the operation of God Quest But how may our faith be supported in beleeuing those things shadowed out in baptisme Answ Two waies First if we consider Gods operation Secondly if we consider Christs resurrection This is the briefe order and dependance of this verse so that here he intreats of baptisme both by the effects and by the causes the effects are spirituall buriall and spirituall resurrection the causes are three faith the operation of God and the resurrection of Iesus Christ Buried together with him Three things may be here noted 1. the buriall of Christ 2. the buriall of the Christian 3. the vnion of both For the first that Christ was buried was storied by the Euangelist a Ioh. 19. and fore-signified by Ionas as a type b Mat. 12.39 40 and fore-prophecied of by Esay the Prophet c Esay 53.9 he was buried in Ierusalem the place where the dying sacrifices had giuen warning of his death but it was without the Citie both to answer the type Leuit. 16. and to signifie that his sufferings belonged to Gentiles as well as to Iewes He was buried in Caluarie the place commonly appointed for condemned men and not in Hebron where some thinke Adam was buried to note that his death was to be auaileable for the condemned men of Adam as well as for Adam himselfe He was buried in another mans graue to signifie that he died for other mens sinnes Now for the second viz. the buriall of Christians they may be said to be buried euen whiles they liue for the buriall of the body he cannot meane here in diuers respects 1. In respect of disgrace and reproch the throats of wicked men are often an open sepulchre d Psal 5. into which if the names of the godly fall they are buried for the extremitie of disgrace and reproch with which they couer them 2. In respect of abnegation or the deniall of the loue and care for earthly things and so we are buried to the world when like dead men we care not for it but deuote our selues to the contemplation of heauenly things 3. In respect of mortification of our sinnes the scripture by diuers metaphors expresseth the diuers degrees of mortification For first there is the wounding of sinne when the sinner is pricked with remorse by the law Secondly the condemning of sinne when the sinner keeping a spirituall assise doth examine confesse and iudge himselfe guilty before the Lord. Thirdly the crucifying of sinnes when the sinner racks his owne soule by godly sorrow driuing in the nailes of Gods threatnings with acknowledgment of his owne deserts and restraining his flesh through a spirituall reuenge not caring to expose himselfe to the shame of the world so that in Christ he may finde atonement for his sinnes Fourthly the killing of sinne when the sinner puts off the bodie of sinnes and forsaketh his euill waies Now then after this followeth the last degree and that is here the buriall of sinnes Of the buriall of sinne Certainely there remaines euen after true repentance in the very godly a great deale of hidden corruption of nature inward wandrings distractiōs after the world sudden euill propositions against God or his word or prouidence or presence or promises or people impatience secret pride and somtimes hypocrisie a frequent rebellion within against good duties vnthankfulnes frequent omissions either of holy duties or the care of the power of them hastines or anger impure desires thoughts of reuenge besides a great deale of disorder he may finde in himselfe both at home and abroad Now it is not enough nor may he rest in the former repentance but he must proceed euen to the remouing of these remainders of corruption death commonly ariseth out of the disease of some one part but buriall couers all The worke of reformation and repentance many times begins at the care of some few principall sinnes but we must neuer be quiet till we burie the whole old man with his works so that in one sense the buriall of sinnes is nothing else but the progresfe of mortification Againe after we haue forsaken our sinnes to burie them is to keep a diligent watch ouer our nature and to take downe our flesh yea sometimes with refraining of lawfull delights or pleasures Further the buriall of sinne it may import our care after we haue left our sinnes to remoue them out of sight both out of Gods sight by suing out our pardon and out of the sight of our consciences by quieting them in the application of the bloud of Christ and the promises of grace and out of the sight of others so farre as our sinnes were scandalous also by shewing forth our repentance and care to auoide all appearance and occasions of like sinning Their priuiledges that haue attained to the buriall of sinne Great is the glory and happinesse of Christians that haue attained to this buriall of sinne for these serue God in a neere acquaintance with him these haue ouercome the world these can stand before death and iudgement vnapalled these are mighty in the power of Gods ordinance these know the secrets of the kingdome of God these are without the reach of the Law and feele not the sting of crosses these are had in singular honour with God and the holy Angels of heauen and the prouidence of God is vsually eminent towards these Now for the third might some one say what hath the Christians buriall to doe with Christ How our spirituall buriall depends vpon Christ how is there any relation betweene them Ans Our spirituall buriall in the progresse of mortification depends vpon Christ diuers waies 1. In that he hath required and made gracious promises to it 2. In that the efficacie of the meanes by which it is wrought comes from Christ 3. In that it is accepted of God onely for Christ and through his intercession 4. In respect of example he was buried as well as we But chiefly in respect of vertue our buriall of sinne is wrought by a vertue arising from Christs buriall in the graue The Vses of all this followes First for information here we may see how God stands vpon mortification Vses The state of such as neglect mortification and that men must not thinke alwaies they haue done inough when they haue left their faults and withall we may see how dangerous a course they take that so soone giue ouer the exercises of mortification for by this meanes we cause the old sinnes many times to breake out againe and their consolations are small and seldom crosses daily trouble them and the heart is often grieued and griped with feare and terrible doubts or else they are quickly ouergrowne with a spirit of slumber Secondly for instruction to be carefull to burie our sinnes but here take heede of the dissimilitude Dissimilitude in tvvo things for in some things the comparison cannot hold as here in two things for first when we burie the bodies
the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ remembring you earnestly and constantly in our daily Prayers being exceedingly fired and inflamed since we heard by continuall and true report of your precious Faith by which you haue with firmenesse and stedfastnesse of assurance laide hold vpon IESVS CHRIST for life and righteousnesse and the rather because wee likewise heard of your holy affection to such as haue separated themselues from the prophanenesse of the world to the seruice of God especially considering that you haue not the glorious Faith of Christ in respect of persons but loue all the Saints as well as any And as a People not destitute of any sauing Grace Verse 5. For the hopes sake which is laid vp for you in heauen whereof ye haue heard before by the word of truth which is the Gospell wee reioyce to heare of that liuely hope by which you haue laid hold on the Promise of eternall glory which God the Father hath prepared and laide vp in Heauen And the more are we confirmed in this resolution constantly to praise GOD for these excellent Graces because they are not sodaine Fancies or presumptuous Conceits raised out of the Forge of your owne braine or conceiued for some corrupt or carnall ends but were indeede begotten in you by the mighty working of the most sweet Doctrine of Reconciliation proued in it selfe and by effect to be a Word of Truth euen that word of the LORD long foretolde now truely reuealed and accomplished also begetting the true forme of pietie in you with constancie and true vprightnesse both of heart and life Verse 6. Which is come vnto you euen â—s it is vnto all the world and â—s fruitful as it is also among you from the day that yee heard and truely knew the grace of God This is the word of Reconciliation which is come vnto you as by incredible power and swiftnesse it is now to the greatest part of the world euen to people of all sorts and Nations causing them to shew the soundnesse of their Conuersion by the daily fruits of amendment of life and this increaseth continually in all places as it doth and hath done with you since the very first day that you truely heard and effectually beleeued this rich Doctrine of the grace of GOD. Verse 7. As yee also learned of Epaphras our deare fellow seruant which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ And this very Doctrine which you haue heard of Epaphras is the selfe same diuine truth that is gone all abroad the world of Epaphras I say whom wee all reuerence as our deare fellow-Seruant being assured that he is for your best good a faithfull and most humble Minister of Iesus Christ Verse 8. Who hath also declared vnto vs your loue which yee haue by the Spirit Verse 9. For this cause wee also since the day wee heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that yee might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding Verse 10. That yee might walke worthy of the Lord please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God Hee hath with great contentment boasted of you in reporting to vs your spirituall and heauenly affection to God and godlinesse and one towards another and for the same cause since the first time we heard of your praises in the Gospell wee haue beene importunate without ceasing praying for you and beseeching God to increase in you and make compleate your knowledge of his reuealed will not only for contemplation but for practise also with a gracious experience of the working of the Spirit That yee might carry your selues in a holy eminency of godly conuersation striuing to proportion your Obedience in a greater degree then ordinary as might become the great measure of Gods Mercies of all sorts towards you expressing a liuely kinde of pleasingnesse both in carriage towards God and man being refreshed with the sweetnes of acceptation in your seruices and that you might extend your carefulnesse to beare fruit not in one kinde or some few but in all kindes and sorts of good workes daily increasing in a holy acquaintance with the sacred nature of God which is both the effect and cause of all comfortable progresse in holy life Verse 11. Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long-suffering with ioyfulnes That so growing vp to a ripe age in CHRIST in the sanctification both of soule and body and spirit in all the Graces and Duties of CHRIST and Christian life through the assistance of the glorious power of GOD in the vse of all meanes and helpes appointed of God yee might accomplish your most holy profession with singular comfort and contentment being able cheerefully and with all patience and Long-suffering to beare the Crosses Tentations Infirmities Persecutions and whatsoeuer Wrongs or Indignities might befall you waiting for the Promise of GOD being neuer weary of well-doing And as wee haue thought good thus to let you vnderstand our loue towards you and our reioycing for the prosperity of your soules Verse 12. Giuing thankes vnto the Father which hath made vs meâ—te to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light so wee thought good to write vnto you both to put you in minde of the most holy doctrine of CHRIST as also to exhort and beseech you to be constant in the Faith and hope you haue receiued without listening to the entising speeches of false Teachers which as wicked Seducers would beguile your soules of that high prise of your most holy Calling What thankes can we euer sufficiently giue vnto GOD the Father of CHRIST and Christians that of his meere Grace and free Loue hath by a holy Calling made vs in his account meete to haue a Lot in that heauenly Canaan in that sweet and eternall fellowship with the spirits of the iust not onely reuealed vnto vs in this light of the Gospell but to be inioyed by vs in the light of Heauen And hath also already deliuered vs from that wofull estate Vers 13. Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne in which the darkenesse of Gentilisme and Sinne and Ignorance and Aduersitie and Death and Damnation had power ouer vs hath translated vs into the Kingdome of Iesus Christ the Son of his loue inrolling our names among the liuing and accounting vs as Subiects of this Kingdome of Grace and Heyres euen Coheyres with Christ of the glory to be reuealed And howsoeuer our Sanctification be as yet vnperfect Verse 14. In whom wee haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenes of sinnes yet are we not onely bought with a price but effectually and truely redeemed and in some sort fully too for in our Iustification we are perfectly reconciled and all our sins absolutely forgiuen
not doubt to pronounce that this person thus prising remission of sinnes at this rate that hee would sell all to buy this Pearle did vndoubtedly beleeue not onely because it is a truth though a Paradoxe that the Desire to beleeue is Faith but also because our Sauiour Christ doth not doubt to affirme that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse because they shall be satisfied And to him that is a thirst Math. 5.6 Reuel 21.6 Psal 10.17 I will giue to drinke of the water of life freely And Dauid doubteth not to say The Lord heareth the desires of his poore Fiduce or Confidence in the heart is a part of Faith and shewes it selfe in this when the Soule resteth vpon Christ and the Promises of God as the only ground of all that happinesse which he must euer get vnto himselfe Perswasion or an apprehending application is the last thing in Faith and that in the beginnings of Faith is more in the power of the Spirit then in the sense and feeling of the conscience yet herein it appeares that though the Soule be tost with many temptations and feares and terrors yet more or lesse one time or other they are much refreshed with a sweet ioy arising they know not how from the very perswasion that they belong to God in and for Christ So that if wee would try our Faith we must examine what knowledge we haue gotten what Iudgement of the way of life what Desires wee haue of remission of sinnes how our hearts are setled and what it is that supports vs. There are two Degrees of Faith a weake Faith and a strong Faith The Degrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weake Faith is described before for all the former parts of faith are found in the weakest Faith that is a strong Faith hath in it a certaine and full assurance of Gods fauour in remission of sinnes so as doubts and feares are stilled and ouer-come and such was the Faith of Abraham commended Rom. 4.18.19.20.21 and this faith may be attained vnto by all sorts of the seruants of God if they liue and may vse the benefit of the ordinances of God yet a grosse fault in the definition of Faith as it is made by many must be carefully shunned and that is that they make the Genus to be a full assurance which is onely proper to a strong Faith and is not vsually found in the weake Faith and yet that Faith is such as doth iustifie for the present and will saue for euer The Benefits come by faith And that we may be affected with an holy desire after this necessary grace two things are further to be considered 1 The Benefits men might haue by Faith 2 The wofull estate of those that want it The Benefits may be ordered into fiue rankes 1 What Faith deliuereth vs from 2 What it preserues vs against 3 What the weakest Faith getteth 4 What we might get if we laboured for a greater growth in Faith 5 How it fits vs for heauen For the first Faith doth deliuer vs First from the darkenesse and blindnesse wee liued in before Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee shall not abide in darkenesse What Faith deliuereth vs from John 12.46 Isay 25.8 Wee no sooner by Faith taste of the Bread of life but the vaile of ignorance which naturally couereth all flesh is torne and rent as the Prophet Isay sheweth notably Isay 25.8 Secondly it deliuers vs from those wofull euills which as so many abhominations doe defile both the Vnderstanding and Affections Faith purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 No wonder though men bee continually surcharged with euill thoughts and most vile affections and strange euills within seeing wee are so hardly gotten to set about the earnest labour after spirituall application of the merits and righteousnesse of Christ which righteousnesse neuer can be imputed by Faith but grace is infused by the Spirit of Sanctification at the same time Neither is there any more clearer testimonie of the want of iustifying Faith then the continuall preuailing of euill thoughts and affections Thirdly it deliuers vs from the Law not onely from the Ceremoniall Law and other biggerly Rudiments but also from the Morall Law in two things onely first from the Curse of it which is wholy taken away by the imputation of Christs Passion secondly from the Rigour of it so that as it is commanded in the Gospell it may not exact of Beleeuers an impossible perfection but onely an Euangelicall and accepted vprightnes wee are not now vnder the Law Rom. 6. but vnder Grace as the Apostle shewes in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians at large And hence it is that the same Apostle saith that the Law is not giuen vnto a righteous man 1 Tim. 1.9 but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient meaning that so long as we continue in our naturall estate so long we haue this as one part of our miseries that wee are liable to the curses and impossible exactions of the most righteous Law but from the time that we are effectually called and gathered vnto CHRIST wee are not vnder the Law in these two respects which is an admirable mercy Fourthly Faith deliuers vs from the power of the first death being by Nature dead in sinnes and trespasses Iohn 5.29 hauing no more sense of the things that belong vnto the Kingdome of Chtist Ephes 2.2 then a dead man in nature hath of the benefits of life By the power of Faith eternall life is begunne here which is called while we liue here the life of Grace and after death is stiled by the name of the life of Glory Iohn 3.16 Lastly it deliuers men from eternall destruction for Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish Thus of the first sort of benefits Secondly Faith hath a power to preserue vs and that in three things First it preserues from many fearefull spirituall diseases in the soule hence commeth that Metaphoricall speech of being sound or whole Tit. 1.13 Heb. 10.39 or healthfull in the faith Hence that he saith Wee follow Faith vnto the conseruation of the Soule Heb. 10.39 Secondly it preserues vs against the vse of ill meanes for He that beleeueth maketh not hast Herein is a speciall triall of Faith Isay 28.16 and is a worthy testimonie of vprightnesse when men can so rest vpon God that they will not be entangled with those profits that either the time makes vnseasonable as the Sabbath or the meanes make sinfull as deceipt lying c. but can chearfully beleeue that the same God that now tries him with the occasions of profit in such time and manner can giue him as much profit at a lawfull time and by lawfull meanes It is most difficult for an vnsanctified minde to forbeare either time or meanes when profit and pleasure intise Lastly how miserable is our life here many times in respect of the temptations with which Sathan doth fire vs Ephes 6.16
