sinne more then to another but if he haue no strife against it nor hatred of it it is a sure token that he is guilty of all other sinnes and hath no true hatred of any He confirmeth their faith and loue by the true end that there being a true end of
be considered in the Persons Things belonging to the persons In the persons to be considered whether they haue knowledge that they be gently taught If they haue knowledge and yet no conscience they must vse sharpe reprehension laying the iudgements of God to wake their sleepy conscience If there be both then vse partly threats partly gentle dealing If any be cast downe then to giue them comfortable exhortations laying the mercies of God before them For if men be secure hauing knowledge then to lay the promises of God before them would harden them more so contrariwise in dispairing Further it is to be considered whether they be children or men and then they must if they be Babes haue milke if strong they must haue stronger meat Further in regard of the sinnes of the persons consider whether publicke or priuate if priuate at least to a few if it be publikely reproued it is a want of wisedome If publike then publikly not priuately to be reproued Againe consider whether the sinne be of infirmity or of maliciousnesse if of malice and contempt it must be more sharply pricked through Thus of the faithfulnesse of the Minister to preach CHRIST both by the Doctrine and also by the admonition to giue a point to it that the Doctrine may enter through We haue also heard of the wisedome of the Apostle The end of all this teaching and admonishing is to make men perfect alluding to the sacrifices of the Priest in the law For though the minister be no sacrificer Note as the wretched Papists doe make of them yet there is a resemblāce in the Ministers to the law that by the word of God the people are as it were killed and cut to be a fit sacrifice vnto God and therefore all this care and wisedome is to be vsed that they may be acceptable to God Doctrine Here the Ministers are to learne a good lesson that they are not to content themselues with a beginning that the people be entred onely nor the people content themselues with beginning that they thinke it enough that they are altred in iudgement c. but they must still labour to grow and increase to perfection as we pray in the Lords praier to do the wil of God like the Angels in all redynesse and willingnesse And we must grow and not be dwarfes in Christianity but still to grow for in Christianity Note there is no old age but in the oldest age is a growth till such time as all rebellion and imperfection be taken away in the kingdome of God Lastly is set downe his diligence wherein he laboured Verse 29. signifying a labour with wearinesse till he had spent his strength as Esay saith of our Sauiour CHRIST that he spent his strength in his Ministery Doctrine And further the Apostle contents not himselfe with that but saith he striueth This is the duty of a good Minister to labour continually and therefore he is compared to a husband-man that winter and sommer neuer ceaseth and this labour must be with paines and therefore compared they are to haruest-men that labour in the heat of the Sunne Another similitude he vseth that he striueth taken from lawyers and counsellers at the bar and from souldiers with their enemies Where he noteth the duty of the Minister not onely to labour in doctrine Note and admonition but also to set himselfe against any thing that may let and hinder the Gospell And therefore it condemneth those that content themselues with deliuering the word for that is not enough but they must labour to preuent by all striuing that which may arise and hnider the Doctrine deliuered Last of all he sheweth that the Lord blessed his labour in the ministery and prospered him which howsoeuer the Ministers cannot alwaies looke for so full a blessing yet the ministers haue this to looke vnto and whereof they may be sure that they bring the sweet sauour of CHRIST vnto God whether in the saluation or in the condemnation of them that heare them The duties then of the Minister are 1. to preach CHRIST secondly to doe it with faithfulnesse wisedome and diligence Thirdly to striue and struggle vsing all indeuour to aduance the kingdome of their Master and to hinder the proceedings of the Deuill against it The end of the 13. Sermon The 14. Sermon COLOSS. 2. V. 1. to the 8. 