rather than confirme it 2 Marke when he saith Walke on in Christ confirmed in faith growing to be setled in â—ull perswasion of the doctrine and grace brought unto you Observe hence Doctr. That resolved perswasion in the doctrine we professe and grace wee beleeve groweth out of a constant course in faith and obedience To be fully perswaded is not attained the first day Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe Faith is mixed with doubting at the first but in progresse of time we come to out-grace this wavering of which all beleeving hearts complaine at times justly This was Abrahams prerogative he was fully perswaded of that GOD had promised him without once making question of it There is no man learneth any Art who at first can see how every thing is true which others skilfull therein tell him but oportet discentem credere beleeving that which his master saith and going on with it he commeth in the end most fully to discerne and be perswaded of all things So it is in this Art of arts and so much the more by how much it is the more divine and surpassing all naturall capacity than others When a man recovereth some long sicknesse and beginneth to walke he walketh with great feeblenesse and faintnesse but going on in exercise and diet nature overcomming the remainders of sicke matter which were left he goeth strongly and feeleth not his former imbecillity So when God healeth an unbeleeving heart there are at first such reliques of unbeleefe as make him full of doubting but going on in CHRIST the Author and Finisher of his faith GOD doth so assist his faith that it subdueth this contrary forme so that the man walketh confirmed in those things which he beleeved sometime very waveringly The use of this is Vse first to encourage those weake ones which are at a stand know not what to think of any thing almost yet mourne under this as a burthen and hold their LORD CHRIST be not dismayed goe on thy judgement shall be strengthened yea while thou walkest thus thou art in growing to it though thou canst not discerne it Who that saw a linke beaten against a wall would not thinke it would be put out yea this tendeth to make it burne more clearely So thy faith thus knocked with these doubtings shall when it getteth up be so much more confident Here we are given to understand Vse 2 whence it is that men are neither flesh nor fish prophanely not mourningly will say in faith he were a wise man that knew what hee might beleeve they know not for their parts one saith one thing another the contrary What is the cause of this O thou hast not yet walked obediently after the rule of CHRIST therefore GOD giveth thee up to darknesse As yee have beene taught viz. As you have beene taught by Epaphras Note hence a point of wisdome in Saint Paul and mutuall honour confirming and countenancing Epaphras a faithfull labourer Which is our Patterne for imitation the honour we owe our brethren requireth it the love we beare the truth doth require wee testifie for it yea the care of others salvation doth move us every way to make God's wholesome truth gratefull to them For men of note having heard some of lesse reputation preaching after them it is not amisse to have recourse to their matter and sayings and mention them with honour Againe it seemeth insinuated hence that the Divell did a little move them to unbeleefe even from this circumstance though they doubted not of the Gospell yet whether as he taught it or no it was true that might be questioned which if it be wee may see that continuing in faith and obedience will make us out-grow such carnall exceptions at which sometimes we stumbled If the Divell cannot bring us to say the meat is naught yet he will make us to thinke it is not aright handled the Cooke is not as he should Thus many thinke though they cannot gain-say the matter why the man is no great schollar no Doctor in schooles he preacheth plainly not a testimony of Fathers nor sentence of any Author Well if thou hast an honest heart goe on in CHRIST and these things shall vanish This by the way 3 Marke he saith abounding in it whence we learne What constant walking in CHRIST will bring us to Doct. and what we must endevour to not only to be well confirmed but to abound in perswasion Let every man abound in this sense If we doe any thing of things indifferent or beleeve any thing it is good to abound in the perswasion of it A man cannot trust God too much a man cannot goe too farre in this which doth glorifie God and put to His seale that He is true and good in all He speaketh to us We must therefore endeavour it Beside as waters a while dammed downe that they could not have course when once they breake thorow they over-flow all farre and wide even so doth Faith borne downe a while with doubting so much the more abundantly breake out and drowne all scruples in us Or as fire long smoothered and smoaking at length breaketh out with flames that touch the skie and like another Sunne enlighten the ayre So doth true faith when it swimmeth from under these waves of doubting which sometime over-whelme it The same uses which before may serve for this point Especially this confuteth Papists Oh say they Vse take heed of too much confidence lest you presume but God speaketh of true faith as if this were the onely measure to keepe no measure Indeed carnall presumptions as faith on our owne worthinesse workes c. wee cannot too much abandon but beleefe grounded on God's truth is not this while they hang it upon the Churches yea and nay But Saint Paul speaketh of the Gospell and this faith he calleth for which did root them in Christ But who can be sure of repentance and faith Object many have beene deceived judging wrong He that hath them may know them Answ and shall in time when infancie is over and temptation doth not intoxicate For those that have bin deceived though one in a dreame thinketh he eateth and doth not this hindereth not but a waking man who truely eateth may know the same infallibly Lastly marke What walking in CHRIST hath at length going with it hearty thanksgiving while we know not through weaknesse the things bestowed there is little thankfulnesse that can come from us but as we grow up to see what is given us thankfulnesse getteth up also You see in babes though their parents doe hang never such rich jewels and bracelets upon them alas they cannot thanke them for they know not how they are adorned but let them come to some knowledge and give them a thing then they will a little thanke you but let them grow to ripenesse of understanding and give them some great pretious things they will be much affected Two things breed thankfulnesse the one knowing that the benefit is of
