who is both able and will recompence your well doing Remembring on the other side that whatsoeuer hee bee that doth wrong whether Maister or seruant thereof hee shall receiue the punishment from the Lord who accepteth neither the person of the seruant to pitty him because of his poore base estate nor of the Maister to spare him because of his dignity and high degree The summe is the setting forth of the duty of the last pare and couple in the houshold id est of the Maisters and seruants But first wee are to speake of that which remaineth of the other Text of Children and Parents First childrē are cōmanded to giue obedience to parents Verse 20. by obedience is meant all duties which children owe to their parents which are diuers And first of a duty which belongeth to all them in the household husband wife parents children maisters seruants viz. to pray perticulerly one for another and more perticulerly then for others for parents that they are bound to it we see it in Iob that he prayed Iob. 1. for his children being at feasting least they should let any sinne ouerpasse them in their feasting wherein they might offend And by the same reason children are bound to pray for their parents And also by the commandement the subiects are commanded 1. Tim. 2 1. 2 to pray for their Princes And so Princes to pray for their people as Dauid doth in sundry psalmes wherein he maketh prayer for himselfe and his people 1. Kings 18. Salomon also doth the like in second Chronicles 6. 21. But to come to more perticuler Particular duties of children duties of children to their parents 1. Reuerence viz. a speciall reuerence which they are to cary to their parents aboue others secondly loue a perticuler loue of their parents in regard also that they are set ouer them of God These are inward things Outward duties are first a reuerent behauiour in their countenance and cariage towards them in their wordes and in their workes to be ready to obey and do those things they are commanded not contrary to God And therefore it is said in all things viz. not to Note obey their parents in that which they themselues like but in all things though hard and contrary to their owne liking if it be not against the word of God And one speciall duty of obedience is to beare with all and couer the infirmities of their parents as Sem and Iaphet did to their father Noah Gen 9 23 Further if the parents haue need they are to relieue and maintaine their parents 1. Tim. 5. 4. for if the children be able to maintaine them the Church is not to be burdened Amongst other a most notable duty is that whereby Note children are to yeeld obedience to their parents in being bestowed by their parents in their occupations and manner of life And therefore we see that Adam bestowed his sonnes one in tilling the land the other in keeping cattle But more especially in marriage they are not to suffer themselues to be bestowed without their parents consent Where we see the wretched disobedience of children that will giue themselues at their owne pleasure contrary to their parents consent And a wretched and foolish peeuishnesse-crept into Note the harts of children that they will take it in great dislike if their parents be spoken vnto before themselues cleane contrary to the example of the Scripture and euen contrary to the practise of heathen and naturall men As we see Ismael would not marry but by his mothers consent and contrariwise what a hart-breaking was it to Isaac and Rebecca that Esaw married Gen. 18. contrary to their consent So that this is a speciall duty of children both sonnes and daughters not to marry or choose their husbands or wiues without their parents consent So that their parents do match them so as may be equall and fit for them in regard Note of age estate c. Whereas if parents force their children contrarie to reason for gaine c. they deale wretchedly in that And as parents are not to force their children so children are not to disobey their parents when in age and condition they find out fit matches for them in any sort And a reason that parents are to be obeyed of Note their children in those things that are good is because they are obedient also in the same vnto the Lord. And we know it is an easy matter if with one whiting a man may paint two wals it is more easy for him to paint one But our obedience therefore must be in the Lord viz. onely in those things onely wherein they command according to God And therefore Ioh. 2. our Sauiour CRHIST when his mother bid him change water into wine refused he denied her because the time was not come But we may not speake as he spake for we must if they command vs contrary to the word of God with all reuerence deny to do it and not in any controlling or snappish fashion In that he saith parents he meaneth both father and mother for children because the father hath more authority and because peraduenture the inheritance lyeth vpon his disposition will obey their father but they care not for their mother Howbeit obedience is commanded to both And Ex. 10 12. howsoeuer it commeth oftentimes that the children are disobedient by the too much tendernesse of the parents yet the children are not to trust to that for if they leese their parents loue through their wicked behauiour they can not assure themselues of Gods Note A foolish sonne saith Salomon doth ouerthrow his fathers estate and driues away his mother viz. both ouerthroweth and driueth away both and maketh parents that they cannot abide the sight of them As the hatred of brethren is strong because their A simile loue which was great is broken So if parents loue which is farre greater be broken the hatred will be the more The duties of parents are diuers 1. To see the Parents duties disposition of the children and according to their fitnesse to dispose them in this or that calling specially Eph. 6. 