Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 3
THE THIRD LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians, beginning at the middeſt of the tenth verſe.
COLOS. Chap. 1. verſ. 10, 11, 12.
10 Being fruitfull in all good workes, and increaſing in the knowledge of God,
11 Strengthened with all might through his glorious power, vntounto all patience, and long ſuffering with ioyfulneſſe,
12 Giuing thankes vntounto the Father, which hath made vsus meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.
WE heard brethren the preface of this epiſtle, it ſtandeth firſt in thankeſgiuing: and ſecondly in prayer. We hauehave heard this other day of thankſgiuing, and of the cauſes of it. We entred into the prayer. The Apoſtle ſheweth that the firſt day that euer hee heard of the grace of God which the Coloſſians had receiued, he not onelyonly thanketh God for it, but immediatly prayeth for them. The effect of his prayer was, that they ſhould be filled (they were not full yet) wherewith? with knowledge, and not ſimply that, but with all knowledge: of what thing? not of eueryevery thing, but with all knowledge of his wil, of the will of God reucaled moſt cleerely to the world, by the ſonne himſelfe, who is in the boſome of the father, and who manifeſted himſelfe in the fulnes of time, in the nature of man, and with his owne mouth reuealed the will of his father. Then he layeth out this knowledge in the parts of it: In all wiſedome (ſaith he) which conſiſteth in contemplation of heauenly things; and in all vnderſtanding, which conſiſteth in practizing that contemplation. All wiſedome, not earthly but ſpirituall; all vnderſtanding, not earthly but heauenly, touching the louelove of God, and the ſaluation of man in the bloud of Ieſus. Now to what end ſhould they be filled with all this wiſedome, that they ſhould ſit idlie in the world? no, no, but that they ſhould walke and trauell: and how? according to the rule. A miſruly life dowes not, it auailes not. The rule is, as it becommeth that Lord of light, as it becommeth that glorious Goſpell, this reuelation of the God of glorie, as it becommeth ſo glorious a calling. Then he ſheweth what it is to walke worthie of the Lord, it is to pleaſe him in all things, in all our actions and cogitations to ſtudie to pleaſe him, to make him a meeting as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, ſeeing he hath ſet himſelfe to pleaſe vsus, we ſhould goe about eueryevery way to pleaſe him. Now brethren thus farre wee heard the laſt day briefly: in this text, firſt we hauehave foure points, or heads, in the which conſiſteth the pleaſing of the Lord. Then we are to enter into the third part of the epiſtle concerning the doctrine to the Coloſſians. The firſt part of the pleaſing of the Lord is this, fructifying (ſaith he) in eueryevery good worke, there 4. points wherein we ought to indeauour to pleaſe God.is the firſt part. The ſecond is, growing in knowledge. The third is, to be ſtrengthened with all might through his glorious power. The fourth and laſt is, being ſtrengthened with all might vntounto patience vnderunder the croſſe, to thanke him cheerefully and ioyfully. Theſe are the foure points wherein the pleaſuring of God ſtandeth. To come to the firſt, it is to fructifie in eueryevery good worke: marke it, the ſpeech is borrowed from a tree that brings out good fruite. We knowe the pleaſure of the Husband-man is, when he ſeeth a tree in his garden fruiteful and bringing out good fruite in due ſeaſon: Euen ſo the pleaſure of the Lord is when he looketh downe to thee as vntounto a tree planted in his garden, and ſeeth thee fructifying in eueryevery good worke, that is his pleaſure. But here the difference betwixt the fruitfull tree and the godly man, is this. The tree that is moſt frutefull S.will bring out but a kinde of fruite onelyonly: an apple tree will bring forth apples; a peare tree, peares; and another, his kinde of fruite; and ſo forth in the reſt: but thou that art a fruitfull tree in the garden of the Lord, thou muſt not bee bound to one kinde of fruite; but as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, you