this life it stands of two parts the first is our deliuerance from the power of Darkenesse and the second is our translating into the kingdome of CHRIST A sixe-folde darkenesse in euery vnregenerate man Darkenesse This Darkenesse imports the miserie of vnregenerate men from which the Children of God in the daies of Redemption are deliuered and it notes not onely the darkenesse of Gentilisme proper to the Pagans of that time but also the darkenesse of Sinne of Ignorance of Infidelitie of Aduersitie of Death and of Hell for euery vnregenerate man is couered with a sixe-fold darkenesse First the darkenesse of Sinne a Rom 13.13 Secondly the darkenesse of Ignorance which as a vaile couers all flesh b Iohn 8.12 Esay 25.8 2 Cor 3.17 Thirdly the darkenesse of Infidelitie for as there is the light of Faith in the regenerate so there is a darkenesse of vnbeliefe that possesseth euery vnregenerate man All men haue not Faith it is the gift of God both the Prophets and Apostles haue complained Who hath beleeued our report c Esay 13.1 Rom 10.16 Fourthly the darkenesse of Aduersitie d Esay 8.22 miseries of all sorts breaking in vpon the soule body state and names of men Fiftly the darkenesse of Death for Death is the house of Darkenesse and this is the wages of Sinne e Psal 88.12 Lastly the wicked man is in danger of vtter darkenesse euen of the darkenesse of hell Out of all this we may see the extreame miserie of all carnall persons vpon whom the Kingdome of darkenesse breakes in and preuailes so many waies and therefore accursed is their misery that can liue in this estate without sense or remorse or feare If Securitie as a wretched Lethargy had not ouergrowne mens hearts how could they eate drinke sleepe marry giue in marriage c. when they finde themselues in the power of such fearefull and horrible darkenesse Power This darkenesse gets power and preuailes ouer the world by the vnwearied labour of the Prince of darkenesse who as hee seduced our first Parents to extinguish the faire light in which they were created whence flowed an vniuersall darkenesse vpon all mankinde so doth hee still as God of the vnregenerate world worke effectually in blinding mens mindes more and more that the light of the Gospell might not shine in their hearts both by hindering by all the waies hee can the meanes of light and by leading man on from sinne to sinne till custome haue worne out sense and bred a very liking of darkenesse more then the light And thus poore man runnes from darkenesse to darkenesse and from dungeon to dungeon till hee fall vnto the euerlasting dungeon of vtter darkenesse and this would be the end of all flesh were it not that God of his infinite mercie hath prouided a meanes in Iesus Christ to deliuer the Elect from the power of this Darknesse Deliuered Euery man hath great reason to thinke of this deliuerance out of the Kingdome of darkenesse wherein naturally hee is for while he so continueth he knoweth not whither he goeth f Iohn 12.35 1 Iohn 2.11 he hath no fellowship with God g 1 Iohn 1.5 his deedes are all euill h Ioh 3.19.20 his ignorance will not excuse him i Iohn 1.5 yea it will bee his condemnation k Iohn 3.19 his feete treade not in the way of peace l Luke 4.79 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath deliuered vs. Here are foure things 1. What deliuered 2. Whom vs 3. When hath 4. Who viz. God the Father Deliuered The originall word doth not signifie onely to let out or lead out or buy out but it noteth forcibly to snatch out Man is not gotten so easily out of Sathans hands nor will the World and Flesh let him goe without force or without blowes Quest Quest What must wee doe that wee may be deliuered from this power of darkenesse Ans Ans Beleeue in Iesus Christ who is the true light m Iohn 8.12 Know that all true light is begunne in the assurance of Gods loue to thee in Iesus Christ seeke this knowledge To this end attend vpon the preaching of the Gospell by which life and immortalitie are brought to light m Iohn 8.12 And because this Sonne doth not alwaies shine Walke in the light while you haue the light n Iohn 12.35 and because a man can neuer sincerely seeke the comforts of God in Iesus Christ or constantly loue the word of the Kingdome the fountaine of light but that there will be great opposition from Sathan and the World Therefore euery one that is a weary of this darkenesse of Ignorance and Vnbeliefe and feeles what darkenesse of Aduersitie his sinnes haue brought vpon him and feares the darkenesse of Death and Hell must arme himselfe resolue and prepare and fight for his owne deliuerance putting on the whole Armour of light vsing all the meanes with Faith and diligence and then shall Gods power be made knowne in his weakenesse and the strong man armed which is the Diuell shall be cast out by him that is stronger then hee euen by Iesus Christ At the time when this deliuerance from the power of darknes is wrought there are at the least these nine things in euery one that is truely deliuered Nine things in euery one that is deliuered from darkenesse First hee seekes knowledge with great estimation of it Secondly hee is carefull to amend his waies and to auoide sinne Thirdly hee feeles and resists temptations Fourthly hee renounceth the world as being neither besotted with vanitie nor swayed with example Fiftly hee fights against his owne flesh Sixtly hee loues the word of God Seauenthly he forsakes euill company Eightly hee mournes ouer and praies against some speciall sinnes Ninthly hee loues all the children of the light These are not all things that are wrought in man in the day his heart is changed and hee deliuered but lesse than this can bee in no man nor woman that is truely deliuered from the power of darkenesse Who. Doct. It is God onely that deliuers vs from darkenesse This is needfull to be considered of both that carnall men may know they can neuer see the light if they vse not the meanes God hath appointed and that godly men might not despaire vnder the sense of their wants for as God hath called them to the light and giuen them meanes so he is able to create light at his owne pleasure Vs Doct. The Saints euen the dearest of all Gods Children haue beene ignorant sinfull and miserable as well as any other Hath A Question may here be asked Quest how it can be said that Gods children haue beene deliuered seeing they are ignorant sinfull fleshly full of afflictions and subiect to dye still Ans Ans They are deliuered in respect of Inchoation though not in respect of Consummation though they bee ignorant yet the vayle is not whole but many pieces are torne off though
primogeniture of Christ Hee is the first begotten First in respect of eternall generation as he is the Sonne of God Of this before Secondly as hee is borne of the virgin Mary for shee is said to bring forth her first begotten Sonne d Math. 1. Thirdly when God raised Christ out of the Graue hee is said to beget his Sonne for so the words of the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee are applyed to the Resurrection of CHRIST e Act. 13.33 In that Christ is said to be the first begotten of the dead three things may bee noted as implied heere concerning the members of Christ and three things concerning Christ himselfe as Head First concerning the Members these things may be gathered 1 That not onely wicked men but the true members of Christ die Heb. 9. Psal 89. 2. Sam. 14. The consideration of this that the godly must dye may serue for many Vses first Why doth vaine man dye then without wisedome f Iob. 4.21 secondly how shall wicked men escape g Job 21.32 Esay 28. their Couenant with death must needes be disanulled thirdly it should cause vs deepely to digest the vanities of this life h Eccl. 2.16.17 fourthly it should cause vs to take heede of Eâ—es Least yee die for it is out of all question die wee must and therefore meere it were we should prouide for it without mincing or procrastinating lastly wee should incourage our selues and die like the members of Christ with all willingnesse Faith and Patience 2 The gouernment of Christ reacheth as well to the dead as to the liuing Members This the faithfull were wont of old to note when they would say a man were dead they would say he was ioyn'd to his people This should bee a great encouragement vnto godly men to die 3 From Coherence that if wee would haue Christ to bee the first begotten to vs when wee are dead wee must subiect our selues to his Ordinances that hee may be the beginning of true Grace to vs while we liue Secondly concerning the Head these three things may be noted 1 That hee was among the dead and this was good for vs for thereby hee dissolued the power the Diuell had to inflict death or the feare of it vpon his Members i Heb 2.17 Heb. 9.15 and thereby hee finished the expiation of all our sinnes thereby hee ratified Gods Couenant thereby he kils the power of sinne in vs and thereby he takes away the curse of our naturall death 2 That hee was not onely among the dead but he was begotten among the dead that is raised from death to life and this also was profitable for vs for he rose to our Iustification Rom. 4 23.24 to our viuification Rom. 6.4 to our deliuerance from wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 3 That hee is not onely begotten but the first begotten among the dead and that in three respects First as hee was more excellently raised then any of the dead are for hee carried no corruption to the graue