A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE of Saint Paule written to the COLOSSIANS PREACHED By Thomas Cartwright and now Published for the further vse of the Church of God COLOSSIANS 3. 16. Let the Word of CHRIST dwell in you richly in all wisedome LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes and are to be sold by George Norton dwelling neere Temple-barre 1612. A DILVCIDATION OR EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE of S. Paule the Apostle to the Colossians deliuered in sundrie Sermons The first Sermon COLOS. CHAP. 1. VER 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother IT will make much for the vnderstanding of the place in hand and of this Epistle to know the occasion of the Apostles writing for thereby we shall more easily come to the vnderstanding of the things deliuered by the Apostle The occasion is drawne from the text it selfe for whosoeuer will know the drift of the Scripture must take it from the place of Scripture it selfe being sometimes set in the beginning as in the booke of the Prouerbes sometimes in the later end as in the generall Epistle of Peter Sometimes in the middest as 1. Tim. in one verse the drift is deliuered Sometimes of the whole body of the Scripture that is handled whether Psalme Prophecy Epistle c. The point in hand is set forth in the 6. 7. 8. verses In the 8. verse the occasion which was this that whereas the Colossians had receaued the Gospell well and soundly preached vnto them first they suffered themselues to go a side and to follow vaine conceits or reasons drawne from Philosophie in the sixth and seuenth the second cause is shewed which is that they suffered themselues to be lead away to follow the ceremonies of the Law which before had been the ordinances of God but beeing ceased are become the traditions of men as the Apostle calleth them For the better vnderstanding of this Epistle we are to know the conueyance of the matter of it And as in all Paules Epistles he vseth to set downe first the principall grounds of religion Secondly the exhortations And as he vseth in other so doth he in this Epistle It therefore contayneth-two poyntes first the deliuery of the body and of the substantiall poyntes in religion of our Sauiour The second parte beginning at the 3. chapter is a declaration of the godly conuersation wherein all true professors of the Gospell which professe CHRIST must liue The first and second Chapters are of doctrine the other of manners In the first is deliuered the truth and sincere and plaine doctrine in briefe of the Gospell set forth In the second are rooted vp and throwne downe all those wretched opinions which were by the false Apostles sowne in the hearts of the Colossians That which he speaketh of manners beginneth at the third Chapter where first the Apostle exhorteth generally to all good holy righteous workes Secondly from the generall he falleth to the particular declaration of those duties he would haue them practize As of masters to seruants parents to children and children to parents of husbands to wiues and wiues to husbands c. And then returneth againe to generall exhortations and this is as it were the generall conueyance of the matter of the Epistle In this text to the 14. verse he doth labour to draw the Colossians to the knowledge of his loue to them which he doth first by his preface which is vsuall in all his Epistle is n his salutations wherein he wisheth good things vnto them from God The 2. thing to perswade them of his loue is a testification that he did pray for them in both kindes both by praysing and thanking God for thinges they had receaued and by petition where he prayed to God and desired the increase of the graces of God in them And hereby he insinuateth himselfe and stampeth as it were in their mindes his loue and affection to them to the end his doctrine might be the better receaued by them 1 As if he should say I Paule vnderstanding that there are some that go about to spoyle you and to make a prey of you partly by shew of wisdome and Phylosophy and partely by the beggerly elements or ceremonies of the Iewes thought it needfull to write vnto you that according as you haue receaued IESVS CHRIST at the first euen so that you would both abide and proceed further in him that you may be rooted and further built in the faith And that I write vnto you know that I doe it with warrant for I am an Apostle of IESVS CHRIST noâ— tyed â—â— one perticular congregation or to one prouince yea or to one kingdome but am an Embassador and haue commission vnto all the world Neither doe I come to this charge of mine one will 〈…〉 the will of any other man but by the will of God and the same his reuealed will And albeit my authoritie her in be sufficient to conuince all men of the truth I write of yet for further and stronger perswasion thereof I haue ioyned Timothy my beloued brother to beare record with me that in the mouth of two witnesses the truth may be more surely established And considering that the blessing of all labours dependeth vpon the Lord our beginning is with harty prayer vnto God for the grace and fauour of God to be freely giuen together with all the blessings both of this life of the life to come from God the father from our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you Colossians yet not all that dwell in that Cittie but vnto those alone which by faith are Saintes and brethren not in the flesh but in IESVS CHRIST And that you may haue further testimony of our loue towards you know that we doe continually both pray and giue thanks for you vnto God whom to seperate