Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 12
THE TWELFTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 1. verſ. 28. 29.
28 Whom we preach, admoniſhing eueryevery man, and teaching eueryevery man in all wiſdome, that we may preſent eueryevery man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus:
29 Whereunto I alſo labour and ſtriue, according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
I Shewed you brethren, the Apoſtle in the end of this chapter, he ſpeakes eſpecially of his owne perſon, to the end he might gaine authoritie, and reuerence to his doctrine and exhortation. Firſt, ye heard he ſpake of his ſufferings, The ſum of the last Sermon.remouing the offence which the Coloſſians might hauehave taken at them. Secondly, he ſpeakes of his miniſtery, that he was a Miniſter of the Church, according to the diſpenſation giuen to him from God, for the Coloſſians in ſpeciall: to this end, to fulfill the word of God. After this he ſpeakes of that hid myſterie: for he defines the word which he preached, to be that myſterie ſo long time hid, and at laſt reuealed to the ſaints: and he interprets it to be of Ieſus Chriſt, who is ſaid to be the riches of the glory of this hid myſterie. Thus far we hauehave heard. When he hath ſpoken of the myſtery, he returnes and ſpeakes of his owne perſon. And in the firſt part of theſe words, to ſpeake of them word by word as they lye; he ſaith, whom we preach; that is, the which Ieſus Chriſt that hope of glorie (as he tearmed him before) we preach, that is, I and the reſt of my fellow laborers. So no queſtion in theſe words he endeuours to purchaſe authoritie to his miniſtry, from the ſubiect of his preaching. All his preaching was of the moſt glorious things that euer were, or ſhall be in this world. All his preaching was of Chriſt, the riches of that glorie that ſo long was hid, and at the laſt was reuealed. Briefly, we ſee of theſe words of Paul, a Miniſter of the Goſpell of Chriſt hath gotten in truſt committed to him, a faire and precious thing. He hath vnderunder his hand The word of reconciliation committed to the Ministers of the Goſpell.the riches of the glorie of God, to wit, Ieſus Chriſt. He is a treaſurer (to ſpeake of it ſo) and hath in his cuſtodie a treaſure: but ſuch as is the richeſt that euer was, is, or ſhall be in the world. And he hath a commiſſion not to keepe it cloſe, but to giuegive it out and deale it to the world, that eueryevery one ſhould hauehave their portion of it. And therefore what is the glory of the Miniſter, the Preacher, what is his eſtimation? All his glorie 2. Cor. 5. 19. 20.and his eſtimation, all his honour is in this treaſure Ieſus Chriſt, that he hath in cuſtodie. Marke it. And in what thing conſiſts his honour, and glorie, and eſtimation? As it is his honor to diſtribute this rich treaſure to thee and to the world: ſo here is all thy glory to put out thy hand and take in theſe riches to thy ſelfe. Thou haſt more honour to doe this, then if thou wert aduanced and promoted to the higheſt honor and dignitie vnderunder the ſunne; then if thou wert made a King of all the world: for when thou art made a King, if thou hauehave no part with Ieſus, thy end will be miſerable, and woe is thee for euermore.
