were Paul himselfe let him be Anathema This for the commendation of the Gospell preached by Epaphras I shall end Paul at this time lay in Rome in bands and was vnder an heauie affliction Now hee considering his bands might bee offensiue to them in the next verse hee meetes with this slaunder Now saith he I reioyce of those things which I suffer for you As if he would say my afflictions that I lie in let them not offend you It is a marueilous thing how ready men are to offend and to take a slander when it is not giuen These men were before offended with Epaphras because hee was not an Apostle now they are offended with Paul the Apostle himselfe because he is lying in bands O there is neuer a thing but the diuell can make it an offence to the Gospel he knowes how stumbling a heart thou hast and all to hold thee backe from the Gospell Blessed is he that hath not been offended at any thing as Christ saith Matth. 11. 6. How takes he away the offence of his bands The first argument to reuoke it he saith I reioyce for these things Vers 24. which I suffer for you or for your sake as if he would say be not offended at my bands because they are for you If I had not comen out at the commaund of my Lord to preach Christ what needed me to be lying in these fetters and if I had not loued my Lord Iesus and his Church what needed I to be in The afflictions of the Martyrs do serue for the confirmation of the faithfull in all ages these bands Well he suffers for the Colossians and he neuer saw them Epaphras taught them I tell thee looke whatsoeuer Paul suffereth or any of the Apostles or godly Martyrs who suffered count it all for thee It was all to hold in this light which is thy life and if it had not been kept and entertained and holden vp by their preaching and sealed by their bloud thou shouldest neuer haue gotten light And without this Gospell thou shouldest neuer see life This world is blinded they know not this darknes they lie in If the light of this Gospell slide from thee thou blind ignorant that lies now in darknes thou shalt be cast into hell for the end of darknes here is that blacke darknes in hell So hee saith All that I suffer is for you Well if men thought that the sufferings of the seruants of God which they suffer whether it be bands banishment or whatsoeuer it be if they could thinke that all was for them to hold in that light of the Gospell alas they would be so farre from that that the bands and these things should be offensiue to them and so be offended at the Gospell that by the contrarie they would kisse their sufferings and would take as great pleasure in their bands as in their preaching for they serue as well to thy weale as their preaching For by their bands they seale vp in thy heart all that they haue preached to thee O if thou couldst thinke of this well The time will come that these who now preach shall be afflicted and Lord giue them ioy in their affliction Be ye therefore prepared not to be offended at it You shall see some steale downe closely from the Minister when he is caught by the necke howbeit now they will accompanie him Well then be readie to take part of his affliction as Paul saith 2. Tim. 1. 8. Yet to recommend his affliction more I reioyce saith he he suffereth for a good cause for the safetie of the Colossians Besides this hee suffered with ioy 1. Pet. 4. 15. Let no man saith hee suffer as a murtherer a theefe or an euill doer which is now the pleasure of men but let vs make vs readie to suffer for a good cause if thou suffer see thou suffer for Gods cause for this light the best cause that euer thou suffered for Let euery man be prepared to suffer for it otherwise thou shalt haue no good of it It is not the paine will make thee a Martyr but it is the quarrell the good cause that will make thee a Martyr And againe he saith if thou suffer as Christ suffered reioyce As if he would say when thou Ioy in godly afflictions sufferest for a good cause looke thou haue ioy and willingnes No let not the enemie haue greater will to draw thee to the shambles then thou shalt be willing with ioy to suffer So there is another condition requisite in suffering we must not onely be content to suffer for a good cause but wee must be Note willing and ioyfully willing Otherwise the good cause will not make thee a Martyr Thou must haue ioy and patience and willingnes glorifying God Looke how the Martyrs suffered and follow them and then thou shalt dye like a Martyr and blessed shalt thou be The Lord prepare vs for it that we may passe from this miserie to ioy through the Lord Iesus To whom be praise and honour for euer Amen THE TENTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians COLOS. Chap. 1. vers 24. 25. 24 Now reioyce I in my suffrings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body sake which is the Church 25 Wherof I am a minister according to the dispensation of God which is giuen me vnto you ward to fulfill the word of God YOu heard the last day beloued brethren how the Apostle hauing ended his doctrine he comes to his exhortation and exhorts the Colossians to perseuer in the faith of Iesus Christ Secondly he exhorts them to perscuere in hope The argument he vseth is from that benefit of their reconciliation with God Now saith he ye are reconciled and hee hath reconciled you but with this condition and restraint if so be that you abide in the faith grounded and stablished and be not moued from the hope of the Gospell Then they might haue said what Gospell meanes thou of is it that gospell that Epaphras hath taught countest thou so much of it This he meetes with and saith yea I meane of that same gospell that you haue heard of that man Epaphras Then he falles out into a cōmendation of that gospell of his And the first argument is taken from this That it is no other gospel but that Coherence that hath been preached to euery creature The second argument is hee hath preached nought at all but that that I haue preached Then they might haue said what haue wee to doe with thee we see nought of thee but a man in bands at Rome The Apostle answeres Now saith he I reioyce in my afflictions for you Well it is true I am afflicted but vnderstand this that my affliction is for you it appertaines to you to esteeme of my affliction I reioyce that I am afflicted for the Gentiles because I am appointed their Apostle You are a part of
so now millions and great numbers are saued And whereas before it was but now one and then one that preased into the kingdome of heauen now they come in multitudes striuing and thrunging who should first enter into heauen Matth. 11. 12. For it is impossible that this light should be without life If thou take a pleasure in the light it is not possible that thou canst dye but if thou take no pleasure in it woe be to thee a double death The calling of the Gentiles shall befall thee Woe is to that man who dyes in the light of the Gospell without taking pleasure in the same Well it had been to thee that thou hadst dyed in darknes with the Gentiles for thy damnation shall be doubled Take therefore a pleasure in it and all the world shall not make thee to perish and that is that which Paul saith Sin raigned to death but grace raignes by righteousnes vnto life through the Lord Iesus Rom. 5. vers 21. But looke to the last words of the verse Vnto whom is the manifestation of the Gospell made Not to euerie one beguile not your selues for the Lord will not vouchsafe to manifest himselfe and grace in him to euery man but hee calles them his Saints to whom chiefly hee manifests himselfe Looke your books ye that scorne at the name of Saints if thou be nota Saint thou shalt neuer see heauen then this If thou be not a Saint thou shalt neuer see heauen manifestation is not made to euery man It is true brethren it is preached to all and all heare it it strikes in euery ones eares yet it is also true all men see not It is to many as the light of the Sunne is to a blinde man and the great multitude Simile gets no more good of it then a blind man gets consolation of the Sunne Who is it then that sees it None but the sanctified one that is none but they that are sanctified by the holy Spirit Nay no spirit no sanctification no sanctification no sight of God and so thou art no Saint but the diuell possesseth thee So none sees what this Gospell is but the sanctified ones and that man is he that hath gotten the spirit of Iesus to open the eye of his soule for it is the spirit of God that opens the soule to see what the Gospell of Christ is and what vertue comes with it when it comes If thou hadst the quickest spirit that can be if thou haue not the spirit of God thou shalt not see one whit in God because as it is the spirit of man that searcheth the spirit of man so it is the spirit of God that searcheth all things yea the most secret things of God 1. Cor. 2. 10. So none sees what the Gospell is and what it brings with it but such as are illuminated by the spirit of God Heare as long as thou wilt thou shalt a bide in blindnes till thou come to a desperate hardnes of heart if thou be not enlightened with the spirit of Iesus this is to be had in and by the Gospell Therefore brethren say euer Lord make me a Saint make me one of that number and make me to crie for the spirit of Iesus to sanctifie and Luk. 11. 9. 10. 15. enlighten me for otherwise thou shalt perish for want of the light of God Now to come to the next verse when he hath spoken of the Saints he insists vpon the reuelation of the mysterie made vnto them and hee sets it out in sundrie circumstances First hee sheweth who is y e Reuealer to wit God Secondly what cause moued him to make this reuelation to the Saints to wit his The reuelation or manifestation of the Gospell good pleasure towards them Thirdly what thing is reuealed to wit this mysterie And he termes it not simply a mysterie but he calles it the riches of his glorious mysterie and not that onely but the mysterie of Christ Fourthly among whom is it reuealed to wit not among the Iewes onely but among the Gentiles also through the world All tends to this to let vs see the glorie of the grace of God as it is said Ephe. 1. 