under the government of a flagitious servant such as the Papists grant Popes may be Let us therefore take heed that while we set up other heads then Christ over the Churches we doe not reject this glorious Head Iesus Christ from ruling over us as the Israelites when they refused that Aristocraticall governement in which God ruled and would have a King like other Nations the Lord chargeth them not only to have cast off Samuell but himselfe and what is more foolish then to thinke it needfull to have a visible universall high Priest on earth because CHRIST is in heaven invisible to us touching His corporall presence should the people of Israell have erected another High Priest to themselves when Aaron was at any time in the Holy of Holies where he was not visible to them so we stand here below in the entry our High Priest is but gone into the Holiest Sanctuary and we though His Divine nature be with us will set up another Sooner shall the heaven have two Suns then the Church two heads and though metaphorically one may be said to be the Head of a Church for the name of God Himselfe is thus Communicable yet in proper analogy none can be so termed For then the Church might be said His body properly which is such sacriledge as He I thinke in whose forehead blasphemy is written dare scarce commit A double head and a double husband become not the Church the latter is not for her honesty the former fitteth not to decency Thus much who is over us 2 Marke from this Observ that He is called the Head of His Church what neere compassionate and beneficiall superiority or authority that is which Christ hath over His Church He is the Lord of all Creatures yea the hellish fiend must bow the knee to Him But He is not an head to every creature if we take it in that proper analogicall accommodation which the Scripture looketh to in this terme The head hath the highest place and power in the body but yet it is so intimately conjoyned with every member so amiable and beneficiall a superiority that the like cannot in nature be shewen For first looke at the head it is by sinewes and other ligaments straitely conjoyned to every member so is Christ through the spirit of faith coupled with us Secondly from this union the head commeth to have a sense if any part be disturbed so hath Christ He knoweth how to compassionate our infirmities Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me Thirdly the head what ever it hath hath in a sort for the good of the body The perfect comlinesse of the head is the ornament of that body whereof it is the head the body being but a deformed trunke if the head be remooved Againe the sense and motion which are originally in the head as a fountaine they are derived from it to every member Fourthly The head giveth full direction to the other members So Christ is our glory He quickeneth us He giveth us direction both inward and outward We see then that His superiority He hath is most intimate fellow-feeling and commodious unto us Which first doth let us yet farther see what cause we have of thankesgiving who are come into His kingdom Vse 1 who is rather an head unto us then a King over us as the head is to the body To have a powerfull wise King is a great guift but to have one who is rather Pater then Rex Patriae is greater but to have one who should so affect his subjects as to condole with the poorest of them this were a miracle This must breed willing subjection to CHRIST our Lord Vse 2 looke at the members of the body doe they feele it a burthen to doe that which the head directeth to This must strengthen our affiance towards CHRIST Vse 3 that He will not faile to take notice of our griefes to succour and direct us That is a blockish head which can goe on in a Stoicall dedolency when the members are ill affected yea it must assure us that we shall have direction and protection from him Marke Obs 3 Who they are that have Christ so neere so beneficiall to them viz. the Church that is such only who are truely faithfull who shall one day be presented glorious in the heavens such as shall at length have salvation by Him There are in the visible Church many who are by outward profession members of Christ but if they have not learned Christ as the truth is in Christ they shall be found not to be of His body though they seeme so a while A glasse eye may be so set into the head that one would take it verily to be a naturall part of the head yet it hath but an externall insition which art affordeth and is nothing lesse then the naturall eye So many are externally by the Sacrament and externall profession tyed to Christ which are not native members and have no spirituall combination with Him Nay if like some temporisers thou dost get some quicknance of the spirit of Christ yet not such as purifieth the heart bringeth thee above all things to rejoyce in Christ Iesus thou art not of His body nor a true member having Him thy head but art like a wenne or warte mole or such like thing which hath a life in the body but is no member of it Wherefore as you would have any benefit by Christ Vse labour to come into this body not to be as wennes and wooden legges but to be living members such as have Christ living in you teaching you by His spirit to thinke speake and doe all things it is good being members of good Corporations which have good endowments priviledges and Charters but there is not a body like to this which hath all the unsearchable riches of IESUS CHRIST given it in which onely there is salvation That nothing is betwixt Christ and His body Obs 4 and that all the Church is his body and every one in the Church a member of the body not a substitute head unto it Where then shall we find the Pope let him take heed least while he strive to be a secondary head he doe not deprive himselfe of roome in the body out of which there is no salvation I know a Papist will say that the Pope as he is referred unto Christ is a member of the body but as he is referred to men subjected to him he is a head under Christ Answer that every one is a member we reade it and therefore beleeve that any one is a head to all but Christ we reade it not and therefore reject it Beside it is likely that betwixt Christ and the visible Church Saint Peter should have come in thus God is Christs head Christ of the Spirits with Him and Saint Peter and his successors the Churches head but this is no where found yea the contrary God over Christ Christ over the Church the Churches above Cephas Objection Emperours are
King so graced with mentall endowments a great Potentate and most Christian King if God had given us one though of obscure parentage it had beene a blessing but much obscured even by this circumstance So if that noble quality of the person ruling hath this force in earthly States what a thing is this that we have one annointed over us who is God over all Now as this increaseth our happinesse and is matter of thanksgiving So it must augment in us all reverence and dutie all holy confidence of obtaining good of getting aid and deliverance against and out of all evils We see the more excellent the gifts are as the strength wisdome of our King the more awfully they are respected the more obsequious we are to them the more confidently we promise our selves all things under their regiment Looke at Salomon one part of wisedome made feare fall on all Israel see their subjection though he taxed them heavily yet none durst quitch against him What shall we be to our God who in his abasement was greater than all Salomons This shall suffice to have observed out of the scope Now for the words themselves 1 For the opening of them 2 The deductions or use of them 1 He is said to be an Image but coessentiall with God the Father whose Image he is 2 He is that is Christ whole CHRIST God and man is said to be this Image of the invisible GOD and that not onely as invisible GOD with the Father but as man visible But this must bee warily understood not that CHRIST man hath qualities of other nature than wee have for more and lesse change not the kinde but because the man is taken into personall union with God the Son So that this man secundum Esse personale is God 3 It is to be marked of what he is the Image not of the personall difference in the Father but of the invisible God-head common to the Son with the Father as the childe is the image of his parent not in regard of the characteristicall property which his father and every one hath in singular to themselves but in respect of the same substance and nature derived by generation from the Father Look Heb. 1.3 Character Personae and that derived by generation from the Father We may learne to see the reason of that truth which our Saviour uttereth to