Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 9
THE NINTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 1. verſ. 23.
23 If ye continue grounded and ſtabliſhed in the faith, and be not moued away from the hope of the Goſpell, whereof ye hauehave heard, and which hath been preached to eueryevery creature, which is vnderunder heauen, whereof I Paul am a minister.
WE hauehave heard (brethren) from the beginning of this Epiſtle, firſt the ſalutation the Apoſtle vſeth to the Church of Coloſſe. Secondly, his preface before the doctrine. Thirdly, we came to the doctrine it ſelfe, wherein ye heard propounded briefly the benefit we hauehave in Ieſus Chriſt, our calling to this eſtate of grace, our redemption in the bloud of the ſonne of God. Then after to let vsus ſee the pretiouſnes of this bloud, and the neceſsitie of this redemption by this bloud, hee fell out into a faire and high deſcription of the ſonne of God, ſetting him out in many points of his glory, partly as hee is God, the ſonne of God onelyonly; partly as he is both God and man the Mediatour, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Of the which whole points of his glorie, we concluded the bloud of ſuch a glorious perſonage, muſt be exceeding precious; and ſo it behooued that this bloud ſhould ranſome vsus, and ranſome the world. Yea if we looke to the preciouſnes of it, it is not only ſufficient to ranſome a world; but to ranſome ten thouſand worlds.
Now (brethren) wee ended the doctrine the laſt day: it followes in this text, that we hauehave now read in your hearing, that Verſ. 23.wee ſpeake of the exhortation that the Apoſtle vſeth, and ſubioynes to the doctrine. The exhortation is in a word, Abide in the faith, perſeuere, ſtand, and keepe it faſt; for it is a precious thing. The firſt argument hee vſeth to perſwade them to this Perſeuerance in the faith and conſtancie in religion an infallible argument of our reconciliatiō with God.perſeuerance, & abiding in the faith, is from that benefit of reconciliation, wherof he ſpake before. And he reaſons after this manner: If you abide in ye faith, you are reconciled, you ſtand in amitie with God, you are friends to him, and he to you: and therefore if you count of ſuch a benefit, ſtand faſt in the faith.
Now to come to the faith, and to marke ſuch things as God will giuegive the grace, and time will ſuffer. If ſo be (ſaith he) you abide in the faith. As if hee would ſay: you are reconciled, and ſtand in friendſhip with God, vnderunder this condition and reſtriction; If you ſtand in the faith: if you ſtand in the faith, you ſhall perſeuere in the friendſhip with God. Then ye ſee, it is the perſeuering in the faith of the Mediatour, the ſticking faſt by the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who is the Mediatour of our reconciliation, that makes a man to ſtand in the reconciliation, and friendſhip with God. Sticke to him, by whoſe bloud thou art reconciled to God, and thou ſhalt ſtand faſt in that friendſhip with God: As by the contrary, ſo ſoone as a man lets the hold goe of the Mediatour, hee ſhall fall from the friendſhip of the father; and falling, his laſt eſtate is worſe then the firſt. If he were miſerable before the reconciliation, he becomes tenne times more miſerable then euer hee was. And it had been better for him, that he had neuer beleeued, nor bin reconciled to God; but as he was an enemie, ſo he had continued an enemy. So you ſee what it is to ſticke to Ieſus Chriſt by faith in him, vntounto the end.
Againe, he ſaith not, if you perſeuere in well-doing, in holines, 2 Perſeuerance in the faith. Sundrie kindes of perſeuerance.but in the faith. The perſeuerance he craues, is in the faith of Ieſus Chriſt. There be ſundrie ſorts of perſeuering: wee are ſaid to perſeuere in faith, in hope, in holines, in weldoing, in a godly life; and finally there is not a grace, but wee are ſaid to perſeuere in it, and exhorted to perſeuere in it. But the firſt ground of all perſeuerance is, In the faith of Ieſus Chriſt. Marke it well. And if this ground be laid downe, the abiding in Ieſus by a true faith, all the reſt followes willingly. Keepe me faith, and ſtand in faith, thou ſhalt keepe hope of neceſſitie: keepe Faith the eye and light of the ſoule.faith, that eye and light of thy ſoule; thou ſhalt keepe holines, thou ſhalt walke in the light, and bring out the works of light. On the contrary, let goe or forſake faith, thou ſhalt let goe hope of life; let Chriſt goe out of thy eye once, he ſhall go out of thy hand: and looke neuer to doe any good turne. A faithleſſe bodie cannot doe a good turne to pleaſure God: yea though it ſhould ſeeme the beſt thing in the world; yet wanting faith, all is but dung before God. So you ſee, what ſhould be the firſt thing we ſhould begin at: to wit, at a ſtanding and perſeuering in the faith of the Mediatour. Abide in this, and all ſhall follow of their owne will, holines, weldoing, and the reſt.
