first creation he lost the image of God and Christ came and renued that image of God againe for there was not one sparke of the spirit of God left in man Therefore hee must be renued againe Then ye haue heard his substance The chiefe point is knowledge of things heauenly of God and his glorie by faith To this wee added two other things holines and righteousnes So there is the new man The knowledge in the minde holines in the heart iust dealing in all thy actions with thy neighbour and so he couereth vs both inwardly and outwardly There is not a part vncloathed and happie is hee that is cloathed with this cloathing of Christ Lastly ye heard the paterne whereunto hee is made hee is not made to the paterne of Angels nor of Sunne and Moone but he is made to the paterne of the Lord. O that glorie that thou hast in this thy renuing and blessed is hee that hath it These things shall be perfited at that day at the appearance of the sonne of glorie and then it shal appeare that we are made to his paterne and that wee are the sons of God For it appeareth not as yet as Iohn saith 1. Epist chap. 3. vers 2. yet it shall appeare in that day Now to come to the text read In the first verse wee haue a certaine propertie of this new man set downe and it is this Where hee is all these old things these outward things which men most respect and make account of as nation kindred bloud honour riches bondage freedome beautie deformitie c. where this new man commeth out all these cease he hath no more regard to the King then to the beggar he hath no more regard to the free then to the slaue but hee extendeth himselfe alike to all This is his propertie But it shall appeare better in weighing the words of the text therefore marke them with me And to begin at the first word Where he is where this new man commeth there is neither Grecian nor Iew. That is to say where he is all these externall things these carnall and old things so the Apostle calleth them 2. Cor. 5. 17. all turne to ashes he knoweth none of them All these things that were wont to put a difference betwixt man and man he is a King he is a subiect and the rest all these cease to this new man But to goe to particulars There are sundrie of these old and worne things reckoned vp The first is the nation wherein wee are borne as the nation of the Iew the nation of the Grecian The nation wherein a man was borne was wont to put a difference betwixt man and man but when Christ commeth and this new man with him there is no regard of nation this new man respecteth not one more then another all is alike to him To be homely with you Frenchman Dutchman Italian Indian Scottishman Englishman all is alike to him The poorest nation that is the new man wil account of it This is plaine by experience for if Christ had respected this nation hee had neuer come this way The second particular of these outward things that was wont to be accounted of is of these outward markes that the Iew and Gentile had The Iew had circumcision the Gentile had vncircumcision whereby they were discerned But Christ when he commeth out hee looketh not to these things he putteth no difference betwixt the one and the other he accounteth all alike to him And to come home to our selues wee were of the vncircumcised number and if Christ had had respect to this Scotland had not been called to grace The third particular is the language It put a difference betweene man and man The Greeke had a trim and eloquent language all others besides the Grecians had but barbarous languages But when Christ commeth and this new man with him he respecteth not one more then another but Grecian and Barbarian all is one to him This pertaineth to vs all we were Barbarians so that if Christ had respected barbarousnes and exempted it from grace Scotland had not gotten grace So wee should draw comfort out of this and say grace pertaineth to me as well as to the Iew or Grecian The last particular is the estate of men in policie some are free some are bond some masters some seruants This diuersitie of estate put difference betwixt man and man but Christ comming respecteth not one more then another but all are alike to him And so seruants haue to reioyce for they are not secluded from grace more then their masters otherwise slaues had been most miserable creatures and better had it been for them that they had bin made beasts Reade the Galat. chap. 3. vers 28. ye shall finde this matter handled There is another particular reckoned vp there male and female that was wont to put a difference betwixt man and man but all is alike to Christ he respecteth not one more then another The female is no more exempted from grace then the male but this new man extēdeth to al. Now I assure you if God had had respect to the sex your estate of women had bin miserable So that there is not one word here but it offereth consolation to vs. Brethren there be many other particulars for these old things are infinite and that that I haue spoken is to be vnderstoode likewise of riches and pouertie al is alike to Christ his grace extendeth to all Therefore our lesson is in the matter of saluation Obserue the Lord hath no respect to persons to men to women there is the generall but all that will beleeue all is alike to him Iew and Gentile male female rich poore honourable vnhonourable If thou beleeue in Christ thy estate in grace is as good as the Kings thou art as high in grace as the greatest Monarch that euer was And to bee more plaine in the matter of our Christian calling iustifying glorifying and sanctifying there is no difference al is alike to him I might proue this by Scripture Rom. 8. vers 30. Whom he hath called them also he hath iustified c. There ye see this Christian calling to be vniuersall And in the Romanes chap. 3. vers 21. speaking of iustification hee saith the righteousnes of God is made manifest Againe in this place of regeneration there is no difference so this abideth sure in the matters of saluation and all poynts thereof there is no difference of persons all is alike to him It is to be noted that I say in the matters of saluation least that I should seeme to take away policie and some wicked spirit hath brought in such a conclusion as the Anabaptists but all is but vanity For brethren as in the matters of saluation there The Gospell and Christian policie doe well agree is no difference euen so the Lord hath ordained a difference in policie he hath ordained that there should some be kings some subiects some masters
but thou shalt neuer be ransomed but die euerlastingly Whose bloud must it be then By his bloud hee saith not by our bloud that is the bloud of the sonne of God And this bloud of Iesus Christ is that bloud onely that can be the ransome none in heauen or earth but his bloud onely is able to make thy ransome and this bloud standeth best both with the iustice of God and mercie of God because it is the only bloud of Christ that satisfies the iustice of God Why by reason of the worthines of the person he is a man a holy man without all spot of sinne It will not be thy stinking rotten bloud it must be that bloud of Christ that holy bloud that must satisfie the wrath of God It standeth with the mercie of God for when the wrath and iustice of God hath gotten that precious bloud then it is well satisfied then mercie reacheth from heauen to the sinner if thou canst present that bloud then the Lord will say I haue nothing to say against thee I haue nothing but mercie and grace to giue thee I forgiue thee all thy sinnes Many thinke this but words but you shall see one day what these words meane In the last words of the verse that that he hath spoken of redemption he sets out in a plaine terme and common word euen the remission of sinnes In the Epistle to the Ephesians 1. 7. when hee hath spoken as hee hath done here of the remission of sinnes he sheweth that it is through the riches of his grace What is all thy remission to thee but a free remission through the riches of his grace thou hast not paid a mite for it but Christ hath paid the price So these two stand in thy redemption In respect of him thou art redeemed by a price and in respect of thy selfe it is nothing but free pardoning So giue him the glorie and praise for I assure thee it is of an vnspeakable mercie and loue that he hath forgiuen thee and taken the bloud of his deere sonne for thy sinne Hast thou not great matter of praising and glorifying of him O would to God this cankerd generation could see and consider this worke of our redemption Now you haue heard of your calling and redemption two great workes and benefits of God bestowed on his elect in Iesus Christ his deere sonne There followes now a higher point of doctrine speeches of the highest things in the world are either of Kings or Queenes or els of some other great nouelties yet all are but dirt in respect of this speech of the Apostle vttered according to the spirit of God For he speaks of the highest things that is euen of the king of glorie so this speech must be a high speech and yet not so high but a man may attaine to the knowledge of it so farre as may serue to their saluation when he hath spoken of this great king and of his bloud by the which wee are redeemed to let vs see how great a king he is and how precious his bloud is he fals out into a digression and he brings out an high description of the Lord of glorie He may well blabber of him but more he cannot he is so high and excellent in all maiestie All the wits of men and Angels are not able to expresse the excellencie of the glorie of the sonne of God but I leaue that The first part of his description is from his Godhead Who is saith he the image of the inuisible God the first begotten of euery thing created Here wee haue to consider first how God is called inuisible And next how the sonne is called the image of the inuisible God vnderstanding these two we shall get the meaning of the Apostle Wee finde this oft in the Scripture especially in the new Testament that God is called inuisible No man saith Iohn in his first chapter vers 18 hath seene God at any time in another place he saith No man hath knowne him And Tim. 6. 