Philip Vse 1 Philip Hee that seeth mee seeth the Father This teacheth us how wee must come into the knowledge of God invisible Vse 2 even by looking unto this visible Image of IESUS CHRIST our LORD Cast thy eyes to that nature of thine thou seest not onely where God is but that which personally is God if one had seene where the HOLY GHOST was and a figure with which Hee did extraordinarily and temporarily testifie His presence yet he should not have seene the HOLY GHOST because the Dove was not so taken in one Person with the HOLY GHOST but this humane nature is taken into fellowship of Person with GOD and so is become GOD. He that seeth this or that body hee seeth the man though he seeth not the spirituall nature in man because he seeth that visible nature which is a part and belongeth to the person of man So who so seeth this visible nature of God the Son may be said to see God though he see not the invisible Godhead because he seeth the nature which is joyned in unity of Person with God 2. By looking at the divine workes which this man wrought we come to conceive of the God-head in this Person as in His giving sight to the blinde raising the dead stilling the Sea I come to see that He is Almighty a quickening Spirit Setting before me that which He speaketh of Himselfe Vse 3 as in a glasse I see a reflected Image with the eye of my minde thus Moses by Faith saw the invisible God Considering such sentences who commeth downe from heaven but the Sonne of man which is in heaven Ioh. 3. I see an omnipotent nature I am the resurrection and the life When He knew their thoughts Lord thou knowest all things who can subdue all things to Himselfe In these and such like sentences let mee see the Image of an All-knowing Omnipotent Life-giving Nature Now thus seeing CHRIST in regard of both Natures I come to see the Father who hath the selfe-same Nature and the Spirit for in this Sonne is the Father and the Father in Him in the Sonne and Father is the Spirit and they in the Spirit This shewes us the grosse idolatry of the Papists Vse 2 who looke at Images of wood and stone at pictures of old men leaving this lively Coessentiall Image that is painted before us in the Gospell This is an introduction to us how wee may come to know the Father and Spirit get CHRIST Vse 3 know Him and thou knowest all The second Person onely is incarnate but the three Persons are all made manifest in that flesh with which the second Person is coupled For the selfe-same divine Nature of the second is the Nature of both the other also We say of a childe like his parent Doe you see this boy you see his father he resembles him up and downe But if thou seest this Sonne then thou feest the Father and Spirit for they are in Him as if wee could suppose three Persons all subsisting in one onely soule and body he that should see the one should see the other for the same soule and body which one hath the other two have also Now followeth his description in regard of that respect He hath to the Creature set downe in this Verse Hee is the first begotten of every creature Secondly Hee is proved both to be the Coessentiall Image of God and first begotten of the Creature by three arguments 1 His creating all Creatures 2 His antiquity and being before all Creatures 3 His susteining all Creatures But these words are doubtfull Two principall constructions are these the one that these words note Christs eternity begotten before all Creatures of the Father by eternall generation Secondly these words may signifie Him to be Heire of the Creatures the Lord of them by a metonymie of the subject for the adjunct the right of inheritance and dominion belonging by God's Law to the first begotten and this I take to be the true meaning for these reasons 1. CHRIST's eternall existence before all Creatures is laid downe in the next Verse save one in plaine words 2. The Holy Ghost construeth this being the first begotten as having this annexed the preeminence over other 3. Hebr. 1.2 Hee is said to be made heire of all things and this followeth For by Him all things were created as a reason both of His being the naturall Son of God with God and true Heire as here the same words are set downe to prove Him the Essentiall Image or naturall Sonne and the first begotten that He is Heire or Lord of all the
It is therefore a very comfortable thing to suffer for the truths sake And they that fly it by unlawfull meanes being called to it eschew their owne comfort and in seeking to save their life shall loose it 2 His second reason is because it is for the good of the Church in generall and of them in particular Then the martyrdome of the martyrs in suffering Object merits for them The afflictions of the godly Answ and specially of the Ministers for the truth tends greatly to the good of the Church to the confirmation comfort and good example of it but as for merits it neither needeth any but the merits of CHRIST neither if it did could they availe But the Papists that would wring these things from hence are evidently discovered to be blasphemers of God and of CHRIST His Sonne The Apostle opposeth this everywhere 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I suffer all things for the elects sake that they might also obtaine the salvation which is in IESUS CHRIST with eternall glory 2 Cor. 1.6 whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation And Phi. 1.12 13. He wills them to understand that his sufferings turned to the furtherance of the Gospell his bonds for Christs cause were famous in Court and Country whereof there was this excellent fruit that many of the brethren were imboldened and not as men would thinke discouraged and did more boldly speake the Word Here therefore we are taught Observ that the Church looseth nothing but gaineth much by the sufferings of the godly specially the ministers Which should incourage and comfort us greatly in our sufferings Vse 1 seeing both we our selves and many others reape such fruite thereof And here behold the admirable wisedome and goodnesse of God defeating the plots and turning upside downe the pretences of the Divell and his cursed instruments in their persecutions of the Ministers turning that to the singular good comfort and confirmation of the Church which they intend and directed to their ruine and overthrow Here further observe Obs That the Church is called the body of Christ we are as neerely knit to Christ as the body is to the head so Eph. 1.23 To comfort us who are so neerely knit unto Him Vse 1 bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh How can we perish if He be our head or what affliction can separate us from Him Rom. 8. And ought not this to make us ready to suffer for the Churches sake Vse 2 seeing it is the body of Iesus Christ And if wee ought to doe good and to rejoyce in doing good to the Church though it be by sufferings how much more ought we so to doe when we may doe it without suffering for it VERSE 25. Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to mee for you to fulfill the Word of GOD. HAving thus remooved that which might have beene objected he commeth now to the commendation of his ministery wherein he setteth forth 1 The object and causes of it verse 25 26 27. 2 His diligence and faithfulnesse in the execution of it verse 28 29. The object of his ministerie is here noted to be the Church whereof hee saith of which Church I am become a Minister In which words he resumeth that he had said in the end of the twenty third verse for the twenty fourth verse is interposed to prevent an Objection The Ministers of CHRIST Observ are the Ministers of the Church which Church is the body of CHRIST this company of men this selected and choyce company as the Word translated the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie such as labour in the worke of the Gospell and none but these these are given of Christ for the repayring and building up of the Church Eph. 4.11 12. Wherein appeareth the great dignity of the Church Vse 1 and the great account God maketh of it who hath given His best guifts to men to doe them service for their salvation the rest of the world having no portion in these men nor in their guifts or labours It sheweth the great account Ministers ought to make of their people Vse 2 and the great care they ought to have of their edification being of so great account with God and committed to their charge How unkinde and unnaturall a thing it is for this Church or any member of it Vse 3 to molest and persecute these ministers given of God in His great love to doe them good even to bee His blessed instruments to save their soules The causes of his ministery are two The efficient The causes of his ministery are two