Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 2
THE SECOND LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians, beginning at the end of the ſixt verſe.
COLOS. Chap. 1. verſ. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
6 From the day that ye heard and truly knew the grace of God.
7 As ye alſo learned of Epaphras our deare fellow ſeruant, which is for you a faithfull miniſter of Chriſt.
8 Who hath alſo declared vntounto vsus your louelove, which ye hauehave by the ſpirit.
9 For this cauſe wee alſo, ſince the day wee heard of it, ceaſe not to pray for you, and to deſire that yee might bee fulfilled with the knowledge of his will, in all wiſedome, and ſpirituall vnderſtanding.
10 That ye might walke worthie of the Lord, and pleaſe him in all things, being fruitfull in all good workes, and increaſing in the knowledge of God,
THe laſt day Brethren we intreated of the preface of this epiſtle of Paul to the Coloſſians; and to the end that his doctrines, exhortations, and admonitions, ſhould be the more effectuall in them he conciliateth to himſelfe their fauour, and good will, and that by two arguments: the firſt ſhewing that hee thanked God for them: the next ſhewing that hee prayeth continually for them, that they ſhould continue, perſeuere, and grow in that grace receiued. We entred into the declaration of theſe two arguments of beneuolence (to call them ſo.) And firſt we begun to declare the firſt argument of his thankeſgiuing, as it is firſt in order in the text. The thing that moued him to thanke God for them was nothing in this world, no, no earthly grace or benefit: but firſt their faith in Ieſus Chriſt: next their louelove to the Saints. He ſetteth downe the cauſe of their faith and louelove. They had a reſpect and to-looke to that euerlaſting life, & glorious in heritance that was laid vp for them (and all that beleeue in Ieſus) and kept to them with Chriſt in God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: teaching vsus that except we hauehave reſpect to another life, and glorie when this life is done, it cannot be poſſible to cleaue to Chriſt, and louelove his Saints; becauſe there are ſo many impediments and temptations to drawe vsus from him, and from the louelove of the Saints. Then he goes forward and ſheweth by what meanes they had this reſpect and to-looke to this life and glorious inheritance. It bred not in their breſt firſt, but by hearing: and if thou heare not, thou ſhalt not vnderſtand that there is another life. And what a hearing & whereof? Of a word. What word? not of lyes and vanities, of the inuentions of men, nay heare till the day of doome theſe vanities, thou ſhalt neuer get by it the hope of another life, and of glorie hereafter. What a hearing then is this? the hearing of the word of veritie which he calleth the Goſpell of the bleſſed God, which for the excellencie thereof (for it excelles all the words of the Philoſophers, yea the lawe of Moyſes it ſelfe) it is called the word of truth. Then he recommendeth this Goſpell which they heard by the miniſterie of Epaphras, leaſt the perſon of the man ſhould make them to deſpiſe the doctrine. As for the Goſpell which ye hauehave heard, doubt not of it, it is the true Goſpell, and I ſhall giuegive you a token: confer it with the Goſpell that hath paſt through the world, if it be the ſame Goſpell that hath paſt through the world, let not the perſon of the miniſter ſcar you from receiuing it. Then hee giues another argument of this commendation of the Goſpell, looke if it fructifye in you and bringeth forth ſuch fruites as ſanctification, humilitie, charitie, and ſuch fruits of the ſpirit as it doth in the reſt of the world; doubt not of it, for it is the true Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt. And therefore let not the perſon of the miniſter ſcar you.
