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A18073
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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
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Cartwright, Thomas, 1535-1603.
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1612
(1612)
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STC 4708; ESTC S117383
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138,468
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342
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earth how can his short sufferings counteruaile eternal death Answere Answere he was not man onely but also God and therefore was able at once to satisfie for al the punishment due for euermore to his childrē seruants for his infinite God-head did sustaine his Man-hood in suffering especially on the crosse the night before Therefore it is said by the eternal Spirit he offered vp the sacrifice for vs suffering that and bearing that Heb. 5. which men and women should haue suffered for euer in themselues But our Aduersaries of the Church of Rome obiect Obiect of the Aduersaries we are not saued by CHRIST from all our sins and therefore they abused that place to the 3 of the Rom. expounding the former sinnes to be originall and the rest to be satisfied and wrought out by vs. Againe they say the punishment we are to worke out he hauing taken away the sinne originall But we haue proues for this against them for saith Solution 1. Ioh. 2. Iohn 3. the Apostle he is the propitiation for sinnes viz. euen all And in Iohn he is the lambe of God that taketh away our sinnes not that did but that doth take away as those that were so also those that are Againe for that they say CHRIST taketh away the sinnes only and not the punishment they doe greatly abuse God himselfe for in Esay 53. CHRIST Esay 53. hath suffered the punishment and therfore this were to accuse God himselfe of false-hood and cruelty that would promise the taking away of our sinnes and forgiuenesse of our dets by CHRIST and yet would exact the vtmost farthing at our handes what an vniust thing were this Obiection They proue this by Dauid that for his sinnes he was punished by persecution at the handes of his Sonne and driuen from his kingdome and after it is told him his sinnes were forgiuen Answer But it were iniury to punish sinne twise Now seeing the punishment is borne in CHRIST the children of God are not punished for that were infinit and could not be suffered but onely chastened For Reu. 3. saith God those I loue I chasten so that if it come from Heb. 12. loue it is no punishment Againe from the effect it appeares it is no punishment because it is for their good on whom it is laid and therfore no punishment For punishments are to destruction And the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes compareth Heb. 12. all the afflictiōs that God laieth on his seruants to the corrections which a father layeth on his child For a father correcteth his child for two causes first that he might be better for though he doe him neuer so much iniury euen to burne his house yet if he loue his sonne he will onely correct him seeking to bring him to good order Another cause is that by his example and correction the rest of his children may be kept the better in awe Euen so the Lord dealeth with his children as a louing Father chastising them for their good The end of the seuenth Sermon The eighth Sermon COLOSS. 1. V. 15. to the 21. 15 Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature 16. For by him were all things created which are in heauen and which are in earth things visible and inuisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him 17 And hee is before all things and in him all things consist 18 And hee is the head of the body of the Church he is the beginning and the first borne of the dead that in all things hee might haue the preeminence 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell 20 And by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen THE holy Apostle hauing entred into the declaration of the redemption brought vnto vs sets forth the Causes First what God the father hath done for vs Secondly what God the Sonne hath done for vs. And now he commeth to a notable description of God the Sonne to shew vnto vs that in him we haue a full and plentifull redemption As if the Apostle should say This CHRIST that you may know what a A Metaph. 15. plentifull rich redemption you haue in him to the end you may rest in him alone is thus set forth vnto you as foloweth As touching his person standing of both natures he is the most liuely and expresse image and caracter of God not onely of his qualities if yet there were any qualitie in the God-head but of his very nature and essence In whom we may behold God which is inuisible and touch him that is insensible which is the principall heir of all the creatures in the world in whom we that beleue haue right vnto them For by him are all things created in heauen and earth things visible and inuisible euen the Angels themselues to the worshiping of whom you are seduced And amongst them all of what degree or place so euer they be whether they sit in Thrones or whether they haue Lordship principally or power ouer other Angels and all things elsse were both made by him and for him Wherefore he is before all things and all things haue their continuance and are vpholden by him And as touching his office which he executeth in respect of both natures he is the Head of the Church which is his body and he is the first fruites and first begotten of the dead not onely in respect that himselfe is risen but also in that he is the Autor of our resurrection which is here begun and shall be perfected in the last day when he shall change these vile bodies and make them like his glorious body For in him it is the good pleasure of God that the grace of the spirit should without measure fully dwel That by him he might reconcile vnto himselfe all things making peace by the death of his crosse betweene God and all men whether it be they which hauing beleued in him before his comming are now in heauen or others which being on earth do beleeue in him Here there is a description of Christ God and man touching his Person whereby hee gouerneth all things Office whereby hee gouerneth his Church Summe a description of the excellency of our Sauiour CHRIST which consisteth of two parts One touching the gouernment of our Sauiour CHRIST which hee hath ouer all things in heauen earth and hell the other touching the particular rule ouer his Church First he is called the image of the inuisible God that cannot bee seene by the eye of man And not onely is ment here but none can so much as come to the vnderstanding of God by the eye of the minde But by our Sauiour CHRIST we see the God-head those that were aliue when hee was on earth did