6. So that this Gospell is shining bright and aboundantly in such a wonderfull great mercie that there is not a circumstance but it lets you see a wonderfull grace in God To come then to the first The reuealer of this mysterie is no other but God He was the author of the reuelation of this The first circumstance mysterie of the Gospell The Saints they begun not to see first but God first reuealed before they saw or could see yea they had neuer seene one glimse with their eye if God had not begun to reueale it no thou shalt neuer see any heauenly or spirituall Flesh and bloud can not teach vs spirituall things thing vnto the time it please the Lord to reueale it vnto thee Then in that hee is the beginner of grace herein appeares the more the glorie of his grace and the matter of praising of him but it staies not here We will come then to the next What moued him to reueale this mysterie to his Saints both of Iewes and Gentiles The Lord doth nothing rashly he hath The second circumstance euer good causes mouing him wherefore he doth this or that He is not like a vaine man that doth and vndoeth again and wots not what hee doth Saw hee any thing in these Saints to moue him Some Papist will say hee foresaw some merit in them O but the text saith that there was no such thing at all without himselfe which could moue him hee saw nothing I Nothing in the world did moue God to send Christ and his Gospell vnto vs but his owne loue and good pleasure say in the same or yet in the world which could moue him but his owne goodnes His good pleasure which was ere euer they were Saints is it that moued him to reueale this mysterie Then againe they were not Saints before the reuelation was made There is not a Saint before Christ be reuealed to them It is the sight of Christ that makes a man holy so there was neuer none holy but he that first gat that sight of Iesus the sight went before holines and holines followed vpon the reuelation because holines is the effect of the reuelation of the Gospell Then ye see that as the Lord is the beginner of the reuelation so it is not our deseruing but his owne good pleasure that moues him thereto The Lord of his good pleasure shewed himselfe to the world and no question this is spoken that thou shouldest euer glorie in God Alas would to God as we haue matter to glorifie God that we could answere to the thousand part of it Then to come to the third circumstance What is the thing The third circumstance that he hath reuealed He calles it a mysterie and
Epistle chap. 2. 15. presently in the beginning of the fourth chapter with a graue obtestation vrgeth Timothie that in all these things hee would be earnest and vigilant saying I beseech thee therefore before the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quicke and the dead in that his glorious appearance and in his kingdome preach the word be earnest in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine And afterwards vers 15. But watch thou in all things But what shall we thinke of these carelesse men that will not labour in any part much lesse in euery part carefully to discharge their dutie or those that thinke labouring now and then in some peece of their calling the same to bee more then a sufficient discharge of it before God or of othersome who as though their generall and particular vocation in the Ministerie and parts thereof were not troublesome and burthensome enough doe take and lay burthens vpon them in Magistracie in policie and I cannot tell what But wee leaue them to God to whom they must one day answere for al these corruptions and will goe forward in that which followeth which is the last verse both of this chapter and of the whole Epistle The salutation by the hand of me Paul After he had put down other mens salutations to the Church he doth in the last place mention his owne adding thereto that as he desireth them to be mindfull of his bands so he cannot but wish them all grace and goodnes from God Concerning this and such like salutations the Apostle vseth them for two speciall respects first to testifie vnto them his great care loue and good will that he caried to them being alwaies mindfull of them for good then to expresse the prayers and the wishes he made for them by which hee desired grace and all good things to bee vouchsafed vnto them for whom he prayed And concerning the salutation hee protesteth that hee wrote it with his owne Pauls care to preuent counterfeit writings hand and that to this end and purpose that it might be as a signe and seale with which he shut vp after his vsuall manner all his Epistles as he professeth 2. Thessal 3. 17. for it seemeth that Paul in writing of all his Epistles at the least in most of them did vse the helpe of a Scribe or Secretarie till such time as he came towards the end or shutting of them vp or as wee may say the greetings in the end but that hee wrote with his owne hand and that to this end that all might know by that his handwriting that it was Pauls owne Epistle and not one that was adulterous or foysted in in steed thereof For there were euen in the Apostles time some as appeareth 2. Thess 2. 2 who dissembling Pauls name spread many errors abroad and all for the corrupting of that sound and holesome doctrine which he had deliuered And should wee marueile at this seeing wee know that this is an old sleight of Satan to obtrude vnto the Church forged and bastardly writings in steede of true and all that he might corrupt the Church But as Satans malice was great herein so did Gods care and loue to his Church appeare in prouiding so for his Church that he hath by certaine infallible notes distinguished the writings of the Prophets and Apostles from all other writings of men whatsoeuer And though it be certaine that Pauls naturall and true Epistles be to be discerned from all bastardly and counterfeite ones by setting thereto his owne hand yet the authenticall Scriptures of God haue certaine other notes and marks more sure in my minde and the same also perpetuall As for example the diuine maiestie that shineth therein though otherwise the speech vsed in it be very simple and plaine Againe the heauenly puritie and sanctimonie that euery where is manifested in it the spiritual grace that appeareth therein as well in the words as in the matters thereof the certaintie of the things being before foretold and accomplished in their times the inward reuerence that is in mans heart towards them aboue all writings whatsoeuer with sundrie such like of Should be strong in vs to detest popish perswasiōs and Atheisticall opinions which we may not speake at this present Onely this wee are to know that if we feele this in truth and peace it will effectually arme vs against Papists Atheists and other corrupters some not onely deprauing the credit of the word and bringing in many bastardly writings besides to the end they might equall with or aduaunce their traditions before Gods word which is the sinne of the Romish Catholikes and othersome disgracing and discrediting the same that they might perswade men there is no heauen or hell God diuell word c. and prouoke them to liue as bruit beasts and these are Atheists but both lie vnder iudgement the first for their grosse superstition and idolatrie and the latter for their horrible blasphemie But to go from this point to some other following The Apostle addeth Remember my bands Before he come to put downe his wish or prayer for them he commendeth vnto them the memorie of his bands or imprisonment which he suffered for the defence of the Gospell And of this one precept Three respected in one precept there are many vses and that both as in regard of Paul himselfe the Colossians and others For it behoueth them in respect of Paul to thinke vpon them and him in them that so they might in earnest prayer commend him and the cause for which he suffered into Gods hand and that not onely for his owne sake that he might stand fast notwithstanding all his troubles but that the Gospell also might flourish more and more thereby And as in regard of themselues it was meete they should doe it not onely that by his example of patience they might bee the more incouraged valiantly and comfortably to beare all persecution for the truth of the Gospell but also for this that they commed him earnestly in their praiers to God and that not only for his owne cause but for the Gospels for which he was bound as appeareth both in the third verse of this present chapter and also Ephes 6. 19. And if we respect others we shal see there was good cause to moue them to doe this dutie and namely their testification of their care and loue for their brethren and their earnest desire for the glorie of God both which were much to be aduaunced in the Apostles patient carying of himselfe in his imprisonment and in his constant vndergoing and ouercomming of the same There remaineth the last words Grace be with you Wherein the good thing that he wisheth to the Colossians is grace Which word first signifieth the free fauour of God towards them in Christ next all spirituall blessings especially which What things are specially signified by the word grace from that free fauour proceede and flow to them that he loueth of which sort are forgiuenes of sinnes iustification sanctification and many others in this life and eternall glorification in that which is to come When hee saluted them in the beginning of this Epistle he wished this grace vnto them from God the father and from the Lord Iesus Christ. And now in the latter end yea in the last words thereof he wisheth them not any other good thing then the very same grace neither indeede needeth he to pray for any other thing for them because he that hath this grace hath all goodnes Whence wee may see also that it is an vsuall and ordinarie thing with the Apostle almost in all his Epistles to begin with grace and to end with it as wee say From whence also wee may safely gather that nothing in this life more excellent and more to bee Nothing more excellent or more to be wished for thē grace desired can be giuen to any man then this great goodnes of Grace which as the Apostle signifieth in so praying for it as on the behalfe of the Church So Dauid doth not obscurely declare it when hee prayeth Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs Psal 4. shewing that that should be farre better then the increase of Corne Wine Oyle or all other worldly things whatsoeuer whereof also me thinketh we may render this reason For what can a man imagine that may be either profitable or necessarie to this life present or to that which is to come which wee haue not and enioy when once this grace is committed vnto vs in Christ The Apostle telleth vs 1. Timoth. 4. 8. that godlines is profitable to all things as which hath the promises of this life present and of that which is to come But from whence proceedeth godlines but from this grace Nay I will say more what good thing is there any Grace and opinion of mans merit cannot stand together where that in any case may steed vs that can come from any other cause or ground then frō this great grace Whereupon wee may conclude that the conceit of mans merit hath no place in procuring any good for vs from or before God The Apostle himselfe in this very Epistle and namely chap. 1. commendeth the Colostians for their faith and charitie towards all Saints But doth he for all that wish or pray that God would vouchsafe them a recompence or reward as due from God in the name of debt as wee would say for those fruites and workes of their charitie None at all neither is there any thing though neuer so small that he insinuateth that way either there or elsewhere in his writings Nay rather the thing that hee wisheth vnto them and prayeth for as on their behalfe is wholy and altogether grace that so wee might learne stedfastly and in euery respect wholy to depend of Gods grace and to ascribe all thereto that so in all the good things which are communicated to the Church and bestowed therevpon God might haue the praise and glorie of his owne grace through Christ Iesus Which to performe the Lord of his owne goodnes vouchsafe vs the grace for his deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be ascribed and giuen all glorie and praise with strength and maiestie of all people and in all places but specially of and in the Church both now and for euer So be it FINIS