Then he commeth to the laſt argument, whereat we left you the laſt day, and he calleth them to the remembrance of the ſudden effectualnes of the Goſpell preached by Epaphras amongſt them, of the continuance which it had with them, and ſaith, from the day that ye heard and truely knew the grace of God, Verſ. 6.remember you not that the firſt day ye heard of it, it begun to fructifie in you, and euer ſince it fructifies in you. Therefore if you will looke to the ſuddenneſſe of the effect, and the continuance of it amongſt you, it argueth plainely that it is the truth of God. VponUpon this laſt argument learne this beſide the fruite, that the Goſpell bringeth out in the heart of man, in the circumſtance of the time of the haſtie working of the Goſpell in the hearts of men, euen in that ſame hower that man heareth it firſt, he findes it ſo powerfull in him, and the continuance of it working ſtill in him, that it is a ſure argument to him and a note, not onelyonly of the truth of the Goſpell, but alſo that it is the very truth of God. If any hath found this ſincere working in his heart by the Goſpell, this is a ſure argument that it is the truth of God which you heare, though all the world, and the Pope himſelfe ſhould crye againſt it. Briefly, as in theſe words he commends the Goſpell; ſo he commends the Coloſſians, becauſe they receiued it, and continued in the ſame. The ſpirit of God when he giues thee a grace, he will fall out in commending of thee, and this teſtifyeth a wonderfull louelove and mercy in God, and of his liking of them to whom he giues his grace: he will giuegive them ſuch a praiſe as if they God commends and crownes his own graces in vsus.were ſomething, and yet they are nothing, this ſhould make vsus to meete him with thankefulneſſe, to praiſe him for ſomething, when he praiſeth thee for nothing. When he hath done with the Goſpell, he comes to the perſon, they might hauehave ſaid, what is this man that preacheth the Goſpell, hee is no Apoſtle? Paul anſwereth in effect, whatſoeuer the man be, he hath taught you the truth; and then he commends the man, as for the man I will tell you hee is a fellow labourer with me, howbeit I be an Apoſtle, he is no ſeruant to me; but with me, he hath his owne roome: and why? he is a miniſter of Ieſus Chriſt: more, he is beloued of me, I tender the cauſe, he is a miniſter, and a faithfull miniſter, he is ſincere in his calling, and as for you he is wholy for your behoofe and profit, he is ſent to you, and for you a faithfull miniſter in Ieſus Chriſt. And he hath ſhewen indeede that he is for you, for he hath teſtified True louelove.of you, and of your heartie louelove, and he calleth it the louelove of the ſpirit, thereby highly commending their louelove, becauſe if louelove be true it muſt not onelyonly proceede of thy affection, but it muſt proceede of the ſpirit of Ieſus. Thus for the words, marke then when we ſee a man faithfull in any calling, whether in the Church, or common-wealth, this ſame recommendation Obſerue.that Paul makes of Epaphras, teacheth vsus to recommend that man that diſchargeth a faithfull dutie according to the grace giuen him, that they may hauehave the better lyking of him: I ſay he is a miniſter of Sathan, that ſeeing a man faithfull in any calling, goeth about to ſeuer them and him, to put a miſliking in the hearts of the people, to ſeuer them whom God hath ioyned together.
Now to goe to the next argument, hitherto hauehave you heard of the firſt argument touching, thankſgiuing, the next followeth in prayer. Therefore ſaith he from the firſt day that I hauehave heard of this grace vnceſſantly I pray to God for you: Marke firſt that ſame very grace of ſpirituall louelove and charitie wherefore he thanketh God, moueth him to pray to God for them. Then (brethren) in any grace whether it bee faith, or louelove, or patience, &c. there is matter both of thankſgiuing, and prayer to God: as thou art bound to thanke God for the grace receiued, ſo thou art bound to pray for the ſame; and Prayer to God.the more graces we ſee in a man, the greater care ought we to hauehave to pray to God to keepe him in thoſe graces. But the time is to be conſidered: euen as ſoone as hee heard of their faith, and louelove, hee begunne to pray, and from that day to this day, his prayer abideth. This teacheth firſt that after a man hath receiued a great grace from God, hee ſhould euer pray that that grace receiued, may abide with him, and he with it, according to the example of Paul: for ſuch is the frailtie of mans nature, that eueryevery moment he is readie to fal from grace, except the Lord holde him vp. Againe, marke this: when he would hauehave the grace kept in the heart, what meanes vſeth he? prayer: immediatly hee prayeth to God for them. Then in a word, earneſt and feruent prayer to God is the meanes to get grace from him, to keepe it, either in thy owne heart or in others. If thou wouldeſt hauehave