doe promise thee if thou doe it thou shalt haue the bitternes of thy nature taken away otherwise thou shalt neuer possesse a contented heart What a death this was he expresseth when he saith which were dead in sinnes there is the first cause of this death sinnes and trespasses that is all the actuall sinnes of their life all the foule thoughts of their heart all the prophane words of their mouth all vnruly actions of their hands all these be vnderstood vnder this word sinnes in the plurall number Then brethren this word importeth first the kinde of this death Death in sinne that man lieth in before he be in Christ it is not the death of the bodie In the bodie thou wilt seeme to be quicke enough when as thou art but dead but this death it is the death of the spirit it is the death of the soule for when thou goest on in sinne thou doest nothing else but stick and goare thy soule and besides in the end thou wilt slay the bodie also so as if thou continue in it it shall neuer leaue thee till it slay both soule and bodie for euermore Thou maist be a wanton harlot and a cruell murtherer but yet take thy delights howsoeuer thou wilt promise thy selfe as great assurance of life comfort and ioyes as thou canst imagine yet thy perseuerance in sinne shall slay thee with death in this world and in that to come For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 28. Then this cause of death importeth not onely that this death is spirituall but also it importeth that it is a death exceeding fore and withall the dissoluing of this very bodie into powder and ashes Death in generall is nothing els but the depriuing of life A mā is said to be dead when he wanteth life Now these sinnes which he speaketh of here doe depriue thee of the quickest and sweetest life that euer was and what a life is it that sinne depriueth thee of euen the life of God the best life that is or can be Woe is thee that euer thou gottest life in the bodie if thou want this life of God that thou maist liue with Iesus Christ for euer Yea woe is thee for euermore that thou sawest either Sunne or Moone if thou want the life of God in Iesus Christ and there is nothing but sinne that can depriue thee of it And further it not onely bereaueth thee of life but it maketh thee guiltie of eternall death both in soule and bodie Thou hast these two Tvvo aduantages sinners haue by sinne aduantages delight in sinne as thou wilt sinne ruling in any man so long as hee liueth without Iesus Christ remission of sinnes and sanctification it excludeth the life of God from him and more then this it holdeth him poore miserable wretch vnder the guiltines of euerlasting death for euer You will aske how can a man be dead in sinnes Is he not liuely in actions is hee not counted the gallantest fellow in all the Realme and the liueliest that is the greatest swaggerer that can commit most euill Is hee not counted the liueliest that is the greatest murtherer I answere thee the quicker hee is in murthering in adulterie and such like the more is hee dead because first he wants the life of God And further all these are but dead actions dead workes comming from a dead man and they are as it were a stinking sauour from a filthie carrion so these men trimme them vp as you wil they are but stinking carrions O thou murtherer thou defilest the heauens the earth and the ayre O thou harlot thou defilest all the house and the bed thou liest in Thou oppressour thou defilest all the world though thou werst an Earle a Duke or a King thou art a dead stinking carrion worse then a dead dogge To come to the next words he ascendeth to a higher ground of this death and he saith they were dead not onely in actuall sinnes but they were dead in a sort of sinne that did cleaue faster and neerer to their ribbes You were dead saith he in the vncircumcision of your flesh that is in your originall sinne Hee setteth downe this by an allusion of the foreskinne the Gentiles vncircumcision was a signe of their originall sinne which Originall sinne was inherent in them as circumcision was a signe of the taking away of the same Then the cause of thy death in bodie and soule is not onely these actions that passe away as when thou hast murthered the action goeth away although the guilt remaine for the action that passeth it leaueth vpon thy backe a guilt which shall bring downe damnation vpon thee The cause I say of thy death in bodie and soule is not only in these fleeting actions but the grounded cause of it is original sinne the sinne conceiued in thy mothers wombe Thou art borne in sinne and it sticketh fast to thee and therefore it must follow that seeing the cause is a sticking and biding cause the death must also be abiding death I called it before a sore death now I call it an abiding death that greatly encreaseth the miserie You know that a disease naturall that commeth of any vitiositie of nature as of the birth so many as haue that disease it doth still accompanie their bodie It may wel be that they get it mitigated but they cannot fully clense it They may procure a relenting of it but neuer be able to take it away And therefore this death hauing the ground in that foule feede that thou art conceiued in by the generation of all thy forebeers it will passe the power of the world to get it away No the Angels of heauen will not bee able to relieue thee of it nothing will free thee of it but grace which is contrarie to that corruption of nature You know the prouerbe That which is bred in the bone wil hardly be driuen out of the flesh It therefore thou wouldest be cured of this rooted euill thou must crie for grace and say Lord send thy spirit of grace into my heart to rid me of this corruption of nature It thou crie not for this night and day yea and finde it in some measure working in thee thou shalt neuer be relieued Crie therefore and say Lord I was conceiued dead I was borne dead I A good prayer am euery way dead send thy spirit of free grace and free me of this death that so sore setleth vpon me that I may once enioy that life of Iesus Crie this way night and day and all thy time and then I assure thee thou shalt finde deliuerance and shalt taste how sweet the life of Iesus is And this for their former estate which is miserable being out of Christ Iesus Now followeth the estate in Christ He hath quickened you that is the father hath put life in you It is a quickening when death is expelled and life commeth in his place but what a life is it