4. to bring them vp in the feare and information of the Lord. Secondly to lay vp for their children 2. Cor. 12. 14. And further not to prouoke them by vndiscreet Verse 21. correction in not correcting them according to their sexes and ages as when they correct their sonnes and daughters and all alike which may prouoke them or giue occasion at the least for children ought to beare it patiently though they be iniuried yet they may discourage their children by indiscret and too hard correction And on the other side parents are to take heed that they kill not their children by too much pampering them which is oft times the cause of the death of their soule body as Dauid did his sonnes who when he was loath to displease them Absolon
therefore though the Papists should sing neuer so vnto the Lord onely which yet they do not for they haue their songs also vnto the Saints c. yet it is no true singing which the Lord requireth when they sing with the tong onely Lastly we must sing them vnto the Lord alone and to him we must sing songs of praise and thankes-giuing and therefore not to the Saints nor to any other creature whatsoeuer The end of the 26. Sermon The 27. Sermon COLOSS. 3. V. 18. 19. 20. 21. 18 Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as it is comely in the Lord. 19 Husbands loue your wiues and be not bitter vnto them 20 Children obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. 21 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged THE Apostle hauing discoursed seuerally and perticulerly of sundry duties of Christian men generall to all men of what states and conditions sexes and ages soeuer they be he now commeth to the perticuler duties belonging to euery one in their perticuler calling Verse 18. The Metaphrase Hauing instructed you in the duties which are generall to all I come to informe you in those that are speciall according to the seuerall callings of euery one of you as those which will easily come from you if you haue well profited in the former Now according to the order God himselfe keepeth in the fifth Commandement I will begin with the duty of inferiors You wiues therefore notwithstanding you haue other duties I exhort you as to that which is hardest for you wherein you are customably shortest and being performed others will easily follow that you be subiect obedient as to others that may bee aboue you as Parents and Magistrates so especially vnto your owne husbands as that which is the most comely thing of all because you I know striue to comelinesse Which obedience and subiection is not yet so absolute and so generall but it hath this exception so farre as you are commanded things not vnlawfull by the word of God You husbands although you owe sundry duties vnto your wiues yet specially I exhort you to loue them dearely as that which you are most customably shortest in and which being throughly setled in you will easily pull all other duties after it And therefore be not bitter to them which cannot stand with loue You children from a heart subdued and truly humble obey your parents not by halues and so farre as they cōmand things to your liking but in all things not contrary to the word of God although it be to the crossing of your desires for which cause let it be alwayes before your eyes as a goade to stirre you vp to this obedience that in so doing you shall not onely please your parents but doe a thing acceptable to the Lord himselfe You parents abuse not your authority or the pliable minds of your children either by cōmanding things vnlawfull or by hard vsage of them to prouoke them to any vndutifulnesse towards you or to haue no courage or comfort to do the things required of them The summe of all which is an Exhortation which the Apostle giueth to the most straightest bonds amongst men The first of the Wife and Husband Which are the straightest bonds betweene men The second of the Parents Children But first we are to speake of the last verse of the other text Whatsoeuer yee do or say c. The Apostle Verse 17. had trauelled in setting forth vnto them many speciall duties they ought to performe as Christian men and women And because it were an infinite thing to set downe all duties perticular to Christians he wisely comprehendeth all both those duties spoken of before all other duties in this verse saying Whatsoeuer yee say or do let all be done in the name of our Sauiour Christ The like doth our Sauiour Christ who hauing spoken in the 5. and 6. and part of the 7. of Mathew of the duties to our neighbours doth comprehend all the duties which we owe to our brother in all the Law and Prophets in this Do as ye would be Math. 7. 12. done by So here the Apostle doth The like we haue 1. Cor. 10. Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do 1. Cor. 10. 