the Gentiles therefore in that that I suffer it is for your cause that the Gospell of Iesus Christ may haue place amongst you as among the other Gentiles The second argument In the middest of my afflictions I The second argument The vse of affliction reioyce to testifie my loue towards you for except I had loued you I would not haue suffered with ioy for you Brethren of those that suffer affliction first it is required that it be for a good cause for Gods cause for his truth and for his Church sake Suffer not like a theefe or a murtherer as an harlot or an euill doer in any wise Alas it is a paine yea of all paines in the world the greatest to suffer for euill doing Secondly it is required of him that suffers that he suffer for a good cause with ioy cheerefully and with patience otherwise thou losest thy trauell and praise suffer as thou wilt It is not the good cause onely that makes martyrdome but it is Martyrdome the ioy cheerfulnes and patience ioyned with the good cause that makes thee in suffering to be a Martyr It is hard to flesh to digest this how can there be ioy in the paines of most exquisite torments Brethren Paul at this time is lying in bands at Rome and yet ye see he vtters that in his bands he hath ioy and no question when he came to the very point of death for 2. Tim. 4. 6. 7. 8. he was martyred he had great ioy And certainly I am compelled to think that there is more shrinking and sadnes at the remembrance of the affliction to come then there is in the More grief in the remembrāce of afflictiō then in suffering it when it comes chiefe time of affliction The minde will be more troubled thinking on it then when the person is afflicted For out of question whē the Lord giues a man cōstancie to suffer he will giue him patience ioy which shall swallow vp all the paine and the experience of Martyrs hath proued this Stir not howbeit thou shrinke at hanging heading scalding burning and whatsoeuer paines most cruell exquisit deuised for thee yet stir not for if the Lord giue thee constancie all the paines shal be swallowed vp and thou shalt be armed to suffer with ioy To goe forward The third argument whereby he remoues the offence they might haue taken at his bands is this I saith he fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ Iesus as if hee would The third argument say mine afflictions are not so much mine as they are my Lords afflictions how can ye then be offended at them You cannot chuse if you bee offended at my afflictions but you must be offended at Christs afflictions because my affliction is nothing else but the afflictions of Christ and the fulfilling of them Then all these afflictions that are laid vpon the members of the bodie of Christ they are all Christs afflictions and when they are afflicted Christ is afflicted And the Lord counts it his owne persecutions when the members of his bodie Christ must suffer in his members which is his Church are persecuted Saul Saul saith hee Acts 9. 4. why persecutest thou me He speakes this to Paul when he was not persecuting him but his members This he calles his persecution for it was ordained from all eternitie that the Lord Iesus who is the head of the Church should not onely suffer in his owne flesh but also that hee should suffer in the members of his bodie which is his Church So that none of that bodie should be free from suffering no not from the greatest to the least yea euen to the little finger all should suffer and the measure hereof was measured and ordained in that counsell from all eternitie Sufferest thou much or little It was measured to thee ere euer the world was It was not appointed that euery particular person should suffer al and euery sort of affliction no no but as the head should suffer one kinde of affliction proper to himselfe so the rest in the bodie should suffer some in one sort and measure and some in another All shall suffer one thing or other prepare thee for it and it is a token that thou art in that bodie if thou suffer something for Christ But to sticke to the words he calles them not simply the sufferings of Christ but the fulfilling or accomplishment of the afflictions of Christ I saith he fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ Marke the word well Euen as the Church of Iesus Christ is the accomplishment and fulfilling of him to make him a perfect man so it is called Ephe. 1. the last verse Euen so the afflictions that the Church and her members suffer they accomplish and fulfill the sufferings of Christ And as the glorie of the head Christ is fulfilled and accomplished in suffering euen so the sufferings of his members they accomplish and fulfill the glorie of Christ Wherein wee haue to marke a loue that Christ beares to vs that cannot bee spoken of The Lord Iesus is perfect in himselfe and he needeth vs not no he hath no neede of me of thee nor of no flesh to make him perfiter The loue of Christ then he is alreadie in himselfe He is full and he fils all in all yet such is his loue to me and thee and to the whole body that he cannot thinke that he is perfect till he haue thee ioyned with him yea the least member of his Church hee will haue to be ioyned with him or els hee counts that his glorie and sufferings are not fulfilled So his afflictions are perfect and hee needes not thee to fulfill any part thereof yet such is his loue that hee will not haue his afflictions perfect without thee He will haue thee made like to himselfe in affliction howbeit his glorie be perfect now at the right hand of the father yet he cannot thinke that he gets the perfection thereof till he get all his members glorified with him in heauen This is his loue Rom. 8. Now let vs see how we account of this We count it a benefit and a grace to be ioyned with him to be the members of his bodie and to be glorified with him but when it comes to the What a great benefit it is to suffer afflictions sufferings there is the shrinking there is none that can accord or be content to be like him in sufferings but they will flye backe there we faile and we cannot thinke that it is a benefit to suffer but rather that it is a curse So ere thou count it a benefit to suffer thou must haue more then flesh and bloud thou must haue the spirit of Iesus It is not onely a benefit to beleeue but also to suffer Philip. 1. 29. And Philip. 3. 10. Paul counts it a blessing to suffer calling it the communion or fellowship of his affliction There he counts it
in him are hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge therfore be not wise without him seeke not wisdome without him There are false teachers entred in that make you thinke there is wisedome without him but I say vnto you if you would not be deceiued seeke no wisedome without him for in him is the treasure of all wisedome and knowledge There is the force of the argument briefly Now marke the order of the Apostle Before hee exhorted them that they should not be deceiued by the inticing of mens words and doctrine and hee laies out the reason taken from the treasure and riches of wisdome and knowledge that is in Christ So the Apostle to the Hebrues 13. 8. being about to exhort them that they should not be carried about with sundrie and strange doctrine hee laies downe this ground Christ is today and yesterday c. therfore be not carried away from him As if hee would say there was neuer saluation without him from the beginning of the world and there shall be no saluation without him to the end thereof therefore sticke to him This order teacheth vs this lesson that after wee haue let men see what is in Christ after we haue opened as it were and laid abroad before the eyes of the world all that store of wisedome and knowledge that is in him then it is time to exhort men to leaue all their doctrine and vanitie and inticing words of men and to sticke by this Christ in whom there is such wisedome and knowledge For brethren you must vnderstand men if they see not true wisedome they will drinke in vanitie the heart must be filled with The heart must be filled vvith something something if thou see not the truth thou must drinke in lyes And more when thou hast begun to receiue the truth as these Colossians did except that truth be opened and laid before thy eyes as it were to be seene what is in it and what is the meaning and true sense of the same except this Gospell I say be continually taught O vaine man thou wilt goe to the puddle of mens fancies thou wilt fall againe to mens doctrine The preaching of the Gospell must be cōtinued traditions and vanitie thou wilt be a Papist yea and an Atheist to And therefore there is nothing more needfull then this that these riches of Christ be laid out before our eyes and euer tolde to vs that in Christ is all wisdome and knowledge I aske what is the cause that this miserable world all men and all nations for the most part be so drunke in mens dreames what is the Popes doctrine but dreames and poyson drinke it in thou shalt be poysoned with it I tell thee because these false deceiuers close vp the Gospell and swaddle vp Christ in the swaddle bands this is the cause that these poore soules see no better and therefore they are led to damnation blindfolded O miserable bodies these foule spirits send out their poyson to dampne the world withall as alas the greatest part of Europe this day can tell But to sticke to the words The Apostle saith I speake this least any man should beguile you with inticing words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are set out in faire flattring talke Then ye see here he opposeth to all the treasures of Christ inticing words to wisedome he opposeth flattring words There is no wisedome without Christ all is plaine sophistrie as it is called in the Schooles Then in a word all wisdome being in Christ if thou y t wilt be wise without him seeke thy wisedome where thou wilt runne to Rome runne here and there to the Iesuites to get wisedome out of them thou shalt be filled with dreames thou shalt finde nothing but sophistrie thou