Gods children and of Christs and to haue place in heauen if thou be not borne anew againe by the spirit and water as saith Ioh. 1. Epist 5. 6. And so much for the second effect of the strong power of God Now followeth the third effect in quickening of the Iewes The third effect of Gods power there must be something supplied in the text And vs that is the Iewes so I shall stand vpon these words where he saith he hath put out the hand writing Note The order whereby the Gentiles were quickened was the remission of their sinnes but the order whereby the Iewes are quickened is otherwise before euer they gate life there must be an hand writing blotted out and if we looke to it the Iewes were more bound to death then the Gentiles because they had subscribed to their death and that publikely in the face of the world But to come to the words We haue to marke these things first who is this that blotteth out and scrapeth away this hand writing Secondly what is meant by the blotting out Thirdly what is the thing that is blotted out Fourthly wherefore serued this hand writing he telleth it was against them it serued to their condemnation I shall goe through these foure as time shall serue As for him that is the blotter out his name is not expressed it is Iesus Christ the sonne of God for I see here that which I noted Foure points in the 14. verse in the first chapter the person is changed he said it is God the Father that quickened the Gentiles now he changeth the person There is no fault in this for that that the Father doth the Sonne doth To let you see that all is common to the Father and to the Sonne The Father worketh and I worke saith Christ Ioh. 5. 17. Then what is meant by this blotting out The word in the originall signifieth a perfect scraping out as it were of an obligation so that there remaineth not behinde any memorie of that that is scraped out there rests not one letter or tittle vnscraped out Then Christ Iesus is made a Chauncellor of the Father to cancell to blot out at his pleasure and as hee pleaseth Hee hath rent the obligation and drawne lines through it so thou that wouldest haue thy obligation cancelled get thee to him for wee haue bound our selues to him Thirdly what is that that is blotted out The handwriting standing in ordinances that is in rites and ceremonies Then it is the ceremonies or rites that be blotted out which was an obligation of the Iewes subscribed with their owne hands Now wherfore serueth it He saith it was against vs not for vs it did vs no good but euill It bound and tyed vs to death and sealed vp to vs the guiltines of death and damnation He exempteth not himselfe from this death hee subscribeth it with his owne deede To make this plaine the Iew in vsing of circumcision he protested hee had originall sinne and so was guiltie of damnation in vsing of these washings he protested and proclaimed hee was all filthie and so guiltie of the curse of the law and so subscribed to his owne death How the Iewes in the vse of the ceremoniall law proclaimed their owne guiltines and death And last of all in sacrificing hee protested hee was sinfull and that he had deserued that death which the innocent beast sustained for his cause and therefore guiltie of iudgement and damnation and so subscribed to his owne death Brethren this was marueilous the rites and ceremonies were figures of Christ and serued to leade them to Iesus Christ to see that bloud of Iesus in a figure which washeth away the sinnes of the world How is it then a handwriting against them I answer it is true if their ceremonies be taken as figures of Christ they were no handwriting against them if they had an eye to the bodie that is Christ and sought not life in the ceremonies but in the thing figured But brethren take them from Christ take washings and sacrifices as a kinde of religion without Hovv the ceremonies vvere an handwriting against the Ievves Christ all was but a handwriting against them And whatsoeuer Iew he was that looked not to Christ in his Circumcision in his washing and rubbings and in sacrificing that Iew perished and all his doings was but the subscribing to his owne death Now to come to the Apostle hee taketh the ceremonies as separate from Christ and so they were a handwriting against them He was a rare Iew that vsed them with respect to Christ but the multitude tooke them as a religion without Christ and therefore the greater multitude perished And so I say that outward ceremonies cannot saue vs. In comming to the Church thinke not to get life except thy heart pearce into Christ Iesus all thy outward worshipping shall not helpe thee but shall be an obligation to thy owne condemnation as the outward Ceremonies of the Iewes were to them a handwriting against them to their owne destruction And if thou abuse these Ceremonies which we haue in religion in preaching Spirituall vvorship praying