muſt bring forth all good workes, both of ſoule and body, for the Lord will not hauehave the fruite of the one without the other. But if thou be planted in the garden of the Lord, thou muſt bring forth fruite to the pleaſure of God, both of ſoule and body. Againe, you knowe a tree hath the ſeaſon, but thou art not bound to one ſeaſon, to ſommer, winter, or harueſt; but thou art bound to beare fruites continually. So briefly brethren, there is the firſt point of the pleaſing of God: wouldeſt thou pleaſe him? looke that thou bee fruitefull, bee not barren; worke, be not idle, be occupied, and well occupied: doe no euill, but good; not one ſort of goodneſſe, but all the good that is poſſible for thee to doe. Now to come to the ſecond point of the pleaſing of God: it ſtands in growing in knowledge, and that is faith. This point flowes from the firſt, marke it. A man that fructifieth in good workes, he feedes vponupon his owne workes: by the very iuyce and ſap of the workes, Growth in knowledge.knowledge or faith is nouriſhed. It is true in deede, good workes muſt come of faith, and there cannot be good workes where faith is not firſt: they muſt riſe of faith in the heart, and faith (as the Apoſtle ſaith) worketh by charitie, Galath. 5. 6. Euen Good workes. Note well.as good workes come of faith; ſo good workes nouriſh, augment, and intertaine the mother of it, that is faith. This is the difference betwixt the fruitfull man, and the tree. The tree bringeth not forth the fruite to it ſelfe, nor feedes on it: It is not ſo with the fruitfull man. In deede it is true, the good workes of a man which are the fruite of faith, they ſerue firſt to the glorie of God, and next to the good of his neighbour. But there is further vſe of them, he getteth the beſt himſelfe. Doeſt thou a good turne to any man? thou haſt the beſt of it thy ſelfe: and thou feedeſt more on thy good worke, then the perſon doth vponupon whom thou beſtowdeſt thy good worke. So this is ſure, good workes nouriſh faith; euen as euill workes ſowre and bitter fruites (whereof this land is ful) foule thoughts in thy heart, foule and filthie ſpeeches in thy mouth, cruell and barbarous deedes in thy hand, nouriſh vnbeleefe in the filthie and wicked perſon. Troweſt thou all is gone from thee, when thou haſt ſuffered a foule word to paſſe out of thy mouth, and an euill deede to paſſe from thy hand, that thou art quit of them? No, no, it comes backe vponupon thy ſelfe, and leaueth a foule blacke ſpot behinde it: and if thou bee an infidell, thy infidelitie increaſeth in thy heart, and thou art nouriſhed by it. Alas! the beſt of vsus all is ſubiect at all times to one euill or other. If thou be faithfull, the very euill deede will come backe vponupon thee and anger thy heart. The very euill deedes if thou goe forward in them ſhall extinguiſh thy faith, or feeling, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Theſ. 5. 19. So thy fruits ſhall either augment thy faith, or elſe extinguiſh thy faith if thou continue. Therefore take heede to thy doings, that they wound thee not to thy heart: and if thou wouldeſt pleaſe God, fructifie in good workes: and ſecondly by them growe in faith. The third point followes, being ſtrengthened with all might through his glorious power: and this followeth from the ſecond, for eueryevery one followeth from other. Wee knowe that the tree that groweth, as it fructifieth; ſo it groweth ſtrong, a growing thing groweth euer to ſtrength, as a decreaſing thing faileth more and more to weakenes, and the more the fruitfull tree groweth, it is the ſtronger: ſo a man growing in faith and good workes, he growes to ſtrength. For except the tree groweth to ſtrength, it may well fructifie for a time, but it is not able to fructifie long, the ſommer will wither it, and the winter will rot it: euen ſo a man except he growe in faith, and in the fruits of faith to a ſtrength, till he be ſtrong, and growe in ſtrength of well doing, he ſhall not be able to ſtand and abide all. He ſhall not be able to abide the dint of perſecutions, the ſword, hunger, impriſonment, and ſuch other