Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 2 · Verse 7
VERSE 7. Rooted and built up in Him, and ſtabliſhed in the faith, as yee have beene taught, abounding therein with thankſgiving.
NOw followeth the manner of their walking on in IESUS CHRIST, which is deſcribed from the augmentation of their Faith, and their thankfulneſſe for CHRIST, and the doctrine which brought the knowledge of Him unto them: The growth of Faith is deſcribed: 1. From the effects. 2. From the quantity. The effects of a proceeding faith, and obedient courſe of life led in Chriſt, are two: 1. A more firme union with Chriſt; this is ſet downe by a double compariſon: the one taken from trees faſtening their roots lower and lower: The other from buildings, wherein matter is ſurely laid upon the foundation. The 2. Effect is the more full perſwaſion of the doctrine of CHRIST and grace of God brought them in the ſame, which is ſet downe by the manner how it was to be held of them, firmely, even ſo as they had beene taught by Epaphras. The Quantity followeth, abounding in your confirmed perſwaſion above named.
The ſecond thing followeth, which is alſo a fruit of encreaſing faith, even thankfulneſſe for CHRIST and His benefits beſtowed on us, and now more certainely perceived by us. So that this verſe may be thus conceived: It deſcribeth our couſtant walking in CHRIST, and our Faith in Him, by theſe particulars.
1 A more neere Vnion with CHRIST; we fixing the roots of our affiance more deepely in Him: and like as it is in buildings; So wee being living ſtones which more and more ſettle, as it were, by conſtant walking in CHRIST, on Him our Foundation.
2 Our conſtant courſe bringeth us hitherto, that whereas we were wavering, touching the points of doctrine and God's grace, as they were taught us; we (I ſay) conſtant by walking in Chriſt, come to be ſtrongly perſwaded in all the matter of faith, as we firſt learned it from faithfull teachers.
3. This ſhall accompany your proceeding in Chriſt; that we ſhall abound in our perſwaſion of doctrine, and GOD's grace toward us.
4. That better knowing the things beſtowed on us, and eaſed of our doubting, which unbeliefe excited, wee grow to unfained thankfulneſſe for CHRIST and His benefits.
The ſumme therefore is now eaſily ſet downe:
Continue in the faith you have begunne in, and live according to His will, and through His ſtrength on whom you have beleeved, growing by this conſtant perſevering to be more neerely knit to Him, rooted and builded; more fully perſwaded of the doctrine, as it hath been taught you, for meaſure more abundant both in knowledge and confidence; finally, heartily thankfull for ſo great things given you of GOD.
Obſerve firſt, Doct. out of the coherence; What fruit we get by conſtant going on in CHRIST; we come to have more firme conjunction with Him. When a young plant is newly ſet, the roots are of ſmall depth in the earth, one may well pull them up with an hand, but as the tree ſhooteth up in ſight, and bearing fruit, ſo it ſtriketh the roots deeper and deeper downward; yea, both together, though it be not perceived: So that no force can move it: So in a building ſtones new laid while the morter is yet greene, may be pecked out; but when the cement is dried, and they are ſunke downe, and throughly ſettled upon the foundation, they are more cloſely joyned to it, then they cannot be eaſily moved: So it is in us; wee have not for degree ſo firme and neere conjunction with Chriſt, but the more we live in Him, like good trees ſpreading in the ſight of all men, and bringing forth the fruit of righteouſneſſe, the more we come to take root downward by a more firme confidence, which doth bring us to have a firmer conjunction, and more neere union with Him. Our Vnion is anſwerable unto that which uniteth us. As the cauſe is in degree greater or leſſer, the effect is anſwerable: Now at the firſt faith is weake, like a bruiſed reed and ſmoaking weeke; but while Faith holding Chriſt, doth draw the Spirit from Him, which maketh it fruitful in good works; the more it exerciſeth, the more it is ſtrengthned: even as in babes, their powers every way at firſt are feeble; but the more they feed and exerciſe, the more they waſte the redundant moiſture, which before enfeebled their faculties, and put forth ſtrength in all their operations. Saint Peter, when faith was weake in him, at the voice of a Damoſell was ſhaken: by walking in Chriſt awhile, he was ſo rooted, that threatnings, whippings, impriſonments, conventings before great power, martyrdome, nothing could ſhake him.