In the words following, he ſhewes vsus the way, how to perſeuere in faith; If ſo be that you abide in the faith, grounded, founded. The word is borrowed from building on a ground ſtone; How to perſeuere in faith.the ſecond word is, and eſtabliſhed, euen as you ſee a man ſet down in a chaire, reſting without mouing or wagging, ſitteth ſtill immoueable. If thou wilt abide in faith, thou muſt bee grounded and ſet downe, and muſt not goe wagging, fleeting and flowing, as you ſee ſome doe. Then what is this foundation whereupon thou muſt be grounded? It is euen this ſame faith: Thou muſt be grounded on it, or elſe thou ſhalt not abide in it; and if thou bee not built vponupon it as vponupon a building, thou ſhalt not abide in it. Faith then muſt bee the ground. It muſt not be built as it were vponupon thy heart; it is the falſeſt ground The heart muſt be built and reſt on faith.that euer was; but thy heart muſt be built on faith. For faith in Ieſus is a faſt and establiſhed ground. Now what is the ſeate? euen this ſame faith. Faith muſt not ſit vponupon thy heart, which is but a ioggling ſeate, a looſe ſeate; but thy heart muſt be turned ouer vponupon the faith of Ieſus Chriſt, that is a faſt ſeate: ſo that all the powers in the world will not moue it. In a word, if Reſt not night nor day till thou ſeele thy faith lying vnderunder thy heart, and thy heart resting firme and ſtable on it.thou abide and perſeuere in the faith of Ieſus Chriſt, bee built on it; reſt neuer while thou riſe vp vponupon it as a building. Reſt not night nor day till thou feele it lying vnderunder thy heart: reſt not till thou finde thy heart ſetled without ſtaggering, ſitting downe as it were on a faſt ſtoole and ſeatc. If thou be once ſetled and builded, all the waues of temptations ſhall not once moue thee, thou ſhalt ſtand faſt like a houſe built on a ſtrong rocke: but if thou be not built and ſetled on it, the leaſt blaſt of winde of falſe doctrine and of affliction, wil blow thee from Matth. 7. 24. 25.thy faith; & thy faith from thee like chaffe. Alas, ſee we not this inconſtancie in fleeting and flowing? A vaine lowne, he is here to day, and away to morrow; a Proteſtant to day, a Papiſt to morrow; a Chriſtian to day, a Turk or Pagan to morrow, and what ye will hauehave him. What is the cauſe of this? O that heart of thine, was neuer eſtabliſhed by grace! A vaine and emptie heart, was neuer grounded vponupon faith in Ieſus Chriſt. And therefore it is that theſe miſerable creatures are caried away as they are: and be aſſured, let thy heart abide in that miſerable eſtate of inconſtancie till the Lord come, thou and it ſhall be turned into hell headlong, as the lighteſt and rottenneſt thing in the world. Thus much for this firſt perſeuerance in faith.
He ads to another perſeuerance, and he ſaith; If you be not 2 Perſeuerance in hope of the Goſpell.moued from the hope of the Gospell; that is, if you perſeuer in the hope of all theſe faire graces and mercies, eſpecially of that life euerlaſting, promiſed in the Goſpell. Now (brethren) would you know what this Goſpell is? The Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt is like a mirror or looking glaſſe; ſo the Apoſtle cals it, 2. Cor. 3. 18. In the which we may ſee many faire things. Firſt we ſee Ieſus Chriſt the Lord of glorie: and then all the faire graces that followes on him; thy remiſſion of ſinnes; thy iuſtification; 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4.thy ſanctification; the heauen and life; and all things: what wouldſt thou hauehave more? Now the eye that lookes in it, is not the eye of the bodie, but the eye of faith, quicker and cleerer than all the bodily eyes in the world. The hand that holds vp that mirror, is faith: faith is an eye and a hand; it ſees and holds. Now as faith is looking in the mirrour to Ieſus Chriſt, and to all the graces that followes him, and to that life and glorie that neuer ſhall hauehave end; in comes this hope, and ſhe awaiteth conſtantly for the accompliſhment of all thoſe graces, Hope what.and of that life euerlaſting, that faith ſees in the mirror: and ſhe awaites till Chriſt come with that life in his hand, with the glorie in his hand, that he ſhall bring with him for them, who awaits for him. As ſoone as he comes, the mirror fals downe: The word goes away; there ſhall be no more preaching, when he comes. And as thou ſawſt him before in the mirror; ſo then thou ſhalt ſee his glorious face as he is: ſo the mirror ſhall goe away, that faith of thine ſhall goe away. What ſhall be then in ſteed of all this? Thou ſhalt get that that Paul ſaies 2. Cor. 5. 7. Now we walke by faith, but then we ſhall walke by sight. Our reioycing ſhall be in the ſight of him for euer.
