Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 1 · Verse 26
VERSE 26. Even the myſtery which hath been hidde from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifeſt in His Saints.
THis Word of God, that is the Goſpell, he commendeth by the quality of it, calling it a Myſtery, as he doth alſo, Rom. 16.25. Epheſ. 3.9. which is a word borrowed from the ſuperſtition of the heathen, ſpecially the Aegyptians, whoſe religion was called a myſtery and a ſecret, becauſe their religion was kept hidden from the people and was knowne only to themſelves, being expreſſed by pictures of birds and beaſts, ſo as the people might not underſtand it: wherein the Papiſts agree well with them, who would not have the people acquainted with their religion, but to depend upon their Teachers. Obſerve hence,Obſ. The Goſpell is a myſtery that cannot bee attained to by any wit or learning of man. All the Philoſophers and wiſeſt men, of profoundeſt learning, were never able to diſcover theſe myſteries of the Goſpell: they are ſuch ſecrets as could never enter into the heart of any man to conceive.1 Tim. 3.16. Great is the myſtery of godlineſſe, God manifeſted in the fleſh: To know the Fatherly nature, good will and mercy of God in CHRIST, to know the eternall purpoſe and counſell of God to ſave us and bring us to glory, (us I ſay) that are by nature ſinners, rebels to His Majeſty, for us to be reconciled to God; here was a myſtery to the world beyond all apprehenſion of men and Angels; that Chriſt ſhould be borne of a Virgin, that the eternall Sonne of God, the Lord of life ſhould ſuffer death, and be raiſed up againe by His own infinite power, that we ſhould be juſtified by the righteouſneſſe of another, that theſe bodies after a diſſolution to duſt, ſhould be raiſed up in their numericall parts and live againe with God in glory &c. Well may we underſtand theſe glorious and tranſcendent myſteries, but we cannot poſſibly comprehend nor conceive them; but cry out, ô the depth of the wiſedome of God, &c.
Now the Goſpell may be called a myſtery in three regards.
1 Abſolutely, becauſe it is a thing of it ſelfe within the will of God, which no creature by it ſelfe is able to know: if a thing within my mind be ſuch that no creature can know it, further then I make it knowne; none knoweth the things in man, but the ſpirit of men: how great a deepe and ſecret is that which is within God Himſelfe? Thus it ceaſed to be a Myſtery, when GOD did firſt reveile it.
2 But yet a Myſtery ſtill, in regard of the ſpare revelation and ſmall number of thoſe to whom it is made manifeſt. For a thing is not onelyonly hid while I keepe it in my ſelfe; but while I ſhew it only to ſome few perſons more neere me, it is a ſecret matter ſtill. If the King acquaint ſome two or three of his moſt neere favorites with a ſecret, it remayneth hidde ſtill, and a ſecret in compariſon of things commonly knowne. Thus was the Goſpell a myſtery when it was made knowne to the people of the Iewes onelyonly; but continued no longer a myſtery in this ſenſe, when now it was notoriouſly publiſhed to all nations.
3 The Goſpell is ſtill a myſtery when it is now divulged, in regard of thoſe whoſe eyes are not opened to ſee it, and their eares boared to attend to it; as newes ſo common every where, that they are no newes, are ſtill ſecret to ſuch, who being deafe, have never heard of them: thus it is at this day a hidden riddle to many, Chriſtians by outward profeſſion.
No mervaile then to ſee ſo many men, Vſe 1 yea ſo many wiſe and learned men ignorant and erring concerning the Doctrine of the Goſpell; it is not every mans caſe to underſtand a myſtery, untill the ſpirit of the Lord come: there is a vayle over our eyes that we cannot poſſibly diſcerne the wiſedome of God: Saint Paul was quicke ſighted, no Cyclop, that held the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, but in all the learning of the Phariſees very exact; yet he could not diſcerne theſe matters till the Lord pulled downe the ſcales from his eyes, and ſhined to his heart with a glorious light from heaven.