31. Note do all to the glory of God Here we haue a very Notable rule that we should not speake nor do any thing but that which we may commend vnto God in prayer And therfore euery man ought to purpose with himselfe in the day to do nothing else but that which is good and right and this will be a meanes to keepe him from whoring drinking all vnhonest things when as he is to do onely that which he should desire a blessing in prayer of God in and for which after we are to returne to God in thankes-giuing againe which none is so sencelesse as that hee will do for his sinnes and wickednesse he hath committed And indeed there is no good thing whatsoeuer a man doth as to speake of Law Physicke c. which of themselues are good and therefore cannot be good vnto vs though to others they may be vnlesse we commend them vnto the Lord in prayer Here also we are taught in that we are to pray to God and thanke God for all good things we say and do we haue them not of our selues but from the Lord. After the Apostle doth set downe a notable Exposition Verse 18. of the fifth Commandement 1. beginning at the duties of the neerest bonds and first hee setteth the duty of the inferiors to the superiors And first he sheweth forth the duties of those which owe commō duties together one to another mutually as husband and wife and then the duties of them ioyntly to those that are vnderneath them both And this is the order which the Apostle vseth who hauing set downe generall duties of Christianity before he now commeth to particular thereby insinuating that those that haue laboured to obserue the generall as of Holinesse Temperancy Long-suffering Loue c. they shall more easily performe these particular duties This is a notable doctrine and therefore we see Iethro counselleth Moses to choose such Exod. 18. 21. rulers to helpe him as hated couetousnesse This is a generall duty to hate couetousnesse noting that if they were faithfull in that they would be good Gouernours and Magistrates and Captaines And therefore we see Ioseph hauing all which his maister had Gen. 39. 5. 9. vnder his hand saue his wife is said to haue ordered all things well the reason is because hee feared God that is because he had the generall duty Againe therefore we see that seruants by the generall duty of doing their duty in the sight of God are perswaded to obedience to their maisters So that this is to teach vs to labour principally for to haue the loue and feare of God and to do our duties as
in the sight of God which is a meanes to helpe vs in our particular calling And as it is a true thing that if I loue all men and performe duty to all men as much as I can then much more will I do it to my wife children those that depend vpon me according to this Rule of the Apostle And as that is true so also the diligent and true performance of the duties of our particular calling is a great meanes to helpe and to confirme vs in the generall duties 1. Rom. The Apostle taking an oath and calling God to witnesse confirmeth the faithfulnesse of his oath by his faithfulnesse in his particular office of his Ministery And to Timothy hee saith 1. Tim. 3. 5. that he that is not able to gouerne his wife and family priuately is not fit to gouerne publickely in the Church or Common-wealth For the particular duties first of Wiues In the Epistle to Titus though the Apostle requireth Loue of Tit. 2. 4. the yonger wiues to their husbands and children yet they are not so ready to bee behinde hand in Loue as in this duty of Subiection for when she is admitted to the friendly and amiable vse of her Husband that she hath Power ouer his body as he of hers therefore 1. Cor. 7. 4. she thinkes she is shut out from subiection to his authority and therefore it is that the Apostle so stands especially vpon that duty of subiection for concerning loue it is vsually more exceeding in women then in men And therefore Dauid in his verses on Ionathan saith 2. Sam. 1. 26. his loue exceeded the loue of women But he insisteth vpon her obedience And hee bringeth this reason because it is comely It had beene a notable reason to haue perswaded her to subiection because the Lord commands her will to bee subiect vnto her husband And howsoeuer before the fall she Gen. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 14. 34. was subiected vnto him yet after the fall her yoke was heauier therfore the Lord saith Thy wil shall be subiect to thy husband he shall rule ouer thee Againe as 1. Cor. 11. 9. Hee might haue said the woman was made for the man not the man for the woman And Gen. 2. 18. the woman was taken out of the man not the man out of the woman And a more notable reason is in 1. Tim. 3. 14. The woman was deceiued not the man for hee was led away by affection to her and was not deceiued And to Titus the Apostle rendreth another reason of this Tit. 2. 5. subiection least the Gospell be euill spoken of therefore the wiues should be subiect to their husbands But here the Apostle rendreth this reason that it Note is comely because women delight in neatenesse and comlinesse And howsoeuer they thinke it a disgrace to be subiect yet the Apostle saith this is more comely to be subiect And S. Peter standeth much vpon it 1. Pet. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. teaching that the comlinesse of a woman which is most comely in the sight of God is that she be quiet humble and obedient And therefore if women will haue their rings Iewels and bracelets as an ornament and comelinesse to them let them bee decked with this to bee humble in obedience to their husbands And yet this subiection is restrained that it be in the Verse 18. Ephe. 5. 