Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 6
THE SIXT LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 1. verſ. 18, 19.
18 And he is the head of the bodie, that is, of the Church: he is the beginning and firſt begotten of the dead, that in all things he might hauehave the preheminence.
19 For it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulnes dwell.
YOu hauehave heard (welbeloued in Ieſus Chriſt) the Apoſtle when hee had ſpoken of the benefit of our redemption and remiſsion of our ſinnes in the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, he falles out into a faire and glorious deſcription of him, and all to this end, to let vsus ſee the pretiouſnes of that bloud, wherewith we are redeemed: that thereby conſequently, wee might ſee the ſurenes of our redemption by that bloud. It being of ſuch value, of neceſſitie wee muſt be redeemed by that bloud, and our redemption muſt ſtand faſt and ſtable for euer. You heard in the deſcription of Chriſt, firſt he called him the image, the eſſentiall image of the inuiſible God: then he ſtiles him the firſt borne of all creatures: then he cals him ſuch a one, by whom all things were created: next, the end for whom, and for whoſe honour all things were created that are created: and laſtly, he cals him the preſeruer, vpholder, and keeper of all things created. So, will you compare him with that inuiſible God? he is equall in glorie with him, the image of the inuiſible God, equall with God whom he repreſents. Will you compare him with the creature? there is no compariſon; for hee is the Creator of all creatures in heauen and in earth; and he infinitly paſſeth in glorie all the creatures both viſible and inuiſible. Now when hee hath ſet him out in theſe points of glorie and maieſtie, hee ſtaies not here: for as yet he hath not told all of him, and he hath not ſet out all his glorie: but in this text he goes forward, and ſetteth him out further in more points of his glorie. This is the difference betwixt the points counted alreadie, and the points of his glorie that follow in the text. Before he hath deſcribed him as he is God, the ſonne of God from all eternitie; for as hee is God properly, he is the image of the inuiſible God, whom he repreſents as the liuely character of his perſon: ſo that the points Heb. 1. 2.paſſed, are the points of his glorie, as hee is God. The points which follow, are of his glorie, not onelyonly as he is God, but as he is man alſo clad with our fleſh and nature.
There hauehave paſt alreadie fiue points of his glorie, as he is the ſonne of God; there follow other fiue points of his glorie, as Fiue points of glorie of Chriſt manifeſted in the fleſh.he is God and man in that perſonall vnion. Theſe are they briefly: He is the head of the bodie of the Church: there is one. Secondly, he is the beginning and the firſt borne of the dead. Thirdly, he hath preheminence among all creatures that euer were, or ſhall be in the world. Fourthly, he is a man full of God. Fiftly, in office he is the Mediatour, the midman betwixt God and man, by whoſe bloud the reconciliation of man is made with God his father.
To goe forward in that order, as they are here ſet downe, firſt he is the head of the bodie of his Church: theſe are the words. Brethren, eueryevery word would furniſh great matter of ſpeaking; but I am not minded to digreſſe into a common place. OnelyOnly I purpoſe to ſpeake ſo much for the preſent, as the words will furniſh. He is called the head. The word head that is giuen to him imports ſundrie things in him: firſt it imports that Ieſus Chriſt is the Lord, and the ſuperiour ouer the bodie, which is the Church; and that worthily, becauſe he is full of grace and excellencie, and in him is all matter of Lordſhip and dominion. Of what reckoning is a Lord, if there bee no matter of Lordſhip in him? Of what value is an head, if there bee not Ieſus Chriſt head of his Church.greater graces in it then in the bodie? ſo the word imports a ſuperioritie full of grace and honour. Euen as you ſee the head of a man, becauſe of the excellencie of it, it is a Lord and a ſuperiour, and a commaunder to the bodie. Then againe the word that this Lord Ieſus the head of the bodie, he is not like the common ſort of Lords and rulers: but a Lord and a ſuperiour, who is moſt ſtreightly conioyned with his ſubiects the bodie his Church. Euen as you ſee the head moſt ſtreightly ioyned with the bodie of a man; euen ſo the Lord Ieſus is moſt ſtreightly ioyned with the bodie his Church: yea he is more ſtrickly ioyned with his Church, then the head of a man is with the bodie; for the head of a man may be ſoone ſeuered frō the bodie of a man; but if Chriſt thy head be ioyned with thee, all the powers in heauen and earth ſhall neuer