16. He dwelleth in light that hath no accesse How is this then to be vnderstood Looke how he is inuisible This is to be vnderstood of the Father the first person of the Trinitie Note He is inuisible he cannot be seene neither by Angell nor all the Angels in heauen neither by man nor by the eye of the bodie of man no not by the eye of his minde No creature no manner of way can see him yet God forbid but wee see him But how is it that he cannot be seene He cannot be seene immediatly in his owne person no not all the Angels can get a sight of him immediatly It is only the sonne of God that hath that sight for he is in the bosome of the Father and therefore no man nor Angell gets a sight of God I say immediatly because that all the sight that man and Angell hath is by a mediate person the sonne of God This is the first Secondly how is it that the sonne is called the image of the inuisible God I will not insist here to bring in all the differences and sorts and images because it pertaines more to the Schooles then to this place But thus farre I tell you I cannot get here in the earth a better example to let you see how Iesus Christ is the image of the inuisible God in some measure for who can see it in a fulnes then the example of an earthly son You see an earthly sonne will represent the person of his father in the shape of his bodie and in the linaments thereof and that not onely in the outward accidents but in the very substance that he hath taken from him and out of him No image will come so neere as that image so that he will represent him in all these three in stature shape and substance Now to come to the sonne of God you must vnderstand there are no accidents in God All is substance and essence He will then represent him first in his personage euen in a kind of portraiture for how be it he be distinct in person yet nothing is so like the person of the father as the person of the sonne Therefore in the epistle to the Hebrewes 1. 3. He is called the character and the very stampe of the father and he will not onely represent him in person but in substance also So that secondly he representeth God the father in a substance taken from him for the sonne of God hath taken his substance from his father in that eternall generation And thirdly which is higher and this passeth all comparison he represents him not onely in a substance but in that same substance in number so that there is not two Gods but one God Nay the father and the sonne is but one substance and one God in number and therefore he saith the father and I am one in the gospell of Iohn 10. 30. No earthly sonne may say so I am in the
thought it a thing indifferent that might be done without any fault they were come to that reprobate sense that nature condemneth Therefore the Apostle to let them see that this was a sinne and one of the first when he reckoneth the sinnes of the Gentiles he nameth fornication first to be the ring-leader to the rest and the more they extenuate it the more the spirit aggrauateth it The more thou shalt extenuate any sinne the more the spirit of God shall aggrauate it to thy conscience Wilt thou say murther which now is so rife is no sinne The Lord will say to thee it is a sinne and a huge great sinne if thou do not amend it thou shalt neuer inherit the kingdome of heauen Therefore wee learne that these sinnes the world accounteth least of the Lord accounteth most of and thou shouldest account most of them and in condemning of them thou shouldest insist This harlotry is euer conioyned with prophanenes Thou that takest pleasure to defile thine owne bodie thou growest a prophane bodie and so thou art ready to be drawne to al mischiefe for thou art left of God Heb. chap. 12. vers 16. Let no man be a harlot or a prophane person as Esau was meaning hereby that a harlot is a prophane dogge readie to be polluted with all vice But to come to the next vice It followeth Vncleannes Harlotrie is one sort of vncleannes But now hee subioyneth all manner of vncleannes And from the lesse member which is harlotrie he goeth to the greater This teacheth vs that we are full of filthines For if this vncleannes in all manner of waies were not in vs the Apostle would not bid vs mortifie the generall vice that is in vs and so though thou were come of a King thy nature is full of filth and vncleannes No the sow was neuer Greater filthines cōmitted by man then by a beast so vncleane as thou art by nature A sow hath not the filth of sinne but thou hast There was neuer beast that will fall into such filthines as man will doe wilt thou reade histories yea the Scriptures thou shalt finde greater filthines committed by man then by any beast This thing and that will make thee loathe but if thou hadst an eye to see thy sin thou wouldest loathe it more then all the filthines in the world The second thing that we learne here is this It is not enough to mortifie one sort of vncleannes In case thou be a drunkard it is not enough to mortifie that sinne in case thou be an harlot it is not enough for thee to mortifie this howbeit it be well done to do it but thou must passe from one sinne to another and neuer leaue it aliue in thee but mortifie them all slay all cut all away for I assure thee one vncleanenes will cause thee die it will cause thee goe to hell The Germanes thinke that drunkennes is no sinne but I say it is and it is enough to cause thee die as a sicknes will cause thee die if thou mend it not so one sinne will cause thee die if thou repent not Now to go to the next member He calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnruly Vnruly affection affection what euer it be Here it is taken for a raging lust that setteth a man on fire 1. Cor. chap. 7. vers 9. So yet I send you to nature looke what stuffe it is made of There is a fire in nature of foule lust that will burne thee to death and in the end put thee in hell if it be not mortified May ye not see this by experience when ye see that which is fit for y e a bating and quenching of lust cannot quench it but he will runne and mingle himselfe with harlots these harlots testifie of this fire Looke to the adulterer there is a fire Yet more then that when this fire hath burnt vp all the moysture of the bodie and wasted all yet it burneth in the heart Ye shall see this in filthie aged men when the bodie is decrepit yet the fire of this lust will be burning still in the heart and it looseth the tongue to filthines fie on thee it becommeth not an old man to speak foule filthie talke This is one thing I marke another thing by subioyning firie lust to vncleannes It teacheth vs that among all vices we should take heed of it This burning lost is not the least we should put out that fire first for I tell thee if thou let it burne all the things in the world will not quench it Thou must get the water of the spirit of Christ to quench it Therfore crie for that water or els thou and it both will burne in hell for euer When he hath spoken of this he goeth to euill concupiscence It is not one filthie affection but all filthie affections and euery kinde of them which are many in number Euill concupiscence that he will haue mortified Thinkest thou there be no more but vncleannes and burning lust in thee Yea although they were taken away yet thou art full of other affections This letteth thee see yet how foule thy nature is The Papist saith we aggrauate the filth of nature ouer much Ah filthie creature thou hast not felt the stinke of nature and therefore thou art Stinke of nature the worst teacher of nature I say to thee the filth of nature cannot be spoken of sufficiently enough yea an Angell can not paint out sufficiently the mysterie of sinne and the filthines of thy nature And therefore the Apostle teacheth vs to enlarge our mortification when thou hast mortified one sin two sins three sinnes yea many sins think alwaies there are more behinde when thou hast mortified all these former sins yet auarice is behinde suppose thou shouldest quit thy selfe of them all yet if thou be auaritious it shall cause thee die thou shalt not inherit heauen Then as there is no end of sinne so let there be no end of mortification of sinne There are more members of sinne within thee then there are members of thy bodie and therefore be slaying one And here I end crauing of him who is able to slay this filthines of nature to graunt his holy spirit and faith in Iesus Christ to that effect To whom with the Father be all honour and thanks for euer Amen THE XXV LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians beginning at the end of the fift verse COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 5. 6. 7. 5 And couetousnes which is Idolatrie 6 For the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience 7 Wherein ye also walked once when ye liued in them YE haue heard brethren the first exhortation the Apostle maketh to the Colossians in this chapter was that they should seeke the things aboue The second exhortation was that they should be wise in them And wee haue entred into the third exhortation the last day which is that
of the word I beseech you looke how you haue it Some will clatter ouer Scripture and yet they will be the vainest bodies that are Therefore content not thy selfe with a rote rime of the word except thou finde an illumination by it in thy minde wisedome and knowledge in thy heart What good doth the repetition of certaine sentences of the Scripture if this be not I say to thee thou abusest them and thou shalt be challenged for it Now to come to the next effect Teaching and admonishing The second effect of the word your owne selues with Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs with grace in the heart singing to God the Lord. So the next effect of this riches of the word is in respect of others hee that aboundeth himselfe in the riches of the word hauing a store of it in his breast he must redound and runne ouer as a full vessel that runnes ouer he must not onely be a vessell that is full but he must be a full vessell running ouer So hee must runne ouer in Simile graces to others and there is none of these graces that runne ouer that falles to the ground but the hearers receiue them We get not this grace to keepe it to our selues and to hide it as a hoord in our owne breast so that none other know of it what auailes that hoord Wherefore serues siluer if it be not imployed to the vse of men euen so what auailes wisedome and knowledge if it be not imployed to the vse of men and communicated to others it will rot within thee and neuer doe thee good And thinkest thou that the more narrowly thou keepest it that it will grow vp the more No no if thou haue siluer and thou giue it not out it will not grow but if thou laist it out thou keepest the stocke and receiuest the profit Euen so the word of God and the riches thereof if thou giue it not foorth it cannot grow but if thou giue it out and communicate the same to others it shall grow in thee Concerning this matter Paul 2. Tim. chap. 1. vers 14. saith Keepe that faire thing that is committed in trust to thee meaning this word Then in the chapter following in the beginning he saith These things thou hast heard what shalt thou doe with them Cammunicate them to faithfull men