we be thus thankefull what praise should wee offer to our God for bringing us under the Kingdome of His deare Sonne If we had some grievous Tyrant ruling over us and God should take him away and set a Prince of singular Clemency over us should not the blessing of all the kingdome come upon him for so singular a change But when he taketh the Divells iron yoaks off our necks and bringeth us under the Kingdome of that most meeke King who will not bruise a broken reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe here none in comparison is thankefull This giveth us to consider of our happy estate Vse 2 who are brought to live under Him reade Psal 72. To live in such a Kingdome were a great felicity but no more to be compared with this then the shadow with the substance What a blessing is it that we have His spirit to be a law in us good lawes in a Kingdome are no small benefit What a blessing is it that we have true peace from accusation of sinne from feare of death from disturbance which the remnants of sin doe cause before they be better mortified Say I am spiritually opposed and molested yea have great corporall enemies what a mercy is this that looking to CHRIST our King and crying for helpe we have succour they are weakened defeated scattered we are strengthened and comforted I see that I am besieged with enemies too mighty for me yea with Traytors in my owne bosome what a favour is this that we should be protected our King being such a wall and as a mighty flood about us that they cannot come neere us I want things looking to CHRIST I have supply I feare time to come looking to Him I heare it spoken This is our King Psa 48.14 Hee shall leade us to death VERSE 14. In whom we have redemption through His bloud the forgivenesse of sins NOw followeth the description to shew the excellency of this former blessing from the excellent benefit wee have by him and the worthinesse of his Person In whom in which deare Sonne and this phrase in whom noteth both the Author of the benefit next adjoyned and likewise the order or meane by which it commeth to be applyed in us viz wee being by faith in Him in whom then is through which Sonne we being set into Him by faith wee have redemption which word is taken Actively or Passively Actively for the act of CHRIST His working it Passively for the receiving of it into us or the applying of it in us that are believers so it is here as if it were said we are redeemed The force of the Word is ransomed brought forth of some miserable penall condition a price or ransome payd for us which was His bloud See Ephes 1.7 14. 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave Himselfe a ransome for all He construeth this redemption to be Pardon of sinne freedome from all that penall condition to which wee were subject by reason of sinne For to pardon sinne is to release the punishment to which the guilt of sin doth bind us What is the singular love of our King unto us Obs 1 even such that Hee hath bought us with His bloud wee are ransomed by Him and not with silver or gold but with His pretious bloud 1 Pet. 1 18 19. If that a King should empty all his coffers and alienate all his Crowne Land to rescue his Subjects he should shew himselfe a naturall Prince but what is this to that ransome which our King hath tendered This doth let us see what cause we have of thankefulnesse for CHRIST not onely in regard of his love Vse 1 and naturall affection to us but for this great benefit which we have by Him Were we slaves in the Turkish gallies taken prisoners in the warre were we kept hard in debters hall how would we give thankes to God for such a one as should purchase our liberty with some summe of money How much more to be released from that woefull captivity in which the Divell doeth hold us through sinne and the curse of God whereof he is the executioner This letteth us see our duties towards CHRIST Vse 2 not to be young masters our owne men walking after our owne hearts but to live to Him who hath bought us dearely the Apostle Saint Peter on the same ground inferreth this exhortation For as much then as CHRIST hath suffered for us us in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 2. arme your selves likewise with the same minde for hee that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that He no longer should live the rest of His time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God If men doe but small matters for us we are theirs to be commanded their servants theirs while we live to the utmost of our power but God may come from heaven take thy nature to the fellowship of His Person shed the pretious bloud of His man-hood and when He hath done all have no thankefull duty acknowledged Lastly we see hence our woefull estates by nature Vse 3 wee are bondslaves further then this our King doth set us free True it is we are like the Iewes when they were told of being set free from this thraldome we say they were never any mans servants never other then free So wee thinke we are free enough ô no beloved we are all by nature sold under ignorance under sinne under condemnation neither shall we ever come forth till this Sonne of God the truth set us free Remission of sins Observe hence Obs What is the greatest blessing which CHRIST our King doth procure us pardon of sinne great indeed binding us to be thankefull for our King We see how Kings at their Coronations when they enter upon their people they doe every way endeavour to winne their hearts testifie their princelike bounty and clemency hence come the customes of giving pardons to sundry even of capitall offences of releasing subsidies and such like dues otherwise of giving and enlarging and confirming charters to sundry places thus our Saviour that King of glory doth give a full pardon to His Subjects a generall pardon for it is sayd indefinitely none excepted that in Him we have forgivenesse of sinnes which Saint Iohn doth conster in these words the bloud of CHRIST clenseth us from all sins 1 Ioh. 1.9 originall actuall past future the most royall Charter that ever was given to the sonnes of men This is the grace promised I will be mercifull to their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more It is the justification and absolving of us sinners by God for that satisfaction or redemption which Christ tendered we are justified saith Saint Paul freely by His grace that is we are set free from our sins through Christ His redemption Rom. 3.21 Christ was made sinne that is a sacrifice or surety for sinners bearing all our sin that we might be made Gods righteousnesse righteous before God in him
