doe promise thee if thou doe it thou shalt haue the bitternes of thy nature taken away otherwise thou shalt neuer possesse a contented heart What a death this was he expresseth when he saith which were dead in sinnes there is the first cause of this death sinnes and trespasses that is all the actuall sinnes of their life all the foule thoughts of their heart all the prophane words of their mouth all vnruly actions of their hands all these be vnderstood vnder this word sinnes in the plurall number Then brethren this word importeth first the kinde of this death Death in sinne that man lieth in before he be in Christ it is not the death of the bodie In the bodie thou wilt seeme to be quicke enough when as thou art but dead but this death it is the death of the spirit it is the death of the soule for when thou goest on in sinne thou doest nothing else but stick and goare thy soule and besides in the end thou wilt slay the bodie also so as if thou continue in it it shall neuer leaue thee till it slay both soule and bodie for euermore Thou maist be a wanton harlot and a cruell murtherer but yet take thy delights howsoeuer thou wilt promise thy selfe as great assurance of life comfort and ioyes as thou canst imagine yet thy perseuerance in sinne shall slay thee with death in this world and in that to come For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 28. Then this cause of death importeth not onely that this death is spirituall but also it importeth that it is a death exceeding fore and withall the dissoluing of this very bodie into powder and ashes Death in generall is nothing els but the depriuing of life A mā is said to be dead when he wanteth life Now these sinnes which he speaketh of here doe depriue thee of the quickest and sweetest life that euer was and what a life is it that sinne depriueth thee of euen the life of God the best life that is or can be Woe is thee that euer thou gottest life in the bodie if thou want this life of God that thou maist liue with Iesus Christ for euer Yea woe is thee for euermore that thou sawest either Sunne or Moone if thou want the life of God in Iesus Christ and there is nothing but sinne that can depriue thee of it And further it not onely bereaueth thee of life but it maketh thee guiltie of eternall death both in soule and bodie Thou hast these two Tvvo aduantages sinners haue by sinne aduantages delight in sinne as thou wilt sinne ruling in any man so long as hee liueth without Iesus Christ remission of sinnes and sanctification it excludeth the life of God from him and more then this it holdeth him poore miserable wretch vnder the guiltines of euerlasting death for euer You will aske how can a man be dead in sinnes Is he not liuely in actions is hee not counted the gallantest fellow in all the Realme and the liueliest that is the greatest swaggerer that can commit most euill Is hee not counted the liueliest that is the greatest murtherer I answere thee the quicker hee is in murthering in adulterie and such like the more is hee dead because first he wants the life of God And further all these are but dead actions dead workes comming from a dead man and they are as it were a stinking sauour from a filthie carrion so these men trimme them vp as you wil they are but stinking carrions O thou murtherer thou defilest the heauens the earth and the ayre O thou harlot thou defilest all the house and the bed thou liest in Thou oppressour thou defilest all the world though thou werst an Earle a Duke or a King thou art a dead stinking carrion worse then a dead dogge To come to the next words he ascendeth to a higher ground of this death and he saith they were dead not onely in actuall sinnes but they were dead in a sort of sinne that did cleaue faster and neerer to their ribbes You were dead saith he in the vncircumcision of your flesh that is in your originall sinne Hee setteth downe this by an allusion of the foreskinne the Gentiles vncircumcision was a signe of their originall sinne which Originall sinne was inherent in them as circumcision was a signe of the taking away of the same Then the cause of thy death in bodie and soule is not onely these actions that passe away as when thou hast murthered the action goeth away although the guilt remaine for the action that passeth it leaueth vpon thy backe a guilt which shall bring downe damnation vpon thee The cause I say of thy death in bodie and soule is not only in these fleeting actions but the grounded cause of it is original sinne the sinne conceiued in thy mothers wombe Thou art borne in sinne and it sticketh fast to thee and therefore it must follow that seeing the cause is a sticking and biding cause the death must also be abiding death I called it before a sore death now I call it an abiding death that greatly encreaseth the miserie You know that a disease naturall that commeth of any vitiositie of nature as of the birth so many as haue that disease it doth still accompanie their bodie It may wel be that they get it mitigated but they cannot fully clense it They may procure a relenting of it but neuer be able to take it away And therefore this death hauing the ground in that foule feede that thou art conceiued in by the generation of all thy forebeers it will passe the power of the world to get it away No the Angels of heauen will not bee able to relieue thee of it nothing will free thee of it but grace which is contrarie to that corruption of nature You know the prouerbe That which is bred in the bone wil hardly be driuen out of the flesh It therefore thou wouldest be cured of this rooted euill thou must crie for grace and say Lord send thy spirit of grace into my heart to rid me of this corruption of nature It thou crie not for this night and day yea and finde it in some measure working in thee thou shalt neuer be relieued Crie therefore and say Lord I was conceiued dead I was borne dead I A good prayer am euery way dead send thy spirit of free grace and free me of this death that so sore setleth vpon me that I may once enioy that life of Iesus Crie this way night and day and all thy time and then I assure thee thou shalt finde deliuerance and shalt taste how sweet the life of Iesus is And this for their former estate which is miserable being out of Christ Iesus Now followeth the estate in Christ He hath quickened you that is the father hath put life in you It is a quickening when death is expelled and life commeth in his place but what a life is it
LECTVRES VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE COLOSSIANS PREACHED BY THAT FAITHFVLL seruant of God Maister ROBERT ROLLOK sometime Rector of the Vniuersitie of Edenburgh COLOS. 3. 16 17. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoeuer ye shall doe in word or deede doe all in the Name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God euen the Father by him AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston dwelling in Pater-noster row ouer against the signe of the Checker 1603. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND MY VERY CHRISTIAN FRIEND Maister William Scot of Ely all goodnesse in this life and in the life to come euerlasting happinesse SIr in many things God hath been pleased to linke vs together as in nature in nation and in honest familiaritie or Christian acquaintance and sundrie such like yet in none of these hath this great grace of his more plainely and plentifully appeared then in the band of the holy Religion which we professe As the thing it selfe hath been is and I trust shall for euer be the greatest glorie and best comfort that God hath affoorded vs in this world so we cannot but make much of the meanes and thinke well of the men by which this and many other graces haue been offered vnto vs 〈◊〉 â—ffected in vs. 〈◊〉 meanes are the Word Sacraments and Prayers of the Church together with many other good helpes and aides both publike and priuate which are good not onely because they proceede from God From whom alone floweth euery good and perfect gift and is all onely goodnes himselfe but also because they tend to our spirituall benefit in generall and in speciall are the strictest band to tye vs together one with another and to hold vs fast in the blessed fellowship of the saints The men are Gâ—â—â— faithfull seruants labouring in the ministerie of Gods holy word and doctrine amongst vs. Who howsoeuer they bee of themselues infirme and weake and haue Gods blessed treasures but in earthen vessels and therefore many times euen in both these respects not onely despised but ill intreated in this euill world yet are they made vnto â—s and the rest that beleeue the sauor of life vnto life 〈◊〉 Christ. Amongst others whom God in this last age hath vouchsafed vnto vs who may we or who mould we more continually remember or more reuerently regard then that worthie Country man of ours Maister ROBERT ROLLOK who what hee was in himselfe I meane for his life and conuersation I suppose verilie you of any man liuing best know and can and will most truely relate as time and occasion shall be offered because you were not onely the longest but most inwardly acquainted with all his cariages And what he was and hath been to the Church his worthy workes left â—â—â—ind him besides his daily labours in the Pulpit and Schooles can more then sufficientlie testifie What to men in the world is manifested by many things But not by any more then this that hitherto enuie it selfe hath not opened her mouth neither euer shall be able so to doe his conuersation was so Christian and his iudgement so sincere This worthie instrument of his glorie God graciouslie offered nay liberally lent a long while to our Church but we 〈◊〉 so reuerentlie esteeming him as we should nor â—â—â—refullie profiting by him as in deede we ought God in great mercie towards him doubtles though in no small iudgement to vs ward hath been pleased to retraite him to himselfe out of this wretched world and to bring him to yea to place him in celestiall heauenlie ioyes Which whatsoeuer he was doing he did hunger and thirst after yea groane and 〈◊〉 and as we may say in another mans speech 〈◊〉 another matter he did eate drinke and 〈◊〉 eternall life euery thing in him in a manner assuredly testifying that here was not his hope but that he looked for a citie eternall in the heauens All which graces God gaue him not onely for his owne consolation but in deed for our imitation if happilie we can striue thereto that he being in some measure both in life and death made conformable to his head and Sauiour Christ we might learne in deed and that by an example in fraile flesh and blood to purge our selues from all filthines of the flesh and the spirit and to finish our sanctification in the feare of God Wherein that the Lord might the better instrucâ—â—s he hath thus farre graciouslie prouided for vs that though he be departed from vs as in regarde of the bodie yet he is present with vs in respect of his spirit yea to say truth he liueth and that not onely with God and innumerable Saints and Angels in the heauenlie places where is the fruition and fulnes of ioy for euermore but euen with men yea holy men vpon earth and speaketh to them though not in a bodily voyce yet in the sound of his Lectures and fame of many excellent things of his prouoking