And what shall they doe To speake much of the word to others with them that are able saith he to teach others So the onely way to keepe this riches with a continuall increase is euer to be speaking of it and communicating of it to others VVhere thou seest an ignorant soule giue to that soule one peece of that riches I speake not this to Ministers onely but to euery one of you who heare me for wee and ye are bound to communicate this word one to another And thou who art the first giuer of it it shall grow the more with thee for it growes through giuing of it It is not like temporall riches of which the more is giuen the more they decrease but these spirituall riches the more they be giuen the more they grow Therefore be euer giuing of them that thou maist bring many liuing stones vnto the house of God and of Iesus Christ for thou shalt not be glorified till the whole bodie be glorified Therefore as thou wouldest be glorified seeke the rest of the members to be glorified with thee and be euer bestowing of these riches vpon the members of Christ as thou hast receiued of him These are the two effects that this word hath in others The first is in the minde The second is in the heart and affections of the hearers In the minde the effect of the word is when thou teachest the ignorant that hath no knowledge by Teaching of minde opening vp the word thou doest minister knowledge to the ignorant and so it stands in doctrine The effect that it works in the heart is by admonishing and comforting rebuking as Admonishing and comforting the heart occasion serues So I note the word of Iesus workes in all the parts and powers of the soule of man in the minde will and euery affection it runnes through al the faculties of the soule As for the word of a Philosopher that hath the knowledge of things earthly it will informe thy knowledge and it will let thee know the thing thou knewest not before but it will not Psalm 19. 7. 8 reforme nor alter thine heart it is onely Christs word that doth that Men are inclined to reade good morall bookes but I warne thee except thou reade this word of Christ nothing can reforme thy heart Therefore seeke to this Gospell This is one thing I note and another note is this It is not enough for thee that hast the word of Christ in thy hart in great plentie and aboundance to informe the vnderstanding of an ignorant no not in heauenly things yea and it were to vnderstand the whole Scriptures thou hast not done all thou shouldest do to make a learned hearer though it were in the whole Note of a true teacher ministerie of God what shouldest thou do more Thou must admonish that is thou must go to the heart of the hearer and his affections to see how he is disposed So that if thou see the affections to be out of rule as they will appeare in the manners of men thou must tune thy speech according to the affections of them and striue to put them in order And if they be ouer loftie thou must bring them low downe and if they be deiected thou must cheere them vp againe comfort and incourage them In a word thou must comfort admonish and rebuke according as thou shalt finde the disposition of the hearer if he were a King thou must rebuke him as thou findest Admonition hard occasion The world cannot abide this Speake to my vnderstanding say they teach me Christ what haue you more to doe Make me and the people to vnderstand but speake not to my affections Let me and them bee together meddle not with my affections begin not to rebuke me and to controule my affections I wil not beare with it But let men speak as they please this is the truth Neither art thou a faithfull teacher if thou wert but a priuate man if thou rebuke not a priuate man much more a Preacher cannot discharge his dutie in his Ministerie if he admonish and rebuke not the person whom he sees and knowes to offend And therefore away with these Iniunctions and rather close thy mouth then receiue such an Iniunction otherwise thou canst not doe thy dutie What profits me all the light in the world if mine affections be out of rule My knowledge shall doe me no good and hee Affections vnruly who speakes not to thy affections hee shall doe thee no good he must first instruct thy minde and then speake to thine affections I will not insist But I
grace He prayeth that they should be filled with knowledge with light euen with that that they haue most neede of O the darknesse that is in man naturally he is full of that blacke smoake of darkenesse he is choked full of it lying wallowing in it so that of all things he hath greatest misse of light If thou were lying in a pit thou wouldest thinke it a great benefit to get a glimse The naturall blindnes of man Ephes 6. 12. 13. of light O but if thou sawst thy owne darkenesse in thy soule thou wouldest neuer bee ioyfull whilst thou gatst this light which the Apostle prayeth for So thē the thing we need most is the spirituall light of God for God is light and dwelleth in light that hath no accesse 1. Tim. 6. 16. What is then thy blessednesse to be filled with this light to be partaker of it in some part as thou art able to be filled with it So the thing promised in the scripture is knowledge and light and the first thing the Apostle prayeth for is to get knowledge of this mysterie of Christ The second word is to be marked that you may be filled with all knowledge This speech letteth vs see that it will not be a part of knowledge that will fill a man but he must be filled with all knowledge how beit the heart of man be but of a small roome and capacitie yet if his heart be sanctified it is a wonderfull thing the length and the depth of the grace that it will receiue howbeit it be finit yet vnspeakable how infinite a thing it will receiue God shall dwell and be all in all in that heart that is once sanctified so infinite a thing it will be capable of Take it in the owne nature thereof ye finde it in A sanctified heart experience in common sciences it is not capable of things that are finit but get it once sanctified it will take apprehension of that infinit maiestie and riches in him That you may be filled with all knowledge whereof there are many things better not to be knowen then to bee knowen Adam would faine haue knowne the mysterie of the forbidden tree and it had been wel for him that he had neuer knowne it Whereof then must this knowledge be of his will what a will is that Euen that will that Iesus his sonne comming out of the bosome of the father hath reuealed to the world that was the best and ioyfullest reuelation that euer was So it must be the knowledge of the will of God reuealed Where was this will some will aske all the time preceding the comming of Christ looke 1. Cor. 2. 7. It was a wisedome in a mysterie hid and neuer fully reuealed while Christ came which was appointed reade the place vnto our glorie Then he comes to that that was contained in that mysterie The things saith he that the eye neuer saw the eare neuer heard neither entred into the heart of man loue him if thou wilt which God hath prepared and reuealed to vs by his spirit If thou haue his spirit thou wilt pierce into the gulfe of his loue towards thee in Iesus Christ and of his riches And in the epistle to the Ephesians 1. hee opens the mysterie more cleerely well it is no small matter to get the eye of thy minde opened Thou wilt thinke it a great matter to get the eye of thy body opened that thou mightest see the visible creatures of God But what is that sight and the opening of the bodily eye to the sight of the soule and opening of the eye of thy soule whereby thou shalt see God and the things of God for thy weale There is no match here Therefore the Apostle to the Ephesians explaines this mysterie more cleerely where he saith that You may see what is the hope of his calling yet he goeth further and what is the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and then he goeth further And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towards vs. And if thou hast faith thou shalt tast of such an excellent grace that thou shalt wonder that that same sory and sillie heart could gripe and attaine to such vnsearchable riches The effect of his will is this the way of redemption to the lost world is reuealed the way of remission of sinnes how to be made holy and the rest of the graces reuealed in Iesus Christ True wisedome This is the will of God Note then what call you true wisdome Men would be wise man inclines to nothing more then to haue knowledge Then what is true knowledge To know the way of thy redemption And if thou want this the greater knowledge thou hast the greater foole Be a foole man to come to this knowledge Come down thou art that scansing soring I wot not where come downe come downe I say if thou know not Iesus thou art a foole thou shalt neuer reach to the wisdome of Christ thou must come down and leaue thy foolery and proud conceite of knowledge if thou wilt be truly wise In the end of the verse when generally he hath spoken of this knowledge he laieth it out abroad and saith With all wisdome and vnderstanding By wisdome briefly he vnderstandeth all that knowledge that consists not so much in doing as in contemplation By vnderstanding he meanes such knowledge as stands in doing for religion and that true Philosophie and wisdome is not a bare meditation for a man to sit in his chamber all the day and like a Cloister Monke and in the meane time to doe nothing thereby to profit the Church of God it is nothing it auailes not But religion is a knowledge and a meditation and a doing Practise thy religion or else it is not worth a penny And if it shine not in thy life it is but durt so you haue the parts of this knowledge wisdome Wisedome in meditation vnderstanding in practise in meditation vnderstanding in practising to profit the world You see first this knowledge is spirituall in quality not earthly It is of things that neuer shall take end it is parted it stands in wisdome and stands in practising will you come to degrees It is perfect in degrees and then it is perfect in parts in the which there is nothing that wants or is superfluous This is that knowledge that we haue in Christ howbeit the Apostle would seeme that he prayeth that they should get this faith here yet is it sure that it is neuer gotten in this life if thou shouldest liue Methusalems daies It must be that thou grow in filling vp this faith euery day thou liuest more and more but so long as thou brookest this mortalitie this fulnes whereof the Apostle speakes shal neuer be for this mortalitie must be swallowed vp of life If thou wouldest haue this faith thou shalt neuer get it till the day of the resurrection at which time God shall be all in all 1.