ſeuer thee from thy head Ieſus Chriſt. Thou ſhalt neuer be ſeparated from him, as Paul to the Romanes ſaith: Who ſhall ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God in Ieſus Chriſt? As though he would ſay, not any thing. Nay, if Ieſus Chriſt become once thy head, be aſſured he will neuer part with thee. Yet more, the word imports, that as he is moſt ſtrictly conioyned with his Church and eueryevery member of the ſame, as the head of a man with his bodie; ſo he is moſt louing and tender affected towards it. Will not the head of a man louelove the bodie well, will it not tender it moſt deerely and intirely, will it not miniſter all graces it hath to the bodie, giuegive life and mouing to the bodie? otherwiſe it were no head to the bodie. Euen ſo the Lord Ieſus, he loues his bodie the Church better, then any head can doe the naturall bodie: and in louelove miniſters a life to his bodie, better then the life of this naturall bodie. He miniſters to his Church a ſpirituall life; he miniſters a mouing, a doing, and a growing: and in theſe reſpects he is called the head of the Church. Now when he hath called him the head of the bodie, he turnes to the bodie, and hee defines this bodie to be the Church. Then there muſt be a great likenes betwixt the Church of Chriſt The Church.and the bodie of man: otherwiſe it cannot be called a bodie. The bodie of man is ſubiect to the head: euen ſo the Church of Ieſus Chriſt is ſubiect to her Lord, Eph. 5. 23. She is his ſubiect, and he is her Lord. The bodie is ſtreightly ioyned with the head; the Church is more ſtreightly ioyned with Chriſt. The head giues life to the bodie; euen ſo the Church of Chriſt is dead without the head the Lord Ieſus. Laſtly, ye ſee the bodie accompliſheth the perſon of a man; the head will not make a man, but the bodie ioyned with the head makes vp a man: euen ſo the Church fils vp the whole man Chriſt, made of the head the Lord Ieſus himſelfe, and of the bodie. This for the words.
If this point of the glorie of Chriſt be weighed, that he is the head of the Church, it is a high point of glorie. The Lord hath greater glorie by this that hee is the head of the Church of the godly and holy ones men and Angels, then by that, that he is the Dominator ouer all creatures, ouer the diuell and all the multitude of reprobates. And as it is high, ſo it is in communicable, no not the Angels gets this honour to be called the head of the Church. Let be ſtinking fleſh, wilt thou ſet vp a Pope, and call him the head of the Church? A plaine derogation of Chriſts honour. Thou wilt come out with a miniſteriall head in the Church: Away with thee and thy miniſteriall head both: there is no ſuch thing. Looke the whole Scripture No miniſterial head in Scripture.through, thou ſhalt reade of a Miniſter in the Church: but thou ſhalt neuer reade a word of a miniſteriall head or Vicar of Chriſt. But would you know how he comes to this glorie? Yea to ſpeake it ſo, before hee came to this glorie, there was much adoe and great ſtirre and buſines in heauen and earth, and a great hardnes. The Pope he will ſtart vp to it at the firſt daſh: before Chriſt came to this glorie, heauen and earth was moued with a wonderfull motion: before hee was exalted to it, he was wonderfully humbled. If you will make a compariſon, it was an eaſie thing to be the image of the inuiſible God, to hauehave created all things, and to preſerue them, all was eaſie: but when he comes to this, there muſt be a great change, this ſonne of God is humbled, and his glorie is wonderfully obſcured. Reade Philip. 2. 6. 7. and there you ſhall ſee the whole manner of it: Ieſus (ſaith he) was in the forme of God, and hee thought it no robberie: to be equall with God: yet hee is not the head of the Church; what doth he then. The Apoſtle ſaith, he emptieth himſelfe of his owne glorie, he makes himſelfe of no reputation. How doth hee that? In taking on him the ſhape of a ſeruant. What an humbling is this, to clothe himſelfe with the forme of an abiect ſeruant? Thou thinkeſt it nothing, but ſurelie it a wonderful matter, if ye conſider it rightly: ſo then there is a wide ſtep, a ſtrange ſtep, that he ſteppeth downe from his glorie, wherein hee ſtood equall with the Father. Yet he goes another ſtep downward, being found in the habite of a man: he to whom all other creatures giues obedience, of his owne will becomes obedient to his father. Wherein ſtands this obedience? not in doing only, but in dying. What death? The death of the Croſſe, an execrable death: the bittereſt death that euer was: nay, neuer man died ſo bitter a death as Chriſt died. All the death of men and Angels is not comparable to that death of Ieſus Chriſt, that he died for the redemption of ſinfull man: There is his humiliation.
