Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Title page – To the reader
A Commentarie VPONUPON THE FIRST AND SECOND CHAPTERS OF SAINT PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS.
WHEREIN, THE TEXT IS CLEERELY opened, Obſervations thence perſpicuouſly deducted, Vſes and Applications ſuccinctly and briefely inferred; ſundry holy and ſpirituall Meditations out of his more ample Diſcourſe extracted.
TOGETHER WITH DIVERS PLACES of Scripture briefely explained.
By Mr. PAUL BAYNE. B. D.
LONDON, Printed by Richard Badger, for NICHOLAS BOURNE, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Royall Exchange. 1634.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, RELIGIOVS AND VERTVOVS LADY, THE LADY MARY, Counteſſe Dowager of Westmorland.
HONOURED MADAM:
SAint PAUL'S glory and exceeding great cauſe of rejoycing, was this; that as a wiſe Master-builder hee had laid the foundation, whereupon the whole building of Chriſtianity is eſtabliſhed. Though not to lay the ground-work or Principles of Religion, yet to be fellow-workers with GOD and His holy Apostles, is now the glory and rejoycing of the Ministers of the Word in theſe latertimes. Amongst the reſt a ſincere, faithfull, and judicious Divine in theſe Workes of his never yet before extant, is preſented to your Honours view and approbation. His abilities were ſuch as became a Succeſſour of a worthy and religious Predeceſſour, in his miniſteriall function in the Vniverſitie of Cambridge, by him performed, unto GOD's glory, the good of others, and his owne comfort. The firſt he unfainedly deſired and propounded as the utmoſt ſcope of all his endeavors, that GOD might be glorified by him both in life and death: the ſecond as ſubordinate to the other, hee procured, not ayming at his owne advantage ſo much as their ſalvation that heard him, not ſeeking theirs, but them. The last was an effect of the two first, this muſt needs be a conſequent where the others are precedent: for, GOD forgets not our labour of love, to Himſelfe, or others. Senſible experience hereof had this holy man, who found much comfort by his Miniſtry in himſelfe, and by the fruits of it in others. There be many that ſpend much time in ſtudying, are never weary in wel-doing, are inſtant in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon; but with how ſmall ſucceſſe! for it is in vaine to riſe early, and ſit up late, except GOD give a bleſsing: Paul planteth, and Apollos watereth, but GOD giveth the encreaſe: if GOD put not His hand to the worke, there will be but a Babel of confuſion: He knew it very well, who prayed continually for the divine aſsistance to make his ministeriall worke effectuall. Hee prayed, and his prayer was heard: hee wrestled with GOD (as Iacob did) and overcame Him. Hee fulfilled his deſires and granted his requeſts, and made him a ſpirituall Father of many children by him begotten unto GOD. Should I ſay more? I will adde this only: what in him was praiſe-worthy, let it be applauded; what was in him for Inſtruction and a godly life, let us imitate: Let us learne of a dead man to live. Dead doe I call him? Though the body die by reaſon of ſinne, yet the ſpirit liveth unto GOD, through IESUS CHRIST our LORD. Let us therefore learne of him to live ſpiritually, that with him we may live eternally. I have ſhewed in ſome ſort what hee was, and what it concerneth us to be. And this the rather, preſuming of your Honours favourable acceptance, not ſo much of him that Dedicates theſe following Expoſitions, as of him by whoſe incitement hee was encouraged thereto, his worthy friend, Your Ladyſhips humble ſervant; that for his ſake, and the Authors, You would vouchſafe to cast over this Booke the wing of Your protection. This is his deſire, who ſhall ever remaine
Devoted to your Honour in all humilitie, IUSTINIAN STUBBS.
TO THE READER.
THE Mother of Nazianzene (as himſelfe relates it) was ſo beneficiall to the poor, that a ſea of wealth was not ſufficient for her. What was her induſtrious diligence in relieving of outward neceſsities, was this religious Paſtors in ſupplying the wants of ſuch as are ſpiritually poore, thinking no time to be well imployed, which was not a teſtimoniall of his pious life, in word, in converſation, 1 Tim. 4, 13.in charitie, in ſpirit, in faith, in purity: or of his wholeſome doctrine, in reproving, correcting, 2 Tim. 3.16.inſtructing in righteouſneſſe. Thus thundring in doctrine, and lightening in converſation, hee left no ſtone unmoved that might further the building of the new Ieruſalem. For living in theſe laſt dayes, the very dregs of time, when iniquitie aboundeth, and GOD is provoked every day, ſo that fin cannot be more ſinful, nor wickedneſſe more wicked; by his*Praecep a ducunt, exempla trahunt. Sen. exemplary deportment he faſtned the naile, which was driven by judicious Inſtruction; in Precept and Practiſe A MAN OF GOD, a Beacon on an hill, a burning and a ſhining Lampe. His method and matter were plaine and perſpicuous; yet ſo as (if occaſion ſerved) hee had meate for ſtrong men, as well as milke for babes: he became all unto all, to gaine ſome. Bleſſed Saint!—quae ſparſa per omnes, In te multa fluunt:— what couldſt thou more have done, than in leaving nothing undone, to receive at thy Maſters hands, an Euge bone ſerve, Well done good and faithfull ſervant! His well-doing and well-being is an invitation unto us to doe, and to be the like: which whoſoever deſires, let him ſeriouſly ſurvey theſe enſuing Expoſitions of Scripture, compoſed with Laconicall brevity, yet including in them the immenſe treaſures of divine Speculation. I ſuppoſe there is none will maligne them that underſtand them. If there be any others; as it was once ſaid unto Philip King of Macedon, paſsing unjuſt ſentence, betweene ſleeping and waking; I appeale, ô King, from thy ſelfe to thy ſelfe: So let them reade with judgement and deliberation; and then whatſoever fault was imputed to the Author, will become their owne. In a word, whoſoever thou art that carpeſt at theſe following Treatiſes, whatſoever in them thou deemeſt either frivolous or ſuperfluous,—emendes illa, vel ede tua.
I. S.