Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 35
THE XXXV. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 4. verſ. 2. 3. 4.
2 Continue in prayer, & watch in the ſame with thanke ſgiuing;
3 Praying for vsus, that God may open vntounto vsus the doore of vtterance, to ſpeake the mysterie of Chriſt, wherfore I am alſo in bands,
4 That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to ſpeake.
WE heard brethren the laſt day (as God gaue the grace) certaine ſpeciall precepts of manners that were directed to particular eſtates of men, as to Husbands, and Wiues; Parents, and Children; Maſters, and Seruants: now in this text, we returne to the generall exhortations, that generally concernes eueryevery eſtate in this world, whereof the firſt ſet downe here, is concerning prayer, which is a common dutie, that eueryevery one that is borne oweth to God in Ieſus Chriſt. To come to the words. Continue in prayer, be inſtant in Prayer a common dutie.prayer, pray continually, all is one thing. To ſpeake of prayer, becauſe it is a common place, I will not inſiſt; but only ſo farre as the text will furniſh me: for the matter is ample, and therefore I will bound me within the text. As for the cauſes and neceſſitie of praier, I need not to ſpeake much, ye know the Lord giues a commaundement that we ſhould pray, and that in the name of Ieſus Chriſt; and if there were no more but this, it is a Motiues to prayer.cauſe ſufficient to moue thee to pray: The Lord commaunds thee. But there is more, to wit, a promiſe, the Lord hath promiſed 1. Charge.2. Promiſe.to eueryevery one that prayeth in faith, Aske, and ye ſhall receiue, Luk. 11.&c. this promiſe may allure the heart of eueryevery one to pray. There is yet more, who is he that feeles not the neceſſitie 3. Neceſſitie.and wants that be in eueryevery one of vsus, ſo long as we liue? who is he that hath ſo much that he needes no more? Yea though he were a Monarch, hath he ſuch ſufficiencie that he needs not to ſeeke more at God? Beſides this, there be ſuch riches, plentie, and aboundance in God, through Ieſus Chriſt, that it is able to fill vp all the wants that be in vsus. Therefore the very 4. Gods riches.riches that be in him, ſhould driue vsus to deſire a portion of that fulnes which is in him. But (brethren) to leaue this, and to come to the words. If there were no more but this, that wee are commaunded to pray, it is a ſufficient argument, to eueryevery one to aſſure them, that there is no merit in vsus. Wee deſerue nothing of God; but all that wee get we get it of free merciemercy and grace, and that in Ieſus Chriſt. If thou come on with a deſeruing, and a merit of thy righteouſnes, thou ſhalt neuer get merciemercy: I ſeclude thee from God: for what is praying, but begging? not of worthines, but of the merciemercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt. And when thou haſt done all, ſay, fie on my workes, and aske merciemercy for that bloud of Ieſus Chriſts ſake.
In the text there be two qualities of prayer ſet downe. The firſt is an inſtātnes without tyring. The ſecond, is watchfulnes. Two things in prayer: firſt, conſtancie: ſecondly, watchfulnes.For he who praieth ſhould not be a ſleeper, but watchfull both night and day. To come then to the firſt, hee ſaith, Be instant, perſeuer, continue, all is one thing. The thing that he requires is perſeuerance, ardentnes, continuance. I neede not to inſiſt vponupon the cauſes of this. Needeſt thou not continually? Findeſt thou not that there is not an houre, wherein thou wanteſt not either things heauenly or earthly? (if thou wanteſt not earthly, indeede it may be that thou knoweſt not the want of heauenly things; but woe is that ſoule that findeth not the want of heauenly food) and ſo if thou needeſt continually, why ſhould not thy prayer be continuall? for it is prayer that ſupplies that want. Moreouer, there is none of you but ye finde this by experience: God will not heare a man at the firſt; but (crie as thou wilt) he will not ſeeme to heare, he will ſeeme to hauehave a Luk. 18. 1. 2. 3deafe eare, and all to this end, that thou ſhouldeſt perſeuere in prayer. For hee hath pleaſure to trie thy patience, faith, and prayer, which is the beſt exerciſe. And ſo ſuppoſing that thou get not that that thou askeſt; yet if thou get perſeuerance, Perſeuerance. Whatſoeuer thou getteſt without prayer is but ſtolen, and an argument of wrath.thou getteſt a greater gift, then if thou hadſt that, that thou askedſt at the firſt: yea, if thou get all the world without prayer (for all is giuen in wrath) if he ſhould aduance thee to a kingdome, it is but a bait to thy damnation, except thou get a heart to pray and to continue in prayer. Of all graces, a ſpirituall grace is beſt: a little bit of regeneration is better then all the kingdomes in the earth: howbeit thou ſet light by it now; yet when thou art driuen to the vtmoſt point, or at the laſt gaſpe, thou wouldeſt giuegive all the world to hauehave a bit of it. There is the firſt qualitie in prayer, perſeuerance.