and outward meeting I assure thee thou shalt not escape the iudgement of God And therefore beware and neuer content thy selfe with the outward worshipping fie on it all if thou haue not an inward worshipping in thy heart Againe I see no man that goeth to hell but before hee goe hee subscribeth to his owne death I subscribe with my owne hand that I am worthie of death The obligation passeth against thee either secretly or openly in thy owne conscience and then thy mouth shall be closed and the Lord shall cast thy handwriting before thee and shall say Seest thou not thy owne handting knowest thou not that thou subscribedst this And if thou werst an Emperour thou shalt keepe thy mouth close then and goe from him with howling and scritching And therefore neuer rest as thou wouldest haue life till thou get that handwriting taken away Thou wouldest be busie to get that handwriting taken away which thou seest and knowest will doe thee euill here and that may trouble thee in thy person goods or lands fie on thee that shouldest be so busied about trifles and vanities and forgettest to take away this fearfull handwriting which if it stand vntaken away may doe and shall doe thee more harme then the losse of this whole world can doe Seeke therefore continually night and day to haue this handwriting of thy sinne and guiltines taken away as thou wouldest stand with ioy in the presence of thy maker at that day To whom with the Sonne and holy Spirit be all honor for euer Amen THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians beginning at the midst of the 14. verse COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 14. 15. 14 Which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse 15 And hath spoyled the
From whence From vnder a power then the cause of thy drawing is this Thou art holden streight and thou art holden by a strong power There was neuer man holden in iron bands and prison so streight as thou art holden by sinne for as light as thou wilt skipt and leape and as nimble as thou seemest when thou art leaping lightest thou art fast holden and the more thou leapest in sin the faster and the faster thou art holden so ere thou get out there must be a power and a greater power then it that holds thee No man saith Christ will enter into a strong mans house before he haue first bound the strong man and then deuide the spoyle Mark 3. 27. No man will take thee out of sinne that strong man except he haue a power that is stronger then sinne What a power is this The next word tels thee It is the power of darknes Alas that darknes of Ignorance O that terrible clowd of darknes and ignorance that is in the soule of euery man naturally without the knowledge of God of Iesus Christ of life and saluation O miserable is that soule that lies in that darknes Then it is the power of darknes a strong power and the strongest power in this world that holdeth thee fast If thou be fettered with darknes then in deede thou maist say thou art fettered fast Brethren there is but two great powers only as for the power of a King out out it is nothing but draffe and dirt the power of the flesh is nothing There are but two kingdomes only The first is the kingdome of God the kingdome of light is a kingdome in deede The second is the kingdome of darknes the kingdome of hell to call it so yea and all the Kings of the world shall be vnder one of these two either a slaue of darknes or els a sonne and heire of the kingdome of heauen Now the kingdome of darknes next after the kingdome of light it is the strongest in this world and to speake plaine to you this kingdome of darknes is but the pit of God a dungeon and a prison house wherein the diuell first lies all chained of the which they are princes lying in bandes abiding their damnation and next them are the reprobate Caine Iudas and the rest and in the which the diuels and the reprobate shall be tormented euerlastingly So the kingdome of darknes serueth to this kingdome of light and they who are in it are but the executioners of God and rods of his fierce wrath Now then it is Iesus Christ that Prince of light that hath drawne vs out of that dungeon of darknes and ignorance He is that strong man whose strength is aboue all strength of the diuell sinne and hell It is he then that hath done this and what more hath he done He saith he hath translated vs taken vs from one place and remoued vs to another place nay it is not enough to bee pulled as it were out of hell except thou be taken away and translated as farre from it as thou maist looke to it Thou wilt goe backe againe if thou be not translated and kept farre from it Whereunto hath be translated vs he saith to a kingdome we shall heare more of this kingdome hereafter A kingdome must keepe thee It is impossible to be kept if thou be not kept in a kingdome The power of a King is required to keepe thee Whose kingdome is it not Caesars no Emperours in the earth nay the kingdome of Spaine Fraunce England and Scotland will not keepe thee flye as thou wilt flye Whose kingdome must it be then that must keepe thee The kingdome of his owne sonne and more of his owne deere sonne the sonne of his loue that is the kingdom of his sonne that he loueth so deerely Well and if that bee the kingdome that thou be translated vnto thou shalt be well kept it is the onely kingdome that is able to keepe thee For first behold the King Who is the King The King is the sonne of God a strong King Ioh. 10. 