afflictions. I ſay he ſhall not be able to abide theſe things, except he growe to a ſtrength of God: but the heate of perſecution ſhall make him to periſh and wither away. He is not content with this ſimple word of ſtrength, but he addeth to all might. A chriſtian man muſt not be content with one ſort of ſtrength in this life. In deede were there but one calamitie, one affliction, and one perſecution, one ſort of ſtrength might ſuffice; but ſeeing there are manifold, yea a thouſand fold, thy ſtrength muſt bee a manifold ſtrength, thou muſt hauehave al ſtrength. Then to marke it briefly: I ſee a perfection of all things craueth to bee in a chriſtian. Wilt thou ſpeake of knowledge? the Lord craueth all knowledge. Wilt thou come to workes? hee craueth all manner of workes. Wilt thou come to ſtrength? hee craues all ſtrength. Well brethren, it may bee that we attaine not in this life to this perfection, but certainly theſe words are not in vaine, but they let vsus vnderſtand thus far, that once we ſhall attaine to perfection; growe here, and hence thou ſhalt hauehave a perfection; growe in knowledge here, and hence thou ſhalt hauehave perfect knowledge: but if thou growe not in knowledge, and in the reſt of the graces of God here, thou ſhalt neuer attaine to perfection. But when ſhalt thou hauehave it? read 1. Cor. 15. and there ye ſhall finde it. Then he commeth forward and layeth downe the ground, and beginning of this ſtrength: He craues it not of fleſh and bloud, he bids them not be ſtrong in them ſelues: the ſtronger that one is in fleſh and bloud, the weaker is hee in the ſpirit, and the more vnable to receiue knowledge and to beleeue, and to bring forth the workes of the ſpirit and faith: for as the Apoſtle ſaith, Galath. 5. 17. The fleſh fighteth againſt the ſpirit, yea the fleſh (as experience teacheth vsus) ouer comes the ſpirit. Therefore he ſaith not, be ſtrong in all might, in your ſelues; but he ſaith according to the force of his glorious power, as he ſpeaketh to the Epheſians 6. 10. he craues that they ſhould be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Then thou man be ſtrong in the glorious ſtrength of thy God; not in thy ſelfe, nor in thy owne arme, nor in things earthly, but in the ſtrength of God. But how get wee it? Reade Epheſ. 1. 19. where hee ſaith, what is the excellent greatnes of his power in vsus that beleeue: and 1. Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept (ſaith hee) by the vertue of the ſtrength of God: and how? through faith. Then looke how the ſtrength of God comes downe to thee (there is a farre ſpace betwixt thee and God) beleeue in God through Ieſus Chriſt, apprehend him, behold him by faith in his glorie, ſpare not, paſſe through the glorie of God: if thou get a gripe of him by faith, thou ſhalt ſucke downe that power and glorie that is in God, and thou ſhalt be filled with it. Note.Ye reade of Steuen in the Acts chap. 7. 5. when he is perſecuted and accuſed, his eye is in heauen: they are looking to him, but he is looking to heauen: his faith pearceth through the cloudes to the preſence of God, and ſuckes downe ſtrength and comfort to him now in the heate of his perſecution, euen when his affliction is at the height, and is ſoreſt vponupon him: what ſaith the text? He is filled with the holy Ghoſt, Acts 7. 55. ſo that his face ſhined as an Angell: ſo ye ſee the glorie of God what it is. Now in the words following, he is not content generally to ſpeake of this ſtrength, but he layes it out abroad cleerely ſetting it out in three parts. Firſt, in all patience, the ſecond long ſuffering. Thy patience muſt not be for a time, but it Patience and ioy vnderunder the croſſe.muſt be in long ſuffering. The third is in ioyfulneſſe of heart, patience without ioy, without willingneſſe to ſuffer auaileth not, if ioy be away burne thee, racke thee, rent thee, all is for nought. So in a word, who is the ſtrong man? men would think that he is ſtrongeſt that is ableſt to perſecute, to oppreſſe, to afflict and to trouble the Saints of God. The King of Spaine is counted very ſtrong, and the Pope is counted very ſtrong, becauſe they hauehave a ſtrong hand to perſecute the ſilly ones of Ieſus Chriſt. But who is the ſtrong man? that body that A ſtrong man.