was in the name of us all and had in it a seed-like vertue to worke the resurrection of us all Hence it commeth that we no sooner come to be in Him but the power of His resurrection is felt of us making us rise to newnesse of life 2 Cor. 5.17 In Christ all things are new Whosoever have learned CHRIST as the truth is in Him have so learned Him as they are dead to sinne the life of the old man is killed and they are alive in the life of grace For looke as a member truly by inward ligaments knit with a living head hath life in it so wee when we come to bee in Christ raysed up and living to God in life glorious we cannot but live in Him Wherefore how woefull is the state of many that professe Christ yet live in ignorance Vse know not what a resurrection meaneth are dead while they live in all kinde of fin and wantonnesse these never were in Christ but like as glasse eyes are set in the body or wooden legges which being by outward meanes joyned to it doe not receive life and sense with other members Wee never knew communion with him who is the quickning spirit if we be dead in our sins 2 Observe What it is that maketh us rise to new life Doct. viz. faith on Christ We are sayd to live by faith because after some sort it is life but most properly it bringeth life into us He that believeth hath everlasting life fully in Christ his head inchoative or imperfectly in himselfe For as in bodily death the reuniting of the soule with it doth make it rise againe and become a living body so faith as a spirituall vinculum tying God who is the soule of our soules againe unto them they which before were dead are anew quickened Thus then as an instrumentall cause of our conjunction with God in Christ who is our life it may be sayd to quicken us or rayse us up though further faith it selfe may bee conceived as a part of this life For as the soule died in falling into ignorance of God estranged from the life of GOD through ignorance in them Ephes 4.18 so comming by faith to know God it beginneth to live Ioh. 17.3 hence to know God in Christ faith being an affianced knowledg is life everlasting This then is the first thing which God worketh in us as the beginning and instrumentall cause of our other following life even as in our waking from our naturall sleepe which is a shaddow of death first the eyes open and then our senses and motions doe come fully to us in their order So in awaking from this sleepe of sin first the eye of faith lookes up to GOD and that invisible world then our life returneth more fully the spirit of God from Christ working it in us Marke then hence Vse that all such beliefes as make not new creatures are not sound faith toward CHRIST the reason is playne a true faith bringeth Christ to live in us Now as a quickning soule cannot returne into the dead body of it but there will be new life So Christ that quickning spirit cannot returne to live in a dead soule but needs it must bee raysed up Wherefore if wee feele no life but that we brought from our mothers wombe let us cast downe our selves we have not yet truly believed and we see how our faith doth not shut out good life as the Papists slander us but bringeth it forth as an effect which cannot be severed Finally Vse hence men may assure themselves of the truth of their faith if they bee renewed in life The last thing here to be noted is Doctr. That the omnipotent action of God which raysed Christ from the dead is it that begetteth faith in us Eph. 1.19 It is called the exceeding greatnesse of His power toward us which believe according to the working of His mighty power Faith is the eye of the soule by which we looke upon CHRIST it is the hand by which we receive all good from Christ Now if a man be borne blind or borne without a hand an eye that seeth but these aspectable creatures and discerneth not distinctly but things at hand a hand that cannot reach an ell or two from us yet all the world cannot supply these nor no power but His onely that created the body how much lesse then shall any power bee able to give us that eye which looketh within the vayle that hand which claspeth Christ in heaven but only the Almighty power of God But what Object doth that power that raysed Christ rayse us up Yea that power though daily continued Answ as the Lord creating Adam and Eve with the law of propagating all the race of mankind did by that power which created and coupled them after a sort make all mankinde though the Father and Son and spirit doe still worke in continuing that first power put forth So here GOD raysing Christ up in whom we all were that he might be a roote and fountayne of supernaturall life to us all that power may be sayd fitly to rayse us all Wherefore let us learne to admire and give glory to GODS power which worketh our fayth Vse 1 if we saw a man raysed from the dead ô how would we speake of such a wonderous power but this is the same that raised Christ from the dead which raiseth us to believe If we creepe up from some deadly sicknesse we tell what a power of God it was to rayse us But when our soules creepe out of darknesse and death to believe on the living God it is as nothing with us This teacheth us whither we must fly for the strengthening and susteyning of our fayth even to this power Vse 2 the same power that made all things upholdeth all things He that knoweth how all the considence of his heart is set upon himselfe and the creature how his reason and senses and his own inclination which is not quieted but in outward meanes how Sathan and the course of this world resist us in believing he cannot but confesse it is the Lords power that first brought him to it and that must keepe his faith from fayling Lastly we see hence how wide they are Vse 3 who never felt any want of such a power who thinke of fayth as a thing they have alwayes had since they came to reason Yea Papists that if GOD offer hold it in the power of man to believe when God sheweth the promise and inlighteneth the mind VERSE 13. And yee which were dead in sinnes and in the uncircumcision of your flesh hath Hee quickened together with Him forgiving you all your trespasses NOw he commeth to repeate this benefit insisting more largely upon it and first he setteth downe the state of them before they were quickened Secondly the quickning of them Thirdly the manner of the action the order in which he quickened them which standeth in a threefold antecedent in nature before
them that have treasure and great charge about them letting penniles travellers alone So doth Satan he is busie to rob those whom GOD hath trusted with His graces VERSE 10. That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please Him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of GOD. NOw followeth the obedience it selfe set out by the practice of it that he prayeth for 1. In generall 2. More particular In generall it is to walke worthy of the Lord what this is may be understood by comparing it with like places Ephes 4.1 Worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Phil. 1.27 As it becommeth the Gospell 1 Thes 2.12 Worthy of God who hath called you to His Kingdome and glory To walke worthy of the Lord then is to live and behave our selves as becommeth those to whom God hath vouchsafed so great mercy that passing by thousands and ten thousands for deserts all as good and in outward respects many of them better than they Hee hath of His meere grace and free love in CHRIST chosen and called them out of the World to be partakers of Eternall life and glory with Him and for this cause hath caused His Gospell to be preached unto them and by His spirit hath made it effectuall in them we must therefore seriously consider 1 the dignity of our calling 2 the excellency of the Gospell whereby we are called 3 the kingdome of Glory whereto wee are called 4 and our most Holy and glorious Lord God by whom we are called and accordingly with due regard of all these things carry our selves in this present world let others then live as they list