the good euerie day to be better and admonishing the wicked euery where to turne from dead workes vnto the liuing God that so they might repent and be saued And this he doth amongst others euen in these Sermons or Lectures which now I present vnto you as a posthume birth after the Fathers decease or as an Orphane destitute of earthly parents not onely to receiue as it were breath and being from you for that it hath done alreadie as without whose good meanes in deed it could neuer haue beheld this light but all good supportation beside it lying in you not onely for your selfe but with sundrie others by reason of the good credit you haue among all speciallie with the godlie to giue it voge and passage Take it therefore I pray you into your good patronage and protection and receiue it as it is in deed yours yea yours I say if not in many good and gracious respects besides yet in a double regarde at the least One in consideration of the author whose things whilest he liued yea and after life and death also were yours as yours again his but all in Christ Another in that it is produced to the view of all by your meanes without which it should haue been as bed-reden notable to moue hand or foote nor to see or speake or should haue perished inter blattas tineas as we say but now commeth forth into the world cloathed as it were with your countenance and to be vpheld by your credit In this holy loue of yours hold on I beseech you and increase with the increasings of God and shew it effectuallie not onely to his which yet remaine amongst vs as you haue bountifullie done and yet doe that so that may be verified in you in the daies of your pilgrimage which was auerred of a right worthie person in former time he
3. 5. 6. he saith Paul is nothing and Apollo is nothing but God who giues the increase When he hath giuen God that glorie then in the fourth chapter vers 2. he saith let men so esteeme of vs as the disposers of the mysteries of God so let men euer giue God all glorie and praise and let them be assured the 1. Sam. 2. 33. God whom they honour in their calling shall honour them againe Now to this God be all honour and praise Amen THE THIRTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 1. 2. 3 1 For I would ye knew what great fighting I haue for your sakes and for them of Laodicea and for as many as haue not seene my person in the flesh 2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to know the mysterie of God euen the father and of Christ 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and of knowledge YE haue heard brethren from the foure and twentith verse of the first chapter of this epistle how Paul hath insisted vpon his owne person purchasing authority to his doctrine y t he hath propounded and to the exhortation begun As yet he continues in speaking of himselfe from the beginning of this second chapter vnto the sixt verse thereof Then after he returnes to his exhortation exhorting the Colossians to perseuerance in that faith which they had receiued The sum of the former Lecture and exhorting them from vaine traditions obtruded or layd on them by the false teachers letting them vnderstand that there was nothing except Christ and his Gospell to be acknowledged or receiued by them and that all other things without him are but vanitie Then to come briefly to our purpose and this text now read in the last verse of the chapter preceding yee heard the Apostle vttered what paines he tooke and what strife he suffered and all for this end to present euery man without exception perfect before God especially in that great day Now the Colossians to whom he writes whom he neuer saw bodily nor they him might haue obiected against this his paine labor and strife which he sustained Well Paul thou pinest thy selfe but for whom what is that to vs It is not for vs thou neuer sawest vs nor we thee so all thy labour fighting and trauell Obiection is nothing profitable for vs. The Apostle in the first verse meets Answere with and answers it I would you knew saith he what great fighting I haue for your sakes and not for you onely but for your neighbours them of Laodicea this is a towne in Phrygia and not for them only but for as many of the Gentiles as haue not seene my person in the flesh There is his answere it is plaine onely hereout I shall gather some short notes for our instruction Then first I marke in the person of the Colossians that moues the question They thought he could haue no care of them except he had seene them so commonly men thinke that they who are absent from them and neuer see them neither know them by their face as we say whom they haue not seene face to face can haue no care of them nor loue to them This is the iudgement commonly of the world and it is so indeede for naturall men that haue no more than naturall loue will speake thus of them with whom they haue not been acquainted I knew him not what haue I to doe with them whom I neuer saw nor knew What good can such men doe to me or I to them This is the fashion of the worldly men But this is all wrong as you The difference betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate The loue of the Saints exceedes the loue of the world shall see and therefore marke in the answere of Paul what great difference is betwixt naturall men and renewed men the common sort of men and the seruants of God In his answere we learne that they that are of God which haue gotten that new birth aboue nature and contrarie to nature the seruants of Christ especially such as Paul was they loue them whom they neuer sawe haue a care ouer them whom they neuer knew yea they will striue and fight to the death for them For why brethren you must vnderstand concerning them that are conioyned in the bodie of Christ one hand will not know another better then they will know one another although they haue not seene one another bodily being far distant in person and place the one from the other because it is the spirit of Iesus who ioynes them together and giues euery one a sure knowledge of the other conioyned with Christ as a member of that body Hence commeth this liuely knowledge which one christian will haue of another whom otherwise he neuer sawe in properperson For they haue not onely this fleshly sight of naturall men and bodily eye to see a mans body and face before them but they haue a spirituall eye whereby they can see to the farthest nooke and corner of the world and will send as it were the very spirit and soule out of the body to the vtmost part of the world where they know there is any of Christs members Therefore Paul saith 1. Cor. 5. 4. When ye are gathered together and my spirit c. Thou that hast no care of the Saints of God where euer they be scattered thou hadst neuer this spirituall and heauenly eye of Paul Suspect thy selfe thou art but a naturall man and if thou haue not a loue to them to embrace and fixe them as it were in thy heart alas it is a token that thou art not in that body of Christ as yet Thirdly in this answere I see it is requisit that we loue them that are Saints howbeit we neuer saw them nor they vs in this world for when the conscience is touched with a feeling of that loue there ariseth The feeling of loue in our hearts a consolation to the soule When thou feelest in thy soule that the Saints loue thee thou maist be assured that God also loues thee and therefore it hath pleased the Lord to leaue in register the acts of the Apostles containing that loue and care they had for the Saints not onely for their owne time but also for all who should liue to the end of the world For Paul he had not onely a care of the Colossians but also of the whole gentils his loue and care extended so far that it reached out to the end of the world If thou be a member of Christ the care of Paul reacheth to thee as one of that body Then lastly I note it is so requisit that we vnderstand of this loue of the We must endeuour to make our loue knowne to the Saints Saints to vs whether we haue seene them or they vs or not that the man
in him are hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge therfore be not wise without him seeke not wisdome without him There are false teachers entred in that make you thinke there is wisedome without him but I say vnto you if you would not be deceiued seeke no wisedome without him for in him is the treasure of all wisedome and knowledge There is the force of the argument briefly Now marke the order of the Apostle Before hee exhorted them that they should not be deceiued by the inticing of mens words and doctrine and hee laies out the reason taken from the treasure and riches of wisdome and knowledge that is in Christ So the Apostle to the Hebrues 13. 8. being about to exhort them that they should not be carried about with sundrie and strange doctrine hee laies downe this ground Christ is today and yesterday c. therfore be not carried away from him As if hee would say there was neuer saluation without him from the beginning of the world and there shall be no saluation without him to the end thereof therefore sticke to him This order teacheth vs this lesson that after wee haue let men see what is in Christ after we haue opened as it were and laid abroad before the eyes of the world all that store of wisedome and knowledge that is in him then it is time to exhort men to leaue all their doctrine and vanitie and inticing words of men and to sticke by this Christ in whom there is such wisedome and knowledge For brethren you must vnderstand men if they see not true wisedome they will drinke in vanitie the heart must be filled with The heart must be filled vvith something something if thou see not the truth thou must drinke in lyes And more when thou hast begun to receiue the truth as these Colossians did except that truth be opened and laid before thy eyes as it were to be seene what is in it and what is the meaning and true sense of the same except this Gospell I say be continually taught O vaine man thou wilt goe to the puddle of mens fancies thou wilt fall againe to mens doctrine The preaching of the Gospell must be cōtinued traditions and vanitie thou wilt be a Papist yea and an Atheist to And therefore there is nothing more needfull then this that these riches of Christ be laid out before our eyes and euer tolde to vs that in Christ is all wisdome and knowledge I aske what is the cause that this miserable world all men and all nations for the most part be so drunke in mens dreames what is the Popes doctrine but dreames and poyson drinke it in thou shalt be poysoned with it I tell thee because these false deceiuers close vp the Gospell and swaddle vp Christ in the swaddle bands this is the cause that these poore soules see no better and therefore they are led to damnation blindfolded O miserable bodies these foule spirits send out their poyson to dampne the world withall as alas the greatest part of Europe this day can tell But to sticke to the words The Apostle saith I speake this least any man should beguile you with inticing words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are set out in faire flattring talke Then ye see here he opposeth to all the treasures of Christ inticing words to wisedome he opposeth flattring words There is no wisedome without Christ all is plaine