from all false Gods I doe call the father of our Lotd IESVS CHRIST For the report of your profession of godlinesse in CHRIST IESVS and of your loue towards all Saintes is come vnto vs. Which both profession and loue we know to be sincere in that they are vphoulden in you through the hope and expectation of a treasure layd vp not vpon earth but in heauen which hope you haue conceyued not of your owne phantasy nor of the word of any man but by the word of truth that is to say the Gospell And if you aske which is that truth or Gospell verily noe other then that which is preached among you now which is not amongst you alone but is preached in all the world a certaine note of the truth thereof there hauing beene neuer nor neuer shall be any doctrine which hath leuened so great a lumpe of dough as is the world but onely the doctrine of the Gospell And for further assurance that it is the onely truth of God I offer this to your consideration that as in other places of the world so amongst you it hath brought forth fruite euen sithence the first
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
in the sight of God which is a meanes to helpe vs in our particular calling And as it is a true thing that if I loue all men and performe duty to all men as much as I can then much more will I do it to my wife children those that depend vpon me according to this Rule of the Apostle And as that is true so also the diligent and true performance of the duties of our particular calling is a great meanes to helpe and to confirme vs in the generall duties 1. Rom. The Apostle taking an oath and calling God to witnesse confirmeth the faithfulnesse of his oath by his faithfulnesse in his particular office of his Ministery And to Timothy hee saith 1. Tim. 3. 5. that he that is not able to gouerne his wife and family priuately is not fit to gouerne publickely in the Church or Common-wealth For the particular duties first of Wiues In the Epistle to Titus though the Apostle requireth Loue of Tit. 2. 4. the yonger wiues to their husbands and children yet they are not so ready to bee behinde hand in Loue as in this duty of Subiection for when she is admitted to the friendly and amiable vse of her Husband that she hath Power ouer his body as he of hers therefore 1. Cor. 7. 4. she thinkes she is shut out from subiection to his authority and therefore it is that the Apostle so stands especially vpon that duty of subiection for concerning loue it is vsually more exceeding in women then in men And therefore Dauid in his verses on Ionathan saith 2. Sam. 1. 26. his loue exceeded the loue of women But he insisteth vpon her obedience And hee bringeth this reason because it is comely It had beene a notable reason to haue perswaded her to subiection because the Lord commands her will to bee subiect vnto her husband And howsoeuer before the fall she Gen. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 14. 34. was subiected vnto him yet after the fall her yoke was heauier therfore the Lord saith Thy wil shall be subiect to thy husband he shall rule ouer thee Againe as 1. Cor. 11. 9. Hee might haue said the woman was made for the man not the man for the woman And Gen. 2. 18. the woman was taken out of the man not the man out of the woman And a more notable reason is in 1. Tim. 3. 14. The woman was deceiued not the man for hee was led away by affection to her and was not deceiued And to Titus the Apostle rendreth another reason of this Tit. 2. 5. subiection least the Gospell be euill spoken of therefore the wiues should be subiect to their husbands But here the Apostle rendreth this reason that it Note is comely because women delight in neatenesse and comlinesse And howsoeuer they thinke it a disgrace to be subiect yet the Apostle saith this is more comely to be subiect And S. Peter standeth much vpon it 1. Pet. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. teaching that the comlinesse of a woman which is most comely in the sight of God is that she be quiet humble and obedient And therefore if women will haue their rings Iewels and bracelets as an ornament and comelinesse to them let them bee decked with this to bee humble in obedience to their husbands And yet this subiection is restrained that it be in the Verse 18. Ephe. 5. 24. Lord if hee bee too seuere and command things not fit yet she is not to reiect the yoke of obedience but go vnder it but if hee giue commandement contrary to God shee is not to obey therein following the Apostles rule It is better to obey God then Man Acts 4. 19. Then hee setteth downe the duty of husbands Verse 19. And howsoeuer there are many duties inioyned thē yet the principall duty the Apostle requireth is loue because men are vsually short and cold in that affection Indeed in the affection and loue for fornication they will be oftentimes exceeding hot but in this true loue are farre short and too strait-laced The Apostle setteth forth this affection of a man in Ephe 5. saying that he should loue his wife as his Ephe. 5. 28. 1. Pet. 3. 7. owne body And the reason is because shee is weaker and full of infirmities and weakenesses and therefore he is to couer them by loue For if he haue maymes or Prou. 10. 12. blemishes in his body hee will bee ready to vse all meanes to hide them so must the man do to his wife being his owne body And the Apostle Saint Peter sheweth a generall 1. Pet. 4. 8. duty of loue to couer many infirmities Aboue all things saith he haue feruent loue for lour shall couer the multitude of sinnes And the Apostle saith further Note hee is not to bee bitter For loue hath no gall in it and therefore the husband is to exercise his loue toward his wife by auoiding all manner of bitternesse toward her The twenty and 21. are handled in the next Sermon The end of the 27. Sermon The 28. Sermon COLLOSS 3. V. 22. 