dying was after a sort all of us for in our Nature Hee made Himselfe one with us and had us all by name as a body unto Him and all our sinne He tooke as His owne having made Himselfe one mysticall Person with us Secondly you must know that CHRIST thus having us all with Him as members belonging to Him through the gift of His Father and having all our sinne made His He dyeth for us all and for the abolishing of all our sinnes so that we all lye dead with Him and out sinne is all crucified with Him for it beginneth not to be crucified when wee dye to it no here was the beginning of it Thirdly CHRIST lying dead with all His dead in Him having taken away the guilt and wrought the death of sin in all His or the death of all His members to sin CHRIST with His body being dead is raised and receiveth that treasury of supernaturall life which is to be derived in the order of it to all His so that CHRIST rising all of us rise in Him as our Head for the members have society in whatsoever is done in the Head 2 As a thing may be said to be in the cause of it so was all our resurrection in His which was to be the cause of all our resurrection As Adam and Eve were the cause of propagating a naturall life to all mankinde Fourthly CHRIST thus raised and made the conceptacle and fountaine of supernaturall life sendeth out His vitall influence into such as belong to Him 1 By faith giving them a being spirituall or an union in Him even as Adam gave a naturall being or participation of his substance unto his members 2 He doth send into them thus united with Him the Spirit of life from Himselfe that is the HOLY GHOST to dwell in them by the created gifts of grace which is life supernaturall They shall heare my voice who are dead that is they shall beleeve and they shall live 3 CHRIST doth successively perfect this life never leaving till He have in soule and body conformed us for our module to His blessed Soule and glorious body And these may serve to open this point of beliefe The difficulty of conceiving it commeth hence 1. That we know not how straitly and neerely we are united to Him for as all were within the loynes of Adam by the determinate Counsell of GOD to come from Him so all the Elect by GOD's predestination and donation were within CHRIST as one in Him and with Him 2. Wee are not able to see that vertue of His resurrection The use is first Vse to incite us to seeke to have our eyes opened that we may know the treasury of good things we have in CHRIST and the power which Hee hath put forth in us We should love CHRIST a thousand times more if wee knew feelingly what Hee were to us We are not able to see how we in the womb are formed how much more will our eyes dazle here further than GOD doth cleare them This also must make us hold to our head CHRIST even as we will have life in us get a member away from having communion with the Head it is presently livelesse having neither sense nor motion So in us with CHRIST We see whither we must have recourse for life Even to CHRIST Come to me and your soules shall live to GOD in our Nature looke at thy owne flesh in heaven and draw from it as a Conduit-pipe increase of grace sent thee from it by the Spirit which dwelleth with it Having forgiven you all trespasses Now he commeth to the order of our new quickening which hee setteth downe by three antecedents which made way to it 1 He pardoned our sinne 2 He crossed our Bill 3 He freed us from the power of Satan and all infernall spirits Before I enter them let this in generall be premised to cleare the text Suppose that we stood in great debt unto any say againe that he had to shew for all the debt under his owne hand Put the case thirdly that wee were cast into prison and in the custody of some Gaolour or any officers to that purpose If hee at whose suite wee are in hold be willing to set us free what doth he first he doth pardon the debt Secondly he doth Cancell our bills and bonds for he that keepeth our bonds seemeth not to forgive nor willing to let us goe otherwise than that he may have a saying to us when he pleaseth Thirdly he doth release his action and setteth him out of bands that held him and after all this dismisseth him to his liberty So here we are in for debt such debt as toucheth life it selfe the matter is under our owne confession the Divell holds us under chaines of darknesse GOD is willing to restore us to life 1 He pardoneth our faults 2 Rendeth the Articles of our confession 3 Taketh us out of their hands who were ministers of His justice in the close keeping of us This shall suffice to illustrate it in generall We see hence Doct. That in order of nature first we have pardon of sinne before wee have the life of grace begun in us there must be a removall of evill before there can be a conferring of good Thus in CHRIST Himselfe He was acquit from all our sinne which was upon Him before He was raised up yea if the least sinne of any of us who are His had beene unanswered Hee had not beene raised up and for this cause Rom. 4.25 The raising of CHRIST is said to be our justification that is God in raysing Him up did manifest that Hee was fully answered for all our sinnes so that we now are quit from all our sinnes in CHRIST our Head Even as if one lye sentenced a dead man for treason against the King he cannot have His life given him but pardon of his fault is first given So here answerably we are not restored to feele the life of God take place in us till our sins which caused our death are removed In a sinners restoring this is the order 1 God by faith setteth Him into CHRIST who is His righteousnesse in whom belongeth to Him forgivenesse 2 God when by beliefe He is in CHRIST doth pronounce Him just or acquit Him from sinne 3 The LORD doth send the Spirit of His Son into His heart This is the order in Nature though in time these things goe together This is to be noted against the Papists who when a sinner hath by deadly sinne lost the life of grace as they say though he after come to have never such love to God yet will not have the sinne forgiven till the Priest hath absolved him As if God did restore the life of grace before He gave the pardon of sinne This out of the order The words have foure things to be marked 1 Who forgiveth God the Father He raised up both CHRIST and us when He had forgiven 2 The manner of forgiving in
them that have treasure and great charge about them letting penniles travellers alone So doth Satan he is busie to rob those whom GOD hath trusted with His graces VERSE 10. That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please Him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of GOD. NOw followeth the obedience it selfe set out by the practice of it that he prayeth for 1. In generall 2. More particular In generall it is to walke worthy of the Lord what this is may be understood by comparing it with like places Ephes 4.1 Worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Phil. 1.27 As it becommeth the Gospell 1 Thes 2.12 Worthy of God who hath called you to His Kingdome and glory To walke worthy of the Lord then is to live and behave our selves as becommeth those to whom God hath vouchsafed so great mercy that passing by thousands and ten thousands for deserts all as good and in outward respects many of them better than they Hee hath of His meere grace and free love in CHRIST chosen and called them out of the World to be partakers of Eternall life and glory with Him and for this cause hath caused His Gospell to be preached unto them and by His spirit hath made it effectuall in them we must therefore seriously consider 1 the dignity of our calling 2 the excellency of the Gospell whereby we are called 3 the kingdome of Glory whereto wee are called 4 and our most Holy and glorious Lord God by whom we are called and accordingly with due regard of all these things carry our selves in this present world let others then live as they list walke in sinne and wallow in filthinesse such a course may sort with their condition but for us we are by the grace of God of another dignity of an higher and more holy calling and such as waite for a Kingdome prepared