To goe forward: in the next words, he laies down his preaching in the parts of it, admoniſhing and instructing eueryevery man; there be the parts: admoniſhing them that were out of the way; inſtructing them that had entred in the right way. It is Admonition and inſtruction, how they differ.not enough to tell a man that he is in the way; but to counſell and inſtruct him to hold on: which if he doe, to aſſure him of life euerlaſting. Then briefly, all the preaching of Chriſt ſtands in theſe two points, in admoniſhing the ſinner and telling him his fault, that he is in the wrong way: if he were a King admoniſh him of his error, either in manners or doctrine. And then tell him the high way of his manners and doctrine, wherein he ſhould walke. If the Miniſter cannot doe this; yea if it were to a King, if he cannot admoniſh, inſtruct, and teach him, he cannot preach Chriſt: let him therefore be ſilent, and neuer ſpeake a word of Ieſus Chriſt. And what euer they be of the people, that will not ſuffer admonition, and will not receiue inſtruction, they ſhall neuer be rich in Chriſt: if they had all the riches in the world, they are but beggers, and ſhall dye like beggers. Who are theſe that he admoniſheth? and who are theſe whom he inſtructs and teacheth? Marke eueryevery word, he ſaith not one man, two men, this ſort or that ſort of men onelyonly; but eueryevery man, and al ſorts of them, Iew, Gentile, Grecian, and Barbarian; wiſe, vnwiſe, Kings, ſubiects, poore, rich. There is neuer a one exempted from admonition: neuer a ſoule exempted from inſtruction. Wherein brethren, you may ſee that vniuerſall dominion and lordſhip, that Chriſt Ieſus hath ouer eueryevery man, and eueryevery eſtate of them; ouer Kings and ſubiects, rich and poore; ouer them that be in honour and diſhonour. Whatſoeuer ranke thou be of, thou maiſt well exempt thy ſelfe from his dominion; but thou art not exempted in deede, though thou wert a King or a Monarch, the Goſpell hath a Lordſhip ouer thy head. If thou draw out thy necke from vnderunder the yoke of the Goſpell, thou ſhalt one day vndergoe the heauie yoke euen of Gods vengeance and fearefull wrath: ſo then we ſee the vniuerſalitie of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt ouer man, and how this miniſtry that ſeemes ſo contemptible to all men, is extended to all. And if thou wert a King, thou art vnderunder the miniſtry of the word; thou muſt ſuffer of the Miniſter admonition; and thou muſt receiue inſtruction. If thou wert neuer ſo learned in thy owne conceit, thou art but a ſcholler to this miniſtry, and oughtſt to ſit with reuerence, and to heare. And laſtly, ye ſee the common miſerie, that all ſtands in in this world: all is out of the way; thou art out of the way by nature, EueryEvery man by nature in the high way to damnation.and in the high way to damnation. And therefore if thou lay not hold on admonition, thou ſhalt goe to damnation. By nature thou art ignorant like an Aſſe; and therefore periſh ſhalt thou if thou receiue not inſtruction, by this miniſtry of the Goſpell. All hauehave ſinned, ſaith the Apoſtle Rom. 3. 23. and fallen Epheſ. 2. 1 2. 3. Pſal. 32.from the glorie of God: and therefore admonition, and inſtruction extends to all men. But I would aske, who is he that can admoniſh, teach and inſtruct effectually? Paul ſaith, We teach Christ, admoniſhing and instructing all men. I anſwere then, Who can admoniſis.none can admoniſh, but hee that can teach Chriſt. Will you ſay, that a prophane Philoſopher could euer admoniſh or inſtruct any to frame their life aright, howbeit he will take it vponupon him? No, no, onelyonly the man that can ſpeake of Ieſus Chriſt, that man can admoniſh and teach others, becauſe he onelyonly can ſpeake to thy heart. For brethren, it is the word of Pſal. 19. 7.God that is able onelyonly to reforme the heart. All the words vnderunder the ſunne will not doe it. For this word of the Goſpell hath onelyonly the concurrence of the holy ſpirit of Ieſus, that cauſeth this word to goe downe to thy heart.
