which detesteth and laboureth not against all sinne is not truely mortified And therefore whereas some by nature education ill custome and bad companions are more giuen to one sinne then to another yet wee ought as to reiect other sinnes so these which we are most prone and ready vnto Therefore if thou abstaine from murder and that Iam. 2. 11. as thou thinkest for conscience of sinning against God though thou doe not kill yet if thou commit but adultery thou art guilty of all the Commandements of God for hee that hath no conscience of Note fome one Commandement hath no conscience of Gods Commandements at all for Gods cause It followeth wrath anger malice c. More particularly these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie both one thing how-be-it in regard of the diuers dispositions of them in whom they are they be distinguished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is anger which continueth in some by nature that are long ere they be angry but if they be angry it is hardly quenched being as the coales of Iuniper and these because they are not easily prouoked therefore they fauour and flatter themselues that it is no such great sinne Againe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also an anger according to the disposition of an other sort of men which will bee soone hot and soone cold and therefore thinke it a small sinne but both these the Apostle heere condemneth For anger is a grieuous and fearefull sinne and therefore many Heathen haue writ against it as that which for a time bereaueth a man of his wits In a man of much anger is much sinne For anger is cruell Prou. 27. 4. and wrath raging Eph 4. 27. anger is a giuing of place to the Diuel if it exceed These sinnes are the causes the sinnes that follow are the effects of these and they are either Inward viz. malice or outward Euill speaking reuiling and lying Sometimes for the word vsed for malice sometimes taken for all manner of euill and sinne sometimes Math. 6. 34. for cares as in Mathew the malice of the day is sufficient for the day Here it signifieth with anger a desire to be aduenged and a seeking also to be aduenged This is cōtrary to the mildnes which is spoken of before foloweth which is a willingnesse in men to do good This is a thing cleane contrary to the nature of God and therefore ought to be cleane contrary to the nature of man for as the Apostle saith none will hurt his owne body Now we are the flesh one of another Eph. 5. 29. and therefore the Heathen men say that euery one is a God or deuill one to another Euill speaking This is a grieuous sinne as that which taketh away the good name of a man for we know a good name bringeth comfort vnto a man therefore it is compared to the sweet oyntment that Ec. 7. 3. comforteth a man and therefore he that taketh away a mans good name is as it were his hangman and murtherer in the time of his trouble when this comfort should most stand him in stead Againe besides that the name of men the name of God also is blasphemed for euery child of God carieth the name of his father in the forehead of his profession And therefore Rom. 2. the Apostle saith that the Iewes caused the name of God to be blasphemed Another fruite of malice is reuiling as we see when men are maliciously bent towards any we see nothing is so vile and filthy but we will giue it in their teeth And though this be expounded of adultery and vncleannesse yet because that hath bene spoken of before and this is the common place of anger it seemeth rather to be referred to it though the other be an abhominable sinne Againe malice hath another foule and shamefull effect viz. to bring forth lying one of another For if they can get any shamefull report of others which is true they will not sticke but cast it forth but if they can get no truth they will inuent lyes against them to disgrace them But the Apostle saith that though it be truth yet we ought not to reuile one another nor to vse any such reports by repeating their sinnes for it is the duty of the magistrate or minister to rebuke not of a priuate man in his owne quarrell to reuenge himselfe Another reason he vseth in bidding vs to put off these old rags of sinne where he vseth a notable metaphor comparing mortificatiō to a putting off of our cloaths and sinnes to filthy torne rags And Note therefore as a man will be ashamed of filthy rags and therefore will cast them off before he come in company So ought we to doe being come into the Church of God But especially when we are to come into the presence of God into the seruice of God we are to cast of these tatters of sinne for as if we are to goe before a Prince we will not goe in any loathsome apparell much lesse cōming into the presence of God should Math. 22. we come in our sinnes And therefore our Sauiour CHRIST when the man came not in a wedding garment but was in a beggars garments bids cast him out Obiection Obiection But he called beggars and therefore what other garments can he looke for at their hands Answer It is true we are all beggars and worse Solution nay worse then the vilest rogues and vagabounds before we come to him But being admitted into his house he offers vs royall garments which if we put not on casting away our old rags our iudgement is the greater The old man 1. the originall corruption which Verse 9. is the root of all sinne and therefore is called Rom. 7. 14. 23. sinne it selfe and a law of the members for that it giueth direction to all the members as a law to doe that which is naught as it giueth direction to the Note hand foot eyes and toung to sinne Therefore in Rom. 7. 25. the Apostle saith I serue in my flesh the law of sinne And it doth not onely giue direction but as a law it ruleth vs for we can no sooner haue a wicked motion put into vs to be moued to a wicked thing but presently it setteth vs in hand and setteth vs about it till we be regenerated The second part of the exhortation to quickning put on the new man where regeneration and newnesse of life is compared to a new garment which is to be laboured to be put on of vs because it pleaseth God and his holy Angels and Saints And if we desire ornaments to decke our selues before men much more to decke our selues with those ornaments which may be acceptable before God And therefore these are said in the Prouerbs to be ornaments abiliments precious chaines bracelets c. That it is called the new man as that which maketh a man a new though he be