28. No man shall take you out of my hand O the strength of the son of God! He is God himselfe then he is more a sonne and a king that is so loued of the father and in him he loueth all within the bounds of this kingdome So see first the power and then the loue and no question thou maist say that thou shalt be well kept Blessed is the soule that comes to this kingdom And if thou be not yet translated to it striue to it as thou wilt be safe In a word will you haue wherein our effectuall calling standeth I say to you it standeth in this In taking vs out of one kingdome and putting vs into another in translating of thee from the kingdome of darknes and putting of thee into the kingdome of heauen in translating of vs from a kingdome wherein we liue as slaues fie on it thou liuest as a slaue here a bondslaue to Sathan and thy own foule affections to a kingdom wherein thou raignest like a king There is neuer a slaue there but all are kings in this kingdome neuer a slaue there all are sonnes and if they are sonnes they are heires as Paul reasons Rom. 8. 17. It is a translation from a kingdome of smaller power howbeit of a great power to a kingdome that is infinite No kingdome is infinite but Christs this is comfortable Findest thou thy selfe translated and called to be one of this kingdome See the infinite power of it that is able to keepe thee that thou shalt neuer fall backe againe to the kingdome of darknes And if a man be effectually called it is impossible that euer he shall fall backe againe no more then the diuell is able to take the sheepe out of Christs hands Therefore in the Epistle to the Romanes 11. 29. Paul saith The gift of God is without repentance so that the gift of thy calling is without repentance Blessed is that soule that findes it To come to the next verse In whom to wit in Iesus Christ the sonne of God What haue wee in him A faire grace we haue redemption Through what Through his bloud a deere price What is this Redemption Remission of sinnes Well well thinkest thou it a smal thing to haue thy sinnes forgiuen thee Now weigh the words for in the words he comes to another blessing a second blessing euen the remission of our sinnes that is the effect of the former but to begin at the first word In whom This second blessing is not without Iesus no no no grace no mercie no blessing without Christ this is plaine talke would to God wee could fasten to him so he saith In whom that is in the deere sonne of God Brethren being once translated that is effectually called and drawne to him wee liue not as other subiects vnder a king Subiects would be far Similie from their king and some there is that will
difference betwixt the Father and the Sonne The Father when he reconciles vs he neuer changeth nor alters his condition he sits still in that maiestie on his throne of glorie keeping that kingly maiestie of his What doth he He humbles his sonne for be assured that thy reconciliation could not be purchased but by the humbling of God not in God must be humbled before thou couldest be reconciled vnto him the person of the father but in the person of the sonne and therefore the sonne he leaues his throne and steps down from it to reconcile vs to his father and comes downe here to the earth and as it is said in the Philip. 2. 7. He abased himselfe by taking vnto him a vile flesh howbeit it be cleane without sin yet it is vile in respect of that glorious maiestie he takes on him the shape of a seruant What more In that flesh he becomes obedient to his father that sits still on the throne to the death And what a death to the death of the crosse So there is the difference The father wrought it not altring his maiestie and glorie but the sonne wrought it altring his maiestie and that so obediently that the Angels wonders at it yea they can neuer wonder enough to see that glorious maiestie of the sonne of God so humbled as he was Now howbeit it differeth in the The father as mercifull as the son manner yet the father and the sonne are equall in mercie The father is as mercifull as the sonne and the sonne is as mercifull as the father they are equall in glorie in this worke the father gets as great glorie in this worke as the sonne and the sonne gets as great glorie as the father Now to the father and the sonne be all honour glorie and praise for euer and euer Amen Before brethren when he spake of the reconciliation in generall ye heard the whole Church in generall was reconciled by this bloud and death of Iesus Christ Now ye heare that this particular Church at Colosse is said to be reconciled by this same bloud and death Yea more I say not onely this a particular Church as for example the Church of this towne Euery one of gods elect reconciled by the bloud of Christ Christs eye set vpon euery particular person reconciled by that bloud and death of Christ but there is no man or woman that is chosen but they are redeemed by that bloud And this is a true saying when the Lord died on the crosse and shed his bloud his eye was not onely in generall spread abroad throughout the whole earth but distinctly set vpon euery particular person It was set vpon this same Church of Colosse and vpon this Church of Edenborough as certainly as euer it was on any that was present at his death Howbeit it was not a Church at that time yet his eye was set vpon it and he said in his heart I will die for the Church of Colosse and for the Church of Edenborough Yea his eye was set vpon euery particular bodie yea vpon the poorest elect lad or lasse now presently liuing or which shall liue hereafter And he said I die the death for this particular person otherwise if he had not said it that he would die for me and die for thee thou nor I could not haue been saued I giue thee a token to know that his eye was vpon thee in the time of his death Findest thou reconciliation and redemption in thy heart say then he had an eye to me