for us even an Eternall Kingdome in the heavens This walking worthy of the Lord he expresseth by the end that it respecteth and aimeth at namely a pleasing of Him in all things or a full and entire pleasing of Him If then we will walke worthy of the Lord we must study to please Him and to give Him contentment in all things not accounting of pleasing any man yea or al men with displeasing him 1 Cor. 4.3 And good cause for life and death depend on Him He hath power to save and destroy yea He hath done such great things for our soules already and assured us of so great glory hereafter that we are the most unthankefull and impious Creatures that ever breathed our selves being judges if wee study not to please Him in all things Wherefore let others addict and give themselves over dedicate devote and consecrate themselves to serve and please to bow and becke to kneele and crowch and in all points to observe this or that great man on whom they depend by whom they live from whom they expect their advancement and rising in the world let us study and strive how we may please the Lord our GOD. He is to us in stead of all yea all inall Here Observe That this pleasing of GOD must bee in all things Obs or it must bee whole and universall for hee that seeketh not to please Him in all things seeketh not to please Him in any thing and hee that laboureth not to give Him an universall contentment laboureth not to give Him any at all according to that of Saint Iames Sam. 2.10 Whosoever shall Keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all for the same God hath commanded all as well that Hee leaveth undone as that Hee doeth and therefore if out of conscience toward God hee hath care of doing any he would have conscience of doing all Which serveth notably to convince those who reforming and conforming themselves to the will of God as they would have it thought in many things Vse yet retaine some speciall beloved sinnes whereby they plainely shew that their reformation in other things is but counterfeit as being for some by-respects of their profit or estimation or such like Having thus set forth this pleasing of God in generall he expresseth it after in two particulars Bringing forth fruite Increasing in the knowledge of God For the bringing forth of fruite being an expressing of our duty to please God specially in an outward manner before God and Men may bee called not unfitly one particular of pleasing God Observe Hence Obs We must be fruitfull in good workes as Trees and plants are fruitfull in their kindes for from thence is this speech taken for being planted by Gods owne hand in His own Orchard or Garden yea in His owne house Psa 92.14 being also kept and dressed by Him as our Husbandman Ioh. 15.3 Esa 27.3 Ioh. 15.3 being watched over night and day and watered every moment finally being branches of CHRIST the true vine from whom by the vertue of His spirit we receive sappe and juice good reason wee should be fruitfull and if not we shall bee surely cut downe and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 Ioh. 15.6 Luk. 13.7 For who among us would endure an unfruitfull Tree in his Garden who would not say with indignation Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground If that were rooted up I might have another planted in the place of it that might bring me forth good fruite When the wicked see us grow livelesse powerlesse sapplesse they say what matter is in them and in their profession It is a shame that they should say I had rather live with any deale with any have a promise from any than from a Professor Their condition is incurable Reason when the Carpenter hath cut and hewen and sees it will not fit his turne ther 's no remedy but it must be cast into the fire My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6.3 Esay 5. GOD calls a counsell What shall I doe with my Vinyard A hedge Lord will do it good send them prosperity and security that they have had A winepresse Lord will doe them good that they have had afflictions will not worke upon them When no plaister will cure the Legge it must bee cut off when the Gospell will doe thee no good nothing can do thee good See the ground and cause of all our evils Vse wee impute them to the malice power or improvidence of men No no thy barren heart is the cause of all 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are weake and many sicke and many sleepe as if hee should say you blame the ayre you say such a distemper was the cause no no it was your unprofitable comming to the Sacrament that hath brought this plague upon you Our unprofitablenesse is the cause why the Lord is still hacking at the Tree of England How many great Families are perished and yet by no ill husbandry or great improvidence no no they
were too good to favour the Gospell to pray in their Families The cause of our ruine is not three yeares but sixtie yeares unfruitfulnesse nay is it not better to bee any thing than fruitfull doe not many beginne to say what neede so much fruite I wonder how you can beare with such a fellow how can you stand to his bent preach and pray repeate in Families conferre and meditate c. What adoe is here what so much fruite will breake the boughes Alas is this to answer the cost that God hath bestowed on us The better the Land is compassed the more tedious yea the more odious it is to the Husband-man if it answer not his expectation with a fruitfull encrease Oh my brethren lay this neere to your hearts would you bee content to part with the Gospell with your Lands with your Children If you would not then bring forth the fruites of the Gospell Your grounds cry out unto you master be fruitfull or wee shall be laid desolate your Wives and Children cry be fruitfull or we shall perish Consider the unnaturalnes of this sin must none kil your Children but your selves none give your wives to bee ravished but your selves but Lord pardon us then you wil cry no go to your lazy proud hearts for comfort you have despised the bowels of Christ and are you not justly left to men that have no bowels But is there no hope reade Psal 81 13 14 16. The Lords compassions have rolled within him many a time and he cryes how shall I give thee up Oh England as the Palatinate how shall I make thee as Bohemia as God did be speake Ephraim Hos 11. v. 8. But how shall we doe to become fruitfull Que. Keep thy soule abiding in CHRIST Ans 1 A Tree out of the earth growes not a painted Tree never growes give the Lord Iesus earth enough in thy heart Keep the little succours about the Tree fresh Ans 2 keep love joy and hope alive there is about every seede a skinne if that be off it dyes that suckes moister from the earth which is the cause of growth Keepe close to the rivers of water Ans 3 reading are waters hearing and praying are waters the spirit is waters holy conference is waters Take heede of wilde beasts and cold Northerne blasts the commission of sinnes will bee as the letting in of wilde beasts into the Vinyard these blasts are cold company Act. 2.40 save your selves from this untoward generation the Apostle speakes to them as to men a drawing to whom a rope is cast The Gardiner desires to plant the Apricocke tree against the backe of a Chimney where the heate of the Sunne may come most directly on it and where besides the benefit of reflexion it may have warmth from the Chimnie The other