The end The efficient is the dispensation of GOD given him Observ whereof the meaning is that his Ministery was freely committed unto him by the most wise and holy government of GOD wherewith He governeth His Church as His owne house so much the Word dispensation signifies and appointeth His Ministers as overseers and stewards thereof GOD is the Lord the Church is His house the ministers His stewards the Word and Sacraments the foode and rayment which they must from God minister to their brethren and fellow-servants This should make the Ministers wise and faithfull Vse 1 happy is that servant Mat. 24.46.47.51 whom when his master shall come shall finde so doing 1 Cor. 4.2 It is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull But if that evill servant say in his heart my master deferreth his comming and shall beginne to eate and drinke and to smite his fellowes the Lord of that servant will come in a day that hee thinketh not and will cut him in pieces and give Him his portion among hypocrites And this should make the people diligent and dutifull in receiving their spirituall foode and rayment as from God at the hand of those that are appointed stewards and overseers for them Heb. 13.17 that they may doe it with joy and not with griefe for that is uncomfortable indeede to the minister and unprofitable to the people Of this dispensation he saith That it was given to them-wards or for them His ministery doubtlesse was given for the use and behoofe of the whole Church for his commission as of the rest of the Apostles was generall Goe teach all Nations Mat. 28.20 2 Cor. 11.28 c. and he professeth the care of all the Churches lay upon him howbeit having now to doe with the Colossians he applyeth it to them affirming that it was given him for them as if it had beene for them alone teaching Obs That the Minister should have such care of every part of his charge as if his Ministery had beene committed to him for their behoofe and profit onely and that every one pertaining to a Ministers charge every family and every person should make such use of their minister as if he had received his ministery for them alone And great reason there is of this latter
of the former Chapter Now lest this report should seeme to drop from him unadvisedly for ordinarily another mouth must praise us not our owne lest it should thus be misconstrued he repeateth the strife he had with a more particular enumeration of the Persons for whom he thus contended v. 1. 2 The matter for which he laboured with GOD for them Verse 2 3. 3 The end why he telleth them these things or maketh such request V. 4. Namely that no Impostor might deceive them and draw them from that state wherein they were or perswade them as if the Apostle knew nothing of their matter nor yet tooke any care of them for the fourth Verse may be conceived as a reason of either of these you must know wee are in good cafe before you can wish us established in it But they might object Object thou never knewest us nor sawest us or you know not Paul how we stand how can you take care lest we be deceived Though my bodily presence is free from you Answ yet it is not out of sight and out of minde my Spirit is with you The first Verse then hath to be marked in it a deliberate asseveration of that he had in generall spoken I would have you know 2. A more particular repetition of this his strife applied in speciall to some certaine persons first definitely you and your neighbours about you those of Laodicea then indefinitely and all that have not seene mee in the flesh 1. Then wee learne this point of wisdome from the Apostle Doct. That we must warily prevent that which may be misconstrued of us in our speeches The Colossians might thinke him vaine-glorious in signifying such things as tended to his owne praise at least that his pen went too fast and he a little forgot himselfe in setting downe such personall matter the Apostle therefore goeth over again with it and sheweth a reason of it Vers 4. That he might wipe away the surmise of unadvisednesse and vaine-glorious humour To speake any thing either to the praise or dispraise of our selves is subject to imputation for it is a tickle theame hard to doe either without a spice of vanity in the one or dissimulation in the other the Apostle knowing this well had the hynt of their thoughts given him and therefore doth prevent them wisely There is great reason for this practice frequent with the Apostle For the just mainteyning of our owne honour with GOD in the fifth Commandement doth lay it on us Secondly the preventing of false witnesse-bearing by sinister surmises in my neighbour Reas 2 which if occasion offered I doe not so much as in me is hinder I become guilty of them Such therefore as give out speeches subject to misconstruction without any qualifying of them and salving such things as in probability are like amisse to be gathered by them Vse have not yet this wisedome which the example of the Apostle setteth before us being in this point for our imitation 2 Marke hence Doct. That in some case wee may report both our love and what we doe in love for others The Apostle telleth them now he out of his love to them strove in their behalfe There is reporting of kindnesse which out of proud displeasure upbraydeth those to whom we speake and this begetteth unthankfulnesse in them whom we have pleasured There is againe a reciting of that we doe out of religion love and wisdom which begetteth further love in those who heare it Out of religion I say for it is to Gods glory that we should tell such things as not we so much as His grace worketh in us especially when He doth so stand by us that we are called to contend and strive in prayer with him in prayer for the good of any Out of wisdom as when it breaketh the neast of such as labour to slander us behind our backs with others Out of love to God and my brother when I tell it that God may have glory from my brother knowing it that his confidence may be strengthened that his love to me may be further kindled thus Saint Paul reciteth that matter thus Rom. 9. He doth not simply protest his love to his Country men but doth bind it with an oath that he might mollify their displeasure and wind in with them Yea we read of the Saints who before God have orderly and holily made appeale how they have walked before Him Though therefore such as either proudly or out of unadvised levity or contumeliously sound out their owne praises are not to be justified yet neither on the other hand must we censure all speeches of this nature a mans neighbours may dwell so farre off or be so malignant that hee that would keepe silence in this kind should betray Gods glory the truth his owne honour and neighbours safety 3 Observe Doctr. That we must not onely seeke the good of those we know as familiars but of those who have no outward acquaintance with us Eph. 16.18 Pray for all Saints If our naturall Parents travailing to other places we being left behind should beget other children would we not upon the hearesay of it be affected to them as our brethren So when we heare that our heavenly Father hath begotten Himselfe other children here or there though we have not seene them yet we should in all love embrace them and seeke their well-fare yea there was great need why he on whom lay the care of all the Churches should pray fervently for these because these might even in this regard more easily be seduced as who had not knowne him and seen his conversation who was the great Doctor of the Gentiles for such as knew what kind of man he was that delivered these things were hence somewhat strengthened and encouraged in their way But how may we be rebuked who are farre from striving for those we know Vse Husbands that pray not for their Wives Parents that pray not for their children If we doe thus by them we see what doe we for such we never sawe Let us imitate this duty even of entreating for such we have not seene Which of us would not have benefit by the prayers of Gods people who know us not let us doe to others as we would have them doe to us He were a gracelesse child that would never pray for his Mother and we would thinke he would doe little for us that would not lend us a good word here or there So when we remember not the Church and will not open our mouthes one for another to God what love is there Let us therefore frequent this duty not in word or shew but in deed and truth From the practice of this duty it commeth to passe that a Christian is like a rich Merchant who hath his factors in divers Countryes So a Christian hath in all places of the world some that deale for him with God that never sawe his face who are petitioners for him unto God VERSE 2.