The ſecond is watchfulnes, watching in it. Watchfulnes is feruencie in prayer, when not the bodie onelyonly, but when the ſoule and all the affections are waking and bent to heauen: when the Spirit is inſtant with God in Ieſus Chriſt. It is oppoſed to this coldnes that ouergoes vsus all. Our prayer is in ſleeping, and when we are ſleeping we are praying; and ſo comes out a cold prayer out of a cold heart, and it is oppoſed to this ſluggiſhnes and deadnes in prayer, with yawning and gaping, halfe ſleeping, and halfe waking. Alas, our neceſſitie requires another earneſtnes, it ſtands vsus in the loſing of heauen, and ſhutting of vsus in hell and damnation. The diuell ſtands to catch vsus (if wee could ſee our danger) and when thou thinkeſt thou art moſt ſure, he is buſieſt about thee: if thou knew this, thou wouldeſt watch better, and wouldeſt ſeek more feruently to God to keepe thee. But alas all are ſo blinded, and all are ſo ſyeled vp, that the greateſt part are lead to damnatiō blindfolded. So hee that can get this watchfulnes, hath gotten a great grace, and the more thy ſpirit is intended, the neerer is A good note of watchfulnes in praier.God to thee: for it is his preſence that wakens thee. There is nothing that likes him better, then an earneſtnes in ſeeking theſe heauenly matters. The Lord graunt we may feele theſe things; for it is no ſmall matter to hauehave this ſenſe.
With prayer he ioynes thankſgiuing: whereby he teacheth vsus, that the preſent neceſsitie ſhould not moue vsus ſo to ſeeke preſent helpe, and ſupplie at God, that in the meane time wee forget the old benefits: in praying with teares for a new benefit, remember the old, and thanke him for it. And if thou get any new thing, yea, if it be but a mouthfull of meate, neuer forget to thanke him for it: for it is of merciemercy thou haſt it, and not of thy heritage, and Charters. And if thou hauehave it in thy poſſeſſion, yea if thou hadſt it in thy hand, and on thy boord, and in thy mouth, aske it of God and deſire a bleſsing to it: otherwiſe thou haſt it with the curſe of God. It is the ſweeteſt exerciſe in the world to be euer praying and thanking God, if it were but for a *A courſe eaten cake.gray bannocke, and drinke of cold water: for that bodie that doth this, hath greater ioy, then any in the world with their moſt daintie diſhes. Againe, howbeit thou get not, quarrell not with him, but thanke him for all that: for if he giuegive thee feruentnes with this delay, thou getteſt a ſpeciall grace, thou ſhouldeſt thanke him for it. Paul writing to the Philippians, chap. 4. verſ. 6. 7. teacheth thee that when thou caſteſt thy care on God, thou ſhalt get peace in thy ſoule: yea ſuppoſing thou ſought for life and gat it not, yet thanke him: for thou ſhalt get ioy and peace in thy ſoule, and in it thou ſhalt end. So what wanteſt thou? why ſhouldeſt thou quarrell with him? Therefore euer pray, and giuegive thankes to God.