23. 24. 25. 22 Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God 23 And whatsoeuer yee do do it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men 24 Knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of the inheritance for yee serue the Lord CHRIST 25 But he that doth wrong he shall receiue for the wrong that he hath done and there is no respect of persons THE Apostle commeth from the generall duty belonging to all Christian men to the perticular duties of men in the houshold And hauing spoken of the duties of husbands and wiues and of parents and children hee commeth now to the last couple in the houshold of Maisters and Seruants As if hee should say You seruants from a minde subdued obey your Verse 22. The Metaphrase Maisters whose commandement ouer you is but for a time whiles you are in this fraile estate and that in all things which may stand with the keeping of a good cōscience Now your seruice must not be alone when your Maister stands by and looke on as seeking onely to please your Maisters but in singlenesse of heart as fearing God whose eye is alwaies vpon you when your Maisters eye is off Your seruice ought also to bee voluntary and cheerefull as that which is due to the Lord who loueth a cheerefull giuer and not as vnto man that cannot discerne whether it be done frankely Knowing that you shal receiue in reward from the Lord life as an inheritance which hee will freely as vpon his children bestow vpon you for it ought to vphold you in your dutifull seruice that you serue not so much your Maisters which are but men and therefore sometimes vnthankefull and vnable to recompence but the Lord
chickens to deuour them when they are young So the deuill is ready to deuour the children of God at the first when they are young and tender and new borne for when they are strong he doeth not so much assault them Fourthly a principall reason why we are to pray for them is because a Christian by reason of his profession as it were carieth in his forehead that name of God and therefore the falles of him more then of any other doe tend to the dishonour of God and are turned against God himselfe Indeed it is a shame that the fall of the seruant should be layd vpon the Maister for if a maister or father hauing laboured to bring their sonne or seruants vp in the feare of God it is a shame that the fault should be laid on the Parent or Maister for we vsually say if one thus brought vp doe fall in his life their parents or Maisters haue done their part but he is an vngracious child or seruant But men doe not so to God for if any of his children fall they lay it straight and impute it vnto God himselfe And therefore we ought the more to pray for them that are exalted by the Lord that by their fals the Gospell of God may not be dishonoured And as they are placed in higher place and are indewed with greater guifts so the more earnestly we ought to pray for them And therefore let vs examine whether when we haue a Minister to enter and come vnto vs to instruct vs we haue commended him to the Lord or whether we haue beene thankefull for any blessing that we haue receaued by our Minister Doctrine We saith the Apostle pray if the Minister pray for the peoples increase and growing forward much more ought the people to pray for themselues for the going forward in grace that the good word begunne in them should increase and proceed till it be ripe Doctrine Thus much of the cause the prayer followeth for all things necessarie for a Christian All good things whatsoeuer we haue come from God we haue of our selues no knowledge of God nor of the graces of God no strength to enter or continew in the wayes of God but we must haue it from God himselfe which is proued by the Apostles praier for none pray for that they haue themselues And therefore we see here the opinion of the Philosophers vayne yet in one part true in that they held none should pray for that they had but in that they prayed nâ—t for vertues because said they men haue vertues of nature and therefore they prayed to their gods onely for thinges of this life But their opinion is fals that any vertue is of nature for we haue no 1. Cor. 4. 7. â—â—m 1. 17. good thing in vs by nature but by the guift of God But we learne that whatsoeuer good thing we haue is of God especially which concerne the kingdome of God therfore to be often asked of him alone This serueth to confute the error of Popery who will make our selues to haue free will to good or any good things of our selues And not onely to confute the opinion of Poperie but the practize of Popery in vs still for though in our iudgement we nourish not that opinion of Popery but confesse and approue and acknowledge these graces proceede from God Vote yet in our hearts and practise wee nourish it when as we do not vse the meanes of increase in the graces of God in vs in praying in diligent hearing the word and vsing and frequenting the exercises of religion which is the most dangerous thing of all He desires first that they may be filled with all knowledge this is the first thing in Christianitie that a man haue knowledge and vnderstanding for though a thing be good yet being not of knowledge it is euill to him that doth it This knowledge is set out by two wordes the one signifieth to iudge betweene things what is good what euill what is holy what prophane And not onely he requiers to iudge of the things