Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 1 · Verse 10
VERSE 10. That ye might walke worthy of the Lord, and pleaſe Him in all things, being fruitfull in all good workes, and increaſing in the knowledge of GOD.
NOw followeth the obedience it ſelfe, ſet out by the practice of it that he prayeth for. 1. In generall. 2. More particular. In generall, it is to walke worthy of the Lord; what this is may be underſtood by comparing it with like places. Epheſ. 4.1. Worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called. Phil. 1.27. As it becommeth the Goſpell. 1 Theſ. 2.12. Worthy of God, who hath called you to His Kingdome and glory. To walke worthy of the Lord then, is to live and behave our ſelves as becommeth thoſe to whom God hath vouchſafed ſo great mercy, that paſſing by thouſands and ten thouſands, for deſerts all as good, and in outward reſpects many of them better than they, Hee hath of His meere grace and free love in CHRIST, choſen and called them out of the World, to be partakers of Eternall life and glory with Him; and for this cauſe hath cauſed His Goſpell to be preached unto them, and by His ſpirit hath made it effectuall in them: we muſt therefore ſeriouſly conſider (1) the dignity of our calling, (2) the excellency of the Goſpell whereby we are called, (3) the kingdome of Glory whereto wee are called (4) and our moſt Holy and glorious Lord God, by whom we are called, and accordingly with due regard of all theſe things, carry our ſelves in this preſent world: let others then live as they liſt, walke in ſinne, and wallow in filthineſſe, ſuch a courſe may ſort with their condition; but for us, we are by the grace of God of another dignity, of an higher and more holy calling, and ſuch as waite for a Kingdome prepared for us, even an Eternall Kingdome in the heavens: This walking worthy of the Lord, he expreſſeth by the end that it reſpecteth and aimeth at, namely a pleaſing of Him in all things, or a full and entire pleaſing of Him. If then we will walke worthy of the Lord, we muſt ſtudy to pleaſe Him, and to give Him contentment in all things, not accounting of pleaſing any man, yea or al men, with diſpleaſing him. 1 Cor. 4.3. And good cauſe, for life and death depend on Him, He hath power to ſave and deſtroy; yea He hath done ſuch great things for our ſoules already, and aſſured us of ſo great glory hereafter, that we are the moſt unthankefull and impious Creatures that ever breathed (our ſelves being judges) if wee ſtudy not to pleaſe Him in all things. Wherefore let others addict and give themſelves over, dedicate devote and conſecrate themſelves to ſerve and pleaſe, to bow and becke, to kneele and crowch, and in all points to obſerve this or that great man on whom they depend, by whom they live, from whom they expect their advancement and riſing in the world; let us ſtudy and ſtrive how we may pleaſe the Lord our GOD. He is to us in ſtead of all, yea all inall.
Here Obſerve, That this pleaſing of GOD muſt bee in all things, Obſ.or it must bee whole and univerſall, for hee that ſeeketh not to pleaſe Him in all things, ſeeketh not to pleaſe Him in any thing; and hee that laboureth not to give Him an univerſall contentment, laboureth not to give Him any at all, according to that of Saint Iames, Sam. 2.10.Whoſoever ſhall Keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all; for the ſame God hath commanded all; as well that Hee leaveth undone, as that Hee doeth; and therefore if out of conſcience toward God, hee hath care of doing any, he would have conſcience of doing all.
Which ſerveth notably to convince thoſe who reforming and conforming themſelves to the will of God, as they would have it thought in many things, Vſe yet retaine ſome ſpeciall beloved ſinnes, whereby they plainely ſhew that their reformation in other things is but counterfeit, as being for ſome by-reſpects of their profit or eſtimation, or ſuch like.
Having thus ſet forth this pleaſing of God in generall, he expreſſeth it after in two particulars.
Bringing forth fruite,
Increaſing in the knowledge of God.
For the bringing forth of fruite, being an expreſſing of our duty to pleaſe God, ſpecially in an outward manner before God and Men, may bee called not unfitly one particular of pleaſing God. Obſerve Hence,Obſ. We muſt be fruitfull in good workes, as Trees and plants are fruitfull in their kindes (for from thence is this ſpeech taken) for being planted by Gods owne hand, in His own Orchard or Garden, yea in His owne houſe,Pſa 92.14 being alſo kept and dreſſed by Him, as our Huſbandman, Ioh. 15.3. Eſa. 27.3. Ioh. 15.3.being watched over night and day, and watered every moment; finally being branches of CHRIST the true vine, from whom by the vertue of His ſpirit, we receive ſappe and juice, good reaſon wee ſhould be fruitfull; and if not, we ſhall bee ſurely cut downe and cast into the fire. Mat. 3.10. Ioh. 15.6. Luk. 13.7.For who among us would endure an unfruitfull Tree in his Garden? who would not ſay with indignation, Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground? If that were rooted up, I might have another planted in the place of it, that might bring me forth good fruite. When the wicked ſee us grow liveleſſe, powerleſſe, ſappleſſe, they ſay, what matter is in them and in their profeſſion? It is a ſhame, that they ſhould ſay, I had rather live with any, deale with any, have a promiſe from any than from a Profeſſor.