To goe to the next verſe (for I will not inſiſt in the generals) Praying for vsus alſo: That is, for me Paul. So in particular he ſets downe that perſon, for whom eſpecially he would hauehave them powring out their praiers, and he recommends himſelfe to their praiers. He doth this not only here, but in the Epiſtle to the Epheſians, chap. 6. 18. 19. alſo, and in other places. Paul the choſen veſſell of God, a man who had ſuch a preſence of God, that was ſo familiar with God in his prayer, whoſe calling was to pray for others, as in the firſt chapter of the ſame Epiſtle is manifeſt: this man indued with ſuch graces, yet notwithſtanding all theſe graces, hee is earneſt to deſire the Coloſſians, who were but newly entred into Chriſtianitie, who in knowledge were nothing like to him; in *Familiaritie.homelines with God, were nothing like in compariſon of him, to interpoſe their prayers for him to God. Well brethren, marke in Iob. 22. 21.Paul a notable example of modeſtie (for all the graces hee Modeſtie in Paſtors.had) to Paſtors, though they were beautified with neuer ſo many and faire graces; yet they ſhould begge the prayers of the meaneſt in their flocke: and alſo marke in the Coloſsians an example to all people of their mutuall dutie they owe to their Paſtor, to pray for him: for as he is bound to pray for you; ſo ye are bound to pray for him, and in generall eueryevery one to pray for another, I for thee, and thou for me. The prayer of the ſimpleſt member may helpe the head. The toe may helpe the head: that is, the pooreſt in the world indued with grace in Ieſus, may helpe the greateſt, and him who hath moſt gifts of God: for there be none, but they hauehave acceſſe to the throne of grace. It is true, one hath gotten a greater grace then another; yet al are made Prieſts: through the prieſthood of Chriſt, all hauehave that kingly prieſthood. And therefore there is none, but by vertue of that calling, they hauehave that acceſſe to God to come and make interceſsion for themſelues and others, though it were the pooreſt for the greateſt; yea though it were for the King, that wil not know him in the gate, yet he hath acceſſe to God, and his prayer will be auaileable: for it 1.. Pet. 2. 9is impoſsible that that calling of the Prieſthood can be vneffectuall. So eueryevery one of vsus may benefit another, and wee are bound thus to doe by vertue of that common calling to the Prieſthood in Chriſt. Pray for me (ſaith he) alſo. This is to be noted, that he ſaith, pray together, by which he meanes the order to be obſerued in prayer. Pray firſt for your ſelfe, and then Order in prayer.remember me: forget not thy ſelfe, for I aſſure thee, hee who forgets himſelfe, wil forget his neighbour, and thou that canſt not pray for thy ſelfe, canſt not pray for me, nor no other. A prophane man or woman like Eſau, that will ſell their birthright, and care not for their ſaluation, cannot hauehave care of the ſaluation of another. Hee who is vnprofitable to himſelfe, to whom can he be profitable? Therefore ſeeke not the prayers of prophane perſons. Paul ſaith in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinths, chap. 9. verſ. 27. I bring my bodie into ſubiection, leſt by any meanes after that I hauehave preached to other, I my ſelfe ſhould be reproued. If I ſhall preach to others, and be a reprobate my ſelfe, what ſhall it auaile me? It may well doe them good, to whom I preach: but if I be a prophane man and a reprobate, my preaching ſhall not helpe me: if I hauehave no care for my owne ſaluation, the care for others auailes not: and therefore craue not the prayer of that body, that cannot be carefull of himſelf. What is the ſubiect of this prayer for him? He preſcribes the ſubiect of their prayer for him: Pray for me, that the doore of vtterance may be opened vntounto me: there is the ſubiect. In a word generally, the effect of the prayer they ſhould make for him is, that his mouth might be opened, to vtter the Goſpell with libertie. The greateſt grace of a Paſtor, is libertie to vtter this grace in Ieſus Chriſt: A free heart and mouth, this is the greateſt of all graces. Paul accounted not