Looke now to his exaltation; Therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) the father raiſed him vp to a wonderfull highnes, and gaue him a name aboue all names, that at his name all knees ſhould bow. In the Epiſtle to the Epheſians 1. 20. 21. the degrees of his glorie are ſet downe: firſt, he raiſed him from death: ſecondly, he hath ſet him at the right hand of his father: that is, he hath giuen him all power of heauen and earth: and he declares this power. Then he turnes to the Church in particular, and calles him head of the Church: for he could not hauehave been the head, except hee had had fleſh and bloud. Troweſt thou that thou canſt come to that honour to bee a member of his bodie, before thou bee humbled firſt? No, no, thou muſt anſwere in proportion to him, in his humilitie; otherwiſe thou ſhalt neuer bee partaker of his glorie. This for the ſixt part of the deſcription of the Lord Ieſus: in the which marke this, as before wee heard many grounds of redemption made by his bloud: ſo in this point of the glorie of Chriſt, there is another ground of our redemption. As thy Redeemer is the image of God, the creator of all things, and ſo foorth, as you heard him defined before: ſo thy Redeemer he is the glorious head of the Church; yea he is thy owne head, and thou art a member of him; ſo thou ſeeſt not onelyonly a glorious Redeemer, but a ſib, a kinſman redeemer. Therefore precious muſt that bloud be, and of neceſſitie if thou beleeue in this bloud thou muſt be redeemed.
To goe forward. Here followes the ſeuenth part of his deſcription, and the ſeuenth point of his glorie. The beginning and the firſt begotten of the dead. Yee heard he was called the firſt borne of all creatures, becauſe he was before them all; and not for that onelyonly was he called ſo, but becauſe he gaue the being to all creatures. All creatures were created by vertue of him, and by participation of that being that is in him; for the firſt borne in the families of old, communicated the ſpeciall bleſſings to their brethren: euen ſo Chriſt becauſe he communicates to the reſt of his creatures ſuch ſpeciall bleſsings, as pleaſeth beſt his wiſedome, he is called the firſt borne of many brethren. Now he is called the firſt borne of the dead, becauſe he was the firſt that roſe from the dead, for there was neuer man that died that roſe before the Lord Ieſus. 1. Cor. 15. 20. He is called the firſt fruits of them that ſleepe, becauſe that al yt ſhall riſe, they ſhall riſe by vertue of his reſurrection. Then what will you hauehave? He was the beginning of the creation: now he is the beginning of the reſurrection of the dead. Then all merciemercy and glorie muſt come out of him. No creation without him, no reſurrection without him. If you will conſider this, it is a great matter: when he had created man, man by his fall loſt the creation: nay, by thy fall in Adam thou haſt loſt thy creation, and as thou waſt made of nothing; ſo by this fall of Adam thou turneſt to nothing (and well were that man that is out of Chriſt if he were turned into nothing.) No, no; he ſhall not be turned to nothing, but he ſhall be turned to worſe then nothing. So man by his fall loſt his creation, and death ſeaſed vponupon him, and leaues him not till he turnes him into duſt and powder. And if Ieſus comes not in, now after that man hath loſt his creation, he would neuer be a creature againe. Therefore the ſecond benefit, which