remission Now to speake familiarly wee haue not paid a farthing for it but as it is said in the Ephesians It is the riches of his grace towards vs so it is nothing but mercie and grace to vs. Then to come forward The Apostle when hee hath spoken of the second benefit which we receiued in Christ to let vs see that this bloud is no small thing he passeth out as it were in a description of the Redeemer whose bloud this is That first we may see the worthines of that personage And secondly considering his worthines may see the preciousnes of his bloud by whom wee are redeemed And thirdly that considering these two wee may see how fast and sure our redemption made by that bloud standeth immoueable It is no small matter to know how fast thy redemption stands for if thy redemption were quarrelled or excepted against thou wouldest giue if it were all the world for to know the assurance of thy redemption for Sathan and his instruments are chiefly busied about thee to make thee distrust of thy redemption in the bloud of Christ Therefore the spirit of God in this place and other places is busied to confirme thee of the certaintie of thy redemption that Sathan nor his instruments deceiue thee not Then the first argument of the description is taken from his Discription diuine substance he is the image of the inuisible God that is an essentiall image of God his father and he is one God with the The first part father in number howbeit distinct in persons Then there is the first ground of our redemption in the Mediatour the Lord Iesus to wit the Godhead of Christ It is not vpon the manhood that our redemption is first grounded but vpon Iesus * Yet euer remember he is a Mediatour in respect of both natures and not one only diuine or humane Christ God equal in glorie and maiestie with the father This being the ground then it must follow that his bloud is a most precious bloud as it is called Acts 20. 28 the bloud of God It being so precious of necessitie the redemption of man that is made by that bloud must hold and stand fast And all the world yea all the diuels in hell be not able to shake it nor to moue it out of the place keepe this for a sure ground when thou art tempted about thy redemption and the certaintie of it Now followeth the second part of his description in these The second part words He is the first borne of all creatures This argument is from his eternitie he is without beginning The Redeemer by whose bloud we are redeemed as he is God so he is from all eternitie he hath no beginning So the second ground of our redemption is his eternitie and if hee had been but in time and not from all eternitie the price of his bloud would not haue redeemed thee But the Redeemer being first God and next being from all eternitie the bloud of our redemption must be precious Yet to insist The first borne I seeke no other Commentarie to explane this then the words which hereafter follow vers 17. and he is before all things which is to the same effect and it is that that is written Ioh. 1. In the beginning was the word In these words this his being and substance is set downe by a certaine allusion to those y t were first borne in the families of fathers vnder the old Testament for as they were first borne and the rest borne after them euen so the first borne of God the onely begotten he is not only before all the rest as Rom. 8. 29. but before all creatures men and Angels borne from all eternitie * VVho can declare his generatiō vnspeakeably This would be marked speaking of the eternitie of the Redeemer hee sets it not downe simply saying he is from all eternitie but he sets downe his eternitie in comparison with the creature Wherefore doth he this The eternitie and the glorie of God our Redeemer appeares best by a comparison with the creature All things are euer best seene and knowne of vs by comparing them with the contrary The vilenes and naughtines of the creature appeares best in comparison with the maiestie and excellencie of God Therefore the Scripture when it sets downe the glorie of God it sets it downe in a comparison with the creature and by the contrarie when it sets downe the basenes of the creature it sets it downe by a comparison with the Creator that the basenes of the creature may be the better seene Nay thou who thinkest euer much of thy selfe thou neuer sawest God if thou saw God thou wouldest stinke in thine own eyes All the creatures are but stinke and vanitie in comparison of their maker To goe forward In the verse following when he hath set downe the eternitie of Christ he proues it The argument is because by him all things are made Then neuer any thing escaped his hands all past through his hand the soberest creature in the world past through his hand There is the argument He by whom all things were created he must be before all things but so it is by our Mediatour our Redeemer the Lord Iesus all things were created Ergo the Redeemer must be before all things and consequently eternall There is the argument The manner of speaking imports that the Father is the originall of the creation and it is he who creates and that by his sonne as the dispenser of the creation not that there is difference in creation nay the father and the sonne had one power Ioh. 5. vers 19. What euer the father doth the same doth the sonne But how Equally in power howbeit the father be first in order and then next the sonne and in the third place the holy spirit yet all concurres with one equall power and maiestie Now as this is the reason prouing the eternitie so it is another part of his description and the third argument taken from the creation Then here thou seest the third ground of thy redemption is thy Creator He who redeemes thee created thee thou hast not one Creator and another Redeemer nay hee who redeemes thee is he who created thee Then thy Redeemer being the glorious and omnipotent Creator the bloud wherewith thou art redeemed must be precious Marke it ye who count so little of the bloud of Christ it being so precious a bloud thy redemption must stand sure and fast for it is founded vpon the omnipotent Creator But to goe to the text when hee hath set downe generally this worke of the creation he descends to speake in particular of the creatures and he laies out them as it were abroad and the first difference he makes of them is from the place of their habitation Some are in heauen and othersome in the earth he made all these earthly creatures man and beast yea hee created the Toade it selfe al is made by
see so much as a iot of glorie without Christ Therefore when thou hearest speaking of glorie and riches call it all Christs and then sticke not here but when thou hast drawne all to Christ then take him to thy selfe What auailes me all the glorie of God and of Christ if I haue no part of it for it is the greater damnation to thee if thou haue no part of it The more power he hath the greater terror is it to thee the greater mercie the greater sadnes to thee So take him and put him in thy heart and trowest thou not that God will dwell in thy heart The Scripture saith he dwels in the heart Eph. 3. 17. Well then take him and put him in thy heart and thou shalt get the fulnes of glorie and all his glorie shall be in euery one So getting Christ thou shalt get all glorie It is a small matter to know that in Christ is all glorie except thou get Christ applied to the heart him applied to thy heart O the consolation that will be in the heart that hath Christ and without him fie on thee and thy stinking heart both All the things vnder heauen shall not minister ioy to thy soule if thou want Christ in thy heart Alas all other ioy is but vanitie and from the teeth forward Now in the last words when hee falles out in speaking of Christ hee cannot leaue him Would to God wee could finde Christ as powerfull as Paul did Alas wee haue nought but a castlesse word of him and away with him If he were in thee as he was in Paul thou wouldest not speake of him so slenderly but thy mouth would euer speak of him in great aboundance and thou wouldest thinke that thou couldest neuer speake enough of him And why should wee not learne of Paul and such holy men to speake as they spake of Christ Then I say he falles out and calles him that hope of glorie as if he would say that glorie that is hoped for Iesus Christ is that glorie that is reuealed in mysterie Iesus is the riches of that glorie and is that same thing that wee looke for Hee is glorie here in this life and he is that glorie we hope for in the life to come Think not that thou shalt see another glorie in substance but that thou seest now in the Gospell as in the mirrour of all glorie Seest thou not this glorie of Iesus Christ in the reuelation of the mysterie thou shalt neuer see this glorie after this life Looke if this be a streight band it bindes thee with life and death As euer then thou wilt see Christs glorie after this life looke that thou see his glorie in the mirrour of the Gospell We must see Christs glorie in the Gospell if we will see him after this life O vaine foole wilt thou take pleasure to looke in a mirrour to see thy vaine foule face and wilt thou take no pleasure to looke in the mirrour of the Gospell to see the sweete face of Iesus that casts his beames not to thy face onely but downe to thy heart also and makes it light and illuminates thy blinde minde and makes a faire soule Well is the man that hath a lightsome soule O foole thou wilt be carefull to haue an eye in thy head but it had bin good if thou neuer hadst had one if thy soule abide blind It is y e light of Iesus that makes a soule a soule When he shall come in his owne person thou shalt see him no more in a mirrour thou shalt heare no more of the Gospell but in steede of it the Lord Iesus shall stand vp in proper person and the beames of his glorie shall transforme thy face and all the parts of thy bodie shall begin to bee more glorious then the Sunne in the noone day Thou shalt be made conformable to his glorious bodie Phil. 3. 21. Hold on therefore To looke on Christs face in the Gospell till we see him face to face in looking on the mirrour till hee come He is comming behinde he is at thy backe he is at thy hand the mirrour will away and then he shall shine on thy face Hold on therefore and looke in the mirrour till he come and fill thy soule with glorie and honour for euer Now to this Iesus with the Father and the holy spirit be euerlasting praise Amen THE TWELFTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 1. vers 28. 