24. Lord if hee bee too seuere and command things not fit yet she is not to reiect the yoke of obedience but go vnder it but if hee giue commandement contrary to God shee is not to obey therein following the Apostles rule It is better to obey God then Man Acts 4. 19. Then hee setteth downe the duty of husbands Verse 19. And howsoeuer there are many duties inioyned thē yet the principall duty the Apostle requireth is loue because men are vsually short and cold in that affection Indeed in the affection and loue for fornication they will be oftentimes exceeding hot but in this true loue are farre short and too strait-laced The Apostle setteth forth this affection of a man in Ephe 5. saying that he should loue his wife as his Ephe. 5. 28. 1. Pet. 3. 7. owne body And the reason is because shee is weaker and full of infirmities and weakenesses and therefore he is to couer them by loue For if he haue maymes or Prou. 10. 12. blemishes in his body hee will bee ready to vse all meanes to hide them so must the man do to his wife being his owne body And the Apostle Saint Peter sheweth a generall 1. Pet. 4. 8. duty of loue to couer many infirmities Aboue all things saith he haue feruent loue for lour shall couer the multitude of sinnes And the Apostle saith further Note hee is not to bee bitter For loue hath no gall in it and therefore the husband is to exercise his loue toward his wife by auoiding all manner of bitternesse toward her The twenty and 21. are handled in the next Sermon The end of the 27. Sermon The 28. Sermon COLLOSS 3. V. 22. 23. 24. 25. 22 Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God 23 And whatsoeuer yee do do it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men 24 Knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of the inheritance for yee serue the Lord CHRIST 25 But he that doth wrong he shall receiue for the wrong that he hath done and there is no respect of persons THE Apostle commeth from the generall duty belonging to all Christian men to the perticular duties of men in the houshold And hauing spoken of the duties of husbands and wiues and of parents and children hee commeth now to the last couple in the houshold of Maisters and Seruants As if hee should say You seruants from a minde subdued obey your Verse 22. The Metaphrase Maisters whose commandement ouer you is but for a time whiles you are in this fraile estate and that in all things which may stand with the keeping of a good cōscience Now your seruice must not be alone when your Maister stands by and looke on as seeking onely to please your Maisters but in singlenesse of heart as fearing God whose eye is alwaies vpon you when your Maisters eye is off Your seruice ought also to bee voluntary and cheerefull as that which is due to the Lord who loueth a cheerefull giuer and not as vnto man that cannot discerne whether it be done frankely Knowing that you shal receiue in reward from the Lord life as an inheritance which hee will freely as vpon his children bestow vpon you for it ought to vphold you in your dutifull seruice that you serue not so much your Maisters which are but men and therefore sometimes vnthankefull and vnable to recompence but the Lord
A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE of Saint Paule written to the COLOSSIANS PREACHED By Thomas Cartwright and now Published for the further vse of the Church of God COLOSSIANS 3. 16. Let the Word of CHRIST dwell in you richly in all wisedome LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes and are to be sold by George Norton dwelling neere Temple-barre 1612. A DILVCIDATION OR EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE of S. Paule the Apostle to the Colossians deliuered in sundrie Sermons The first Sermon COLOS. CHAP. 1. VER 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother IT will make much for the vnderstanding of the place in hand and of this Epistle to know the occasion of the Apostles writing for thereby we shall more easily come to the vnderstanding of the things deliuered by the Apostle The occasion is drawne from the text it selfe for whosoeuer will know the drift of the Scripture must take it from the place of Scripture it selfe being sometimes set in the beginning as in the booke of the Prouerbes sometimes in the later end as in the generall Epistle of Peter Sometimes in the middest as 1. Tim. in one verse the drift is deliuered Sometimes of the whole body of the Scripture that is handled whether Psalme Prophecy Epistle c. The point in hand is set forth in the 6. 7. 8. verses In the 8. verse the occasion which was this that whereas the Colossians had receaued the Gospell well and soundly preached vnto them first they suffered themselues to go a side and to follow vaine conceits or reasons drawne from Philosophie in the sixth and seuenth the second cause is shewed which is that they suffered themselues to be lead away to follow the ceremonies of the Law which before had been the ordinances of God but beeing ceased are become the traditions of men as the Apostle calleth them For the better vnderstanding of this Epistle we are to know the conueyance of the matter of it And as in all Paules Epistles he vseth to set downe first the principall grounds of religion Secondly the exhortations And as he vseth in other so doth he in this Epistle It therefore contayneth-two poyntes first the deliuery of the body and of the substantiall poyntes in religion of our Sauiour The second parte beginning at the 3. chapter is a declaration