walke in sinne and wallow in filthinesse such a course may sort with their condition but for us we are by the grace of God of another dignity of an higher and more holy calling and such as waite for a Kingdome prepared for us even an Eternall Kingdome in the heavens This walking worthy of the Lord he expresseth by the end that it respecteth and aimeth at namely a pleasing of Him in all things or a full and entire pleasing of Him If then we will walke worthy of the Lord we must study to please Him and to give Him contentment in all things not accounting of pleasing any man yea or al men with displeasing him 1 Cor. 4.3 And good cause for life and death depend on Him He hath power to save and destroy yea He hath done such great things for our soules already and assured us of so great glory hereafter that we are the most unthankefull and impious Creatures that ever breathed our selves being judges if wee study not to please Him in all things Wherefore let others addict and give themselves over dedicate devote and consecrate themselves to serve and please to bow and becke to kneele and crowch and in all points to observe this or that great man on whom they depend by whom they live from whom they expect their advancement and rising in the world let us study and strive how we may please the Lord our GOD. He is to us in stead of all yea all inall Here Observe That this pleasing of GOD must bee in all things Obs or it must bee whole and universall for hee that seeketh not to please Him in all things seeketh not to please Him in any thing and hee that laboureth not to give Him an universall contentment laboureth not to give Him any at all according to that of Saint Iames Sam. 2.10 Whosoever shall Keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all for the same God hath commanded all as well that Hee leaveth undone as that Hee doeth and therefore if out of conscience toward God hee hath care of doing any he would have conscience of doing all Which serveth notably to convince those who reforming and conforming themselves to the will of God as they would have it thought in many things Vse yet retaine some speciall beloved sinnes whereby they plainely shew that their reformation in other things is but counterfeit as being for some by-respects of their profit or estimation or such like Having thus set forth this pleasing of God in generall he expresseth it after in two particulars Bringing forth fruite Increasing in the knowledge of God For the bringing forth of fruite being an expressing of our duty to please God specially in an outward manner before God and Men may bee called not unfitly one particular of pleasing God Observe Hence Obs We must be fruitfull in good workes as Trees and plants are fruitfull in their kindes for from thence is this speech taken for being planted by Gods owne hand in His own Orchard or Garden yea in His owne house Psa 92.14 being also kept and dressed by Him as our Husbandman Ioh. 15.3 Esa 27.3 Ioh. 15.3 being watched over night and day and watered every moment finally being branches of CHRIST the true vine from whom by the vertue of His spirit we receive sappe and juice good reason wee should be fruitfull and if not we shall bee surely cut downe and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 Ioh. 15.6 Luk. 13.7 For who among us would endure an unfruitfull Tree in his Garden who would not say with indignation Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground If that were rooted up I might have another planted in the place of it that might bring me forth good fruite When the wicked see us grow livelesse powerlesse sapplesse they say what matter is in them and in their profession It is a shame that they should say I had rather live with any deale with any have a promise from any than from a Professor Their condition is incurable Reason when the Carpenter hath cut and hewen and sees it will not fit his turne ther 's no remedy but it must be cast into the fire My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6.3 Esay 5. GOD calls a counsell What shall I doe with my Vinyard A hedge Lord will do it good send them prosperity and security that they have had A winepresse Lord will doe them good that they have had afflictions will not worke upon them When no plaister will cure the Legge it must bee cut off when the Gospell will doe thee no good nothing can do thee good See the ground and cause of all our evils Vse wee impute them to the malice power or improvidence of men No no thy barren heart is the cause of all 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are weake and many sicke and many sleepe as if hee should say you blame the ayre you say such a distemper was the cause no no it was your unprofitable comming to the Sacrament that hath brought this plague upon you Our unprofitablenesse is the cause why the Lord is still hacking at the Tree of England How many great Families are perished and yet by no ill husbandry or great improvidence no no they
Creatures Marke for explication how that He is said the first begotten of all the Creatures Israel God calleth His first begotten sending to Pharaoh to dismisse Israel His Primogenitum So Hebr. 12.33 all the elect are called the first begotten but this is spoken of them in comparison of the inferiour creatures and rest of mankinde onely 2. By participation from the first begotten who is the native Heire and for distinction is here called the first begotten or Lord of the whole Creature The thing then to be marked is Obs What a wonderfull benefit this is that we are made subjects to such a King who is the Lord of all the Creatures what can we want that are under Him who is the Heire of all things What can hurt us who are His subjects that is Lord of all the Creatures We see this doth greatly make for the subjects felicity the ample Provinces that are subject unto them It was a circumstance that made much to the dignity of Salomon's Kingdome that he should reigne from Sea to Sea But what is this to our King who is Lord and Heire of all the Creatures in heaven and earth seene and unseene All power is given mee in heaven and earth saith CHRIST God hath set CHRIST in the heavens above all Principalities and Power that is named in this world or that which is to come Wee must make use of this And first learne to be thankfull to God glad of it Vse 1 we have cause to be glad that we have a King set over us who is Lord of all the Creatures in heaven earth and hell This maketh much for our incouragement who are CHRIST's true subjects that our King is the Mighty Vse 2 having all the Creatures at command Men that came under Alexanders protection when now he was Monarch of the whole world how safe did they thinke themselves who could hurt them that had such a Protectour Hence it is that lesser States thinke themselves secure when they have gotten some mightie Potentate such as his Majesty to undertake their Protection But how safe are we that keepe close by faith to our Lord Iesus who is the first begotten even the Lord and Heire of al the Creature strong by Sea strong by Land glorious in Heaven dreadfull to the powers of darknesse So it assureth us wee shall want nothing This sheweth us whence we derive our title and estates which we have in the Creatures Vse 3 I meane our estate of inheritance for it is from Him that is the