truely religious hee will bring forth good workes True religion hath the true fruites of it to Iam. 1. 26. 3. 17. 27. keepe himselfe from the lusts of the world and to visite the sicke the fatherlesse and widdowes So that if hee bee a Saint he is holy if holy he is religious if hee loue not holinesse hee is not religious make what profession hee can though it be neuer so good From the Titles we come to the benefits desired He wisheth 1 Grace 2 Peace Grace the fountaine of all goodnesse is God and the graces of his children are as springes and fruites that proceed from the meere grace loue and fauour of God which fauour and grace of God the Apostle wisheth to them Doct. 1 So that here we learne that all good things whatsoeuer come from Gods grace and mercy alone For if by works then not by grace for then grace were Rom. 5. not grace Secondly he wisheth Peace viz. all things necessary for this life prosperity health c. as is the manner of the Hebrews in wishing peace to vnderstand all outward prosperity Doct. 2 Hee setteth grace before peace to teach vs first to seeke for the fauour of God and then to looke for the fruits of the fauour of God But we vsually doe cleane contrary for we seeke first the fruits of Gods grace for peace wealth prosperity c. and not care for the grace and loue of God But our looking for those things without hauing the loue of God is nothing He that hath all things hath nothing vnlesse he haue Gods fauour but hatred of God our gold no gold our peace no peace our loue of parents and of men hatred of God And better were it that wee had none of all these then to haue them without the loue of God â— CHRIST The Prophet when as two Kings came against Ahaz telling him hee should bee defended Isa 7. 2. from those Kings howsoeuer Ahaz was a wicked King would not beleeue it yet he tels him a signe 2. King 16. 2. 3. Isa 7. 14. and token of it that a Virgin should conceiue and beare a sonne c. Noting therby that all benefits whatsoeuer are from God in CHRIST alone And therefore if we seeke for any thing out of CHRIST wee seeke amisse and if wee desire any thing before the Note loue of God we do as harlots which loue the gifts better then the persons that giue them In that hee saith Grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord IESVS CHRIST Hee there shutteth not out the Holy Ghost as though it came not as well Note from him as from the Father and from the Sonne For in the word grace the Holy Ghost is included seeing that grace is the gift of the Holy Ghost alone Doct. 3 We praise God viz. He Timothy Here consider that they giue thankes to God alone because all grace mercy both of eternall life and the comforts of this life come from him and therefore our petitions are to be made to him for them and praise to be rendred vnto him for enioying them Question Quest How can this be did he not preach eate and drinke and apply his occupation Answere Ans Here the Apostle meaneth that he kept a constant course of prayer for them And to the Thess he saith Pray without ceasing where as a man is bound to 1. Thess 5. 16. do his businesse in his calling also but the meaning is to keepe a constant course dayly of this duty Therefore the sacrifice in the Law which was done morning and euening is called a continuall sacrifice because of the continuall course of it so here he meaneth that daily so often as they pray they make mention of them in their prayers Doctrine The duty of all Christians to keepe daily a continuall course priuately in prayer More particularly the minister is to pray for his people not only in the Church but priuately at home as the Apostle here did And therfore we must not thinke our selues discharged of priuate prayer for publicke Which sheweth it is a dutie of all Christians as to pray in the Church so also to pray priuately in their families and also by themselues and therfore to set a time apart for that purpose Reasons of it are great Reasons of priuat praier first there is no man or woman of what state soeuer but they haue particular sins which euery one hath not For when they pray in the house they desire pardon of sinnes which are common to the house but I may haue committed a sinne the which they haue not and I may haue receaued particular blessings which others haue not and I haue need of some particular blessing in my place that others haue not need of And therefore it is necessarie that we should make a choise of some particular time wherein by our selues we may haue recourse to God Wee giue thankes whensoeuer he prayed he gaue thanks and for that he prayed he gaue thanks For howsoeuer there were great faultes in the Church Note yet he is thankfull for some good thing left them But such is the corruption of our dayes that howsoeuer we are most especially bound to this duty of thanks-giuing as being the duty of the Angels and that which after this life we shall only performe in heauen yet though both priuately publikly we wil peraduenture pray and aske still of God we are negligent in rendering thanks God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby God is discerned from all other Gods In the Law he was deserned by the God of Abraham Isaac and Note Iacob but this is a more excellent difference which here the Apostle giues that our God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ not the God of the Turkes and Infidels c. Then is set forth the cause of his thanks Viz. for their loue and faith Quest Quest Why doth the Apostle giue thanks and prayeth for them which were called already Why doth he not rather pray for heathen and wicked men that ly groueling in their sinnes Answer we are bound indeed to pray for all But we 1. Tim. 2. 1. are more specially bound to loue and pray for those Gal. 6. 10. that are called already for as God shewes more tokens of his loue to a man so must I shew more and more tokens of it For howsoeuer Gods loue cannot increase yet the tokens of it increase but ours must increase as we see the tokens of Gods loue to increase towards any The degrees then of our loue and of our prayers towards others are that we are bound to pray for all but especially for those that are of â—he houshould of faith and amongst them for Ioseph viz. for those that are afflicted and amongst them that are in affliction we are especially to pray for those that suffer for the Gospell sake The end of the second