sophistrie as it is called in the Schooles Then in a word all wisdome being in Christ if thou y t wilt be wise without him seeke thy wisedome where thou wilt runne to Rome runne here and there to the Iesuites to get wisedome out of them thou shalt be filled with dreames thou shalt finde nothing but sophistrie thou shalt not meete with wisedome All that thou shalt see and finde shall be but inticing words And what wilt thou winne by this He saith that ye be not deceiued and tooke in a grin Thou shalt be taken in a grin as a beast if thou seeke ought without him Alas brethren when I remember Antichrist and his wofully deceiue soules this miserable world it is a pitie to see how it is abused by these traitors and deceiuers of mens soules O that damnation and iudgement that shall fall on that cursed kingdome of Antichrist For I assure you this world for the greatest part are taken in the grins by Antichrist and so reserued to iudgement And the more miserable are they that are in the grin of Antichrist that they thinke that they are in sweete bands for the end shall let ye see how bitter the bands were let them now be to thee as sweete as they will thou shalt finde in the end that of all bands in this world they are the worst To goe forward He hath vttered a great care to the Colossians whom hee neuer saw nor knew Therefore they might haue said what care is this thou hast of vs thou neuer sawst vs nor we thee He meetes with this in the next words O ye Colossians saith he though I be absent from you in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit Then ye see the Saints the true members of Christ they haue a sight and knowledge of others that the world knowes not of This world and naturall men that haue Iudgement and loue of the world concerning other men not the spirit of Iesus thinke that none can reach out to the worlds end and can haue knowledge of another nor any care ouer him if he see him not with his bodily eye but al is vaine For a spirituall man will send his soule to the end of the world and vpon this hee will vtter his care vnto him by his exhortation And this is a token of a greater thing euen of this ioyning of the godly together that one day they shal be together soule and bodie If thou haue a heart and care with the Church of God thou shalt raigne with her in heauen for euer And in deede if thou haue not this it is a venture if euer thou raigne with her Now when he hath set downe this spirituall presence with them he subioynes the effect of it reioycing saith he there is the effect of that spirituall presence his soule was with them Spirituall presence of the faithfull one with another and with ioy hee reioyced to see them So this presence spiritual whē the heart of the faithfull is with others it is no fantacie as a vaine head will thinke but I say thou hadst neuer such ioy as the faithfull will haue with others in a spirituall presence Thou neuer knewest this ioy that hast not this spiritual presence And brethren it is euen with the Church as it is with Christ 1. Pet. 1. 8. he saith you haue not seene Christ with your eyes yet beleeuing in him who is farre from vs in his bodily presence and louing him howbeit he be away ye reioyce with a ioy that is
here and there that which thou must rest vpon must be nothing else but the power of God the efficacie of the strong power of God Thou must not lay hold vpon Angels Saints or vpon Princes in the earth thou wilt be beguiled yea thou and they going about so to vphold thee will both to hell together Therefore suffer not thy selfe to be deceiued with an opinion of them I dare be bold to say that if the Angels and Saints would take the honour that the Pope and his Clergie Inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels would giue them they should all goe to hell and leaue the ioyes which they now haue So the stay of thy faith and that which thou must apprehend is the mortification of thy sinne and thy quickening to newnes of life it must not be by the mediation of man or Angell or of any Saint glorified but by the onely and immediate mediation of Iesus Christ there only thou gettest that spirituall power that quickeneth thee to life It is easie to slay a man and men now a daies think slaughter but a sport yea and rather then they will not slay they had liefer goe quicke to hell as they vse to say but the slaying of sinne must be onely by the power of God Sinne must be vanquished by faith and without faith thou shalt neuer mortifie sinne Therefore continually put out that hand of faith and pluck down that power of God for thy saluation euer crie for this hand of faith Draw draw spare not for there is no want in him That well of his effectuall power will neuer waxe drie and this bloud of Christ will neuer drie vp all power is through that bloud of Christ Then first by a true faith lay hold vpon Christ on the crosse and then sitting at the right hand of the Father and so thou shalt neuer depart with him till thy glorious resurrection be accomplished When hee had spoken of God when hee had said through faith of the effectualnes of God then he subioyneth Who raised him from death Hauing once spoken of that God who is so effectuall when hee nameth God hee leaueth him not but hee subioyneth some glorious description of him so speaking of him here hee describeth him first in respect of Christ and his resurrection Secondly in respect of raising of the Gentiles Thirdly in respect of the abolishing of the law and quickning of the Iewes And in respect of Christ hee saith who raised him from the dead to wit by the effectualnes of that strong power that is in him The first that euer he raised by that power is Iesus Christ And therefore he is called the first borne of the dead chap. 1. 18. For this resurrection from the dead is first by decree afore all times and then in time it begun at Christ who was that lambe that was sacrificed from the beginning and gaue grace to all other sacrifices so that they in his sacrifice Resurrection following regeneration and both depēding on Christ were accepted of God and then his resurrection is deriued to all them that doe or euer shall rise hereafter in Christ for they that are not in Christ haue no resurrection for them because there is no regeneration for them in this life and consequently no resurrection for them hereafter It is true that by vertue and power of that Godhead the most wicked and vnregenerate shall rise but they shall not rise in him that is new creatures who before in this life were regenerated and liue the life of Christ There shall be no such thing to follow them in their resurrection Againe you shall perceiue in the writing of the Apostles when hee would set out that all-sufficiencie of God and his mightie power he deliuereth it by the effects for therby it is knowne Now what an effect chuseth he not the creation of the world for he leaueth that and maketh choise of the raising of Iesus Christ as though the all-sufficient mightie power of God had neuer been so powerfully declared as in the death of Iesus Christ his resurrection Reade in the Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 1. 19. 20. where you shall finde this manifestly proued how God shewed this his power when hee The greatest power of God manifested most in Christs death and resurrection raised vp Iesus from the dead and placed him at his right hand Rom. 1. 4. There was neuer such a power vttered as this was in raising Christ from the dead What can be the cause of this Is it not a great power to create a thing and to create all things of nothing Iesus was something lying in a graue I answere that that power was so much the greater in respect there was neuer any so humbled as Iesus was so cōpassed with the bands of death as he so that by loosing of those bands there must of necessitie appeare the greatest power that euer was or should be for the strongest bands require the mightiest power to loose them There were neuer bands so strōg as Christ God equall with his Father was bound withall As for thee and me the bands of death wherewith wee are or shall be bound they are but gentle and it is but an easie matter to binde any of vs. Neuer any was bound as Iesus and therefore a stronger power is required to raise him then to raise any of vs. Well the Lord he raised him vp by the efficacie of his great power Now hee being raised who was bound in such strong bands despaire not thou but take thee comfort and say My Lord when he was bound with a strong power God raised him therefore it is an easie matter for him when I am dead and laid in graue to raise me in respect of him if he did raise Christ with his whole hand he will raise me with his little finger But beloued learne if by faith thou be not bound and ioined with him in his death and burial for thou must be conioyned with him in his death and thou must lie as it were vnder him in the graue if thou be not so conioyned thou shalt not rise with him But if thou be bound with him by faith as I haue said as he rose thou shalt rise and thou shalt be pulled vp out of that graue with him otherwise when the Lord raiseth him thou shalt lie still Then seeke faith in Iesus and that blessed coniunction with him through faith sticke by him in death and in the graue and let him not be raised without thee fixe thy heart to him and assuredly thou shalt rise with him in that day and he shal pull thee out so glorious a bodie as that then he and his father shall take pleasure in thee and thou shalt raigne with him for euer and euer Now to this powerfull God that raised this Lord Iesus with the holie Spirit be all honour and dominion Amen THE SEVENTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE Epistle of PAVL to the Colossians
COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 13. 14. 13 And ye which were dead in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses 14 And putting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against vs. REmember brethren the last day we had in hand the circumcision not made with the hands of man but standing in a putting off of the bodie of the sinnes of the flesh he tooke it vp in one word and termed it the circumcision Summe of the last Lecture of Christ that is an inward circumcision made by him and by his vertue Now to make this more plaine he insisteth in the next verse on the circumcision of Christ and hee made it to stand in a conformitie betweene Christ and vs that as Christ after his death was buried so wee should be buried with him that is our old man and the corruption of nature should be buried with him Next as after his death and buriall he was raised vp to life so we being dead and buried to sinne should rise vp to newnes of life in him Now this is obtained not by the Sacrament of Baptisme onely but by faith laying hold on God and his mightie power After this when he had spoken of the effect of this strong power of God he abides on it describing God himselfe his omnipotent power The description ariseth of the effects that proceede from him The effects of Gods power You haue heard the first effect it was in raising Christ from death in which worke the power of God chiefly appeared there was neuer a worke that God wrought from the creation to this houre or will worke to the end of the world in the which so mightily appeared the power of God as it did in the raising of Christ because there was neuer a creature so humbled and so bound with the bands and dolor of death as was Iesus Christ Now in this that we haue read presently followeth the rest of the description of God in his power and first wee haue his The second effect of Gods power description from the second effect and worke of his power It is the quickening of the Gentiles that were dead with Iesus who was first quickened namely the Colossians to whom he writeth Then followeth the third effect the quickening of the The third effect Iewes that were as well dead as the Gentiles But to speake of the quickening of the Gentiles and namely of the Colossians and so to come to the words he saith And you that is you Colossians and all the rest of the Gentiles when you were dead in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of the foreskin of your flesh then he quickened you and raised you vp from the death that ye lay in with him meaning Iesus Christ whom hee raised vp first and that in this order He hath freely forgiuen you all your sinnes these are the words Now brethren this is to be considered he setteth not downe the quickening of the Colossians and of the rest simply but he setteth it downe in a comparison with their former estate wherin they were before their quickning calling them to remembrance that before they were quickened they were dead life followeth death the first gate to life with Iesus is to be dead with him so it behooued that before they were quickened they should be found dead Now in the comparison and example set downe here mark first it is the will of God whatsoeuer grace hee giueth vs wee doe much esteeme it and if he giue thee life he will haue thee highly account of it The spirituall grace that is gotten in Iesus Highly price the least grain of the grace of Christ Christ it cannot be highly enough thought of in the heart of man For when thou hast put it in a ballance with al earthly things all is nothing the least graine of this spiritual grace gotten in Iesus Christ is worth them all Therefore the Lord that giueth thee it will haue thee to make much of it Now the way to weigh aright this heauenly life receiued in Christ is this to cast thy eye back and looke ouer thy shoulder to that death wherein thou latest before thou gottest it looke what thou wast before looke whether thou wast dead or quicke before thou gatest this spirituall life And therefore there is nothing more required then a sanctified memorie in a Christian Remember wealth and woe both good estate and ill what euer it hath bin Now looke to the working of God for rather then his own elect shall be forgetfull of their former estate of their death they lay in before they got life he wil make y e very stink of their sinful nature wherof they haue yet a remnant he will make it I say to strike them in their nose and make them feele that stinking sauour For he keepeth still the remnant stinking The remnant of sin in the regenerate what vse is hath in them that they may remember what estate they were in before they got this life in Iesus Christ that they might remember the life they haue gotten to be the sweeter Nay marke it thou shalt neuer feele the sweete odour of the life in Iesus Christ except thou feele the stinke of thy nature And if thou take a delight to looke into thy owne nature and thinke it delicate thou neuer thoughtest what grace meant yea thou shalt neuer account of it but once tasting of the life of Iesus and the sweetnes of it then thou shalt abhorre that stinke of nature wherein thou before delightedst For whē once thou hast tasted of that sweetnes for all this world thou wouldest not returne againe to that death of sinne wherein thou liuedst before it was taken away by the quickening power of God But to insist vpon the words When ye were dead as if hee should say ye Colossians did imagine that you were quicke but I say ye were dead not onely ye but all the Gentiles were dead Then brethren ye may see a man if hee were neuer so quicke being out of Christ he is but dead as Paul speaketh of the wanton widow 1. Tim. 5. 6. and the quicker thou thinkest thy selfe if thou be out of Christ thou art the deader But here is our miserie wee feele not that we are dead alas these miserable creatures that wallow in sinne they haue dead bodies but they feele it not and certainly there is no man that getteth the sense of the bitternes of that death or that loathes and is squeamish at the filthines of his nakednes vntill he be in Christ and vntill he feele the sweetnes of the life of Christ hee The sweetnes which the faithfull feele by Christ in their regeneration neuer knoweth himself to haue haue been dead or vnder the power of death And therefore whatsoeuer ye be which he dead without Iesus striue to get a feeling of the sweetnes of that life which is in him I
that wee receiue in Christ Would to God wee could meditate vpon this life that is in Christ you shall know it best by this what a death wast thou in It was a spirituall death both of the soule and bodie standing in the want of the life of God Then this life must be spiritual also euen the life of God that thrusts out that death that is that corruption and fruites of the same If thou haue this life though thou werst dying bodily thou wilt be liuing in thy soule and when thou art dead thou shalt be liuing this is the aduantage of this life of God But if thou want this life dying thou shalt be onely dead and nought els and woe is that man or woman that is onely dead 2. Cor. 4. 10. Paul speaking of himselfe saith Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus meaning this dying in the bodie but yet saith he the life of Iesus is manifested in my bodie that is in dying bodily I liue spiritually And vers 16. The more that the bodie died the more he was renued daily Paul felt this in himselfe doest thou not feele this naturall life wearing away the strength of it decaying daily Striue theÌ„ with Paul that with the decay of the one thou maist feele the growth of the other in thee and woe is thee losing the bodily life if thou get not the growing of the spiritual life But if thou doest feele it keepe it well otherwise thou shalt die euerlastingly He saith not simply he had quickened them but he saith he hath quickened them with him that is with Iesus Christ in this order First he raised Christ from the dead then with him he beginneth their rising here in this life which shall be accomplished in the second resurrection that is to come If ye wil consider these words they import three things First there is none quickened alone so as if thou be alone Three things in our â—iuification to be considered and separate from Christ thinke not to liue conceiue not to get the life of God and therefore he saith hee hath quickened you with him The second thing is there is no man that is first quickened in order but Christ is first quickened and thou commest in the second roome thou canst not get life before him The third thing to be considered in this place is no man getteth life from God immediatly for first hee giueth life to Christ and thou being in Christ thou drawest a portion out of him He hath the fulnes if thou be ioyned with him thou drawest out a share of life where by thou doest liue And therefore take this admonition Wouldest thou haue life stand not alone but ioyne with thy head Christ and then with the bodie for if thou be not a member of this bodie though it seeme ignominious to thee thou shalt haue no life in thee Creepe then vnto Christ be neuer alone be euer in the society of the Saints And if Christ be the head then claime not to be the first to haue life but let Iesus thy head be first and then come thou creeping in to him striue to be next him as much as thou canst and striue not to be first for hee will be first in despite of thee The last is seeke not to get grace and life immediatly of God without Christ as if there were any life of thy own without him thou wouldest be deceiued in steed of life the curse of God will fall vpon thee Thinkest thou that the Iewes which looke vp to heauen and seeke life without Christ thinkest thou that they will get it Nay they get death in steed of life but thou that gettest a drop of his grace which is better then all the kingdomes of the earth to refresh thy soule that is parched as it were with the heate of sinne thou I say wilt get life in him for all grace is in him therefore seeke for it in him To goe forward he laieth downe whereupon this proceedeth It must be builded vpon a ground which is a remission of thy sinnes which is in effect the iustifying of thee in Iesus accompting thee to be a iust man notwithstanding thy sinnes saying I pronounce thee a iust man Then briefly mark this and looke by what order thou attainest to life This is the order to come by the life of God first before euer thou get that quickning How to attaine life spirit for it is the spirit that quickens thou must haue the bloud of Iesus For there are two things that come from Iesus his bloud and his spirit thinke not to get the spirit before the bloud but seeke the bloud bathe and wash that foule soule of thine Wash and clense thee againe and againe in that bloud shed on the crosse to the end that the guiltines of thy sinnes being washed away from thy soule for this is the vertue of that bloud to all that beleeue thou maist get the spirit of Iesus For being once washed in his bloud then thou gettest that that is called the remission of sinnes which are washed away Heb 9. 14. through faith in the bloud of Christ and hauing got this free remission the spirit will come and will pull out that roote of bitternes and digge it vp by the rootes all the power in the The power of Christs spirit world cannot pull it vp but the spirit of Iesus will doe it it will I say pluck vp that roote and all the branches and members of it howbeit he will not doe it at once yet hee will doe it by degrees Then if thou wouldest haue life goe on in this order and say to God Lord forgiue me my sinnes in the bloud of Two petitions Iesus say not Lord quicken me but say Lord forgiue me my sinnes and take away the guiltines of them in the bloud of Iesus It is most certaine that if thou haue faith in the bloud of Iesus thou must be forgiuen Then say in the second roome Lord quicken me giue me that spirit that may pull out this naturall corruption and put life in me Come on in this manner and if thou hast a faithfull heart it is not possible but thou maist obtaine remission of thy sins and be quickened Crie then continually Lord forgiue me Lord relieue me of the death which I lie in relieue me of this corruption put life in me and all this through thy beloued sonne Christ Iesus For it will not be the life of thy parents that will make thee to liue crie to root out that poison which thou hast from thy parents Our gentlemen thinke it enough for them if they be descended of such a descent of people Ha ha thou wilt die like a dog if thou haue no more be neuer contented til thou hast gotten a new birth For all they that will raigne with him must haue a new birth It is impossible for thee to be one of
principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse WE insist yet brethren on the description of God and of the effectualnes of his power Ye haue heard that he is described from his effects the workes that hee hath wrought The first effect and worke in which chiefly the effectualnes of his strong power vttred it selfe was the raising Coherence of Iesus Christ from the dead not by remitting him any sinne that he had done because he neuer sinned but simply he raised him by his power The second effect is the raising of the Colossians and generally of the Gentiles when they were dead in sinne and in that vncircumcision of the flesh But how by forgiuing them their sinnes for there is no life nor quickening of thee but by the remission of thy sinnes First that guiltines must be taken away before euer that spirit of life enter into thee The third effect that wee entred into the last day and now this day wee shall finish it by Gods grace and it is the quickening of the Iewes who had also as great neede to be quickened as the Gentiles had And Paul confesseth his owne miserie and wants naming himselfe among the rest But how by putting away the handwriting that was against them for besides the guiltines of sinne they had subscribed to their own guiltines for so oft as they vsed the ceremonies of the Law so often did they subscribe to their owne condemnation So that before they could be quickened it behooued that this handwriting should be scraped out It standing there was no forgiuenes to them so their life is by taking away of this handwriting But to proceede the last day we opened these words Hauing put away the handwriting of the ordinances that was against vs That is to say hauing put away the rites and ceremonies of the Law for Christ by his death abolished them all the which rites were as an obligation or handwriting subscribed by the Iewes against themselues sealing the guiltines of death and damnation for sinne Now to goe forward in the text as it followeth as God will giue grace Immediatly after these words marke euery word for they haue weight hee subioyneth which was contrary to vs he repeateth it againe but hee tooke it out of the way that is the handwriting of rites that was contrarie to vs and made not for vs the Lord Iesus took it out of the way It lay in our way and it was a sure stumbling blocke to vs and we were not able to remoue it nor to take it out of the way but yet the Lord Iesus hee taketh it out of the middest of the way So ye see there is nothing but a repeating of that that was spoken before howbeit in other tearmes he said before which was against vs now hee saith which was contrarie to vs al is one in effect Repetition of a thing is not without cause for the holy spirit neuer speaketh any word in vaine Thou and I may often spend words idly but the holy spirit cannot waste one iot or sillable The cause of this repetition is Paul cannot forget the thing that he and the rest had done against themselues and that that Christ did for them O if thou remembredst the benefits of God once telling thē ouer would Repetition not idle in Scripture not serue thy turne and it learneth thee neuer to forget that that thou hast done against thy selfe and that which Christ hath done for thee By that that thou hast done thou had dest beene vndone if this that Christ hath done had not beene done Besides this it serueth for the greater certaintie of that that was done He will force an assurance into thee both that thou hast subscribed to thy owne death and also that Christ hath taken away thy subscription that thou shouldest not doubt Woe to that vaine doctrine of doubting and woe to Doubting the doubting Doctors The dolts will bid thee doubt whether Christ hath taken away that subscription woe to such Doctors If wee will marke the words ye shall see an opposition that that thou hast done Iew or Gentile it is against thy selfe that that Christ hath done is for thee This lets thee see not only the Iew but the Gentile that thou art more beholding to Christ then to thy selfe thou subscribedst against thy selfe and if the Lord proceede vpon thy handwriting thou shalt certainly dye But Iesus Christ hath put that subscription of thine out of the way so that if thou be thankfull thou shouldest loue him better then thy selfe for the greatest enemie that man hath is his owne selfe And therefore shouldest thou not loue him better then thy selfe If thou doe it not thou shalt dye But not to leaue the force of the word for this word importeth a greater meaning then the other the word of blotting The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting out The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take out of the way out was great indeede ducere transuersas lineas is a great word but to destroy the very tables paper and all and to rent it asunder is more then both Marke it for it lets vs see that his mercie is not halfed he shewes not a peece of mercie vpon vs. Men will halfen their mercie towards others but Iesus Christ halfens not his mercie towards vs but he perfecteth it If he once meant to shew mercie he wil not leaue that work till he end it and if he once meane to remit he will not leaue off till he haue freely forgiuen for that that he doth he doth it perfectly to his glorie and thy saluation The Pope will make him to halfen his mercie O vaine doctrine doest thou halfen the mercie of the Lord thou art a lyer the mercie of The guilt of sinne the punishment both remitted in Christ the Lord is perfect so that when hee remitteth hee remitteth both the sinne and the punishment thereof Now to come to the words that follow In the last words he sheweth how the handwriting is taken out of the way It was not after so light a manner as a man would take an obligation and rent it but before it could be rent it behooued the Lord to be crucified Well who would be hanged for another mans obligation and he being crucified he taketh that obligation and naileth it to the crosse and rents it asunder Now to make this plaine when Iesus Christ was crucified he was not crucified alone but many things were crucified with him and many things that same very houre were nailed to the crosse with him This handwriting of thine thy inditement that would haue condemned thee thy sinne originall thy actuall sinnes the death that followeth thereon and hell euen all these were nailed to the crosse with him finally that curse was crucified with him all died together hee died not alone all depended vpon his death he died first they
they had depriued themselues Ah woe to all false teachers and woe to them that doe depriue themselues of such an head and make the Pope their head But to come to the words he saith He holdeth not the head that is the false Apostle Then he subioynes whereof that is out of the which head the Lord Iesus through ioynts and bands the whole bodie is knit and compacted together and furnished Whereof it importeth not onely that Christ the head is the efficient and worker of all grace that comes to the bodie but more Christ the head of the Church that out of him as out of a storehouse and not elsewhere all grace and vertue doe flow vnto man So the word hath a great force for as out of the head of a man flow all the vertues mouing life and sense that is in the bodie take the head away no vertue is in the bodie euen so from this head the Lord Iesus to his mysticall bodie flow all power and mouing that the bodie that is his Church and euery member thereof hath Thou hast nothing but that that floweth from him Therefore the Apostle saith in him dwelleth all fulnes and againe in him are all treasures and againe in him dwelleth the Godhead bodily and againe in him wee are compleate To let you see that Iesus Christ is the storehouse of graces Goe thy way to heauen thou shalt not finde one iot out of thy head the Lord Iesus Thou shalt seeke all thy time and thou shalt not get a droppe without him Then he saith that by ioynts and bands the whole bodie is furnished not a part but the whole bodie and euery member neuer a one being excepted neither rich nor poore But to insist in the comparison euen as the whole bodie of a man and euery member of the bodie to the finger and toe sucketh vertue from the head and the head is powerfull to cause euery ioynt to liue it is euen so with this mysticall bodie There is neuer a member of this bodie but it receiueth some vertue from the head the Lord Iesus yea the silliest bodie of them all receiueth it owne grace and Iesus Christ is effectuall in euery one from the highest to the lowest If it be in the bodie it cannot want grace It is impossible that any that are in Christ Iesus can want grace but the Lord must be powerfull in them Runne then and ioyne thee with the bodie for if thou be not of this bodie I giue thee this doome thou Ioyne thy selfe with the Church if thou wilt be in Christ shalt neuer see grace nor get the spirit of Iesus which is the worker of this grace in Iesus 1. Cor. chap. 12. 7. he saith To euery one is giuen the manifestation of the spirit to profit withall And Ephes 4. 7. likewise he saith To euery one is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift This importeth that Iesus Christ is not onely full of grace but that there is such a varietie of grace in him that there is not onely one or two graces in him but he is full of varietie of graces There is not a member but he hath gotten a different grace I haue gotten mine thou hast gotten thine and euery one hath gotten his owne different grace So looke what varietie there is of the faces of men Varietie of graces in Christ. as great varietie there is of the graces of Christ and so there is no grace out of Christ seeke grace in him or els thou wilt neuer finde it To goe forward the first thing that euer commeth downe from the head to the bodie what thinke ye it to bee What is the first thing that commeth downe from the head of a man It is yee know the sinewes as the first thing for the head by them is bound to the bodie euen so the first thing that commeth from Christ he calleth it bands or ligaments that goe downe from him as from the head So that there is not a member of the bodie of Christ but there is a sinew a band comming from Iesus Christ the head to it Ye will aske what The bands which knit vs vnto Christ are these mysticall sinewes The first of them is the spirit of Iesus Christ God himselfe is the master sinew without that sinew thou shalt neuer bee conioyned with the head The second band is faith for when that spirit commeth he is not idle in the person in whom he is but hee worketh faith in him There is the other sinew whereby thou takest hold of him he taketh hold first of thee and then thou takest hold of him The third and last band is loue to thy neighbour a branch as it were striken out from faith where faith is loue will strike out from it as a branch striking out from the master sinew so these are the three bands The spirit entring into vs faith rising from vs and our loue rising from our faith whereby we mutually embrace one another I neede not to insist to proue by the Scriptures these points ye see in this Epistle chap. 3. 14. Loue is called the band of perfection Now brethren ye must know this moreouer euery one of these bands must extend to euery member There is not a member of Christs bodie but first he must haue the spirit of Iesus next faith and thirdly loue otherwise thou canst not be a member of Iesus Christ For if thou want but this loue which is the last thou canst not be one of Christs I say and affirme thou hast not the spirit nor faith and so art not conioyned with the head It is true that euery one hath his particular gift different from other but I assure you a man may not want one of these three Thou maist want the gift of tongues miracles and such others but thou must not want the spirit faith nor charitie Want what thou wilt and if thou haue not these three thou canst not stand in the bodie thou hast not to doe neither with Christ nor with his bodie therefore if thou hast the spirit faith and charitie and doest find thy selfe to haue them then thou maist be ioyfull Now to goe thorow after he hath set downe the bands he sets downe three effects that proceede from Christ by these Three effects proceed from Christ to euery member bands downe to the bodie The first effect is a furnishing of the bodie wherewith not with earthly furniture but with spirituall furniture otherwise it cannot stand For as when the bodie is knit with the head by sinewes and then downe through these sinewes as thorough certaine conduits doe flow vertue and power to the bodie cut off thy head thy bodie nor no member thereof hath any power to moue or stirre euen so this mysticall bodie being ioyned to Christ by these spirituall meanes the spirit faith and loue there commeth downe through these conduits to vs that water of life and that is