themselues but of the meanes which are to be vsed for the doings of men For men often discerne and iudge well the things but fayle in the meanes Sarah she beleeued well and iudged well that there should be a blessed seed but she iudged euill and Gen 18 fayled in the meanes for she dispaired in her selfe being old and therfore gaue to Abraham her maâ—d So Rebecka she iudged well of the blessing which should be to Iacob better then Isaac did yet of the meanes she iudged not rightly and therfore abuseth her husband and maketh her sonne abuse him by a lye Another word is here vsed which signifieth not onely to iudge of the thinges and the meanes but also to iudge rightly of the persons times and places with other circumstances which is a necessary thing in Christianitie For it is not enough to know of the thinges and meanes to doe them but of the circumstances when where and before whom to doe them As to know to what person he is to speake and when c. As for example Abigale when she saw her husband was drunken she would not reproue 1. Sam. 25. 37. him in his drunkennesse but doth it afterward where we see the time is to be rightly iudged of The end of the fifth Sermon The sixth Sermon COLOSS. 1. V. 9. 10. 9 For this cause we also since the day we heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that yee might bee fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding 10 That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God IT hath bene said that of this place are two parts one the cause of the prayer and supplication that Paul and his company did make the other the prayer it selfe Of the cause we haue heard and somewhat of the petition it selfe and thus farre we haue spoken of this notable prayer the like whereof in so few words is scarse to bee found in the Scripture Hauing vnderstood what is the first point of Christianity to haue knowledge to be fillâ—d with knowledge which is a Metaphor taken from vessels which are filled ready to runne ouer So the Apostle requireth of all men to be full of knowledge And therefore the Prophet speaking of the time of the Gospel saith men shall be as the waters which shall euer regorge Esay 19. of their waters to the fields And therefore we may condemne the Church of Antichrist which were so farre from nourishing knowledge as that the chiefe point of their religion was to mainetaine ignorance But let vs come to our selues let vs examine whether wee bee able to discerne betweene sweete and sower nay betweene that which hath a shew of good and ill euill from good and not onely of the foulest and grosest but
should bring forth fruite but much more in the time of the Gospell And therefore the Prophet saith the least basest and weakest of the people of God at that time shall be as Dauid and he that is as Dauid shall be as an Angell of God Wee know how valiant and couragious Dauid was so shall the weakest in the Gospell To increase in knowledge is another point of Verse 10. walking worthy of God as to bee endowed with the graces of God so to encrease both the Ministers and others in the knowledge of God that is in the knowledge of the will of God and to bee quicke-sighted in the same In the beginning of the booke of Prouerbes there is a saying which may Prou. 1. 4. bee referred to all the Scripture That the Prouerbes of Salomon are such as the least child that hath wit and the hardest man of capacity the simplest may profit by it to knowledge and there is not the wisest man in the world but may learne wisedome thereby and may wax more wise and so it is to bee said of all the bookes of the Scripture Obiection If they bee full then they neede not to increase Answer There fulnesse is not a perfect fulnesse for we know in part c. For as there is a great difference between the vnderstanding of a child and of one of riper 1. Cor. 13. yeares so we are not alwayes to be children in Christianitie There is as we haue heard required of vs knowledge and practize Lastly there is besides these Constancy to continew in the good thing we know and practize and yet noe strength is of our selues the Apostle tels vs where we must haue strenght in the power of God in his glorious power for we haue sore enimies for first wee haue a corruption within vs which is compared to an excessiue lumpe of flesh and fat hanging on vs which we cannot cast of Heb. 12. 1. at our pleasure which we might do if it were tyed only at our backe or girdle and therefore we must haue strenght to carrie it and to weld it The world also is ready by tentation by illusions examples and discouragements to hinder vs And the deuill being a strong enimie laboureth to circumuent vs and therefore we had need to haue this glorious strenght from God which we cannot haue of our selues And hauing entred a good course it becometh vs to goe forward For better not to begin then hauing entred not to proceed Lastly we must haue long Patience to beare the Verse 11. things which come hard vnto vs whether they be greiuous or of long continuance as the word signifieth And that with ioy and comfortablenes as the Apostles when they had been whipped and scourged Act. 5. 41. reioyced greatly that they were accounted worthy to suffer for CHRISTS sake The end of the sixth Sermon The seuenth Sermon COLOSS. 1. V. 12. 13. 14. 