Sermon The third Sermon COLOSS. 1. 4. 4 Since wee heard of your faith in CHRIST IESVS and of your loue towards all Saints WE haue heard the last day of the prayer and of the thanks-giuing giuen by the Apostle vnto God for the Colossians Now followeth to speake of the causes of the thankes-giuing the matter was for their faith towards CHRIST and loue towards all Saints these are the causes of the thankes-giuing and prayers the Apostle made daylie and ordinarily for the Saints at Colosse Doctrine These thinges we are to pray and giue God thanks for especially in others Quest Quest How cometh it to passe that there being diuers guiftes bestowed on the Colossians yet the Apostle prayseth God and prayeth to him for these onely Seing there is nothing but which is receaued from God all he is to be praysed and prayed vnto for them especially seing he before wished them peace Viz. All temporall benefits and hauing prayed to God for these why did he not thanke God for them as health peace c Answer The reason that the Apostle made choise of faith and loue not of other though he Faith and charitie are graces chiefly to be desired and God is chiefly to be praised for them as being the Cardinall vertues of Christians was not vnmindfull of them is to teach vs what gifts we are especially to pray for desire of God and to giue thanks for being receiued Where he meeteth with the corruption of men that will pray and desire worldly thinges and will labour mightely in the comforts of this present life and neuer make mention of these which are principal whereas the other are but sweepinges and those thinges which are to be cast to dogs in comparison and as dung and drosse nay lesse then nothing in comparison of CHRIST and the thinges belonging to him which are of most singular price As if a man Note should be carefull for the hangings of a house and haue no care for a house to put them in or to lye in and for the bosses of the bridle and not the bridle for the traps of the horse and haue neuer a horse to ride vpon And therefore the Apostle sets downe these two notwithstanding he gaue God thankes for euery blessing they had receaued Perticularly he first bindeth and limâ—teth faith to Christ is the obiect of faith the obiect which is CHRIST by whom by our faith we lay hould on God and his promises therefore CHRIST saith Beleeue in God but beleeue Ioh. 14. 1. in me also as if he should say ye cannot beleeue in God vnles ye beleeue in me first for none can see the father but by the sonne And as the Apostle saith God dwelleth in light that none can come vnto but by 2. Tim. 6. 16. CHRIST without whom we are vnto God as stubble to the fier And as a man cannot looke on the sunne without Note hurt of his eyes vnles there be a cloud betweene so God the father sonne and holy Ghost is as a sunne that vnles the cloud of CHRIST the mediator come betweene vs we cannot behold the sunne-shine of Gods glorie And without the screene of CHRISTS mediation we cannot come neere to God which is Heb. 12. 29. a consuming fire Now by CHRIST we come neere to God boldly and lay hold on him Doctrine Further here he sets forth that we are not to beleue in any but CHRIST not in any Angel or Saint as the Virgin Mary as the Church of Rome and the Papists wretchedly expound the Articles of our faith For faith onely layeth hold on God and cannot be communicated to any Indeed loue spreadeth it selfe to men but faith is onely in Gods promises For as it is said Thou shalt â—oue the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 5. Et. 10. 20. and him only shalt thou serue and sith faith is the chiefest worship and seruice of all and the instrument of Math. 4. 10. all true worship it ought onely to layd hold on God in CHRIST Loue to the Saintes here we see to whom loue properly belonges namely to the Saintes who are as we haue heard iustified by CHRIST and haue his righteousnesse imputed vnto them and haue the beginning of holinesse in them which is the true feare of God The Apostle doth not here shut out all men euen those that are aliens from the house of God for the Iewes Turkes c. are our neighbours and of our flesh as the Apostle saith and therefore to be prayed for Here we are to examine our selues whether we haue true loue or no Viz. if we loue the Saints Viz. those that are ioyned to vs in the bond of Christianitie for our loue is vsually so strait laced that it cannot goe from our selues and if it goe to our wiues and those in our house yet so poore it is that it cannot goe out of our doores ouer our threshold where as we are to loue others euen those that hate vs to speake well of those that speake ill of vs. Math. 5. And our loue must be to all the Saintes to the poore aswell as to the rich whom Saint Iames meeteth with and sayeth If a poore man though of the true religion come in he is bid to goe behind the dore and to sit at our foot-stoole if one rich he is Iames. 2. 3. 4. exalted whereas true loue doth embrace euen all that doe professe the truth Here Saint Iames discouereth the hipocrisy of men in their excuses why will they say are not we to loue our neighbours and the rich men are our neighbours True he is your neighbour but if you loue him why doe you not loue him also that is poore which is more neare peraduenture if he be a professor and againe if your loue be to the rich because of the commaundement of God then ye will loue the poore aswell as the rich As if for the loue of God ye abstaine from adultery theft murder c. Then ye will abstaine from all other sinnes which are of the same nature all the commaundements being of the same nature comming from God who is one and the same and therfore if I abstaine from one sinne for the loue of Note Gods sake I will aswell abstaine from another for that cause And therefore this condemneth the common practize of men that being blamed for some one sinne as drunkenesse c. will say I am no theefe no murderer c and so will iustifie himselfe But if he haue no conscience of that sinne he is guilty of all Iames. 2. 10. other Indeed a man by infirmity may faile and be inclining to one sinne more then to another but if he haue no strife against it nor hatred of it it is a sure token that he is guilty of all other sinnes and hath no true hatred of any He confirmeth their faith and loue by the true end that there being a true end of