1 For I would yee knew what great fighting I haue for your sakes and for them of Laodicea and for as many as haue not seene my person in the flesh 2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to know the misterie of God euen the Father and of CHRIST 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge 4 And this I say least any man should beguile you with intising words 5 For though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit reioycing and beholding your order and your stedfast faith in CHRIST 6 As yee haue therefore receiued CHRIST IESVS the Lord so walke in him 7 Rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as ye haue bene taught abounding therein with thanksgiuing WE haue heard in the former chapter how the Apostle hath deliuered a short sūme of the holy Doctrine of the Gospell recommending the same by sundry arguments some drawne from the excellency of the Doctrine and from the matter of it CHRIST and from his owne Ministery faithfulnesse and dilligence Now he entreth into another doctrine for hauing set forth the excellency of the doctrine hee now setteth forth the remedies of certaine errours which might haue ouerturned them from the doctrine And first in these verses as before hee had made a preparation so now he maketh another preparation for the conuincing and reprouing of those errours that were risen vp among For wee know how wee are cleaued vnto our errours and corruptions and how hardly remoued from them And therefore the Apostle doth here by this Preface lance as it were their hearts by shewing them his exceeding care and loue towards them As if hee should say That which I said of my Verse 1. grieuous labour and strife for all men is truely verefied of you for I would not haue you ignorant of the great a gony and strife that I haue for you and for those that are in the Church of Laodicea and others about you in the country of Phrygia notwistanding that they neuer did see my person And my care and thought is that through the Preaching of the Gospell you might be comforted at the very heart by a knitting setting together and compacting of your minds through loue one to another and through all aboundance of perswaded vnderstanding and acknowledgement of the mystery of God that is to say of the Father and of CHRIST In which CHRIST are all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge treasured vp but yet hidden
from the naturall man The drift of all which commendation of the Preaching of the Gospell and of CHRIST whom the Gospell doth Preach set forth vnto you is that no man by apparant and perswasible speeches do transport you Where if you aske how I that neuer saw you should be thus carefull of you and should care for you so much that neuer came to see you know that although I be absent as touching the flesh yet I am present with you as touching the spirit reioycing to see your good order and pollicy of the Church caused from the soundnesse of faith which is towards CHRIST Wherefore as you haue receiued the Lord Iesus Christ so let it appeare by your conuersatioÌ„ as in al other things so in holding fast the truth of the Gospel Being rooted and builded vpon in him strengthned in the faith according as you haue bene taught of Epaphras abounding in the same faith and that with thankes-giuing for the mercy you haue receiued in CHRIST This is the sence The parts are A particular declaration of his care for the Colossians together with An exhortation to care for themselues that they be not caryed away with any wind of false doctrine contrary to that he hath declared and which they had learned of Epaphras The sum wherof is a preparation of the hearts and minds of the Colossians to receiue the rebuke reprehension touching the errour corruptioÌ„ among theÌ„ First here is a declaration of the Apostles great care towards the Colossians others of their neighbours countries Phrigia and Laodicea Secondly an exhortation that they should haue care of themselues For the first here is an application of all that he had spoken before generally that he tooke them to witnesse that the care and loue which hee had was to them-ward Doctrine So that it is necessary that the Minister should haue the loue of the people make knowne vnto theÌ„ his Note louing affection before his reprofe can settle in their hearts it is necessary that the perswasion that hee doth it in loue be entred into them Of the great strife and agony A similitude taken froÌ„ the custome of the Country where at certaine times there was a great meeting to wrestle run for mastery So that as they which did venture this strife vse all their strength and might to get the mastery and so likewise in dangerous fight which they had euen to bloud Hereby the sheweth the exceeding paines and great care he had for them therefore the Apostle besides the outward thing of banishment scourgings shipwracks c had also a great troupe of enemies within viz his exceeding cares which he tooke that troubled him exceedingly His care appeared not onely in earnest prayer continually but in writing exhorting perswading theÌ„ to continue go forward c. And these cares he coÌ„pares to an army or troupe of enemies which met with him conteÌ„ded with him such was his care And no doubt that seeing his charge was through the whole world it must be great For as the Church is said to trauell in Reu. 12. 