particular is Obs that We must increase in the knowledge of GOD. Of that which the Scriptures teach concerning the essence property workes and Ordinances of God this is also commanded 2 Pet. 1.5 Ioyne moreover to your faith vertue and to your vertue knowledge faith and vertue could not bee without knowledge It is cleare then that hee meaneth an increase of knowledge So 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Saviour Iesus Christ This is very worthy to bee noted here that having prayed before that they might bee filled with the knowledge of His will he now addeth increasing in the knowledge of God and addeth it as a practice of former knowledge We should never cease to grow in knowledge the rather because when wee know all we can attaine we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. And our knowledge is but like the knowledge of Children in comparison of the perfect knowledge wee shall have in the world to come This checketh all that are negligent herein Vse especially such as make an opposition betwixt knowledge and practice we have knowledge enough say they let us labour to practice that wee know whereas it is evident here that increasing in the knowledge of God is a part of practice Such also are here to bee rebuked whose office being to plant and increase knowledge in others doe either neglect increasing in knowledge themselves or which is much worse discourage the people from so doing perswading that they should content themselves with the knowledge of the principles and for other things depend on them that have the guiding and leading of them verily this bewrayeth they meane not well that they are loath to have the people have too much knowledge they sinne against this Doctrine VERSE 11. Strengthened with all might according to His glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse NOw because they that doe but sincerely labour thus to be filled with the knowledge of God and to walke worthy of the Lord as hath beene said shall bee thought to bee strang men in the world specially by their old consorts 1 Pet. 4.4 and shall be sure to bee scorned taunted and diversely ill intreated in the world for all that desire to live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer perfecution 2 Tim. 3.12 that they may be like their Head therefore in the close of his prayer he desireth that they may be strengthned to all patience to beare these afflictions be they never so great or many and long-sufferance bee they never so long in continuance and because there is a singular measure of strength required herein he asketh that they may bee strengthened with all might that is with abundance of strength according to His glorious power which being in Him infinitely is expressed mervailously in His workes that so they may bee able to beare these things not with patience onely but even with joyfulnesse rejoycing that hereby they are made like to Christ and counted worthy to suffer any thing for His Name sake Christians have neede of spirituall strength to walke with God in their spirituall conditions Hence S. Paul Eph. 6.10 Obs 1 exhorteth all to goe out of themselves for strength and power from God whereby they might bee able to withstand those spirituall enemies which will encounter them Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might This spirituall strength stands in two things Eph. 6.10 1 That the principium or cause of this strengthning be from the spirit 2 That the object of it whereabout it is conversant be spirituall things To strive with God a little in Prayer is a signe of some strength but to wrastle with God as Iacob did not to let Him goe without a blessing shewes great strength To beleeve a promise wherin there is a little difficulty shewes some strength but for Abraham to offer up his Sonne in whom the promise was made shewes great strength to beare a little iniury without desire of revenge shewes some patience but to endure great and manifold persecutions and reproaches and with Saint Paul and Sylas to rejoyce in afflictions and to sing in Prison shewes
of this continuance by two comparisons The first is taken from the foundation of an house grounded or founded teaching that a wise builder first seeketh a good ground and layeth a sure foundation and there buildeth boldly and safely upon it For though the winds arise the raine falles and the flouds beat upon the house yet it falleth not Matth. 7. So must we doe in the matter of our profession Let us be sure therefore we lay a good foundation Vse let us not professe for our profit or estimation or company c. all and every of these things will surely faile us but let us so heare and learne and be mooved with that we heare and make conscience of it that if it cost us all that we have yet we never shrinke that if our Teachers themselves should faile or fall away yet wee shall stand The second is taken from a seate We must be setled and established or any thing surely seated or setled and established in any place That which is in motion or stirreth to and fro is easily mooved but we must be in our profession as men setled and established that every of us may say here I stand or rather here I sit here I am setled and established and that by the hand of God Himselfe and therefore it is impossible that any fraud or force craft or cruelty of man or Angell should remoove me hence Expressing and declaring this by the contrary he saith and be not remooved from the hope of the Gospell meaning the life and glory which the Gospell promiseth and teacheth us to hope for therby teaching Obs That they that suffer themselves to be remooved from their profession give over the hope of their salvation For what hope of life remaineth when we forsake that which quickens and gives us hope This Doctrine of the Gospell he commendeth The Gospell hath been preached thorow the World by the large extent and spreading of it affirming that it hath beene preached to every creature under heaven that is to all Nations Iewes and Gentiles and to all sorts and sexes Noble base Learned or unlearned bond or free whereof see before verse 6. Finally he addeth whereof I Paul am a Minister Obs both because he was a speciall instrument of this large spreading of the Gospell where of see Rom. 15.15 16. and that he might hereby take occasion to commend his Ministerie and labours which he doth from this place to the third verse of the next Chapter to make way for that which there he begins to speake concerning the errors crept in among them Now in that he saith he is a Minister of the Gospell which is common to all other Ministers since CHRIST His resurrection he teacheth that the matter or subject which the Ministers of Christ are to treate of and to deliver to the people is the Gospel and nothing but the Gospell and therefore not opinions and constitutions of men c. I deny not but they may lawfully publish some such things upon occasion which yet should be done very sparingly VERSE 24. Now I rejoyce 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 THe summe of this verse is this that the Apostle having answered that which might be objected concerning his sufferings commends his Ministery to the Colossians the parts are two 1 An answer to that which might be objected touching his sufferings verse 24. 