12 Giuing thankes vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath translated vs into the kingdom of his deare Sonne 14 In whom wee haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes VNTO the prayer that the Apostle made for the Colossians he doth now adde the Thanksgiuing which ought not to be seperated whereby he setteth forth the saluation which is offered vs in CHRIST As if the Apostle should thus speake And as we giue not ouer praying for you so doe Verse 12. we not cease to giue thanks to God the father because it is he which by his holy spirit hath made vs fit to haue a parte in the inheritance of Saints whom whether we consider as they are in the world by reason of their perfect blessednesse may well be said that they are in light This part of our inheritance standeth first in that God hath with a mercifull hand pulled vs out both of the present darkenesse of ignorance and disobedience and from that which is to come euen the fearfull punishment of them both And secondly it standeth in that the same God hath translated vs into the kingdome of his most deare sonne which being here begun in This life shall be accomplished in the life to come In which his deare sonne we haue a full redemption whereof one part is our iustification which we haue allready receiued wayting for that which remayneth euen the redemption of our bodies All which redemtion is purchased vnto vs in the obedience of the Sonne which obedience was most specially and most signally declared in the sheadding of his blood Here are two things to be considered the Actors of saluation comming from God simply considered in the three persons verse 12. 13. Christ God man verse 14. So that the scope and drift of the Apostle is to set forth vnto vs the saluation prepared for vs set forth in 2. sorts one is proceeding from God the father by his spirit the principall working cause And by CHRIST IESVS the materiall or meritorious cause of our salutatiō For the 1. what God the father by his spirit hath done for vs it appeareth in that he viz. That God the father hath fitted vs for a portion among the Saints in light So that saluation is a portion among Gods Saints which portion is in light where we see that the state of Gods children is compared to a part or portion and that by lot viz. an inheritance as it was by lot it is so said because that in the old law the people of God vsed to deuide their inheritances by lot as in the deuiding of the Land of Canaan Which Iosuah and the Preists and the cheife Elders did castlots for the inheritance of the Tribes Doctrine Seing that it is an inheritance it sheweth that it is by grace and not by any merit For euen as the father giueth the child his land and inheritance not for any desert but for his loue to him though hee neuer deserued nor neuer will deserue so much at his handes and if it should be of desert it might be that the seruant should cary it away from the child which may peraduenture before haue gotten for his Maister the best part of the inheritance or which may haue saued his Maisters life and therefore the child hath not the inheritance of desert And seing it is no stepand but an inheritance which we haue of God we do not deserue it Doctrine Againe here we learne that sith our inheritance cometh to vs by lot wherein God onely sitteth iudgeth and directeth it is not by any labour of ours but onely by the grace and fauour of God alone Sith then it is so let vs see what our duty is for as the Prophet saith the Lord is my lot my portion it is a Psal 16. fayer and beautifull inheritance and hath fallen vnto him in an excellent ground And seing our inheritance is
and conuersation And heere the Apostle sets forth 1. those things that are generall to the 18. verse of this chapter and then certaine perticuler duties of Parents Children Maisters and Seruants and after hee returnes againe to giue precepts vnto them all in generall Being through faith ingrafted and incorporated The Mataphrase Verse 1. into Christ as hath bene said and as your selues professe as touching sinne dead and buried with him and as touching newnesse of life quickened and risen againe Now if in truth you be risen with Christ then as Christ rising remained not on earth but ascended vp into heauen where vnder God as touching his Manhood he is exalted in power and maiesty aboue all Powers and Principalities in heauen and earth so you by seeing and seeking after the graces that come from aboue ascend vp whether he is gone The summe of all which is a generall exhortation to holinesse of life and sanctification The parts are two exhortations 1 To newnesse of life 2 To mortification day by day till wee bee slaine by death it selfe There are some things to be learned of the comparing that before with this 1. After the Apostle had laid downe the grounds of true doctrine and ouerthrowne the false he now teacheth wholesome duties of good life Whence we learne that except wee be grafted into CHRIST wee cannot possibly bring forth any good workes And therefore the Apostle layeth down first the doctrine of Iustification by CHRIST alone And therefore if men haue not faith the best workes are sinne not to speake of Nunneries which are the nests of vermine Further this is to ouerthrow the Papists that thinke by the naturall power they bring into the world before any grace is giuen them of God they can do good works and after they merit and deserue it whereas it is euidently taught heere they are all sinne before they be grafted into CHRIST A second thing is that the Apostle vpō the doctrine of Christianity buildeth good works And therfore in the Epistle to the Romans he telleth that nothing can bee done without faith then after hee exhorteth to Rom. 14. 23. good workes So to the Galathians hauing Preached faith in CHRIST hee perswadeth them to doe good workes In vaine wee make profession of good workes and bring forth nothing in our life and conuersation Iam. 2. 