is greater then the firſt, is; that my bodie ſhall riſe againe: ſo in comes Ieſus Chriſt, and that creature that was brought to nothing, he creates him anew againe, and raiſeth him vp more glorious then euer he was before. And if thou be in Chriſt, thou ſhalt be made more glorious then euer Adam was in the firſt creation. Then, would you hauehave another ground of your redemption? Would you now hauehave the preciouſnes of it? Thy Redeemer is the firſt borne amongſt the dead. All dead bodies ſhall riſe by vertue of him, and ſo that bloud is precious; and if thou beleeue in that bloud, of neceſſitie thou muſt be ſaued. Yet he leaues not of (for who can ſpeake enough of the glory of Chriſt Ieſus?) He ſubioynes: That in all things he ſhould hauehave the preheminence: Euen as he is man, he goes before al the Angels of heauen, and they are ſubiects to him. This is one dominion and lordſhip he hath. You heard before that hee is the Lord of his Church, but in theſe words is vnderſtood a more vniuerſall dominion, reaching euen to all creatures that euer were created: that among all he ſhould be the firſt, and hauehave the preheminence. This is that vniuerſall dominion that hee takes to himſelfe: There is giuen to me (ſaith he) all power, Matth. 28. 18. And Roman. 4. 9. He died and roſe againe, to the end that he ſhould be Lord ouer both the dead and the quicke. Such like to the Epheſians 1. 2. He was placed farre aboue all empire and dominion. And in the Epiſtle to the Philippians 2. 9. Hee was raiſed vntounto a wonderfull height. So this is a generall Lordſhip, and it is not onelyonly as he is God, but as he is man. This is a great glorie to a man, to be ſet aboue al the creatures, and to rule them with a fleſhy hand. The Lord Ieſus Chriſt he rules all creatures, euen with a fleſhy hand now glorified. Whereof comes this dominion ſo large? of his reſurrection. He roſe to be Lord: nay, be thou ſure if Reſurrection.thou riſeſt from the dead, thou ſhalt riſe to be a Lord. For the end of thy riſing from the dead, is to be a Lord: a King greater then Caeſar. But Ieſus Chriſt, he roſe not onelyonly to be Lord, but to be the Lord of lords, becauſe he roſe firſt from the dead. Who euer roſe or ſhall riſe, they riſe by vertue of him, and his reſurrection; and it muſt follow therefore by good conſequence, that he by whoſe vertue we riſe, muſt be Lord of lords: he muſt be the firſt and formoſt in the ranke. The Lord Ieſus, he goes before all creatures that euer were created. So, wouldeſt thou hauehave another ground of thy redemption? Thy Redeemer is not only the head of the Church, and Lord of it; but he is Lord ouer all creatures: yea euen ouer the diuell thy very enemie. The very hand of the Lord Ieſus hales him hither and thither, as it were in a rope: he carries him, he puls him, he drawes him here and there, as he pleaſeth where he will. Muſt not that bloud be precious, muſt not thy redemption be ſure? OnelyOnly beleeue in that bloud, and thou ſhalt be ſaued. Rom. 3. verſ. 25. God hath ſet foorth Chriſt to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud. Away with merits paltrie; fie on thee and thy merits both. Thou thinkeſt thou canſt not be ſaued but by thy merits, as though the bloud of Chriſt were not able to redeeme thee without thy merits: away with ſuch vanitie. The bloud of Chriſt is ſufficient to redeeme ten thouſand worlds; yea ten thouſand millions of worlds.