Lord of all Suppose the King had the selfe-same title in all his Countries which he hath in his Crowne-lands no man could justly hold or lay claime to any thing further than hee could shew right from the Princes grant demise c. or prove himselfe an heire to the King So it is with us first all property is in God of all things they are His owne Hee may doe with them at His pleasure 2. God the Father doth give to His naturall Son made manifest in the flesh all the Creatures making Him Lord and giving Him all judgement in heaven and earth under Himselfe 3. CHRIST the naturall Sonne and Lord doth take some out of mankinde as brethren to Himselfe and giveth them state of inheritance as who by faith on Him are become joynt heires with Him To others He giveth of His Creatures partly to testifie His patience and clemencie as the King giveth allowance to traytors in the Tower till they are to be brought to execution 2. As a temporary reward of some temporary service in them hee maketh them a grant of some portion of His creatures the world therefore hath title both in jure fori and jure poli to that they lawfully have but by the title of inheritance the Saints hold only This doth shew us how we should seeke to please our King Vse 4 we see the children of the world wise in their generation they labour to commend themselves to such as are above able to advance them and bestow temporall and spirituall dignities upon them but who seeketh to please this King this Priest who hath all promotions in His gift The Lord give us wisdome we misse not the right doore we bring not our griest to a wrong mill Lastly hence the consciences of such may be shaken Vse 5 who walke disobeying and provoking this great Lord. A fearefull thing to lift up hand against a King yet one might doe it and flying forth of his dominions recover safety But whither wilt thou fly that disobeyest Christ all the Creatures will attach thee and arrest thee of high treason for they are at His becke He is the Lord of them VERSE 16. For by Him were all things Created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or powers all things were Created by Him and for Him NOw he commeth to proove Christ both GOD and LORD and together openeth the ground of this His Title of inheritance to the Creature thus Hee that made all Creatures is no Creature but GOD blessed for ever is Lord of all Creatures but by Christ all the Creatures were made therefore He is GOD and most justly heire to all who can lay so good a claime to them 1. Then marke in generall from the coherence Obs 1 That these Creatures we see doe give testimony to that invisible GOD whom we see not these doe speake aloud that He who hath Created them is God for the worke doth argue a most Almighty and wise workeman and it is made Ier. 10.11 the effect distinguishing all false Gods from the true the Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth are no Gods If we should see faire buildings excellently contrived we would say they were excellent workemen that framed these So seeing this world the heavens the earth with the furniture of them we may well conclude Hee could not bee without a divine power that built all these things Iovis omnia plena praesentemque refert quae ibet herâ—a deum Againe these visible things have in them prints of the invisible things in God His power wisdom c. is graven in them For looke as the finest artisans who make the most curious works as watches c. They write their names in some part of them that the making and the Author be discerned So God hath written Himselfe every where in His Creatures that they might bee knowne for His workemanship and He for the workeman of them The use of this is Vse that we should learne in this frame we see and in that world of intelligences spiritual natures which we see not to acknowledge him that hath framed the booke of the Creatures though it be not so good as the Grammar of the Scripture which doth describe Him plainely yet it is a good primmer for us to spell in That as He hence prooveth Him God Obs 2 so He sheweth what just
because He doth worke them only but because He doth conserve them in us Christ doth not leave His worke when He hath made it as a Carpenter leaveth his house when it is built but that is true he speaketh Ioh. 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I worke That Hee did though without labour put forth His power in the preserving of all things for all things that have not being and moving of themselves but from another they cannot be nor move longer than that first cause doth preserve them in it As let us beare up a thing that cannot stand of it selfe longer than we hold it up the thing cannot but fall So take a thing that moveth not of it selfe make it move while you stirre it stirreth cease your motion it standeth still So all these things they have not being of themselves and moving of themselves but from God and therefore longer than God doth beare them up and move them they cannot consist in either Take for comparison the aire this is not light of it selfe as we see in the night yet it is inlightened by the Sunne with day-light when the Sunne therefore commeth and continueth the ayre waxeth light continueth so while it continueth and returneth to darknesse when the Sun setteth So God being the fountaine of being and motion which are not of themselves doth begin these things doth make them stand in their state and if He should totally withdraw himselfe they would returne to nothing Now this doth first much make unto the dignity of this our dread Soveraigne Vse 1 What is the glory of a King but to maintaine numbers depending on him to make King-like provision to carry after a sort their kingdomes on their backes and beare up all their Countries yea to support forren States as our dread Lady of blessed memory did the Low-countries Geneva c But if this be so full of renowne how then is He to be extolled that beareth up the whole frame of Heaven and earth and all the hoasts of them How blessed are they that have so mighty an Emperour over them This letteth us see what cause wee have to cleave unto our LORD IESUS CHRIST Vse 2 and to kisse His beloved Sonne seeing that we have our being in Him all our good is in His hand We see in what respect we have such from whom we have our maintenance who support the small matter of state we have in the world How much more should we win and keepe to us His favour that susteineth life being yea though we see Him not giveth us our lots and maintaineth our portion This strengtheneth our faith on Him touching our preservation Vse 3 Hee that upholdeth all the Creature shall he be unable or unwilling to underprop our weake soules and stablish them in every good way Saint Paul strengtheneth the weake Christian thus He shall be confirmed for God is able able indeed Shall He that carrieth up the whole world not be able to support thy poore spirit Lastly Vse 4 we must learne to acknowledge God as the upholder of the being of things the preserver and chiefe worker in all this ordinary course of Nature God maketh the Sunne to rise God raineth on the just and unjust Psal 134.7 8. For God calleth the Sunne forth Esay 46.26 And though vapours dissolved are meanes of raine yet God chiefly doth prepare and worke it in them whatsoever the second causes doe God doth it much more for these