26. Faith without workes is dead If a man knew all the things in heauen and the earth and he were mounted vp as high as the Angels yet if his life bee not answerable hee had bene better neuer to haue made profession When the Apostle hath spoken against Circumcision new Moones and Holy daies saue the Sabaoth of touching and handling a man will say what will you haue vs doe nothing of this then let vs set the cooke on the cooke let vs eate and drinke and make good-cheere and take our pleasure The Apostle answereth that the Lord hath not taken away the yoke to follow our owne lusts but to glorifie God thereby And therefore it hath beene found that they haue taken more paines to go to hell then others haue done because wee will not fast and pull downe our bodies but they condemne Papists almes because they giue none themselues 1. Point an exhortation to quickning and newnesse of life If yee haue bene raysed c. where the Apostle layeth vs to our tryall and giueth vs a notable tryall whether we are of CHRIST for then we are raised vp to heauen but if wee bee grouelings heere in the things of this life then wee are not risen againe but are on earth for all these go together for hee that is grafted in CHRIST hee is quickened and hee riseth with CHRIST for hee rose not on earth but into heauen Now let vs examine whether wee are risen with CHRIST which is if wee ascend which may bee knowne if we seeke the things aboue Seeke that is to haue a care for that a man seeketh he desireth to come vnto and takes care for and so the Apostle saith a man must study and muse with himselfe So Salomon willeth wee should dig and labour for wisedome otherwise it is no signe that we are risen with CHRIST Now let vs consider if wee bee in the number of those that seeke after heauen There are found many that seeke for things of this life and change countries to make themselues rich But how many haue come to seeke the word nay when they haue it brought to their dore they do contemne it these are far from being raised with CHRIST There are 2 things in seeking 1 Knowledge 2 Practise Now let vs examine whether our eares are bored and whether wee gape for knowledge as the earth doth for raine So saith Dauid when hee was in the wildernesse persued by Saul O how haue I desired to Psalme 63. come vnto thy Tabernacle though hee knew neuer so much Let vs labour to bee in the number of these but if we haue bene slacke in this then let vs see what we haue bene in the other for it is easier to know the will of God then to practise it Sitteth at the right hand i where we must continue in knowledge and practise as also to teach vs that CHRIST sits After he sets forth our seeking by the cause for if wee haue no sauour of the things that are aboue wee will neuer seeke them For till such time as wee haue aloue to the things aboue it is impossible to seeke for them And therefore it was well said that the delight doth perfect the action where the desire is there will bee doing Psal 119. MEM. O how I loue thy Law and therefore Psal 119. 97. my study is in it all the day long so that without loue we should not loue and study after it O tast and see how good the word of God is if you had once tasted it you would seeke after it The Apostle Saint Peter exhorteth them to auoid 1. Pet. 2. 1. 2. all malice guile and enuy and as new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the word If you had tasted And hee saith tasted alluding to yong children newly borne that at first will not tast but the mother vseth some meanes but after they come to it so if we haue tasted of the word wee will seeke after it The end of the 21. Sermon The 22. Sermon COLOSS. 3. V. 2. 3. 4. 2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth 3 For ye are dead and your life is hid with CHRIST in God 4 When CHRIST which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory WE are entred into the second part of the Epistle which is an exhortatiō to a good life drawne from the former in the first Chapter Set your 1. Loue not the things that are on earth Now wee are to know what things we are to sauour of that we sauour not
of these There ceremonies that were before spoken off as touch not tast not c. these are earthly things which a man must not set his mind on There are other things on earth as goods c. we must not affect them 1. not set our minds on them and our affections and much lesse on drunkenesse c. we must not haue to doe with ceremonies and drunkenesse c. these we must not so much as sauour no not haue any thing to deale with Neither are we to set our mind on those that are 1. Cor 7. 31. lawfull as on apparell goods nor meates and drinks c. We must vse this world as if we loued it not For these are so contrary that one cannot loue them but we must hate the other no man can serue God and Mammon Math. 6. 24 Obiection The reason If we be truely dead then we must Verse 3. needs tast and sauour of these For as CHRIST after death rose againe so if sinne be dead in you then you will rise to the taste of the things in heauen and the reason why we loue this world so is because we haue no hope of a better and therefore are laoth to leaue this And here also because it may be said the Colossians are subiect to troubles besides the sinnes that they cary about with them To this he answers it is true it is hidden that the Solution world seeth not this saluation and hidden from you that is that you haue not such a feeling of it as you shall haue And yet as a thing hidden that it shall be seene Hope is of things that are not present then seing our saluation is by hope therefore we shall receiue Cant. 1. 