To come to the end. In the verſe that followes, the Apoſtle inſiſts vponupon this dominion vniuerſall of Chriſt, and lets thee ſee by two arguments, that the Lord Ieſus muſt be firſt of all creatures, & hauehave the preheminence ouer al. The firſt argumēt is taken from that faire and glorious perſonage. The ſecond argument is taken frō that excellent office that he beares. Neuer creature bare ſuch an office, to be the Mediatour and reconciler of God and man. In this doing hee meetes with that that might be obiected. Is he not a man? what office hath he aboue other men? and what a large dominion is this? He anſweres, indeede he is a man; but a man full of God: and as for his office, he is the great Mediatour, ſuch an office as neuer Angell bare, and therefore he is the Lord of Lords. Then the firſt argument prouing the dominion vniuerſall, is in theſe words: For (ſaith he) it hath pleaſed the father that in him ſhould allfulnes dwell: there is the words. The ground both of the excellencie of the perſonage, and alſo of his office is this: It hath pleaſed God the father. If you will aske how is it, that he is ſo excellent a perſonage? He anſwers, it is of the good pleaſure of God. It is a pleaſure, and a good pleaſure, that bleſſed will, that decree, that hath paſſed from all eternitie before all time. It pleaſed the father, that Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be ſuch a worthie perſonage, and a Mediatour: ſo the perſon of Chriſt and his office hath a farre fetch, and it comes of a decree as old as God himſelfe, euen from the eternall good will and pleaſure of God, from his eternall decree. So then, wee learne it comes not by chance, that Ieſus was made ſuch a perſonage, as men think, of things in the world; but it was ordained from all eternitie. Then againe, it comes not by chaunce that Chriſt ſhould be a Mediatour: but there is a decree paſt on it. In a word, neuer thing fell to him, but by a counſaile and plat from all eternitie. The crucifying of him paſt by a decree. There was neuer a naile ſtroken into his hands or feete, but all was done by a decree. Then not to bee curious, to aske why was it that Chriſt ſhould be filled with God? the Apoſtle will hauehave thee to leaue thy curioſitie, and he anſwers thee, that it was the pleaſure of the father: ſo this one word cuts away theſe thorny queſtions concerning the myſteries of Ieſus Chriſt. For there is a thouſand things in him, that ſhould not be inquired of. And it were almes to ding thy teeth in thy throte, that curiouſly wilt goe Curioſitie in vaine questions.and ſearch out the reaſons of all things in Chriſt, and why he did this and that, and ſuffered this or that. Maiſt thou not vaine bodie be content with this anſwere, It hath pleaſed the father ſo? It hath pleaſed him, that the fulnes of the Godhead ſhould bide ſtill in Ieſus Chriſt for euer: for it is ſaid, that the fulnes of God dwels in him. And ye know that hee that dwels, bides ſtill. Now what a fulnes this is, you ſhall heare hereafter. In him (ſaith he chap. 2. 3. of this ſame Epiſtle) is all treaſure of wiſedome and knowledge. And againe verſ. 9. In him is the whole fulnes of the Godhead bodily dwelling. Then the fulnes that is in Chriſt, it ſtands not onelyonly in theſe graces, with the which the man Ieſus Chriſt is indued aboue his fellowes (neuer man gat or will get ſuch graces, as the man the Lord Ieſus hath gotten: neuer a one hath gotten ſuch wiſedome, ſuch knowledge, and ſuch holines: nay, all the Angels hauehave not gotten ſuch graces as he hath.) But it is not onelyonly theſe graces, wherein this fulnes ſtands, but he is filled with the fountaine of all grace. The fulnes of the Godhead it ſelfe is in him; that is his fulnes; ſuch as neuer creature got, or ſhall get in heauen or earth. It is a vanitie to ſpeake of the graces of Angels; in compariſon of him, all the graces of men or Angels, they are as it were but riuers and ſtreames that flow from that glorious head, that is full of God. So there is no compariſon of his fulnes. Wee hauehave receiued (ſaith Ioh. 1. 6.) all of his fulnes. So all our fulnes ſtands in his fulnes, that is deriued into vsus. As this is the reaſon prouing his dominion; ſo it is a part of his glorie. Looke to the glorie of that perſonage thy Redeemer, he is not only a man, but a man full of God; and ſo muſt not this bloud yt comes from him be precious? Therefore it is called the blood of God, Acts 20. 28. Yet only beleeue, and I aſſure thee in his name of thy redemption, if thy ſinnes were neuer ſo great. Faſten thy heart once on him, and thou ſhalt finde merciemercy. Take his bloud in thy hand, and ſprinkle thy heart with it, and thou ſhalt finde grace Heb. 9. 14and merciemercy to flow to thee through the ſame, otherwiſe it had bin better for thee, that this bloud had neuer been ſhed. As for the reſt I leaue it till the next day: concerning the Mediatour onelyonly thus farre.