shalt not meete with wisedome All that thou shalt see and finde shall be but inticing words And what wilt thou winne by this He saith that ye be not deceiued and tooke in a grin Thou shalt be taken in a grin as a beast if thou seeke ought without him Alas brethren when I remember Antichrist and his wofully deceiue soules this miserable world it is a pitie to see how it is abused by these traitors and deceiuers of mens soules O that damnation and iudgement that shall fall on that cursed kingdome of Antichrist For I assure you this world for the greatest part are taken in the grins by Antichrist and so reserued to iudgement And the more miserable are they that are in the grin of Antichrist that they thinke that they are in sweete bands for the end shall let ye see how bitter the bands were let them now be to thee as sweete as they will thou shalt finde in the end that of all bands in this world they are the worst To goe forward He hath vttered a great care to the Colossians whom hee neuer saw nor knew Therefore they might haue said what care is this thou hast of vs thou neuer sawst vs nor we thee He meetes with this in the next words O ye Colossians saith he though I be absent from you in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit Then ye see the Saints the true members of Christ they haue a sight and knowledge of others that the world knowes not of This world and naturall men that haue Iudgement and loue of the world concerning other men not the spirit of Iesus thinke that none can reach out to the worlds end and can haue knowledge of another nor any care ouer him if he see him not with his bodily eye but al is vaine For a spirituall man will send his soule to the end of the world and vpon this hee will vtter his care vnto him by his exhortation And this is a token of a greater thing euen of this ioyning of the godly together that one day they shal be together soule and bodie If thou haue a heart and care with the Church of God thou shalt raigne with her in heauen for euer And in deede if thou haue not this it is a venture if euer thou raigne with her Now when he hath set downe this spirituall presence with them he subioynes the effect of it reioycing saith he there is the effect of that spirituall presence his soule was with them Spirituall presence of the faithfull one with another and with ioy hee reioyced to see them So this presence spiritual whē the heart of the faithfull is with others it is no fantacie as a vaine head will thinke but I say thou hadst neuer such ioy as the faithfull will haue with others in a spirituall presence Thou neuer knewest this ioy that hast not this spiritual presence And brethren it is euen with the Church as it is with Christ 1. Pet. 1. 8. he saith you haue not seene Christ with your eyes yet beleeuing in him who is farre from vs in his bodily presence and louing him howbeit he be away ye reioyce with a ioy that is
And againe you see no man needes to enuie the glorie that Christ hath in him for he communicates that glorie to vs you see we enuie the glorie of earthly Princes This wee haue by nature we would haue it all our selues and the seed of ambition is in the beastliest bodie that is vpon earth which Ambition raiseth all these seditions tumults warres and vprores that is now adaies and hath been from the beginning Such is the enuie that euery man hath against another mans preferment his honour and estimation that hee cannot away with it except he haue all in himselfe And therefore hee leaues nothing vndone if it were to cut his throte so be it he may get his glory and renowne But thou that beleeuest needs not in such wise to enuie the glorie of Iesus Christ A King will not communicate his glorie with thee no not a iot of it but Iesus Christ communicates all his glorie with thee and therefore thou shouldest loue him the more yea and the faithfull man the more he sees God glorified the more is his ioy but a reprobate wil enuie the glorie of God Nay there was neuer such a subiect that enuied the glorie and honour of a Prince or of his master as a reprobate will enuie the glorie of Iesus Hee would if he might plucke him from his glorie such is the malice of his heart against Iesus Christ Yea the reprobate would The reprobate if it were possible bereaue the Saints of their glorie and whē this glorie of the Saints shall be reuealed the reprobate shall fret and fume they desire not to heare tell of the glorie of Christ and of his Saints And when they heare of it for they shall heare of it in despite of their teeth they heare it with the sadnes of their heart it is no comfort nor consolation to them to heare of it And by the contrary the faithfull one reioyceth when he heares of it it makes his hart to leape for ioy as Iohns did in his mothers belly when Mary the mother of Christ A sure token of election spake to Elizabeth Luk. 1. 41. Therefore if thou canst reioyce when thou hearest of Gods glorie in Iesus Christ it is a good and sure token of thy election And againe seeing that in Iesus there is this fulnes thou needes neuer to be emptie or feare to want Thou that findest any wastnes or emptines put out thy hand to the ambrie of the Gospel wherein this fulnes of grace The Gospel is the meane whereby Christ communicates his fulnes vnto vs. and glorie is to be had A contemner of the Gospell if he were a King he shall not taste of this fulnes and of this glorie of Iesus for there is no way to be partaker of this fulnes but by the Gospell It is the ambrie wherein it is contained And if thou misse it thou shalt neuer get a cheekefull or morfell of any fulnes in thy soule When hee hath said And in him ye are filled he subioynes a glorious description of him who is the head of all principalitie and power He cannot leaue of to speake of that glorious maiestie he said before In him are hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and againe in him dwelleth the Godhead bodily and so foorth as you haue heard now againe when he hath cast in a word of him he leaues him not so but hee will yet paint him out in his glorie Then learne to speake fully of Christ Alas this hungry speaking of Christ testifies the emptines and voidnes To speake fully of Christ of God in our hearts It is a true saying Of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If thy heart were full of him as I haue said thy mouth would be full and thou wouldest speak fully of him but thy heart being so emptie what marueile is it to heare thee speake coldly of this Lord full of glorie Well there is no question but by this description wherein he makes him Lord ouer all both in heauen and earth hee meanes this that he is not onely Lord aboue them all but that also they are cast downe vnder his feete hee is mounted aboue them all Now there be two things that will make vs chiefly to account of this gloriousnes that is in Christ Iesus The one Two things do cause vs to thinke highly of Christ thing is his highnes a maiestie about all maiesties There is not a maiestie but that maiestie The other thing is thy lowlines and thy basenes thou art but a worme on earth hee is aboue all heauens Is not this a great goodnes that he that is so high should so lowly humble himselfe so that he should abase himselfe as it were to become a worme Men would wonder that euer the God of glorie should so haue humbled himself yea the Angels wonder at this that euer sinfull man should haue gotten a share or portion of that grace of God So this is my counsell if thou feele a smacke of grace of consolation or A speciall consolatiō of faith if it were but as a mustard seede count more of it then of all the kingdomes of the earth For it will weigh downe all keepe it well in thy heart and lose thy life and all before thou wilt lose it I counsell thee to looke vp to heauen first and say yet this Lord will giue me more of his grace and glorie when I shall see him with this eye of the bodie then the Lord will fill me with glorie and I will hope and be content to lose all before I should lose this Keepe this earnest peny for it is the ioy of the creature to keepe this earnest peny for one day thou shalt get the full summe and fulnes of ioy If thou keepe it not and haue no regard of it and hold not vp thy eye by night and by day by looking to Iesus in this Gospell thou shalt neuer get the full summe and entire payment The sucking of the hearts of the faithfull and the drinking in this milke of the word is the way to get Iesus to The way to get Iesus into the heart thy heart and to keepe him night and day yea it is the way appointed from all eternitie Abraham sought for him and got faith in him by the word of promise which is the Gospell Therefore it is said that he sawe him and reioyced Ioh. 8. 56. Nay Abraham neuer suffered himselfe to be seuered from that grace that was in him So the Gospel is the way to bring Christ out of heauen to thee and to fill the elect with all ioy and glorie To him therefore be euerlasting glorie praise and dominion for euer Amen THE SIXTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 11. 12. 11 In whom also yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh through the circumcision
here and there that which thou must rest vpon must be nothing else but the power of God the efficacie of the strong power of God Thou must not lay hold vpon Angels Saints or vpon Princes in the earth thou wilt be beguiled yea thou and they going about so to vphold thee will both to hell together Therefore suffer not thy selfe to be deceiued with an opinion of them I dare be bold to say that if the Angels and Saints would take the honour that the Pope and his Clergie Inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels would giue them they should all goe to hell and leaue the ioyes which they now haue So the stay of thy faith and that which thou must apprehend is the mortification of thy sinne and thy quickening to newnes of life it must not be by the mediation of man or Angell or of any Saint glorified but by the onely and immediate mediation of Iesus Christ there only thou gettest that spirituall power that quickeneth thee to life It is easie to slay a man and men now a daies think slaughter but a sport yea and rather then they will not slay they had liefer goe quicke to hell as they vse to say but the slaying of sinne must be onely by the power of God Sinne must be vanquished by faith and without faith thou shalt neuer mortifie sinne Therefore continually put out that hand of faith and pluck down that power of God for thy saluation euer crie for this hand of faith Draw draw spare not for there is no want in him That well of his effectuall power will neuer waxe drie and this bloud of Christ will neuer drie vp all power is through that bloud of Christ Then first by a true faith lay hold vpon Christ on the crosse and then sitting at the right hand of the Father and so thou shalt neuer depart with him till thy glorious resurrection be accomplished When hee had spoken of God when hee had said through faith of the effectualnes of God then he subioyneth Who raised him from death Hauing once spoken of that God who is so effectuall when hee nameth God hee leaueth him not but hee subioyneth some glorious description of him so speaking of him here hee describeth him first in respect of Christ and his resurrection Secondly in respect of raising of the Gentiles Thirdly in respect of the abolishing of the law and quickning of the Iewes And in respect of Christ hee saith who raised him from the dead to wit by the effectualnes of that strong power that is in him The first that euer he raised by that power is Iesus Christ And therefore he is called the first borne of the dead chap. 1. 