29. 28 Whom we preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisdome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus 29 Whereunto I also labour and striue according to his working which worketh in me mightily I Shewed you brethren the Apostle in the end of this chapter he speakes especially of his owne person to the end he might gaine authoritie and reuerence to his doctrine and exhortation First ye heard he spake of his sufferings The sum of the last Sermon remouing the offence which the Colossians might haue taken at them Secondly he speakes of his ministery that he was a Minister of the Church according to the dispensation giuen to him from God for the Colossians in speciall to this end to fulfill the word of God After this he speakes of that hid mysterie for he defines the word which he preached to be that mysterie so long time hid and at last reuealed to the saints and he interprets it to be of Iesus Christ who is said to be the riches of the glory of this hid mysterie Thus far we haue heard When he hath spoken of the mystery he returnes and speakes of his owne person And in the first part of these words to speake of them word by word as they lye he saith whom we preach that is the which Iesus Christ that hope of glorie as he tearmed him before we preach that is I and the rest of my fellow laborers So no question in these words he endeuours to purchase authoritie to his ministry from the subiect of his preaching All his preaching was of the most glorious things that euer were or shall be in this world All his preaching was of Christ the riches of that glorie that so long was hid and at the last was reuealed Briefly we see of these words of Paul a Minister of the Gospell of Christ hath gotten in trust committed to him a faire and precious thing He hath vnder his hand The word of reconciliation committed to the Ministers of the Gospell the riches of the glorie of God to wit Iesus Christ He is a treasurer to speake of it so and hath in his custodie a treasure but such as is the richest that euer was is or shall be in the world And he hath a commission not to keepe it close but to giue it out and deale it to the world that euery one should haue their portion of it And therefore what is the glory of the Minister
that loues vs although hee be absent yet he should striue to make his loue knowne to vs by a register and putting of it in writing as Paul did He writes vp and registers his loue to vs. It is no shame to Paul to tell vs that he loues vs if so be he haue the glorie of God and our consolation before his eyes So all comes to this in a word it is a comfortable thing for thee to know that the Saints of God loue thee and that thy pastor loues thee and it is an argument that God loues thee and that thou art deere to him This for Pauls answere in the first verse To come to the second verse and to goe forward word by word he sets downe the end of his care he had of them and his strife he sustayned for them the end is that their harts might be comforted that they might get consolation not in their head Consolation is felt in the heart but in their heart Consolation is in the heart It is not a fleeting thing in the head it is not an imagination or phantasie in the braine it is not superficiall but it occupies the whole heart it takes roote in the heart and it spreads all the roots of it through all the parts of the same and this is the true consolation Then brethren you may perceiue by these words that all men by nature are comfortles no man by nature hath Euery man comfortles by nature any consolation O comfortles miserable creatures are we if thou wert borne a king thou art borne a comfortles body and miserable by nature for by nature there is no consolation to mankinde after the fall of Adam but woe and miserie For as touching these earthly things and benefits what sound consolation is in them The light of the sun ministers no true consolation to man that hath no more but nature nay the more blessings which might minister of themselues consolation the more curses to thee if thou stand in nature the greater honor the greater misery if thou stand in nature onely And againe all these benefits shall serue to thy welfare if thou be in Christ through faith This preaching of the word it ministers consolatiō to thy silly soule For the end of it as this place lets you see is to minister true consolation to the comfortles And this is the end of all the care trauell and strife that the Apostle The end of the gospel and ministery therof is to bring consolation vnto men takes to minister comfort vnto thee And therefore Iohn saith in his 1 Epistle chap. 1. 4. These things write I vnto you that your ioy may be full So all that is spoken and written in the Scriptures serues this end that thou mayest haue sound ioy in thy heart And thou that wilt not take consolation at the hand of the minister I denounce against thee though thou werst a king thou shalt get no consolation in this world and thou shalt see no ioy nor consolation in the life to come To come to the next word By what meanes come they to this consolation by being ioyned and compacted in one altogether as the members of a man there is the meane to obtaine this consolation This lesson is easie the meane of true consolation and comfort of sound ioy tranquillity and peace of conscience is this a blessed coniunction with the members Communion with Christ and his members brings sound consolation of Iesus Christ This is it that we call the communion of Saints and to be ioyned in the societie of the Church here in earth And thou that wilt stand thy selfe alone if thou cut thy selfe off as a rotten member and disdaine the societie of the Saints and runne from them run thy way if it were to the end of the world the curse of God followes thee And therefore this being the meane of this consolation without the which no saluation nor ioy can be he that would haue that comfort let him be ioyned with the members and the minister that would comfort any let him labour to make them members of that body of Christ that the ioy of Iesus Christ may flow downe from Christ to them To come to the next word Hee sets downe the meane wherby this coniunctiō is brought to passe being conioyned together saith he through loue Albeit that faith goes before by nature yet I will follow the text as the words lie The meane whereby thou art ioyned with the body of Christ and standest The first meane of the communion of Saints Loue the band to binde vs with men but faith with God with that societie of the Church in the earth is loue Wouldst thou be coupled with the body loue thy neighbour One member of this naturall body will loue another So if thou be a member of the body of Christ thou must needes loue thy neighbour truely And he that cannot loue nor will not loue he shall neuer be ioyned with the body for wanting loue no band can binde thee to Christ nor his Church A malitious euill body that cannot loue call him as ye will a christian he is not in the body and so hath no consolation for without the coniunction with Christ there is no comfort Therefore he that will haue comfort let him be conioyned with the body and hee that would be conioyned with the bodie let him loue the members of the bodie Loue God first aboue all and then thy neighbour as thy selfe And therefore Iohn in his first chapter of his Epistle when he had spoken of this coniunction hee euer in the rest speakes of loue For without this loue there is no coniunction nor societie with his Church The second meane of this coniunction is in these words The second meane of our communion with the Church And in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding by these words he meanes nothing els but this faith in Iesus which by nature in this coniunction is formost and loue followes For to speake it so faith is the master sinew that binds the members with the head and this loue is the band which bindes vp the members among themselues Then to come briefly to the matter here ye see the chiefe meane of this societie with the Church One faith in Iesus Christ not two or three or foure faiths sundrie faiths will not make thee a member of the bodie True faith of Iesus Christ If thou be of another faith then this true faith which hath this full assurance then the Church will not be conioyned with thee it will be like a brasen and firie wall to hold thee backe from that societie So that without one faith there cannot be one bodie Therefore Paul when he hath spoken of one bodie then he subioynes one faith meaning that there cannot be one bodie without one faith Marke the place Ephes 4. 5. All these bands of bloud of consanguinitie will not ioyne men together
