Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 29
THE XXIX. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 3. verſ. 12. 13.
12 Now therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloued, put on tender merciemercy, kindnes, humblenes of minde, meeknes, long ſuffering:
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man hauehave a quarrell to another: euen as Chriſt forgaue you, euen ſo doe ye.
BEfore in this chapter, the Apoſtle hath exhorted the Coloſsians to mortifie, ſlay, and put away the members, affections, and actions of the old man, that is, of the ſinful and corrupt nature. Now becauſe it is not enough to put off the members of the old man (the actions of the ſinfull nature) except we appeare before God with other actions, (for we cannot ſtand naked before him) therfore in the ſecond roume, hee exhorteth vsus to put on the members, actions, and affections of the new man: theſe are the actions, and this is the cloathing wherewith we muſt be clad to ſtand before God. Then to come to the words, and to weigh eueryevery word as the Lord ſhall giuegive the grace. The firſt word is, Therfore put on, &c. He hath ſpoken immediatly before of the new man: now vponupon the occaſion of this word (new man) he gathers his concluſion. HaueHave you put on the new man? Therefore put on all his actions. If ye be holie, cloathe your ſelues with holy actions. The obſeruation is ſhort. The new man, which conſiſts in holines and righteouſnes, requires a new life, and new actions: for if the life be not yet renewed, but that the old life yet abide with the old actions, I ſay, you wot not what the new man meanes. This is but a vaine boaſting of regeneration, that is in the mouthes of men, to ſay, thou art renewed and made a new man; all is but vaine. Let me ſee thy life and thy actions, and I ſhall tell thee by them what thou art: otherwiſe, thou ſhalt neuer perſwade me that thou haſt put on the new man. Now the Apoſtle ſaith, Therefore put on, as it were a garment, or raiment neuer to be put off againe. I ſhewed you before, that when once thou haſt put on this new man, thou muſt not caſt him off againe, as thou wilt doe with thy coate at night when thou goeſt to bed, which thou wilt caſt off, and the morrow put it on againe; but this cloathing thou muſt goe in it, walke in it, lye downe with it, and riſe with it.
Now the parts of the cloathing followe, Put on therefore the bowels of merciemercy, &c. Note then briefly: wherein ſtands this abiliment of the new man? It is made of ſundrie parts, it is like the coate of Ioſeph made of ſundrie colours. This coate is ſo pleaſant, that it is wonderfull to looke on. MercieMercy, a pleaſant ſight, Bountifulnes pleaſant, Modestie pleaſant, Meekenes pleaſant, Lenitie pleaſant; ſo there was neuer ſo pleaſant a garment put vponupon the backe of man. Before hee comes to the parts of this garment, hee puts in by the way ſundrie arguments to moue them to put on this new man. The motiues are three: the firſt is election: the ſecond holines: the third, the louelove of God towards vsus. Ye are the choſen of God, the holy ones of God, the beloued of God: therfore put on this garment that is pleaſant in the eyes of God. But to examine theſe grounds: The firſt is their election, that is, the calling them out of this darknes into the light of God: ſo Peter defines it 1. Pet. 2. 9. a faire choiſe. This Goſpell that ye heare is the light of the world, and ſo this election whereof the Apoſtle ſpeakes here, is nothing els but that which we call commonly our vocation. For whom God hath elected from all eternitie, them in time he elects and chuſeth out from the reſt of mankinde, by effectuall calling. Then I make of this firſt ground a leſſon. This Chriſtian calling, it requires a faire rayment. You know the cloathing of eueryevery man and woman, ſhould be according to their calling; when thou goeſt aboue thy calling, thou ſinneſt: ſo the earthly raiment and cloathing, whatſoeuer it be, ſhould be according to thy vocation. This calling of God is an high calling, as Paul to the Philippians chap. 3. verſ. 14. ſpeakes. And as the calling of a King requires a faire apparell to ſet it foorth with: ſo this calling to the kingdome of God, craueth a higher apparell. Therfore remember thou art called to put on that faire apparell.