18. For this resurrection from the dead is first by decree afore all times and then in time it begun at Christ who was that lambe that was sacrificed from the beginning and gaue grace to all other sacrifices so that they in his sacrifice Resurrection following regeneration and both depēding on Christ were accepted of God and then his resurrection is deriued to all them that doe or euer shall rise hereafter in Christ for they that are not in Christ haue no resurrection for them because there is no regeneration for them in this life and consequently no resurrection for them hereafter It is true that by vertue and power of that Godhead the most wicked and vnregenerate shall rise but they shall not rise in him that is new creatures who before in this life were regenerated and liue the life of Christ There shall be no such thing to follow them in their resurrection Againe you shall perceiue in the writing of the Apostles when hee would set out that all-sufficiencie of God and his mightie power he deliuereth it by the effects for therby it is knowne Now what an effect chuseth he not the creation of the world for he leaueth that and maketh choise of the raising of Iesus Christ as though the all-sufficient mightie power of God had neuer been so powerfully declared as in the death of Iesus Christ his resurrection Reade in the Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 1. 19. 20. where you shall finde this manifestly proued how God shewed this his power when hee The greatest power of God manifested most in Christs death and resurrection raised vp Iesus from the dead and placed him at his right hand Rom. 1. 4. There was neuer such a power vttered as this was in raising Christ from the dead What can be the cause of this Is it not a great power to create a thing and to create all things of nothing Iesus was something lying in a graue I answere that that power was so much the greater in respect there was neuer any so humbled as Iesus was so cōpassed with the bands of death as he so that by loosing of those bands there must of necessitie appeare the greatest power that euer was or should be for the strongest bands require the mightiest power to loose them There were neuer bands so strōg as Christ God equall with his Father was bound withall As for thee and me the bands of death wherewith wee are or shall be bound they are but gentle and it is but an easie matter to binde any of vs. Neuer any was bound as Iesus and therefore a stronger power is required to raise him then to raise any of vs. Well the Lord he raised him vp by the efficacie of his great power Now hee being raised who was bound in such strong bands despaire not thou but take thee comfort and say My Lord when he was bound with a strong power God raised him therefore it is an easie matter for him when I am dead and laid in graue to raise me in respect of him if he did raise Christ with his whole hand he will raise me with his little finger But beloued learne if by faith thou be not bound and ioined with him in his death and burial for thou must be conioyned with him in his death and thou must lie as it were vnder him in the graue if thou be not so conioyned thou shalt not rise with him But if thou be bound with him by faith as I haue said as he rose thou shalt rise and thou shalt be pulled vp out of that graue with him otherwise when the Lord raiseth him thou shalt lie still Then seeke faith in Iesus and that blessed coniunction with him through faith sticke by him in death and in the graue and let him not be raised without thee fixe thy heart to him and assuredly thou shalt rise with him in that day and he shal pull thee out so glorious a bodie as that then he and his father shall take pleasure in thee and thou shalt raigne with him for euer and euer Now to this powerfull God that raised this Lord Iesus with the holie Spirit be all honour and dominion Amen THE SEVENTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE Epistle of PAVL to the Colossians
the Apostle saith mortifie that same word is a word of mortification euen so he mortifieth men by example Hee will take a slaine soule and Examples of the faithfull ought to moue vs. set it vp as a spectacle to thee and bid thee that art a sinner looke to that slaine soule he will point it out to thee and bid thee take an example of it of mortification and so well art thou that preachest by thy life howbeit thou neuer preach Heb. 12. 1. 2. 3. one word with thy mouth for thou wilt be able to edifie by thy life as another will be by y e word Now howbeit that the Lord vseth both the word and example to teach vs mortification yet for all this it is not effectuall in euery one of vs for where one will be moued by example two will scorne at it Know yee not how a naughtie packe sold to wickednes will scorne when he seeth the life of a godly man or woman propounded to him he wil scorne at him what matter if he were a Lord or whatsoeuer he be if hee scorne at the life of a godly man I say he is but an impious man void of grace 1. Pet. chap. 4 vers 4. 5. it is said Because yee will not runne on with them they blaspheme But what addeth he Who shall render an account to him that is readie to iudge both quick and dead thou scorner shalt first render an account of thy prophanenes and then of thy blasphemie against the Saints To come now to the fourth that is to be marked here which is the time put away now saith he that is while it is to day before it was night and darknes and therefore yee walked in darknes but now it is day and fie on thee that wilt liue in the day light as it were in the night Brethren there is no small force in the time to doe this or that Ye know by experience when it is night and when the clowdes couer the earth it prouoketh men to doe that which they would not doe in the day and prouoketh a man to sleep A man that is inclined to drunkennes will goe to it in the night and he that desireth harlotrie he craueth the night for he that doth euill hateth the light And by the contrarie there is no small force in the day light it will shamethee and will make thee to wake and compell thee to put to thy hand to doe some good thing But to come to the spirituall night and day if this day hath this force hath not the spirituall night a great force Thou that liest vnder the clowd of ignorance thou art more heauily opprest therewith then the clowd of the night doth the bodie this clowde will cause thee to runne to all mischiefe in the world And by the contrarie when once that light the sunne of righteousnes shines when the shining of the Gospell beginneth to breake vp it prouoketh men to goe to heauenly workes which are the workes of the light Therefore Paul saith The night is past and now is the day walke then as in the day time Rom. 13. vers 12. Fie on thee that euer thou shouldest let this glorious light of Iesus shine vpon thee and then walkest in the workes of darknes and in the night Better were it for any in Scotland that they had neuer seene the light of the Gospell then to haue seene it For there are many in Scotland that the more they heare of the Gospell they are the wickeder for except this Gospell be forcible to the slaying of sinne in thee it shall be forcible to the workes of darknes which shall worke thy damnation If it make thee not the better it will make thee the worse for it shall be either the sauour of life vnto life or els the sauour of death vnto death either Christ shall quicken thee and slay thy sin or els he shall slay thy selfe In a word neuer Turke nor Pagan was so wicked and so euill a liuer as a Christian man and yet he will heare the word and turne vp his eare and listen to the preaching now if this word alter him not it shall harden him And therefore I giue thee my counsell except thou finde a mortification in thee of thy affections by the hearing of this Gospell neuer lend thy eare to heare the word of Christ for it shall be a sealed booke vnto thee And therefore take good heed that the Gospell be powerfull to life to thee and crie O Lord let the word of life be powerfull to life that I may finde life in me by it Now brethren I haue ended these first words When hee hath generally exhorted them to put away all these things he commeth on in particular and besides the members that hee hath rehearsed before he reckoneth more of them but not all And in this text he reckoneth vp seauen wrath anger as it is turned malice blasphemie or cursed speaking filthie speaking lying-speaking Let vs heare of euery of them as they are set downe Onely I shall touch them so farre as shall serue for the purpose The first foure are contained vnder the generall Sixe common iniuries Foure degrees sin called iniurie or wrong done against our neighbour they are set downe in degrees and passe vp in degrees The first is wrath that is the lowest degree anger is the second and a firie malice is the third and cursed speaking is the fourth To come to the first he termeth it wrath that is the first member of the argument that hee will haue them to put away from them This wrath is the first commotion sinfull in thy heart against thy neighbour to this end to be reuenged on him An angry man is euer reuengefull and there is nought in him but vengeance and the vengeance of God shall ouertake him I call it a sinfull commotion because there is a commotion that is holie God forbid that men want wrath the Lord hath wrath the Angels haue wrath and the godly man hath wrath Holy wrath and that a holie wrath I call it so when it is not so much thou that art angrie as it is the holie Spirit that dwelleth in thee that is when the holie Spirit so ruleth gouerneth thy wrath that in wrath thou sinnest not in any circumstance Wrath in it selfe is a thing indifferent but if thou faile in circumstance it is a sin Some will be angrie without a cause for the turning vp of a straw thou sinnest if thou passe measure in anger thou sinnest if thou be angrie when it is no place nor time thou sinnest if thou bee angrie with one with whom thou shouldest not bee angrie So it is a sinfull commotion when there is fault committed in these circumstances either in one Eph. 4. 30. or all And then when thou failest it is not the spirit of God in thee that directeth thee in thy anger but it is thou thy selfe in thy corruption And