of the godly conuersation wherein all true professors of the Gospell which professe CHRIST must liue The first and second Chapters are of doctrine the other of manners In the first is deliuered the truth and sincere and plaine doctrine in briefe of the Gospell set forth In the second are rooted vp and throwne downe all those wretched opinions which were by the false Apostles sowne in the hearts of the Colossians That which he speaketh of manners beginneth at the third Chapter where first the Apostle exhorteth generally to all good holy righteous workes Secondly from the generall he falleth to the particular declaration of those duties he would haue them practize As of masters to seruants parents to children and children to parents of husbands to wiues and wiues to husbands c. And then returneth againe to generall exhortations and this is as it were the generall conueyance of the matter of the Epistle In this text to the 14. verse he doth labour to draw the Colossians to the knowledge of his loue to them which he doth first by his preface which is vsuall in all his Epistle is n his salutations wherein he wisheth good things vnto them from God The 2. thing to perswade them of his loue is a testification that he did pray for them in both kindes both by praysing and thanking God for thinges they had receaued and by petition where he prayed to God and desired the increase of the graces of God in them And hereby he insinuateth himselfe and stampeth as it were in their mindes his loue and affection to them to the end his doctrine might be the better receaued by them 1 As if he should say I Paule vnderstanding that there are some that go about to spoyle you and to make a prey of you partly by shew of wisdome and Phylosophy and partely by the beggerly elements or ceremonies of the Iewes thought it needfull to write vnto you that according as you haue receaued IESVS CHRIST at the first euen so that you would both abide and proceed further in him that you may be rooted and further built in the faith And that I write vnto you know that I doe it with warrant for I am an Apostle of IESVS CHRIST noâ— tyed â—â— one perticular congregation or to one prouince yea or to one kingdome but am an Embassador and haue commission vnto all the world Neither doe I come to this charge of mine one will 〈…〉 the will of any other man but by the will of God and the same his reuealed will And albeit my authoritie her in be sufficient to conuince all men of the truth I write of yet for further and stronger perswasion thereof I haue ioyned Timothy my beloued brother to beare record with me that in the mouth of two witnesses the truth may be more surely established And considering that the blessing of all labours dependeth vpon the Lord our beginning is with harty prayer vnto God for the grace and fauour of God to be freely giuen together with all the blessings both of this life of the life to come from God the father from our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you Colossians yet not all that dwell in that Cittie but vnto those alone which by faith are Saintes and brethren not in the flesh but in IESVS CHRIST And that you may haue further testimony of our loue towards you know that we doe continually both pray and giue thanks for you vnto God whom to seperate from all false Gods I doe call the father of our Lotd IESVS CHRIST For the report of your profession of godlinesse in CHRIST IESVS and of your loue towards all Saintes is come vnto vs. Which both profession and loue we know to be sincere in that they are vphoulden in you through the hope and expectation of a treasure layd vp not vpon earth but in heauen which hope you haue conceyued not of your owne phantasy nor of the word of any man but by the word of truth that is to say the Gospell And if you aske which is that truth or Gospell verily noe other then that which is preached among you now which is not amongst you alone but is preached in all the world a certaine note of the truth thereof there hauing beene neuer nor neuer shall be any doctrine which hath leuened so great a lumpe of dough as is the world but onely the doctrine of the Gospell And for further assurance that it is the onely truth of God I offer this to your consideration that as in other places of the world so amongst you it hath brought forth fruite euen sithence the first
and conuersation And heere the Apostle sets forth 1. those things that are generall to the 18. verse of this chapter and then certaine perticuler duties of Parents Children Maisters and Seruants and after hee returnes againe to giue precepts vnto them all in generall Being through faith ingrafted and incorporated The Mataphrase Verse 1. into Christ as hath bene said and as your selues professe as touching sinne dead and buried with him and as touching newnesse of life quickened and risen againe Now if in truth you be risen with Christ then as Christ rising remained not on earth but ascended vp into heauen where vnder God as touching his Manhood he is exalted in power and maiesty aboue all Powers and Principalities in heauen and earth so you by seeing and seeking after the graces that come from aboue ascend vp whether he is gone The summe of all which is a generall exhortation to holinesse of life and sanctification The parts are two exhortations 1 To newnesse of life 2 To mortification day by day till wee bee slaine by death it selfe There are some things to be learned of the