he proueth by a deuision whether in heauen or earth meaning vnderneath or aboue also and if any make a dout of that he taketh it away and saith whether visible oâ— inuisible whatsoeuer things were made were made by him Visible and inuisible He vseth this vpon occasion of an errour in the Colossians that they worshiped Angels departing from the truth and therefore the Apostle standeth vpon this point handling Angels of what order or degree soeuer Doctrine Whether Thrones viz. such as sit in Thrones or Lordship viz. which haue Lordship or whatsoeuer they were were made by him and therefore not to be worshiped but of that afterward when we come to the errour Vse but here we learne how fitting that good order is how acceptable it is vnto God in that the Angels which are with out sinne and haue no such need as we are not without order and seing they do vse order how much more are we to seeke for order which are so corrupt and confused And if inferior Angels in regard of order obey those ouer them much more should we be obedient to those ouer vs. And if wicked spirits to the accomplishing of their wicked purposes haue their orders some to command some to obey Therefore much more ought we And yet here ariseth comfort for vs that Note if the wicked Angels obserue order for to hurt vs yet the good Angels much more for ouer defense And the deuils though they are very strong and exceeding subtil yet it is not to be doubted but by their fall they haue lost much of that strenght which they had by their Creation The end of the eighth Sermon The ninth Sermon COLOSS. 1. V. 16. to the 21. 16. For by him were all things created which are in heauen and which are in earth things visible and inuisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him 17 And hee is before all things and in him all things consist 18 And hee is the head of the body of the Church he is the beginning and the first borne of the dead that in all things hee might haue the preeminence 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell 20 And by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen HERE is set forth as we haue heard in these and them that went before the description of our Sauiour CHRIST of his excellent and glorious estate consisting in the description of his Person Office The Person of CHRIST standeth of both natures both of the God-head and man-hood for those things here spoken can neither belong to the God-head a part not to the man-hood a part The last point spoken of out of the beginning of this part we are to consider further of viz. touching the Angels called here powers dominions principalities c. Where we obserued that seing there is such an order among the Angels such excellent creatures haue some superiours others inferiours And for so much as Angels are subiect to higher Angels much more ought men to be subiect to their Gouernours and Princes hauing far more need This was for instruction An other point for consolation was deliuered vpon this question whether the blessed Angels haue more strenght then the deuils Answer Notwithstanding the deuils haue great Note power and strenght and do great things yet they haue not such wisedome such power nor strenght to do mischiefe as the good Angels haue to defend the children of God The reason is that as men falling from their estate lost much of their wisedome wit strenght c. Euen so the wicked Angels are by their fall dishabled of that power and wisedome and strenght in comparison of the blessed spirits for further proofe of this reade Apocalips 20. 2. One Angel not said to be an Archangell or principall Angell but a meaner Angell is said to take the dragon the principall deuill by the necke as it were and bind him For when as the deuill at the increase of the Church about 30. yeares after the ascention of our Sauiour CHRIST began to rage mightely against the Church of God and would haue cleane deuoured it had not the Lord laid him on his backe It is said that an Angell tooke him and bound him vp for a 1000. yeares He proceedeth to set forth the excellency of our Sauiour CHRIST in that he saith by him were made Verse 16. all things where is noted the excellency of his personage that he must needes be indeed a meete and sufficient one for the great worke of the redemption because he was the Creator of all and if that was such an excellent worke then the Spirituall recreation regeneration is a farre more excellent thing and can be performed by none but by such a one which was God And therefore condemnes the Papist which is so wretched to take vpon him power to redeeme himselfe and to helpe himselfe to heauen Nay to helpe others by his good workes as they call them of super-errogation or rather to be called of superarrogation But is there any man that by his good workes can create himselfe or helpe in any part to the creation of himselfe Much lesse then is a man able to do any thing in the matter of his redemption As being not able to do any good thing thus the Lord hath called and regenerated him And as all the worke of our Creation dependeth on God as here it is proued so euery part and lot of our redemption is in God and by God alone For howsoeuer before wee bee called we haue life of body and motion yet toward the Kingdome of our Sauiour CHRIST we cannot moue a foore till the Lord bring vs He hath the praeheminence and all things are made Verse 17. for him Doctrine Where wee see that our Sauiour CHRIST is the Alpha 1 the beginning that made all and the Omega the end of all for whom all things are ordained And therefore how dare any challenge him or reason and dispute against him Shall the pot speake against the Potter For did not hee make all and did not hee Rom. 9. 20. Pro. 16. 4. make them to his glory as it pleased him whether to glorifie himselfe in their saluation or destruction and therefore what is it that wretches dare reason with God why he made man to destruction But faith the Prophet let the sheard reason with Isa 45. 9. the sheard not with the Potter and yet the Potter giues onely the forme not the matter but God maketh Note both the matter and forme All things are for him viz. our selues our soules Verse 16. Doctrine our bodies our honour credit children goods wit strength c are not to serue for our selues for our owne pleasure and delight to vse as wee list much lesse for others but onely