not such as onely heare tell of it For euen as if there should be a thousand Rebels and a pardon granted to some ten or an hundred if a man know not that hee is one of the men which should bee pardoned what should it profite him to know there is a pardon Note And as if any should heare of a treasure found and yet be not sure that he hath part in it what auaileth it him so it is in the case of our Redemption when as wee know not that this fauour belongeth to vs. And when as wee onely can say that there are some that shall bee redeemed and can talke of the saluation of others and not of our owne how can wee bee truely thankfull Vse This serueth to confute the Papists which say that this is a presumptuous doctrine to bee assured of our saluation But we see the Apostle dealeth otherwise to the Colossians for he assureth the Colossians of their redemption Note And it is farre otherwise with the possession of our saluation then with worldly possessions which possession may bee lost but this cannot bee taken away Now against the wretched opinion of the Papists we out of Genesis 15. and 17. are to consider that seeing the Lord saith making his couenant to Abraham I am thy God thou art my seruant why should not the couenant of God make Abraham say againe Thou art my God I am thy seruant Hos 2. 23. I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God Question Quest How could Saint Paul know this seeing there are so many deceits and turnings of Hypocrisy in a mans heart that a man can hardly know any thing of certaine in himselfe Ans The Apostle might know and we may well Solution know that wheresoeuer God doth spread the banner of the Gospell there are some that are certainely called and elected Indeed there are many that are Reprobates and Hypocrites but yet so long as the Gospell was there the Apostle might know that there were some Elect. Doctrine Hereby we learne that we are surely and vndoutedly to know that wheresoeuer the Gospell is Preached there is a Church planted and there are people which God hath chosen to saue eternally Contrarily this confuteth those that for corruptions Note against the Brownists in the Church will vtterly deface the Chuch of God and make it to be no Church and forsake it For where the Gospell is Preached by authority from God there is CHRISTS throne erected Vse The vse of this is to teach vs that when the Lord calleth vnto vs by his word and stretcheth the armes of his Gospell to receiue those that come we are to go vnto him and receiue him least if wee doe not hee close his hands and with-draw his Gospell from vs and leaue vs in a desperate and miserable estate To the further setting forth of their excellent estate he seteth downe their cursed estate before Verse 21. Doctrine Here then we learne that to the end we may see the excellency of our happie estate in CHRIST we are to see what a cursed and wretched condition we were in by our nature And indeed we can neuer in any measure see the notable redemption of vs by CHRIST nor can neuer be thankefull vnto God before that be felt of vs. The full man saith Salomon loaths hony the sweetest thing And a man though sicke yet if he feell not his disease will neuer seeke to the Phisitian So it is in our estate of saluation that because we Note see not how lothsome we were naturally we can not discerne the wonderfull glory offered Hence it was that the Papists being filled with their Merits Dirges Masses c. could not see the pretiousnesse of CHRIST and therefore sought not to him And we though we are by Gods mercy deliuered from the sincke of Idolatry yet we do not wey sufficiently our redemption because we do not see narrowly into our sinnes nor behold the vilenesse of them indeed we confesse in generall we are sinners c. but the cause of our Frosennesse is for that we doe not see the horriblenesse of our sinnes And therfore we are to studie and to looke diligently into the glasse of Gods word wherein we may see our sinnes in their proper coulors Indeed if men be once touched with the sense of sinne by the hand of God then will they cry oh the goodnesse of God! c. then they will acknowledge it to be the most precious thing that is to be assured of the fauour of God It followeth Strangers viz. in regard of the inheritance of God Verse 21. we haue no lot nor portion with CHRIST before our redemption Againe without CHRIST we are strangers from the Citie of God from the heauenly Eph. 2. 12. Ierusalem and we are vagabonds and rogues from the common wealth of God Whereas if we be pertakers of CHRIST we are of the Citie of God of the heauenly Citie which came downe from aboue And if to be a Burgesse and free Cittizen be such Note an excellēt thing as in the world it is accounted highly for wee see when as Paule said he was a Cittizen of Rome Lisias said I bought it with a great price And Act. 22. 28. saith he dare you beat a Cittizen But how much more excellent and precious a thing is it to be a freeman in the heauenly Citie of God Now if we be Citizens of Gods Citie then foloweth an other point that we must be strangers from Note the world And therefore if we be not strangers from the world from drunkenesse from our pleasures from our riches c. we are strangers from God It followeth Enemies not onely strangers but enemies For howsoeuer with men they may be strangers one to Note an other but yet may be in league together but with God it is not so For if we be strangers we are enemies to God which is a fearfull thing for if God be our enemy what can all freinds do vs good And Pro. 16. 14. if the anger of a King be death then what is the anger of the King of Kings The anger of God we may see in Iob who howsoeuer Iob. 7. 20. Et. 16. 9. he was the child of God yet in his owne feeling he thought God to be his enemy And therefore feeling the anger of God he could not rest when it was morning he desired it were euening c. And Dauid saith the Lord had shot his arrowes at him Ps 38. 2. 3. that nothing was soūd in him by reasō of Gods anger Quest Quest How can we be said to haue been Gods enemies seeing he alwaies loued vs from the beginning of the world And therefore whether is this enmity to be considered actiuely or passiuely in regard of God or of our selues Solution Answer True it is God loued vs from the