We ſee what we muſt impute our not profitting unto; Vſe 2 even this, that we have not gotten the eye-bright of the Spirit wherewith our eyes ſhould be cleered: we doe many, like the Woman, who going to bed ſeeing, and in the night taken blind, waking in the morning, complained of the Curtaines: So we not diſcerning of our ſpirituall blindneſſe, we complaine of the Curtaine, ſtrange manner of teaching, obſcure ſpeaking, perplexed ſentences, I know not what in the Teacher, when in truth the fault is neerer home; we are too much in our owne light, not knowing our ſelves: for the points of the Goſpell are not darke in themſelves, but that they light into the hands of ſuch darke expoſitors as we are, in whom is nothing but darkeneſſe; ſo that we had neede to pray with David;
Lord open mine eyes, Pſal. 119.that I may ſee the wonders of thy Law.
We ſee what great cauſe we have to mervaile at the goodneſſe of God towards us, who hath vouchſafed to reveile this bleſſed myſtery unto us.
Of this myſtery, hee ſaith, that it was hidden from eternity and from all ages. Obſerv.Obſerve: The myſtery of the Goſpell was hid from all ages before Chriſt. Rom. 16.25. and Epheſ. 3.9. Touching the Gentiles,Rom. 16.25. it is cleare that this myſtery of the Goſpell was hidden altogether from them; and concerning the Iewes, although they had the Promiſes; yet both had them obſcurely ſhadowed in types and figures, and they ſaw not the performance of them untill Chriſt His time: therefore it was, that at firſt they made ſuch oppoſition to the Goſpell; and when they began to ſubmit themſelves to it, and embrace it, yet they could not for a good ſpace conceive how it could be that the Gentiles ſhould be partakers of eternall life with them.
Secondly, That it was now made knowne, not to all but to the Gentiles, that is, to thoſe who being juſtified by faith in CHRIST, give themſelves to the ſtudy and practice of ſanctification. Where appeareth, how greatly we are bound to Almighty GOD, who hath vouchſafed, Obſ.not to equall us alone with the Iewes, His ancient choſen people: VsUs, I ſay, who were prophane and uncircumciſed Gentiles, without CHRIST, aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, ſtrangers Epheſ. 2.11, 12.from the Covenants of promiſe, without hope, without GOD in the world, but even to preferre us before them, giving us to ſee and heare thoſe things, which many Kings and Prophets among them deſired to heare and ſee, but had it not granted to them. O LORD, who were we, or our fathers fathers houſes, or what were their or our deſerts towards Thee, that Thou ſhould'ſt be pleaſed thus to deale with us, and thus highly to exalt us? And ſhall we turne backe againe to the wayes of our former blindneſſe? GOD forbid; yea, rather how ought we in knowledge, faith and holineſſe, to exceed thoſe before whom our gracious GOD hath ſo farre preferred us? Here note the great priviledge of the Saints to whom GOD is pleaſed to reveale this myſtery, paſſing by all other men, of what degree or dignitie ſoever. Pſal. 25.14. The ſecret of the Lord is revealed to them that feare Him. The Sunne ſhineth and the raine falleth upon other men; but His myſteries He openeth not, but to thoſe that love Him, being before beloved of Him.
But we ſee many wretched men underſtand the myſtery of the Goſpell, Object. can diſpute of it, defend it.
Their knowledge is no knowledge, Anſw. becauſe practice is not joyned with it. 2. Even they alſo are by profeſſion Saints.
To ſtirre up to thankfulneſſe and all holy endevour to walke worthy of it: Vſe this we ſhall the rather be induced to, if we conſider the cauſe, moving GOD thus to deale with us; not our wits, or wils, or worthineſſe, or any thing elſe in us, or in any other creature, but even his own good pleaſure. As Epheſ. 1.9. Having made knowne to us the myſtery of His will, according to His good pleaſure, which He purpoſed in Himſelfe.