ſo much of the gift of wonders, to heale the blind, and the lame, as he did of this faire Vtterance.grace of a free mouth and heart to vtter the Goſpell. No ſuch thing writes he to them, as pray for me that I may work wonders: pray for me, that I may ſhake off theſe bands, wherein I lie: he directs no ſuch thing to them, but pray that an open doore of vtterance may be permitted to me for the vttering of the Goſpell. Of the which marke this: It was a hard thing to Paul to get libertie in bands to preach the Goſpell. It is eaſie in calmenes to preach with libertie, but when wee are bound with bands it is hard to get libertie. And the word ſhewes that Doore of vtterance.it is as hard, as to breake through a doore cloſed vp. And therfore it is not for nought that he deſires their prayers, that God would open the doore to vtter this glorious myſterie of the Goſpell. As if he would ſay, your prayers ſhould be at al times for them that are ſet ouer you; but ſpecially when they are lying in bands. Say therefore to the Lord, howbeit Lord, he be bound in priſon, yet let his heart and mouth be free to vtter thy glorious Goſpell, that word of life. Againe note, howbeit hee was in bands at Rome where hee died; yet the ſubiect of the prayer he craues, is not that I may be relieued, but that the word of God be not bound; but that my tongue may be looſed to vtter the myſterie of the Goſpell. This is a leſſon to Paſtors: if thou wert lying bound, bee more carefull of the Goſpell that is committed to thee, then of thy bands, or of thy ſelfe. Firſt, that it be kept in freedome, giuegive all that thou haſt ere that libertie be impaired: be bound and bound againe ere through thy default the word bee bound: when thou art in bonds, be not ſo carefull of thy bands, though it were in fire, as of this libertie. The Martyrs remembred this well. So the preciouſeſt thing to thee in the world ſhould be the libertie of the Goſpell. This ſhould be moſt regarded by Kings and Paſtors, that the word of God be not bound. Binde what ye will, but binde not the Goſpell in paine of thy life: thou ſhalt be bound, that binds it. Pray for me alſo (ſaith he) that God might open a doore of vtterance. He ſaith not, that the Emperor ſhould open my mouth, but that God that hath committed this myſterie to me, he might giuegive me this libertie. The leſſon is plaine: it is onelyonly God that opens a mans mouth to deliuer the Goſpell with freedome; and if he doe it, all the Kings of the earth will not cloſe it. When thou haſt cut out the tongue of a man, the libertie ſhall abide in the heart of him: ſo all the world cannot cloſe it. Againe, if God cloſe the mouth and take away this freedome, all the world cannot open it againe. Learne this. For if our libertie depended on men, our mouthes ſhould be ſoone cloſed, but it depends on God: ſo that when the perſon is bound, hand and foote, the greater ſhall be the libertie of the man in the vttering of the Goſpell, and ſo it is but vanitie to ſtriue with God.
To goe forward. That God might open. What? the priſon doore? No, no ſuch thing, he careth not for it: he tooke more care of his mouth opening. Open the doore of my mouth, ſaith he: for brethren, it is better to lie in bands with an open mouth to vtter the Goſpell, then it is to be a freeman in the forreſt, looſe and liuing with a cloſe mouth, and not to ſpeake with freedome of the Goſpell. Woe is that Miniſter that is ſet free by man, and then hath his mouth bound. No, make not that choiſe; chuſe rather to be bound in the body, then to hauehave thy mouth bound. And experience teacheth, yt there is more ioy in a mans hart, hauing freedom to ſpeake the Goſpel himſelf being bound, then there is in his hart that hath his mouth bound and his bodie free. And it is better for the people to hauehave a Miniſter bound, that is free in the libertie of the Goſpell to vtter it, then to hauehave him looſe and dumme: for God neuer opened a mans mouth in vaine; for of neceſsitie hee will open the heart of ſome of the hearers, as the heart of Lydia was opened, Act. 16. 14. So it was neuer in vaine that the Lord opened the mouth of the Apoſtle.