any grace of God, and hauehave it abiding with thee fructifying in thy heart, pray to God. Prayer.Prayer is the only meane to effect and obtaine of God whatſoeuer thou ſtandeſt in neede of, and when thou haſt gotten any thing, prayer is the meanes to procure a bleſſing to the ſame, that it abide with thee. What prayeth he for to them? It is no grace that they had gotten alreadie. Wherefore then? that you may be filled. Marke the words (for there is exceeding great pith in them, and would to God we could attaine to the force of them) that ye may be filled (ſaith he) with grace: as if he would ſay, grace is begun with you alreadie, now I pray that you may be filled with grace: you are not full yet: for ſo long as thou liueſt thou mayeſt get grace, but I ſay thou wilt neuer be filled with grace here in this world, but there will euer be ſome emptineſſe and waſtnes in thee. There is euer ſome want in the regenerate man. Learne another leſſon. Wherein ſtandeth thy felicitie, and bleſſednes? euen in this, in a filling vp of that waſtnes and emptines within thee: alas if thou ſaw and felt thy own voydneſſe and want of grace in thy heart, thou wouldeſt neuer ceaſe but euer bee ſeeking and crying for abundance of faith (for an emptie heart will periſh) Surely if thy heart bee voyde of grace, goe as gallantly as thou pleaſeſt caſting thy head in the winde, if thou hauehave not grace, and a fulneſſe of grace, in the end thou ſhalt periſh, looke to it as thou wilt. Thinke ye not that our bleſſedneſſe is to be in likeneſſe with God, and Ieſus Chriſt our head? God is full. O what fulnes is in God! Ieſus Chriſt is full; wee ſawe him ſaith Iohn 1. 14. Full of glorie. Then it muſt follow, if we would be truly bleſſed, we muſt bee full as our head is full; and as the Apoſtle to the Coloſſians ſaith, we muſt be filled with that fulneſſe of God: Bleſſed are they (ſaith Chriſt Matth. 5. 6.) that hunger for righteouſneſſe, Col. 3. 19.for they ſhall be filled. Then hunger euer for righteouſneſſe, that thou mayeſt be filled: for to be filled is the bleſſedneſſe of mans eſtate. But what ſtuffe muſt this be wherewith we muſt bee filled? it is not thy happineſſe to bee filled with eueryevery thing, as with meate and drinke; oft times when thou art fulleſt after that manner, thou art emptieſt of grace: He prayeth that they ſhould be filled with knowledge, with light, euen with that that they hauehave moſt neede of. O the darkneſſe that is in man! naturally he is full of that blacke ſmoake of darkeneſſe; he is choked full of it lying wallowing in it: ſo that of all things, he hath greateſt miſſe of light. If thou were lying in a pit, thou wouldeſt thinke it a great benefit to get a glimſe The naturall blindnes of man. Epheſ. 6. 12. 13.of light: O but if thou ſawſt thy owne darkeneſſe in thy ſoule, thou wouldeſt neuer bee ioyfull whilſt thou gatſt this light which the Apoſtle prayeth for. So thē the thing we need moſt, is the ſpirituall light of God: for God is light, and dwelleth in light that hath no acceſſe. 1. Tim. 6. 16. What is then thy bleſſedneſſe? to be filled with this light; to be partaker of it in ſome part, as thou art able to be filled with it. So the thing promiſed in the ſcripture, is knowledge and light; and the firſt thing the Apoſtle prayeth for, is to get knowledge of this myſterie of Chriſt. The ſecond word is to be marked, that you may be filled with all knowledge. This ſpeech letteth vsus ſee that it will not be a part of knowledge that will fill a man, but he muſt be filled with all knowledge: how beit the heart of man be but of a ſmall roome and capacitie; yet if his heart be ſanctified, it is a wonderfull thing, the length and the depth of the grace that it will receiue; howbeit it be finit, yet vnſpeakable, how infinite a thing it will receiue. God ſhall dwell and be all in all in that heart that is once ſanctified: ſo infinite a thing it will be capable of. Take it in the owne nature thereof, ye finde it in A ſanctified heart.experience in common ſciences it is not capable of things that are finit: but get it once ſanctified, it will take apprehenſion of that infinit maieſtie and riches in him. That you may be filled with all knowledge: whereof? there are many things better not to be knowen then to bee knowen. Adam would faine hauehave knowne the myſterie of the forbidden tree, and it had been wel for him that he had neuer knowne it. Whereof then muſt this knowledge be? of his will: what a will is that? Euen that will, that Ieſus his ſonne comming out of the boſome of the father hath reuealed to the world, that was the beſt and ioyfulleſt reuelation that euer was: So it muſt be the knowledge of the will of God reuealed. Where was this will (ſome will aske) all the time preceding the comming of Chriſt? looke 1. Cor. 2. 7. It was a wiſedome in a myſterie hid, and neuer fully reuealed while Chriſt came: which was appointed (reade the place) vntounto our glorie.