Now what doctrine is this he teacheth? Instructing, ſaith he, eueryevery man in wiſdome; ſo wiſdome is his doctrine. O but in what meaſure? in all wiſdome, ſaith he. It is perfect wiſdome, there is no lacke or want in that wiſdome, that he teacheth. He teacheth eueryevery man, and eueryevery ranke and ſort of men wiſdome, and a perfect wiſdome, whole wiſdome and full wiſdome, euen that fulnes of wiſdome that was in Chriſt. O the treaſure of wiſedome and knowledge that is in him! In the ſecond chapter of this epiſtle, verſ. 3. it is ſaid, he is full of wiſdome and knowledge. Neuer any had all wiſdome, except Chriſt; no not all the Philoſophers: onelyonly Ieſus hath this prerogatiue. This wiſdome, this full wiſdome (I ſay) is giuen to the Apoſtlés, and to Paul in a high meaſure; but ſo, that they hauehave it of Chriſt, and not of themſelues. And therefore Chriſt, as I hauehave ſaid, hath onelyonly this prerogatiue, to hauehave all wiſdome in himſelfe. Looke next: who teacheth this wiſdome? Paul an infirme weake man, he teacheth all wiſdome. Then marke, Ieſus Chriſt he hath put theſe treaſures in earthen veſſels, as it is ſaid, 2. Cor. 4. 7. In a weake brittle bodie: ſo that if thou take it not out of this veſſell, Ministery.thou ſhalt neuer get it out of Chriſt: if thou contemne this treaſure for the frailtie & ignominie of the veſſell wherein it lies, thou ſhalt neuer get this riches of God. For the Lord hath ordained that thou ſhalt take it out of the hand of a ſilly man. Againe, you ſee the bleſſednes of the ſchollers of Chriſt (O bleſſed is the ſoule that is a ſcholler to Chriſt!) It was counted a bleſſed thing to be a ſcholler in Platoes ſchoole, or Aristotles ſchoole, by reaſon of the wiſdome they taught: but Plato nor Aristotle neuer taught all wiſdome, nor true wiſdome; but Wiſdome.thou who art a ſcholler in Chriſts ſchoole, thou haſt the true wiſdome, and that not in a meaſure, but thou haſt all wiſdome to make thee perfect in knowledge, that is, thy bleſſednes. Alas, this miſerable world knowes not the true bleſſednes! O would to God we could know what bleſſednes we are called vntounto, by the preaching of this Goſpell!
To goe forward: What is the end of all this preaching, of this admoniſhing and teaching; and that in all wiſedome? The faireſt end that euer was. What is that end? That we (ſaith he) may preſent eueryevery one perfect in Ieſus Chriſt. The meaning hereof is, that wee may preſent eueryevery man and woman to whom wee preach, of what eſtate ſo euer they be, a perfect ſcholler, and that in Ieſus Chriſt, without whom there is no perfection. So this end of this preaching, inſtructing, and admoniſhing is, a preſenting of eueryevery man in perfectnes and holines, eſpecially in the great day of the Lord, before that glorious tribunall, and to ſet them vp before their Iudge. For if you will reade Paul, you ſhall gather thus much of him, that Heb. 13. 17there is neuer a faithfull preacher, but in that day hee ſhall bring in his companie, them whom hee hath conuerted, and ſay, Lord, there is my companie, that were conuerted by my miniſtery, vntounto the faith in thy bloud. Paul appeares to meane this in theſe words. Alwaies I marke of this preſenting, that all men and women were once abſent from God: if thou art to be preſented, then it muſt follow that thou waſt abſent. Nay, all fleſh wandred away from his God.