Now brethren, you ſhal marke here briefly: it is not enough to abide in the faith of the promiſe, wherein thou haſt promiſed to thee life euerlaſting; but with the faith thou muſt hauehave a hope awaiting conſtantly for the thing promiſed: as thou beleeueſt the promiſe, that is, the word; ſo thou muſt hope for himſelfe and his comming; and that life he brings with him. Ioyne theſe two together, faith in the promiſe; and hope in the performance; of neceſſitie thou ſhalt get life. That hope ſhall Faith and hope companions. Rom. 5. 5. 6.neuer make thee a ſhamed. It is a thing impoſſible, that a man that waits for Chriſts comming can be diſappointed; for heauen and earth ſhal periſh ere that man be diſappointed of that he hoped for: ſo then ſaith he, if you be not moued from the hope of the Gospell: I ſay then, ſo long as we liue, we muſt not want Take away the Goſpel, yee take away faith and hope.this mirror of the Goſpell. Take away the mirror, thou ſhalt ſee nought. Take away the Goſpell, thou ſhalt not hauehave faith. Take it away, wherein ſhines all theſe heauenly graces, thou haſt nought to hope for: and if thou heareſt not of a life after this life, thou canſt not hope for it. So theſe men in the world (not onelyonly among Pagans, but amongſt Chriſtians) Lords, Barons, that hauehave no pleaſure in hearing of the Goſpell to looke into Ieſus, that is in it; trowe yee if thus they continue, that they ſhall goe to heauen? thinke ye that they can hauehave faith and hope? no: no more then a dog hath, and their death ſhall be worſe then a dogs death. As euer then you would hauehave life, faith, and hope, keepe the Goſpell. Thou wilt looke in a glaſſe to decke thy ſelfe, and wipe off the ſpots of thy face: but wilt thou looke to the Goſpell, thou ſhalt ſee a more beautifull face, euen the face of Ieſus: and the more thou lookeſt How powerfully the power of Christ transforms vsus if we looke vponupon his face in the Goſpel.on it, the more it caſts out theſe beames of glory, and tranſformes thee from glorie to glorie. So as euer thou wouldeſt hauehave the ſight of Ieſus, let thy pleaſure be to looke into the mirror of the Goſpell; for he, who takes not pleaſure to looke in the mirror, ſhall neuer ſee the Lord Isſus face to face. This is a decree, and I pronounce it againſt all theſe contemners of the Goſpell: they ſhall finde it ſure, they ſhall neuer ſee Ieſus Chriſt, but to their damnatiō. Thou, who contemnes All contē ners of the Goſpell goe to hell.this mirrour of the Goſpell, thou art the diuels ſlaue, and ſhalt be condemned with him in that great day for euer. O if wee ſhould be carefull to keepe this preaching of Chriſt! it ſtands vsus vponupon paine of life and death. See then what enemies they Preaching.be that would take this mirrour from vsus, by the which wee are Papists.comforted and kept to life euerlaſting.