Then he comes to that that was contained in that myſterie, The things (ſaith he) that the eye neuer ſaw, the eare neuer heard, neither entred into the heart of man (louelove him if thou wilt) which God hath prepared and reuealed to vsus by his ſpirit. If thou hauehave his ſpirit, thou wilt pierce into the gulfe of his louelove towards thee in Ieſus Chriſt, and of his riches. And in the epiſtle to the Epheſians 1. hee opens the myſterie more cleerely: well, it is no ſmall matter to get the eye of thy minde opened. Thou wilt thinke it a great matter to get the eye of thy body opened, that thou mighteſt ſee the viſible creatures of God. But what is that ſight and the opening of the bodily eye to the ſight of the ſoule, and opening of the eye of thy ſoule, whereby thou ſhalt ſee God, and the things of God for thy weale? There is no match here. Therefore the Apoſtle to the Epheſians explaines this myſterie more cleerely, where he ſaith, that You may ſee what is the hope of his calling: yet he goeth further, and what is the riches of his glorious inheritance in the ſaints: and then he goeth further; And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towards vsus. And if thou haſt faith, thou ſhalt taſt of ſuch an excellent grace, that thou ſhalt wonder that that ſame ſory and ſillie heart could gripe and attaine to ſuch vnſearchable riches. The effect of his will is this: the way of redemption to the loſt world is reuealed: the way of remiſſion of ſinnes, how to be made holy, and the reſt of the graces reuealed in Ieſus Chriſt. True wiſedome.This is the will of God. Note then, what call you true wiſdome? Men would be wiſe, man inclines to nothing more then to hauehave knowledge. Then what is true knowledge? To know the way of thy redemption. And if thou want this, the greater knowledge thou haſt, the greater foole. Be a foole, man, to come to this knowledge. Come down thou art that ſcanſing & ſoring I wot not where, come downe, come downe I ſay, if thou know not Ieſus thou art a foole: thou ſhalt neuer reach to the wiſdome of Chriſt; thou muſt come down and leaue thy foolery and proud conceite of knowledge, if thou wilt be truly wiſe.
In the end of the verſe, when generally he hath ſpoken of this knowledge, he laieth it out abroad, and ſaith, With all wiſdome and vnderstanding. By wiſdome briefly he vnderſtandeth all that knowledge that conſiſts not ſo much in doing, as in contemplation. By vnderſtanding, he meanes ſuch knowledge as ſtands in doing: for religion and that true Philoſophie and wiſdome is not a bare meditation; for a man to ſit in his chamber all the day, and like a Cloiſter Monke, and in the meane time to doe nothing thereby to profit the Church of God; it is nothing, it auailes not. But religion is a knowledge, and a meditation and a doing. Practiſe thy religion, or elſe it is not worth a penny. And if it ſhine not in thy life, it is but durt: ſo you hauehave the parts of this knowledge, wiſdome Wiſedome in meditation, vnderſtanding in practiſe.in meditation, vnderſtanding in practiſing to profit the world. You ſee firſt this knowledge is ſpirituall, in quality, not earthly. It is of things that neuer ſhall take end: it is parted, it ſtands in wiſdome and ſtands in practiſing, will you come to degrees? It is perfect in degrees, and then it is perfect in parts, in the which there is nothing that wants or is ſuperfluous. This is that knowledge that we hauehave in Chriſt: howbeit, the Apoſtle would ſeeme that he prayeth that they ſhould get this faith here: yet is it ſure that it is neuer gotten in this life, if thou ſhouldeſt liue Methuſalems daies. It muſt be that thou grow in filling vp this faith eueryevery day thou liueſt more and more; but ſo long as thou brookeſt this mortalitie, this fulnes, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeakes, ſhal neuer be: for this mortalitie muſt be ſwallowed vp of life. If thou wouldeſt hauehave this faith, thou ſhalt neuer get it till the day of the reſurrection, at which time God ſhall be all in all. 1. Cor. 15. 