beginning Eph. 1. 4. of the world but that was in regard of CHRIST in regard of our selues he hated vs we were his enemies And had it not been for the loue in CHRIST Eph. 2. 1. 3. 12. we should not haue abidden in his presence but had been consumed and therefore we haue to praise God that in loue he spared vs so long till he called vs and sent meanes of calling vs. It followeth Mind We were enemies therein which is the principall part of the soule and therefore we were much more enemies in the inseriour faculties in our grosse affections of feare anger and in regard of loue and also of our bodie Doctrine Doctrine We learne that seing we are thus enemies there is nothing in vs but corruption and enmâ—ties in our thoughts words and deeds Which is contrary to the Papists which will make vs that we can merit at the hand of God by our good works But if the tree be corrupt what shall the fruite be For the reconciliation by CHRIST we haue heard Verse 22. of it before The end of our reconciliation is in the Luk. 1. 74. 75. next words expressed which is sanctification which is the end we why are redeemed This the Apostle setteth out by the three words The first word signifieth that which is not earthly Hagios holy not earthly of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. that our minds should be caried from earthly things to heauenly The second is without spot viz. not a man that is not charged with blame but which being blamed is not truly nor iustly blamed The third word signifieth a man that cannot be iustly brought into iudgemeÌ„t before the magistrate or before the Church Signifying that a man not onely may befree froÌ„ great crimes but euen from all that may be reprehended by other inferiour men And here is ment not onely to walke vnblamable before men but euen before God to walke vprightly and sincerely So that sanctification is the end of our redemption That the Gospell should not be euill spoken of Doctrine Here is confuted Iustification by good works For seeing good works are the end and the effects of our saluation and come after our redemption they cannot then be the causes of the same and as the fruite commeth after the trees so doe good works after from righteousnesse which is as the Tree that beareth Phil. VII them The end of the tenth Sermon The eleuenth Sermon COLOSS. 1. V. 24. to the end 23 If yee continue grounded and established in the faith and bee not moued away from the hope of the Gospell whereof ye have heard and which hath bene Preached to euery creature which is vnder heauen whereof I Paul am a Minister 24 Now reioyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of CHRIST in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church 25 Whereof I am a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is giuen me vnto you-ward to fulfill the word of God 26 Which is the mystery hid since the world beganne and from all ages but now is made manifest to his Saints 27 To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of his glorious mysterie among the Gentiles which riches is CHRIST in you the hope of glory 28 Whom we preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that wee may present euery man perfect in CHRIST IESVS 29 Whereunto I also labour and striue according to his working which worketh in me mightily THe Apostle hauing set forth the redemption brought vnto vs by our Sauiour and hauing shewed that the Colossians had a part in that redemption hee commeth to set forth vnto vs a condition Whereupon his grace and mercy of God is bestowed vpon them viz. no other but this If ye continue grounded and setled in the faith and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell yee haue heard of c. The sense hath bene before metaphrastically set downe The summe containes an earnest exhortation and effectuall vnto constancy and abiding in the truth they haue receiued First consider the exhortation which Saint Paul giueth to the Colossians and in them to all the children of God to abide in the true faith Secondly the reason and grounds whereon this exhortation is laid many sundry and strong First for the exhortation to continue in the truth Reasons of constancy to which men are perswaded by many reasons for otherwise they haue no part in CHRIST no part in the reconciliation or sanctification by CHRIST for this is necessary to all the children of God to continue vnto the end Therefore Math. 24. our Sauiour speaking of the great troubles which should come saith he that continueth to the end shall be saued We see Math. 23. 13. example of those that hauing professed go backe leese their hope and the comforts of Gods children Lâ—ts wife though she went not backe but desired to Gen. 19. 26. go to Sodom in regard of wealth riches therefore our Sauiour saith Remember Lott wife Luke 17. 32. Thus wee see the children of Israel in Exod. that though they went out of Aegypt with ioy and gladnesse yet feeling after want of meate in the wildernesse Exod. 16. 3. Heb. 3. 17. 18. wished to returne into Aegypt and therefore it is said they should not enter into the Lords rest viz the spirituall Cannan Let vs beware therefore of Apostacy and that wee runne not in vaine For it were better wee had neuer professed at all then hauing once professed the truth afterward to fall away 2. Pet. 2. 21. 22. and to returne like a dogge to his vomite It is a great matter to enter into the profession of CHRIST and if wee doe not continue but depart from it it had bene better we had neuer knowne nor professed it Therefore wee reade in the Actes that Barnabas admonish'd the brethren of Antioch to continue in the grace of God Acts 13. 43. One notable degree of contiuance is to haue a Note purpose to continue and therefore those that haue not this purpose to abide in the truth come life come death but rather purpose if an other time should come they are as ready for that as for this they are nothing but hypocrites and haue a witnesse in their owne heart of their condemnation And we must not onely haue a purpose but wee must labour to bee strong and vse all meanes for the confirming of vs calling on the name of God for it For Peter had a purpose indeed not to deny CHRIST but to stand for him but yet he denied him grosly because he did not call earnestly vnto the Lord for strenght neither did vse the meanes of absteyning himselfe from danger before hee was called but would needs runne into danger to the high Priests house and leane too much vpon himselfe Doctrine Againe we learne