comparing that before with this 1. After the Apostle had laid downe the grounds of true doctrine and ouerthrowne the false he now teacheth wholesome duties of good life Whence we learne that except wee be grafted into CHRIST wee cannot possibly bring forth any good workes And therefore the Apostle layeth down first the doctrine of Iustification by CHRIST alone And therefore if men haue not faith the best workes are sinne not to speake of Nunneries which are the nests of vermine Further this is to ouerthrow the Papists that thinke by the naturall power they bring into the world before any grace is giuen them of God they can do good works and after they merit and deserue it whereas it is euidently taught heere they are all sinne before they be grafted into CHRIST A second thing is that the Apostle vpō the doctrine of Christianity buildeth good works And therfore in the Epistle to the Romans he telleth that nothing can bee done without faith then after hee exhorteth to Rom. 14. 23. good workes So to the Galathians hauing Preached faith in CHRIST hee perswadeth them to doe good workes In vaine wee make profession of good workes and bring forth nothing in our life and conuersation Iam. 2. 26. Faith without workes is dead If a man knew all the things in heauen and the earth and he were mounted vp as high as the Angels yet if his life bee not answerable hee had bene better neuer to haue made profession When the Apostle hath spoken against Circumcision new Moones and Holy daies saue the Sabaoth of touching and handling a man will say what will you haue vs doe nothing of this then let vs set the cooke on the cooke let vs eate and drinke and make good-cheere and take our pleasure The Apostle answereth that the Lord hath not taken away the yoke to follow our owne lusts but to glorifie God thereby And therefore it hath beene found that they haue taken more paines to go to hell then others haue done because wee will not fast and pull downe our bodies but they condemne Papists almes because they giue none themselues 1. Point an exhortation to quickning and newnesse of life If yee haue bene raysed c. where the Apostle layeth vs to our tryall and giueth vs a notable tryall whether we are of CHRIST for then we are raised vp to heauen but if wee bee grouelings heere in the things of this life then wee are not risen againe but are on earth for all these go together for hee that is grafted in CHRIST hee is quickened and hee riseth with CHRIST for hee rose not on earth but into heauen Now let vs examine whether wee are risen with CHRIST which is if wee ascend which may bee knowne if we seeke the things aboue Seeke that is to haue a care for that a man seeketh he desireth to come vnto and takes care for and so the Apostle saith a man must study and muse with himselfe So Salomon willeth wee should dig and labour for wisedome otherwise it is no signe that we are risen with CHRIST Now let vs consider if wee bee in the number of those that seeke after heauen There are found many that seeke for things of this life and change countries to make themselues rich But how many haue come to seeke the word nay when they haue it brought to their dore they do contemne it these are far from being raised with CHRIST There are 2 things in seeking 1 Knowledge 2 Practise Now let vs examine whether our eares are bored and whether wee gape for knowledge as the earth doth for raine So saith Dauid when hee was in the wildernesse persued by Saul O how haue I desired to Psalme 63. come vnto thy Tabernacle though hee knew neuer so much Let vs labour to bee in the number of these but if we haue bene slacke in this then let vs see what we haue bene in the other for it is easier to know the will of God then to practise it Sitteth at the right hand i where we must continue in knowledge and practise as also to teach vs that CHRIST sits After he sets forth our seeking by the cause for if wee haue no sauour of the things that are aboue wee will neuer seeke them For till such time as wee haue aloue to the things aboue it is impossible to seeke for them And therefore it was well said that the delight doth perfect the action where the desire is there will bee doing Psal 119. MEM. O how I loue thy Law and therefore Psal 119. 97. my study is in it all the day long so that without loue we should not loue and study after it O tast and see how good the word of God is if you had once tasted it you would seeke after it The Apostle Saint Peter exhorteth them to auoid 1. Pet. 2. 1. 2. all malice guile and enuy and as new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the word If you had tasted And hee saith tasted alluding to yong children newly borne that at first will not tast but the mother vseth some meanes but after they come to it so if we haue tasted of the word wee will seeke after it The end of the 21. Sermon The 22. Sermon COLOSS. 3. V. 2. 3. 4. 2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth 3 For ye are dead and your life is hid with CHRIST in God 4 When CHRIST which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory WE are entred into the second part of the Epistle which is an exhortatiō to a good life drawne from the former in the first Chapter Set your 1. Loue not the things that are on earth Now wee are to know what things we are to sauour of that we sauour not
