Churches good but rather imploying their parts and abusing their esteem for graces to their own mutual prejudice So such is the nature and power of this grace of Charity that it knitteth together all these scattered Members and makes their graces and gifts subservient to the good one of another and chiefly to the good of the whole so that the Church is hereby made a compleat intire body which was lame without it In this sense Charity is called the bond of perfection Vers. 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull He exhorts first unto a peaceable frame of spirit towards others such as God approveth of so that when any strife should arise among them it might be over-ruled and as it were judicially composed by this peaceable temper and this because they were called by God to entertain peace and were all Members of one Body And secondly he exhorteth unto mutuall thankfulnesse for favours received for as all the former duties relate to men as their immediate object so it would seem this of thankfulnesse must relate to man also Doct. 1. The vertue of peace importing a sweet quieting of a man 's own turbulent affections such as pride envy malice c. Isai. 11. 13. and a peaceable inclination towards the procuring and preserving of concord with others Heb. 12. 14. is most necessary for Christians and let the peace of God rule 2. It is not every peaceable frame of spirit which is to be sought after but that whereof God is the Author and approver which for attaining unto or preserving of concord will dispense with the losse not of truth and holinesse Heb. 12. 14. but onely of what is our own especially with the restraining and curbing of our sinfull and turbulent humors 2 Cor. 12. 20. So it is the peace of God to wit whereof he is Author and approver which should rule 4. Our esteem of peace ought to be such that when any contention doth arise our love to peace may presently compâ—sce it if it be possible or at least order all our actions which we are put to for our own necessary defence untill it be composed Gen. 13. 8 9. lâ—t the peace of God rule in your hearts It is a Metaphor taken from Judges in playes or strifes unto whose decreet all were bound to stand 5. Christians are called in a singular manner to put on this peaceable temper for Christ doth frequently injoyn it Joh. 13. 34. nothing marreth their work more than the want of it whether the thriving of grace in their own heart or the successe of the Gospel towards others 1 Cor. 3. 3. they are called to be members of an excellent society and so ought to be peaceable in it 1 Thess. 5. 13. To which also ye are called 6. The invisible Church of real Believers is one mystical body knit by faith to Christ their head Eph. 3. 17. and by the bond of love among themselves Joh. 13. 35. and the visible Church is one politick body 1 Cor. 12. 27. conjoyned with Christ the head and amongst themselves by the external profession of the same Truths which union is sealed by their partaking of the same Sacraments 1 Cor. 10. 17. In one body 7. The consideration of this that Christians are one body is a strong argument to excite unto peace In one body 8. Gratitude and thankfulnesse for favours received from others so as in our affections to prize the receit to acknowledge it unto the bestower and to recompense it according to our power and as the necessity of the benefactor or common decency doth require this is a vertue necessary for Christians as for other causes so that peace may be kept peace being broken as frequently for injuries received so sometimes for favours not recompensed 1 Sam. 25. 7 13. Therefore unto the exhortation to peace he subjoyneth and be ye thankeful Vers. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalmâ— and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. The Apostle having spoken of many vertues and it being almost impossible to speak of all he exciteth them to the diligent study of Scripture as the rule of all vertues shewing also what use they should make of Scripture First for themselves that they might be made compleatly wise by it Secondly for others that they might teach and admonish them by it Thirdly in relation to God they might take matter for spiritual praise unto him from it Doct. 1. Ministers should excite people to the diligent study of Scripture and people ought to be diligent in the study of it so as they may become familiar with it and it may sink down through the ear and brain to the heart and reside in it being fixed there by frequent reading hearing meditating upon Psal. 1. 2. and conferring about it Ps. 119. 46. whereby also they may attain to a copious measure of the knowledge of it for saith he Let the word of Christ that is chiefly the Gospel Heb. 2. 3. not excluding other Scriptures for the Prophets were inspired by the Spirit of Christ 1 Pet. 3. 19 and did also write of Christ Joh 5. 39. So that whole Scripture is the word of Christ and let it dwell in you it 's a metaphor which speaketh inward receiving of it and familiar conversing with it and let it dwell richly or copiously in you 2. There is that in Scripture which is sufficient to make a man compleatly wise unto salvation as containing all things necessary to be believed or practised 2 Tim. 3. 