are but instruments to Him the Sithe cannot be said to cut downe grasse so properly as the Mower nor these causes to doe any thing so properly as God who doth it by them VERSE 18. And He is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence NOw he commeth to describe His Person as in relation to the Church which he setteth downe 1 Generally He is the Head of the Church 2 Particularly in regard of a particular preeminence which he had in respect of the dead with the consequent of it The first fruit and first borne of the dead that in all things He might have the preeminence First then wee see Obs that CHRIST hath not Lordship over the Creatures only but over the Church also which doth still according to the scope in the whole description intended amplifie the excellencie of His Person the Church is the Lords peculiar select treasure though all the earth bee His besides how great therefore is hee that hath not the Lords dearest possession excepted from him Secondly Obs for our selves marke hence What kinde of Head is given us of God even such a one as is God with the Father the Lord of all the Creature the Creator of Angels eternall the upholder of all the Creature He it is that is made of God the Head unto us His Church So Ephes 1.22 Who is farre above all Principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come under whose feet all the Creature is put He is our Head given of God Which doth argue the exceeding love of the Father unto us in giving us such a mysticall Head an Head of pure gold indeed if we may allude to those words of the Spouse This must teach us to rest only upon Him as our Governour Vse 2 inward and outward as an all-sufficient store-house of all grace for us We must not supply Him with vice-ministeriall heads How needeth Hee one in His roome who is not only present but beareth up and moveth all the Creature It is true that CHRIST doth admit though present the ministery of men with Himselfe yea when Hee was in His man-hood upon the earth He did associate such as laboured under Him giving them calling but a ministeriall Vice-roy through His visible Church is a thing the Scripture nor sound Antiquitie acknowledge not But CHRIST His manhood is absent As if Kings cannot governe all their Countreyes though their Persons be at their Court onely How much more our King who is with us in Spirit where two or three are gathered in His Name Secondly there can be no ministeriall head for the work of ministery CHRIST hath bestowed not upon Popelike monachs but upon Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 Againe none is able to doe these things which the nature of an head inforceth as to quicken us to governe us by internall influence which when the Papists confesse no man can doe why should they inforce an head under CHRIST as Kings have viceroyes under them for a Lord Deputy can doe what the King in person should doe but no man can doe what the Head of the Church is to doe Againe the Wife is next in authority to the Husband the Church visible is the spouse of Christ not one man but the whole Church hath all authority next to Him Is it fit the Wife should be kept
conquerours and in the end crowned with a crowne of immortall glory There wanteth nothing but a little waiting Yet a little while and He that shall come will come and will not tarry Behold Hee commeth in the clouds and His reward of glory is with Him In the meane time let us live as those that look for His glory Vse 2 and not dishonour our selves with base actions of sinne that are appointed for such glory VERSE 27. To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory THe Apostle having commended the Gospel unto the Colossians by the excellencies ascribed unto it that it is a mystery and a Secret knowne onely of a few then from the antiquity of it hid since the world began and from the peculiarity of this priviledge onely to the Saints not to the rest of the world in respect of the saving vertue and power of it Now he presseth his exhortation to embrace and receive it and the rather we should be induced hereunto if we consider the cause moving God thus to deale with us viz. not for any thing in our selves not for our worthinesse for our parts our wit or wils or any thing else or any other creature but meerely of His owne good will and pleasure to whom God would What should move to make this difference betweene men seeing all naturally are in the same case and condition even his owne will and good pleasure Hence observe Doctr. That the cause why the Gospell is revealed to us and not to others is the will and good pleasure of God So CHRIST saith Matth. 11 25. I give thee thankes O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes Even so O Father because such was thy good pleasure Were it any dispositions fore-seene in men then those should be called and taught who were of the best capacitie and towardnesse who were for civill carriage most unblameable but not many wise not many of great wit but babes and simples ones are called yea Publicans and Harlots had these things made known to them when Philosophers and Pharisaicall Civilians were excluded To shew it in particular as it is a grace of God to give His Lawes and ordinances so it is His meere Grace that they are bestowed on any rather than others This is shewed in giving them to Israel who were worse than Tyre and Sydon than Niniveh than the Nations I doe not send thee to a Nation of a strange tongue Ezck. 3.3 they would heare thee Had these things beene done in Tyre and Sydon they would have repented Niniveh repented at the preaching of Ionah Loe a greater than Ionah is here Yea God is forced every where to upbraid them with stiffe-neckednesse a necke of steele with hard hearts hearts like Adamant with brazen fore-heads yea to call them a gain-saying and rebellious people Even as His pleasure carryeth raine to one place and to another So He maketh His Ministers drop the Word of Wisdome amongst some and not amongst other some Matth. 10.6 Goe not into the way of the Samaritans So Acts 16.7 Goe not whither thou intendedst but into Macedonia Now if mans outward teaching be affoorded out of meere grace how much more God inward teaching yea His opening the eye of our mindes As no reason can be given why one mans eyes were opened one dead man raised rather than all the rest So no man can give a reason why these who now see and beleeve should be made to see rather than others Vse 1 This serveth to confute those who thinke the Word to be given or deteyned according to something in them to whom it is given or from whom it is deteyned in them or their progenitors But we have shewed sufficiently that it is first sent amongst any freely and if it be withheld from any it must be for their owne deserts or some who have beene before them parents to them not for their owne deserts for many of the heathen were not so hard hearted and impenitent as the Iew and for their Parents fault it could not be withheld unlesse we would make particular Parents to stand for themselves and their Children yea some thinke that the inward teaching which doth so teach that it changeth the mind that this teaching I say is given to such whom God doth see as fit to worke with it and use to this purpose as a Captaine setteth a man on a horse whom he doth see will mannage him well But this