Wherefore, let us walke on without fainting, Vſe 1 hold on in Chriſt: this will bring us further and further into Chriſt. What if thou ſtandeſt not ſo firme? what if little winds ſeeme to ſhake thee? goe on, thou ſhalt grow rooted in him thou knoweſt not how; yea, while thou doeſt thus (though thou ſhakeſt) thy root doth ſtrike lower and lower into Chriſt. Many are moved to think how weakly they are faſtened, how ſlenderly they are rooted in Him, but to be rooted is not every beleevers ſtate, I mean thus deepely rooted: this is the condition which they attaine who have long walked in Chriſt.
But what then if Chriſtians be not at firſt rooted? Object. a weake faith may be quite overthrowne.
True, Anſw. if they be not rooted in any manner; but this they are from their firſt ſetting into CHRIST by faith; yea, ſo rooted that they ſhall never fall altogether: but this is an higher degree of rooting, which doth not only ſhut forth falling, which the other doth alſo, but even that ſhaking, and more grievous tottering for the moſt part, which trees may have, and ſtand nevertheleſſe, to which the former degree is ſubject on feeling every wind; I ſay for the moſt part, for ſuch may be temptation, and deſertion meeting, that rooted David may ſhrewdly totter.
Hence may be ſhewed men why they are ſo weakely grounded in Chriſt; Vſe 2 becauſe they walke ſo looſely and remiſſely, ſo abound with greene luſts, which craze their faith rather, than confirme it.
2 Marke when he ſaith; Walke on in Chriſt, confirmed in faith, growing to be ſetled in …ull perſwaſion of the doctrine and grace brought unto you.
Obſerve hence; Doctr. That reſolved perſwaſion in the doctrine we profeſſe, and grace wee beleeve, groweth out of a conſtant courſe in faith and obedience. To be fully perſwaded, is not attained the firſt day; Lord I beleeve, helpe my unbeleefe: Faith is mixed with doubting at the firſt; but in progreſſe of time we come to out-grace this wavering, of which all beleeving hearts complaine at times juſtly: This was Abrahams prerogative, he was fully perſwaded of that GOD had promiſed him, without once making queſtion of it. There is no man learneth any Art, who at firſt can ſee how every thing is true, which others skilfull therein tell him; but oportet diſcentem credere; beleeving that which his maſter ſaith, and going on with it, he commeth in the end moſt fully to diſcerne, and be perſwaded of all things: So it is in this Art of arts, and ſo much the more, by how much it is the more divine, and ſurpaſſing all naturall capacity than others. When a man recovereth ſome long ſickneſſe, and beginneth to walke; he walketh with great feebleneſſe and faintneſſe: but going on in exerciſe and diet, nature overcomming the remainders of ſicke matter which were left, he goeth ſtrongly, and feeleth not his former imbecillity. So when God healeth an unbeleeving heart, there are at firſt ſuch reliques of unbeleefe as make him full of doubting; but going on in CHRIST, the Author and Finiſher of his faith, GOD doth ſo aſſiſt his faith, that it ſubdueth this contrary forme; ſo that the man walketh confirmed in thoſe things which he beleeved ſometime very waveringly.
The uſe of this is, Vſe firſt to encourage thoſe weake ones which are at a ſtand, know not what to think of any thing almoſt, yet mourne under this as a burthen, and hold their LORD CHRIST: be not diſmayed, goe on, thy judgement ſhall be ſtrengthened; yea, while thou walkeſt thus, thou art in growing to it, though thou canſt not diſcerne it. Who that ſaw a linke beaten againſt a wall, would not thinke it would be put out? yea, this tendeth to make it burne more clearely: So thy faith thus knocked with theſe doubtings, ſhall when it getteth up, be ſo much more confident.
Here we are given to underſtand, Vſe 2 whence it is that men are neither fleſh nor fiſh; prophanely, not mourningly will ſay, in faith he were a wiſe man that knew what hee might beleeve, they know not for their parts: one ſaith one thing, another the contrary. What is the cauſe of this? O thou haſt not yet walked obediently after the rule of CHRIST; therefore GOD giveth thee up to darkneſſe.
As yee have beene taught] viz. As you have beene taught by Epaphras: Note hence, a point of wiſdome in Saint Paul, and mutuall honour, confirming and countenancing Epaphras a faithfull labourer. Which is our Patterne for imitation: the honour we owe our brethren requireth it: the love we beare the truth, doth require wee teſtifie for it; yea, the care of others ſalvation doth move us every way, to make God's wholeſome truth gratefull to them. For men of note having heard ſome of leſſe reputation preaching after them; it is not amiſſe to have recourſe to their matter and ſayings, and mention them with honour.