these graces come of Loue from Faith So that Loue is indeed the mother of these as the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. sheweth that the fruits of Loue are Long-suffering c. For as the mother for Loue doth thinke all paines A Simile to be nothing because of the affection shee beareth towards her childe euen so if we haue loue it will bee laborious and stirring And therefore it is not enough outwardly to bow and make curtesie vnlesse loue be in the heart Loue the bond of Perfection id est wheresoeuer loue is there will be the performance of all duties For if there be loue towards me I shall haue this man to be Note my hand to helpe me that man to bee my foot to carry me and the Minister mine eye to direct me c. So that hereby it is that wee are all bound and tyed together in all good duties Doctrine And then he saith we must haue the Peace of God to rule vs where he noteth that by nature our spirits are contentious and ready to fall out and therefore it is necessary that wee let the Spirit of God bee the controller of our out-ragious affections as the Controller of the house Lastly Thankefulnesse This is another fruit of Loue and a singular Nurce of peace and quietnesse when by guifts men giue one to another and requite one another they testifie their thankfulnesse one to another This was the practise of the children of God in their Feasts and Solemnities as we see in Hester 9. 19. according as wee vse at the beginning of the yeare to send New-yeares-gifts And therefore it is a commendable thing and necessary to maintaine loue one amongst another to vse to giue mutuall gifts and to bid one another to Feasts The end of the 25 Sermon The 26. Sermon COLOSS. 3. V. 16. 17. 16 Let the word of CHRIST dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes Hymnes and Spiritual songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoeuer yee shall doe in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord IESVS giuing thankes to God euen the Father by him THE Apostle in his Exhortation tending partly to Mortification forbearing that is euill Quickening and doing good workes hath exhorted to diuers duties which are good and necessary to be done of the godly and dehorted from the euils to bee eschewed Now hee commeth to a more generall exhortation wherby they might be furthered vnto all those good duties before spoken all other holy duties which cannot bee particularly reckoned vp And whereby also they might bee kept from all euill things which are forbidden To the end you may refraine all the vices aforesaid Verse 16. The Metaphrase and practise all the vertues afore-spoken together with all other vices to bee auoided and vertues to bee embraced it is necessary that you bee exhorted that the word of God be as familiar vnto you as if now in one house it dwelt with you that you haue it also plentefully and as it were treasured vp against the day of need Last of all that you haue it in all wisedome making choice both of the things that are most important in it and especially that which doth most concerne your selues and your owne particular vse auoiding all curious questions tending rather to strife then to edification of God which is by faith And as you must haue it for your owne vse so also for the vse of others as well in teaching those that are ignorant as in admonishing those that walk not according to their knowledg they haue receiued And in your meetings to make merry let your mirth bee shewed forth in Psalmes singing as well with instrument as with voyce also with Hymnes of thankes-giuing for benefits receiued and for further variety against irkesomenesse which our nature ealy falleth into with songs of praysing God for his noble acts all spirituall vnto the Lord not onely with the voyce but especially with the heart with such both tune and gesture as may giue grace to the hearer To conclude because it is infinite to speake of all things perticularly whatsoeuer you doe in word or deed let it bee such as calling on the name of God in IESVS CHRIST for good direction in them you may returne with thankfulnesse to GOD the Father through IESVS CHRIST the onely Mediator betweene God and vs. The summe is an notable and excellent instruction and direction for vs in all the waies wee haue to walke in First consider of a speciall duty Of all Christian men Secondly a generall duty Speciall duty which is to sing and to praise the Lord. The other generall to all men The speciall duty towards God our selues Men and other men To our selues hee requireth of euery man the propper vse of the word to himselfe the word of Christ dwels c. It is called the word of CHRIST because he is the Author and obiect of it Heere he requireth 1. that it must dwell in vs. 2. it must bee richly in vs 3. with all wisedome For the first it must bee familiar with the word of God for as Eliphah sheweth the meanes to be familiar with God is to be familiarlly acquainted with his word And therefore wee must be acquainted with it as with that which dwelleth in our house with vs. As a man may haue other acquaintance and other businesse yet his speciall acquaintance is in the house So ought we to bee with the word of God And therefore it is said wee must haue the word of God dwelling in vs it must not bee loose as Math. 13. the seed by the way-side but it must be rooted in vs as the Apostle saith And Saint Iames saith it must be ingrafted Iam. 1. 21. Heb. 2. 1. 2. 3. into vs as the graft into the stock And Heb. 2. Seeing CHRIST is aboue all Angels it behooues vs to take heed to his word that we hold it well and bee not as riuen vessels that let it runne out This the Apostle speaketh heere is notably set forth in Psalme 119. 