and the force of his death hath comen to me For what auailes a generall knowledge of his death if thou haue not a particular applying of it to thy selfe A question may here be moued how is it that it is said that Christ shed his bloud for the Colossians seeing they were not as yet called but remained enemies till Epaphras came amōgst them and preached the word of grace and saluation in Iesus Christ and by his trauell hath drawne on some to the faith of Iesus I answere the reconciliation made in the bloud of Iesus Reconciliation by the bloud of Iesus of two sorts is of two sorts there is one made by the merit of his death there is another made by the efficacie and powerfulnes of his death When he suffered that same very time and houre of his suffering all nations that euer were to be reconciled to the end of the world were reconciled by the merit of the bloud of Iesus Christ But if you will looke to the effectualnes it followed long after Scotland Edenborough that abode long after enemies at that same houre by his merit were reconciled For why that bloud that was shed merited that saluation but the effect of that merit followed A man that will haue the merit must feele the efficacie and power of it When he is following his owne lusts lying out at his whoredome and villanie at that same time it may be said truly he hath the charter of the merit in his keeping howbeit vntill the time he looke about him and begin to see Iesus the vertue of Christs merite vtters We must feele and finde the vertue and power of Christs death working in vs Rom. 6. 2. 3. 4. 5. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. not it selfe vnto him But when he findes it then he remembers he had the merit Howbeit he wist not that euer he had it till he found this working Then he reioyceth that Christ suffered on the Crosse for him In the last words he sets downe the end of their reconciliation The end is that thou maist be presented holy vnreproueable without spot or wrinckle as he saith in Ephe. 5. 27. First then we are reconciled to the end we should be holy clensed of that filthines and sinne wherewith wee were polluted before and The end of our reconciliation is holines being clenfed wee should be vnreproueable for the cause of reproofe is sinne It is sore to abide a reproofe of God This holines is not gotten perfited in this life but wee must striue to it continually Then thinke not that thou art reconciled with God in effect if thou finde not holines begun in this life if thou finde no holy motions in thy heart and actions in thy hand thinke not thou standest in friendship with God For as euer two stand together these two must stand together vnseparably reconciliation with God and holines of life And if Holines reconciliation inseparable thou haue not a sanctified heart and life thou abidest a rebell to God Thus for the first end The other end is expressed in the same words That you may saith he be presented before him that is that you may get his presence and he yours and being presented ye may get your felicitie for euer For brethren that full blessednes of man stands in the sight of God Then marke this lesson vpon this holines followes our presenting before God So it is he or
come and take vp the bodie and so sinne is not a light thing Seeing then it is so hard to slay these affections continue in slaying them and thinke it not enough thou hast giuen sinne a wound to day and so leaue off I tell thee it will slay thee if thou slay not it daily and hourely For that is it Paul saith Rom. chap. 7. vers 18. 19. A wanton girle and a wanton fellow they thinke they are liuing but I say there is not a sparke of life in them and well were they that they had not that life Therefore continue in slaying of sinne or else thou shalt be slaine of sinne and the life of lifes shall be taken from thee Ye that haue bin occupied in slaying of others slay your selues and your affections But how shall ye slay your affection It lieth not in thy hand to doe it there is no vertue in thee thou canst not slay one affection I will tell thee The meanes are two the first is faith in Iesus and in his death that is the death of Iesus apprehended by faith draw him as greedily Two means to kill sin to thee as thou suckest sinne It is the vertue of the crosse of Iesus that slayeth sinne and thy foule affections so that if thou haue not faith in him and his death thou shalt neuer be Gal. 6. 14. 15. able to slay sinne in thee nor to mortifie one foule affection The other meane to slay sinne and foule affections is the spirit of Iesus that accompanieth the crosse of Iesus take away the crosse of Iesus no spirit Then this spirit comming into thy heart it falleth to and putteth his hand in that sinne which is within thee and killeth it by little and little for as hee is a quickening spirit so hee is a slaying spirit of sinne So Christs crosse embraced by faith then his spirit they are the meanes to slay sinne in thee Then thou hast no more to doe but by faith to entertaine that crosse of Christ and his spirit for woe Rom. 8. 2. 3. 