To come to the next words: The Coloſsians might hauehave ſaid, what a Goſpell is this thou ſpeakeſt of: It is that which Epaphras taught to vsus. Is it his, in whoſe hope we ſhould abide? Counteſt thou ſo much of his Goſpell? It ſhould ſeeme that the perſon of the man offended them. He anſwers, it is the ſame Goſpell that Epaphras preached, that I recommend to you. Well, you ſee this how readie wee are to be offended with the good Goſpell of Chriſt, and to caſt off the word, becauſe of the perſons of men, becauſe he is a ſillie man. This our nature is a ſtumbling nature: we hauehave a ſtumbling heart, ſtumbling like a horſe. Thou wilt heare a man, and accept of him and his doctrine: and thou wilt heare another, and count little either of him or his doctrine; euen as though thy faith ſhould leane vponupon a man, and not vponupon the Goſpell. What haſt thou to doe with the man if he ſpeake the true Goſpell ſhouldeſt thou be holden back from the word, becauſe of the baſenes of the man? This cannot be gotten away this day in Edenborough. Ye ſee againe he is very carneſt to commend this Goſpel of Epaphras, and to remoue the ſlaunder that they tooke vp againſt him. It teacheth all preachers, that eueryevery one of them recommend the doctrine taught by others, ſo it be the ſame doctrine, let the perſon be what hee will; this man hath deliuered ſound doctrine. A good leſſon for preachers.Yea if he hauehave greater graces, he ſhould recommend him which hath the ſimpleſt; as Paul recommends Epaphras. So it ſets not one miniſter to detract another; but if hee deliuer ſound doctrine, he ſhould recommend him, and ſpeake to his praiſe: for looke what diſpraiſe or reproch thou putteſt to the man, it turnes ouer vponupon the Goſpell, that the man preacheth; as experience this day plainly proues. For ſee ye not men, who becauſe of ſome infirmities of the preacher, either will contemne the doctrine of the Goſpell which hee preacheth, ſo that they will not abaſe themſelues to come and heare him; or elſe if they come, they are ſo preoccupied in minde, that they begin Preiudice againſt the perſon of the preacher keepes many from profiting by him.to ſcoffe at it. Away with this kinde of dealing, and beware what you doe, when ye either ſpeake euill of the preacher, or ſuffer others to ſpeake euill of him: for if thou doe ſo, thou ſhalt not faile to loath the Goſpell, and ſo conſequently ouerthrow thy ſelfe.
Now the arguments of the recommendation followes. Ibid you ſtand (ſaith hee) in hope of the ſame Goſpell, becauſe it is the ſame Goſpell that hath been preached to eueryevery creature vnderunder the heauen, through the whole world. As if hee would ſay, Epaphras hath not taught a doctrine diuers from mine, and I another diuers from his; but all is one, and the ſame doctrine and Goſpell, that hee and I both hauehave taught. Then take vp the note, which Paul here giues thee of the true doctrine; ſeeing our life A note of the true Goſpell of Chriſt.ſtands in the trueth of the Goſpell, wee ſhould be carefull to know the true Goſpell. Looke if it be that Goſpell that hath been preached to eueryevery creature, to al the world: Chriſt ſaith, Preach to eueryevery creature, Mark. 16. 15. but this is not enough. The Papiſts doctrine hath been preached throughout all Europe, and further: yet it is not the true Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt. There muſt be yet more then this vniuerſalitie: look if it be in the beginning preached by the Apoſtles, and in their daies; if it be ſo, thou art ſure thou haſt the veritie of the Goſpell. But thou wilt ſay, how ſhall I know this? Looke their writings, go no further. The ſureſt warrant is their writings. Looke Pauls writing, Peters writing, and the reſt of the Apoſtles and Euangeliſts The written word our warrant.writings, their bookes ſhall teſtifie of their writings: for they hauehave written no other thing but yt they ſpake. There is not a ſentence left out that euer the Apoſtles taught, that is not written in this booke of the new Teſtament, as concerning the ſubſtance of it. So if thou hauehave their writings, be aſſured thou haſt their Goſpell preached by them; and conſequently Chriſts owne words and his Goſpell. And if an Angell would preach to thee another Goſpell, then this written Goſpell in the old and new Teſtament; then ſay thou, Anathema to it, Gal. 1. 6.curſed be thou and thy Goſpell both; curſed be thou Papiſt and thy goſpell, which is nothing els but the vaine traditions of men. And as you would be free of the curſes of God, flie frō a Papiſt and his goſpell both, he is vaine, and his goſpell is the peltrie of men.