15. for this is the first fruit to be reaped by the study of Scripture it affordeth all wisdome In all wisdom 3. It is not only the duty of Ministers but also of private Christians keeping themselves within their station and not usurping upon the Ministerial Calling Rom. 10. 15. privately to teach and instruct as also to admonish and reprove one another and the knowledge and wisdom which they draw from Scripture is to be imployed for this end next after the advancing of their own salvation and not for vain ostentation profane jesting or idle jangling 1 Tim. 1. 4. 6. In all wisdom teaching and admonishing 4. The duties of teaching and admonishing among private Christians ought to be mutual there being none so compleat for knowledge so streight in his practice but he standeth in need to have those duties performed sometimes to him by others admonishing one another 5. Singing to God with the voice is a profitable Ordinance of Gods Worship under the Gospel as not only holding forth that which the Word read doth but also staying the heart upon the sweet and lively meditation of the matter which we sing and is most natively directed to the glorifying of God as its proper and immediate scope singing c 6. The Psalms of David and other
Patriarchs and at his incarnation unto all the holy Spirit did also appear in the form of a Dove Matth. 3. 16. and of fiery tongues Acts 2. 3 4. for the Father is here meant while he saith the image of the invisible God 3. As the Son is of the same essence and one God with the Father so he is a distinct person from him for he is the substantial image of the Father and an image must be somewhat distinct from that whereof it is an image 4. We cannot take up God aright savingly or to our comfort but when we look upon him as he is represented in the Man-Christ wiâ—hout whom God is a consuming fire to sinners and in whom he is well pleased So the man Christ is the image of the invisible God a glasse wherein we may behold him 5. Jesus Christ is true God having an eternal being he is not as he is God in the rank of Creatures but hath a Lordship and Dominion over them all so much is in these words the first-born of every creature he is first-born who was Lord over his brethren Gen. 27. 39. but not first created and so there is no ground from this Scripture to reckon him among the Creatures Vers. 16. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him 17. And he is before all things and by him all things consist He prosecutes the relation which Christ hath to things created holding him forth First as their Creator illustrated from a three-fold division of things created First from their place things in heaven and things in earth Secondly from their natures visible or invisible Thirdly he divideth the Angels one kind of the invisible creatures in thrones dominions principalities and powers whereby probably is meant the severall degrees and dignities of Angels but what those are in particular is wholly unknown to us Secondly he sets him forth as the last end of all the Creatures v. 16. Thirdly as being before them all in time and so explaineth how he is the first-born of every creature and Fourthly as the upholder of all the creatures by his power and providence v. 17. Doct. 1. How bent men are to have but low thoughts of Christ and of the ransome payed by him for the redemption of sinners appeareth from the Apostle's multiplying of conceptions to set forth his excellencie and worth 2. Jesus Christ is eternall God and so his blood of infinite worth all things being created by him as is twice affirmed in this verse which can be said of none but God Gen. 1. 1 3. As the Father hath created all things Gen. 1. 1. and upholdeth all things being made by the word of his power Acts 17. 28. so doth also the Son all those externall works are common to the whole three Persons who are onely distinguished by their inward Personall properties and order of working for by him to wit the Son were all things created and by him all things consist 4. There is varietie of Creatures of different kindes and different excellencies that man may see somwhat of God in every kind Ps. 104. through the whole and have somwhat whereupon to exercise every one of his externall senses and every one of his inward faculties for that end there being things visible and so subject to sense and things invisible which cannot be taken up but by the understanding things that are in heaven that are in earth visible invisible 5. All things created even the most excellent not excluding the glorious Angels and those who most transcend others in power and glory are created by Christ the work of his hands and so not onely are in the rank of Creatures but of his Creatures and would be so looked upon by us that he may have his own room in hearts all other things being contained in theirs for Paul that they might not detract any thing of the honour due to Christ by giving it to Angels extolls him as the Creator of Angels and of all things thereby depressing them as poor weak dependent Creatures by him all things were created that are in heaven that are in earth visible invisible whether they be thrones c. 6. All things are created for Christ the manifestation of his glory as God being the chief end of all so that he is the Alpha and Omega of them all Rev. 1. 