bodies of men for euer Fie on this world that will not once see it And yet to insist on the word Let no man beare rule ouer you that is against you The word that hee ascribeth to false teachers le ts vs see the nature and engine of a false teacher He is ambitious and seekes by all meanes to beare rule ouer all men not for their weale but for their woe woe is them ouer whom hee beares rule What matter is it if he sought to beare rule ouer the body and substance of man onely but the chiefest thing that hee seekes is to beare rule ouer the soule which importeth two things First an vsurping of the place of God for God onely is the Lord of the conscience and soule of man neuer Angell gate place to beare rule ouer the soule conscience of man Note these two things in false teachers which desire to dominiere ouer consciences Secondly it importeth an euerlasting wracke to the soule of the creature if he be kept vnder his gouernment If thou giue thy soule to be vnder his gouernment and tyrannie in such a cleere light thou shalt be sure to perish both in bodie soule This for the first word of this text The second word is At his pleasure Let him not beare rule ouer you and that at his pleasure not according to God and his word but according to his foule affections A deceitfull villaine lookes neuer to the word of God but to the foule affections of sinne I told you before hee was ambitious but now he is a tyrant which is the more perilous in that hee seeketh to beare rule ouer the conscience after the fancie of his foule affections and if hee continue with thee thou shalt dye euerlastingly The next words giue vs to vnderstand when he is set vp in his throne aboue a man what lawes he giues out A Prince or King when he is placed in his throne hee will giue out lawes the words tell you that first hee begins at the submission of minde lowlines there is his beginning A faire preface and true in generall that men should be humble and lowly minded There is no man no not the truest teacher that is that can haue a fairer beginning and entrie of doctrine then a deceiuer and can lay downe some grounds of doctrine more truly then he and specially he will begin at that which is most pleasing to the people he will begin with humilitie and in the meane time he will counterfeite such an humilitie in his eyes with his hands with tricking and ducking of his head and in all that he shall speake of he shall speake as an Angel of light This is faire but looke to the end when he hath begun with a faire preface where goeth he to next Worship Angels How gathereth he this Be humble therfore worship Angels How gathereth The argument which false teachers vse to moue men to worship Angels and Saints departed hee the conclusion He gathereth it this way It is a point of pride to passe to God immediatly and to come in before him at the first dash therefore sir worship Angels because they are in the gate betweene thee and God It is a foule assumption It is pride to goe to God immediatly Ha ha false deceiuer it is no pride to goe to God and to passe by all the Angels in heauen but it is a point of humilitie as it is most cleere through the whole Scriptures in the examples of the Prophets and Patriarchs So to be short ye see what followeth a faire preface when a deceiuer propoundeth a faire preface be sure of a foule end when the lowne hath commended good vertues hee will fall out in a filthie conclusion of one thing or other He will be speaking of things in generall and will gather a foule particular conclusion and therfore when he speakes fairest suspect him most When a Papist propoundeth a point of true doctrine he is most dangerous suspect him then most when he commends humilitie and that with many a bowing of the bodie beware of him for then hee will subioyne Call vpon Saints and worship Angels and doubt of thy saluation it is presumption to say that a man is sure of saluation humilitie bids thee doubt Now fie on thee and thy doubting doctrine both So if thou heare his preface hee will come in with this end close therefore thine eare at his generall for he is a Sophister to allure thee in the end and to draw thee into the net of destruction Therefore neuer account of his beginning for the end of it is deceit Well brethren was this point of doctrine concerning the worship of Angels in Paules daies Yes Then I am enforced to graunt that there are some points of the Papists doctrine very ancient yea as ancient as the Apostles themselues Goe to the Papist hee will say it is presumption to goe the hie way to God therefore goe to Saints and Angels This is very old and so it may be that through Popish antiquitie antiquitie their doctrine is commended Looke to the ancients say they yet I say if antiquitie will commend an heresie away with thee and thy antiquitie both Well well then all their reason from antiquitie is to confirme heresies that haue been damned in hell I will not insist to shew what heresies they haue raised vp againe for their religion is clouted and patched vp with all heresies in the world of Gentilisme and Iudaisme there is little pleasure to speake of them or their doctrines either Now to bee short in the next words the Apostle fals to the confuting of so foule and false a head of doctrine to wit concerning the worshipping of Angels he condemneth it let them defend it as they will The first argument he vseth is from a shamelesse pertnes of the false teacher aduancing himselfe saith he in things which he neuer saw The words import a violent entring into another mans professiō as if he would say where saw the deceiuer any Angels How knew hee that the Angels make intercession in heauen the word of God told him neuer a word of it who made him so wise to know that the Angels are mediatours so it may be a shamelesse pertnes that he speakes of the worshipping of Angels Marke then brethren the Apostle notes a false teacher with this note shamelesse pertnes He rubbeth off all shame of his forehead Nay know ye not There is the first preparation A note of a false teacher in his chamber before he come out to the people he rubbes off shame from him and then he comes out with a vizard on his face shamelesse and then he will speake of things which he neuer knew heard nor sawe and that were neuer written yea that are impossible for men to know in this life he will speake A notable confutation of all popish sigments so frankly of them as if he had seene them all he will begin
they had depriued themselues Ah woe to all false teachers and woe to them that doe depriue themselues of such an head and make the Pope their head But to come to the words he saith He holdeth not the head that is the false Apostle Then he subioynes whereof that is out of the which head the Lord Iesus through ioynts and bands the whole bodie is knit and compacted together and furnished Whereof it importeth not onely that Christ the head is the efficient and worker of all grace that comes to the bodie but more Christ the head of the Church that out of him as out of a storehouse and not elsewhere all grace and vertue doe flow vnto man So the word hath a great force for as out of the head of a man flow all the vertues mouing life and sense that is in the bodie take the head away no vertue is in the bodie euen so from this head the Lord Iesus to his mysticall bodie flow all power and mouing that the bodie that is his Church and euery member thereof hath Thou hast nothing but that that floweth from him Therefore the Apostle saith in him dwelleth all fulnes and againe in him are all treasures and againe in him dwelleth the Godhead bodily and againe in him wee are compleate To let you see that Iesus Christ is the storehouse of graces Goe thy way to heauen thou shalt not finde one iot out of thy head the Lord Iesus Thou shalt seeke all thy time and thou shalt not get a droppe without him Then he saith that by ioynts and bands the whole bodie is furnished not a part but the whole bodie and euery member neuer a one being excepted neither rich nor poore But to insist in the comparison euen as the whole bodie of a man and euery member of the bodie to the finger and toe sucketh vertue from the head and the head is powerfull to cause euery ioynt to liue it is euen so with this mysticall bodie There is neuer a member of this bodie but it receiueth some vertue from the head the Lord Iesus yea the silliest bodie of them all receiueth it owne grace and Iesus Christ is effectuall in euery one from the highest to the lowest If it be in the bodie it cannot want grace It is impossible that any that are in Christ Iesus can want grace but the Lord must be powerfull in them Runne then and ioyne thee with the bodie for if thou be not of this bodie I giue thee this doome thou Ioyne thy selfe with the Church if thou wilt be in Christ shalt neuer see grace nor get the spirit of Iesus which is the worker of this grace in Iesus 1. Cor. chap. 12. 7. he saith To euery one is giuen the manifestation of the spirit to profit withall And Ephes 4. 7. likewise he saith To euery one is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift This importeth that Iesus Christ is not onely full of grace but that there is such a varietie of grace in him that there is not onely one or two graces in him but he is full of varietie of graces There is not a member but he hath gotten a different grace I haue gotten mine thou hast gotten thine and euery one hath gotten his owne different grace So looke what varietie there is of the faces of men Varietie of graces in Christ. as great varietie there is of the graces of Christ and so there is no grace out of Christ seeke grace in him or els thou wilt neuer finde it To goe forward the first thing that euer commeth downe from the head to the bodie what thinke ye it to bee What is the first thing that commeth downe from the head of a man It is yee know the sinewes as the first thing for the head by them is bound to the bodie euen so the first thing that commeth from Christ he calleth it bands or ligaments that goe downe from him as from the head So that there is not a member of the bodie of Christ but there is a sinew a band comming from Iesus Christ the head to it Ye will aske what The bands which knit vs vnto Christ are these mysticall sinewes The first of them is the spirit of Iesus Christ God himselfe is the master sinew without that sinew thou shalt neuer bee conioyned with the head The second band is faith for when that spirit commeth he is not idle in the person in whom he is but hee worketh faith in him There is the other sinew whereby thou takest hold of him he taketh hold first of thee and then thou takest hold of him The third and last band is loue to thy neighbour a branch as it were striken out from faith where faith is loue will strike out from it as a branch striking out from the master sinew so these are the three bands The spirit entring into vs faith rising from vs and our loue rising from our faith whereby we mutually embrace one another I neede not to insist to proue by the Scriptures these points ye see in this Epistle chap. 3. 14. Loue is called the band of perfection Now brethren ye must know this moreouer euery one of these bands must extend to euery member There is not a member of Christs bodie but first he must haue the spirit of Iesus next faith and thirdly loue otherwise thou canst not be a member of Iesus Christ For if thou want but this loue which is the last thou canst not be one of Christs I say and affirme thou hast not the spirit nor faith and so art not conioyned with the head It is true that euery one hath his particular gift different from other but I assure you a man may not want one of these three Thou maist want the gift of tongues miracles and such others but thou must not want the spirit faith nor charitie Want what thou wilt and if thou haue not these three thou canst not stand in the bodie thou hast not to doe neither with Christ nor with his bodie therefore if thou hast the spirit faith and charitie and doest find thy selfe to haue them then thou maist be ioyfull Now to goe thorow after he hath set downe the bands he sets downe three effects that proceede from Christ by these Three effects proceed from Christ to euery member bands downe to the bodie The first effect is a furnishing of the bodie wherewith not with earthly furniture but with spirituall furniture otherwise it cannot stand For as when the bodie is knit with the head by sinewes and then downe through these sinewes as thorough certaine conduits doe flow vertue and power to the bodie cut off thy head thy bodie nor no member thereof hath any power to moue or stirre euen so this mysticall bodie being ioyned to Christ by these spirituall meanes the spirit faith and loue there commeth downe through these conduits to vs that water of life and that is