heard The third and last is lying speaking when we speake not the truth to our brother but thinke one thing and speake another with the mouth That is as euill a vice as was yet any Now then brethren because this sinne of lying is so common and naturall to man and woman for all men are lyars saith the Apostle Rom. 3. 4. by nature The diuell began it and in the fall of man he spued that venome into him so that al men naturally from the beginning are lyars Therefore we will speake to you of lying howbeit not so amply as it would require yet for your satisfaction to open to you the greatnes of this sin and to begin at the word To lie it signifieth to take the meaning of the word to speak The sinne of lying one thing and thinke another in the minde It is a variance and disagreement betwixt the minde and the mouth Alas all should goe together The minde of God and his mouth goeth together and if thou be reformed to this image all will go together in thee also Now this variance proceedeth of a disagreement First it goeth asunder within the man The minde shewing the truth the will repining Now you must vnderstand that the tongue is chiefly commaunded by thy will and the disordred appetite of man and not by reason for if reason ruled it it would not speake so much wrong as it doth The second thing that wee should obserue is this To lie to speake one thing and thinke another is a sinne against God Supposing there were no more euill that followed it and that thou iniurest no bodie yet that same contradiction betwixt the minde and the tongue is a sinne against God and thou iniurest God himselfe by thy lie There is nothing then more vnbeseeming a Christian man and that is more vnworthie of the Lord Iesus then is lying For what saith he of himselfe I am the truth Ioh. 14. 6. and wilt thou then be a liar looke how thou agreest with Christ But brethren there is yet more in a lie to wit the end and respect that the lyar hath before him when he lieth and by this hee maketh the sinne the greater for this is most sure all lies are to deceiue Thou that liest to thy brother thou wilt deceiue him and oftentimes the end of thy lie is either to hurt him in his bodie or goods and substance And therefore the Apostle saith Lie not against him to hurt him Yet there is more Supposing a liar be not set to hurt his brother but to profit him As for example when a Phisition will say to the patient the medicine is sweete when it is bitter when thou art set thus way to profit him as thou profitest his bodie thou hurtest the minde for there is no wrong information but it hurteth the minde if thou make me to beleeue that that is not hurtest not thou my minde But brethren to goe forward Supposing the lyar hurt not his brother by his lie neither in bodie or goods nor minde neither one way or other yet it commeth backe to thine owne hurt Let profit come to thy neighbor as it will by thy lie yet thou hurtest thy selfe and that is a simple aduantage to pleasure any with thine own hurt and especially to displease God with the pleasuring of thy neighbour if there were no more but this thou shouldest not lie If thou get an habite to lie thou canst not speake one true word and if thou speake the truth thou wilt Simile mingle it so with fallehood that scarsely canst thou be beleeued and that is a foule fault Ye see this by experience Well then euill custome is euill And besides this thou losest thy credit amongmen howbeit at times thou speake the truth For this is true Quisemel malus semper praesumitur malus He that is once euill it may be presumed he is euer the same But what mattereth this Know yee not that a lyar procureth the wrath of God Among the rest whom God hateth Salomon saith in his Prouerbs The Lord hateth a lyar To conclude a lie of whatsoeuer sort is a sin against God yet y t ye may vnderstand this better ye shall know there are sundry sorts of lying One is pernitious tending to the hurt of thy neighbour The second is an officious lie for the good of thy brother and the third is a merrie lie for the delectation of thy brother There is none of these but they are euill howbeit they be not alike That lie that serueth to the good of thy brother is a sinne to thee and again to deliuer thy brother with a lie it is a greater sin but the pernitious lie is the greatest of all Now all commeth to this all is sin Would ye haue me insist in probation If there were no more but the commaundement Thou shalt beare no false witnes it may serue for this commaundement teacheth thee that all sorts of lies are euill in their owne nature And Paul to the Romanes chap. 3. vers 7. 8. Doe no euill saith he that good may come of it This telleth thee that that is That which is euill in his owne nature can neuer be good euill of it owne nature and forbidden by Gods commaundement that thing will neuer be made good by any circumstance in the world lay to it the sweetest salue thou wilt it will neuer be good yea if it were to saue the life of thy brother if thou lie it will not be good to thee yea though thou were able to alter the nature of a lie it is a sinne and it is a follie to thinke that the pretence of a good end will make an euill thing of it owne nature to be good Augustine saith If wee looke not simply to the nature of the action as to the end then the euill may haue a defence Therefore saith he looke euer to the action put all other things aside if it be not good say not that that action is good how beit the best thing in the world should follow it it will euer abide a sinne Further if there were no more but this naturall conscience in man it telleth thee that all sorts of lies are euill I appose thine owne conscience if thou hast any Thou wilt not so soone lie but thy conscience will admonish thee and will say to thee Thou hast sinned Brethren there is no man that will seeme to lie and confesse it but he will be ashamed of it What meaneth this but that the cōscience telleth them it is a sin Look to the children they will blush when they are challenged with a lie What is the cause of this but that the conscience sheweth them they haue sinned Ye see that a man thinketh he cannot haue a greater iniurie done to him then to say to him hee lieth This telleth him that there is a conscience within him that abhorreth a lie and that it is vnworthie of the nature of man
cause thou shalt haue great aduantage The first aduantage is thou shalt not obey thy husband but in things lawfull honest agreeable to the will of the Lord though he should commaund thee neuer Note well two aduantages by obeying in the Lord first they shall obey but in that the Lord commands secondly the seruice Christ accepts as done to himselfe so much And if thou obey him in things vnlawfull thou shalt deerely buy it And indeede a faire aduantage to do nothing but that that is lawfull honest and agreeable to the Lords will The second aduantage is Obeying in the Lord all the seruice thou shalt doe to thy husband thou shalt doe it to Iesus Christ Ephes 6. 5. Where there is another doing in the Lord set downe what euer thou shalt do do it in singlenes of heart and not in doublenes As there be many false wiues who in obeying their husbands haue a double heart obeying them outwardly not for any good will or liking they haue to them but for some other cause and respect while as in the meane time she wil haue in her mind one euill or other against him Yea while she is shewing her selfe obedient to her husband outwardly her minde will be occupied on her harlotrie with another this is no single obedience and the cause is for as much as thine eye is not vpon the Lord and it is impossible that thou canst be sincere in thy doing except thine eye be vpon the Lord. Lastly doing all for his sake and in sinceritie Who shall reward thee what benefit shalt thou get shall it be a temporall thing that he can bestow vpon thee No no the Lord Iesus whom thou preferrest in the obeying of thy Great reward for seruing Christ husband and seruice doing to him he shall meete thee and reward thee with a crown of glorie Woe were it for me thee if in his seruice done in his name and for his sake wee looked for no more but for these earthly rewards though it were to be made a King or a Queene for wee and they both shall vanish away for nothing is permanent here vnder the Sunne Well doe nothing but for the Lord Iesus sake and that that is agreeable to his will say All that I do to my husband O Lord all is for thy sake otherwise all thy seruice stinkes thou shalt lose thy labour for thou shalt receiue no reward of him This for the manner of subiection and obedience vnto your husbands Now followes the fourth thing to be considered the argument to moue them to this dutie In a word It is comely It is reasonable it is iust Would you see this It leanes vpon good grounds neuer action had better First it is grounded vpon the ordinance of God first made before the fall and after the The argument of subiection fall renewed againe Secondly it is grounded vpon the law of nature the Lord hath written it in thy heart at the first creation Thou shalt be subiect to thy husband Besides this ye that are wiues you haue this conscience of your owne infirmitie you are the weaker vessels and therefore ye craue a head ye craue to be vnder a Superiour Thou who art disobedient who is it that thou hast to doe with Is it a man Looke what breach of law is here First thou breakest Gods law Secondly thou breakest the law of nature And thirdly thou doest against thy owne conscience Doubt yee that all these bands lies on you I tell you Eue fell not so soone but all these bands were laid on her In the third chapter of Genesis verse 16. Thy appetite shall be toward him c. And therefore marke it This rebellion and wantonnesse in many wiues it is not so small a sinne as you thinke It is a sinne against God and his law Secondly it is against nature Thirdly it is against thy conscience This is not well knowne by many therefore learne to know it in time Ye haue now heard the wiues part Now I come to the men Husbands loue your wiues that is the thing he charges them to doe then he saies Be not bitter vnto them that he forbids The thing then he bids them doe is Loue. So subiection in the wife should be met with loue and care in things spirituall and temporall this is generall subiection in the inferiour should be met with loue and care of the superiour in things earthly and temporall and in things spirituall Superiours bound to duties as well as inferiours For it is not the Lords will that the inferiour should be bound to a dutie and the superiour should goe free but he is as fast fastened to doe a dutie to his inferiour and more the greater preferment the greater burthen all the honours men get are the greater burthens to them Vnder the tearme of loue is vnderstood all kind of dutie belonging to the wife prouiding it begin at the heart and not at the mouth nor hand And therefore the word loue comprehends the most intire affection wey it well it is not a slender loue Loue. For first it imports a great affection in the heart and not a superficiall affection Secondly it imports such an affection as onely rests vpon the wife not a wandring lust for many esteeme any woman alike to them in filthy lust Thirdly this word imports an affection of loue that is holy and chast not a harlots loue If thou haue a harlots heart thou defilest thy selfe and thy wife both These are the three properties of this loue first it is a deepe loue in the heart Secondly it must rest only on thy wife And thirdly it must be chast Ephes 5. 