doth presuppose a connaturall Correspondence in corrupt nature to the supernaturall grace of God and a power in nature to use grace aright which hath long since beene condemned as a Pelagian error from these grounds that we cannot doe any thing which profiteth to salvation out of Christ that we are not fit to thinke a good thought Let us acknowledge Gods free grace that we have these things opened and revealed to us Vse 2 we of meane parts for understanding in comparison of others we who have beene often more vilely and viciously disposed then others let us acknowledge that He hath opened these things and hidde them from others even because it so pleased Him Finally let us walke worthy these ordinances to be fruitfull in them least He say to us as to Capernaum woe be to thee thou wert lifted up to heaven but I will throw thee downe to hell What is the riches of the glory of this mystery Vnto this mystery of the Gospell now spread abroad among the Gentiles be ascribed glory yea riches of glory that is abundance of glory Doct. thereby teaching us That the Gospell preached is not onely a mystery but a mystery full of glory Even that wherein the glorious power goodnesse and wisedome of God is set forth for what power goodnesse or wisedome is any thing comparable with that which appeareth in mans redemption verily all the glory of earthly Kings wherein they set forth their power goodnesse wisedome is nothing in comparison hereof The Gospell is not onely of great excellency in it selfe but it puts glory and excellency upon all that doe sincerely professe and embrace it it makes them to shine gloriously in all their conversation before God and men Pro. 4.8.9 so saith Salomon Exalt wisedome and shee shall exalt thee shee shall bring thee to honour if thou embrace her shee shall give thee a comely ornament unto thy head yea shee shall give thee a crowne of glory Let us then admire and adore this mystery of the Gospell Vse and the rather because we our selves are partakers of it and by it transformed into the image of God from glory to glory by the spirit of God This glorious mystery he setteth forth by the subject of it which is Christ Whence observe Doct. what the maine subject and substance of the Gospell is it is Christ
their profession sometime foysting Iewish ceremonies of the Law that so hee might adulterate the sincerity of their profession sometime by advancing the dignity of Angells offering to withdraw them sometime from the meanenes of their Teacher who was no Apostle nor pillar of account labouring to beate off this hand of faith from holding the Lord Iesus yet by the strength of Christ they standing against all But you will say Object you have said hee insinuates their wavering True Answ their faith might bee solid and stand and yet bee shaken a little too A house that standeth and will stand firmly shaketh when the winds blow about it So faith is firme when true and never shall faile though it tremble when the gusts of temptation beate against it Besides this solidity doth rather note the soundnesse as opposed to hypocrisie then the undoubted perswasion of it Let us therefore bee glad that GOD hath kept this Church that all the Popes malice Vse and the Iesuites monstrous attempts could never prevaile against it So let us who have beene often by Sathan assailed and yet stand by faith in that grace which Christ Iesus hath brought us yea when we see others whom the Divell doth many wayes annoy still keeping their innocency let us I say joy in it this is worthy our joy On the contrary how is the case of some to be bewayled who turne Catholiques daily halting betwixt God and Baal it is a heavy sight the Lord stay such apostasie yea all revolting which the world that three headed monster causeth in many VERSE 6. As yee have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walke yee in Him THus farre you have heard the Doctrinall part of this Epistle with the digression annexed to it from the foure and twentieth verse of the first Chapter to the sixth verse of this Chapter Now followeth the Second part of this Epistle which is exhortatory and it reacheth from this sixth verse of the second Chapter to the seventh verse of the fourth Chapter The exhortations are of two sorts Some generall that is conteyning matter which all sorts and sexes and conditions are to obey which beginning in this verse reacheth to the eighteenth verse of the third Chapter Some particular that is which doe not concerne all men and women in this or that particular calling of life as Wives Husbands Masters servants to the seventh verse of the third Chapter Where the conclusion beginneth To returne unto our generall exhortations they are Principall Or Secondarie serving to the principall The Principall mayne one in the sixth and seventh verses the other following First you have the duty it selfe walke in Christ Secondly the manner or consequents following on this their walking described by two Cardinall vertues 1 Confirmed faith 2 Thankefulnesse The first hee doth not simply propose but premiseth their good beginning which hath the force of an argument thus Those who have received Christ Iesus the Lord as their onely Saviour Priest Prophet King they must in their whole course onely acknowledge Him But yee have received Him that is believed on Him as your Lord and Saviour Therefore as you have received Him so walke in Him Marke first What is the property of true faith Doct. it receiveth Christ even as the hand doth take a thing from another reached unto it So doth Faith take Christ offered unto us and given us by GOD the Father in the ministery of the Word and Sacraments thus Galath 3.14 CHRIST was made a curse that we by Faith might receive the blessing of Abraham the spirit promised marke receive by Faith not into knowledge for the Saints doe not know onely that the spirit is given of GOD to His children but that it is poured on them in their measure and received to dwell in them Iohn 1.11 12. The Iewes received Him not that is they believed not in Him but so many as received Him Hee made them the Sonnes of GOD even so many as believed on His Name the latter words expound the former yea faith so receiveth Christ that He commeth to dwell in the heart Ephes 3.17 Hence it is that faith is said to put on Christ Rom. 13. to engraft us into Him to unite us with Him as the members and head are coupled For faith doth not onely know and assent unto but it hath a hearty affiance in it which maketh us rest upon Christ as made of God every thing unto us 1 Co. 1.30 Wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption It condemnes the Papists Vse 1 for faith by their doctrine as faith hath no affiance in it it is only a knowledg of Christ as a Saviour without any confidence resting upon him as a Saviour whence their Schoolmen dispute that a man may be sound in faith and in a damnable despayre at the same instant Now this faith leaveth Christ in the ayre doth not at all apply him unto us For as if one hold out a thing unto me and say it is thus and thus my sight and conceiving what it is without reaching my hand to it doth not at all receive it So while faith with the eye of it looketh on and conceiveth what GOD offereth but doth not by trust and confidence reach that which God offereth into the soule we receive nothing and therefore have no