baptisme Not that baptisme doth it but baptisme is the seale of our burying with CHRIST For the properties of the thing signified is often giuen to the seale As in the Lords supper the name of the signe bread and wine is giuen to the thing signified which is the body and blood of CHRIST And baptisme is called the washing away of sinnes for as water washeth the filthinesse of the body so doth the blood of CHRIST signified by the water wash away our sinnes So here to be buried is giuen to baptisme which is onely the worke of the spirit of God by faith in CHRIST which doth bury sinne in vs. Baptisme doth represent our buriall vnto sinne because though it be not vtterly killed so long as we liue yet it is weakened In the Rom. 6. it is said that we are dead buried and raised vp in baptisme viz. baptisme sealeth all these vnto vs. But it is to be obserued That he maketh choise of the buriall onely rather then the death to signifie the truth and assurance of our mortification Note that our mortification is certaine true and without all dissimulation it is indeed a hatred of sinne For as men may seeme to be dead which are not so indeed but if they be dead and couered then we are assured they are dead indeed so true mortification is here signified to be a true hatred of sinne And that was in times past notably set forth by the custome in the primitiue Church their descending into the water which signifieth death to sinne and remayning in the water their burying to sinne and rising out of the water rising to righteousnes So that here is shewed what ought to be true mortification A simile For there may be some in a swone or trance which seeme to be dead yet reuiue againe so there are many that thinke thēselues dead to sinne if they can abstaine frō some sinne they haue vsed before doe some good things they did not before yet it doth not follow that they are therefore mortified for they may doe it for some sinister cause for hope of gaine c. and after fall to it againe and therefore it is necessary that there be a burying viz. that for conscience to God for the feare of God and loue of him that he hath bene mercifull vnto vs we mortifie sinne and walke in holinesse of life to continue in it which mortification importeth For he that continueth in mortifying sinne he Note onely is truely mortified Therefore acts 14. 21. strengthened the disciples and exhorted them to continue Doctrine Here also we learne that baptisme is the same to vs that circumcision was to the people of God vnder Verse 1. the law where we haue to confute the wretched opinion of the Anabaptists which will not haue any Anabaptists Erre baptised before they come to yeares of discretion but if they vnder the Law circumcised vnder age then now we may baptise vnder the Gospell them that are Infants Againe in the Parents if one be faithfull their children are holy and much more 1. Cor. 7. 14. both being holy sanctifie their children therefore to be baptised Obiection Obiection But it is said that the Apostles baptised it is said they baptised households but no mention is made of children they are not named Answer Could they baptise whole households Solution and not baptise children Againe in that baptisme is the same to vs that circumcision was to the Iewes why shold not our children be baptised as theirs were circumcised This doctrine serues also against the Papists that Verse 2. thinke that children vnbaptised are damned But The Papists errour conuicted that can not be because there was no such thing to be feared of those that died before circumcision being the 8. day For we see the Lord commanded that circumcision should not be before the 8. day to the end that the children should be strong to abide the great smart of the wounds now if as many children as died should be condemned the Lord should haue prouided ill for his people that for a small temporary comodity would depriue them of euerlasting life 2. Sam. 12. Dauid before his sonne died he had 2. Sam. 12. 16. 17. 20. 23. fasted and laene on the ground after he heard that he was dead he rose vp and washed his face and shewed himselfe comfortable and did make profession that he should goe to him Whereby it is euident he was perswaded he was in peace whereas we see that he mourned for his sonne Absolom Whom he loued as dearly because he feared his condemnation for that he had liued and died wickedly Againe if the children be vnbaptised it is not Note theirs but their parents sinne and should it be condemned for the parents cause Againe not the want but the despising and contemning Gen. 17. of the Sacrament is dangerous And therfore they onely that were despisers of the circumcision Deut. 16. were to be cut off Now the children cannot despise it and if any despise it it is the Parents Besides the Sacraments are notes of our saluation and that saluation doth not depend vpon them but vpon Gods fauour and free election before all worlds We haue heard of the benefits we haue in CHRIST through baptisme to be the dying vnto sinne and in sanctification The last benefit we haue in baptisme is the quickening of vs in CHRIST which is the forgiuenesse of sinne and iustification And therefore seing we haue both this iustification and all sanctification and dying vnto sinne sealed to vs in baptisme it appeares therefore that all the parts of our reconciliation are sealed to vs by baptisme The end of the 17. Sermon The 18. Sermon COLOSS. 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 14 And putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the Crosse 15 And bath spoiled the Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Crosse 16 Let no man therefore condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of any holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath dayes 17 Which are but a shadow of things to come but the body is in CHRIST WE haue heard how the Apostle doth propound to himselfe to refute two errours one of vaine Phylosophy which appeared to men to be wisedome but not true wisedome The other was that the Colossians had crept in among them such which held the necessity of ceremonies We haue heard how the Apostle amongst other ceremonies which he confuteth beginneth at the ceremony of circumcision which confutation he hauing entred vpon proceedeth in confuting the vse of the other ceremonies Metaphrase as eating of meats drincks c. As by his death he hath gotten vs forgiuenesse of our sinnes so by the same he hath blotted out the hand writing