Then the next argument of recommendation, is from his own teſtimonie in particular, as if he would ſay; It is euen that which I hauehave preached, I giuegive my aſſent that it is the ſame with my owne goſpell. O the teſtimonie of an Apoſtle is a great thing! yea greater then the teſtimonie of many thouſands, becauſe they were inſpired by Gods ſpirit, that they could not erre. Others might erre and hauehave erred, and there is none now but they may erre, and may teach hereſie, and hauehave taught hereſie when they paſt a iot from the written veritie; as eſpecially may be ſeene in that beaſt of Rome, and ſhauelings and Clergie (O that damnation that abides him for many thouſands that hauehave periſhed, through his falſe erronious doctrine!) Yet I ſay more, if a holy man ſhall giuegive his conſent, it auaileth, if it bee agreeable to the doctrine taught by the Apoſtles; otherwiſe it is worth nothing: if it were Paul himſelfe, let him be Anathema. This for the commendation of the Goſpell preached by Epaphras, I ſhall end. Paul at this time lay in Rome in bands, and was vnderunder an heauie affliction. Now hee conſidering his bands might bee offenſiue to them; in the next verſe hee meetes with this ſlaunder; Now (ſaith he) I reioyce of thoſe things which I ſuffer for you: As if he would ſay, my afflictions that I lie in, let them not offend you: It is a marueilous thing how ready men are to offend, and to take a ſlander when it is not giuen. Theſe men were before offended with Epaphras, becauſe hee was not an Apoſtle: now they are offended with Paul the Apoſtle himſelfe, becauſe he is lying in bands. O there is neuer a thing, but the diuell can make it an offence to the Goſpel (he knowes how ſtumbling a heart thou haſt) and all to hold thee backe from the Goſpell. Bleſſed is he that hath not been offended at any thing, as Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 11. 6. How takes he away the offence of his bands? The firſt argument to reuoke it; he ſaith, I reioyce for theſe things Verſ. 24.which I ſuffer for you, or for your ſake: as if he would ſay, be not offended at my bands, becauſe they are for you. If I had not comen out at the commaund of my Lord to preach Chriſt, what needed me to be lying in theſe fetters? and if I had not loued my Lord Ieſus and his Church; what needed I to be in The afflictions of the Martyrs do ſerue for the confirmation of the faithfull in all ages.theſe bands? Well, he ſuffers for the Coloſsians, and he neuer ſaw them. Epaphras taught them, I tell thee looke whatſoeuer Paul ſuffereth, or any of the Apoſtles or godly Martyrs who ſuffered, count it all for thee. It was all to hold in this light which is thy life, and if it had not been kept and entertained and holden vp by their preaching, and ſealed by their bloud, thou ſhouldeſt neuer hauehave gotten light. And without this Goſpell thou ſhouldeſt neuer ſee life. This world is blinded; they know not this darknes they lie in. If the light of this Goſpell ſlide from thee, thou blind ignorant that lies now in darknes, thou ſhalt be caſt into hell: for the end of darknes here, is that blacke darknes in hell. So hee ſaith: All that I ſuffer is for you. Well, if men thought that the ſufferings of the ſeruants of God, which they ſuffer, whether it be bands, baniſhment, or whatſoeuer it be, if they could thinke that all was for them, to hold in that light of the Goſpell: alas they would be ſo farre from that, that the bands and theſe things ſhould be offenſiue to them, and ſo be offended at the Goſpell; that by the contrarie, they would kiſſe their ſufferings, and would take as great pleaſure in their bands, as in their preaching; for they ſerue as well to thy weale as their preaching. For by their bands they ſeale vp in thy heart all that they hauehave preached to thee. O if thou couldſt thinke of this well! The time will come that theſe who now preach, ſhall be afflicted (and Lord giuegive them ioy in their affliction.) Be ye therefore prepared not to be offended at it. You ſhall ſee ſome ſteale downe cloſely from the Miniſter, when he is caught by the necke; howbeit now, they will accompanie him. Well then, be readie to take part of his affliction, as Paul ſaith 2. Tim. 1. 8. Yet to recommend his affliction more, I reioyce, ſaith he: he ſuffereth for a good cauſe, for the ſafetie of the Coloſsians. Beſides this, hee ſuffered with ioy, 1. Pet. 4. 15. Let no man (ſaith hee) ſuffer as a murtherer, a theefe, or an euill doer: which is now the pleaſure of men, but let vsus make vsus readie to ſuffer for a good cauſe: if thou ſuffer, ſee thou ſuffer for Gods cauſe, for this light, the beſt cauſe that euer thou ſuffered for. Let eueryevery man be prepared to ſuffer for it, otherwiſe thou ſhalt hauehave no good of it. It is not the paine will make thee a Martyr; but it is the quarrell; the good cauſe, that will make thee a Martyr. And againe (he ſaith) if thou ſuffer as Chriſt ſuffered, reioyce: As if he would ſay, when thou Ioy in godly afflictions.ſuffereſt for a good cauſe, looke thou hauehave ioy and willingnes. No, let not the enemie hauehave greater will to draw thee to the ſhambles, then thou ſhalt be willing with ioy to ſuffer. So there is another condition requiſite in ſuffering; we muſt not onelyonly be content to ſuffer for a good cauſe, but wee muſt be Note.willing and ioyfully willing: Otherwiſe the good cauſe will not make thee a Martyr. Thou muſt hauehave ioy and patience, and willingnes, glorifying God. Looke how the Martyrs ſuffered, and follow them; and then thou ſhalt dye like a Martyr, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be. The Lord prepare vsus for it, that we may paſſe from this miſerie to ioy, through the Lord Ieſus. To whom be praiſe and honour for euer,
Amen.