4. it Things that doe scarse appeare yet they are so of this Cant. 1. looke not on my blackenesse it is true that I am blacke despised in the world yet I am comely and like the trees of Cedar and the tents of the Arabians which tents were to be remoued when they had dwelt a while in a place yet I am as faire as those in the curtaines of Salomon So that we see here that the Church is not so beutified and glorified here as it it to be esteemed 2. Reason is because he is the keeper it is safe no man can take it away and therefore Cant. 26. The Church is compared to a steepe rocke where no 1. Pet. 1. 5. man dare come to her And this is that that Peter sets forth that we are preserued by the power of God It is redy to meet vs when we depart and the power of hell is not able to preuaile and therefore it is said it is hid with God 3 Reason It is hidden in CHRIST who appeares Vers 4. 3. not as he is nay not as he shall be for he is appointed to haue all his subiects As it is a glory for a King to haue many wait vpon him so he estemees it a great glory to haue his children about him Doctrine And therefore the doctrine is if the maisters glory be hidden why should not the seruant be content not to haue that glory as he should or to be discouraged at our light setting by seing we are in a strange country For a man regards not his estimation in a strange Note country as at home no more should we Here we are strangers what matter is it though we be contemned Another thing that when CHRIST shall appeare we shall also appeare that is in the last day with him in glory This is a singuler priuiledge for vs to thinke of Esay 60. Where describing the estate of the children of God from that that now it is he vseth a fine speech There shall be as great difference betweene your state now and that estate you shall then be as there is betweene the brasse and the gold and betwixt the wood and the brasse c. You shal not haue the Sunne Moone it is maruelous delightfull to see the light of the Sunne and Moone but then they shall not need it for God shall be their light and he shall not goe downe This is more notably set forth in the reuelation Reuelation 21. 10. 21. where it is said That it is a City on a hill full of precious stones impossible to be found in the world the gates of precious stone the streets pure gold These are meanes to point at not able to expresse the glory of it If we will heare of this further it is said that when CHRIST was translated Peter tooke such delight in seing Moses and Elias translated that though he were in his naturall bodie yet he tooke such delight that he said It is good for vs to be Math. 17. 4. here let vs make our abode here And then sure if they had such delight when they were in their naturall corrupt bodies then much more when they shall be changed then the ioy shall be such as no ey hath seene nor eare hath heard c. And then it will follow that they will leaue those filthinesses that they haue here with them as it is said in the next verse It followes Mortifie c. This that followeth standeth in 2. parts first in forbearing to doe sinne and 2. to do those things that are good and the 1. lasts to the 12. verse And first for mortification which is partly laid out in these two verses And to the intent you may carefully seeke after The Metaphrase Verse 2. them yee must first sauour and set your affections vpon the things that are aboue and consequently not to set your affections vpon either the former corruptions of false doctrine or else vpon the defilements of a corrupt conuersation of life or finally vpon the perishable transitory things of this base world all which are meere earthly Vnto which distaste of earthly things you are called in that you beeing risen with CHRIST are consequently dead with him Where if haply you should obiect that there is small wisedome to quitte your former life not being assured of another and should aske how it should appeare you liue seeing besides the afflictions you are exposed vnto you feele the daily incumbrance of sinne which dwelleth in your mortall bodies It is true that it is not so apparant as that which is hidden from the world and of your selues not so fully and feelingly vnderstood Howbeit that ought not to dismay you first for that it is laid vp with God who is a true keeper of it And secondly for that as your life is hidden so is CHRISTS life and glory who is the head 4. And lastly for that when CHRIST of whom you haue life shall be made manifest in glory then shall you also with him appeare glorious Wherein we haue to consider of the exhortation to abstaine from certaine vices secondly the reason whereupon it is laid viz. the punishment It seemeth 3. Reasons why sinnes are termed members
sought his kingdome and his life and defiled his Concubines Then he commeth to the next couple of seruants and masters And seruants are commanded to be Verse 22. obedient to their masters in the flesh So called first because they are onely for this life and can reach no further mitigating the sharpnesse of seruice in those times wherein seruants were bond-slaues so that all that was the seruants was the masters For otherwise 1. Cor. 7. 22. The Apostle sheweth that seruants be Gods free-men as well as the masters if they be Gods children Secondly masters of the flesh because they cannot command their soules but onely their body The dutyfullnesse of seruants consisteth in 2. things first that it be done with faithfulnesse not with ey seruice but as in the presence of God Secondly that it be done willingly and freely and frankely For the 1. Cor. 9. 