28. thou ſhalt riſe vp glorious, and this vile body ſhall be made like to his glorious body, Matth 13.and then it ſhall ſhine more brighter then the ſunne at noone day. O the glorie of the Saints! when he ſhall fill them ſo that they ſhall not neede a temple, nor meate or drinke, as it is ſaid in the Reuelation 21. but he ſhall be al to thee, becauſe he ſhall be in thee, and thou ſhalt be are him in thee, thou ſhalt be a tabernacle to him; then ſhall this fulneſſe be: and vntill then it ſhall be but in a growing to that perfection. Bleſſed be that ſoule that growes and feeles that heauenly liquor dropping day lie into the ſoule, be aſſured thou ſhalt get this fulneſſe of the light, and God ſhall dwell in thee for euer. You ſee then he hath prayed for wiſedome and knowledge; to what end is all this? will God giuegive a man knowledge or wiſedome, or will a man pray for it, except hee wot wherefore? wherefore is it then? That you may walke, ſaith he. Wherefore is light giuen, but that a man ſhould walke? wherefore ſhines the ſunne, but that thou mighteſt walke? The ſunne is not giuen thee to Similitude.ſleepe: he is but a ſwinger but a lubber that will lye idle in the day light, and the ſunne ſhall witnes againſt him in that day: much more that heauenly light, that ſunne of righteouſneſſe ſhines he for nothing? If thou haſt gotten this ſhining light, walke, goe, and trauell, be exerciſed in thy calling, and be Vocation.not idle: will this ſunne in the firmament teſtifie againſt thee if thou bee idle? what will the light of the ſonne of man doe troweſt thou, if thou be idle in thy profeſſion? O woe worth thee that euer thou ſawſt it! I ſee there muſt be a walking, but thou muſt not walke as thou wilt. In deede there be many that are ouer buſie, and that were better ſleeping in their beds then walking as they doe in wantonneſſe and wickedneſſe. And there is ouer many reeling here and there as wantons, about I wot not what. The very day light craues that thou walke according to the light, Rom. 13. 12. thou muſt hauehave a very comely behauiour in the ſhining of the ſunne, and thou muſt not play the foole, the drunken man, the harlot, the murtherer, and the theefe: I tell thee and thou doe it, the ſunne ſhall witneſſe againſt thy euill deede to thy condemnation. And if the ſunne in the world and firmament craues this comely behauiour of thee, and that thou walke orderly: then much more muſt thou walke by a rule in thy light Ieſus. What is the rule? Walke worthie of the Lord: as if he would ſay, is it the Lord that ſhines? ſtaine not that Lord of light by your euill behauiour. This importeth: as this light ſhines in thee, ſo thou ſhouldeſt ſee him. See him as thou wilt, he ſhines on thee: and if thou get a ſight of this light, bleſſed art thou. Alas theſe filthie perſons if they ſaw theeye of God, trowe ye that they would puddle on this ſort? all ſtands on this, that howbeit God ſee them they ſee him not. Happie art thou if thou canſt ſay when thou riſeſt, Lord thou ſeeſt me, now Lord giuegive me an eye to ſee thee, and Heb. 12. 14 Gen. 17. 1by the ſeeing of thee to walke as it becommeth me in thy preſence, neuer to ſtaine that glorious light by my prophane life. Now in the next words he telles more plainely what it is to walke worthie of the Lord: it ſtandeth in this: to pleaſe him in the whole actions of our life. Well is that heart that can in any meaſure be ſet to pleaſe God, and well is the mouth that can ſay, I would pleaſe thee O Lord: Lord giuegive me grace to pleaſe thee. No no, let not a thought that thou thinkeſt will diſpleaſe him, break out: hold it in, and ſay, Lord ſlay it by thy Thoughts.ſpirit: but fye on thee, when thy filthie thought falleth out into a filthie deede. Therefore ſet thee to pleaſe the Lord in thought, word, and deede. O the ioy in thy heart when thy conſcience beareth witneſſe to thee, that thou wouldeſt pleaſe the Lord! thou ſhalt neuer hauehave ioy in thy heart while then: When we hauehave ſet our heart to pleaſe him, it is but a meeting of the 2. Cor. 1. 12.Lord. The Lord hath ſet himſelfe before thee, to pleaſure thee: fye, fye then that thou wilt not ſet thy ſelfe to pleaſure him. Do what thou canſt, thou ſhalt neuer be able to pleaſure God in reſpect of his pleaſuring of thee. Thou art but an vnprofitable ſeruant: yet happie art thou if thou endeuor to pleaſure him, as he will, and wreſtling and ſtriuing as it were through a thornie hedge to get this cankered heart ſubiect to pleaſure thy God: and ſay, as thou haſt pleaſured me Lord, giuegive me grace to pleaſure thee.Note. Now the Lord giuegive eueryevery one grace to pleaſe him in ſome meaſure. To whom be praiſe and honor.
Amen.