the more feareful in that it is not called in question by men by the Church nor punished This the Scripture speaketh against as that it is a vaine and vnprofitable thing for whatsoeuer they scratch they shall carry nothing out Againe 1. Tim. 6. 9. It casteth a man into diuers euils and noysome lusts for it maketh him to haue a shipwracke of conscience and so is that which depriues him of all good arguments of comfort But of all places none more notable against this Note sinne then this place heere that it is idolatry Now idolatry is strictly and largely taken Strictly when a man doth fall downe and worship idols and images in steed of God It is also taken more largely for that when a mans heart is drawne and stolne from God and is set vpon any thing whatsoeuer as vpon meate and drinke the glutton maketh it his God c. so of vncleanesse c. But yet more notably couetousnesse is called Note idolatry because first it maketh him that is couetous to be proud and lift himselfe aboue others Againe it makes him to trust in his riches which adultery and fornication other sins do not worke in a man For none is proud and confident in their filthinesse c. And therefore it is that the Apostle both to the Ephesians and heere calleth this idolatry And therefore Ephe. 5. idolatry is not onely among the Papists but euen to bee found amongst vs that haue renounced Popery And would they could not charge vs of this idolatry when they say there is so little almes to the poore c. And the Apostle nameth this idolatry to the Colossians from whom Idolatry was abandoned and therefore noteth that it is a shame for them hauing abandoned idolatry to maintaine this Thus much of the exhortation from sinne The reasons follow The first is drawne from the punishment of God that the wrath of God commeth vpō the childrē of disobedience in these things This is a great and fearefull thing to haue the wrath of God against a man The louing countenance of God is a great and excellent thing And therefore Dauid saith thy louing countenance I desire Psalme 4 aboue gold corne or oile Psal 31. In the louing countenance of God is life and ioy so on the contrary in his wrath is death and sorrow Saloman saith that the anger of a Prince is like Prou. 16. 12. the roaring of a Lyon after his prey what is then the anger of the eternall God By the wrath of God is noted the effect of the wrath of God that punishment death condemnation which is the reward of the wickednesse spoken of before proceeding from the anger of God as the cause Obiection Why doth hee say the wrath and not the punishment I answere to the end that wee should as louing Solution children more feare and bee grieued at the wrath of God then at the punishment Another reason because where the wrath is there will come punishment if God be angry hee will certainely punish And howsoeuer men do not regard this because the Magistrate doth not punish yet if he neglect yet the Lords sword is ready drawne and fearefully will reuenge And it is a feareful thing to fal into the hand of the liuing God Heb. 10. 31. In that he saith is vpon in the Present Tense it noteth Verse 6. a continuance of the punishment of God so that euen the very sin it selfe is a punishment of God And therefore Rom. 1. when men would not hearken to the word the wrath of God from heauen is powred vpon the sonnes of disobedience by all that rabble of sinnes there recited in the most of that Chapter which are iudgements of God So that howsoeuer men feeling no smart vpon their bodies yet if they could feele indeed the wrath of God in these they should see how fearefull a punishment it is to be giuen ouer to drunkennesse fornication and the like We see the effects of Gods wrath on this sinne In Numbers we reade of twenty and foure thousand slaine for this sinne And for the defiling of Dinah a whole Citty was destroyed Gen 34. 27. And therefore seeing sinnes vnpunished vpon the whole land therefore it behoueth the Magistrate to looke narrowly so farre as the law will reach to punish this sinne sharply The not punishing of the rauishing Iudg. 19. 20. 46. 48. of the Leuits wife cost the Beniamites much bloud and losse And howsoeuer we renounce the errour of the Maniches yet wee in practise affirme their assertion that God was a fierce and sharpe God vnder the Law but a mercifull God vnder the Gospell But God is the same and will the rather punish Psal 102. 27. this sinne because wee haue receiued more graces then they vnder the law and perforce we are to look for greater and heauier iudgements if wee doe prouoke him And this belongs to russians to them which say so that I be spared vnto the end I care not God is mercifull yet let them know that if they deferre their Note repentance till the end and liue in their pleasure yet though they liue the life of Methushelah in their pleasures one moment in hell shal exceed in torment all those pleasures Vpon the children of disobedience Where we see that Verse 6. the Lords iudgments are executed vpon the vnfaithfull and wicked which the Lord doth as the Lacedomonians Note who to make their sonnes hate drunkennesse would make the seruants which they loued worst drunken So doth God after a sort who to make his children hate their sinnes doth punish the wicked but his children are not punished and yet they scape not free for we see Dauid for his adultery 2. Sam. 13. 15. 16. 22. and murder what iudgements followed his owne Concubines were defiled by his sonnes hee was almost driuen from his kingdome and one sonne slue another yea after his death bloud ceased not from his posterity as in the beginning of Salomons reigne yet this is not a punishment for a punishmēt is death which onely is to the wicked but to Gods children a Correction Another reason which the Apostle rendreth is because Verse 7. such they had been in times past and yet were receiued to fauour and mercy by the Lord. And therefore it behoued them to beware of their former sinnes to walke like new men being receiued into a new state For what a mercy of God is this to receiue vs when we haue euen spent our selues in sinne What maister when a man hath spent himselfe and his Note strength in another mans seruice will take this man to himselfe and make him his seruant But the Lord doth so hee taketh vs though we haue beene grosse sinners and hee doth account vs as if wee had not sinned As in Ezechiel he saith If the righteous Ezek. 18. 21. man forsake his righteous wayes I will forget his