benefit by CHRIST For as medicine meate cloathes seene onely and conceived on but not taken in and put on profit nothing So in Christ our medicine our meate our apparell to heale us nourish us and cover us in the sight of GOD. Wherefore labour for this effectuall justifying faith let the confidence of your hearts be toward Christ that having Him within you spiritually all his benefits may be yours likewise This may serve to informe us something in the Doctrine of faith Vse 2 it letteth us see what is the ground of believing surely the free offer of GOD. That which is the ground and warrant of receiving the same is the ground and warrant of believing it is the free offer of God The offer of an almes from a rich man is a warrant sufficient for a poore man to receive it The free offer of Christ to a sinner is warrant sufficient unto a sinner for to receive Christ It is not then for a poore soule when he would settle the first ground of his faith to looke for something in himselfe that should make him worthy of Christ but in this businesse there is nothing to be done but for a man to goe out of himselfe and to take Christ with an empty hand as He is offered that is to save sinners to seeke the lost to heale the wounded to feede the poore The sense of nakednesse and poverty is warrant enough for a man to receive Christ This being well understood will be very avayleable to settle the faith of Christians to keepe them from wavering in believing whereunto they are exposed by Sathans malice they cannot thinke Christ will save them GOD will
not looke upon them GOD will vouchsafe no such priviledge unto them because they are poore blind and naked But I say for that cause receive Him and take Him for that end He is offered therefore when the Lord convinceth the Church of Laodicea thou art wretched poore blind and naked then I counsell thee to buy of mee eye-salve that thou maist see and white rayment that thou mayst be clothed Say not Christ is not myne I dare not apply Him because I am a sinner indeede if thou hast a purpose to goe on in sinne thou must not venture to apply Christ But if thou be humbled in the sight of thy own unworthinesse and doest account it the greatest favour of GOD to be freed from sinne thou hast good warrant to receive Christ thus offered for so the LORD IESUS doth invite poore sinners Mat. 11.28 Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavy loaden and I will ease you It may serve to teach us Vse 3 by way of examination to try whether we have received Christ or not To receive Christ is a thing done with the whole heart It was a question which the Apostles were woont to put when they received any man to be baptized Acts 8. Doe you believe with your whole heart as Philip said to the Eunuch It must be a receiving of Christ with the whole soule 2 True faith apprehends Christ such a Saviour as the spirit of God in Scripture setteth Him out to be Hebr. 7.25 a perfect Saviour who is perfectly able to save all that come to Him through faith As He alone trod the wyne-presse of Gods wrath So He alone worketh our salvation This the Apostle presseth because of the false Apostles that were crept into the Church they would graunt that Iesus Christ the Sonne of Mary was the true Christ in whom the Iewes and Gentiles should trust yet they would have something else to be joyned with him they would have Moses joyned with Christ and the Law with the Gospell in the matter of salvation against which the Apostle much laboureth and to settle their hearts onely upon Christ excluding all other causes and things from having any hand or share in being meritorious causes of mans salvation 3 All is not done when the judgement is informed that Christ is the onely Saviour and a perfect Saviour without any act of ours concurring to merit salvation there is another thing to be added which must fasten upon the affections Christ must be received with the whole heart not onely with the understanding but the will and affections the whole soule must incline to it thus to rest onely upon Him to prize Him onely for Himselfe faith fixeth upon the person of Christ and takes all other things as consequents deduced from that which is in Christ So the joy of a Christian the delight of a Christian the love of a Christian should bee fixed onely upon Christ 4 There is yet another thing to be done to receive whole Christ into the whole heart is to receive Christ in all His offices Ioh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life He is our way He is our Peace-maker so He is our Priest He is the truth as He is our Prophet to leade us into all truth and He is our life as He is our King and mighty Lord to worke effectually in the hearts of all that shall be saved Take Him thus expect not onely peace by Him but truth also nor knowledge of the truth onely but life also and ability to walke in obedience to that truth thus you must receive whole Christ not only as a Saviour to free you from the wrath of God but also as a Lord and King to rule over you and to guide you Hereby you may know whether you have received CHRIST or not 2 Marke hence Doct. That true beliefe on Christ must have with it perseverance and a life obedient unto Him A true believer on Him must be a constant believer and a good liver in Him for to walke in Christ is every where to converse as those who must in all things acknowledge Him As Christ is the author and object of our faith so He must be the Soveraigne commander the chiefe worker the end of all those workes which I walke in and occupy my selfe about through my whole life But the phrase is worth the opening 1 It signifieth as much as to doe all we doe after the rule and command of Christ the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after CHRIST verse 8. He is our onely law giver we are in all things to heare Him and to attend His pleasure not stirring without His warrant 2 It signifieth continuing in Him in faith on Him to which Hee hath brought us not to recoyle or give in 3 To walke in Christ is to set before our eyes His glory as the white we shoote at in all our affaires great and small Whatsoever you doe doe all to the glory of GOD and so of Christ I count not my life deare that I may fulfill the ministery which the Lord Iesus hath given me whether in my wits or out c. I am to the Lord. And what is more equall when a woman hath married a man must she not live to Him alone Is she to be commanded by others Is shee not to seeke to please him to obey him honour him in all things with feare How much more meet is it that we being by the hand of faith contracted to our Lord should live to Him And as a woman new married must not start but for better or worse continue where her faith is plighted So must we having given our faith not goe backe from Christ our husband that hath bought us deare and given us in joynture heaven it selfe Wherefore this must both admonish us of our duties Vse and be applyed to convince such as say they believe in Christ but live not in Him looke not to His will deny not themselves seeking for His strength labour not to set forth His glory Nay they are at the command of men what such and such like of is their ten commandements yea walke in the flesh in obeying the lusts of their owne hearts following their owne corrupt mindes and affections and the examples of others like themselves O wretch hart thou not ashamed hast thou the face of an honest man and wouldst thou not blush to take a woman to thee and make no conscience of following every trull and leaving her so as she scarce from the beginning of the weeke to the end comes into thy thoughts thus thou servest thy husband Christ Observe lastly Doct. That our good beginnings must be a bond unto us to make good proceeding Have you begunne saith Saint Paul in the spirit and will you end in the flesh have you suffered so many things in vaine So he exhorteth Timothy even from this that hee had beene brought up in the Scriptures of a child and