7. Lord 2. Cor. 9. loueth a chearfull giuer And therefore the Apostle saith they must doe it Verse 23. as vnto God Examples we haue of Abrahams seruant whose faithfulnesse we see who being sent to fetch a wife for his masters sonne when he came to the Gen. 24. 12. place fell vpon his knees and prayed and commended his businesse to God Which teacheth that seruants Note must not onely be faithfull but carefull by commending their businesse vnto God and therefore they are to pray both for strength and wisedome in their masters businesse Againe we see in him a singuler diligence in that comming to the place set vp the camels and saw them serued before he would rest though he was a weary would not eate before he had his answer And chapter 31. in Iacobs faithfulnesse to Laban his vncle In Iacob we see his diligence and paynes both in the heat of the day and in frost of the night And as the greater and waightier the businesse of his master is by so much the more he is to commend his businesse vnto the Lord and ought to be more carefull A reason the Apostle rendreth that whereas if the seruant haue an vnkind or a poore master that cannot or will not repay nor recompence his paines he is thereby made carelesse yet the Lord telleth Verse 24. him that if he be faithfull he is the Lords seruant and he will reward him with an inheritance accounting him as a child He that doth iniury This is brought as a reason both to the maister and seruant that if the master be iniurious vnto the seruant the Lord will God is no respector of persons not spare him because of his wealth and high estate because he is aboue his seruant as earthly iudges will oftentimes be partiall Nether will he spare the iniurious seruant because of pity to his pouerty and inferiority The end of the 28. Sermon The 29. Sermon COLOSS. 4. V. 1. 1 Ye masters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also haue a master in heauen You Maisters looke that you yeeld vnto your seruants both wages and meate and drinke as that which is right and with moderate rest and recreation some further recompence according to the good seruice they haue done as that which is equall considering that as your seruants are to render an account vnto you so you must giue an account vnto your Maister which is in heauen THE duty of masters is 1. To doe iustly viz. that they giue that which they agree vpon Duties of Masters to their seruants according to the law in regard of their wages Secondly that they deale equally towards them viz. with consideration besides And therefore it is requisit that the master account the seruant in some sort as a child and in that regard to carry an equall hand to him as to his child and to loue him And therefore we see that Naamans 2. King 5. 13. seruant called his master Father And Iosua being a magistrate called Achan Iosh 7. 19. though a theefe sonne such affection is required of masters and seruants one to another the master should rule and command as a father and the seruant is to be dutifull as to a father By that which is equall therefore is ment all Note things meet besides their meat drinke and apparell which is of their bargaine but especially for their instruction that they be taught and instructed in the will of God and therefore ought they to haue liberty both to goe to the publike seruice of God especially on the Lords day and also that they haue beside some time for honest recreations And therefore better it is to be many mens Note Horses or Oxen then their seruants for to their oxen they will giue meat for their worke But peraduenture to seruants they will deny that and especially will haue little regard that they serue God for they will hardly spare them so long from their drudgery Furthermore according to their seruants faithfulnesse and as they haue profited their master by their seruice so ought they to reward them Deut. 15. 14. For it may be that the masters life may be saued by his seruant and therefore accordingly he is to haue regard vnto him And therefore in that place of Deut. Howbeit a stranger might be kept as a seruant all his life yet the Iewes are commanded that if one of their bretheren 1. one of the twelue tribes if he were a seruant hee should goe out free at Deut. 15. 12. 14. the end of seuen yeares at which time his Maister is commanded to giue him of his wine and of his oyle and corne and of what God did blesse him with for that hee hath bene a meanes whereby that hath bene increased Euen so Maisters are taught that Note according as God hath blessed and enriched them by the labour and meanes of their seruant so they are to recompence them ouer and aboue their wages It followeth VERSE 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing 3 Praying also for vs that God may open vnto vs the dore of vtterance to speake the mystery of CHRIST wherefore I am also in bonds 4 That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake 5 Walke wisely toward them that are without redeeme the time 6 Let your speech be gracious alwaies and powdered with salt that yee may know how to answere euery man VVEE haue heard of generall duties to all men and particular to some sorts Now he commeth to a third kind of duties which is of another sort as it were compounded of both being partly generall belonging to all others partly particular which did after a more particular sort belong vnto them viz prayer and thankesgiuing c. As if the Apostle should thus speake And now to returne againe to the generall duties Verse 2. The Metaphrase and yet such as for the most part belong rather vnto you then vnto other persons and Churches not so