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
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
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
therefore though the Papists should sing neuer so vnto the Lord onely which yet they do not for they haue their songs also vnto the Saints c. yet it is no true singing which the Lord requireth when they sing with the tong onely Lastly we must sing them vnto the Lord alone and to him we must sing songs of praise and thankes-giuing and therefore not to the Saints nor to any other creature whatsoeuer The end of the 26. Sermon The 27. Sermon COLOSS. 3. V. 18. 19. 20. 21. 18 Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as it is comely in the Lord. 19 Husbands loue your wiues and be not bitter vnto them 20 Children obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. 21 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged THE Apostle hauing discoursed seuerally and perticulerly of sundry duties of Christian men generall to all men of what states and conditions sexes and ages soeuer they be he now commeth to the perticuler duties belonging to euery one in their perticuler calling Verse 18. The Metaphrase Hauing instructed you in the duties which are generall to all I come to informe you in those that are speciall according to the seuerall callings of euery one of you as those which will easily come from you if you haue well profited in the former Now according to the order God himselfe keepeth in the fifth Commandement I will begin with the duty of inferiors You wiues therefore notwithstanding you haue other duties I exhort you as to that which is hardest for you wherein you are customably shortest and being performed others will easily follow that you be subiect obedient as to others that may bee aboue you as Parents and Magistrates so especially vnto your owne husbands as that which is the most comely thing of all because you I know striue to comelinesse Which obedience and subiection is not yet so absolute and so generall but it hath this exception so farre as you are commanded things not vnlawfull by the word of God You husbands although you owe sundry duties vnto your wiues yet specially I exhort you to loue them dearely as that which you are most customably shortest in and which being throughly setled in you will easily pull all other duties after it And therefore be not bitter to them which cannot stand with loue You children from a heart subdued and truly humble obey your parents not by halues and so farre as they cōmand things to your liking but in all things not contrary to the word of God although it be to the crossing of your desires for which cause let it be alwayes before your eyes as a goade to stirre you vp to this obedience that in so doing you shall not onely please your parents but doe a thing acceptable to the Lord himselfe You parents abuse not your authority or the pliable minds of your children either by cōmanding things vnlawfull or by hard vsage of them to prouoke them to any vndutifulnesse towards you or to haue no courage or comfort to do the things required of them The summe of all which is an Exhortation which the Apostle giueth to the most straightest bonds amongst men The first of the Wife and Husband Which are the straightest bonds betweene men The second of the Parents Children But first we are to speake of the last verse of the other text Whatsoeuer yee do or say c. The Apostle Verse 17. had trauelled in setting forth vnto them many speciall duties they ought to performe as Christian men and women And because it were an infinite thing to set downe all duties perticular to Christians he wisely comprehendeth all both those duties spoken of before all other duties in this verse saying Whatsoeuer yee say or do let all be done in the name of our Sauiour Christ The like doth our Sauiour Christ who hauing spoken in the 5. and 6. and part of the 7. of Mathew of the duties to our neighbours doth comprehend all the duties which we owe to our brother in all the Law and Prophets in this Do as ye would be Math. 7. 12. done by So here the Apostle doth The like we haue 1. Cor. 10. Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do 1. Cor. 10. 31. Note do all to the glory of God Here we haue a very Notable rule that we should not speake nor do any thing but that which we may commend vnto God in prayer And therfore euery man ought to purpose with himselfe in the day to do nothing else but that which is good and right and this will be a meanes to keepe him from whoring drinking all vnhonest things when as he is to do onely that which he should desire a blessing in prayer of God in and for which after we are to returne to God in thankes-giuing againe which none is so sencelesse as that hee will do for his sinnes and wickednesse he hath committed And indeed there is no good thing whatsoeuer a man doth as to speake of Law Physicke c. which of themselues are good and therefore