the furniture that Paul in the Epistle to the Ephes 4. 16. speakes of For this cause calleth he them the bands of furnishing because their office is to furnish grace life mouing and whatsoeuer How the water of life proceeds from Christ spirituall thing to the bodie To make this plaine there are two sorts of furnishing there is one which is common that euery man hath as for example life and mouing This thou must haue or else thou canst not be a man so if thou want a spirituall mouing by the spirit of Iesus thou canst not be in the bodie And there is not a naturall bodie but it must receiue life sense and mouing from the head so there is not a spirituall member of the bodie of Iesus Christ but it must receiue from the head Iesus through his spirit spirituall life sense and mouing and if thou stand in the bodie this furniture must flow to thee from the head This is the first sort of furnishing There is another sort which is of other particular graces conueighed into men and women by this spirit faith and loue and yet of great varietie I will get a particular grace thou wilt get another particular grace another man will get the third so that it is not needfull that thou haue this whole furniture Seeke not all graces seeke them not for there is none that hath all graces Hath the eye all graces Nay the Euery man must not haue all gifts of the spirit foote hath a grace that the eye hath not Seeke then for grace but so that it be without an ambitious desire of the grace of others Be euer prouiding that ye want not some of this furniture striue to excell in the grace of regeneration with all the world but in other graces striue not Then ye see this first effect of furnishing It followeth vpon the ioynts and bands so that if thou haue not the ioynts and bands thou canst not haue the furniture of grace Therefore looke that thou haue the spirit otherwise thou shalt get no life sense mouing nor sanctification I repeate it againe looke thou haue the bands or els thou shalt not be in the mysticall bodie of Christ So to the next effect flowing from these ioynts and bands it is the knitting together of the bodie and euery member thereof one with another as the spirit of Iesus is the band that The spirit is the band vvhich knits vs with Christ and his members knits vp the members with the head so hee is the band that knits the members among themselues that knits thee with thy neighbour and makes a mutuall band of loue among the members This effect is wrought by the head who bindes all so surely together as is vnspeakable nay no man can expresse that sure coniunction this band will make The force of the word importeth a compact coniunction there was neuer so compact a coniunction as this is Thou shalt neuer binde any thing so streightly as the members of Iesus be bound to the head and mutually together among themselues The word also signifieth a decent compacting together so that there is no coniunction so well fauoured as this is Therefore the Apostle to the Ephes 4. 16. vseth a word signifying a harmonie and comely situation of the parts when thou seest that bodie thou seest a most pleasant situation To insist in this effect of knitting this effect it goeth before the other First things must be knit together and then commeth the furniture so marke this order If first there must be a compacting and then the furniture I giue thee a lesson looke neuer to get grace except thou be conioyned in the bodie for then that spirituall grace shall flow to thee Let not one that is not knit in the bodie seeke for grace A lowne will scorne when he is cut off from the body by excommunication well I say go ride where he will he wants the spirituall life of Iesus and shall not get it till he come to the bodie againe To come to the third effect the third effect is growth and followeth the other two For after once by sinewes the members are knit and then receiue furniture of necessity the members must grow and the whole bodie must grow according to the portion of grace giuen Reade Ephes 4. 16. looke how hee setteth downe there the manner of the growing he saith euery member groweth according to the measure of grace giuen Thinkest thou that thou canst not grow except thou grow in all graces wilt thou haue thy hands growing as thy feete to goe as thy feete No no but euery member groweth Euery one growes in his owne gifs as is giuen to it euery one groweth in his own gift and thank the Lord for the growth in thy owne gift Then hee saith the bodie groweth as effects to the bodie as if he would say the bodie groweth in all graces the member groweth in one grace So as euery member groweth to the growth of the bodie in all graces so the bodie groweth in all grace when the members growe in their particular graces Then euery one should set their minde that for their part they may build vp the bodie of the Lord Iesus This is the counsel of the Apostle if thou carrie not stones to build vp the building thou shalt neuer get to be of that building whereof the Lord Iesus is the head Now lastly marke this of the order first there is the compacting of the bodie with the head by bands and ioynts Secondly there is the furnishing thorough sinewes and bands Thirdly there is the growing and then the building groweth to a full stature But howsoeuer thou gettest it not here fully yet grow in him daily and neuer rest and then thou shalt come to the stature of a perfect man And as there cannot be a compacting of the members without the bands so without the furniture thou canst not grow Therefore crie euer for the furniture that thou maist grow vp in Iesus Christ First compact thy selfe in the bodie and then aske graces night and day I Note this order shall then promise that thou shalt grow in thy owne grace night and day till thou meete with Iesus Christ in whom stands full blessednesse In the last words he shewes what kinde of growth is this to wit the growth of God it is not common not naturall but it is a diuine growth God giueth it Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God that giueth the growth and encrease 1. Cor. 3. 7. none can giue thee growth but onely hee and therefore when thou art watered by the Gospell euer seeke growth at his hand onely for all the Angels in heauen haue no power to make thee grow a hand breadth It is the spirituall worke of God as the creature is of God euen so the bodily growth of the creature is of God and how much more is that spirituall growth in Iesus Christ of
thought it a thing indifferent that might be done without any fault they were come to that reprobate sense that nature condemneth Therefore the Apostle to let them see that this was a sinne and one of the first when he reckoneth the sinnes of the Gentiles he nameth fornication first to be the ring-leader to the rest and the more they extenuate it the more the spirit aggrauateth it The more thou shalt extenuate any sinne the more the spirit of God shall aggrauate it to thy conscience Wilt thou say murther which now is so rife is no sinne The Lord will say to thee it is a sinne and a huge great sinne if thou do not amend it thou shalt neuer inherit the kingdome of heauen Therefore wee learne that these sinnes the world accounteth least of the Lord accounteth most of and thou shouldest account most of them and in condemning of them thou shouldest insist This harlotry is euer conioyned with prophanenes Thou that takest pleasure to defile thine owne bodie thou growest a prophane bodie and so thou art ready to be drawne to al mischiefe for thou art left of God Heb. chap. 12. vers 16. Let no man be a harlot or a prophane person as Esau was meaning hereby that a harlot is a prophane dogge readie to be polluted with all vice But to come to the next vice It followeth Vncleannes Harlotrie is one sort of vncleannes But now hee subioyneth all manner of vncleannes And from the lesse member which is harlotrie he goeth to the greater This teacheth vs that we are full of filthines For if this vncleannes in all manner of waies were not in vs the Apostle would not bid vs mortifie the generall vice that is in vs and so though thou were come of a King thy nature is full of filth and vncleannes No the sow was neuer Greater filthines cōmitted by man then by a beast so vncleane as thou art by nature A sow hath not the filth of sinne but thou hast There was neuer beast that will fall into such filthines as man will doe wilt thou reade histories yea the Scriptures thou shalt finde greater filthines committed by man then by any beast This thing and that will make thee loathe but if thou hadst an eye to see thy sin thou wouldest loathe it more then all the filthines in the world The second thing that we learne here is this It is not enough to mortifie one sort of vncleannes In case thou be a drunkard it is not enough to mortifie that sinne in case thou be an harlot it is not enough for thee to mortifie this howbeit it be well done to do it but thou must passe from one sinne to another and neuer leaue it aliue in thee but mortifie them all slay all cut all away for I assure thee one vncleanenes will cause thee die it will cause thee goe to hell The Germanes thinke that drunkennes is no sinne but I say it is and it is enough to cause thee die as a sicknes will cause thee die if thou mend it not so one sinne will cause thee die if thou repent not Now to go to the next member He calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnruly Vnruly affection affection what euer it be Here it is taken for a raging lust that setteth a man on fire 1. Cor. chap. 7. vers 9. So yet I send you to nature looke what stuffe it is made of There is a fire in nature of foule lust that will burne thee to death and in the end put thee in hell if it be not mortified May ye not see this by experience when