4. is that heart that is without the spirit of Christ But how shall this be I tell thee faith is by hearing heare the Gospell then for if thou take no pleasure in the Gospell faith Christ and his spirit shall goe from thee Besides these two there are other godly exercises profitable to the same purpose continuall prayer for that is the exercise that God delighteth in Meanes to come by to increase saith earnest exercising of the workes of charitie if thou leaue off these exercises thou shalt lose Christ and his spirit and shalt grow in sinne and then thou shalt be cast into damnation for euer Gods iudgement shall light on thy necke and shall crush thee downe to hell and thy sinne both This for the word mortifying The next is what should wee mortifie Hee saith not thy neighbour no no but hee saith mortifie thy cancred affection that moueth thee to slay thy neighbour slay thy selfe that is that masse of sinne that is within thee and cut off from thy bodie euery vncleane thing and slay euery member thereof and leaue not so much as thy little finger vnslaine By the mēbers Members of sinne I vnderstand the foule affections in thy heart which run thorough the whole bodie and fill the eye with pride with adulterie with wrath and crueltie in such sort that the very looke of the eye is defiled and will runne to vncleannes The hand is defiled and runneth to bloud the foote is defiled and hasteth to murther yea thy foule affections in the heart they will come to the tongue and imploy it all in their seruice so that thou maist perceiue what a sinne lieth in thy heart that infecteth all the members Therefore this is the exhortation of the Apostle slay the foule affections in thy members if it be in thy eye plucke it away that is plucke away that foule affection in thy eye for better it is for thee to bee crooked and blinde then to be cast into hell and there to curse thy hand and feete and all the members of thy bodie euerlastingly Now then of this briefly Ye see how farre sinne spreadeth in man and woman it is not content to occupie one part onely of man it will not be content with thy soule but it runneth through all It leaueth not one part free but filleth al the parts of man and woman Therefore mortification must not bee in one part it must not be in the soule onely but as farre as sin Mortification in all parts reacheth so farre must thy mortification reach Then begin at thy heart and next come to the outward members of the bodie for it auaileth nothing to haue a faire counterfaite face without if thou haue a foule heart within Yet the stile is to be noted that he giueth the members he calleth them earthly not heauenly All these foule affections are called earthly because in themselues they are grosse and earthly and their obiects are earthly And what matter brethren if these affections were made of the best part of the earth they are made of the dirt of the earth of these ofscourings of the dirt that thou wouldest lothe to look to Note Indeed there are some that be of the good earth as eating drinking and sleeping c. therefore are lawfull being sanctified but as for these affections of harlotrie of concupiscence of murther of couetousnes they are vnlawful and vncleane wilt thou then foster them No mortifie them slay them and cut them away Christ came not to make thy harlotrie cleane to thee no no thou lies in thy throate cut it away therefore otherwise thou and it both shal perish This for the generall Now I come to the particular members Because the large dispute vpon the particulars fitteth not for this time onely I will speake so farre as serueth for the purpose of this text Hee beginneth first at fornication Then hee commeth to vncleannesse Thirdly to inordinate passions Fourthly to euill concupiscence And fiftly he commeth to auarice and he would haue all these cut away Now to prosecute euery one of these The first is fornication harlotrie when whores and harlots go together Paul to the Romanes chap. 1. vers 24. and Ephes chap. 5. vers 5. when hee counteth out the vices of the Gentiles hee beginneth alwaies at harlotrie and fornication and then from that hee commeth to other vices In the first to the Corinthians chap. 6. he insisteth more largely Fornication in condemning of that sinne then commonly yee shall finde him to doe in any other vice and hee vseth for the condemning of it fiue or sixe arguments What meaneth this constant doing in condemning this vice The spirit doth it not in vaine no not one word commeth from that holie spirit in vaine I shall tel you the cause This sinne was a sinne common among the Gentiles and they thought it no sinne they
desire of riches then in ouer little Looke thou through this age thou shalt finde that it inclineth to ouer great seeking of riches Againe ye shall finde that a thousand faileth in ouer great desire of pleasure and so it tendeth more to an excesse then to a defect And therefore this mortification hath more adoe to hold downe these affections then to draw them forward seeing they set vpon excesse on euery side Bridle then your affection for will you goe to your owne experience ye shall finde more adoe in drawing backe your affections from this world the pleasure and riches of the same then in putting them forward Now to come to the arguments ye haue heard the first from that life hid vp in God he pointed it out to them which should moue them to mortifie their members as they would looke for the reuealing of it Now in the verse that followeth the second argument is set downe on the contrarie Before he set downe heauen now hee setteth downe damnation before them Note For the which things saith he the wrath of God commeth on the childrē of disobedience They are tumbled into hell for vncleannes of any sort men and women are thrust daily into hell not onely for them altogether but also for any one of these sinnes if it raigne in them And indeede there are few in whom some one of these vices if not the whole number doth not raigne so that if he be not auaritious yet it may be he is a fornicatour and giuen to this filthie vncleannes of the flesh or some other of these sinnes And I say to thee there is not one of these sinnes if it raigne in thee but it will draw thee to hell that is his meaning So he closeth in this