cannot be good vnto vs though to others they may be vnlesse we commend them vnto the Lord in prayer Here also we are taught in that we are to pray to God and thanke God for all good things we say and do we haue them not of our selues but from the Lord. After the Apostle doth set downe a notable Exposition Verse 18. of the fifth Commandement 1. beginning at the duties of the neerest bonds and first hee setteth the duty of the inferiors to the superiors And first he sheweth forth the duties of those which owe commō duties together one to another mutually as husband and wife and then the duties of them ioyntly to those that are vnderneath them both And this is the order which the Apostle vseth who hauing set downe generall duties of Christianity before he now commeth to particular thereby insinuating that those that haue laboured to obserue the generall as of Holinesse Temperancy Long-suffering Loue c. they shall more easily performe these particular duties This is a notable doctrine and therefore we see Iethro counselleth Moses to choose such Exod. 18. 21. rulers to helpe him as hated couetousnesse This is a generall duty to hate couetousnesse noting that if they were faithfull in that they would be good Gouernours and Magistrates and Captaines And therefore we see Ioseph hauing all which his maister had Gen. 39. 5. 9. vnder his hand saue his wife is said to haue ordered all things well the reason is because hee feared God that is because he had the generall duty Againe therefore we see that seruants by the generall duty of doing their duty in the sight of God are perswaded to obedience to their maisters So that this is to teach vs to labour principally for to haue the loue and feare of God and to do our duties as
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
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
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
difference betweene men seeing all naturally are in the same case and state of guilt The answere is that it is the Lords owne will his good pleasure and good-will Doctrine Where we are to consider that in our selues there is nothing that can merite this For nothing but nought can come frō the fountaine or puddle rather of our pollution and corruption Againe it is not the fore-seeing of the good works Note which God saw we should do for it is false that many wretched men enemies to the free saluation of God euen such as make some profession say that it was the good workes God foresaw in Iacob which made God to choose him and euill workes in Esau to reiect him But here the Apostle cutteth of all that that it is Note the will of God that doth it and whatsoeuer he willeth is iust righteous which men can not do And therefore it is a wretched thing that men wil cal the will of God to the barre of their owne wil-wits and reason Thou hast hid saith our Sauiour these things Math. 21. 25. 26 from the wise and it is so because it was thy good pleasure The pot doth not reason with the Potter why hee made one to stand vnder the bed another for a better vse and yet vile and wretched men will reason with God why he doth this But we are to learne to rest contented with the will of God for that is a marueilous saucinesse in men For will not a Maister Note count it a great malepertnesse if his seruant rise vp controule him and is it not much more vile malepartnesse and saucinesse to rise against God Vse And this is a notable argumēt to stir vs vp to thankfulnesse obedience vnto God seeing it is onely the good wil mercy fauour of God It serues to stir vs vp to thankfulnesse vnto God more notably then if he did it through foreseeing our good workes As the seruant which hath receiued benefites from his maister of good will it will make him more thankfull and bound to his maister Moreouer the Gospell is commended from the Another commendation of the Gospell subiect and matter for as the Trades and Arts that haue more excellent matter are more esteemed as Gold-smiths Printers and those that sell silke and Sciences also are commended in regard of the excellency of the matter as Law more excellent then others and after Physicke So the Gospell is more singularly commended by the matter which is Christ to whom God hath reueiled his will and therefore the Apostle would know nothing among the Corinthians but Christ and him crucified and Christ is the 1. Cor. riches glory and mystery of his father Now seeing all these things men effect and they are all in Christ and are offered in the Gospell what a madnesse is it that men so little regard it Men desire to be rich Now our Sauiour Christ Note hath all the riches of his father and he hath all honor glory in his father hath the secrets of his father being in his bosome yea such secrets that the Angels stoope to looke into And all-be-it these bee not transitory riches and honour but indure for euer yet we seeke not after them Christ is commended to be the hope of glory 1 he Thirdly by whom we looke for glory and blessednesse for euermore which selfe-same words the Apostle vseth 1. Tim. 1. that he is the Apostle of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ our hope 1. Tim. 1. 