ſuffereth the ſword, the fire, and all manner of affliction patiently for Chriſts ſake, and hath continuance in patience, and with patience, ioyfulneſſe of heart: there is the ſtrong man. The ſtrength of God is not ſo much in doing, as in ſuffering: ſo that thou that ſuffereſt moſt in patience, and in the ioy of thy heart, thou art ſtrongeſt, and it is thou that getteſt the Rom. 8. 37.victory. Thou that art vndon in the ſight of the world, thou art the ſtrong man, and not he that ſlayeth thee. The filthie murtherers are ſlaues, the man that thou oppreſſeſt is the ſtrong man, and thou art the ſlaue, and ſhalt dwell with the diuell that great ſlaue, when as the afflicted ſhall triumph and be with God. Well, if thou hauehave this ſtrength of God, and patience in afflictions, thine afflictions ſhall not make thee weake, but the ſtronger to endure. To come to the laſt point, giuing thankes vntounto the father. This floweth out of the third, a man in perſecution ſtrengthened with patience. O the mouth of that man is opened to praiſe and thanke God, though it were in the fire burning! So you ſee this riſeth out of the other. Marke it, wherefore ſhall ye thanke him? it is a harde matter that a man exerciſed by the hand of God (for the perſecutor is but the hangman of God, if he were a King, and the Lowne ſhall be hanged in the end, and the ſcourg ſhall be caſt into the fire) ſhould thanke God in the middeſt of perſecution. The words following lets thee ſee wherefore thou ſhouldeſt thanke him, to wit, for thy calling. This chriſtian calling, to be heire of Which hath made vsus meete.heauen, is the matter of thy ioy, vponupon the which thankeſgiuing doth ariſe. So in the middeſt of affliction, of perſecution, of martyrdome, the remembrance of thy calling to be a chriſtian, and to be heire of heauen, ſhould make thee to reioyce, and to giuegive thankes to the Lord of glory, and ſhould euer hold thee vp, and ſhould make thee to open thy mouth, and praiſe the Lord, Rom. 5. 2. We glorie in hope. O that glory miniſtreth ioy in all the afflictions in the world. Then marke Nose of a man truely pleaſing. God.a leſſon out of all this, who is he that pleaſeth God? (woe is him that is in no meaſure about to pleaſe him. O wofull wretch, though thou wert an Emperor of the world, if thou be not in ſome meaſure ſet to pleaſure him, woe is thee for euer more!) Firſt, the man that fructifieth in good workes: and if thou be an euill doer, thou pleaſeſt not God, but the diſpleaſure of God lyeth on thee. Secondly, hee that would pleaſe God, he muſt bee a growing man (not ſtanding in this world) and that euer in faith: that is, the elder thou be, the neerer and neerer to God, thou muſt growe elder in faith. Then thirdly, he muſt be ſtrong, not onelyonly able to doe but to ſuffer, and therefore he muſt be ſtrengthened with patience. A chriſtian man is not a doer onelyonly, but a dyer. Fourthly, he muſt be euer glorifying, euer thanking God, and praying to his maieſtie, euen when hee is moſt oppreſt. Put theſe graces together in a man, and that is the man that pleaſeth God. And O the liking of God that hee hath of thee, when thou art thus occupied! Thus far the preface.
Now followes the third part of the Epiſtle contayning doctrine, both faire and sweete, opening a glorious myſterie, and that briefly. You that would hauehave riches, he opens vp the riches of Ieſus Chriſt to you, that was ſo long hid vp from the beginning to his comming. The firſt thing he begins at in his doctrine, it is this chriſtian calling, it is the firſt grace and Our calling. The firſt grace we receiue in time.bleſſing that in time we get in Chriſt. I ſay in time, becauſe our election or predeſtination is before all time. So the firſt grace we get in Ieſus Chriſt in time, is our chriſtian calling. In the epiſtle to the Epheſians he beginneth higher, but in this epiſtle he doth not ſo: he begins not for the height but at this bleſſing, that is firſt in time, to bee called to bee a member of Chriſt.