The ſecond thing I marke: what is the end of all this feruent The end of the miniſterie.preaching, admonition, and inſtruction? There is the end, to bring men and women that wandred away home againe 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19.to their God in Ieſus Chriſt: to bring thee who waſt abſent from God, preſent to him, and to that ſight of that countenance, in the which is the ſacietie of all ioy. And in that day when eueryevery Paſtor ſhall preſent ſo many, as he hath conuerted by the voyce of the Goſpell; then hee ſhall ſee the fruit of his labours: for let him preach what he will, yet hee ſhall not ſee what is the fruit of his trauels till that day. Then it ſhall be ſaid to him, Thou didſt winne theſe ſoules. Then he ſhall get his reward. He gets not his wages here modified, as you would modifie them to one that ſerueth you. Nay, nay, but at that day he ſhall get a Crowne of glorie. Paul looked for a Crowne, A Crowne of righteouſnes (ſaith he) is laid vp for me, which the Lord that righteous Iudge ſhall giuegive me at that day, and not to me onelyonly, but to all thoſe who looke for his appearing, 2. Tim. 4. 8. Who ſhall be preſented? Shall onelyonly Kings be preſented, who hauehave heard the Goſpell? ſhall onelyonly the rich be preſented to that glorie? ſhall onelyonly the honorable? the Grecian, and not the Barbarian? ſhall onelyonly the wiſe, and not the vnwiſe, be preſented? No, no, eueryevery man, from the King to the very begger that hath heard the Goſpell, as they all are ſinners without exception: all hearers of the Goſpell of grace, all ſhall be preſented without exception in that day. Marke it. So thou, who heareſt this Goſpell, haſt no ſmall conſolation; looke for a faire preſenting of thee: onelyonly lend thy eare, and thou ſhalt not be fruſtrate of that glorie, howbeit thou be here ignominious and deſpiſed for this Goſpels ſake: yet ſhall it make thee glorious. I promiſe thee it ſhall glorifie thee, if thou wilt honour it in this life. So all the faithfull ſhall there be preſented. And in what ſtate? Perfit (ſaith he.) Brethren, a perfect wiſdome, makes a perfect man in all knowledge and glorie; and be aſſured of it, howbeit thou heareſt the Goſpell in imperfection, yet if thou wilt continue in hearing, thou canſt not but come to perfection; in the end thou ſhalt be filled with all wiſedome; and when thou ſhalt be preſented, thou ſhalt be preſented in ſuch a perfection, as the learnedſt in this world cannot attaine vntounto. Thou art an idiot now in their conceit; but if thou wilt heare Chriſt in his Goſpell, thou ſhalt be more wiſe then euer Plato The wiſedome of the world and of Chriſt how they differ.or Aristotle; or the wiſeſt worldling that euer was; and thou ſhalt get perfect wiſedome in the end. And this is that difference betwixt that wiſedome of the Philoſophers, and that wiſdome of Chriſt. All their wiſedome neuer perfected any man, becauſe it was imperfect in it ſelfe, as they themſelues who taught it were imperfect: but this wiſedome of the Goſpell which is the wiſedome of Chriſt and of God, as he is perfect, ſo is it perfect. So ſhall it perfect the man that heares it, if he continue but a ſhort time in hearing.
In the end of the verſe, he ſhewes in whom this perfection is. There is nothing without Chriſt Ieſus, there is no grace out of him: no beginning of grace, no progreſſe in grace, no perfection without him. Wouldeſt thou begin in grace? Begin in him. Wouldeſt thou proceede in grace? goe on in him. Wouldeſt thou be perfected? be perfect in him, and thou ſhalt be perfected. For euen in this life by reaſon of that coniunctiō we hauehave with Chriſt through faith in his bloud, wee hauehave perfection euen in this imperfection of ours. If thou be ingrafted in Chriſt, thou art alreadie perfect in him, and maiſt ſtand vp and claime it, and ſay: O my God, I am perfect in Chriſt. But in that great day, when wee ſhall be preſented (being in Ieſus Chriſt, for the hold we get of him here ſhall neuer let goe, thou ſhalt neuer be ſeuered from him) thou ſhalt hauehave a double perfection. Thou ſhalt not onelyonly hauehave his perfection and his glorie, which ſhall ſhadow thee and couer thee as a garment, but beſide that, thou ſhalt then be filled with perfect glorie thy ſelfe. All thy bodie and ſoule ſhall be filled with exceeding great glorie. So thou ſhalt hauehave no ſmall vantage in him. All comes to this exhortation, ſticke by Ieſus, and be not ſeuered from him: for if thou ſeuer from him, thou art ſeuered from thy grace; and if thou cleaue to him, all thy glorie and perfection ſhall neuer be hindred. Let them rent thee and teare thee as they wil, thou ſhalt be glorified and perfected in ſpite of their teeth. Fie then on thee creature, that ſuffers thy ſelfe to be ſeuered from Chriſt: cleaue to him as euer thou wilt ſee glorie and perfection.