GOD's promises we fight not against doubtings we cry not for eye-salve which might heale our fight that all scales done away we might see clearely to our comfort the things of our peace Let us Vse 2 as ever we would taste these heavenly joyes on earth labour to grow up in sound hearty love to Christ and all that are His in full perswasion and to get ripe understanding As love to CHRIST increaseth so joy encreaseth If any woman had the greatest Potentate on earth to her husband if she love him not what pleasure hath she in him If she love him but little she taketh but small joy but the more fervently shee loveth him the more abundantly she rejoyceth in enjoying of him So with us the more we get up to love CHRIST and His the more shall we rejoyce in our Vnion and communion one with another Hence it is that when knowledge shall be perfected in fight and when love shal be absolute lacking nothing then our joy shall be full in the highest degree of it Secondly observe when he prayeth for these things Doctr. In what things true Christians may be much wanting viz. in love confidence and spirituall understanding Had there not beene a defect this way henceded not to have laboured them in their behalfe We see how it was in Corinth schismes tooke place rents divisions and uncharitable contentions ever amongst beleevers even as brethren together agree not often So it is in the body of Christ the members are often jarring So for assurance it is weake in Christians even as babes so hold this or that that they may bee easily brought to bee of another minde So a weake Christian hath a levity and unsetlednesse dwelling in great measure with the perswasion which hee hath in the points of his faith Thus the Galathians for this cause who before had gladly received Paul's truth were quickly turned to a new Gospell Galath 1. Thus Israel wanting this fulnesse of perswasion quickly corrupted themselves and made a molten calfe Finally we see what doubtings and scruples are frequently found with true beleevers In the third place for understanding how ignorant a great while were the Apostles after the beginnings of grace in them As the understanding in civill things it commeth not all at once but is little in child-hood and so getteth up as yeares ripen So it is in the babes of GOD Yea our want of giving assent and confident resting upon that GOD revealeth doth keepe us from understanding for beleeving things upon God's Word which I am not able to understand at length I come understandingly to know those things which above that I could conceive I religiously beleeved Wherefore we must not be dismaid to see these things in Christians Vse nor yet to finde them in our selves all is in part and the reliques of the flesh are every where lusting against the frame of grace which GOD hath begun in us Neither must we be out with all whose hearts are a little bitter towards their brethren who sometimes through weaknesse cannot tell what to thinke of their religion who make scruple and doubt of many most plaine things not knowing their liberties who are much wanting in understanding all these may be in true Saints of GOD. Lastly Doct. marke hence what we must all labour for viz. soundnesse of love fulnesse of perswasion and understanding That which any asketh for us or we aske for our selves that we must strive for to pray for things we endeavour not to is to mocke GOD. Seeing then the Apostle doth strive with GOD for these things it doth shew that these are things wee must labour after things which faithfull ones shall in their time come unto Strive to perfection I forget that which is behinde and strive to that which is before for the price of the high calling of God in CHRIST Looke at little ones were it not a shame for them still to continue falling out comming with complaints for every trifle as they will while they are young ones to be afraid of bug-beggars and made beleeve every thing to bee ignorant alwayes as in child-hood So it were a shame for us to have no more love no more settlednesse in our perswasion no more understanding than when we first beleeved Which meeteth with Papists and carnall Gospellers Vse their religion teacheth doubting they count it presumption to perswade our selves firmely and infallibly that our sinnes are forgiven Yea in matter of faith they take away certainty of knowledge for they will not have us know the doctrines are true we receive but because the Church telleth us so which is to hang all upon the word of man who may deceive and be deceived unlesse he hath a speciall priviledge to shew for all men are lyars I know not but the Church telleth me so I cannot say certainly but I hope well here is their certainty of doctrine and salvation So we have many that are halfe Papists in this point they thinke this particular application but a tricke they construe the Creed all in generall termes for the Church further than uncertaine hope will say nothing of themselves for riches of knowledge they thinke to be able to repeat the Creed Lords Prayer and Commandements are enough to know they are baptised and serve God at home and at Church deeper knowledge than this belongeth to Doctors and teachers in the Church men of corrupt mindes who would have God's people lye in darknesse of ignorance lest their owne darknesse should be discerned Yea how many of the people that not being willing to obey the wayes of God care not for knowing them they are willing to keepe without light that they may sleepe more quietly Such finally who are babes in knowledge though for time they might be teachers who are ready to wagge at every wind of doctrine who upon every crosse and temptation are ready to call into question God's love forgivenesse of sin must hence be rebuked In the second place Vse 2 wee must seeing it is our duties labour to grow up from one degree of love to another from assurance to assurance from knowledge to knowledge I Object but how may we out-grow our doubting 1 Labour to know that experimentally which thou knowest Answ when thou hearest a thing at Church labour comming home to get God by His Spirit to witnesse to thy spirit the truth of it to make thee in His light to see light and to feele the power of it working in thee and thy affections moved as the nature of the word requireth that which a man thus knoweth you cannot beat him out of it with all the shew of reason that can be pretended 2 We must acknowledge the corruption of our mind which will not yeeld assent further than wee see reason and deny our reason becomming fooles that God may make us wise Nay we must know such is the vanity of our mindes that wee can sooner perswade our selves of any fabulous matter than of
worth The second that this thing so knowne must be given and received Now knowledge and assurance that all the benefits of CHRIST are made ours these are faith and as they doe grow from one degree to another so thankfulnesse followeth even as the shadow the body answering proportionably This thus opened Vse first letteth us see the Popish Church hath no true thankfulnesse for what man can be thankfull for a thing which he doth not know what it is Now so it is that they say no man can know love repentance pardon of sin whether hee hath them in truth or whether those he have be counterfeits Say one should give mee a Diamond but yet could not know possibly whether it were a Chester-stone not worth twelve pence could I be thankfull Nay we must know for what first by their leave Againe say one shewed me a thousand pound but would not let me know he would give it me only leave it upon a peradventure could a man be thankfull for this Nay we would say I will thank you when I have it If we have it not in possession or certaine hope it is as nothing to us We must be stirred up to encrease our thankfulnesse to GOD for these mercies we are thankfull in other matters which are nothing compared with these If wee be not come to this we make no progresse in faith nor walk not in Christ as we should we know not what is bestowed on us VERSE 8. Beware left any spoile you through Philosophy and vaine deceits after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after CHRIST NOw the Apostle commeth to secondary exhortations which are assistant unto the great one of walking in Christ they are of two sorts 1. Cautionary prohibitions warning from such things as draw us from Christ to the end of this second Chapter 2. Precepts of Practice which must bee observed that wee may goe on in Christ from the beginning of the third Chapter unto the eighteenth Verse The first sort beginning in this Verse is first set downe generally to the sixteenth Verse after more specially to the end In the generall prohibition we first see the dehortation after the reason The dehortation containeth two things 1 The evill they were to avoid 2 The meanes of breeding the evill The first Let none make a prey of you that is carry you away who are the sheepe of Christ from His fold the true Church into their owne which are Synagogues of Satan that is the force of the Word The meanes tending hither are two First Philosophie which doth Synechdochically note all humane wisedome unsanctified with the doctrine it teacheth and the shew it maketh Secondly Vaine deceit which might signifie sophisticall Logicke but this is a principall part of Philosophie Some thinke it to be thus meant Philosophy which is vaine deceit but the conjunction doth