and hee saw no corruption in the graue and hee was but a short time vnder the power of the graue Secondly in respect of time hee was the first that rose from the dead k Acts 26.23 Thirdly in respect of efficacie it is hee by whose power all the rest rise l 1 Cor. 15.20.22 This must needes be a great comfort to vs while wee liue Iohn 5.21 11.28 against the time our bodies must go into the house of darkenesse the darkesome lodging in the graue onely let vs seeke the vertue of the Resurrection of Christ in this world and the experiment of the vigor of it first vpon our soules in plucking vs vp out of the graue of sinne to walke before God in newnesse of life m Phil. 3 9. That in all things hee might haue the preheminence These words are added for further amplification or Explanation of the former They giue vnto Christ a primacie and preheminence in all things First ouer both liuing and dead as hee is the beginning to the liuing and the first begotten to the dead Christ then hath the preheminence he is first in all things Mat. 28.18 Rom. 4.9 Phil. 2.9 Ephes 1.23 Hee is first many waies first in Time He is first in diuers respects as before all things first in Order hee hath a primacie of order hee is the first to be reckoned and admired in the Church first in the dignitie of Person hee excells in both Natures all that is in the Church or euer was first in Degree n Iohn 1.5 first in Gouernment o Mat. 20 27. Luke 19.4 Esay 9. first in Acceptation with God p Mat. 17.5 lastly hee is first Effectiuely as the cause of all the respect order and excellencie in others hee iâ— the Roote out of which springs all the glory in the Church The vse is first for Terrour to all those that sinne against Christs preheminence as they doe in a high degree that hauing begunne in the Spirit Vses will end in the flesh such as hauing knowne the way of righteousnesse afterwards turne from the holy course with the Dogge to the vomit and with the Swine to the wallowing in the mire q 2 Pet. 20.21 Reuel 2 4.19 Secondly the consideration of Christs primacie and preheminence should learne vs to take heede of climbing in the Church it is dangerous to desire to be chiefe it is almost the sole power of the Head of the Church r Math 20.27 Marke 9.35 10.44 3 Iohn 9.10 Lastly let it bee our care both in heart and life to yeelde Christ the preheminence which we shall doe if we labour to know nothing more then Christ crucified if wee minde the things of Christs Kingdome more then the things of this life if wee make him our chiefe refuge by Faith for all happinesse and reconciliation How we may in life yeelde Christ the preheminence if wee make him our ioy reioycing more in Christ then carnall men can doe in the World for a discontented life denies Christ the preheminence if the zeale of Gods house can eate vs vp if in all our actions wee performe the worship of God first if we stick not to confesse and professe Christ if wee honour the faithfull and contemne the vile and ioyne our selues to such as feare God though they bee despised in this world and lastly when wee can in all things rather chuse to please God then men Verse 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell THere is great reason Christ should bee acknowledged head as in the former Verse by reason of his primacie and preheminence so in this Verse by reason of the plenitude that dwells in him No naturall head so full of senses as hee is full of Grace It is to be noted in the generall that the head should excell the members in gifts and therefore it is
the holy Ghost so is no mans else 2. It is assumed into personall vnion with the diuine Nature 3. It was honoured with speciall Prophesies Types and Sacrifices 4. This body was offered vp as a full expiatory Sacrifice 5. It is to be remembred to the end of the word in the Sacrament Christs body not like ours in two things Body of his flesh To note that it was a true Body like vnto ours and to distinguish it from his Sacramentall and Mysticall body In two things Christs body was not like ours and in three things it was like It was not like first in the manner of subsisting it was not independent or a person of it selfe 2. In the vicious accidents of the substance of it no sinne either could or ought to infect it Could not because originall sinne was restrained by the Holy Ghost Ought not because in it a purgation for our sinnes must be made In three things it was like ours first in substance hee tooke our whole Nature hee was the seede of the Woman of Abraham of Dauid In 3. things it was like the Sonne of man c. And hee tooke the parts of our Nature both soule and body 2. In properties and thus hee assumed both the properties of the whole Nature in that hee was finite and create And in the parts as in the soule hee assumed Vnderstanding Will Memory and in the Body Figure Quantitie and Circumscription c. 3. In infirmities for hee assumed not onely our Nature but the infirmities of Nature But wee must know that hee tooke the defects or infirmities thay call miserable not those they call damnable Thus of the Doctrine of his Nature his Sufferings follow Through death The death of Christ doth reconcile vs in as much as it ratifies the couenant and takes away the guilt of the sinnes of the former Testament and the vertue of it eats downe the power of present sinnes and destroyes the power of our naturall death Christs death differs from ours in three things Christs death differs from the death of all the Elect in three things First in that in death hee sustained not his owne person but dyes as our surety and so is a sacrifice for sinne Secondly hee was in death a whole burnt offering for as hee dyed in body so his soule was an offering for sinne in as much as hee sustained the sence of the infinite wrath of God in his Agonies Thirdly in that his death was the death of him that was the Sonne of God Hitherto of the doctrine of the Nature and sufferings of Christ the Vses follow Vses of Christs death First for Instruction The consideration of all this should teach vs 1. to value reconciliation with all the graces that flow from it according to the worth of the meanes by which they are procured If there were no other way to know the worth of Gods Fauour Knowledge Spirituall refreshings and Graces yet by the price payd for the purchase of them wee may discerne they are worth more then all the world 2. Is it not possible for vs to hate sinne vpon the consideration of so pregnant an example of the odiousnesse of it when the imputation of sinne brought the Sonne of God on his knees to his death O the soule Lethargie that hath ouergrowen vs 3. That wee may haue the profit of the Incarnation and Passion of CHRIST in his naturall body wee must bee carefull to get into his mysticall body 4. The Apostle vseth the Meditation of Christs humiliation to the death as an argument to perswade vs to Compassion Mercy Fellowship in the Spirit Vnitie Humility Clemency and meeknesse of minde Phil. 2.1 to 9. Secondly wicked men may here see what smart they are like to feele from the vnpartiall iustice of God Doth hee not spare the body the flesh the bloud the life of his owne Sonne when hee became but a surety for sinne How shall vngodly men euer enemies and neuer sonnes that themselues haue committed sinne escape when the day of wrath shall come Thirdly godly men may heere see great reason of comfort not onely by considering the great loue of Christ and the great benefits must needs flow from his death but if two things bee weighed 1. the honour done to our Nature in that in the humanity of Christ it is ioyned to the diuine Nature This makes amends for that breach that is made by the damnation of millions in our nature 2. The great certainty of Gods couenant 1 Tim. 3.16 Phil. 2.6.7 of Grace and Mercy For a mans couenant if it be once confirmed no man abrogates it or addeth or taketh from it therefore Gal. 3.9 much more Gods Couenant shall stand vnchangeable being ratified and confirmed by the death of Christ Thus of the Meanes The end followes in these words To present you holy and without spot and vnblameable in his sight And in these words is both the presentation and the sanctification of Christians to be considered To present you The originall word is very significant and diuersly accepted it signifies to restore so Acts 9.41 to assemble Acts 2.26 to make present so Acts 23.23 to make ready furnish purge or make cleane Acts 23.24 to make acceptable 1 Cor. 8 8. to make manifest 2 Tim. 2.15 to proue euidently Acts 24.13 to assist and stand too Rom. 16.2 2 Tim. 4.16 to offer by way of dedication or gift to God 2 Cor. 11.2 Luke 2.22 Col. 1.28 It is true that Christ restores vs collects vs Ephe. 5.27 Ephes 1.6 brings vs into Gods presence clenseth vs makes vs acceptable assists and defends vs and manifests vs to be holy But I take it principally in the last sence hee presents vs by dedication to God Thus Christ shall present vs wholly both at the day of iudgement a Rom. 14.10 and in the day of death when hee shall deliuer the soule to God Thus also Christ doth present vs in this life 1. When by the preaching of the Gospell hee seuers and segregates vs from the world and brings vs into Gods houshold 2. In Iustification when clothing vs with his owne righteousnesse hee becomes our Iustification 3. In new obedience and that two wayes first when hee presents our workes couered with his intercession Secondly when hee causeth vs to present our selues to GOD both by Prayer and consecration of our selues to Gods Seruice and holines of life It must bee euery mans care then to seeke his presentation from Christ and to that end by Couenant Prayer and practise deuote himselfe to a subiection to all the ordinances of Christ Thus of Presentation Sanctification followes Holy vnblameable and vnreproueable in his sight How the words are to be vnderstood At the first sight I should encline to vnderstand these words either of Iustification or our consummate holinesse at the day of iudgement but that the sway of Interpreters force me to expound them of Sanctification It is greatly to