thinke to be safe account of the Ministerie as thou pleasest if thou lay not thine eare to the Gospell and beleeue Let saith he the word of God dwell in you In you that is in your hearts not in your mouthes and eares onely but let it goe downe to the heart and to the rootes and depth of the heart and let it haue it residence there It is not enough to haue it tinckling in thy eare albeit some think it enough but it must goe from the eare to the heart and there the residence and lodging of it must be So hee recommends not onely the hearing and reading but hee recommends the meditation in Meditation in the hart the heart thinking musing turning it ouer and ouer againe and againe in the heart for except the word be in the heart it can haue no operation It is not enough to sit and heare a while and no more if there bee not a musing in this word thinke not that it can haue an operation in your heart but the more thou hearest the more gracelesse art thou experience proues it Then the word must be in the heart but how long must it abide there Must it abide the night and away the morrow as a pilgrime lodging here this night and in another place the morrow must it lodge with thee so must thou muse of it for this time and then farewell till thou haue to doe with it againe and goe to thy drinking and pastime No saith he Let the word dwell that is haue a continual residence night and day within thee and be a domesticke or household seruant of Psal 1. 2. thine and not a stranger to abide with thee for euer and let there be a continuall meditation on it so long as thy strength can beare it Trowest thou that the thinking of Iesus will hinder thy occupation No it hath no grace but when thou art thinking of Iesus and it hinders thee nought except the meditation of the word be ardent in thee night and day as it was in Dauid who had as weightie occupations as any man O would to God Kings had a peece of meditation in this word as Dauid had in all those other affaires thinke not that grace will abide with thee For looke how soone this word leaues thee as soone grace goes from thee so that of a mercifull man thou be commest a tyrant What makes so many of our Noblemen so debased but the contempt of this word All our great men are very contemners of Gods word See ye not the vengeance of God vpon them their wiues and children they would haue this word driuen out not onely out of this countrie but out of the hearts of men Well well for all that let the word haue residence and continuall residence within you O but in what measure and what quantitie Some will say if you know this what behooues me to be ouer carefull to vnderstand this word let the Ministers who liue by it haue that care If I haue the Lords Prayer the Beleef and the tenne Commandements I need no more I am a Lord I am a Ladie I am a Gentleman what neede I to trouble my selfe with the Byble I haue another occupation But what saith the Apostle Let the word dwell in you How In scarsitie in a bit of it leauing the rest to others No but let the word dwell in you plenteously let the word make you rich The Apostle then requires a treasure and a store to be laid vp in the heart he would that the riches of the word be in you and not a pouertie of it And I say to thee thou who wilt content thee with one part and wilt not seeke the riches of the word and as the Apostle to the Hebrues chap. 6. 1. that striuest not to be led forward to a perfection but dwellest in the Elements and Cathechisme I say thou hast nothing of it He that will content himselfe with the Pater noster and the Creede I say he hath nothing And if he haue any illumination by it and cares not for a perfection that light he hath gotten shall die out if it grow not it will vanish away You see that if fire be not fed with new matter it will goe out It is as sure We must grow in knowledge or els vve haue no knowledge of that knowledge and light that thou hast of God and that light that is kindled in thee if it be not intertained so that it grow on it shall goe out And O then what danger art thou in If thou spue out that light it is impossible that thou shouldest be renewed by repentance for it is called the sinne against the 2. Pet. 3. 18 Heb. 6. 4. 6. holy Ghost Therefore all ye that would see the light and the riches of heauen striue to be rich in this word and be greedie in reading and meditating of this word as the Lord will giue you grace To goe forward Let the word dwell in you and in euery one of you for that that is spoken to one is spoken to all and that aboundantly It is the treasure that thou shalt take vp with thee and it shall not leaue thee in the graue it shall serue thee in heauen But what more In all wisdome now in this text that Effects of the vvord followes we haue certaine faire effects of this word of Iesus dwelling richly in vs. They are partly in the man himselfe in whom the word dwels and partly in others that heare him speake He who is rich in Christ is not rich himselfe onely but he shall inrich others also with him euery word that comes out of his mouth is a lumpe of riches to thee Then to come to the first effect In all wisdome and knowledge The word of God dwelling richly in any must not want the effect it Wisedome is a faire light must haue an effect and the first effect is a faire light O that light it is as it were a goodly torch light in a darke house that enlightens the whole house So thou by nature art a darke dungeon there is not a sparke of heauenly light in thee by nature Thou hast some light of nature but what is that It is to make thee inexcusable When this light of heauen comes it lightens all thy darknes What is the first effect of the light of the Sunne or of a candle but illumination So this word is the illumination of thy mind It opens the hart and enlightens it Illumination and it illuminates all the affections and puts them in order So the first effect is light It hath this of the owne nature 2. Tim. 3 15. Paul saith The Scriptures are able to make thee wise reade al the bookes that are written if thou couldest compasse heauen The Scriptures bring true wisedome and earth if thou want the Scripture in thy heart thou shalt neuer be wise And seeing this is the true effect
been so forcible in Ethnicks Pagans and brute beasts shall grace doe nothing in thee Wilt thou say thou standest in grace and then wilt not doe the thing that nature requires of thee It is shame to thee to stand vp and say with a brasen brow that thou stands in grace when nature hath no force in thee Thou liest thou hast nothing to doe with grace for that thou hast lost euen thy naturall affection The next thing lets children sâ—â— in what thing they should be obedient apparantly the word hath no exception Obey saith he in all things The word is either of one action and in it is required a perfect and whole obedieÌ„ce If thou wilt obey if it were but in action giue him whole obedience in doing of the same Some will goe to worke with grudging and glonshing the lowne will goe with a backward looke murmuring and whispering with a diuels pater noster This is but halfe obedience and thou shalt get no thankes for it therefore as thou wouldest haue thankes of God let thy obedience be voluntarie and cheerefull or els the Lord loues thee not Or this may be vnderstood of sundrie actions Obey in all things whatsoeuer You will aske Are the children bound in euery thing to obey Apparantly the Apostle meanes so Brethren there are three sorts of actions or things in the world the first that is Three sorts of actions plaine euill forbidden by God when it comes to that action obey him not when the father of heauen countermaunds obey not thine earthly father There is another sort that is good commaunded of God when thy father commands that thou art bound to doe it yea when he bids thee not thou oughtest to obey because God hath commaunded thee And if God and thy father commaund how darest thou disobey The third sort are indifferent actions that are neither bidden nor forbidden but may be done and not done according to circumstances which make them good or euill when thy parents commaunds thee to doe them thou oughtest to obey considering the circumstances yea thou art bound to obey thy parents euen in things that are grieuous to thee The Lord hath bound thee so streightly to thy parents that if the Lord countermand not thou art bound to obey him I say euen in that that is grieuous vnto thee And briefly these are the things in the which obedience is to be done to earthly parents Now followes the argument to moue them to this obedience for saith he that is well pleasing to the Lord he likes well of it for in obeying them thou pleasest not so much them as the Lord Iesus who lookes vpon the inward disposition of the heart Well are they that can please the Lord set thy heart to please him for there is no ioy but when the heart thinkes True ioy that the thing that it doth pleaseth God Wherefore is it pleasing to him There is nothing pleasing to him but that that is iust the iust Lord likes nothing but that that is iust Therefore Ephes chap. 6. vers 1. hee said Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right or iust Wherefore is it