Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 1 · Verse 28
VERSE 28. Whom we preach, admoniſhing every man, and teaching every man in all wiſdome, that we may preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus.
HAving thus by occaſion of ſpeaking of his miniſtery (Verſe 25.) expreſſed the ſubject of it, namely the myſterie of the Goſpell, He returneth now to ſpeake of his miniſtery againe, and of his faithfulneſſe and diligence in the execution of it.
Firſt, that which was common to him with Timothy and other Apoſtles; (Verſe 28.) Then that which was proper to himſelfe (Verſe 29.) His faithfulneſſe and diligence appeares almoſt in every word of theſe two Verſes.
Where firſt obſerve generally; that theſe two things, Doctr. Faithfulneſſe and diligence, are required of every Miniſter in his place and calling; they are required of every man in his calling, but of a Miniſter in a ſpeciall and ſingular meaſure. For whether wee looke to the Lord that hath put him in truſt, or to the things committed to his truſt, not crownes nor kingdomes, but the ſoules of men; who ſhould be faithfull if not he, who diligent if not he? To whom or wherein will he be faithfull, that is not faithfull to God? and in theſe things to whom or wherein will he be diligent (for conſcience ſake) that is not diligent in ſerving the Lord in theſe things? And if he be curſed that doth the work of the Lord negligently, withholding his ſword from bloud; how much more is hee accurſed, that doth the worke of the Lord in ſaving mens ſoules, negligently? Which our SAVIOUR would have done with ſuch expedition, that He forbade His Diſciples, going about that buſineſſe, to ſalute any man by the way.
Particularly, their faithfulneſſe appeareth: both in the ſubject matter; and in the manner of preaching. For the matter, it muſt bee in generall with all the Word of God, concealing nothing that is convenient. Act. 20.20. I kept backe nothing that was profitable unto you, &c. I will give you Paſtors after mine owne heart, Ier. 3.15.and they ſhall feed you with wiſdome and underſtanding. But Principally they muſt inſtruct them in the doctrine of repentance and remiſſion of ſinnes in the Name of Chriſt.
Secondly, in the doctrine of Faith in Chriſt; for Hee is the Bread of life; Repentance is but the ſowre ſalled, it is the Lambe that makes the feaſt, 1 Cor. 2.3. I cared to know nothing amongst you, but Chriſt crucified.
Thirdly, with the doctrine of good works: 1 Tim. 15. Let them that have beleeved, have care to ſhew good workes; teach theſe things, they are good and profitable. This is for the matter.
The faithfulneſſe of a Miniſter is ſeene alſo in the manner; We have a rule, 2 Tim. 2.15. Studie to ſhew thy ſelfe a workman that needeth not to be aſhamed, dividing the Word of truth aright.
Now this ſtandeth in teaching the truth above-named, with reſpect of due circumſtance; conſidering what is fit for weake, what for ſtrong, for young, for old; therefore there muſt be a Word of wiſdome, as Well as of knowledge, 1 Cor. 12.8. Wiſdome which muſt enable a ſteward of God's Houſe, ſo to diſtribute food, that every one may have his due portion.foreign.
Thirdly for the Time; we muſt feed often, be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon: not onelyonly when all things are fit, but out wraſtling difficulties which would hinder; a Miniſter is bidden to continue in doctrine, and Saint Paul was night and day occupied in his dutie, Acts 20.
Now as a Miniſter muſt teach by word, ſo alſo by example; five times in the Epiſtles to Timothy and Titus there is charge given, That they ſhew themſelves preſidents of all vertue. For a ſheepe of all other is a plaine creature, they will follow one the other to die for it: So our ſheepe, they feed as much at the eye as at the eare; which made ſo many halt for company when Saint Peter halted, Galath. 1.
Now if Chriſt, who is the riches of that glorious myſterie, Vſe and the hope of glory, be the matter and ſubject of our miniſtery; with what diligence and faithfulneſſe, with what care and conſcience ought we to preach, and you to heare, of ſo excellent, ſo high and ſo holy a ſubject! Oh that this were conſidered of thoſe that prophane the Word, and make it ſerve their purpoſes many times againſt God and godlineſſe, and biting moſt the moſt godly and religious, and in the Pulpit maintaining bad perſons and cauſes: Or that the people would ſeriouſly conſider this, who either heare ſeldome or heare unreverently, or are not effectually moved with that they heare.
Their faithfulneſſe and diligence appeareth in the perſons to whom they preached, every man: that is, men of all Nations, Iewes and Gentiles of all ſorts, of all ages and ſexes.