8. all things being as from him so for him The setting forth of his glory is a rent due by all Creatures and is accordingly performed by them some give it in an active way as Saints and Angels Rev. 19. 1. some in a passive way as damned men and Devils Rom. 9. 17. and all in an objective way as having God's glorious attributes exerced about them and shining forth in them in some one in some another in the Elect mercy in the Reprobate justice Rom. 9 22. and in all the Creatures wisedome power and goodnesse Psal. 19. 1. for saith he all things were for him 7. All things created whether in Heaven or Earth visible or invisible as they have their first being from Christ by creation so they are continued and preserved in that their being by his providence if he should but with-draw his upholding hand they would quickly return unto their first nothing Ps. 90. 3. for by him all things consist Vers. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the pre-eminence He describeth Christ thirdly with relation to his Church shewing first he is her Head Secondly the beginning root and fountain cause of the Church and of all the spirituall graces thereof Thirdly the first who rose from the dead never to taste again of death the onely one that ever rose by his own power and who shall raise again all his members whereby his glory is made famous in all things death it self not being excepted Doct. 1. There is the same relation betwixt Christ and his Church which is in the naturall body betwixt the head and the members Christ as man being of the same nature with the Church Heb. 2. 14. the same holy Spirit which poured out grace on him Ps. 45. 2. without measure Joh. 3. 34. acting and residing in his members Rom. 8. 9. 11. all spirituall life and motion Col. 2. 19. yea the common influences of the Spirit flowing from Christ to the Church Eph. 4. 7. there being an indissoluble tye betwixt Christ and every Believer Joh. 10. 28. Christ being of much more worth than the Church is and sufficiently instructed with power and right to prescribe Laws unto and to govern and save the Church Eph. 5. 23 24. the Church again being subject to Christ's rule and Government Eph. 5. 24. and if separated from him would be wholly dead as deprived of all
wit abused Philosophy whereby they did presse the worshipping of Angels which he dehorteth from because those Hereticks did usurp the place of Judges to prescribe in the matter of worship thereby making Christians lose their reward of Heaven by departing out of the way which leadeth to it and because they did cover their heretical spirits and damnable error of Angel-worship by a shew of humility and arguments drawn from it and did determine boldly in those things whereof they were wholly ignorant and because they were puffed up with arrogance and pride arising from the gifts of their fleshly and corrupt mind Doct. 1. Error and Idolatry especially in Gods worship is a fearfull sin depriving those who are bewitched with it of the reward of Heaven and happinesse for the pressers of Angel-worship did beguile them of their reward 2. Such is the mad zeal of those who are the patrons of Idolatry as to presse their idolatrous opinions and practices with so much authority upon the consciences of people as to adjudge them to condemnation if they receive them not let no man deceive you of your reward the word signifieth let no man play the Judge over you defrauding you of your reward and is taken from the unjust dealing of Judges and Umpiers in Races who would by their authority presse men to run out of the way as they would not lose the prize and in the mean time make them lose 3. It hath been and yet is very usuall for vilest Hereticks to cover themselves with a more than ordinary shew of humility and self-denial in the whole strain of their carriage that so they may deceive the simple Rom. 16. 18. Those Hereticks did lurk under voluntary humility 4. The more of self-denial men of erring spirits do pretend to they are the more dangerous and the more to be eschewed so did the Apostle enjoyn the Colossians to beware of these Hereticks so much the more as they pretended to a voluntary humility 5. Though a duty or vertue were never so good in it self yet when men do place it in those things wherein God doth not it is a sin for they made worshipping of Angels to be humility pretending it were presumption to go to God at the nearest without the mediation of those blessed and glorious creatures and it was voluntary a humility of their own invention and therefore God makes it a part of their wickednesse 6. Though we are to give civil worship to men in place and authority or who excel in gifts and graces Exod. 20. 12. which ought to be given also to glorisied Saints and Angels in so far as to think reverently of them to blesse God for his goodnesse to them and the good which he doth unto us by them and to long to be in that state of happinesse which they enjoy yet religious worship as importing the subjection of our minds and consciences unto that which we worship belongeth only unto God Deut. 6. 