Their condition is incurable: Reaſon. when the Carpenter hath cut and hewen, and ſees it will not fit his turne, ther's no remedy but it muſt be caſt into the fire. My ſpirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with man. Gen. 6.3.Eſay 5. GOD calls a counſell; What ſhall I doe with my Vinyard? A hedge Lord will do it good; ſend them proſperity and ſecurity, that they have had; A winepreſſe Lord will doe them good, that they have had; afflictions will not worke upon them. When no plaiſter will cure the Legge, it muſt bee cut off; when the Goſpell will doe thee no good, nothing can do thee good.
See the ground and cauſe of all our evils; Vſe wee impute them to the malice, power or improvidence of men; No, no, thy barren heart is the cauſe of all. 1 Cor. 11. For this cauſe many are weake, and many ſicke and many ſleepe; as if hee ſhould ſay, you blame the ayre, you ſay ſuch a diſtemper was the cauſe: no, no, it was your unprofitable comming to the Sacrament, that hath brought this plague upon you. Our unprofitableneſſe is the cauſe why the Lord is ſtill hacking at the Tree of England. How many great Families are periſhed, and yet by no ill husbandry or great improvidence; no, no, they were too good to favour the Goſpell, to pray in their Families. The cauſe of our ruine is not three yeares, but ſixtie yeares unfruitfulneſſe: nay is it not better to bee any thing, than fruitfull? doe not many beginne to ſay, what neede ſo much fruite? I wonder how you can beare with ſuch a fellow? how can you ſtand to his bent? preach and pray, repeate in Families, conferre and meditate, &c. What adoe is here? what, ſo much fruite will breake the boughes. Alas, is this to anſwer the coſt that God hath beſtowed on us? The better the Land is compaſſed, the more tedious; yea the more odious it is to the Husband-man, if it anſwer not his expectation with a fruitfull encreaſe. Oh my brethren, lay this neere to your hearts; would you bee content to part with the Goſpell, with your Lands, with your Children? If you would not, then bring forth the fruites of the Goſpell. Your grounds cry out unto you, maſter be fruitfull, or wee ſhall be laid deſolate; your Wives and Children cry, be fruitfull, or we ſhall periſh.
Conſider the unnaturalnes of this ſin; muſt none kil your Children but your ſelves? none give your wives to bee raviſhed but your ſelves? but Lord pardon us then you wil cry; no, go to your lazy proud hearts for comfort; you have deſpiſed the bowels of Chriſt, and are you not juſtly left to men that have no bowels? But is there no hope? reade Pſal. 81, 13, 14, 16. The Lords compaſſions have rolled within him many a time, and he cryes, how ſhall I give thee up, Oh England, as the Palatinate, how ſhall I make thee as Bohemia? as God did be ſpeake Ephraim, Hoſ. 11. v. 8.
But how ſhall we doe to become fruitfull? Que.
Keep thy ſoule abiding in CHRIST. Anſ. 1 A Tree out of the earth growes not, a painted Tree never growes: give the Lord Ieſus earth enough in thy heart.
Keep the little ſuccours about the Tree freſh, Anſ. 2 keep love, joy, and hope alive; there is about every ſeede a skinne, if that be off, it dyes, that ſuckes moiſter from the earth, which is the cauſe of growth.
Keepe cloſe to the rivers of water: Anſ. 3 reading are waters, hearing and praying are waters, the ſpirit is waters, holy conference is waters.
Take heede of wilde beaſts, and cold Northerne blaſts: the commiſſion of ſinnes will bee as the letting in of wilde beaſts into the Vinyard; theſe blaſts are cold company,Act. 2.40 ſave your ſelves from this untoward generation; the Apoſtle ſpeakes to them as to men a drawing, to whom a rope is caſt. The Gardiner deſires to plant the Apricocke tree againſt the backe of a Chimney, where the heate of the Sunne may come moſt directly on it, and where (beſides the benefit of reflexion) it may have warmth from the Chimnie.
The other particular is,Obſ. that We must increaſe in the knowledge of GOD. Of that which the Scriptures teach concerning the eſſence, property, workes and Ordinances of God: this is alſo commanded 2 Pet. 1.5. Ioyne moreover to your faith vertue, and to your vertue knowledge: faith and vertue could not bee without knowledge. It is cleare then that hee meaneth an increaſe of knowledge: So 2 Pet. 3.18. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. This is very worthy to bee noted here, that having prayed before, that they might bee filled with the knowledge of His will; he now addeth increaſing in the knowledge of God, and addeth it as a practice of former knowledge. We ſhould never ceaſe to grow in knowledge, the rather becauſe when wee know all we can attaine, we know but in part. 1 Cor. 13. And our knowledge is but like the knowledge of Children in compariſon of the perfect knowledge wee ſhall have in the world to come.
This checketh all that are negligent herein, Vſe eſpecially ſuch as make an oppoſition betwixt knowledge and practice, we have knowledge enough (ſay they) let us labour to practice that wee know, whereas it is evident here, that increaſing in the knowledge of God, is a part of practice: Such alſo are here to bee rebuked, whoſe office being to plant and increaſe knowledge in others, doe either neglect increaſing in knowledge themſelves, or which is much worſe, diſcourage the people from ſo doing; perſwading that they ſhould content themſelves with the knowledge of the principles, and for other things, depend on them that have the guiding and leading of them: verily this bewrayeth they meane not well, that they are loath to have the people have too much knowledge, they ſinne againſt this Doctrine.