shew that here a distinct thing is meant therefore I take vaine deceit here for all religious rites which carnall wisdome inventeth and obtrudeth called so first because they misse the end of pleasing God at which they ayme Secondly they are empty of that grace being not sanctified by GOD which they seeme to have and therefore are empty deceits in which regard Saint Paul calleth these rites disanulled by God and affected by men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beggerly elements not having a jot of true grace of the Spirit going with them and no doubt but this is here meant For the Apostle specisying the things after which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 20.22 he hath the intercession of Angels and the Iewish rites which some would have put upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reason taken from the originall quality of these things which is set downe adversatively thus These things come from man they are carnall and worldly not after Christ that is having Him their Author not spirituall And first these words doe seeme to intimate whence these things come to have such efficacie of deceiving even from hence that they are countenanced with humane authority and are for their quality carnall and worldly things 2. Here is a reason included thus Those things which are not after the rule of Christ we must not follow who have received Him and professed that wee will walke in Him But Philosophie and empty rites of religion are after mans wisdome and the world not after Christ therefore wee must not let any deceive us with these things In the Verses following to the sixteenth Verse is a double prosyllogisme proving the first part of this reason for the second is passed over as evident it stands thus That which is not after Him in whom is all the God-head personally that you must not receive In CHRIST is all the fulnesse of the God-head personally Ergo c. Secondly that which is not after Him through whom and in whom you come to receive the fulnesse of spiritual gifts as the removall of guilt and blot of sin and quicknance with the life of GOD freedome from the yoke of the Law victory over spirituall wickednesse what agreeth not with Him in whom yee have such benefits that yee must not receive unlesse you would forsake these unvaluable blessings Now admit that unlesse you will leave Him and forgoe these great benefits yee have in Him this is the disposition of the argument to the sixteenth Verse Now to returne observe first from this eight Verse Doctr. That to yeeld to erroneous doctrines which corrupt reason teacheth doe take us from Christ See you be not made a pray led away captive as those that are vanquished in battell therefore it is plaine that the yeelding to such things doth make a man a spirituall captive and lead him from Christ this is it that maketh the Apostle say Gal. 5.2 If yee be circumcised and seeke salvation by the Law you are cut off from Christ Christ shall profit you nothing For looke as evill weeds doe suffocate good corne and Ivie killeth the heart of Oake So heresies and false worship will kill grace if they should be fully entertained which maketh Saint Paul say of Hymenaus and Philetus who denied the Resurrection that they had subverted the faith of some who attended unto them prevailing against their faith they could not but withdraw them from CHRIST with whom we are coupled by faith onely But two things may be objected 1 That much stubble may be builded on the foundation and therefore CHRIST and such things stand together 2 That true grace cannot be prevailed against Answ To the first it is true many opinions may be received and erroneous rites used and yet CHRIST be held But 1 It must be done ignorantly 2 With a minde teachable and ready to give place when light doth evince it 3 In points not directly fundamentall that is such as are so maine that without them there is no salvation or of so cleere consequence from them that who so truely is perswaded of the one
cannot but see the other As that CHRIST is both GOD and perfect man in one Person is a point fundamentall That Christ hath two wills distinct is of cleere consequence for who so is GOD hath a most free and almighty will as GOD and who is perfect man hath a humane will like man For as not every wound killeth a man but if the heart or braine be pierced life perisheth So it is here if the soule in things fundamentall be truely touched it is divorced from Christ It is answered then to the first that stubble may stand while it is admitted ignorantly with a prepared minde to disclaime it if it be found such not directly crossing the foundation Now it is not fully received in a minde thus qualified It is seene in experience that a man going where the plague is not witting of any such thing taketh no hurt often So in this matter To the second it is manifest that as those who have that precious faith of the Elect which faileth not cannot be prevailed against So GOD doth never leave them to yeeld unto any herefies directly fundamentall or wittingly and willingly against eviction to persist in them This is to be marked against such as thinke it no such danger to reconcile in many points with Papists Vse A little leven is perillous if any should offer a farre off to filtch away our earthly substance we would betime stand on our keeping let us be more shie of the pearle of the Gospell Againe wee see hence what to thinke of the Papists Church the state of it is dangerous so that though God hath a remnant knowne to Himselfe yet the generall estate of that Church cannot but be comfortlesse because since Luthers time and the Councell of Trent the pillars of that Church representing the whole have against most cleere light withstood the truth and have joyned such pertinacie to errour that they anathematize whatsoever shall be brought against them 2 Marke Doct. What hath beene an engine of Satan against the faith even the wisdome renowned of the great of the world Philosophy This kept many from entering the faith When Saint Paul disputed of the Resurrection the Athenians mocked him This made many brought to the faith stagger when they could not answer the plausible sophismes they were dazled with the curious subtilty that did shine forth in it this drew many from the faith and be got heresies for heresie is an errour held with pertinacie by them who sometime have beene beleevers Hierom saith Philosophi sunt primogeniti Aegypti and other of the Ancient doe brand it bitterly No wonder for then it was generally received as the wisdome of the world every quarter of the earth as it were having their Philosophers whom as Sect-masters they followed then there were Peripatecians Platonists who as it is likely troubled these Colossians Stoicks Epicures What bred heresie in the article of the Resurrection but this What in the point of the Trinity three Persons and one Essence What in the Person of Christ why not two Natures in one Person the one being an Essence without being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this or that thing subsisting by it selfe because the like is not in all Nature What made Arrius sow his conceit prefidence in his Logicke for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as story reporteth Finally what maketh the Papist he will not beleeve that a man is formally righteous before God by righteousnesse in Christ's Person onely imputed Even this because in all Nature every thing is that it is formally by something inherent in it selfe No man wise with anothers wisdome c. this is the fruit that Scotus exclaimeth on Doctores theologiae Philosophiam cum theologiae maximo cum fructu miscuerunt If Saint Paul would shew what this fruit is he would doubtlesse answer much error which Trithemeus well-witnesseth Sacra Theologia Saecular is Philosophiae mutili curiositate faedatur This is sufficient to shew that this humane wisedome if unsanctified hath alwayes beene a Moabitish minion whose aspect is so amiable to a carnall mind that he hath woone unto himselfe by it not a few and no wonder for the wisedome of the flesh is enmity to GOD and the reason of it so farre as corrupt must be captivated to Christ But some may say Object may we not have Philosophie in regard or is all knowledge dangerous and of no use Philosophie is double that which is truly Answ or that which is falsly so called that which is true Philosophy is that which man agreeably with his darkenesse but reliques of sight conceaveth and that often not without some more then common illumination of God Philosophy falsely so called is what men not as men but singular persons erring have broached as truths Now this last is at all hands utterly to be abandoned For the first this also in men unregenerate not of it selfe but through their corruption is an enemy to grace Secondly this is of it selfe good and through grace sanctified to good uses First it helpeth grace better to apprehend and more fitly to teach others the things it knoweth Secondly it doth helpe and exceedingly further every believing man that with it he groweth more confident for though I believe not for reason yet seeing the consent of reason my beliefe is furthered as we that love God for Himselfe yet enjoying His benefits doe more ardently affect Him this use Christ gives us to understand Spirits have not flesh and bones as I have Doct. and we abhorre the transubstantiation of the Papists