2 A commendation of his ministery ver 25. Minding to commend his Ministery to them to make way to that he had to teach he first prevents that which might be objected against the same Object It might be said it seemeth strange to us that thou being servant to so great a Lord as thou hast described him to be shouldst find so hard entertainement in the world being almost in continuall afflictions This is so farre from derogating any thing from me or my Ministery Answ that contrarywise I have good cause to joy and doe rejoyce therein for thereby I make supply of the sufferings of Christ and that for the good of the Church in generall and of you particularly Wherein first observe Obs That it is no new thing for the ministers of Christ to be afflicted for the Gospells sake The Apostle was seldome in any other condition the like was the state of other Apostles and of the Prophets that were before them and of all other sanctified Ministers The Disciple is not above his Master and all that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution then much more they that teach men so to doe yea this is so ordinary to faithfull Ministers and so usuall a companion to their faithfulnesse that a man may worthily doubt of that Ministers faithfulnesse that findeth not this entertainement in this world They are therefore men either of weake understanding Vse or of a very perverse heart who assoone as they see a Minister under persecution and trouble forthwith censure him as a busie and factious man so with the same breath they give sentence against the holy Apostles and Prophets yea and against our SAVIOUR CHRIST Himselfe It is their peevishnesse want of judgement and discretion Object c. that is the cause of their trouble There may be some such fault in some Answ yea in some measure in all but why then escaped not Saint Paul and other the Apostles and Prophets yea and CHRIST Himselfe were they peevish It is therefore some other thing that is chiefely the cause of Ministers molestations even the inveterate hatred of the old Serpent and his brood It is for instruction letting such to see they have no cause to be grieved or ashamed at their sufferings for the Gospell but to rejoyce rather Iam. 1.2 My brethren count it exceeding great joy when ye fall into divers temptations And Acts 5.41 Rejoycing that ye are counted worthy to suffer rebuke for CHRIST Indeed men ought not to be without sense of their afflictions How then shall they profit by them Indeed as they are Gods chastisements they ought to be grieved at them and humbled under them But the joy conceaved at the cause of them and the honour God vouchsafeth to us in them ought to swallow up or at least overcome that sorrow Many are the reasons why we should rejoyce in this kind of affliction But let us consider the reasons alleadged by the Apostle in this place The first is because therein he made a supply of Christs afflictions Object It seemeth then may some say that the sufferings of Christ are not sufficient but had neede to bee supplyed and patched up by our good workes doings or sufferings CHRIST and His members make but one Christ Answ 1 Cor. 12.12 and therefore that which they suffer He suffereth Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me And He will suffer in His members that He may be also glorified in them 2 Tim. 1.11 Rom. 8.17
It is therefore a very comfortable thing to suffer for the truths sake And they that fly it by unlawfull meanes being called to it eschew their owne comfort and in seeking to save their life shall loose it 2 His second reason is because it is for the good of the Church in generall and of them in particular Then the martyrdome of the martyrs in suffering Object merits for them The afflictions of the godly Answ and specially of the Ministers for the truth tends greatly to the good of the Church to the confirmation comfort and good example of it but as for merits it neither needeth any but the merits of CHRIST neither if it did could they availe But the Papists that would wring these things from hence are evidently discovered to be blasphemers of God and of CHRIST His Sonne The Apostle opposeth this everywhere 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I suffer all things for the elects sake that they might also obtaine the salvation which is in IESUS CHRIST with eternall glory 2 Cor. 1.6 whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation And Phi. 1.12 13. He wills them to understand that his sufferings turned to the furtherance of the Gospell his bonds for Christs cause were famous in Court and Country whereof there was this excellent fruit that many of the brethren were imboldened and not as men would thinke discouraged and did more boldly speake the Word Here therefore we are taught Observ that the Church looseth nothing but gaineth much by the sufferings of the godly specially the ministers Which should incourage and comfort us greatly in our sufferings Vse 1 seeing both we our selves and many others reape such fruite thereof And here behold the admirable wisedome and goodnesse of God defeating the plots and turning upside downe the pretences of the Divell and his cursed instruments in their persecutions of the Ministers turning that to the singular good comfort and confirmation of the Church which they intend and directed to their ruine and overthrow Here further observe Obs That the Church is called the body of Christ we are as neerely knit to Christ as the body is to the head so Eph. 1.23 To comfort us who are so neerely knit unto Him Vse 1 bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh How can we perish if He be our head or what affliction can separate us from Him Rom. 8. And ought not this to make us ready to suffer for the Churches sake Vse 2 seeing it is the body of Iesus Christ And if wee ought to doe good and to rejoyce in doing good to the Church though it be by sufferings how much more ought we so to doe when we may doe it without suffering for it VERSE 25. Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to mee for you to fulfill the Word of GOD. HAving thus remooved that which might have beene objected he commeth now to the commendation of his ministery wherein he setteth forth 1 The object and causes of it verse 25 26 27. 2 His diligence and faithfulnesse in the execution of it verse 28 29. The object of his ministerie is here noted to be the Church whereof hee saith of which Church I am become a Minister In which words he resumeth that he had said in the end of the twenty third verse for the twenty fourth verse is interposed to prevent an Objection The Ministers of CHRIST Observ are the Ministers of the Church which Church is the body of CHRIST this company of men this selected and choyce company as the Word translated the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie such as labour in the worke of the Gospell and none but these these are given of Christ for the repayring and building up of the Church Eph. 4.11 12. Wherein appeareth the great dignity of the Church Vse 1 and the great account God maketh of it who hath given His best guifts to men to doe them service for their salvation the rest of the world having no portion in these men nor in their guifts or labours It sheweth the great account Ministers ought to make of their people Vse 2 and the great care they ought to have of their edification being of so great account with God and committed to their charge How unkinde and unnaturall a