to be so is an excellent condition to be truly mortified with Christ is a rare happinesse to die with Christ is better then to liue with the world 4. Penitent sinners haue life and death ioyes and sorrowes c common with Christ 5. In speciall they haue death common with Christ They die with Christ 1. Because Christs death was theirs when Christ died they died because his death was for their sakes and for their benefit 2. Because when their bodies die they die in vnion with Christ 3. Because the vertue of Christs death is deriued to their soules whence flowes death to the law that is a release from the rigour and curse of it 2. Death to sinne that is a power to mortifie sinne conueyed in the ordinances of Christ and applied by the spirit of Christ 3. The presence of Christ in all the duties of mortification though they be done neuer so secretly yet Christ is with them The vse may be both for tryall and comfort For tryall art thou not dead with Christ in respect of the mortification of thy corruptions then art thou not in Christ For comfort to the mortified thou art in Christ and he will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee till he hath raised thy body and cured thy soule Thus of the words in themselues they are also to be considered as they are here vsed against traditions and so they are two waies Christ is dead and in his death yee are freed from all bondage of soule to any thing but the will of God and therefore 't is a dishonour to Christs death and the freedome purchased in it to make our selues seruants to traditions 2. You are dead with Christ that is you are mortified persons and these things are too light for any graue and penitent persons to take vp his thoughts or cares about them fleshly persons are onely capable of this trash mortified persons without teaching suspect them Thus of the first reason From the rudiments of the world The second reason stands thus if by the death of Christ yee be freed from the ceremonies of Moses which were then rudiments or as it were the first grounds of instruction then much more are you freed from traditions which are but beggerly obseruations that no body can tell whence they came or what good they doe This should be of force to preuaile with vs against the multitudes of idle traditions that raigne amongst the people Why as though yee liued in the world are yee burthened c. Quest Doe not the faithfull liue in the world that he saith with such a salt interrogation as though yee liued in the world Answ They liue in the world corporally yet not in the world in respect of their profession of spirituall and celestiall life so Christs kingdome was not of this world 2. In respect of subiection to all the frame of rites and obseruations of the world they liue not as men that are tyed and vowed to the seruice of the world in whatsoeuer obseruations it shall propound Burthened Traditions are a grieuous burthen to the soule and the worse the lesse they are felt Men will not willingly suffer vniust impositions in their free holds in the world nor should men suffer the world to impose burthens vpon their soules The word also notes the audacious liberty of the imposers before they pestred the Church with the ceremonies of Moses then they corrupted Gods worship with philosophicall dreames such as was the worship of Angels now they proceed further they clogge the ciuill life of man and his priuate affaires with imperious obseruations Thus of the third reason As touch not taste not handle not These words must be vnderstood to be vtterd mimeticωs in a kind of scorne see the wicked subtiltie of the Deuill he turnes himselfe into all formes to ruine vs Once he destroyed the world by tempting man to eat now he goeth about to poyson mens soules with restraining them from eating Some obserue that the haste of the words without copulatiues notes their eagernesse in pressing these things and perswading men to the care of them sure it is men of corrupt mindes are more eager about these then about weightier matters Some learned render touch not by eat not and so note a gradation First they would not haue them eat then not so much as taste and when they had gotten them to that then not so much as to handle Ambrose runnes against the streame of all Interpreters to vnderstand these words to be the commandement of the Apostle Thus of the fourth reason Which all perish with the vsing These words are two waies interpreted 1. They bring destruction to the vsers they are a doctrine of diuels and make men the children of hell This is true but not the truth of this place 2. They are of a perishable nature and therefore men ought not to load their consciences with necessitie of obseruing them This is the nature of all outward things they perish with the vsing all is vanitie the glory of the flesh is but as the flower of the field d Esay 40. rust or moth doth corrupt them e Matth. 6. euen crownes are corruptible f 1 Cor. 4.24 Here we see a cleare difference between earthly things and spirituall Earthly things not onely in the abuse but in the very vse are either worne out or lesse regarded or haue lesse vigor fairenesse power c but cleane contrary with spirituall things why should we not then moderate our loue to these outward things why should we not striue to vse this world as if we vsed it not no more trusting in vncertaine riches This should also stir vs vp to the care of spirituall graces and duties that neuer perish that we may attaine that vncorruptible crowne of righteousnes which God will giue to all that loue his appearing The very daily perishing of foode and rayment are types of thine owne perishing also Thus of the fifth reason And are after the commandements and doctrines of men The reason stands thus whatsoeuer hath no better warrant then the commandement and doctrines of men is to be reiected as a burthensome tradition But these things are such therefore why are yee burthened See the wretched disposition of mens natures how ready men are to prescribe and how easie men are to be led on in these foolish vanities But are the commandments of God so easily obeyed Are the doctrines of Gods word so willingly imbraced Alas alas mens examples or counsell will easily passe for lawes but the Lord is as if he were not worthy to be heard in the practise of the most Thus of the six reasons Now followes the obiections Though these things were not commanded in the word yet they were wisely deuised by our fathers and therefore are to be obserued Sol. v. 23. The Apostle grants that there were three things alledged to approue the discretion of the founders of these things and instanceth in one kinde viz. abstinence or
Christian doctrine The Coherence now followeth Christian life The Apostle hath before discoursed of matters of faith now hee intends to entreat of matters of life The diuision of the Chapter and to prescribe rules of conuersation And these rules belong either to our generall calling as wee are Christians or to our patticular callings as wee are people of such or such condition or state of life The generall rules are set downe from the first verse of this Chapter to the eighteenth and the particular rules begin at the eighteenth verse and continue to the second verse of the next Chapter The rules of the first kinde may be referred to three heads for either they concerne first the meditation of heauenly things or secondly The subdiuisions the mortification of vice or thirdly the renouation of life The meditation of heauenly things ir vrged from v. 1. to the fift the mortification of vice is vrged from v. 5. to the tenth Renouation of life is generally layd down v. 10.11 and more specially opened v. 12. to the eighteenth The exhortation to the care and study of heauenly things is thus digested First it is expounded v. 1. Secondly it is illustrated v. 2. Thirdly it is confirmed by motiues and reason v. 3.4 And thus for the order of the whole Chapter and the generall frame of this first part Before I open the words more particularly there are diuerse things may be noted from the coherence and dependance of these words 4 Doctrine from coherence vvith former chapters with the Chapter before and the matter following in this Chapter From the coherence with the former Chapter I obserue these things First that there can bee no holinesse of life without faith and therefore the Apostle first instructeth them in matters of faith It is a true rule whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and may be extended further then things indifferent while we are out of Gods fauour a Rom. 14.23 and know not our reconciliation and iustification in Christ our best actions are but faire sinnes For without faith it is vnpossible to please God b Heb. 11.6 Secondly that the terrestriall blessednesse of man is in respect of sinne two wayes principally assaulted First with errors in opinion Secondly with corruptions in manners And against both wee should learne from the Apostle in the latter part of the former Chapter and the first part of this to bee armed and furnished with holy directions and meditations Thirdly that these men that are so superstitiously earnest and so zealously forward for ceremonies and the traditions and obseruations of men whatsoeuer they protest or pretend or seeme to be are indeed voyd of true deuotion and feruent affection to heauenly thingsc. Doct. 1 Fourthly that hee that is by faith made a new creature must resolue to be at Gods appoyntment for his whole carriage in his generall and particular calling d Ephes 2.10 Doctrines froÌ„ the coherence in this Chapter Thus of the coherence with the former Chapters From the order of doctrine in this Chapter two things may be noted First that before a man can be good in his particular calling hee must first be good in his generall thou mayst bee painefull and diligent but thou canst not be euery way a faithfull and sound hearted husband wife seruant childe c. till thou bee a good man or good woman in respect of grace and godlinesse And therefore wee should first seeke the righteousnesse of Gods Kingdome and it may serue for direction vnto such as chuse wiues or seruants or the like if they bee not faithfull to God how canst thou bee assured they will prooue faithfull to thee moreouer wouldst thou haue thy seruants or children to bee amended then bring them to the powerfull preaching of the word and call vpon them to get into the fellowship of the godly that they may learne to bee good abroad in matters of religion and then thou mayst hope to finde them by proofe and daily experience trusty and faithfull in thy Doct. 2 businesse Finally this reproues both the sinfulnesse and folly of many carnall parents and masters they neuer care so their seruants doe their worke though they altogether neglect Gods worke And many times they restraine their seruants and children and will not let them heare sermons or come into godly companie as if that were the way to make them idle and carelesse whereas we see the cleane contrary to be true Secondly that men are neuer likely to hold out and prooue sound in the reformation and new obedience of their liues till they fall in loue with heauenly things and grow in some measure weary of the world and the things thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus of the generall obseruations from the twofold coherence Now followeth the particular opening of the words In the proposition of the exhortation to the studie of heauenly things layed downe in this verse two things are to bee considered first what or the dutie required viz. seeke those things which are aboue secondly why or the reasons to enforce the dutie and they are foure First ye are risen with Christ in the first resurrection Secondly these things are aboue and not attained without seeking or studie Thirdly Christ is aboue in his bodily presence Fourthly Christ sits at the right hand of God exalted in the glory of his father each of these strongly conclude the exhortation as will further appeare in the particular handling of them If yee be risen with Christ A threefold resurrection There may bee conceiued to bee a threefold resurrection of a Christian The first is sacramentall And thus we rise againe in baptisme The second is corporall c Râ—uel 2.9 What the first resurrection is and so wee shall rise againe in the day of Iesus Christ in our bodies out of the dust of the earth The third is spirituall and so wee must rise in this life in soule from the death of sinne or else we shall neuer bee deliuered from the second death of this spirituall resurrection called elsewhere the first resurrection he heere entreats And it is a worke of the spirit of grace deliuering vs from the power of sinne by which wee are quickned to the heauenly desires and endeauours of holy life by the vertue of the resurrection of Iesus Christ applyed vnto vs by faith in the effectuall vse of Gods ordinances It is a worke by which wee grow conformable to Christ being risen againe f Rom. 6.4.5 by which also wee taste of the powers of the life to come and are borne againe to a liuely hope of an eternall and incorruptible inheritance g 1 Pet. 1.3.4 the earnest of which wee haue receiued and shall shortly receiue the whole possession purchased h Eph. 1.14 though for a time we be absent from the Lord. This first resurrection carieth with it a similitude or resemblance of Christ rising againe so as euery Christian
owne selues publike priuate secret open inward outward in prosperitie and aduersitie in the Church or familie or abroad in mens conuersation Alas we can discerne but a glimpse of that sinne and guiltinesse that is in vs by nature and this is the increase of their misery in all their sinnes they are dead in them Dead There is a fourefold death A fourefold death temporall corporall spirituall eternall The state of man being in misery he is dead temporally a Esay 26.19 The body of man being in the graue he is dead corporally The soule of man lying in sinne is dead spiritually And both soule and body being cast into hell are dead eternally Death to sin for sinne and in sinne The Colossians were dead spiritually there is a death to sinne and a death for sinne and a death in sinne a death to sinne and so the godly die by mortification a death for sinne and so malefactors die by execution and a death in sinne and so euery naturall man kills himselfe by enliuing his sinne What spiritual death in sin is The spirituall death in sinne is an vnutterable losse of the life of God by which the sinner is senselesse and carelesse in extremitie of misery vnto his owne euerlasting ruine if the Lord preuent it not by regeneration Now that men are in this case by nature these Scriptures proue Eph. 2.1 2. Math. 8.22 Ioh. 8.25 Rom. 8.10 Luk. 15.32 Reuel 3.2 Iud. 12. 1 Tim. 5.6 Neither let any deceiue themselues about their estate for a man may be dead in sinne and yet be aliue in the flesh yea thou maiest be a wise man in the flesh b Rom. 8.7 or a prince of this world c 1 Cor. 2 9.14 yea thou maiest haue a name that thou liuest spiritually d Reuel 3.2 and yet be starke dead Now this spirituall senselesnes is called a death because it is a priuation of spirituall life from the soule as the naturall death is from the body 2. because it tends to eternall death The vse may be fourefold 1. For information No wonder wicked men can come and goe from the word of God and not be touched alas they are dead men and so is it with them in respect of the iudgements of God alas if thou couldest rowle a mountaine vpon a dead man he would not feele so is it with a man dead in sinne and further we may heere obserue that to liue yea to die quietly is no signe of a man in a happy case for if this death in sin be not cured thousands of people may die quietly because they die senselesly they feele no more of the feare of hell or iudgement or Gods anger then if they were already dead in their bodies they would feele outward extremities I know that God many times can lay terror vpon the flesh of wicked men and make their spirits drinke in of the bitter anguish arising from the feruencie of Gods burning displeasure but I say if God let them alone vsually the most would die in a wretched senselesnes and inconsideration being neither able nor willing to entertaine the thoughts of what must presently and necessarily befall them 2. This may serue for confutation and so 1. of the Papists about their freewill How can there be this free will in a dead soule we are dead in sinne and therefore of our selues mooue not vnto life till God quicken vs by his word and spirit 2. Of the carnall Protestant that beares himselfe so strongly vpon his supposed couenant with death and hell his agreement must be disanulled nay his very securitie imports his vnauoidable destruction if it be not remooued by the power of Christ 3. For instruction art thou a man that hearest this that hast liued all thy time without remorse for thy sinnes and neuer yet entertained the care of reformation of thy life be heere warned of thy miserie let it bee enough thou hast been dead in sinne doe not lie still rotting in the graues of iniquitie but rise so soone as thou hearest the trumpet of the Gospell the voice of Christ sounding in thine eares and piercing thy heart 4. Lastly here is consolation implied vnto weake Christians If thou canst feele thy miserie and struggle in any measure of true constancie against the corruption of nature and the transgressions of thy heart and life thou art not dead there is some breath of life in thee there is motion and therefore life Thus of their actuall sinnes Their miserie in respect of originall sinne is exprest in these words And in the vncircumcision of the flesh These words be diuersly interpreted some thus In the vncircumcision of the flesh that is in the flesh which is vncircumcision that is a thing hatefull vnto God Some make these words to bee the signe of their death in sinne as if hee would say your very vncircumcision that is in your flesh which are Gentiles is a token that you are strangers from the life of God Some thus And you hath hee quickned which were dead in respect of your sinnes and carnall life which ye liue in the vncircumcision that is in your estate of Gentilisme Some make these words expresse the cause of their death in sinne Thus in the vncircumcision of the flesh that is for your fleshly vices which caused that death in sinne But I thinke with those that vnderstand by the flesh originall sinne and by the vncircumcision their miserie in respect of it implied in the allusion to the circumcision literally taken Originall sinne is called flesh Why original sinne is called flesh because the flesh is the instrument by which it is propagated 2. Because it is the subiect in which it is 3. Because it is the end it driues vs to viz. to satisfie the flesh and to seeke fleshly things This originall sinne heere called flesh is a spirituall kinde of disease gall What originall sinne is leauen and poyson which daily diffuseth it selfe throughout the whole man and still infecteth it though this bee not the whole nature of the sinne for to speake distinctly in originall sinne there are three things 1. 3. Things in originall sin The guiltinesse of Adams fact deriued vnto vs by iust imputation 2. The want of that originall iustice was in vs in the creation 3. The deprauation and corrupt disposition of our natures Our misery in respect of originall sin Here the word vncircumcision imports our miserie in respect of our very corruption of nature for it imports 1. That we are hatefull to God children of wrath 2. That we haue no portion in the heauenly Canaan 3. That wee haue no fellowship in the communion of Saints 4. That wee haue no part in the promised Messias for all these were shadowed out by the want of circumcision in the time of the Law Vses The vses follow First from hence wee may enforme our selues in diuers things as first we may see why the faire works