2. bringing forth children so the Apostle trauelling of so many euen through the whole world it being coÌ„mitted vnto him must needs haue great care paine Heere wee see the exceeding loue of the Apostle that seeing he was absent and had neuer seene them nor they him yet his care was so great he commendâ—th his exceeding loue For the sight of misery doth greatly increase the affection care the eye the eare beingthe dores by which pitty enters in The cause wherefore he cared was that they might be coÌ„forted in spirit Now in so much as his care and loue apeared by his writing which coÌ„sisted of the Gospel Doctrine It sheweth that there is nothing in the world that ministreth sound comfort but the Gospell For as for pleasures wealth good-cheare c. they bring no sound coÌ„fort but are like to a flame that is soone out or smoake in the top of the chimny that soone vanisheth away or like the fat of lambs that when a little heate of affliction coÌ„meth melteth But the coÌ„fort by the Gospell standeth by one in all affliction yea in death it selfe it is a continuall feast And therefore in Mat. 22. 2. the Kingdome of heauen is compared to a Feast yea to a Kings feast at the mariage of his son where no delicate fare can bee wanting but by his commandement will bee brought So S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 1. 4. Acts 2. 46. This we write that your ioye may be full In the Acts we reade that those that were called though they were hated of all yet met together participated in eating of meate and did eate their coÌ„mon meate with great ioy This is vsual in the Acts that where the Gospel came was great ioy and comfort and therefore when Philip came to Samaria they receiuing the Gospel were Acts 8. comforted So that that comfort which is in sin as adultery c. is wretched the beginning of sorrow that which is in lawfull outward things is but momentany But this peace which Christ giueth is constant My peace saith he shall neuer be taken away The first cause of this coÌ„fort that we receiue by the gospel is the knowledge of the truth of the Gospell as hath bin deliuered in the chap. before for it is a notable coÌ„fort when a man knows which is the word of God what God hath coÌ„manded it is a comfort to doe it when he knoweth it is commanded by God and contrariwise it is a comfort when it is knowne what is forbidden Whereas on the contrary to the children of God it is a great anguish to be ignorant what to doe in Gods seruice and what course to take which might be pleasing vnto God Secondly not onely knowledge but perswasion which next followeth to know that the promises shall come to passe and the threathings shall be performed to be assured of it Thirdly but especially acknowledgement is matter of most singuler comfort when he not onely knoweth and is perswaded but applieth it to himselfe this is notable comfort for what profit is it to a man to know this is good for him and hath it not to be in a dungeon and to know the Sunne-shineth and yet to haue no light and to be an hungry and to know there is meat and bread and yet to haue no part this is rather matter of greater grief An other cause of comfort is loue which is compared to the iointures of the artificers that when they build any house by the ioints they set all the parts together Or rather to the ioints of the body wherby euery part being ioined are in peace whereas if one be out of ioint it is a paine to all So is the ioyning of Christians by a true louing affection one towards another In whom are all the treasures of wisedome Verse 3. and
who is both able and will recompence your well doing Remembring on the other side that whatsoeuer hee bee that doth wrong whether Maister or seruant thereof hee shall receiue the punishment from the Lord who accepteth neither the person of the seruant to pitty him because of his poore base estate nor of the Maister to spare him because of his dignity and high degree The summe is the setting forth of the duty of the last pare and couple in the houshold id est of the Maisters and seruants But first wee are to speake of that which remaineth of the other Text of Children and Parents First childrē are cōmanded to giue obedience to parents Verse 20. by obedience is meant all duties which children owe to their parents which are diuers And first of a duty which belongeth to all them in the household husband wife parents children maisters seruants viz. to pray perticulerly one for another and more perticulerly then for others for parents that they are bound to it we see it in Iob that he prayed Iob. 1. for his children being at feasting least they should let any sinne ouerpasse them in their feasting wherein they might offend And by the same reason children are bound to pray for their parents And also by the commandement the subiects are commanded 1. Tim. 2 1. 2 to pray for their Princes And so Princes to pray for their people as Dauid doth in sundry psalmes wherein he maketh prayer for himselfe and his people 1. Kings 18. Salomon also doth the like in second Chronicles 6. 