1. Doctrine All that are true Christians are perswaded of the loue of God towards vs in CHRIST and do by hope expect and looke for the enioying fruition of that fauour which is eternall life And therfore it standeth with vs to examine our selues whether we haue this hope expectation whether we long desire after it and breath after it as the Hart after the waters being smittē so whether we do breath long for euerlasting life Let vs examine whether if we might enioy Note all the comforts of the world pleasures of this life vp to the knees whether we would desire to liue and continue in thē then be we sure that we haue not the hope of euerlasting life those heauenly ioyes then be we sure we neuer beleeued aright For it is a tokē that if we be thus nayled to the earth we haue not felt how good Christ is for if we did we would contemne all these things to enioy him and liue with him In the two last verses is cōmended the excellency Verse 28 29. of his Ministery for if the Colossians haue a sufficient Minister then they should cōtinue in the loue obedience of the Gospel For mē if they find a hole in the Ministers coate they think it is a good cause to leaue the Gospel And therfore to remoue that obiectiō the Apostle vrgeth the sufficiency of his own Ministery Here 2 points in our Apostles Ministery are to be considered 1. his faithfulnes 2. his care diligence painefulnes For his faithfulnes it is noted in that he is said to admonish all Where we are to note that the calling Note of the Apostle was an extraordinary calling whereby he had the field of the whole world to Till But the Ministers now a daies haue onely a plough-land in one Congregatiō to Till therfore that calling ceased Again herinis the faithfulnes of the Apostle that as al were cōmited to him so he cared for al So is the duty of euery good Minister that euery one that is committed to his charge yong or old of what state or conditiō so soeuer is to be regarded by him Furthermore it is againe to be noted that hee did teach and admonish them whereby is meant all those means of setting an edge of the Gospel that it might peirce and go through as admonishing rebuking the froward exhorting of all sorts the good by perswasion In the doctrine reproofe reprehension all these are contained in the word admonition And the word signifieth as much as a laying of any thing to the heart which is done by all those meanes So Note that we see how necessary it is to haue the word Preached and applyed and therefore far be it to bee content with bare reading For it is not enough that there be knowledge to enlightē the vnderstanding but that the affections be moued and the conscience bee wrought that men may be with-drawne from euill stirred vp to good And therefore those that are reproued are to yeeld obedience vnto the reproofe reprehensiō And the Apostle further shews that he doth both teach admonish in all wisedome This is necessary in euery Minister for as the steward Note is not onely to lay out that they receiue for the family but to giue euery one according to their state sicke or whole so in the Ministers This wisedome is to
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
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
the more feareful in that it is not called in question by men by the Church nor punished This the Scripture speaketh against as that it is a vaine and vnprofitable thing for whatsoeuer they scratch they shall carry nothing out Againe 1. Tim. 6. 9. It casteth a man into diuers euils and noysome lusts for it maketh him to haue a shipwracke of conscience and so is that which depriues him of all good arguments of comfort But of all places none more notable against this Note sinne then this place heere that it is idolatry Now idolatry is strictly and largely taken Strictly when a man doth fall downe and worship idols and images in steed of God It is also taken more largely for that when a mans heart is drawne and stolne from God and is set vpon any thing whatsoeuer as vpon meate and drinke the glutton maketh it his God c. so of vncleanesse c. But yet more notably couetousnesse is called Note idolatry because first it maketh him that is couetous to be proud and lift himselfe aboue others Againe it makes him to trust in his riches which adultery and fornication other sins do not worke in a man For none is proud and confident in their filthinesse c. And therefore it is that the Apostle both to the Ephesians and heere calleth this idolatry And therefore Ephe. 5. idolatry is not onely among the Papists but euen to bee found amongst vs that haue renounced Popery And would they could not charge vs of this idolatry when they say there is so little almes to the poore c. And the Apostle nameth this idolatry to the Colossians from whom Idolatry was abandoned and therefore noteth that it is a shame for them hauing abandoned idolatry to maintaine this Thus much of the exhortation from sinne The reasons follow The first is drawne from the punishment of God that the wrath of God commeth vpō the childrē of disobedience in these things This is a great and fearefull thing to haue the wrath of God against a man The louing countenance of God is a great and excellent thing And therefore Dauid saith thy louing countenance I desire Psalme 4 aboue gold corne or oile Psal 31. In the louing countenance of God is life and ioy so on the contrary in his wrath is death and sorrow Saloman saith that the anger of a Prince is like Prou. 16. 