13. and to give it as the Papists do unto any creature whether Saint or Angel is no lesse than grosse Idolatry for it is condemned here And the worshipping of Angels 7. Nothing ought to be received for a part of worship and much lesse to be pressed by us upon others as such the consonance whereof with the mind of God is not fully known and throughly understood so they are condemned for pressing those things on others which they did not understand themselves intruding into those things which they had not seen 8. It is the nature of Hereticks to be most bold and peremptory in those things whereof they understood least boldnesse confidence and ignorance are the usual companions of Heresie Jude 10. So they intruded into those things which they had not seen it is a word taken from the bold and losty going of those who acted the persons of Kings in Stage-playes 9. As pride and self-conceit are the usual attendants of Heresie so there is often much of pride and self-seeking where folk pretend to more than ordinary self-denyal and humility Vice is then arrived at the highest degree when it seeketh to vail it self under the pretence of the contrary vertue Isa. 66. 5. So those Hereticks who pretended much to humility were puffed up with their fleshlie mind 10. The mind of man is wholly corrupt and fleshly and cannot but miscarry when it taketh upon it to judge and command in the things of God according to the principles of natures light hence he calleth the mind fleshlie or corrupt with relation to divine worship 11. There is nothing by which a man will be more readily puffed up than the inward gifts of the mind if they be not sanctified such as wit knowledge eloquence memory c. hence he maketh their pussing up to slow from the mind vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind Vers. 19. And not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Here is another argument against the worshippers of Angels in that they impare the honour of Christ as head of his Church making Angels to share with him in it while-as they imployed them as Mediators with God to obtain grace and salvation when Christ alone doth discharge the office of an Head compleatly from whom the whole Body of the universal Church being knit to him the Head and one to another by the Nerves and Sinnews of one common Spirit doth receive spiritual nourishment and increase in the graces of Gods Spirit Doct. 1. So jealous is Christ in the matter of his own glory that he will not suffer any other to share with him in it if Saints Angels Pope or any other be made use of as conjunct collegues with and helpers of Christ in his Mediatory office he ceaseth to be a Mediator at all unto those who so do thus will they give but a share of the honour due unto Christ as Head to the Angels they are said not to hold the head or to be separated from the head and the vertue which floweth from it 2. What ever relation is taken on by Christ towards his Church whether of King Head Husband Brother Friend or any other he will be really forth-coming according to all which that relation doth import So as Head he doth all that which the head doth to the natural body he furnisheth us with life motion spiritual nerves arteries c. from whom the whole body c. 3. That sufficient influence for grace and spiritual nourishment may be conveyed from Christ the head to sinners it is necessary that they be unite and knit to him to wit by the Spirit of Christ Phil. 3. 12. and the grace of faith Eph. 3. 17. for those are the joynts and bands by which this nouvishment is ministred he speaks with an allusion to the nerves and arteries of the natural body whereby it is knit to the head and hath life and motion conveyed unto it
4. There is a band of Christian love wrought by the Spirit of God by which all the members of Christ's mystical body are knit together for Love is the band by which they are knit together chap. 3. 14. Doct. 5. The more of spiritual influence Believers do draw from Christ they will band the better among themselves for their being knit together by joynts and bands as the members of the natural body by their respective ligaments doth depend upon their receiving of nourishment from the head from whom the body having nourishment ministred and knit together 6. Growth and increase is required in the members of Christ's body and an increase not in pride and conceit of gifts but in knowledge humility faith patience and other graces 2 Pet. 1. 5. which come from God This is to increase with the increase of God that is which cometh from God 7. This Christian increase and divine growth is attained unto by keeping strict union with Christ and communion with his Members for their increasing with the increase of God supponeth nourishment ministred from the Head and themselves knit together by joynts and bands Vers. 