ye see that which is fit for y e a bating and quenching of lust cannot quench it but he will runne and mingle himselfe with harlots these harlots testifie of this fire Looke to the adulterer there is a fire Yet more then that when this fire hath burnt vp all the moysture of the bodie and wasted all yet it burneth in the heart Ye shall see this in filthie aged men when the bodie is decrepit yet the fire of this lust will be burning still in the heart and it looseth the tongue to filthines fie on thee it becommeth not an old man to speak foule filthie talke This is one thing I marke another thing by subioyning firie lust to vncleannes It teacheth vs that among all vices we should take heed of it This burning lost is not the least we should put out that fire first for I tell thee if thou let it burne all the things in the world will not quench it Thou must get the water of the spirit of Christ to quench it Therfore crie for that water or els thou and it both will burne in hell for euer When he hath spoken of this he goeth to euill concupiscence It is not one filthie affection but all filthie affections and euery kinde of them which are many in number Euill concupiscence that he will haue mortified Thinkest thou there be no more but vncleannes and burning lust in thee Yea although they were taken away yet thou art full of other affections This letteth thee see yet how foule thy nature is The Papist saith we aggrauate the filth of nature ouer much Ah filthie creature thou hast not felt the stinke of nature and therefore thou art Stinke of nature the worst teacher of nature I say to thee the filth of nature cannot be spoken of sufficiently enough yea an Angell can not paint out sufficiently the mysterie of sinne and the filthines of thy nature And therefore the Apostle teacheth vs to enlarge our mortification when thou hast mortified one sin two sins three sinnes yea many sins think alwaies there are more behinde when thou hast mortified all these former sins yet auarice is behinde suppose thou shouldest quit thy selfe of them all yet if thou be auaritious it shall cause thee die thou shalt not inherit heauen Then as there is no end of sinne so let there be no end of mortification of sinne There are more members of sinne within thee then there are members of thy bodie and therefore be slaying one And here I end crauing of him who is able to slay this filthines of nature to graunt his holy spirit and faith in Iesus Christ to that effect To whom with the Father be all honour and thanks for euer Amen THE XXV LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians beginning at the end of the fift verse COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 5. 6. 7. 5 And couetousnes which is Idolatrie 6 For the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience 7 Wherein ye also walked once when ye liued in them YE haue heard brethren the first exhortation the Apostle maketh to the Colossians in this chapter was that they should seeke the things aboue The second exhortation was that they should be wise in them And wee haue entred into the third exhortation the last day which is that
the kingdome of God It is peace and ioy in the holie Ghost Rom. 14. 17. So if thou be one of that kingdome thou wilt be a peaceable bodie Then the man that cannot liue in peace but is full of variance euer troubling and renting the members of the Common-weale who will not say that that man is not to bee suffered in the towne hee is not worthie to dwell in it much more a restles spirit in the kingdome of Iesus Christ Disturbers of the peace of Church and Common wealth should bee driuen out of the towne Looke if our text speakes not this These restles spirits that trouble not only the Common-weale this whole kingdom and haue studied to the subuersion of the whole land but haue by their meanes gone about to trouble the whole kingdome of Christ they should haue no place neither in Church nor Common-weale they are vnworthie of any calling either in Church or policie they haue pulled themselues asunder from both The second argument is from the body wherein we are vnited Were it not a monstrous thing to see the hand strike the face if thou hadst spiritual eyes it would seeme as monstrous a thing to thee to see a member of that body of Christ to strike another Then briefly as the ioyning of men in a citie requires a peaceable life and that they should liue in peace much more this vnion of the members not in a citie and Common-weale onely but in a body so that some of them are the hand some the eye some the foot and so foorth This vnion requires peace and quietnes they should not be restles spirits nor full of variance and therefore thou that art a restles spirit in the Church of God and yet saist thou art of the Church and wilt say thou beleeuest I say to thee thou shewest plainly thou hast nought to doe with the bodie And as I said before these troublesome men full of debate I will affirme it againe they neuer wist what that vnion with Christ is for if they had that vnion with Christ that grace of Christ would come downe from the head and bind them with the bodie So thou shewest Such as loue not peace haue nothing to doe with Christ nor his Church plainly that thou hast not to doe neither with the bodie nor with the head O murtherers your hearts are full of dissension ye shall perish in that great day I giue you this doome ye shall not escape Thus much for the eight peece of this garment of regeneration and sanctification In the end of this verse wee haue the ninth grace and peece of this garment and it is this Be thankefull that is the force of The ninth part of the garment of the nevv man the word so it is thankfulnes that he requires All the rest before are offices and graces that preuent a good deede done As when a man begins to bee mercifull to any or mercie bee shewen to him of that person that is a good deede done and so the former graces stand in doing But this grace of thankfulnes VVhat thankefulnes is it is such as stands in recompencing a good deede done In rendring good for good If thou wilt compare this grace with them that went before it is lesse then any of them for it is a greater matter to be the beginner of any good deede then to recompence a good deede done to thee And thou art a wretched bodie that neither canst doe good nor when good is done to thee canst not render thankes for it There be three Three sorts of good mē sorts of good men First he is a good man that can begin to do any good to another not prouoked by any thing that is done to him which for Gods cause can bee beneficiall to his neighbour Secondly he is a good man that can render good for good and recompence the good done to him but there can no true recompencing come without the spirit of grace Lastly he is the best man that can render good for euill that can finde in his heart to meete an euill deede with any good There be as many sorts of euill men he is an euill man that cannot shew mercie to another nor begin to doe any good but hath Three sorts of euill mē his heart locked vp Againe hee is farre worse that when hee hath gotten good cannot recompence it with good againe especially to them to whom he hath been most indebted as to his parents This countrie is full of such this man is a wretch he is worse then an Infidell An Ethnick can render good for good thou shamest thy parents What if this ingratitude were to common men but it is to them to whom they are most bound to and it is an argument that thou art vngratefull to the Lord. But the worst of all is he that for good repaies euill and this land is full of such also yea they who haue done them most good they will meete them with an euill turne All these are vngratefull men and when thou hast called a man an vngratefull man thou hast called him all the euill in the world for such a one is vnworthie to liue Therefore studie to be thankfull and thou that gettest any good done to thee by any man at the least meete him with thankfulnes It is meruaile how a man can lie downe without this consideration for if thou suffer thy selfe to be opprest with ingratitude thou shalt perish If the time would serue I would goe forward I will marke onely this All these graces are grounded vpon the word of Iesus Christ vpon this Gospell Wouldest thou be mercifull let the word dwell in thee Wouldest thou be kind wouldest thou be humblie minded and so foorth of the rest of the graces let the word of Iesus Christ raigne in thee This is the meane that ingenders these graces and keepes them in thy heart to wit the word of Iesus So thou who wouldest be gracious The Gospell is Gods hand to fill vs vvith graces and full of grace be full of the Gospell For it is that word that purifieth the heart neuer rest til thou get thy heart full of the Gospell Thou thinkest that nothing can fill thee but a bodily foode no no the word of Iesus is as effectuall to fill the heart as sensible as euer thou foundest thy stomacke fed with foode But consider this this fulnes of the heart is not gotten so long as we liue here Therefore let our pleasure bee euer in filling of our hearts with the Gospel as thou hast pleasure to fill thy stomacke with meate and drinke so fill thy Simile heart thine emptie heart that is full of nothing but winde fill it with the Gospell Alas if we could get an hunger of the word for the soule that hungers for the foode of the word it shall be filled and it shall feele the sweetnes of the word But the heart is so filled
nature of men they cannot beare superioritie make thee a King thou shalt be a slaue to thy affections So it is profitable to them to be threatned that they may keepe them within the bounds of their dutie And I say they that would euer giue them faire words they are but flatterers and if they would haue them wracked or vndone let them euer speake faire to them Therefore let the Gospell haue it owne freedome Binde men as yee will but binde not the word if thou binde the Gospell O the band thou shalt finde in that day Let euery man be contained within a dutie to other that we may be partakers of the eternall kingdome where there is onely true libertie in Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honor and glorie now and for euer Amen THE XXXV LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 4. vers 2. 3. 4. 