Note.Now in ſpeaking of this benefit of our calling to be a chriſtian, hee ſpeakes not ſimply of it, but in ſpeaking of it he is thanking the Lord the father who hath made vsus meete for a part of that glorie: for you ſhall marke this of the Apoſtle, he can neuer ſpeake of the graces of God, but he euer thankes God. And in the firſt epiſtle of Peter. 1. 3. to teach thee when thou ſpeakeſt of the graces of God, to remember to praiſe him, and to giuegive him hartie thankes for his bleſſings. Now to come on firſt in this doctrine of this chriſtian calling, we hauehave the author of it. Whom thankes he? Thanking, ſaith he, the father: Author of our calling.ſo he giues the glorie of our calling to the father of our Lord Ieſus, the father of glorie; he gets the firſt praiſe of our calling. The ſonne himſelfe ſpeaking of his owne calling; he giues all glorie to his father: So all the godly giuegive the glorie of their calling, firſt to the father, becauſe he is the beginner of all grace. Then he cōmeth to the benefit it ſelfe, he ſaith not, thanking the father who hath called vsus, but in ſteed of the word calling, he putteth the definition of calling, the effect of the calling, who hath made vsus meet, or ſufficient in effect: then marke the words, they import firſt this. That then when the father hath put his hand to worke, to cal thee, thou waſt vnmeete: if he made thee meete thou waſt firſt vnmeete 2. Cor. 3. 5. thou waſt vnmeete, euen if it were to thinke a good thought: when he began to worke, thou hadſt no power once to thinke of this calling. Then What our calling is.wherein ſtands our calling? not in a bare name, as you would calaman, but it ſtandeth in a change. When he calleth thee, he changeth thee wonderfully, & makes thee that, that thou waſt not. Thou waſt an old craſed creature, a faggot for hell: thou waſt nothing becauſe of thy ſinne: and except the Lord make thee a new thing, better it were for thee to be turned to nothing, for thou ſhalt bee turned downe to hell. Rom. 4. 1. he calleth the thing that is not, as though it were. This is the calling of the Lord: when he calleth a man, he changeth the heart of him. The free-will of the Papiſts, that poyſoned doctrine of theirs, that a man hath ſome grace by nature (howbeit vnable to receiue grace of God) will neuer ſtand in the day of the Free-will.Lord: and if thou wilt defend it, thou ſhalt neuer finde this effectuall calling of the Lord. If thou renounce not thy owne ſufficiencie, thou ſhalt neuer get grace. He thankes God that made vsus ſufficient of vnſufficient, meete of vnmeete, of dead men quicke men: wouldeſt thou thanke God from thy heart? (for thanking of God muſt riſe from the heart) there is the firſt ground of it: the feeling of thy owne want, of thy owne miſerie, and that great lacke of grace in it, and that muſt be the deepeſt ſenſe in thy heart, and lye at the roote of thy heart: and thy prayer muſt riſe from that ſteppe, and from that Thanksgiuing.ſteppe to come to another ſteppe, to the ſenſe of that merciemercy that God hath ſhewed thee, that is the next. The firſt is a ſenſe of thy miſerie: the ſecond is a ſenſe of the mercy of God, of theſe two breakes out the thankſgiuing. So that if thankſgiuing beginne not at the ſenſe of thy wants, I tell thee it is but a thankſgiuing from the teeth forward. Take it for a ſure rule, if thou hauehave not a true ſenſe & feeling of thy owne wants and miſeries, and then of the merciemercy of God; thou canſt neuer thanke God aright: nay thou canſt neuer in any meaſure ſeeke to God truely. So to returne I ſay, as thou wouldeſt hauehave grace, begin at this, that thou art nothing in thy ſelfe, that God may hauehave the glory: there is your calling and the effect of your calling. But whereto are we called? A man that is called, he is called to ſome thing. The Lord calles not, but to ſome end. He hath made vsus meete for a part: whereof? A part of a lot, that is, of an inheritance that falleth by lot. Then wouldeſt thou vnderſtand whereto thou art called, and made meete? to wit, for heauen; to make thee able to brooke that heauenly inheritance: ſo thou art not called to