more confidently doth pre-ground that by good reason it is eviced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing but evinceth and better silenceth Heretiques religion whereby their owne sword killeth them Thus Saint Paul evinceth the Corinthians out of nature who through naturall reason impugned the resurrection of the dead To know the creature is of it selfe good a ladder to heaven a spectacle wherewith heavenly things may be better discerned yet our corruption abuseth this priding it selfe therein as if there were no higher fixing it selfe on this beauty it discerneth neglecting to goe to the top while it lodgeth it selfe with delight and admiration in the workemanship of the stayres by which it should ascend Sometime by knowing the excellency of the creature it doth grow to thinke that there is no higher happinesse then to posses it and the delight of it As a beautifull complexion is the good creature of God yet oft misleads a corrupt eye So this mentall Helene if I may so call truesecular knowledge doth too much enamor our carnall understanding The use of this is first though we must not reject the seeking Vse nor all applying of this knowledge which out of prophane philosophie is learned to reproove such as do too highly extoll it yea account of Aristotle as if he were a fore-runner of Christ and a pillar of the Gospell and of Philosophicall sciences as if a man could not be a good Theologue that were not skillfull
in them as if supernaturall divinity stood in neede of philosophy as the understanding doth of inferiour senses whereas it is nothing so for the supernaturall guifts of the spirit inlightning by the word of God that makes a divine not any humane literature and therefore we reade of few wise of the world converted when babes and the foolish ones in comparison were inlightned this way Besides the Apostles themselves were this way not trayned as Ambrose saith Credimus piscatoribus non dialecticis this is an extreame as well as the other Yea often the Lords children may too much stand upon it for our understandings being more naturall then spirituall are ready too too much to incline to that which is connaturall unto them I meane an object proportioned to their naturall forces Hence in the primitive Churches the Christians were too much dejected in the want of it and too little prized their owne knowledge for the simplicity which to carnall judgement seemeth to be in it Even as Christians in poore bodily rayments are not so much comforted in the clothing of their soules as dejected in the meane attyre of the outward man withall too much esteeming the pompous rich apparell in which others ruffle So in the mind for the soule is cladde with light of knowledge as the body with bodily rayment When it wanteth this secular glorious rayment of Philosophicall sciences it is more often cast downe then it should and too much esteemeth the presence of it in others Yea hence sometime they grew to bee weakened in faith when they could not answer those difficulties which the wisedome of the naturall man objecteth whereas they should have counted the voyce of Angells if opposite to the Gospell utterly accursed True it is that grace turneth this complementall knowledge to the further confirming of us but it is as true that the same spirit doth make the want of it an occasion also of greater affiance even as all earthly meanes of working this or that helpe a heart sanctified in beliefe so the absence of all meanes occasion faith to be more intensively set on God from whom commeth our helpe And vaine deceit Observe hence Doct. That Sathan by empty showes of religion standing in vaine rites doth prevayle against many For this vaine deceit is nothing but the empty and deceiveable practice of religion whereby he drew many from the simplicity of the Gospell How did he ensnare those primitive Churches but with obtruding upon them beggarly elementall services and bodily austerities which profited nothing And how hath he brought the Papists to this passe in which they are but by foysting in all kind of empty toyish rites that either Iudaisme or Paganisme could affoord and by magnifying such canonicall austerities to which their Monks and Anachorets were addicted There is nothing to be seene but such empty deceitfull toyes in all their service of GOD their masse their precessions Palme branches ashes sprinkled their whippings hayre clothes holy water censings pilgrimages adoration of reliques c. For look as children will be quickly woone with fine puppets and babies and joy in these things more then in substantiall matters So these who are without all heavenly wisedome or have but infantlike understanding such ware as this is very saleable in their eyes and doth easily ensnare them Wherefore let us Vse knowing our owne weakenesse and the Divells malicious subtlties knowing likewise the nets he layeth let us be wise and not bite at such vayne baytes as these are which he casteth in for us 2 Observe hence Doctr. All religious observances contrary to the word of GOD are but deceitfull vanity vaine deceite In vayne doe you worship Mat. 15.9 framing religion after the precepts of men saith Christ For first they have not any grace accompanying of them as enlightning the mind confirming the faith stirring up devotion for these things accompany outward services by force of Gods spirit working in them not of themselves now Gods spirit doth not worke in any other then the Lords Ordinances 2 They goe for religion but are not so indeed for true religion the soule of it is not simply to doe this act but to doe it with relation to GOD commanding now this cannot bee in things God requireth not 3 They misse the end which is pretended in them for they please not GOD wherefore as we say of wares deceitfull which looke well but want the substance such are al things intrinsecus defectuosae as they are called as for example counterfeit mony which hath the colour stampe and touch sometime yet is inwardly no such thing we may say such things are vayne deceite for they are but showes that mocke such as they are put upon So in this matter even as the Papists confesse it of their false reliques which are not such as they are affirmed So wee may truely say of all their religious practice in a manner The use is therefore to make us wary that we be not cheated and beguiled this way Vse We would be loath in any commodity or if we received mony to take a slippe amongst it but how wary should wee be not to bee beguiled in matters of so great consequence as these are According to the tradition of men Observe hence That the authority of man in matter of doctrine and religious observance is not to be respected against the Word of GOD. Doct. Men of estimation have alwayes beene of some regard so farre that their opinions have beene entertayned because they were theirs This made the Iewes so erroneous the authority of their great Rabbines and traditionary divinity was so imbraced by them as CHRIST sayth It was said of old but I say So likewise concerning matters of rites their washing hands with signification they call it a constitution of their fathers this was in the Primitive Church continued that many were so addicted to some men that they would receive the things fathered upon them though discrepant from the Evangelicall doctrine So that in Tertullians time many did defend that the Apostles did not write all truth for us to know but that there was a more perfect divinity which was traditionary Lib. 1. cap. 23 24. yea in Ireneus time before Tertullian For this is the property of Heretiques to calumniate the perfection of the Scripture neither doe they ever fly to it but onely to the barke of the outward syllables that they may so avoyd the substance and matter of it which is most manifest And so Arrius did fly from the wholesome phrases and manner of speaking in the fathers to the expresse syllables of Scripture in which he would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed him quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the authority of antique tradition is so forcible that it beguiled some of the Fathers drawing them to use some ceremonies utterly ungrounded in the word as milke and honey in baptism giving the Eucharist to children not kneeling from Easter to Whitsunday But how
