baptisme Not that baptisme doth it but baptisme is the seale of our burying with CHRIST For the properties of the thing signified is often giuen to the seale As in the Lords supper the name of the signe bread and wine is giuen to the thing signified which is the body and blood of CHRIST And baptisme is called the washing away of sinnes for as water washeth the filthinesse of the body so doth the blood of CHRIST signified by the water wash away our sinnes So here to be buried is giuen to baptisme which is onely the worke of the spirit of God by faith in CHRIST which doth bury sinne in vs. Baptisme doth represent our buriall vnto sinne because though it be not vtterly killed so long as we liue yet it is weakened In the Rom. 6. it is said that we are dead buried and raised vp in baptisme viz. baptisme sealeth all these vnto vs. But it is to be obserued That he maketh choise of the buriall onely rather then the death to signifie the truth and assurance of our mortification Note that our mortification is certaine true and without all dissimulation it is indeed a hatred of sinne For as men may seeme to be dead which are not so indeed but if they be dead and couered then we are assured they are dead indeed so true mortification is here signified to be a true hatred of sinne And that was in times past notably set forth by the custome in the primitiue Church their descending into the water which signifieth death to sinne and remayning in the water their burying to sinne and rising out of the water rising to righteousnes So that here is shewed what ought to be true mortification A simile For there may be some in a swone or trance which seeme to be dead yet reuiue againe so there are many that thinke thēselues dead to sinne if they can abstaine frō some sinne they haue vsed before doe some good things they did not before yet it doth not follow that they are therefore mortified for they may doe it for some sinister cause for hope of gaine c. and after fall to it againe and therefore it is necessary that there be a burying viz. that for conscience to God for the feare of God and loue of him that he hath bene mercifull vnto vs we mortifie sinne and walke in holinesse of life to continue in it which mortification importeth For he that continueth in mortifying sinne he Note onely is truely mortified Therefore acts 14. 21. strengthened the disciples and exhorted them to continue Doctrine Here also we learne that baptisme is the same to vs that circumcision was to the people of God vnder Verse 1. the law where we haue to confute the wretched opinion of the Anabaptists which will not haue any Anabaptists Erre baptised before they come to yeares of discretion but if they vnder the Law circumcised vnder age then now we may baptise vnder the Gospell them that are Infants Againe in the Parents if one be faithfull their children are holy and much more 1. Cor. 7. 14. both being holy sanctifie their children therefore to be baptised Obiection Obiection But it is said that the Apostles baptised it is said they baptised households but no mention is made of children they are not named Answer Could they baptise whole households Solution and not baptise children Againe in that baptisme is the same to vs that circumcision was to the Iewes why shold not our children be baptised as theirs were circumcised This doctrine serues also against the Papists that Verse 2. thinke that children vnbaptised are damned But The Papists errour conuicted that can not be because there was no such thing to be feared of those that died before circumcision being the 8. day For we see the Lord commanded that circumcision should not be before the 8. day to the end that the children should be strong to abide the great smart of the wounds now if as many children as died should be condemned the Lord should haue prouided ill for his people that for a small temporary comodity would depriue them of euerlasting life 2. Sam. 12. Dauid before his sonne died he had 2. Sam. 12. 16. 17. 20. 23. fasted and laene on the ground after he heard that he was dead he rose vp and washed his face and shewed himselfe comfortable and did make profession that he should goe to him Whereby it is euident he was perswaded he was in peace whereas we see that he mourned for his sonne Absolom Whom he loued as dearly because he feared his condemnation for that he had liued and died wickedly Againe if the children be vnbaptised it is not Note theirs but their parents sinne and should it be condemned for the parents cause Againe not the want but the despising and contemning Gen. 17. of the Sacrament is dangerous And therfore they onely that were despisers of the circumcision Deut. 16. were to be cut off Now the children cannot despise it and if any despise it it is the Parents Besides the Sacraments are notes of our saluation and that saluation doth not depend vpon them but vpon Gods fauour and free election before all worlds We haue heard of the benefits we haue in CHRIST through baptisme to be the dying vnto sinne and in sanctification The last benefit we haue in baptisme is the quickening of vs in CHRIST which is the forgiuenesse of sinne and iustification And therefore seing we haue both this iustification and all sanctification and dying vnto sinne sealed to vs in baptisme it appeares therefore that all the parts of our reconciliation are sealed to vs by baptisme The end of the 17. Sermon The 18. Sermon COLOSS. 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 14 And putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the Crosse 15 And bath spoiled the Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Crosse 16 Let no man therefore condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of any holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath dayes 17 Which are but a shadow of things to come but the body is in CHRIST WE haue heard how the Apostle doth propound to himselfe to refute two errours one of vaine Phylosophy which appeared to men to be wisedome but not true wisedome The other was that the Colossians had crept in among them such which held the necessity of ceremonies We haue heard how the Apostle amongst other ceremonies which he confuteth beginneth at the ceremony of circumcision which confutation he hauing entred vpon proceedeth in confuting the vse of the other ceremonies Metaphrase as eating of meats drincks c. As by his death he hath gotten vs forgiuenesse of our sinnes so by the same he hath blotted out the hand writing