righteous deeds Contrary If a wicked man repent and do the thing that is good he shall not dye but liue Doctrine This teacheth vs not to continue in our sinnes for if we be fallen let vs rise Is it not a shame to take a fall and lye by it But sinne is a fall It is sufficient 1. Pet. 4. 4. 3. saith S. Peter that we haue spent the time past as do the Gentiles Againe wee are wounded by sinne and therefore Note we ought to returne to be healed for what wounded man would not desire to bee healed and therefore we are to returne betimes to the Lord to forsake our euill wayes how long soeuer we haue liued in them before Walked Here the Apostle maketh a difference betweene the wicked man that goeth forward in sinne and the children of God that fall by infirmity as DAVID that hauing falled yet continued not in it When yee liued in them This is the cause that they Verse 7. walked in sinne because sinne was strong in them it was so powerfull with them as that they liued in it And therefore we are to mortifie sinne in vs that it may decay for the life of sinne is the death of a sinner and while a man liues in sinne hee is in the state of death And therefore let vs examine our selues whether sinne haue that force that it makes vs come at a call let us search if wee liue in it for if we doe then shall we walke and run after it and performe the desires of it Therefore hee saith Wherein ye walked when ye liued in them Verse 8. This Metaphrase should haue beene placed in the beginning of the Sermon Wherefore being assured of another life mortifie your members that are earthly and carnall If you aske what I cannot reckon vp all but I will touch some those specially that you are infected with whereby you may easily conceiue of the rest such as are fornication vncleane behauiour wantonnesse euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which besides the excessiue desire of goods is a kinde of idolatry for that men do put their trust in riches that are couetous For euery one of the which the wrath of God commeth on those that remaine in them And the rather mortifie these sinnes as in times past you haue practised them when beeing giuen vnto them your naturall corruption as a kinde of life gaue power and moouing for the practise of them The end of the 23. Sermon The 24. Sermon COLLOSS 3. V. 8. to the 12. 8 But now put ye away euen all these things wrath anger maliciousnesse cursed speaking filthy speaking out of your mouth 9 Lie not one to another seeing that yee haue put off the old man with his workes 10 And haue put on the new which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him 11 Where is neither Grâ—cian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scithian bond free but CHRIST is all and in alâ— things THE Apostle proceedeth in the exhortation begunne The drift as wee haue heard is to moue vs to holinesse of life and good example which hee hath spoken of in the second Chapter before But now saith he put you away all these things wrath anger c. As if hee should say seeing that you are called The Metaphrase Verse 8. to the hope of a better life lay aside farre from you as things the which you cannot abide to bee in your sight not onely the grosser sinnes before mentioned but also all manner of sin without endeuour whereof there is no true mortification For example anger heate from whence commeth malice which breaketh out at the mouth by railing and reuiling Specially when you cannot truly charge them take heed you lye not one against another but putting off as an old and rotten garment the old man which you bring from your mothers wombe with the actions thereof as it were so many tatters Now least being found naked you bee ashamed put on as a new and comely garment the new man which if you aske what it is it is the same part which is renued in you to the likenesse of him that made you which likenesse consisteth in the knowledge of God Whereby shall come to passe that howsoeuer the false teachers place in it being a Iew rather thaÌ„ being a Gentile circumcised rather vncircumcised the opinion of the common sort is that the Barbarian Scythian is in a farre worse case then the Romane and the seruant but a beast in respect of the free-man yet with God there is no difference seeing CHRIST whom by a new birth they haue put on is in all and is all that God respecteth and accepteth of The summe of all which is a very earnest exhortation to godlinesse and holinesse of life The which standeth first in the proceeding of mortification and putting off the old man Secondly in the quickning and putting on the new man Now lay aside as if should say heretofore ye haue Verse 8. walked loosely before yee were called but now yee are called this state requireth another condition another kind of life And therefore those that haue heeretofore liued in idolatry wantonnesse drunkennesse Note seeing now they haue gotten a new name and profession must walke after a new sort holily And therefore the Apostle exhorteth in another place after this sort yee liue not now in darkenesse but 1. Thess 5. 4. by the Gospell are called to the light of the Gospell Now men in darkenesse haue on ragged garments but in the light will go more cleanely And therefore the Apostle saith they that are drunke are drunke 1. Thess 5. 7. in the night but now that yee are called to the Gospell your light can neuer go downe in that regard And therefore it is a shame for you to giue your selues to drunkennesse vncleanenesse couetousnesse malice euill speaking c. So that it is a more fearefull sinne which is committed vnder the Gospell Thrust away all the word signifieth a violent thrusting away a thing with hatred Doctrine Doct. Wee learne that wee are to loath and to abhorre and cast away sinne from vs. And there is a great cause wee should abhorre sinne which is a most abhominable thing which the Prophet describeth speaking of the graces of God Esay 4. 4. to his children saith God will wash away their bloud and not onely that but their filth viz comparing it to dung and the most filthy excrements which can come from vs. So that if wee cannot abide our excrements nor the sauour of the excrements of others much more ought wee to abhorre this which is more detestable And therefore if wee beeing in our sweetes and fine apparell and yet haue these about vs what are we but most loathsome and abhominable All these things Here is a notable exhortation to mortification by the which wee may learne this viz Doctrine That he that putteth not away all sinne that is