thing it is for this Church or any member of it Vse 3 to molest and persecute these ministers given of God in His great love to doe them good even to bee His blessed instruments to save their soules The causes of his ministery are two The efficient The causes of his ministery are two The end The efficient is the dispensation of GOD given him Observ whereof the meaning is that his Ministery was freely committed unto him by the most wise and holy government of GOD wherewith He governeth His Church as His owne house so much the Word dispensation signifies and appointeth His Ministers as overseers and stewards thereof GOD is the Lord the Church is His house the ministers His stewards the Word and Sacraments the foode and rayment which they must from God minister to their brethren and fellow-servants This should make the Ministers wise and faithfull Vse 1 happy is that servant Mat. 24.46.47.51 whom when his master shall come shall finde so doing 1 Cor. 4.2 It is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull But if that evill servant say in his heart my master deferreth his comming and shall beginne to eate and drinke and to smite his fellowes the Lord of that servant will come in a day that hee thinketh not and will cut him in pieces and give Him his portion among hypocrites And this should make the people diligent and dutifull in receiving their spirituall foode and rayment as from God at the hand of those that are appointed stewards and overseers for them Heb. 13.17 that they may doe it with joy and not with griefe for that is uncomfortable indeede to the minister and unprofitable to the people Of this dispensation he saith That it was given to them-wards or for them His ministery doubtlesse was given for the use and behoofe of the whole Church for his commission as of the rest of the Apostles was generall Goe teach all Nations Mat. 28.20 2 Cor. 11.28 c. and he professeth the care of all the Churches lay upon him howbeit having now to doe with the Colossians he applyeth it to them affirming that it was given him for them as if it had beene for them alone teaching Obs That the Minister should have such care of every part of his charge as if his Ministery had beene committed to him for their behoofe and profit onely and that every one pertaining to a Ministers charge every family and every person should make such use of their minister as if he had received his ministery for them alone And great reason there is of this latter
conquerours and in the end crowned with a crowne of immortall glory There wanteth nothing but a little waiting Yet a little while and He that shall come will come and will not tarry Behold Hee commeth in the clouds and His reward of glory is with Him In the meane time let us live as those that look for His glory Vse 2 and not dishonour our selves with base actions of sinne that are appointed for such glory VERSE 27. To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory THe Apostle having commended the Gospel unto the Colossians by the excellencies ascribed unto it that it is a mystery and a Secret knowne onely of a few then from the antiquity of it hid since the world began and from the peculiarity of this priviledge onely to the Saints not to the rest of the world in respect of the saving vertue and power of it Now he presseth his exhortation to embrace and receive it and the rather we should be induced hereunto if we consider the cause moving God thus to deale with us viz. not for any thing in our selves not for our worthinesse for our parts our wit or wils or any thing else or any other creature but meerely of His owne good will and pleasure to whom God would What should move to make this difference betweene men seeing all naturally are in the same case and condition even his owne will and good pleasure Hence observe Doctr. That the cause why the Gospell is revealed to us and not to others is the will and good pleasure of God So CHRIST saith Matth. 11 25. I give thee thankes O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes Even so O Father because such was thy good pleasure Were it any dispositions fore-seene in men then those should be called and taught who were of the best capacitie and towardnesse who were for civill carriage most unblameable but not many wise not many of great wit but babes and simples ones are called yea Publicans and Harlots had these things made known to them when Philosophers and Pharisaicall Civilians were excluded To shew it in particular as it is a grace of God to give His Lawes and ordinances so it is His meere Grace that they are bestowed on any rather than others This is shewed in giving them to Israel who were worse than Tyre and Sydon than Niniveh than the Nations I doe not send thee to a Nation of a strange tongue Ezck. 3.3 they would heare thee Had these things beene done in Tyre and Sydon they would have repented Niniveh repented at the preaching of Ionah Loe a greater than Ionah is here Yea God is forced every where to upbraid them with stiffe-neckednesse a necke of steele with hard hearts hearts like Adamant with brazen fore-heads yea to call them a gain-saying and rebellious people Even as His pleasure carryeth raine to one place and to another So He maketh His Ministers drop the Word of Wisdome amongst some and not amongst other some Matth. 10.6 Goe not into the way of the Samaritans So Acts 16.7 Goe not whither thou intendedst but into Macedonia Now if mans outward teaching be affoorded out of meere grace how much more God inward teaching yea His opening the eye of our mindes As no reason can be given why one mans eyes were opened one dead man raised rather than all the rest So no man can give a reason why these who now see and beleeve should be made to see rather than others Vse 1 This serveth to confute those who thinke the Word to be given or deteyned according to something in them to whom it is given or from whom it is deteyned in them or their progenitors But we have shewed sufficiently that it is first sent amongst any freely and if it be withheld from any it must be for their owne deserts or some who have beene before them parents to them not for their owne deserts for many of the heathen were not so hard hearted and impenitent as the Iew and for their Parents fault it could not be withheld unlesse we would make particular Parents to stand for themselves and their Children yea some thinke that the inward teaching which doth so teach that it changeth the mind that this teaching I say is given to such whom God doth see as fit to worke with it and use to this purpose as a Captaine setteth a man on a horse whom he doth see will mannage him well But this doth presuppose a connaturall Correspondence in corrupt nature to the supernaturall grace of God and a power in nature to use grace aright which hath long since beene condemned as a Pelagian error from these grounds that we cannot doe any thing which profiteth to salvation out of Christ that we are not fit to thinke a good thought Let us acknowledge Gods free grace that we have these things opened and revealed to us Vse 2 we of meane parts for understanding in comparison of others we who have beene often more vilely and viciously disposed then others let us acknowledge that He hath opened these things and hidde them from others even because it so pleased Him Finally let us walke worthy these ordinances to