is all in all with him Where there is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian nor Scythian bond nor free Out of these words these two things may be obserued Nothing will auaile without Christ I. That nothing without Christ can make vs truly happy The image of God or felicitie of man stands not in birth freedome naturall parts or outward obseruances for he is not a Iew that is one outwardly nor is that liberty that is onely in the flesh nor is that wisdome that is onely in learned men such as were the Graecians Diues was a rich man Goliah was a strong man Achitophell was a wise man Absolon was a faire man Esau was circumcised and Cain was well borne and yet all these are in hell II. That in Christ there is no difference all is one whether thou bee poore or rich Iew or Gentile bond or free male or female a Gal. 3.28 with God there is no respect of persons In the power of his ordinances as by name in the preaching of the Gospell he extends his mercy both to Iewes and Gentiles b Rom. 1.16 so in the disposing of his gifts c 1 Cor. 12.13 hee bestowes knowledge and other graces vpon people of all sorts and for acceptation whosoeuer feareth him and doth righteousnesse he is accepted of what nation or state soeuer hee be d Act. 10.34 and all this will more fully appeare when he shall iudge euery man without respect of persons according to his workes at the last day e Rom. 1.10 Vses The consideration hereof may teach vs diuers things 1. To feare God and forsake our sinnes since hee is a God so terrible that will not be swaied with outward respects f Deut. 10.16.17 2. Not to stand vpon outward birth or greatnesse in the world nor to pride our selues in our wits or rest our selues vpon our outward seruing of God Act. 10.34 1 Pet. 1.17 for the Lord accepts not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore or the learned more then the vnlearned for they are all the worke of his hands g Ioh. 34.19 3. To be industrious in well doing seeing he that doth good shall be accepted whether he be bond or free Graecian Barbarian one or other h Rom. 2.8.9.10 for the same God is Lord ouer all and rich vnto all that call vpon him i Rom. 10 11. and endeauour by well doing to approue themselues in his sight 4. Not to despise poore Christians seeing God accepts of them and hath made them rich in faith and heires of a kingdome k Iam. 2.1.5 5. Not to giue titles to men l Iob. 32.21.22 and by seruile flatterie or feares to bee so much taken vp with their meere outward praises or places Lastly Magistrates in the administration of Iustice should resemble this absolutenesse of God so as no respect of persons poore or rich friends or foes strangers or home-borne should carry them besides the iust regard of the cause m Deut. 1.17 2 Chron. 29.6 How Christ is all in all But Christ is all in all And so he is 1. In respect of the vnion of the mysticall body as it is hee in whom euery one that is a new creature is considered to be and consist Euery conuert is created in Christ Iesus n Eph. 2.10 2. In respect of sufficiencie a man needs no more then Christ hee onely may suffice the whole compleatnesse of saluation is in Christ 3. In respect of efficiencie if wee looke vpon the benefits conferred vpon all Christians by Christ he makes a amends for all wants he is in steed of liberty to the seruant and in steede of birth and honour to the Scithian and Barbarian he is the substance of all shadowes to the vncircumcised what shall I say he is righteousnesse o Dan. 9.29 riches p Col. 1.27 and wisedome q 1 Cor. 1.30 sanctification and freedome r 2 Cor. 3.17 and a recompence Å¿ Esay 40.9 to Christians yea in him all things are theirs t 1 Cor. 3.21 and as the pledge of all they haue receiued the spirit of the sonne into their hearts u Gal. 4 6. Vses The vse of all this may be diuers 1. Vnto vs therefore there should bee one Lord euen the Lord Iesus Christ * 1 Cor. 8.6 The Vses 2. All sorts of men should striue by all meanes to set out and shew Christ onely Ministers should reach Christ only Magistrates should chiefly intend the glory of Christ nay all sorts of men should seeke Christ in choosing callings wiues seruants places of abode c. Christ should be all in all with vs yea in those wee haue to deale withall wee should beare with many wants and weaknesses so they haue Christ for that is all in all 3. We should learne to bee satisfied with Christ though we want health or liberty or wealth or worldly friends or great wits or strong memories c. Christ makes amends for all he is enough if the Lord haue giuen vs Christ he hath done enough for vs though it be sure that with him hee will giue vs all things also 4. This may greatly reproue the wonderfull stupidity of men that are so taken vp with admiration of these outward priuiledges when as we see how all is vaine without Christ what shall it profit a man if he had all honour and riches and countenance of friends and the pleasures of life if when he came into Gods sight hee might haue no acceptance for his soule If Christ bee all things then without Christ all things else are nothing Excellent consolation in Christ but especially this doctrine serues for singular comfort to Gods children in all their distresses and that will better appeare if wee consider the particulars For first are they afflicted in conscience vnder the sence of Gods anger and their owne sinnes Why he is the propitiation for their sinnes x Rom. 3.25 hee is the end of the Law for them y Rom 10.4 yea all that the Law can require of them hee will be their witnesse and their testimony z Esay 55.6 1 Cor. 1.6 Hee giues them promises and faith to beleeue them a Gal. 3.22 and it is his bloud that perfectly cures and clenseth them from all their wounds and sinnes b 1 Ioh. 1.7 Secondly are they distressed vnder the power of Sathans temptations or accusations why he sitteth at the right hand of God to see that nothing be laid to their charge he maketh intercession for them c Zac. 3.1.2.3 Rom. 8.33 and for the stings of this ould serpent hee is a continuall brasen serpent d Joh. 3. they may but looke vpon him and be healed Yea hee was tempted himselfe that hee might succour them that are tempted e Heb. 2.18 and his power dwelleth in them to be manifested in their
weakenesse f 2 Cor. 12.9 and hee came into the world of purpose to dissolue the worke of the Deuill g 1 Ioh. 3.7 Thirdly are they dismaide with the sense of their own weaknesses and ignorances why they haue such an high Priest as is touched with their infirmities h Heb. 4.15 and knowes how to haue compassion on the ignorant i Heb. 5.1 he will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe k Esay 42.2.3 Fourthly are they pressed with outward troubles Why Christ is the merit of their deliuerance from this present euill world l Gal. 1.4 hee is the sanctification of their crosses so as all shall worke together for the best to them that loue God m Rom. 8.28 yea hee will be their consolation so that as their sufferings abounds his comfort shall abound also n 2 Cor. 1.5 or if he doe not deliuer then hee makes a supply by giuing them better things out of the riches of his glory He is a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherlesse and as the shadow of the rocke in a weary land o Esay 33.2 to them that are persecuted and driuen to and fro by the hot rage of euill men Lastly are they in the feare or in the danger of death Why Christ is all in all here also for he hath ouercome death for them p Hos 13.14 he hath opened the way to heauen q Heb. 10.19 he hath destroyed him that had power ouer death r Heb. 2.14 hee hath freed them from the wrath to come Å¿ 1 Thes 1. vlt. he hath begotten in them a liuely hope t 1 Pet. 1.3 of a happy issue from the passage of death he is the first borne of the dead u Colos 1.17 and hee will be the resurrection and the life vnto them * Ioh. 11. What shall I say but conclude with the Apostle Christ is in life and death aduantage x Phil. 1. onely that Christ may be all in all to vs we must heare him we must beleeue in him wee must deny our selues and take vp our crosse and follow him and finally we must liue to him and die in him And thus of this eleuenth verse and so of the second part of the generall exhortation VER 12.13 Therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell against another euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe you The diuision of this part of the text THere are three things requisite to holy life First the meditation of heauenly things Secondly the mortification of vice Thirdly the exercise of holy graces and duties Of the first the Apostle hath intreated from verse 1. to verse 5. Of the second from verse the 5. hitherto Now in these words and those that follow to the 18. verse hee intreats of the third for he giues rules for the obedience of the new man and those rules are more speciall or more generall The more speciall rules are from the 11. verse to the sixteenth The more generall rules are in the 16. 