rule over you The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is borrowed from those who sit as judges of sports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when there is running of tilt before the King there is some that sit by with white wands or staves who marke how every one breaketh and hits according as the law of the sport requireth and therafter give sentence with or against the Champions So we must remember that Prayer is a spirituall wrastling with God for the due manner of it it is to be done in all humility through Him who is our Mediatour to God this is a law of this heavenly wrastling the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the recompence of this strife is that God beareth us and will give us what we aske in the Name of His CHRIST Now these false seducers take upon them as judges in this case and determine against the Colossians that they did not strive or serve GOD in humility neglecting to worship Angels and to use them as intercessors to GOD and in this regard did make all their wrastling in vayne judging from them their reward because this law was neglected by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Willing that is at His pleasure it is fitliest reduced to that former Now followeth the difficulty In humility and worship of Angels These words may have as I conceive a threefold accommodation 1 They may note instruments wherewith those false Apostles seduced and the matter whereupon they grew thus censorious Let none deprive you of your reward or take upon him to judge you through humblenesse of minde 2 The second sense they may be joyned with the words following thus Let none at his pleasure play the judge over you entering into things he neve saw through shew of submission and through worship of Angels The third sense These words may signifie the matter as I have noted in which they judged Christians defective and therefore seeking in vaine to GOD thus Passe not you nor yeeld not to the sentence of any who doe condemne you in humility that is as wanting humility and in worship of Angels that is judge against you as not using any mediation of Angels or intercession to them The first opinion I admit not for these Reasons 1 As hee said above Let none seduce you by Philosophie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he would here have used the same particle rather than another 2 I see not how a fained humility is fitly made a ground or pretence of usurping judiciall authority 3 The Greekes put little difference betwixt this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the simple is here put for the compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did note there the matter about which their censure was occupied The second interpretation I like not neither 1. Our common Prosodie dis-joyneth them making the former part of the sentence all one Complexum 2. Shewing the meanes and ground of their going into things they never saw he telleth us it was their being puffed up with fleshly wisedome Wherefore with best correspondence this noteth out the matter as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Verse the matter I say in regard of which the false teachers condemned them because herein they were not conformable to themselves Now to the Doctrines Marke first Doct. That false teachers are led with a spirit of arrogancie which maketh them usurpe judgement over others This was apparant in the Scribes and Pharisies who judged of CHRIST and His doctrine as a seditious noveltie who excommunicated all that would professe His Name Thus the wise Gentiles judged the Gospell to be nothing but folly This having alwayes been the practice of lewd hereticall spirits to speake evill of things they know not Iude v. 10. And herein the Papists excell who challenge to their Pope fulnesse of power to determine of truth impose lawes to accurse all that come against his determination in matter of religion to translate Crowns to open and shut Heaven and all at their pleasure But you will say Object Doth not the true Church take upon her to condemne doctrines which if shee doe how can this be made an hereticall guise She doth Answ but ministerially pronouncing that condemnation which shee heareth the Scripture passe of this or that as contrary to Gods truth before her but it is otherwise with these erroneous spirits who out of their owne hearts or selfe-willed pleasures doe passe sentence against that they receive not Let them not at pleasure beare rule over you This is the property of the naturall man hee will take upon him to judge and condemne whatsoever doth not agree with him much liarning makes thee madde said Festus to Paul and doe not carnall men account those that walke more conscionably than themselves proud hypocrites schismatickes seditious persons what not For looke as fooles and distracted persons will have a fling at every thing which doth not humour their crazed phantasies whence we say A fooles bolt is soone shot So here c. This may serve further to informe us touching the manner of carnall men Vse that it is their kinde to breake out in this manner and therefore we must not be dismayed when we suffer it at their hands A second thing may here be added that the Apostle giveth them such a caveat againe and againe Let none condemne you Let none take upon him as a judge over you for in repeating these He doth not only shew our duty above noted Doct. but bewrayeth our softnesse and pufillanimity which doth make us subject too much to take to heart such sinister judgements A quicke horse need not be spurred and if we were not prone to yeeld too much in this nature hee need not againe and againe to dehort us Even as children though they know and conceive things aright yet great words facing downe the contrary and calling them children and fooles to thinke thus doe so amate them that they cannot tell what to say So we through childish weaknesse the things which wee have truly learned and quietly alone have received them into perswasion when wee heare others cry them downe condemn them as heresie schisme call us reprochful termes for holding them we let it sinke so with us that wee cannot tell what wee may thinke of the matter Seeing then there is such infirmity in us Vse let us arme our selves against it Shall we let the sentence of carnall men shake us in things we have learned of GOD Why they know not these things that they condemne them of folly falshood wickednesse should confirme us in the contrary A little childe come to any understanding so farre as to know a foole by his habit as his motley coat his woodden dagger if twenty such should say any thing against that he thinketh he would not beleeve it but would say these are fooles I know them well enough So if you doe but know naturall men of corrupt mindes by their outward fruits never be
withdrawen from CHRIST So that as a Wife yeelding her love and conjugall benevolence to another cleaveth no longer to her husband is one flesh no more with him So a soule bestowing the religious adoration of it here or there doth joyne it selfe with the thing so worshipped and leaveth God This is to be marked against them that are reconcilers Vse 1 that thinke why may they not doe thus and thus and yet cleave to CHRIST well enough yea this doth detect the wicked judging of Papists that will perswade us that this leadeth us unto CHRIST to go to Saints and that honouring them in religious manner we honour Christ in them 2 We must keepe onely to God in Christ Thus much from this that these religiously worshipping Angells held not Christ For understanding the verse We must open some conclusions concerning the head and Naturall body 1 The head is the supreame part in a humane body from which commeth outward direction and inward influence of sense and motion into every member So Christ hath both the soveraignty of outward directing and by his powerfull influence he quickeneth and mooveth all that are his 2 No member hath any thing from the head which is not by joynts and sinewes coupled to the head and by the same bands and joynts furnished from the head So we have nothing from CHRIST till by faith and love we are knit with Him and His body and by the same 〈◊〉 furnished from Him with spirituall grace and heavenly nutriment 3 We must know that the soule from the head doth 〈◊〉 forth a nutritive faculty a vitall faculty which nourisheth and augmenteth every member as the nature of it requireth The first continueth as long as life augmentation till wee come to that perfection of growth which nature affordeth Being come to this augmentation ceaseth about thirty sixe yeares So the quickning spirit from Christ our head doth by all holy meanes nourish every believer and make him grow as his condition requireth and that till he come to be a perfect member of one perfect man in Iesus Christ 4 The last thing to be marked is that a Naturall body groweth up in every part proportionably the hand for a hand the legge with the growth of a legge the toe with the growth of a toe So here all the body thus coupled furnished and wrought upon with the quickning spirit groweth to that perfection in every member which Christ hath appointed The summe is They keepe not to Christ who is an all sufficient head by whose efficacy all that believe on Him being coupled to Him receive all grace needfull and take encrease growing up till they come to perfection with such a growth which God Himselfe causeth in them That wee have not many but one head Doct. not holding the head not Christ and Saint Peter the Scripture knoweth but one head neither was any of His Apostles a head of the Churches for all had alike and the chiefe authority Now if any were a head above others He must have the chiefe alone no other having it with Him thus the Pastor that succeeded Peter at Rome should have beene head over Saint Iohn the Evangelist who lived long after Peter But we neede no better argument then this in the Text. If CHRIST be one head and it is monstrous for a body to have two then the Church hath no other But CHRIST is the head and for one body to have two is monstrous therefore the Church hath no other then Christ The Papists say that a ministeriall and secondary head may be with a principall and it is not monstrous As there may bee a Viceroy under a King yea they say it maketh with the union of the Church to have a visible head and doth no more derogate from Christs glory in being our head then when men are called lights GODS Apostles foundations from Christ who is called