Now we come to the laſt verſe. When he hath ſpoken of the end of his miniſterie, now hee ſheweth he laboured to attaine to it; vntounto the which (ſaith he) I laboured. If there was euer any laborious man, Paul was one; he was a painfull man, neuer reſting night nor day, and all to this end, to preſent many to the Paines in the Miniſterie.Lord Ieſus. Then marke the leſſon: would a Miniſter attaine to the end of his calling? let him be painfull. A ſluggiſh Miniſter will neuer doe good; if he be not painfull, he is no louing man; for louelove is euer painfull, 1. Theſſ. 1. 3. He that loues, will ſtraine himſelfe, if it were to the death, for the weale of them he loues. So if he be not painfull, I doubt if euer he ſhall preſent himſelfe (let by other men.) Therefore the people ſhould be carefull to hauehave a painfull man to watch ouer them. For the Miniſter is ordained to preſent thee before the Lord, and hee cannot do that if he be not painfull. I will neuer giuegive the people counſell to hold a man, that is not painfull to preſent and gaine them to God. And curſed be that Paſtor that takes his eaſe and reſt, and lets the ſheepe of the Lords paſture goe here and there aſtray: curſed be he, and the Lord himſelfe curſeth him in Ierem. 48. 10. that doth the worke of the Lord negligently. Alas, it will not bee the ſtudying nor the preaching of a Sermon, that will make thee to be a painfull Miniſter; but it muſt be the continuall teaching of thy flocke, and eueryevery one of them, admoniſhing them that are out of the way, and by thy trauels bringing them home, and inſtructing them that are in Idlenes in the Miniſterie dangerous.the way of grace to goe on, that they goe not to the left hand, nor to the right hand; but that they hold out the high way to Chriſt Ieſus, neuer reſting till they get his preſence; and night and day to be watching, and on his guard praying for the people; this man is a painfull man that doth thus. So a Miniſter ſhould not be an idle bodie; neither can he be idle if hee hauehave any whit of conſcience in his calling. And I count a ſluggiſh Miniſter worſe then a theefe: he will goe and ſtudie a peece of a Sermon, and vp to the pulpit and preach that; and then come his way: hee thinkes hee hath done enough, and neuer more thought nor care hath he of the people of God. O vaine man! thou art a ſluggard, worſe then a theefe; thou ſhalt preſent but few or none at that great day. And therfore thy damnation ſhall be the greater: for the bloud of all theſe ſoules that through thy default dye ignorant, ſhall light about thy ſhoulders and preſſe thee downe like milſtones in hell; where thou and they ſhall be tormented euerlaſtingly. Yet there is more here, this preſenting craues more then labour or paine. He ſaith, he ſtroue, as a man fighting a combat, or as a ſouldier vnderunder a banner. And to ſpeake the truth, this mans life is but a battaile, as is plaine in the 2. Tim. 4. 7. I hauehave (ſaith he) fought a good fight: yea, and the ſoreſt fight that is fought, is to fight for the ſoule, to bring it out of the diuels hands, and to put it in Chriſts hands; to bring it from hell, and to ſet it in heauen, How hard a thing it is to winne a ſoule.from death to life, that is a ſore fight. The man therefore that will bring ſoules to God, he muſt not be a painfull man onelyonly; but he muſt be a warriour, and he muſt oppoſe himſelfe ſtanding and fighting with eueryevery one, who oppoſe themſelues againſt Chriſt, if they were Emperours or Monarchs; and hee muſt fight the battaile to the end: otherwiſe, if he be not painfull and a fighter alſo, I doubt if he ſhall preſent himſelfe, much leſſe others, in that day to Chriſt. A coward that will take a backe ſide, he will not be meete to preſent one: he is not for the field; away with him. Of al this I marke: it is a hard thing to winne a ſoule to God; nay the ſoule of one cannot be won, but with great paine, and labour and fighting. Why then labour ye not with ſtriuing and wreſtling for the ſafetie of your ſoule, that you may preſent it to the Lord ſafe and ſound. The ſoule of eueryevery bodie hath many enemies, and mightie enemies. O if thou wiſt how many enemies thy ſoule hath to ſtay The enemies of the ſoule.thee from going to heauen, thou wouldeſt not ſit in ſuch eaſe as thou doeſt, neglecting thy ſelfe and the time both: but thou wouldeſt euer bee labouring, and painfully labouring and fighting to keep thy ſoule ſafe to the Lord. Againe, we ſee that heauen is a faire thing. For this is true, Difficilia quae pulchra, The more glorious, the harder to get: ſo heauen is too faire a iewell to loſe through ſluggiſhnes. No, theſe things in the world hauehave no ioy: A heape of ſtones is no iewell: and if thou wilt loſe the iewell of heauen for that, looke what aduantage thou wilt make.