17. ver the one concerning the means of holy life v. 16. and the other concerning the end of holy life v. 17. The speciall rules giue in charge the exercise of nine graces and in the setting downe of these rules I obserue 1. The Motiues to perswade to the obseruation of them and they are three the one taken from their election the other from their sanctification the third from the loue of God to them And these are briefly thrust together in a parenthesis in the beginning of the twelfth verse 2. The manner how they be charged with these graces that is noted in the Metaphor put on 3. The graces themselues and they are in number nine Some of them haue their greatest praise in prosperitie principally as mercy kindnesse meeknes humblenesse of minde some of them concerne the times of aduersitie principally as long-suffering and clemencie in forbearing and forgiuing Some indifferently belong to all times as loue peace thankefulnesse or amiablenesse ver 14.15 Obseruation from coherence Now from the coherence imported in the word therefore diuers things may be noted 1. In that he prescribes the mortification of vices before the exercise of graces it shewes that till vice be mortified grace will not grow nor prosper the true reason why many men thriue no better in the gift of Gods spirit is because they are so little and so sleightly in confessing and bewailing of their corruptions of heart and life 2. In that he rests not in the reformation of vices but prescribes also rules of new obedience it shewes that it is not enough to leaue sinne but wee must be exercised in doing good It will not serue turne for the husbandman that his fruit trees beare no euill fruit but hee will cut them downe if they bring not forth good fruit barrennesse is cause great enough of hewing downe 3. Men that are truely renued after the Image of Christ are willing to bee appointed and prescribed for the attaining and exercise of euery holy needfull grace and dutie he that hath true experience of the beginning of any true grace hath a true desire and a willing endeauour and a iust estimation of all grace For as he that repents of one sinne loues no sin so he that trauels in the birth of any grace desires all grace so farre as in conscience he knowes them to be required of God and in some degree except it be in the time of violent temptations or that the losse of the meanes occasion any deadnesse or faintnesse in the desires of the heart or that there be a relapse into some presumptuous sinne after calling 4. If this therefore carry vs to the former verse then we are informed that our indeauour after mercy meeknesse patience loue peace or the rest will neuer want acceptation with God And withall wee may take comfort if we would seriously set about the practise of these though wee found many lets and doubts and difficulties yet Christ will be all in all to help vs and giue good successe Thus of the coherence The motiues follow and first of Election Of Election Two kinds of Election Elect Gods seruants are Gods elect and that both in respect of election before time and also in respect of election in time for the Lord hath in his eternall counsell chose them in Christ to the obtaining of saluation to the praise of his grace a Eph. 1.4.5 Rom. 8.19 And besides at some time in their life the Lord doth select and separate them from out of the world and worldly courses to the profession of sincerity hauing sanctified them by the spirit The doctrine of Election hath both consolation and instruction in it Vse it is full of comfort if we
giue this wide doore of vtterance to their Teachers Before I passe from the matter hee prayâ—â— for I must note a doctrine lies secretly lodged within the same wee may finde in the end of this verse that the Apostle was in prison and yet he doth not desire to haue the doore of the prison open but the doore of his heart open to vtter the mysterie of Christ noting that it is a greater want to want the libertie of his ministerie in respect of vtterance then it is to want the libertie of his body in respect of the prison We should take notice of this for diuers vses 1. For thankfulnesse if there be a doore of vtterance opened in Gods house 2. For preuention of all things as much as lieth in vs that might stop the mouthes of Gods faithfull Ministers There are fiue things that stop the mouthes of Ministers in generall 1. Ignorance and presumptuous sinnes in the Ministers themselues Fiue things stop the mouthes of Gods Ministers for polluted lips are no lips of vtterance the lips of the Minister should be touched with the coales of knowledge zeale and mortification 2. The sinnes of the people many times put the Teachers to silence the rebellion of the house of Israel made Ezechiel dumbe that he could not preach Ezech. 3.26.24.27 3. The violence of persecutors preuailes often to shut the wide and effectuall doores of powerfull preaching 1 Cor. 16.9 and therefore we should pray that God would deliuer his faithfull Ministers from vnreasonable and absurd men 1 Thess 3.2 4. Discouragement and feare silence many a Minister in respect of the life and power of preaching 1 Cor. 16.9.12 Heb. 13.17 Lastly humane wisdome not only lets the people from the profit of hearing but likewise it lets the Minister from the power of preaching God would Doct. 1. The hearts of Ministers yea of the best Ministers are naturally shut they haue no gift to profit withall but they haue receiued it and who is sufficient of himselfe for these things Doct. 2. T is God only that opens vnto men the doore of vtterance t is he that makes the heart of the Priest fat and creates the fruit of the lips to be peace he openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth and it should teach them lesse to feare men and their rebukes and the lesse to care for the rage of the oppressor for if he will giue libertie who can restraine it and if he will silence who can inlarge Euen vnto vs. This manner of speech notes either his humilitie or his restraint in prison or the difficultie of vtterance His humilitie it may note in this sense that howsoeuer he hath beene a blasphemer or a persecutor c. yet that God would be pleased to honour him and his worke so much as giue vtterance euen to him and such as he is His restraint in prison it may import also and so his desire is they should not pray onely for Ministers that were at large and enioyed peace but also euen for him and such others as were in prison for a godly Preacher will not be idle no not if he come into prison and thus also it notes that the wisest men of themselues are not able to teach with power and profit the simplest and meanest men an Apostle cannot teach a prisoner without Gods speciall aid and blessing These words may note also the difficultie of vtterance as if he should say you had need to pray not only for ordinary but extraordinary Ministers Thus of the thing praied for as it is briefly propounded Secondly it is inlarged 1. by the subiect 2. by a reason 3. by the end The subiect of the vtterance is the mysterie of Christ To speake the mysterie of Christ Christ is a mysterie to the Gentiles Hovv Christ is a mysterie to 6. sorts of men to the Iewes to Heretikes to Papists to carnall men yea to godly men It is a mysterie to the Gentiles that there should be a Sauiour To the Iewes that saluation should be in the Carpenters sonne To the Papists that he should be the Sauiour alone To the Heretikes that hee should be a Sauiour in both natures To the carnall man that he should be a Sauiour in particular to him And to the godly man that he should be such a Sauiour But to expresse this more particularly Christ is a mysterie fiue wayes Christ a mysterie 5 vvaies for there are mysteries 1. In the person of Christ for what tongue can describe the supercelestiall vnion of his natures or the treasures of wisdome and knowledge or the fulnesse of the Godhead that dwels in him bodily 2. In his life and death The world could not comprehend the bookes that might be made of the wonders of his birth life and death We may see in that that is written what to adore for in this world a perfect knowledge we shall neuer attaine 3. In his body which is the Church for who can declare his generation or expresse the secrets of his power and presence in filling her who himselfe is her fulnesse and filleth all in all things or describe the manner of the vnion betweene Christ and his members Is not this a great mysterie 4. In the Sacraments of Christ The holy inuisible presence of God is a mysterie the communion of the body and bloud of Christ not locally or by contact and yet truly is a mysterie the seale of the holy spirit of promise vpon the hearts of beleeuers in the due vse of the Sacraments is a mysterie the spirituall nourishment that comes to the soule by such secret and hidden passages inuisibly is a great mysterie 5. In the Gospell of Christ And by the mysterie of Christ in this place I thinke is meant the Gospell of Christ and it is called a mysterie because of the hiding of it If you aske me where the Gospell hath beene hidden I must answer The Gospell hidden fiue vvayes it hath beene hidden 1. in the breast of God from all eternitie 2. in the shadowes and types of the ceremoniall Law which was the Iewes Gospell 3. in the treasurie of holy Scriptures 4. in the person obedience and passion of Christ who was the substance of the Mosaicall ceremonies and the quintessence of all Euangelicall doctrine 5. in the hearts of Christians If you aske me from whom it was hidden I answer not from the elect for God by preaching reuealed it vnto them in due time but from wicked men but with great difference The Gospell hidden from the vvicked diuersly for to some there is no Gospell at all giuen as to the Gentile to some not giuen plainly as in those congregations of Israel to whom this euangelicall loafe is not diuided though in the whole lumpe it bee giuen to some not giuen in the power of it for though they heare the preaching yet by reason of mixtures carnall wisdome or ignorance and confusednesse in the Teachers there is