The next argument is, Ye are holie. This holines is the effect of the other. For waſt thou blacke before? yet being called from darknes to light, the beames of the face of God ſhining vponupon thee, now thou art whiter then ſnow. Ye ſee a man that walkes long in the Sunne, will be altered; ſo of neceſſitie, this ſonne of righteouſnes muſt make a chaunge, to wit, to make thee holie. And this is that which the Apoſtle 2. Cor. 3. 18. ſaith, Looking into the glorie of God, as it were in a mirrour, we are transformed from glorie to glorie; and therefore take pleaſure to look into it night and day, and thou ſhalt be changed from the dregges of the world, and made to ſhine. Marke then, as I ſaid of him that is called; ſo I ſay of him that is a Saint. A faire garment fits thee well: for the Saints ſtand night and day before God in his houſehold. Who will come before the eye of an earthly Prince ragged and bare? how much leſſe before that great maieſtie of God. If thou be not clad with holines, the very eye of God will ſtrike thorough thee to thy conſumption.
Now the third argument is, the louelove of God ſhewed to thē. This is that louelove of God that he bare to vsus, when we were enemies to him: when thou waſt wandring in thy vanitie, he gaue himſelfe for thee, and hee loued thee ere thou wiſt, and afterward he powres it into thee that thou feeleſt it. Nay thou neuer taſtedſt of ſweetnes, if thou neuer taſtedſt of the louelove of God: and this is the louelove of God that makes thee to louelove him again. The beloued one of God craues a faire apparell. Who is he or ſhe among you, that will not trauell to be pleaſant in the eye of your louer? So the Lord loues thee, and neuer one loued thee ſo well. Therefore wilt thou not ſtudie to come pleaſantly clad before him? Then ye ſee they in whom the Lord delights, come before him gloriouſly in faire apparell, that makes them to be pleaſant in his eye. Thus much for the arguments that he ſets down, which ſhould hauehave moued the Coloſsians to put on the new man.
Now followes the vertues: The firſt vertue he termes, The bowels of mercies (that is the word in the firſt language) that is, pitie, merciemercy, and compaſsion: briefly, it is a vertue and grace, not growing of nature, but wrought in the heart by the ſpirit of Ieſus. Now it hath this force and effect, to pitie the miſerie of men and women: but there is little of it in theſe daies. When thou ſeeſt the members of Chriſt ſick or ſore, be ſorie for them: thou wilt be ſorie for thy hand when it is ſore; euen ſo thou ſhouldeſt be ſorie for the members of Chriſt. Againe, he calles it no merciemercy, but mercies in the plural number, to ſignifie that he that is mercifull, muſt hauehave many of them: for many miſeries require many mercies. He cals it not mercies, but the bowels of mercies, to ſignifie this intire louelove: it muſt be within thee, and in thy bowels. Then this merciemercy it hath two properties: firſt thou muſt abound of it. Next, it muſt be in thy bowels, and thy bowels muſt bee looſed with pitie. Then brethren, ye ſee this faire garment, hee exhorts them to put on. Where begins it? It begins at thy bowels, the depth of thy heart; there is the firſt cloathing, and the cloathing is pitie and merciemercy: and wherefore merciemercy, and ſo many mercies? becauſe in this world there are many miſeries. Where ſhall the godly man turne to, but he ſhall ſee miſerie? Wilt thou looke vp to the King and his Court? a ſpectacle of miſerie. Wilt thou looke to the beggar? a ſpectacle of miſerie? And if euer there was any pitie to be had, this land hath neede of it.
The next vertues, Kindnes, Bountifulnes. The firſt was the vertue that pities thy neighbour: this is the vertue that doth him a good deede: MercieMercy is in the bowels; Bountie is in the hand. And if thou pitieſt any bodie and haſt it to giuegive, put out thy hand, and giuegive him: otherwiſe it auailes not. Then yee ſee this vertue of the elect of God is Bountie. And wherefore is this bountie requiſite? becauſe there is ſo much neede in all eſtates, and a great ſcant of all things both earthly and heauenly: and therefore it is requiſite to hauehave bountifulnes, that thou maiſt beſtow vponupon one bodie, a benefit ſpirituall, and vponupon another, a temporall.