Now let vsus ſee what fruite reaped he of his paines, according to his working the effectualnes of him (ſaith he) who worketh in me mightily: the end of his labour was effectualnes: he was effectuall in the hearts of them, who heard him. In deſpite of the diuell and his impes, he drew great multitudes by the power of the word, out of the kingdome of the diuell and darknes, and wanne them vntounto Chriſt. Take paines on thee, meete the diuell, fight on to relieue ſoules, and be aſſured thou ſhalt ſee the effect of thy labours: for there was neuer none that ſtroue, but he ſhall be preſented at that day glorious. Yet albeit men would labour and ſtriue neuer ſo much, ſome will periſh. All ſhall not periſh in that great day; therefore let vsus fight with paine and labour. To whom giues hee the glorie of his labours and effectualnes? aſcribes hee it to himſelfe? ſaies hee according to my effectualnes? No: how then? According to his effectualnes that workes in me mightily: that is God. So that all power and al the effectualnes, that is in his hand, is not in himſelfe, but in God, and of God: and that power of God is craued, and is needfull to the recouerie of a ſoule; yea of the ſillieſt ſoule of you all. The ſillieſt ſoule that is, ſhall neuer be ſafe by any power or vertue of man: of the Miniſter there is no power that can free a ſoule, but the almightie power of God. The power of God only muſt free a ſoule.This his power comes downe from heauen while the Miniſter is ſpeaking; and it gaineth & conquereth the ſoule that heares the word. Therefore looke not to the man that teacheth, but pray that the power of God would come downe, and free thy ſoule from bondage. And as thou ſhouldeſt depend vpō God, ſo when thou haſt trauelled all thy daies, turne back thy praiſes vntounto God, and thank him for it. The Apoſtle takes nothing to himſelfe. Marke and behold the words, he ſaith, according to his effectualnes that worketh by me, that is in a word, hee taketh the honour and reputation of an inſtructer, of a Miniſter and ſeruant of God, and God giues him that honour. As the Lord will hauehave the honour of the principall worke to himſelfe (and good reaſon he hauehave it) ſo when hee hath imployed thee, hee vouchſafeth to impart honour vntounto thee. He will giuegive thee a honour that thou art his ſeruant, and therefore 1. Cor. 3. 5. 6. he ſaith, Paul is nothing, and Apollo is nothing, but God who giues the increaſe. When he hath giuen God that glorie; then in the fourth chapter verſ. 2. he ſaith, let men ſo esteeme of vsus, as the dispoſers of the mysteries of God: ſo let men euer giuegive God all glorie and praiſe, and let them be aſſured the 1. Sam. 2. 33.God whom they honour in their calling, ſhall honour them againe. Now to this God be all honour and praiſe,
Amen.