to the end they would not take any delight in their meat they would not eate but riding And howsoeuer in those times the abstinence was greater yet for the latter Popery the profession of this abstinence continued euen amongst those gluttons and tun-bellied Monks and Fryers which liued in their surfetting and gluttony And indeed vntill a long time there was no Law of fasting but euery one did as he thought good but after came in the punishment of the Papists that they that eat flesh should be counted Lowlers For the cōfutation of this the Apostle saith they are dead with the ceremonies of the Law For if those that were once ordeyned by God and were profitable for the trayning vp of men to the seruice of God were taken away then much more ought those that were inuented by the deuice of man and were neuer profitable but rather hurtfull And if those that were once holy were reiected much more ought these that were the prophane inuentions of men should take no place And howsoeuer indeed the ceremonies of the Law were borne withall for a time and as one saith as an auncient matrone grauely and honorably brought vnto her graue and therefore the Apostle did beare with them yet they would neuer suffer the ceremonies of the Gentils to be kept and reiected them as being vnworthy of any thing but to be cast into a hole And such were the ceremonies of the Papists many of them being borrowed from the Gentils as the holy waters c. And therefore this place is a sufficient hammer to batter in peeces all mens ordinances for seing Gods ordinances haue giuen place much more they A second reason against these ceremonies is for that those things which they put holinesse in did perish with the vse of them For the meats going into the Math. 15. 17. stomacke and after into the draught as our Sauiour speaketh the ceremonies about them therefore could doe a mans soule no good for they could not come to any further then the belly if they come so far as the holy water doth not And therefore the Apostle Rom. 14 17. saith the kingdome of God standeth not in meats and drinks And in the Corinthians they are of no profit especially being the ordinances of men Obiection Obiection Are not outward things profitable because they perish with the vse What say you of the water in baptisme bread wine in the Lords supper are they not for the strengthning of the faith c and yet they perish with the vse for if a man doe not eat after they shall not liue Answere Answere Howsoeuer they perish yat they are the commandements not of man but of God and therefore hee giueth the blessing vnto them which hee hath ordained them for and therefore they are profitable vnto vs to assure vs in the mercies of God in Christ whereas other things which are mens deuices are not Obiection After the Apostle meeteth with an obiection which might be made of these ceremonies 1. Wee do these things which indeed are the doctrines of men but can wee do too much vnto God For when wee do any thing of our owne will we shall declare our dutifulnesse vnto God For if a seruant be commanded to Tresh a quarter a day and he do a quarter and halfe shall hee be condemned So doe wee Answer This hath but a shew of reason and wisedome Solution whereas there is none For why doth the seruant more then hee is appointed It is because his Maister knoweth not how much he is able to do But God is infinitely wise and appointeth euery man his taske as hee is able and none ought to go beyond and therefore howsoeuer wee may exceede mens commandements and please them and do well yet it is not so with God Heere then wee see the abhominablenesse of the workes of super-errogation that a man can go beyond the performance of the commandements of God whereas none is able to performe the least aright this is a detestable thing Question 2 Another obiection It is of humility to crouch to these ceremonies and is it not a good thing to be humble Answere Answer But euery humility is not commendable for 2. Kings 16. 7. Achaz as wretched a King as euer was when as the King of Israel and the. 10. Tribes came against him sendeth to Tyglath Pelazer saying to him Thy sonne and seruant whereas hee was a King as good as the other and in regard of the profession of God should haue gone before all other In Esay 57. 9. it was said to the Iewes Thou didst humble thy selfe vnto the grane Whereas they should haue humbled themselues to God alone So in Esay 2. 8. 9. it is said The people of Israel humbled themselues and croucht to the Idols which is an abhominable humility and basenesse and a pride in that they rise vp against Gods commandement 3 Obiect This is to tame the body by fasting Answer Fasting in deed is a good thing if well vsed but so to fast as to dishonour the body and to disable it to glorifie God withall is to bee condemned For the body is honoured when it is kept to bee strong and able cheerefully and thankfully to walke in the seruice of God Thus the wretched abuse of the Papists in their fastings and Iesuites in whipping themselues was a detestable thing vnto God as in the Priests of Ball. But that humiliation which is by a diligent and carefull walking and labouring in our calling to the end that by idlenesse the body be not puffed vp is a commendable humbling keeping downe of the body but that of the Papists was most abhominable seeing they made their whippings and stripes answerable to the passion of our Sauiour Christ Againe the Apostle saith howsoeuer they seeme yet saith hee these are nothing worth For howsoeuer in times of affliction of the Church and vpon speciall occasions c. there be greater need of humiliations But of these ordinary humiliations when as the body is too much kept vnder is contrary to that which the Lord requireth And therfore it is that the Apostle blameth Tymothy for this who though hee 1. Tim. 5. 23. were an excellent yong man yet had this infirmity that hee kept his body too much vnder for which cause he would drinke nothing but water 4 And the last reason is that these were for the filling of the flesh viz they were but belly-matters appertayning to the flesh and therefore perishable with the flesh which hath bene spoken of before or for the pleasing of mans fleshly mind Therefore to be auoided The end of the 20. Sermon The 21. Sermon COLOSS. Ch. 3. V. 1. 1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God WEE are now by the grace of God come vnto the second part of this Epistle where the Apostle doth deliuer certaine morall precepts of godly life
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