As the glorie of the image of the inuiſible God, and the reſt ye hauehave heard me ſpeake of, is infinitly excellent: ſo this, that he is a man full of God, this is the glorious perſonage of thy Redeemer. It tels thee, that that bloud that came out of that bodie, was more precious then al the things in the world. That bloud yt was powred out of his foot, out of his hand and ſide, al tels thee that it is excellently precious, and beſide that, of great neceſſitie. And further, it tels thee, that ſinne againſt God is great, and greater then thou canſt conſider. Fie on thee vile creature; if thou wiſt what it were to ſinne againſt God, thou wouldeſt ſhake and tremble: nay neuer a ioynt of thee would bide faſt, for feare of that fierce wrath to come on thee. And againe, if thou knew the vertue of this bloud that takes away thy ſinne, thou wouldeſt cleaue faſt to it, and make much of it; but thou conſidereſt not this; and therefore thou knoweſt not the preciouſnes of this bloud: for if thou knoweſt not thy ſinne, thou ſhalt not know the preciouſnes of that bloud of Chriſt that takes away ſinne. And againe, it tels vsus of that paſſing iuſtice, and of that infinitnes of the wrath of God (O that infinitnes of the wrath of God!) O wretch, thou wotteſt not The wrath of God for ſinne.what it is: but if it lighted on thee, it would ruſh thee to hell. So the precious bloud that was ſhed for ſinne; without the effuſion of the which thou couldeſt not be redeemed: It tels thee, I ſay, that the wrath of God for ſinne is infinite, and if it were but an euill thought. It ſtrikes vpward, and ſtrikes the Lord in the noſe, and kindles his wrath againſt thee: therfore feare and ſtudie to mortification. And more I tell thee, that notwithſtanding thou art once redeemed, and by this bloud of Chriſt freed from ſinne and death, by ſuch a ranſome; yet if thou take delight in ſinne, the murtherer in his murther, the oppreſſor in his oppreſsion, being once redeemed, thy ſinne if it were but an euill thought, it is a thouſand times the greater by reaſon of thy redemption. For why? it brings with it the contempt of the bloud of Chriſt. And thou ſinner, who takes pleaſure in weltring in the foule puddle of ſinne, what doeſt thou? thou goeſt on with thy foote, and treads the pretious bloud of the Lord Ieſus vnderunder thy foule feete. And therefore thou ſhalt be chalenged in that day, not onelyonly becauſe thou waſt a murtherer, an oppreſſor, and a harlot; no, no, there ſhal be thy chalenge, villaine thou treadeſt vnderunder thy foote the bloud of the couenant, the precious bloud of thy Sauiour, that ſhould hauehave redeemed thee from thy murther and ſinne: and therefore wel were it for thee, if thou hadſt been a Gentile that neuer had heard of this couenant; and therefore if thou mindeſt not to leaue off thy ſinne, in paine of thy life, thou come not to heare a word of Chriſt. For why? the more thou heareſt, the greater ſhall be thy damnation. And there is not one word ſpoken this day, but if it be not effectuall to chaunge thy euill life, ſo that thou begin to leaue off thy ſinne, but it ſhall increaſe thy damnation in that day. Therefore take my counſell, either amend your liues; or els come not to heare one word of this Goſpell. For this word, as the Apoſtle ſaith, ſhall be either a ſauour of life vntounto life, or els a ſauour of death vntounto death, and it ſhall ſlay thee with a greater dead ſtroke, then if a thouſand rapiers were thruſt through thee. I beſeech the Lord Ieſus to touch thee with his word, that it may be effectuall in the hearts of the hearers; ſo that they may amend their liues to their owne weale, and his glorie. To whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be praiſe.
Amen.