Againe, it ſeemeth inſinuated hence, that the Divell did a little move them to unbeleefe, even from this circumſtance, though they doubted not of the Goſpell; yet whether, as he taught it, or no, it was true that might be queſtioned: which if it be; wee may ſee that continuing in faith and obedience, will make us out-grow ſuch carnall exceptions, at which ſometimes we ſtumbled. If the Divell cannot bring us to ſay, the meat is naught, yet he will make us to thinke it is not aright handled, the Cooke is not as he ſhould: Thus many thinke, though they cannot gain-ſay the matter, why the man is no great ſchollar, no Doctor in ſchooles, he preacheth plainly, not a teſtimony of Fathers, nor ſentence of any Author. Well, if thou haſt an honeſt heart, goe on in CHRIST, and theſe things ſhall vaniſh. This by the way.
3 Marke he ſaith; abounding in it] whence we learne, What conſtant walking in CHRIST will bring us to, Doct. and what we muſt endevour to, not only to be well confirmed, but to abound in perſwaſion. Let every man abound in this ſenſe. If we doe any thing of things indifferent, or beleeve any thing, it is good to abound in the perſwaſion of it. A man cannot truſt God too much; a man cannot goe too farre in this which doth glorifie God, and put to His ſeale that He is true, and good in all He ſpeaketh to us. We muſt therefore endeavour it. Beſide, as waters a while dammed downe that they could not have courſe, when once they breake thorow, they over-flow all farre and wide: even ſo doth Faith borne downe a while with doubting, ſo much the more abundantly breake out, and drowne all ſcruples in us: Or as fire long ſmoothered and ſmoaking, at length breaketh out with flames that touch the skie, and like another Sunne enlighten the ayre; So doth true faith, when it ſwimmeth from under theſe waves of doubting, which ſometime over-whelme it.
The ſame uſes which before, may ſerve for this point.
Eſpecially this confuteth Papiſts: Oh, ſay they, Vſe take heed of too much confidence, leſt you preſume; but God ſpeaketh of true faith, as if this were the onelyonly meaſure to keepe no meaſure. Indeed carnall preſumptions, as faith on our owne worthineſſe, workes, &c. wee cannot too much abandon, but beleefe grounded on God's truth is not this; while they hang it upon the Churches yea and nay. But Saint Paul ſpeaketh of the Goſpell, and this faith he calleth for, which did root them in Chriſt.
But who can be ſure of repentance and faith? Object. many have beene deceived, judging wrong.
He that hath them may know them, Anſw. and ſhall in time when infancie is over, and temptation doth not intoxicate. For thoſe that have bin deceived, though one in a dreame thinketh he eateth, and doth not, this hindereth not but a waking man who truely eateth, may know the ſame infallibly.
Laſtly, marke; What walking in CHRIST hath at length going with it, hearty thankſgiving; while we know not through weakneſſe, the things beſtowed, there is little thankfulneſſe that can come from us; but as we grow up to ſee what is given us, thankfulneſſe getteth up alſo. You ſee in babes, though their parents doe hang never ſuch rich jewels and bracelets upon them, alas they cannot thanke them, for they know not how they are adorned; but let them come to ſome knowledge, and give them a thing, then they will a little thanke you; but let them grow to ripeneſſe of underſtanding, and give them ſome great pretious things, they will be much affected. Two things breed thankfulneſſe; the one knowing that the benefit is of worth: The ſecond, that this thing ſo knowne, muſt be given and received. Now knowledge and aſſurance that all the benefits of CHRIST are made ours, theſe are faith; and as they doe grow from one degree to another, ſo thankfulneſſe followeth, even as the ſhadow the body, anſwering proportionably.
This thus opened, Vſe firſt letteth us ſee the Popiſh Church hath no true thankfulneſſe; for what man can be thankfull for a thing which he doth not know what it is? Now ſo it is, that they ſay, no man can know love, repentance, pardon of ſin, whether hee hath them in truth, or whether thoſe he have be counterfeits. Say one ſhould give mee a Diamond, but yet could not know poſſibly whether it were a Cheſter-ſtone, not worth twelve pence could I be thankfull? Nay we muſt know for what firſt by their leave. Againe, ſay one ſhewed me a thouſand pound, but would not let me know he would give it me, only leave it upon a peradventure; could a man be thankfull for this? Nay, we would ſay, I will thank you when I have it. If we have it not in poſſeſſion or certaine hope, it is as nothing to us.
We muſt be ſtirred up to encreaſe our thankfulneſſe to GOD for theſe mercies: we are thankfull in other matters which are nothing, compared with theſe. If wee be not come to this, we make no progreſſe in faith, nor walk not in Chriſt as we ſhould, we know not what is beſtowed on us.