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances 21. Touch not taste not handle not He reasoneth now against the third sort of Impostors mentioned v. 8. to wit ridiculous and superstitious rites and opinions in worship and doctrine He proponed those Impostors v. 8. in that order wherein they did break up first in the world but in the refutation he altereth the method medling with that first which had most of seeming reason for it His first argument against this head is to this purpose That seeing as he hath already proven they were freed from the Leviticall Ordinances called rudiments of the world see v. 8. which were instituted by God himself by what pretext of reason could they submit to superstitious rites appointed by men as if they were living in the world that is subjected in their consciences to the dictates of men v. 20. Of which ordinances he giveth one instance in the matter of meats and speaketh in the person of some one of those superstitious Rabbies discharging the people to touch or rather for eschewing tautologie and as the word doth also signifie to eat a little of such a meat then to taste it lastly to handle it v. 21. Doct. 1. Through vertue of Christ's under-taking to die for believers and the Father's acceptation of his death for them it followeth that all those benefits which were purchased by his death do as much belong unto them upon their laying hold upon him by saith as if they themselves had died Yea as to this effect they are reckoned to have died with him thus they were dead with Christ to those ceremonies and so they had no more power over them than the Laws of men have over those who are dead because Christ having by his death fulfilled what was typisied by them and so purchased freedome to his people from that yoke they had as much right to that purchased freedome as if themselves had died for it if ye be therefore dead with Christ c. 2. Our being freed from the tye of the Ceremoniall Law and ordinances thereof though appointed by God doth much more liberate us from the yoke of significant rites and religious ceremonies which are onely instituted by men he did not abrogate his own Ceremonies that men might appoint theirs and as it is sinfull for men to injoyn such so it is no lesse sinfull and a very betraying of that liberty which Christ hath purchased Gal. 5. 1. to give obedience to any such injunctions for he reasoneth from the abolishing of the ceremoniall Law to our not-subjecting of our selves to any ordinance of that kind if ye be therefore dead why are ye subject to ordinances 3. The authors of superstition are very diligent to have their superstitious fooleries punctually practised and their commands for that end exactly obeyed Thus he brings in the Masters of superstition delivering their injunctions as it were to every man in particular touch not in the singular number 4. There is no end of superstitious injunctions when once given way to they do both multiply and grow also more strict so here first they forbid them to eat secondly to taste thirdly not so much as to bandle 5. Satan useth most frequently to lay snares and gins in those things whereof men have most frequent use especially in our meat and drink he driveth some to sin in those by excesse Isa. 5. 11. Others by placing Religion in simple abstinence from them under pretence of a more than ordinary mortification So did these Doctors who commanded eat not taste not handle not Vers. 22. Which all are to perish with the using after the commandements and doctrines of men He addeth two other arguments against those superstitious rites especially the placing of Religion in abstinence from meats First they are appointed for the use of man and perish in the using 1 Cor. 6. 13. Secondly all such ordinances are but traditions of men Matth. 15. 9. Doct. 1. We should use all things for that end for which God hath appointed them Religion is not to be placed in those things which God hath only destinated for a naturall or civill use as the wearing of such an habit abstinence from such and such meats for the Apostle reasoneth against the placing of Religion in meats because they are appointed onely for a naturall use which all are to perish with the using 2. This doth not militate against the religious use of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament for God hath appointed those Elements to be so used and the two arguments in this verse are to be taken jointly that no humane authority can injoyn the use of or abstinence from such a sort of meat as a part of religious worship which all are to perish with the using after the doctrines of men 3. Though Church-Judicatories have power to determine time place and other circumstances of worship which are common to religious and civill actions and are left undetermined by the Word as being almost insinite and often changeable upon severall occasions 1 Cor. 14. 40. Yet the Lord hath given no such power unto men whether the Civill Magistrate Church guides or any other to injoyn any thing as service to God in it self which he hath not appointed nor yet to command any thing to be gone about as a religious ceremony or significant rite in his worship all such ceremonies were expressely prescribed by God under the Old Testament so that it was not lawfull to adde anything unto what was commanded them Deut. 12. 32. and the rule of worship must be no lesse compleat under the New Testament Heb. 3. 2. and 5. 6. So those rites were to be rejected for this same very cause they were the commandments and doctrines of men