25. Paul saith Husbands loue your wiues How shall ye loue them He saith As Christ loued his Church Albeit he cannot attaine to the greatnesse and quantitie of this loue yet keepe the qualitie of it How loues Christ the Church Vnspeakably O the chastnes of the loue of Christ that he keepes to his Church He loues his owne Church and he loues not an harlot Idolater She is set vp before him as a chast virgin Then take thy example of thy spouse Christ Looke how he loues thee after the same manner loue thou thy wife Whom should they loue Their owne proper wiues no strange woman cast not your fansie vpon them Ye know we are set to loue that that properly pertaines to vs but I say to you who are Husbands ye haue not such a property to any thing as to your wiues yea your heritage though you had a kingdome is not so properly yours as they are And therefore seeing it is naturall to euery man to loue his owne though it were so abiect why shouldest thou not loue that that is most proper to thee I see a kind of meeting here before he made men proper to their wiues now he makes the wiues proper to the husbands so that the man may say thou art my proper portion
man who by his power shall raise vp all men that shall rise from the dead Then hee cals him the vniuersall dominatour of all the creatures not only cals he him the Lord of his Church but he cals him the vniuersall dominatour of all creatures in heauen and earth yea the Lord ouer the very diuels themselues He hath the preheminence before all creatures Now hee insists vpon the last point and he giues two arguments to proue him to haue the preheminence of all creatures and before all creatures The first argument is taken from the worthines of his personage In him saith he is all fulnes And God the Father decreed that all fulnes not only of the graces of God but of the Godhead it selfe should dwell in the man the Lord Iesus The second argument is taken from the dignitie of his office hee is the Mediatour by whom reconciliation is made betwixt God and man So brethren this day by Gods grace we haue to insist in the office of Christs mediation We haue then in the first verse a description of the Mediatour He saith not simply he is the Mediatour but in place of the name he giues a description of the name The Mediatour is The office of the Mediatour he by whom it hath pleased the father to reconcile to himselfe all things in heauen and earth by making peace through the bloud of his crosse Now because the Mediatour is defined here from the benefit of our reconciliation therfore we shall speak of this benefit only so farre as the words shall furnish If you will look what is before and weigh the words of this text you shall finde these things namely to be considered concerning this benefit of our reconciliation First the word of reconciliation what it meaneth Secondly who is the reconciliator to wit the Father Thirdly who mooueth him to reconcile all things Fourthly who are they that are reconciled Fiftly to whom they are reconciled Sixtly by whom to wit the Mediatour Seaventhly after what manner All these circumstances are in the text partly before and partly after in these words read Now for the word of reconciliation it signifies agreement and attonement and friendship made betwixt two parties that were at variance together This way generally is the word taken euen so our reconciliation with God It is an agreement betwixt God and vs that were at variance enmitie and open warre together fighting in such sort as neuer two contrarie parties fought together When we were enemies saith Paul Rom. 5. 10. we were reconciled by the death of his sonne Yet brethren the word imports more not onely it imports an agreement but to speake it so it imports a reagreement and a renewing of an old friendship betweene two that first were friends and then became foes by offence done against the other partie Euen so our reconciliation it is a renewing of the Reconciliation what it is old friendship that was betwixt God and vs in the creation and because thereafter we offended him first we become enemies to him and through sinne fight against him most cruelly So this word includes three things within it first it includes an old friendship we had with God as old as our creation For we were created in the beginning friends to God and hee was our friend and we were his friends Secondly it imports a variance that followed the creation and that by our foule defection in breaking of the couenant Thirdly it imports a renewed friendship after that enmitie and that by the Mediatour the Lord Iesus Christ I remember Paul writing to the Ephesians 1. 10. he hath a word that he cals recollection which imports a gathering together of them that were scattered and it includes all these three that wee haue spoken of reconciliation First it imports a vnion which wee had with God at the beginning Secondly that after there was a scattering Then it imports a gathering together of vs by the Mediatour Now this for the word In the knowledge whereof you may learne the three estates of man from the beginning First wee stood in friendship and amitie with God he was ours and we were his and wee were bound with him in a couenant Why should wee not remember this our first estate and condition in our creation wee stood then in amitie with God such as neuer was betwixt creature and creature It hath no comparison in this world Secondly we learne our enmitie the state of variance and disagreement Enmitie with God The estate of battell and of warre with God a miserable estate For like as it was the felicitie of man to be at one with God for if thou hadst all the world and all the confederacie with all the Kings on the earth and with the diuell himselfe thou hast no part of blessing thou hast no happines if thou be not at one with God euen so our enmitie with God is our miserie cursed is that creature that is enemie to God Thirdly in y e word we learne our last estate our renewed amitie with God againe We began with friendship wee fell into emnitie wee returne againe to friendship and this is made by the Mediatour If you will compare this friendship with the old friendship it is both greater and better then the old friendship The new friendship that is gotten by this reconciliation The reconciliation we haue by Christ is vnchangeable is vnchangeable the old friendship was changeable Wee became his enemies and hee became ours but this new friendship it must stand and shall stand immutable in the Mediatour and it shall be immutable to thee and if thou be truly reconciled to God thou shalt neuer be an enemie to him againe nor hee to thee For Iesus Christ who hath made the peace shall hold fast the band of peace betwixt thy God and thee neuer any was truly reconciled with him but hee shall stand firme and stable in that reconciliation For Christ makes intercession for thee and thy reconciliation shall stand as long as his intercession stands which is euerlasting therefore thy friendship shall stand euerlastingly It is a plaine blasphemie to say that a man once truly reconciled to God can fall from grace againe and it is as much to say as that Christ shal not continue in his intercession So our last estate is most blessed onely hold thy eye on thy Mediatour that makes intercession for thee and I will assure thee thou shalt neuer be seuered from him nay heauen and earth shall goe together ere thou be rent from that God Thus briefly for the word Now to come to the second point who is the Redeemer and the author of our reconciliation In the verses preceding The second circumstance it is said It hath pleased the father that in him all fulnes should dwell and that by him all should be reconciled to himselfe so the author of our reconciliation is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ Who was the author of
the enmitie who was the cause of the variance where begun it Man himselfe he begun the variance But who begun the friendship began man it againe Ioh. 3. 16. began Adam the reconciliation thought he of it No he neuer thought of it to begin it againe God the father who called vpon him when he was runne away began the friendship Thou begans it not nay there was neuer such a thing as a thought of it The father he began it euen when thou wast running headlong to thy destruction turning thy backe vpon God Thou maist be at oddes with God when thou wilt but thou wilt not be the beginner of the friendship againe except The loue of the father the fountaine of reconciliation hee of mercie begin it with thee so it is the father that is the authour and fountaine of our reconciliation Yet brethren what is this that the father begins the friendship being the partie aduersarie and the greatest and the worthiest partie This is a rare thing that one of two parties aduersaries and the worthiest should seeke reconciliation of the other that is nothing in comparison of him So this lets vs see a passing loue and mercie in God that began first to seeke thee But yet what a partie aduersarie was he to wit he was that partie aduersarie that was offended by man he did no offence to man but man offended him Indeede there had been lesse matter of marueiling if hee had begun the feude and enmitie but hee brake not a iot to man of his part of the couenant made with him But man false man kept neuer a point of his part and therefore as man is called a lier after that breach of promise to God his maker so this is found that he who hath receiued the wrong and the more strong and worthie partie that that partie will begin the amitie againe This is that incomparable loue that in the Rom. 5. 