principall end to which the grace of GOD used them was to shadow out CHRIST as followeth but nakedly considered as apart from this grace of the Gospell they did acknowledge our debt what we should pay they did make confession that we did it not they did also acknowledge the mystery which belonged to us in this regard for it is to be noted that nothing can be fitly conceived here but the Iewish rites not our agreement and covenanting with GOD in Paradise or Mount Sinay all these things will we doe this is the debt it selfe not Syngrapha or Chyrographum which doth testifie the debt Now the Ceremonies some did testifie their debt Galath 5. If a man be circumcised say as seeking righteousnesse in the Law he is a debter to the whole Law Marke that as a man by the bill of his hand so the old people by the Circumcision did testifie that they owed GOD obedience in all the Law 2. Some testified their guilt as all their legall uncleannesses and washings their sacrificings both sinne offerings and burnt offerings the one shewed their guilt the other that they were by nature altogether corrupted and must be killed as they were themselves that so they might come to live to GOD such were their humbling their soules annually In conclusion their whole worship did testifie that the perfect offering with which GOD's wrath was to be appeased was not yet come 2. That Heaven was not yet opened that they were all in desert of death through sinne this was all they could doe as purely legall as they are considered a part of the ministery of the Law so farre as it is opposed to the Gospell thus they were a ministery of condemnation beggarly elements a Chyrographum against us Yet the principall end to which GOD used them was to signifie the sacrifices to come this was the principall I say because the Law it selfe is made a servant to grace yea justice in God doth put it selfe forth that the grace of God may be more manifested and it may be therefore the Apostle here saith they were a Chyrographum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subcontrary in respect that they had another end more maine which was with us though they wanted not this testification also Now how this testification doth extend to us guiltlesse is above shewed The use of this may be first to admonish us whence it came Vse that the spirit of bondage did so abound in the people of the Iewes ever since CHRIST Answ They were still occupied in one rite or other which did testifie uncleannesse their services were hand-writings against them they proclaimed their guilt aloud but shewed the grace of God very obscurely Againe we see what cause we have to be glad of our LORD IESUS who hath freed us of these lamentable services If wee have called in a bond or bill which we had abroad it joyeth us but we know not our happinesse who have these bonds in statute reversed for us And wee must take heed of this levin of Iewish ceremony from which we were redeemed so dearely A little levin worketh thorow the whole lumpe Ill weeds grow apace What an abundance are these rites growen to in the Church of Rome from beginnings farre smaller But some may say Object Our Ceremonies witnesse nothing against us we grant CHRIST is ascended The Ceremonies not onely as Shadowes of Christ Answ but as they are a more carnall kinde of instructing doe witnesse against us that the time of faith is not come that the Spirit promised is not given that the times wherein wee must worship in spirit and truth that is a spirituall manner not carnall that these times are not yet approached Lastly marke Doct. That Christ hath by suffering on the Crosse abolished these things So you have it Eph. 2.15 1 Pet. 1.20 He hath delivered you from your vaine conversation received by the tradition of your fathers Where it is to be noted that though the whole ceremoniall Law might in some regard be called Vaine for it was but a shadow of heavenly things it brought not things to perfection yet he doth especially note there the traditionary depravations of doctrines yea and their Ceremonies significant which they used by the institution of men to admonish them of inward holinesse as washing of hands Matt. 15. to put them in mind of inward cleannesse of which Christ saith In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrine mens precepts as also their corrupt conversation for Christ suffering did crucifie the vaine carnall and sinfull life of our old man that we might be even for the externall manner spirituall and holy to God through Him This then as it sheweth us the love of CHRIST Vse so it teacheth us how wee must much prize and warily maintaine this liberty Such things as we buy at a deare rate we lay them up carefully use them charily we say it standeth us in thus much But alas this benefit not silver nor gold but the bloud of CHRIST hath purchased for us it hath redeemed us as well from such vaine externall rites which men devise as from those typicall Ceremonies of the Law which respected CHRIST to come VERSE 15. And hath spoiled the Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed over them in the same Crosse NOw followeth the third thing which went before our quickening that is the freeing us from him who was GOD's fearfull doomes-man having power of executing death upon us by reason of our sinne Principalities and Powers doe signifie all those superiour and inferiour powers of darknesse with which Christ combated on His Crosse The thing is set downe by a gradation 1 He did spoile them which what it is shall be opened more 2 He did make a shew of them that is expose them to ignominy and reproach for so this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Matth. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 He triumphes over them within Himselfe or on His Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The summe is God in Christ hath quickened us when He had given us an acquittance from all our sinnes abolished all things which shewed any thing against us when He had on the Crosse of His Son disarmed made a scorne and triumphed over all spirituall powers who had us as executioners to His justice before in their custody In the Verse three things may be considered 1 The Victory it selfe 2 The Persons vanquished 3 The Manner First in generall we are to marke Doct. That God doth set us free from the power of Satan before we are made alive throughly in IESUS CHRIST He quickened us in Christ in what order having subdued all Principalities and Powers that held us even as in Christ our Head so in us this worke proceedeth First He died and by death conquered the Prince of this world Then when his power was broken Hee raised Himselfe up againe In the same order are we