Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 2 · Verse 5
VERSE 5. For though I bee abſent in the fleſh, yet am I with you in Spirit, rejoycing, and beholding your order, and your ſtedfaſt faith in Chriſt.
NOw hee commeth to prevent an objection: Why Saint Paul (might they ſay) you know not us how we are in beliefe; (it may be theſe Ceremony-maſters told them he was one that thought leaſt of them) to which S. Paul anſwers, though I have not beene with you in body, yet you are in my heart; I, in my mind, by relation of others; know how it is with you, I am in mind with you rejoycing, and fixing mine eye on your order, and the ſolidity of your faith towards Chriſt.
Marke hence firſt: Doctr. There is a preſence whereby Saints are one with another, though never ſo farre disjoyned: Saint Paul abſent in body, with the Coloſsians preſent in ſpirit. We believe the communion of all Saints. Now were there no way for them by which they might bee each with other, how could they communicate together? but as we ſay, where the minde is, there is the man: Now the minde may be in heaven, in the utmoſt corner of the earth; whereſoever the thought and affection is, hither we are tranſported in ſpirit: thus Eliah ſaith to Iehu, was not my ſpirit with thee? becauſe God by viſion ſhowed him what his ſervant did. For looke as a man may be corporally preſent without his mind there: ſo he may be in mind here or there where his body commeth not. By the mind is to be underſtood the operation of the mind, namely, the thought and affections.
This therefore doth ſhew us an excellent priviledge of Gods people; Vſe 1 that after ſome ſort, as Chriſt is with us all to the end of the world, ſo we are with him, and one with another. For His bodily preſence is not with us, but the preſence of ſpirit and power never forſaketh us.
Yea this muſt teach us one to be in the thought of another, Vſe 2 not to ſuffer it to be out of ſight, and out of mind, as we ſpeake in the proverbe. It is to be bewailed that our hearts are no more with the Churches everywhere then they are. If wee could ſit ſtill in our Chayres, and goe hither and thither bodily, whither would we not goe?
Rejoycing and ſeeing] That is in ſpirit diſcerning as an abſent thing, but by the image of it made preſent to the mind; for this is the difference of the Greeke words foreign and foreign. and with joy ſeeing their order and faith.
Obſerve firſt: Doct. The nature of love, it rejoyceth (as Saint Paul ſpeaketh) in the truth, in the worke of grace where it is diſcerned: Iohn 3.4.thus Saint Iohn; what greater joy have I then that you walke in the truth? How glad are loving Nurſes and Parents of all comelineſſe and lovely qualities in their Children? Even ſo thoſe who have Gods Nurceries, and are Fathers in Him, they joy in nothing more then in the externall and internall graces of his children. On the contrary, how was Saint Paul grieved, when the Church of Corinth had ſuch a blemiſh as that inceſtuous one uncaſt forth.
Alas, we want ſpirituall love! Vſe let which end will goe forward, keepe from being whore or theefe, though there be no power of godlineſſe, no heavenly mindedneſſe, no openneſſe of heart, love appearing, we grieve not, though the ſoules of men lye in a dead ſwoone, for any vitall action of the life of God, our ſpirits moove not: if we perceive not forwardneſſe of grace, we like Ioſephs brethren envy it, rather then take comfort in it; cenſure it as pride, humor, ſingularity; nay Pulpits ſometimes ſpeake this engliſh.
Your order] Obſerve hence: Doct. That all things in the Primitive Churches were moſt orderly conſtituted and carryed. Looke at the government, at the adminiſtrations, at the converſations of Chriſtians, all you ſhall ſee were full of order. Firſt there was an order of government; for where there is no government, there is no order. If all were one member, there were no order in the body: there were ſome governing, ſome governed. Governours ſuch as laboured in word and Doctrine publiquely, and ordinarily, receiving calling thereto from Chriſt; by his Church: or elſe ſuch as attended the inſpection of manners, not dealing ordinarily with the Word and Sacraments, but as occaſion required, not by authority directly from Chriſt; but as delegates from the Paſtors. There were Deacons, miniſtring in carefull overſight of the poore. Finally, the aſſembly, which was governed by their leaders. For miniſtrations all were comely in their holy native ſimplicity which became; all ſeemely circumſtances of time, and place obſerved in them. As I have received of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ſo have I delivered unto you. 1 Cor. 11.23.Let all be done decently. For their converſation, they went out and in about their own buſineſſes; keeping their owne rankes: If one did walke inordinately but as an idle tattler, he was noted, and they ſevered from him. 2 Theſ. 3.11.They did goe by rule, as in an orderly march foreign Gal. 6.16. they did foreign. 1 Theſ. 4.12. walke honestly towards them that are without.
Hence we may learne to mourne at the diſorder every where, Vſe the pompous tyranny, the idle toyiſh ceremonies and fopperies in the Worſhip of GOD by Popiſh maſſe-Prieſts; the moſt wicked and yet uncenſured converſations which may be ſeene amongſt Chriſtians.
Laſtly, Doct. marke hence; What a joyfull ſight it is to ſee ſoules cleave to Chriſt, and hold by him. A true hearted ſubject cannot but joy to ſee the ſubject cleave faſt in all allegiance to his ſoveraigne Lord the King: So it feedeth the hearts of the true ſervants of Chriſt to ſee others ſtand faſt to Him. If you ſtand faſt, wee are alive. It is a pleaſant ſight to ſee a valiant man, being aſſaulted on every ſide, ſtand his ground and quit himſelfe bravely: But for a ſouldier of Chriſt by faith on Chriſt to ſubdue all hoſtility of Sathan, and not give backe a foote is much more goodly and glorious to behold. Thus Saint Paul, now he ſaw the Divell brave them with tearmes of learning, the depth of philoſophicall ſpeculation, and offering to make them aſhamed of the ſimplicity of their profeſſion, ſometime foyſting Iewiſh ceremonies of the Law, that ſo hee might adulterate the ſincerity of their profeſſion; ſometime by advancing the dignity of Angells, offering to withdraw them ſometime, from the meanenes of their Teacher, who was no Apoſtle nor pillar of account, labouring to beate off this hand of faith from holding the Lord Ieſus, yet by the ſtrength of Chriſt, they ſtanding againſt all.
But you will ſay, Object. you have ſaid hee inſinuates their wavering.
True; Anſw. their faith might bee ſolid and ſtand and yet bee ſhaken a little too. A houſe that ſtandeth and will ſtand firmly, ſhaketh when the winds blow about it: So faith is firme when true, and never ſhall faile, though it tremble when the guſts of temptation beate againſt it.
Beſides, this ſolidity doth rather note the ſoundneſſe as oppoſed to hypocriſie, then the undoubted perſwaſion of it.
Let us therefore bee glad that GOD hath kept this Church; that all the Popes malice, Vſe and the Ieſuites monſtrous attempts could never prevaile againſt it. So let us who have beene often by Sathan aſſailed, and yet ſtand by faith in that grace which Chriſt Ieſus hath brought us; yea when we ſee others whom the Divell doth many wayes annoy, ſtill keeping their innocency, let us (I ſay) joy in it, this is worthy our joy. On the contrary, how is the caſe of ſome to be bewayled who turne Catholiques daily, halting betwixt God and Baal? it is a heavy ſight; the Lord ſtay ſuch apoſtaſie, yea all revolting, which the world, that three headed monſter, cauſeth in many.