iust because hee hath said it is according to a law and this is the law Honour thy father and thy mother But the word hath further It is well pleasing that is exceeding pleasing and acceptable in an high degree The Lord hath declared this that this obedience to the parents is not only pleasing but in a high sort it likes him wel Looke in the order of the Commandements begins he not in the second table at this Commaundement Honour thy father and mother to serue them that is the next commaundement of seruice he commaunds to be done after him thou art bounden to thy earthly father and more he hath declared that it is pleasing by that promise that is added to that commaundement That thy daies may be long in the land c. So this promise lets thee see that there is not a dutie vnder his owne worship more acceptable to him then this dutie to parents is and if To please parents is a dutie very acceptable vnto God thou omit that dutie and dishonour thy parents although thou shouldest giue to others all thy goods thou shalt neuer doe any thing pleasing vnto the Lord. Well you that are disobedient to pareÌ„ts the Lord shall lay to your charge the breach of the whole law This argument hath an higher ground before it moue children to doe this dutie first of all they must know the Lord Iesus they must studie to please him and then knowing him and studying to please him out of question they will be obedient to their parents Because my heart is set to please the Lord therefore I will obey my father And therefore you that are parents take your lesson As you would haue your children obey you for the Lords sake so traine them vp in the Lord. Tell them what the Lord is and what hee hath done for them and what they are indebted to the Lord. If you Education omit this to instruct them of the iust iudgement of God it may come to passe that thine owne childe may be thy greatest enemie So woe to thee that wilt not let thy sonne know the Lord Iesus Now you see this argument What if the child obey he hath here a faire offer if you obey you doe that is acceptable to God as by the contrarie if thou disobey thou displeasest not so much thy earthly father as thou displeasest God And thinkest thou that thou shalt doe that vnpunished Thy earthly parents cannot get an amends of thee but thou canst not passe away and eschue Gods iudgements Reade you not of the punishment threatned Exod. 21 It is commaunded that the disobedient to parents should bee stoned to death Deut. 27. Among the rest of the curses he that curseth his parents hath a speciall curse and what is this curse is this curse in hell euerlasting damnation Is there no more Prou. 30. vers 17. The eye that mockes the father as there be many lownes that mocke their father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley picke it out and the young Eagles eate it Would you haue an example Reade of Cham the Scripture tels you what an eternall curse he and his posteritie got Reade you not of the curse of Absolon and of Abimelech Iudg. 9. he slew all the lawfull sonnes of Gedeon but the Lord reuenged it We haue no neede to goe to farre examples see we not daily examples of the iudgements of God vpon disobedient children to their parents Thus farre for the dutie of Children Now followeth the dutie of the parents Fathers saith the Apostle prouoke not your children to anger the reason least they be discouraged This commaundement to parents lets you see euen as the children may faile in doing of their dutie to their Duties of parents to children parents so
Church of Laodicea acquainted therewithall The reason why he would haue this Epistle communicated with the whole Church both of Colosse and Laodicea was the great profit which it containeth in it by meanes wherof it might profit all the faithfull euen vnto eternall life From whence wee may gather that it is not enough that Pastors Teachers Elders and others know the holie Scriptures wherof this worthie Epistle of Pauls is an excellent part but that they must of necessitie acquaint common Christians and all faithfull people therewith And therefore are the Church-Rulers bound to reade them both publikely and priuately and must propound and interpret them in the assemblies of the congregation yea must turne them into vulgar tongues that so the common people may reade them and vnderstand them and in a word they must carefully prouide that that booke may not be to the common people as if it were a book closed and shut vp into which no man must looke but they alone But how farre are the Doctors of the Popish Church from this holie minde They forbid lay men as they call thē from reading the holie Scriptures yea they strictly enioyne that translations of the vulgar tongues should not bee vsed Wherein what greater furtherance can they giue to the kingdome of Satan who knowing how needfull the Scriptures are to saluation doth wholy by himselfe and his supporters striue vnto this and laboureth nothing more then to hinder the scriptures from comming into mens hands or once appearing in their sight Another thing worthie obseruation is this that though Pauls Epistles as almost all the rest of the bookes of the holie Scripture were written to some certaine Church or to some certaine person that yet notwithstanding they doe indifferently appertaine to all Christians because they containe in them a perpetuall doctrine and such as is common for all Christians and were no lesse committed to writing for our instruction and comfort then for theirs to whom they were namely written For looke what the Apostle said touching the bookes and writings of the Prophets Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things were written before hand were written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might haue hope that same may wee affirme of all the holie Canonicall bookes of the Bible and the rather because the holie Ghost saith Euery Scripture giuen by diuine inspiration is profitable to teach to rebuke to correct and to instruct in righteousnes c. 2. Timoth 3. 16. And why should we doubt of it sith they come all from one God were penned and indited by one spirit and tend all to one end the glorie of God either in pledging vp saluation to them that are appointed to euerlasting life or damnation to them that are put apart against the day of wrath But it followeth in the text And that ye likewise reade c. This is the second speciall point wherein he commandeth the Colossians to reade that epistle which was written frō Laodicea What this epistle was it is very hard to determine we may with some probabilitie and without any impietie say that though it were not such a one as Paul himselfe wrote yet that it is likely yea more then that certaine that he approoued of it or else he would neuer haue had it read from whomsoeuer it came or was written to himselfe whether it were from the whole Church of Laodicea or from the pastor of the said Church yet he tooke the reading of it to be necessarie for the Colossians because the state of the neighbour Churches was not vnlike theirs From whence also wee may obserue that though the holy Scripture be abundantly sufficient for the establishing of the points of Christian religion and for framing and fashioning vs to holie life and that nothing be wanting therein that is necessarie to sound doctrine and to true sanctitie that yet it is profitable and that euen to edification to reade good mens holy writings though they be of farre different authoritie from the word of God For if we may be edified and builded vp by gracious and good speeches which do proceede from the faithfull members of Christ and also may be aduanced in goodnes by their holie life both which cases are plaine in the holie Scriptures and euen in the Apostles owne epistles why should not also their holie writings agreeing with the word of God tend also in some sort to our godly edification And therfore as men are and ought to be sharply reproued for that they neglect to reade the holy Scriptures or word of God so are they also much too blame for neglecting to reade good and holie books Wherein I marueile what men can alleage for themselues that can allow themselues so much time and leisure to pursue profits and pleasures yea to follow sinne and haue no spare houre to be occupied in reading of Gods holy word and other good workes Surely all that they can say for themselues is but figge leaues and neither will giue peace to our owne hearts nor stand vs in stead before God and good men He addeth in the 17. verse And say vnto Archippus c. This is the third speciall point that he chargeth the Church withal and it concerneth the admonishing of Archippus or putting of him in minde touching his dutie It should seeme that hee Archippus what he was was a minister or a preacher of the Gospell in the Church of Colosse and was a collegue as we may say with Epaphras who was then at Rome with Paul Whereupon also in Pauls epistle to Philemon vers 2. he is called Pauls fellow souldier that is to say his fellow labourer and helper in preaching of the Gospell of Christ But whatsoeuer he was it is very probable that he was somewhat slacke and negligent in doing his dutie and therefore he willeth yea he commaundeth the Church to admonish and put him in minde thereof From whence wee may obserue that it is a part of the Churches dutie when it seeth any of the ministers or officers thereof either not sufficiently The Churches dutie towards the negligent diligent or any whit slacke in accomplishing of their calling and charge to admonish them and call vpon them for greater care and more conscience in the faithfull performance thereof And good reason for if priuate men as members may yea ought to admonish one another and prouoke to good workes whilest it is called to day then the bodie of the Saints may as well doe it to the priuate members yea and publike ministers and officers thereof if you will vnlesse you will say either that they cannot faile in doing their dutie or auerre that mens places exempt and free them from other mens charitable ouer sight and carefull admonitions Yet in this there must be great respect had namely that it be done with such reuerence and modestie as becommeth the flock towards their pastor whom Cautions to be obserued in the Churches admonishing of