12. the roaring of a Lyon after his prey what is then the anger of the eternall God By the wrath of God is noted the effect of the wrath of God that punishment death condemnation which is the reward of the wickednesse spoken of before proceeding from the anger of God as the cause Obiection Why doth hee say the wrath and not the punishment I answere to the end that wee should as louing Solution children more feare and bee grieued at the wrath of God then at the punishment Another reason because where the wrath is there will come punishment if God be angry hee will certainely punish And howsoeuer men do not regard this because the Magistrate doth not punish yet if he neglect yet the Lords sword is ready drawne and fearefully will reuenge And it is a feareful thing to fal into the hand of the liuing God Heb. 10. 31. In that he saith is vpon in the Present Tense it noteth Verse 6. a continuance of the punishment of God so that euen the very sin it selfe is a punishment of God And therefore Rom. 1. when men would not hearken to the word the wrath of God from heauen is powred vpon the sonnes of disobedience by all that rabble of sinnes there recited in the most of that Chapter which are iudgements of God So that howsoeuer men feeling no smart vpon their bodies yet if they could feele indeed the wrath of God in these they should see how fearefull a punishment it is to be giuen ouer to drunkennesse fornication and the like We see the effects of Gods wrath on this sinne In Numbers we reade of twenty and foure thousand slaine for this sinne And for the defiling of Dinah a whole Citty was destroyed Gen 34. 27. And therefore seeing sinnes vnpunished vpon the whole land therefore it behoueth the Magistrate to looke narrowly so farre as the law will reach to punish this sinne sharply The not punishing of the rauishing Iudg. 19. 20. 46. 48. of the Leuits wife cost the Beniamites much bloud and losse And howsoeuer we renounce the errour of the Maniches yet wee in practise affirme their assertion that God was a fierce and sharpe God vnder the Law but a mercifull God vnder the Gospell But God is the same and will the rather punish Psal 102. 27. this sinne because wee haue receiued more graces then they vnder the law and perforce we are to look for greater and heauier iudgements if wee doe prouoke him And this belongs to russians to them which say so that I be spared vnto the end I care not God is mercifull yet let them know that if they deferre their Note repentance till the end and liue in their pleasure yet though they liue the life of Methushelah in their pleasures one moment in hell shal exceed in torment all those pleasures Vpon the children of disobedience Where we see that Verse 6. the Lords iudgments are executed vpon the vnfaithfull and wicked which the Lord doth as the Lacedomonians Note who to make their sonnes hate drunkennesse would make the seruants which they loued worst drunken So doth God after a sort who to make his children hate their sinnes doth punish the wicked but his children are not punished and yet they scape not free for we see Dauid for his adultery 2. Sam. 13. 15. 16. 22. and murder what iudgements followed his owne Concubines were defiled by his sonnes hee was almost driuen from his kingdome and one sonne slue another yea after his death bloud ceased not from his posterity as in the beginning of Salomons reigne yet this is not a punishment for a punishmēt is death which onely is to the wicked but to Gods children a Correction Another reason which the Apostle rendreth is because Verse 7. such they had been in times past and yet were receiued to fauour and mercy by the Lord. And therefore it behoued them to beware of their former sinnes to walke like new men being receiued into a new state For what a mercy of God is this to receiue vs when we haue euen spent our selues in sinne What maister when a man hath spent himselfe and his Note strength in another mans seruice will take this man to himselfe and make him his seruant But the Lord doth so hee taketh vs though we haue beene grosse sinners and hee doth account vs as if wee had not sinned As in Ezechiel he saith If the righteous Ezek. 18. 21. man forsake his righteous wayes I will forget his