Where note, The goodneſſe of God, Doct. who would have everie man taught, that hee might bee ſaved: who will have all men to be ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; 1 Tim. 2.4.and therefore offereth ſalvation to all men. Tit. 2.11.So that no man is exempted, no man excluded, but he that exempteth and excludeth himſelfe, and refuſeth the grace of God ſo freely offered, and intended to him.
Which is a ground of great comfort to poore ſinners of all ſorts; that no ſin, Vſe 1 nor no unworthineſſe in us doth exclude us from the free offer of grace and ſalvation by the Goſpell. God lookes for nothing, nor requires nothing at our hands, but only to be humbled, to repent and come in and receive a pardon.
It leaveth all impenitent and unbeleeving wretches, ſuch as refuſe and contemne the Goſpel, altogether without excuſe. What can they ſay for themſelves, why ſentence of condemnation ſhould not paſſe upon them? merciemercy hath beene proclaimed, grace offered; but they ſlighted the opportunity; and therefore juſtly condemned.
2 Hence obſerve: Doctr. That it is the duty of the Miniſter, not once to teach and admoniſh his whole flocke in groſſe and generall, but alſo every one in particular, as he may have any good opportunitie or occaſion offered. How farre are they from this, that doe it not ſo much as in generall? Or how can they performe this, that come at their flocks but now and then, and that to milke and fleece them principally? for though they feed them now and then when they come among them, it is evident wherefore they come, by the time when they come, viz. at ſhearing time, at Eaſter, and harveſt.
3 Their faithfulneſſe and diligence appeares in their manner and kinde of preaching, both teaching and admoniſhing; which is the duty of every Paſtor: for it is a ſmall thing to informe the underſtanding with doctrine, except alſo the heart be reformed by exhortation, whereof admonition is one kinde, and here put for all; and it goeth well with us when we can be reformed by both.
The manner alſo of performing theſe things, declareth their diligence and faithfulneſſe, namely [in all wiſdome] for as the Word of CHRIST ſhould dwell amongſt us richly in all wiſdome, Col. 3.16. So the Miniſter ſhould miniſter it in all wiſdome, wiſely conſidering each ones capacity, age, ſex, condition, applying the Word unto them accordingly: for to the Paſtor the Word of wiſdome is committed, 1 Cor. 12.8. The ſhepherd may not feed or drive the young lambes and the ſtrong ones of the flock, alike; neither may the Miniſter deale alike with the weak and ſtrong. Thoſe that have little knowledge, muſt be gently taught, babes muſt be fed with milke; thoſe that have knowledge, but want conſcience, muſt be ſharply rebuked, that they may be ſound in the faith; they that are caſt downe, muſt be ſupported and raiſed up, the bold and preſumptuous muſt be beaten downe; upon ſome we muſt have compaſſion, putting difference, others we muſt ſave with feare, plucking them out of the fire, Iude verſe 22. Publike ſinnes muſt be rebuked openly, that others may feare: Sinnes leſſe knowne, are to be cenſured more privately: An elder man or woman, is not to be rebuked, but exhorted as a father and mother; the younger men are to be dealt with more freely, but as brethren, 1 Tim. 5.1, 2. Publike perſons are to be ſo dealt with, that their authority be not brought into contempt: Private perſons may without hazard be more roundly dealt withall.
The want of this wiſdome in the Miniſter, oftentimes brings his miniſtery into contempt, and his perſon into hatred, danger, or both. Let every Miniſter therefore pray, and by all good meanes labour for this wiſedome.
Finally, the end which they propounded to themſelves in all their labours, proveth both their diligence and faithfulneſſe; for it was, That they might preſent every man perfect in CHRIST IESUS, that is, That they might be filled with knowledge, faith, and holineſſe; which the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 4.13. calleth a perfect man, and one that is come to a ripe age, and full growth and ſtature in CHRIST. This then ought to be the ſcope of every mans miniſtery, to beget men to CHRIST by the immortall ſeed of the Word; and to nouriſh and feed them more and more, till they come to a perfect growth: to initiate and to enter men into CHRIST, and by little and little to perfect them, that ſo they may preſent them perfect unto GOD, in CHRIST IESUS. Eſteeming that they have never done their duty, till they had preſented them perfect men in CHRIST.
Now how great labour and care, diligence, and aſſiduity is to be had to worke ſo great a worke? Doe they propound this ſcope unto themſelves that preach not? Secondly, That preach ſeldome? Thirdly, That preach careleſſely? Fourthly, That preach corruptly, vainely and ambitiouſly? But theſe men have their reward: they doe their owne worke, and they ſhall be paid their wages accordingly.