2. Psal 119. 11. part Hee couered the word in his heart as the husbandman that couereth the seed in the earth that it may take roote and bring forth fruite So that this is to be acquainted to haue the word dwell with vs. Secondly we must take care that it dwell richly in vs. We count not him a rich man that can talke of wealth but that hath his treasures and store-houses richly filled to draw out in time of need So must wee bee rich in the word And therefore as the rich man A simile corruptly dealing is neuer satisfied but is still desiring more and is neuer content with a little so ought we for the word Againe as the rich man taketh all paines and neuer rests so wee are to labour with diligence for the treasure of the word for nothing commeth by idlenesse And
his house but bids him Gen. 20. 7. restore her and he shall pray for him for he was a Prophet And the matter of his prayer he setteth downe to be 1. that they may continue vnto the end without any slacking or starting backe 2. that they may be increased in grace vntill they should be accomplished in the end which should not be perfected before they were dissolued And further he doth testifie his zeale and care towards Verse 13. them and mindfulnesse of them which himselfe was an ey-witnesse of though not of his priuate praier After he sendeth salutations of Luke viz. the Verse 14. Phisitian not the Euangelist for then he would haue giuen him that title and he sheweth that this man is to be loued because of the good to the Church in his skil of Phisicke Demas his salutation he setteth downe but giueth him no commendation because that as it seemeth he began now to slide away which after he did shamefully Then after this he desireth them to remember his salutations to the Church of Laodicea Where Verse 15. we learne as in all the other salutations so in this that it is a necessary duty to send salutations to our Note friends especially to those of the Church which professe the truth And amongst this Church he commends himselfe Verse 15. to one Nymphas and to his house which by reason of the good order gouernement in his whole house might be called a little Church For in his house there was obedience of wise children seruants c. Where Note he sheweth what a notable mercy of God it is when a family is well ordered and gouerned that all the family ioyne together in their duties to God and one to an other and therefore this commendation by this Epistle of this man remayneth to the end of the world And therefore sheweth what an excellent commendation it is that the household ioyne togegether in singing vnto God in other religious duties And therefore sheweth our great infidelity that are so carelesse of this duty looking not for the blessing of God which he hath promised But if for one persoÌ„ as for one Ioseph in Putiphars house the whole Note house was blessed for one Iacob Laban blessed and for ten good men Sodom had been spared then when Gen. 18. 32. husband wife children and all are religious when those that command command a right and those that obey do it as they ought obseruing their duties in their place and order there must needs be a great blessing of God vpon that whole family and vpon euery one in the same After he willeth that this Epistle be read vnto the Verse 16. Church of Laodicea as that which not onely bel 〈…〉 d to them but vnto the whole Church of God being the word of God for the word of God as one saith is the Epistle of God to his creature Which teachetâ— vs Note that this belongs not onely vnto them to whoâ—â—t was sent but also vnto vs. And in that he commandeth it to be read we haue therein if there were no Note other place a manifest and plaine confirmation of the publike reading of the word in the Church Then he willeth them to warne Archippus which Verse 17. was their minister to fulfill the ministery which he had receiued of the Lord. Where he semeth to reprehend him of some slackenesse and negligence in executing the duty of the ministery where we learne that it is the duty of the minister to be carefull and diligent in the ministery which the Lord hath called him vnto and that he fulfil the worke committed vnto him and therefore must labour to increase in knowledge vsing the meanes that he may be more and more able to be of vse vnto the Church of God Ier. 48. 10. for as the Prophet Ieremy saith cursed are all they that doe the worke of the Lord negligently Which howsoeuer there it is spoken of the magistrate yet it belongeth as much also vnto the Minister Then doing his owne salutations vnto them Verse 18. He desireth them to be mindfull of him in his bonds and persecution which afterward he suffred doth in Which we haue heard of before which teacheth vs as to be mindfull of all that are in bonds for the truth sake so especially of the Ministers Lastly he commendeth them vnto the grace of God desiring the gracious fauour and blessing of God vpon them And saith Amen assuring himselfe of the grace and 〈◊〉 of God towards them that God would heare 〈…〉 yer for them and shew his fauour towards 〈◊〉 And thus much of this Epistle wherein â—e haue heard the preface and the Epistle it selfe in which the Apostle perswads them vnto a constant embracing of the pure doctrine of Christ Iesus without the mixture of mans inuentions FINIS Trini-vni Deo Gloria