be fruitfull in them least He say to us as to Capernaum woe be to thee thou wert lifted up to heaven but I will throw thee downe to hell What is the riches of the glory of this mystery Vnto this mystery of the Gospell now spread abroad among the Gentiles be ascribed glory yea riches of glory that is abundance of glory Doct. thereby teaching us That the Gospell preached is not onely a mystery but a mystery full of glory Even that wherein the glorious power goodnesse and wisedome of God is set forth for what power goodnesse or wisedome is any thing comparable with that which appeareth in mans redemption verily all the glory of earthly Kings wherein they set forth their power goodnesse wisedome is nothing in comparison hereof The Gospell is not onely of great excellency in it selfe but it puts glory and excellency upon all that doe sincerely professe and embrace it it makes them to shine gloriously in all their conversation before God and men Pro. 4.8.9 so saith Salomon Exalt wisedome and shee shall exalt thee shee shall bring thee to honour if thou embrace her shee shall give thee a comely ornament unto thy head yea shee shall give thee a crowne of glory Let us then admire and adore this mystery of the Gospell Vse and the rather because we our selves are partakers of it and by it transformed into the image of God from glory to glory by the spirit of God This glorious mystery he setteth forth by the subject of it which is Christ Whence observe Doct. what the maine subject and substance of the Gospell is it is Christ
had made a good profession before many witnesses We see that children when that they have done already is commended it doth hearten them to further diligence Besides it is a secret shame to leape from pale to sprigge and with the Moone to change our beliefes Therefore even in this regard it inforceth continuance to remember us what we have begunne in Besides be that setteth his hand to Gods plough and looketh backe is not fit for His kingdome Wherefore we must the rather I say hold on Vse What art thou ashamed to be counted an unconstant man by ceassing in that which thou beginnest sinfully and wilt thou not be ashamed to be variable in that course which is good and holy Oh thou hast forgot this who hast lost thy first love who hast beene more zealous more carefull of good duties who hast embraced CHRIST more powerfully and affectionately than now thou dost Why doest thou marre good beginnings with such slothfull proceedings VERSE 7. Rooted and built up in Him and stablished in the faith as yee have beene taught abounding therein with thanksgiving NOw followeth the manner of their walking on in IESUS CHRIST which is described from the augmentation of their Faith and their thankfulnesse for CHRIST and the doctrine which brought the knowledge of Him unto them The growth of Faith is described 1. From the effects 2. From the quantity The effects of a proceeding faith and obedient course of life led in Christ are two 1. A more firme union with Christ this is set downe by a double comparison the one taken from trees fastening their roots lower and lower The other from buildings wherein matter is surely laid upon the foundation The 2. Effect is the more full perswasion of the doctrine of CHRIST and grace of God brought them in the same which is set downe by the manner how it was to be held of them firmely even so as they had beene taught by Epaphras The Quantity followeth abounding in your confirmed perswasion above named The second thing followeth which is also a fruit of encreasing faith even thankfulnesse for CHRIST and His benefits bestowed on us and now more certainely perceived by us So that this verse may be thus conceived It describeth our coustant walking in CHRIST and our Faith in Him by these particulars 1 A more neere Vnion with CHRIST we fixing the roots of our affiance more deepely in Him and like as it is in buildings So wee being living stones which more and more settle as it were by constant walking in CHRIST on Him our Foundation 2 Our constant course bringeth us hitherto that whereas we were wavering touching the points of doctrine and God's grace as they were taught us we I say constant by walking in Christ come to be strongly perswaded in all the matter of faith as we first learned it from faithfull teachers 3. This shall accompany your proceeding in Christ that we shall abound in our perswasion of doctrine and GOD's grace toward us 4. That better knowing the things bestowed on us and eased of our doubting which unbeliefe excited wee grow to unfained thankfulnesse for CHRIST and His benefits The summe therefore is now easily set downe Continue in the faith you have begunne in and live according to His will and through His strength on whom you have beleeved growing by this constant persevering to be more neerely knit to Him rooted and builded more fully perswaded of the doctrine as it hath been taught you for measure more abundant both in knowledge and confidence finally heartily thankfull for so great things given you of GOD. Observe first Doct. out of the coherence What fruit we get by constant going on in CHRIST we come to have more firme conjunction with Him When a young plant is newly set the roots are of small depth in the earth one may well pull them up with an hand but as the tree shooteth up in sight and bearing fruit so it striketh the roots deeper and deeper downward yea both together though it be not perceived So that no force can move it So in a building stones new laid while the morter is yet greene may be pecked out but when the cement is dried and they are sunke downe and throughly settled upon the foundation they are more closely joyned to it then they cannot be easily moved So it is in us wee have not for degree so firme and neere conjunction with Christ but the more we live in Him like good trees spreading in the sight of all men and bringing forth the fruit of righteousnesse the more we come to take root downward by a more firme confidence which doth bring us to have a firmer conjunction and more neere union with Him Our Vnion is answerable unto that which uniteth us As the cause is in degree greater or lesser the effect is answerable Now at the first faith is weake like a bruised reed and smoaking weeke but while Faith holding Christ doth draw the Spirit from Him which maketh it fruitful in good works the more it exerciseth the more it is strengthned even as in babes their powers every way at first are feeble but the more they feed and exercise the more they waste the redundant moisture which before enfeebled their faculties and put forth strength in all their operations Saint Peter when faith was weake in him at the voice of a Damosell was shaken by walking in Christ awhile he was so rooted that threatnings whippings imprisonments conventings before great power martyrdome nothing could shake him Wherefore let us walke on without fainting Vse 1 hold on in Christ this will bring us further and further into Christ What if thou standest not so firme what if little winds seeme to shake thee goe on thou shalt grow rooted in him thou knowest not how yea while thou doest thus though thou shakest thy root doth strike lower and lower into Christ Many are moved to think how weakly they are fastened how slenderly they are rooted in Him but to be rooted is not every beleevers state I mean thus deepely rooted this is the condition which they attaine who have long walked in Christ But what then if Christians be not at first rooted Object a weake faith may be quite overthrowne True Answ if they be not rooted in any manner but this they are from their first setting into CHRIST by faith yea so rooted that they shall never fall altogether but this is an higher degree of rooting which doth not only shut forth falling which the other doth also but even that shaking and more grievous tottering for the most part which trees may have and stand neverthelesse to which the former degree is subject on feeling every wind I say for the most part for such may be temptation and desertion meeting that rooted David may shrewdly totter Hence may be shewed men why they are so weakely grounded in Christ Vse 2 because they walke so loosely and remissely so abound with greene lusts which craze their faith