Now to come to the next vertue, which is the third in number, Low lines of minde, modestie. It is a vertue when men and women counts nothing of themſelues, and are not puffed vp in pride. So it hath theſe two properties: it counts nothing of themſelues, but much of others. Then this vertue is lowlines in the eye, and in the heart. If thou wouldeſt appeare in the ſight of thy God, put on modeſtie, come not haughtie, come not with raiſed vp neckes: the Lord is aboue thee, and he will giuegive thee ſuch a ſtroke, that hee will ſlay thee. For there was neuer a proud man, that raiſed vp his head againſt God, but he made him ſtoope. So the third peece of this garment is humilitie. Wilt thou looke to thy ſelfe, what haſt thou to glorie in? where thou haſt one thing, thou wanteſt tenne. Wilt thou looke to others? the grace thou ſeeſt in thy brother, thou ſhouldeſt account of it.
Now the fourth peece of this garment is Meekenes, that is, excellently well matched with humilitie, euer the humble man is meeke; the proud euer churliſh, without meeknes, and mildnes, and ſo farre as in him lies renting the bodie of Ieſus. For where pride is, there is no ſocietie: for a man that hath pride hee cannot aſſociate himſelfe with another. Now this vertue is in thy mouth, and makes thee to giuegive to thy neighbour ſweete language. Now this fourth part is ſo neceſſarie, that there can bee no ſtanding of the Church without it: for ſuch is the nature of man, if it bee handled roughly, it is loſt, and if thou handle a ſinner thus, thou doeſt ouerthrow him. And therefore Paul euer recommends gentlenes: if thy rebukes ſmell of bitternes, and not of meeknes, thou wilt deſtroy him. Forthere is no ſinner, as the Apoſtle 2. Tim. chap. 2. verſ. 25. &c. ſpeakes, but he muſt be allured by peece and peece out of the bands of the diuell.
Now followeth the fift part of this garment, which is Long ſuffering. The word following in the next verſe expounds it, when one beares iniuries done of another, that is long ſuffering. This long ſuffering is ſo requiſite, that the world cannot ſtand without it. What part is there in this land wherin wrong exceedeth not; and wrong would not be met with wrong, nor iniurie with iniurie, but wrong with long ſuffering? and I ſay, if men were not diſpoſed to ſuffer, the world long ſince had eaten vp one another. It is the patient bodie that beares the iniuries, otherwiſe eueryevery one had deuoured another. So this is a faire garment of the beloued and holy ones of God: but the vertue that followes is greater. Forgiuing one another. Long ſuffering may be without forgiuing, as a poore may yt ſuſtaines wrong, he muſt lie vnderunder the wrong, becauſe he is not able to reuenge it. Others againe (albeit they hauehave abilitie) will not reuenge, but will hold it in their heart till they get oportunitie. Then remiſsion is a greater vertue; it will not onelyonly ſuffer the wrong, but it will put it away; it will forgiue thee that haſt done the wrong: or elſe if it will not altogether forgiue the man, it will call him before the Iudge. Remiſſion therefore, when it thinkes not expedient to forgiue, it will not put to the hand, as our men will doe, but it will call thee before a Iudge. The King ſhould reuenge all theſe wrongs. The Lord ſhould not ſlay, the Eſquire ſhould not ſlay, the Gentleman ſhould not ſlay: but in the meane time while he is pleading his cauſe before the Iudge, his anger ſhould be aboliſhed, and ſo God ſhall be glorified. But if the iniurie be done to thee by any man, and in the meane time thou hauehave anger in thy heart, albeit he be before the Iudge; yet thou art the ſlayer of him.