the light GOD the foundation the Apostle of our profession For answer First this distinction of a secondary ministeriall head it is contradictory for it is such an essentiall property of a head to be principall and have rule that what is not thus is not a head 2 Who ever heard of any secondary head in a naturall body without deformity now it is a naturall body with which CHRIST doth compare Himselfe in this respect 3 That which is a ministeriall head must doe the worke of a head but that none can doe The worke is double internall or externall influence regiment or direction Of the first it is granted for the other of regiment the Scripture denyeth it to any but CHRIST the Prince of Pastors leaving to all other a power ministeriall onely to serve the Churches as superior unto them Againe the truth is no direction which is dependent is the direction of a head as the hand leading and drawing up the foote directeth it but is not a head to it because the direction of the hand commeth from the principality of the head reported unto it As for those instances First a Viceroy is in a body politique but CHRIST in calling Himselfe a head of his body doth draw the comparison from a body Naturall Againe the proportion is not kept for to have a Viceroy under a King in some Province is one thing but to have a head under a head is another For a head is to the body as a King to the kingdome Now to have another King in a kingdome under the Chiefe is a thing unheard of The union of the Church the Scripture teacheth to depend on CHRIST and His spirit not on a visible head Yea the Grecians continew to this day their rent from the Church and all for the pride of this head Men have many names properly attributed to them and these above repeated but improperly but the names of head and husband the Scripture and all sound antiquity appropriate unto Christ Kings may suffer men to be called Noble Wise Rich but to be called Kings within His Kingdome is not permitted for there is nothing more derogatory from the glory of his Crowne so here c. Let us then cleave to this head CHRIST IESUS Vse and renounce such most lewd usurpation as is detected in the Pope Woe to that body which hath a third thing thrust in betwixt the head and it so that they meete not to close each to the other So it is with the Papists for betwixt Christ and them the Pope hath thrust in so that their immediate conjunction with Christ is hindered and his beneficiall influence intercepted Oh how absurd is it that any but Christ should bee thought head of the Church It is as if the King should put his Queene under the power of a Subject or a mans wife should be made an underling to a servant which never was the Apostles themselves though in their message from Christ they might command the Church in His Name yet in regard of their persons they were under the Churches as a servant who
mouth and looke as demurely as a grave matrone with a face more sober than many an honester woman So falshood and vice will put on an appearance as if they were true and vertuous yea will seeme more true than truth it selfe take this example of Iewish rites was it not to have examined it by flesh and bloud more likely that they should stand still in force than be abrogated seeing God Himselfe had given them Moses the Man of GOD delivered them seeing God did so miraculously testifie to them by His answering by Vrim and Thummim seeing all ages had observed them So to carnall reason doth it not seeme more probable that to honour with sumptuous and stately Temples more glorious than Kings have in that kinde to beautifie the worship of God with pompous solemnities as all is in the Church of Rome is more pleasing to Nature than to performe all in naked simplicity without any thing to the eye glorious For even as men give poyson in wine that it drunke downe in such liquor may kill more forcibly So the Divell doth in shewes of vertue and probabilities of truth conveigh his errours that they may be taken more easily and affect us more deepely To admonish us that we be wary that no false vizards beguile us Vse wee would be loath to take a counterfeit peece of money for that which is right Let us be wise here and not judge after the eye and externall appearance all is not gold that glisters yea we must the rather arme our selves against this because we live in the last dayes wherein the outward figure and show of godlinesse is in many the power in few In will worship Observe hence Doctr. That will worship hath a plausible shew of wisdome In civill things to be able when a thing is begun to adde to it and perfect it more and more argueth a wise man So here in the matter of GOD to take up these Iewish solemnities which may further adorne and set it forth as glorious to the eye seemeth an invention of great understanding Thus the Pharisies washed pots hands would pray at corners of streets c. and who were thought wise learned holy in comparison of them But this seemeth so only for it is the hightest folly what greater folly than to charge GOD with folly But he will presume to adde to His ordinances doth say that God was not wise enough to frame the thing so perfectly as at the first it might and by his fact speaketh as much as if hee were able to mend GOD's institutions So though it seeme devotion yet it is nothing but toying superstition to put upon GOD worship he requireth not GOD infinite in wisdome is able to prescribe all things which are pleasing to Him and Hee loveth obedience better than sacrifice that whosoever goeth before Him doing things commanded that so hee may please Him doth hereby most heavily provoke Him Thus the Pharisies washing hands with a religious reference In vaine saith CHRIST you worship mee who hath required these things at your hands He that stayed the Arke ready to fall being a person not of that Tribe which was by God's institution to serve in such things how did God's anger breake out against him the bare and empty shew of wisedome and devotion are shrewd bates to beguile In humility of minde Obs Doct. That lowlinesse of minde argueth wisdome It is thus gathered these by a counterfeit humility made a shew of wisdome now the shadow of it could not make a shew of wisdome if the substance of it were not a token of wisdome yea wisdome it selfe This property Saint Iames ascribes to wisdome it hath lowlinesse accompanying her inseparably shee is gentle easie to be entreated For the wiser every man is the more he knoweth his wants and miseries which begetteth a lowly minde and when we will set a phraze on Pride wee say there goeth a proud foole noting thus much that Pride is a certaine proofe of folly by law of contraries then this is proved which we gather The Vse of it is to confute such as doe thinke it folly and basenesse of mind not to put themselves forth Vse and crow downe others As it must make us the more to love submission seeing seducers themselves are glad to counterfeit it that they may be reputed wise 2 Marke hence Doct. What is a thing false teachers will make a shew of even humility This is the sheeps fell in which they have wrapped themselves to the end they might seeme to the sheepe more lovely and so make them a prey more securely thus the Pharisies did in shew give such honour to their fore-fathers as if they had beene made of submission such praying fasting c. when they cared not for GOD's Commandements when they despised poore humble ones in comparison of themselves Thus the Papists charge us with Pride as if wee contemned Antiquity themselves professing I know not what dependencie upon their Consent as Arrius Eunomius and Dioscorus did before them Ego dogma ab electis secundum fidem Sanctis rectigradis Dei discipulis accepi Ego saith Eunomius non multorum incertas opiniones sed sanctorum in omnibus doctrinam tueor Ego Dioscorus habeo testimonia sanctorum Patrum Athanasii Gregorii Cyrilli in mult is locis The Pope he pretended himselfe Servus servorum But as Aven lib. 7. Serâ—us servorum est dominus dominorum So what is more humble to shew than a Monk and a Frier the embleme of holinesse to see to in their habit manner of life but they are sinkes of spirituall pride for they thinke none holy to them thinke they merit heaven it selfe by their fond hypocrisie To teach us that we doe not let our selves be ensnared with the hypocriticall shew of this vertue Vse Looke at the end they have in these things See if their course otherwise agree with the lowlinesse they pretend trie it well before you trust it And in not sparing the body Obs 1. That he saith there is a shew of wisdome in this Doct. That to keepe the body in subjection is a thing which argueth wisdome This counterfeit mortification of theirs could not make shew of wisdome if it were not a wise part to doe it in truth which indeed it is To escape the flattering of some enticing concubine or wife so as not to be much swayed with it is great wisdome So the body which is since sinne rather a concubine than a wife not to listen to it but keepe it downe is a point of great understanding this was heavenly wisedome in Saint Paul that he did make his body a servant and did buffet it downe to keep it in subjection Not to be overcome of foolish pity but to chasten a childe and keepe him under argueth a wise man how much more not to dote in love of our owne flesh but to use it with wholesome severity Which may confute such Epicures as doe even count it wisdome