18. is spoken of There is not such a loue to be found in heauen or earth that the partie that is offended and hath done no offence that he should beginne the peace yea more should giue his onely begotten sonne his deere sonne to be a ransome for the offence done to him There is that incomprehensible loue of God towards man What tongue is able to expresse y t thousand part of that loue Nay al the wit of men and Angels is not able once sufficiently thinke of it Let be to expresse it as it is in thy selfe Thus far for the second Now the third is what moued the father to enter into new friendship with man saw hee ought in me in thee or in any man to moue him to be reconciled with me or thee or any man It is said It hath pleased him then it was his owne pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beneplacitum eius this was it that moued him to be reconciled with vs. This pleasure it was not a thing in time What the loue of the father is but it was a decree that past in heauen from al eternitie A decree that proceeded of meere loue and grace and not of a foresight of any good that either he saw thē presently in man or that he foresaw should be in man hereafter but it was of a free grace without any merit of man And therfore in his own time for the fulfilling of this decree of reconciliation hee sent his onely begotten sonne into the world to preach this word of reconciliation to the world So this word It hath pleased him excludes all merit and worthines in man and it lets thee see that that friendship was without thy merit yea to speake Merit it so against thy merit I know not a merit that thou hast but the merit of hell and damnation Come to the fourth circumstance who were they that were reconciled It is said It hath pleased him to reconcile all things The fourth circumstance And then in the end of the verse he laies this vniuersalitie in the parts of it All things both in heauen and earth This vniuersall particle All things extends not to all creatures yea it extends not to all reasonable creatures it extends not to the diuels no reconciliation with the diuell nor with the Angels that made that foule defection I tell you more it extends not to all men and women no reconciliation with the reprobate for euer they are in ranke with the diuell himselfe This reconciliation it extends then to the blessed Angels who haue stood from the beginning It extends to men and women not to all but to the chosen and elect ones from all eternitie Now there is no question of sinfull man All will graunt that man who was chosen to life howbeit before hee was an enemie to God yet now in time he is reconciled to him But all the question is about the blessed Angels that fell not from God How can it be said that they are reconciled to God Well I will not be curious if you will consider these blessed Angels in themselues Whether the elect Angels be reconciled to God by Christ or what benefit they haue by him apart from the bodie which is the Church indeede it is true they cannot properly be said to be reconciled because they were neuer at feud or enmitie with God for reconciliation as yee haue heard imports a feud but if you consider them in the bodie in a manner they may be said to be reconciled in the bodie for howbeit they be bound vp without the bodie yet they must euer be considered to be in the bodie and so in the bodie they get a new coniunction with God through the Lord Iesus Christ The estate of the blessed Angels before the comming of Christ it was this They hung as it were by the head to speake it so by a stitch as certaine members seuered from the body when Christ comes in he couples them together he makes man and Angell all vp together faster then euer they were before So to leaue this you may see the very blessed Angels who fell not from God they got a benefit by the Mediatour as man doth I say the blessednes of the Angels was not perfected till Christ came They were indeed blessed but they had not a firme blessing while Christ came who established their blessednes And therefore as it is said y e Abraham long before the Lord Iesus came into the world saw him and reioyced so the Angels they saw the Lord Iesus long ere he came and when he came they reioyced at his comming And it is said in 1. Pet. 1. 12. that it is their pleasure to looke in through that vaile to see and behold the Lord Iesus Thus much concerning the Angels Then the thing I note for our selues is this Will you marke what care God hath had of man God he would not perfect the blessednes of the Angels without man he would not giue them that blessing till Iesus Christ the man
Lord Iesus I presse ye with experience foundest thou euer any true ioy in thy heart when thy hart eye was not on Christ No no there is no actiō if it were neuer so glorious that will minister ioy to thy heart except the eye heart be on Christ No if it were a Preacher if he haue not the eye of him on his Lord his speeches auailes not they will not comfort the soule of him Therefore haue euer thy eye vpon this Lord Iesus as euer thou wouldest haue pleasure and ioy in thy heart and benefit to thy selfe in the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and blessed Spirit be all honour and praise for euer Amen THE XXXII LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 18. 19. 18 Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as is comely in the Lord. 19 Husbands loue your wiues and be not bitter vnto them IN the text preceding the exhortation hath been generall to wit to mortification pertaining to euery estate in the world Now in this text he descends in particular to certaine speciall estates of men and women directing his exhortation particularly to them and namely to three estates The first is to husbands and wiues The second is to parents and children The third is to masters and seruants To come then to the purpose It is to be vnderstood that from the beginning of this world there hath euer been these three principall estates and ranks of men and women in the world The first is the estate of husbands and wiues for ye know Adam ere euer he had children he had his wife The next after Inequality in all estates this was the estate of parents and children and then by processe of time there became some masters and some seruants so that this is the last in order and time In these three estates all be not equall but there is an inequalitie some are superiours and some are inferiours The superiours he hath made to be Husbands Parents and Masters The inferiours he hath made to bee Wiues Children and Seruants For if all were equall no policie could stand nor order on the earth but a confusion The Lord who is onely wise knew this and therefore it pleased him to dispose the world after this manner so that a policie might be kept in it These being the three estates the Scripture hath chiefe respect to them and giues exhortations to these three In all he begins first at the inferiours as in this place he begins at the wiues and then comes to the husbands The cause of this is because the estate of the inferiours is hardest and therefore the spirit of God first informes the inferiours that they should take that burthen the Lord hath laid on them and that they should doe that which they doe willingly for I will not giue a peny for thy seruice and subiection if it be compelled for the subiection that is voluntarie is blessed whether it be by wife child or seruant otherwise all is nothing worth thou hast lost thy thankes But to come to the words First he saith Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands Few words but pithie Note foure things In them ye shall marke foure things First that dutie that is required of maried wiues the dutie is subiection and obedience The second is to whom they owe this dutie not to euery one but to their owne husbands The third is the manner of subiection how it shall be done to wit in the Lord. The fourth is the argument to moue them and it is taken from that that is comely The dutie then is subiection let vs weigh it The first thing in it is obedience in deede and effect This is the first part of subiection as appeares in the first Epistle of Peter chap. 3. where the Apostle making mention of the ancient women brings in the example of Sara and there he defines that subiection Yet there is more in this subiection then simple obedience The obedience must haue ioyned with it honouring of thy husband in word As thou obeyest Subiection of wiues to the husbands and what required in it him indeede and effect so thou must honour him in word therefore in that same place it is said that Sara called her husband Lord. Yet there is more then all this there is feare and reuerence in the heart required that is the ground of all Paul Ephes 5. 33. speakes expresly of this Looke that the wife feare and reuerence her husband in heart So then there is this subiection in the whole parts thereof In deed it is obedience in word it is honouring of him in heart it is feare and reuerence Note So that wife which will be subiect to her husband must keepe these three points or else she faileth in subiection Come to the second to whom this subiection ought to be giuen not to euery one To your owne husbands This subiection is commaunded not to strange men but to your owne husbands The speciall kind of subiection wherein stands the dutie of the wife to the husband is not to be communicated with any other man It is true the male kind hath a preferment aboue the female it hath honour aboue the other Looke Paul 1. Tim. 2. 13. 14. where he giues two reasons of this preferment The first is from the creation Adam was first created and then Eue. The second is from the transgression the woman fell first and it is sure first in sinne last in honour Notwithstanding this wiues are not commaunded to doe this dutie to euery man but to their owne husbands If you will mark the words narrowly you shal perceiue there lurks an argument in them The argument is taken from their propertie they are your proper goods thou hast nothing so proper as thy husband and therefore seeing thy husband is thy proper good shouldest thou not doe a dutie to thy husband But I leaue this and I come to the manner The manner of this subiection is bounded In the Lord the Lord Iesus must be the rule of it But to consider the words Wiues be subiect to your husbands in the Lord The manner of the subiection in these two respects First when you are subiect to your husbands be first subiect to Iesus Christ obey him honour him there is the first dutie which is according to the law discharge thy dutie to God first otherwise thou art in a backward way Begin neuer then at a man though it were at a King to shew and giue thy subiection but begin first at God and subiect thy selfe first to him Secondly when thou hast done thy dutie to the Lord Iesus Christ then for the loue and pleasure and glorie of this Lord thou shouldest subiect thy selfe to thy husband I will giue thee my counsell let neuer wife be subiect to her husband but for the cause of Christ and not for thy husbands cause First if thou doe it so for the Lords