21. But to come to more perticuler Particular duties of children duties of children to their parents 1. Reuerence viz. a speciall reuerence which they are to cary to their parents aboue others secondly loue a perticuler loue of their parents in regard also that they are set ouer them of God These are inward things Outward duties are first a reuerent behauiour in their countenance and cariage towards them in their wordes and in their workes to be ready to obey and do those things they are commanded not contrary to God And therefore it is said in all things viz. not to Note obey their parents in that which they themselues like but in all things though hard and contrary to their owne liking if it be not against the word of God And one speciall duty of obedience is to beare with all and couer the infirmities of their parents as Sem and Iaphet did to their father Noah Gen 9 23 Further if the parents haue need they are to relieue and maintaine their parents 1. Tim. 5. 4. for if the children be able to maintaine them the Church is not to be burdened Amongst other a most notable duty is that whereby Note children are to yeeld obedience to their parents in being bestowed by their parents in their occupations and manner of life And therefore we see that Adam bestowed his sonnes one in tilling the land the other in keeping cattle But more especially in marriage they are not to suffer themselues to be bestowed without their parents consent Where we see the wretched disobedience of children that will giue themselues at their owne pleasure contrary to their parents consent And a wretched and foolish peeuishnesse-crept into Note the harts of children that they will take it in great dislike if their parents be spoken vnto before themselues cleane contrary to the example of the Scripture and euen contrary to the practise of heathen and naturall men As we see Ismael would not marry but by his mothers consent and contrariwise what a hart-breaking was it to Isaac and Rebecca that Esaw married Gen. 18. contrary to their consent So that this is a speciall duty of children both sonnes and daughters not to marry or choose their husbands or wiues without their parents consent So that their parents do match them so as may be equall and fit for them in regard Note of age estate c. Whereas if parents force their children contrarie to reason for gaine c. they deale wretchedly in that And as parents are not to force their children so children are not to disobey their parents when in age and condition they find out fit matches for them in any sort And a reason that parents are to be obeyed of Note their children in those things that are good is because they are obedient also in the same vnto the Lord. And we know it is an easy matter if with one whiting a man may paint two wals it is more easy for him to paint one But our obedience therefore must be in the Lord viz. onely in those things onely wherein they command according to God And therefore Ioh. 2. our Sauiour CRHIST when his mother bid him change water into wine refused he denied her because the time was not come But we may not speake as he spake for we must if they command vs contrary to the word of God with all reuerence deny to do it and not in any controlling or snappish fashion In that he saith parents he meaneth both father and mother for children because the father hath more authority and because peraduenture the inheritance lyeth vpon his disposition will obey their father but they care not for their mother Howbeit obedience is commanded to both And Ex. 10 12. howsoeuer it commeth oftentimes that the children are disobedient by the too much tendernesse of the parents yet the children are not to trust to that for if they leese their parents loue through their wicked behauiour they can not assure themselues of Gods Note A foolish sonne saith Salomon doth ouerthrow his fathers estate and driues away his mother viz. both ouerthroweth and driueth away both and maketh parents that they cannot abide the sight of them As the hatred of brethren is strong because their A simile loue which was great is broken So if parents loue which is farre greater be broken the hatred will be the more The duties of parents are diuers 1. To see the Parents duties disposition of the children and according to their fitnesse to dispose them in this or that calling specially Eph. 6. 4. to bring them vp in the feare and information of the Lord. Secondly to lay vp for their children 2. Cor. 12. 14. And further not to prouoke them by vndiscreet Verse 21. correction in not correcting them according to their sexes and ages as when they correct their sonnes and daughters and all alike which may prouoke them or giue occasion at the least for children ought to beare it patiently though they be iniuried yet they may discourage their children by indiscret and too hard correction And on the other side parents are to take heed that they kill not their children by too much pampering them which is oft times the cause of the death of their soule body as Dauid did his sonnes who when he was loath to displease them Absolon