Christ working through that death in the behalfe of all His the death of the creature so farre forth as by the just judgement of God it hath a power through Sathans working to draw us from God to it selfe 3 A death of our corruption Galath 6.15 By the Cxosse of Christ the world is crucified to me and I to it that is by Christ crucified Briefly as Adam becomming mortall and dying to this mortall life wee all so soone as wee are borne members of Him are mortall and tend to death by force of that mortality in the roote of us So Christ dying spiritually to this world and the sin of all us His members that thus they might be abolished we so soone as by faith we are made His members or are borne of Him we begin to dye spiritually till in death we are fully mortified by vertue of that radicall death in Christ our Saviour who dying according to his flesh did so worke by His omnipotent spirit that as the guilt was at once remooved so the life of it was mortified that it lost the raigne and was successively to be abolished in the being of it in all those who by faith should come to be engrafted into him or all those who should spiritually descend from Him 4 Lastly He brought into our nature supernaturall life that so He in our nature might propagate it to all who were His. The use hereof is to stirre us up above all things to seeke with Saint Paul Vse 1 that we may know what is the power of His death the communion of His sufferings while I feele my selfe made like to Him in dying to this world and sin for by this we know that we are untied to Him suffering and dead to sin and this world while we feele our selves by virtue thereof in like case as I know my communion with Adam that I dyed in him while I see my selfe mortall hastening every day to death as he is dead The Lord Iesus make the scales fall off our eyes that we may see the vertue of His most powerfull death toward all that are His. This also letteth us see what we must doe when this world and the things of it are forcible upon us Vse 2 when our hearts feele the life of sin strongly making to them come to Christ dying speake to Him Thou Lord hast crucified this world thou hast overcome the strength of it thou didst dye not regarding the allurements of it why doe I feele it have so mighty a hand over me even bewitching me as it were at the sight of it So when I feele my sin stirring lively in the lawes of it then to fly hither Lord thou dying hast beene the death of the sin of thy people why doe I who am in thee find it stirre as if it never had received wound The more we get to see our selves in Christ dying for the abolishing of all our sins the more we shall feele them wasting in us Let us give glory to this glorious death which maketh us all to dye Vse 3 As in the naturall body kill the head and all the members dye after so here c. This sheweth us why it is that sin liveth in so many men in the world Vse 4 even from this that they are not engrafted into Christ and so doe not partake of the influence of that spirituall life which from Christ the head floweth into all His members Buryed with Him in baptisme you have put off your sins being set into Him dying and buryed ingrafted with Him buryed in or by your baptisme Observe hence Doct. God doth unite us with Christ even by our baptisme the Lord doth by baptisme signifie to us and confirme thus much yea worke it as by an instrument namely the putting His Christ crucified upon us and our ingrafting into Him dying and rising Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For first by baptisme is sealed our communion w th Christ dying and rising secondly our communion in the effects which are mortification and vivification but yet wee must not think though God useth outward baptisme of His minister that this ministeriall action bringeth forth grace as the Papists doe who hold that God doth so use the ministeriall baptisme that He lifteth up that action as an instrumentall cause to worke grace so that it neither commeth solely from God nor yet immediately For this must be held that the power and act of producing grace is only and immediately from God There are two sorts of instruments some worke somthing with the Principall worker others doe not operari aliquid but ad aliquid they worke to something but not any thing having force to cause that whereto they worke such are Gods meanes which He useth and coordeyneth with him selfe in working of all such things which are not wrought but onely by power omnipotent thus he healed the blind with clay and spittle thus He overthrew the walls of Iericho with the blowing of Rams hornes But one may say this is absurd Object to use meanes which shall doe nothing doth any man doe thus Men use meanes which worke something in that they doe with them Answ because their force doth not reach alone to the effect they intend without the helpe of the meanes concurring with them but Gods force being alsufficient it is not absurd for Him to take to Him selfe such instruments in giving grace which are of no force to produce it especially when hereby he exerciseth our obedience faith c. He that planteth and he that watereth is nothing 1 Cor. 3.7 in regard of working in the soule that they tend to the Gospell is sayd to be the power of GOD to salvation Rom. 1.16 because through GOD it is powerfull who accompanyeth it immediately and enty rely working faith by it Yet Papists will not say that the Preachers syllables are elevated by GOD to rayse up the dead in sinnes and trespasses This then is to be firmely held that GOD useth baptisme of engrafting us with Christ and mortifying and quickning us in Him Vse yet the baptisme of water doth not conteyne any force nor is not lifted up to any such agency whereby grace is properly produced But it may be asked Quest how we are set into Christ with baptisme when none must be baptised but those if they be adulti who have faith in appearance and so are already in Him Things are sayd to be done when they are manifested and done in a further degree then before they were Answ thus the believer baptised is by baptisme manifested to be so before the Church yea often to Himselfe the more plentifull grace of God comming into Him while he useth it faithfully and his faith being more strengthened the union is more confirmed The use is to stirre us up that we would looke backe to our baptisme Vse which sealeth unto us so great matters if we have sealed bonds we will have them sometime read to us that we may know what