mortification betwixt heauen and hell heauen on the one side and hell on the other mercie on the one side and iudgement on the other to let thee vnderstand that if heauen will not moue thee hell will get thee if that life will not moue thee iudgement and hell shall deuoure thee In the world we are allured with heauen and threatned with hell if thou wilt not be moued with the one the other shall oppresse thee if thou were a King thy estate shall not helpe thee And therefore slay thy foule affections as thou wouldest haue heauen and eschue hel And in that he setteth hel before them it letteth vs see the canker of our nature yea euen of the regenerate Thou art not so well renued but thou hast neede to be chased and compelled to thy grace and to haue the terrors of hell and of the wrath The best haue neede to be awakened with Gods terrors of God obiect to thee to chase thee to heauen as the Apostle 2. Cor. chap. 5. vers 11. saith knowing this terror of the Lord therfore I am faithfull in my vocation bring others to the faith A Minister if he were neuer so good yea if it were Paul himselfe yet ye see hee hath neede of this terror of the wrath of God to be obiected to him that he may be faithfull and waite vpon the glorie of heauen Then againe ye see fornication will procure the wrath of God euerlasting much more the temporall Well thou thinkest simple fornication a single man with a single woman it is but a smal fault but the Apostle saith fornication if thou lie in it it will thrust thee downe into hell Sinne in any sort or measure will procure the wrath of God There is no sinne but it will bring the wrath of God against thee and in the end shut thee in hell But this is to be marked For the which cause saith he the wrath of God falleth vpon whom vpon the children of disobedience that is vpon these persons that will not repent Therefore it is not euery fornication and vncleannes that will cause thee goe to hell but it is fornication vnrepented for and vncleannes vnrepented for that is the sinne which will put thee in hell and vpon that sinner that is impenitent the wrath of God falleth Auarice that is not repented for and a man that is hardened in heart that is he and that is the sinne that will put thee in hell So to speake it properly it is not so much harlotry fornication vncleannes and auarice or other sinne in it selfe that procureth the wrath of God as it is the impenitencie of the person that cannot nor will not repent Alas could the harlot repent him of his sinne hee would be saued Could the murtherer repent him of his murther he would be saued Could the auaricious repent him of his auarice hee would not be vnder the wrath of God For there is no sin so great but if repentance follow there is grace The greatest sinne is pardonable to the penitent for thee Repent thee then of thy sinne as thou knowest it and aske mercie in the Lord Iesus and if thou doe this thou shalt be saued and free from the wrath of this great God for of all sinne in the world the sinne that is accompanied with impenitencie is the greatest Therefore set your heart euer to repent The least sinne vnpardonable to the impenitent as thou wilt declare thy faith in Iesus for faith in Christ can not be without true repentance If we should liue Methusalahs daies all is little enough to repent of sinne yea euen the smallest that euer thou diddest or art guiltie of Thou that hast bin an harlot spend the rest of thy life in repentance and thou shalt finde grace and saluation And so likewise thou that hast been a murtherer an oppressor an auaricious bodie spend the time ye haue behinde in heartie repentance and I assure you ye shall finde mercie and saluation otherwise I debarre you out of heauen Or I leaue these words marke he saith For the which the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Supposing that the Colossians had been such men as had walked in all the sinnes he spake of yet this wrath commeth not vpon them Then it is not the elect that be made a spectacle to the world of the wrath and iudgements of God but they are the reprobates that are made the spectacles of Gods wrath and iudgements for they are the children of disobedience As for the elect none of them falleth vnder this wrath O happie is the estate of the chosen number and if thou be not one of the number of Gods elect in the Lord Iesus woe is thee thou shalt be made a spectacle of Gods wrath But as for the elect he chuseth them out to let them see his wrath rather in others then that they should experiment it in their owne persons He will take a slaue and torment him in the sight of his elect and Psal 50. teare him as it were in pieces O the terrible hand of God! to make them to stand in awe for all the reprobate if they were Kings they are
this and therefore cannot say much Euen here he hath two names the one Hebrue that is Iesus the other Latin that is Iustus Both his names imply and signifie good things by which also it should seeme he was a good man But because we haue no more certaintie of his life and qualities this shall be sufficient that hath been generally spoken Now it followeth to see what the Apostle saith of all these together These onely are my workefellowes vnto the kingdome of God which haue been vnto my consolation This is a general commendation of them and in it concerning them he affirmeth two things The first that they were fellow-labourers or workmen with him in aduauncing the kingdome of God they all ioyning hearts and hands together in setting forward that excellent A good thing when faithfull men ioyne together in well doing worke The second and it doth in part proceed from the former namely that they were no