2 Continue in prayer watch in the same with thanke sgiuing 3 Praying for vs that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtterance to speake the mysterie of Christ wherfore I am also in bands 4 That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake WE heard brethren the last day as God gaue the grace certaine speciall precepts of manners that were directed to particular estates of men as to Husbands and Wiues Parents and Children Masters and Seruants now in this text we returne to the generall exhortations that generally concernes euery estate in this world whereof the first set downe here is concerning prayer which is a common dutie that euery one that is borne oweth to God in Iesus Christ To come to the words Continue in prayer be instant in Prayer a common dutie prayer pray continually all is one thing To speake of prayer because it is a common place I will not insist but only so farre as the text will furnish me for the matter is ample and therefore I will bound me within the text As for the causes and necessitie of praier I need not to speake much ye know the Lord giues a commaundement that we should pray and that in the name of Iesus Christ and if there were no more but this it is a Motiues to prayer cause sufficient to moue thee to pray The Lord commaunds thee But there is more to wit a promise the Lord hath promised 1. Charge 2. Promise to euery one that prayeth in faith Aske and ye shall receiue Luk. 11. c. this promise may allure the heart of euery one to pray There is yet more who is he that feeles not the necessitie 3. Necessitie and wants that be in euery one of vs so long as we liue who is he that hath so much that he needes no more Yea though he were a Monarch hath he such sufficiencie that he needs not to seeke more at God Besides this there be such riches plentie and aboundance in God through Iesus Christ that it is able to fill vp all the wants that be in vs. Therefore the very 4. Gods riches riches that be in him should driue vs to desire a portion of that fulnes which is in him But brethren to leaue this and to come to the words If there were no more but this that wee are commaunded to pray it is a sufficient argument to euery one to assure them that there is no merit in vs. Wee deserue nothing of God but all that wee get we get it of free mercie and grace and that in Iesus Christ If thou come on with a deseruing and a merit of thy righteousnes thou shalt neuer get mercie I seclude thee from God for what is praying but begging not of worthines but of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ And when thou hast done all say fie on my workes and aske mercie for that bloud of Iesus Christs sake In the text there be two qualities of prayer set downe The first is an instātnes without tyring The second is watchfulnes Two things in prayer first constancie secondly watchfulnes For he who praieth should not be a sleeper but watchfull both night and day To come then to the first hee saith Be instant perseuer continue all is one thing The thing that he requires is perseuerance ardentnes continuance I neede not to insist vpon the causes of this Needest thou not continually Findest thou not that there is not an houre wherein thou wantest not either things heauenly or earthly if thou wantest not earthly indeede it may be that thou knowest not the want of heauenly things but woe is that soule that findeth not the want of heauenly food and so if thou needest continually why should not thy prayer be continuall for it is prayer that supplies that want Moreouer there is none of you but ye finde this by experience God will not heare a man at the first but crie as thou wilt he will not seeme to heare he will seeme to haue a Luk. 18. 1. 2. 3 deafe eare and all to this end that thou shouldest perseuere in prayer For hee hath pleasure to trie thy patience faith and prayer which is the best exercise And so supposing that thou get not that that thou askest yet if thou get perseuerance Perseuerance Whatsoeuer thou gettest without prayer is but stolen and an argument of wrath thou gettest a greater gift then if thou hadst that that thou askedst at the first yea if thou get all the world without prayer for all is giuen in wrath if he should aduance thee to a kingdome it is but a bait to thy damnation except thou get a heart to pray and to continue in prayer Of all graces a spirituall grace is best a little bit of regeneration is better then all the kingdomes in the earth howbeit thou set light by it now yet when thou art driuen to the vtmost point or at the last gaspe thou wouldest giue all the world to haue a bit of it There is the first qualitie in prayer perseuerance The second is watchfulnes watching in it Watchfulnes is feruencie in prayer when not the bodie onely but when the soule and all the affections are waking and bent to heauen when the Spirit is instant with God in Iesus Christ It is opposed to this coldnes that ouergoes vs all Our prayer is in sleeping and when we are sleeping we are praying and so comes out a cold prayer out of a cold heart and it is opposed to this sluggishnes and deadnes in prayer with yawning and gaping halfe sleeping and halfe waking Alas our necessitie requires another earnestnes it stands vs in the losing of heauen and shutting of vs in hell and damnation The diuell stands to catch vs if wee could see our danger and when thou thinkest thou art most sure he is busiest about thee if thou knew this thou wouldest watch better and wouldest seek more feruently to God to keepe thee But alas all are so blinded and all are
are minded either in good will or euil will so they adde too and diminish as they either loue or hate And therefore for the auoyding of these inconueniences and the more full vnderstanding of the truth in these causes he sendeth Tychicus and some other with him in presence faithfully to relate all things on both sides that is both to cause the Colossians to conceiue in what case Paul and his affaires were and to certifie the Apostle how things went with the Church there and more particularly that by these faithfull and honest messengers hee might comfort and confirme the Colossians hearts The first of these is called Tychicus who being borne in Asia willingly accompanied Paul going thither to preach the Gospell there as you may reade Acts 20. 4. Neither followed he him in that labour of the Ministerie alone as a thing very profitable for himselfe but euen then when Paul was prisoner at Rome for the Gospel he was with him there and ministred vnto him and was sent from thence by Paul as with this Epistle to the Colossians so with that which hee wrote to the Ephesians as appeareth chap. 6. 21. 22. and also 2. Tim. 4. 10. where he saith that he sent Tychicus to Ephesus Another of thē is named Onesimus who is the very same that Paul cōmendeth to Philemon in the epistle he wrote vnto him where we shall finde that he was Philemons vnthriftie seruant and did runne away from his master for some great offence but yet being touched with conscience for that sinne and vnfainedly turned vnto God euen by Paul himselfe whilest hee was prisoner at Rome Paul thought it meete vpon his vnfained amendment to commend him to his master againe And he ioyneth them both together as it were in commission in this cause that in the mouth of two or three witnesses al truth concerning causes on both sides might bee established For further credit whereof also hee doth adorne them with good and gracious titles And first for Tychicus to the end that the dignitie of the person might procure more authoritie and credit to his testimonie among the Colossians and from them to the Apostle himselfe he describeth him by three titles or adiuncts but they may be reduced vnder two sorts or kinds The one such as is common to all Christians when hee termeth him beloued brother the other peculiar to them that trauaile in the Church causes as Ministers and such like And these are two in number the first is faithfull minister the second is fellow seruant in the Lord. From all which there are many good instructions affoorded vnto vs as in the first that if any man be a true Christian and therefore our brother wee are bound euen in that respect so much the more tenderly to imbrace and loue him For though euery one yea that is not a Christian must be loued in his measure and manner because he is the creature of God and the excellent workmanship of his owne hands and the rather because he is indued in some sort and sense with the image of God yet there is a speciall loue due to such a sound hearted Christian as is a member with vs of the selfesame holie bodie Neither indeed specially in spirituall consideration is he so much another man differing from vs as one and the selfesame with vs. For all true Christians are members of one and the selfesame bodie growing vp together with vs to the constituting of that blessed bodie of our Sauiour Christ and to the framing and fashioning yea making vp of that very man the head whereof is Christ and the bodie are all faithfull Christians Concerning which see what the Spirit saith Eph. 2. 15. Hitherto for his generall or common title Now he describeth him by his specially calling in which if we respect Christ he was his minister and seruant in the work ministerie and preaching of the Gospell and seruing him therin not in outward shew onely or for filthie luere sake but in all fidelitie and syncere vprightnes and therefore he is called in this place not onely a minister but a faithfull minister And if we consider or respect the Apostle he was his fellow-seruant in the Lord because both the one and the other of them Paul I meane and Tychicus did serue the selfesame God euen the father and the selfesame Lord Iesus Christ in the holie ministerie walking in it with all fidelitie as became them that had receiued grace from God not onely to beleeue his trueth but to walke in the obedience of it that way especially And this doth teach vs that by example which the Apostle prescribeth in an other place by precept and rule Let him that hath an office attend vpon his office Rom. 12. And againe What is required of stewards which al Gods ministers are but that they should be found faithfull And Christ saith Who is a faithfull and wise seruant euen such a one as his master setteth ouer his household to giue them their iust proportion of meate in due season Matth. 24. What carelesnes yea what vnfaithfulnes is there in all callings yea Ecclesiasticall as well as ciuill Who thinketh that the place he hath is from God or that he must render an account vnto him If Magistrates considered this they would not be so furious and cruell as many of them are If Preachers did weigh it they would not be so cold and carelesse so negligent and idle in the execution of their duties and in gaining men to God as commonly they are I will tell you my mind there are few found in this function to whom we may rightly attribute the adiuncts and titles that the Apostle giueth here to Tychicus that they are faithful ministers and fellow seruants in the Lords worke for feare many times and flatterie bleareth out if it doe not vtterly kill their fidelitie and integritie and corrupt respects of priuate profit honour and such like maketh them goe a way by themselues and to withdraw from the rest of their brethren Wee haue too much experience of this in the Courtlike preachers of our kingdome here and other reformed Churches abroad taste and smacke too much of it this being one bitter fruite that the Hierarchie hath left behinde it amongst vs. And thus farre for Tychicus and his titles Now concerning Onesimus Paul setteth him out and commendeth him to the Colossians first by his common calling by which being through faith grafted into Christ he became a faithfull and beloued brother vnto him in Christ The selfesame man that is here termed a faithfull beloued brother is named in the Epistle to Philemon vers 10. his son whom he begot in his bonds How can this be can one man haue two titles Yea wel enough if we consider diuers respects and states wherein they are through Gods grace and goodnes Such as the Ministers beget by the Gospell and bring vnto Christ and his Church they are as in regard of that worke of begetting them