So then, there is the ſixt part of this garment, free forgiuenes. This vertue is ſo needfull, that if men forgaue not wrongs, the world had periſhed long agoe. And let men thinke as they pleaſe, that runnes in reuenging; it is not they that hold vp the world, but the bleſſed ones of God. Now to moue them to this vertue, he vſeth an argument taken from the example of Chriſt, As Chriſt hath forgiuen you, ſo forgiue you one another. There was not a reaſon put to the reſt: what meanes this? He lets vsus ſee it is a hard thing to fleſh and bloud to forgiue: if thou take counſell at fleſh and bloud, thou wilt neuer forgiue, admit thou wert dying. But fleſh and bloud will euer crye a vengeance; and ſo it is a hard thing to forgiue: And it is ſo neceſſarie, that except thou forgiue and ſtriue againſt thy nature, thou ſhalt neuer hauehave part with God in heauen, and it ſhall debarre thee from that ſocietie of Ieſus Chriſt. For he that inclines not in no meaſure to forgiue a wrong, but is alwaies ſet to recompence the like for the like, he is not a member of Chriſt; and if thou bee not a member, thou haſt no life. And Chriſt himſelfe in Matth. 6. 14. 15. ſaith, If thou forgiue not thy brother in earth, thy heauenly father ſhall not forgiue thee. Then brethren, ye ſhall not finde any one more reſembling Chriſt in any vertue, then in merciemercy and compaſsion: and by the contrarie, there is none that more reſembles the diuell, then the merciles bodie: and iudge ye how many in this land bee like the diuell, and ſo few like Chriſt. Hee cannot bee ſatisfied, who hath put hand in man not once or twice, but he wil triple and quadriple it, and ſo this vice abounds in this land. Now to adde this to that that is ſpoken: I dare ſay a merciles heart neuer wiſt what the pitie of God was: if thou finde crueltie in thy heart, it is an argument thou art not his. Thou that haſt felt the mercy of God, his pitie and compaſsion powred out vponupon thee, thou wilt powre it out vponupon others. I ſee next in this example of Chriſt Ieſus, Chriſt is to be imitated, follow him in thy life. Would you hauehave leaders in the way? follow Ieſus, and put thy footſteps where his was: but it is to be taken heede to, in what things thou followeſt him. Ieſus wrought wonders in the world: follow him not in theſe; for if thou followeſt him ſo, thou putteſt thy ſelfe in Gods roume. Ieſus Chriſt wrought the worke of redemption, follow him not in that, becauſe it is the worke proper to the Creator. Will you reade the Scripture? you ſhall not finde the example of Chriſt propounded to follow him in wonders, or to follow him in forgiuing of ſinnes. But when euer we follow him, we ſhould follow him in meeknes, in lenitie, in gentlenes. To what end ſhould I ſpeake of the vaine dreames of the Papiſts? they will ſay, imitate Chriſt. Chriſt faſted fortie daies: therefore you muſt faſt al the Lent: but I leaue them to their vanitie, and they that are vncleane, let them be vncleane ſtill, and the Lord keepe vsus with his truth. Now ye ſee in expreſſe termes, Ieſus Chriſt hath forgiuen vsus our ſinnes, Epheſ. 4. 6. it is ſaid, that God in Chriſt hath forgiuen vsus eur ſins. In the one place it is ſaid, God hath forgiuen vsus: in the other place that Ieſus Chriſt hath forgiuen vsus. Then Ieſus Chriſt is God the redeemer of the world. So it followes of this place, Ieſus Chriſt is God bleſſed for euer, Amen. For why? it is proper to God to forgiue ſinnes; it is onelyonly proper to the Creator: the creature hath no power to forgiue. Now in the other place, Ieſus Chriſt is the price of our redemption, through the which remiſsion of ſinnes is purchaſed, he is both the forgiuer of the ſinne and the price: if Ieſus had not been the price, there had been no redemption in the world.
Now followeth the third. This benefit of our redemption was deerely bought by our Redeemer. It was not a word to ſay, forgiue, but it behooued him to die: and this benefit which he giues, he bought it by his owne bloud. Then marke a great difference betweene him and man: Ieſus he dies; but where thou forgiueſt, thou giueſt but a word. Looke what a doe the Lord hath with the world: and what trauell hee takes to get the offence done by thee, taken away: he dies for it. And therefore the thing we hauehave to preſſe to, is to feele his louelove: all ioy and welfare is in the ſenſe of this louelove. And therefore to this Lord be all honour and glorie now and for euer,
Amen.