small comfort vnto him meaning thereby not onely as in regard of aduauncing the worke of the ministerie but also yeelding him sound consolation in his imprisonment and bands and that made me to say before in part proceeding from the former By the kingdome of God in this place omitting the diuers acceptions of the word in the Scriptures specially of the New Testament is meant the glorious Gospell of Christ by which as it were by What is meant by the kingdome of God a standerd lifted vp God gathereth a Church vnto himselfe and thereby manifesteth to men a meanes whereby they may haue entrance into the said Church yea by which he guideth and gouerneth both the Church it selfe and all those that are gathered thereinto the Gospell seruing not onely to begin and beget faith and a good conscience but to hold men on in the same and to cause them to grow therein And yet this double commendation of them is amplified by these words in the text that these were they alone of the Circumcision who holpe him in promoting Christs kingdome at Rome and did much comfort him as before hath bin shewed And that word onely would be marked because that from it we may probably conclude either that Peter was neuer at Rome at all or else that if he were there he was not so good and faithfull a head to Peter not at Rome the Church nor so comfortable a companion to his fellow Apostle as the Romane Catholikes do make him For if he were at any time at Rome I would faine know what time we should rather thinke him to haue been at Rome then a little before that time which they themselues assigne to his passion or suffering there which in their owne opinion is the very selfesame time in which this Epistle was written they affirming that both Peter and Paul suffered and were crucified at Rome in one and the selfesame yeere But it appeareth by this which is said here that Peter was not then at Rome when from thence he wrote this Epistle And besides how can it be credible that if hee had been then at Rome hee should not haue furthered Paul in aduauncing Christs kingdome or should not haue yeelded him comfort in his bands To say or thinke the first is at the least to make him a dissembler of his religion or a denier of Christ as once he had done before but they hold that after he had receiued the holie Ghost he was freed from all error specially in faith though they forget his fall mentioned in the Galathians remember not that if that intituled him into not erring the rest of the Apostles had as great a priuiledge that way as he because they al equally receiued the spirit And to affirme the other is to make him vncharitable and to note him to be a forsaker of the brethren and not a fellow sufferer with them in their bands and afflictions So that whilest they goe about to bring him to Rome they haue spunne a fayre threed in that they pull vpon him and by consequent vpon themselues these inconueniences at the least But the truth is hee was not there And for the further strongthening of vs therein we are to be perswaded that if he had been there the Apostle who is so carefull yea so curious as it were both in this and other Epistles of his written from Rome mentioning so many men of meane note in the Church and the names of so many faithfull teachers also as then were present with him there and yet maketh no mention at all of Peter whom yet notwithstanding in another place he calleth the Pillar of the Church Galath 2. vers 9. But to leaue this and to proceed to another point In that the Apostle is so carefull to giue charge and order touching Marke and the receiuing of him we may see first that Marke was a good man and so learne by that who should be deare and precious vnto vs euen the Saints that are vpon the Whom Gods people should most affect earth as the Prophet saith Psal 16. and find in our selues thereby the true note that wee are sound members of the Church militant and therfore shall be gathered to the Church triumphant in that a vile person is despised in our eyes but wee make much of them that feare the Lord Psal 15. But the world is quite and cleane contrarie for it loueth her owne and hateth the godly So that wee may say as the Prophet saith He that frameth himselfe vnto righteousnesse maketh himselfe a pray And surely if it bee a great sinne to condemne the generation of the iust then it cannot but be a transgression also not to commend and esteeme the godly for besides that God accounteth the fauours done to them as done to himselfe and on the other side reckoneth the indignities offered them as accomplished against his own Maiesty the very graces y t he hath shed abroad into their hearts should make vs to esteeme thē So that if we would not behold their persons yet we shuld acknowledge his mercies graces in thē and accordingly reuerence and regard thē Secondly in this act of Paul what great care diligence the Primitiue Church had in giuing testimonies vnto men No doubt the cause mouing them thereto was many seducers and false brethren went abroad and they To whom the Church should veeld testimonie would not willingly haue had the godly and faithfull deceiued by them which sinne no doubt they might the more easily haue fallen into if the Church had not kept this good course in yeelding faithfull testimonie to the holie professors yea preachers it may bee of Christs Gospell It there were at this day the like diligence and care amongst such Christians as dwell in diuers regions and parts of the world or amongst them that liue in one and the selfesame kingdome countrey and Church these vagrant men that so much runne vp and downe from place to place and from countrey to countrey and trauaile so sore