nothing, but to an inheritance. So if thou finde that thou art called and a change is made in thy heart, of an vnmeete man thou art made meete, and if thou finde a change, looke certainely for an heritage, faile not to looke for it, for the heritage ſhall not faile thee. Thy ſufficiencie had not been wrought, if thou haddeſt not been propped vp for that heritage: yet the word would be noted. He calles it not an heritage, but a lot: by the which he will let thee ſee, that thy heauenly heritage falleth out to be by lot. Ye would thinke that a man called ſhould merit to himſelfe an heritage, that hee might worke for it here. No ſaith the Apoſtle, thine heritage falleth to bee a lot, when thou art called. So a benefit is not a merit of another benefit; our ſanctification is not a merit of our iuſtification; but all is of grace, and our inheritance is but a lot, that is, a grace or gift of God without deſeruing. Yet further: whoſe is this inheritance? he ſaith that it is the lot of the Saints of God. God hath giuing it them, and none other hath gotten it, or ſhall enioy one foote broad of it, but the Saints. Thou maiſt inherit here a kingdome, an earldome, a Lordſhip, though thou were as a diuell: but in heauen thou ſhalt hauehave none if thou be not firſt a Saint, and a holy one here on earth. Marke this leſſon: ere euer thou get a ſhare of heauenly inheritance of the Saints, thou muſt come creeping to that communion of Saints; be ioyned with them here if thou mind to hauehave any part with them in heauen: ſeparate thy ſelfe from that ſocietie of the Church of God, thou ſhalt be debard from heauen: thou ſhalt neuer get a ſight of it. Looke the epiſtle to the Epheſians, where he ſheweth wherein the riches of the glorie of this inheritance is. Where is it? he ſaith, it is among the Saints, Epheſ. 1. 18. So then aſſociate thy ſelfe to the ſociety of the Saints in earth. Men may paſſe their time, and what reckon they of a Church? It ſmelles in their noſe, what ſhould they ſpeake of it? it is a ſtinking word, mockage and ſcorne to them: but I ſay glad ſhalt thou be to be of that number, or elſe I ſhall debarre thee from all ſocietie of the Saints in heauen. Thou ſhalt be excommunicated out of heauen, if thou excommunicate thy ſelfe here from the Saints. Now where lies it? you take heed where your heritage lyes, and you will looke to your charters, and euidences diligently; for that cauſe, you will looke the ſcituation of it. Hee ſaith that this heritage of the ſaints is in the light; there is the place, a lightſome and a ioyful pleaſant place. The line of pleaſant places ſaith Dauid, Pſalm. 16. 6. is fallen to me. It lyeth then in the light, it is in heauen, as Peter ſaith in his firſt Epiſtle 1. 4. It is kept and laid vp where God dwelleth: it may well content thee to dwell where God himſelfe dwelles. Yet where is it? Thy life is hid with God, ſaith he. O then thy heritage is in God! what can bee ſaid more? A faire heritage lying in ſo faire a light, euen in heauen with God, and in God. I ſee then all our life and ioy either in this life or in the life to come, is in that light of knowledge, in that ſpirituall knowledge: ſo that a man that hath his minde inlightened to ſee, as the Apoſtle ſaith to the Epheſians, the hope of his calling, the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of the Saints; the man that hath this light, he liues and enioyes a great inheritance, howbeit he hath neuer an ynch in this earth; and his ioy is a true ioy. And againe, a man that is in darkneſſe, not ſeeing the face of God; in no meaſure, knowing nothing: that man liuing hee is dead, if hee were an Emperor, a King, and a Lord. This countrie is full of dead ſtinking carrions, becauſe they want this light, and they would pull out their eyes that they ſhould not ſee this light. But woe to them in the end, when this darkneſſe ſhall bring an vtter darkneſſe, when thou ſhalt be a dead ſtinking dog in hell. Get thou this light if euer thou wouldeſt ſee heauen, and hauehave a part of it, which is not in darkeneſſe, but in the light of God. To whom we giuegive all honour, praiſe and dominion for euer.
Amen.