To goe forward, That God ſhould open the doore of vtterance. Whereto? That I may ſpeake. It is a great grace to ſpeake: And what? The beſt thing that euer was: Speake the mysterie of Chriſt. I will not inſiſt to ſpeake largely what this word myſterie meanes: In a word, it is a precious thing hid vp; ſo that it cannot be ſeene by nature. It is Ieſus Chriſt; and therefore it is called the myſterie of Ieſus Chriſt, folded vp from the eyes of men. It is the vnſearchable riches of Ieſus Chriſt hid vp. It is that wiſedome of God (as it is ſaid in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthes chap. 2. verſ. 17.) which hee hath appointed for the glorie of man, and in time hee hath vnfolded it. It is nothing els, but this Euangel of Chriſt, and all his graces which were hid vp, till hee came. The very name of it ſelfe is glorious. It containes an argument to moue them to pray for him, that his mouth might be opened, and to hauehave ſuch a libertie to vtter the Goſpell, as he craues. If there were no more but the name of myſterie, it is an argument ſufficient enough for thee to pray for that man to whom it is committed, that he may vtter it with libertie: for it is great pitie by any meanes to reſtraine the libertie of it; for this is to hide the light of God. It is a glorious thing, and therefore I ſay it ſhal not be without a iudgement, if thou reſtraine it: for as the libertie conuaieth a ioy to the hearers; ſo the binding of it is grieuous to them. Men in this land hauehave made a meane to reſtraine it: but hauehave yee not ſeene the iudgement? Alas, will not examples terrifie thee, to put out thy hand to reſtraine the Goſpell? No, I aſſure thee, whoſoeuer will doe it, a iudgement ſhall ouertake them. For the which I am bound. As if he would ſay: If I be bound for it, it is eaſie for thee to pray for it: how canſt thou denie it? For thou that canſt not pray for the libertie of the Goſpell, thou canſt not ſuffer for it. I might ſpeake in this place of them that cannot giuegive a good word for the Goſpell: let be to pray for the libertie of it. Well, I will leaue them to their owne Iudge. But I ſay, if there were no more but this ſuffering of the affliction of Paſtors, and other zealous Chriſtians, and this ſuffring of the Goſpell vnderunder the which it lies this day; theſe ſame things teſtifie plainly the worthines of the matter, of the power, vertue and glorie of the Goſpell: for if there were not a power in this myſterie that vpholds men in affliction for it, they would not abide a moment in their affliction: and if there were not a power and a glorie to ouerſhadow the ſhame of the Goſpell, all the world would not make a man ſuffer for it. So if there were no other argument but this, it is ſufficient to tell thee, it is the power of God that vpholds this Goſpell, and they that ſuffer for it.
In the laſt verſe, he makes plaine the thing he ſaid; he declares what a ſpeaking this is. That I may make it manifeſt, that is, that I may open it, and vnfould it as a piece of cloath. Take this myſterie, in the which Chriſt and his riches is incloſed, lay it open, and let the world ſee it cleerely. As to the ſpeaking of it: Moſes ſpake of it, but he left it foulded vp. Then the Prophets ſpake of it, but they vnfoulded it not; for they could not doe it, becauſe Chriſt was not yet come in the fleſh. Then come the Apoſtles, when Chriſt is crucified, and they open it, and as it is ſaid in the Epheſians chap. 3. They Euangelize. They A myſtery.make manifeſt the comming of Chriſt and his myſterie. In a word, that, which was a myſterie of old, they make an Euangell of it, and the myſterie and the Euangell is one in effect: for the myſterie is nothing els but a cloſed Euangell; and the Euangell is the myſterie opened vp. Then the leſſon is: wherein ſtands the ſpeaking of the myſterie of Chriſt? To wit, in opening vp of it. And therfore who euer thou be, that takes vponupon thee to ſpeake of this myſterie, look thou be skilfull to handle it, that is, that thou cāſt vnfould it rightly, to let the world ſee Ieſus Chriſt, that was ſo long hid vp. Let them ſee Chriſt crucified and glorified: looke that thou canſt ſpeake with the demonſtration of a ſpirituall power, with euidence of the ſpirit, to make it plaine to the world; and take Ieſus Chriſt and paint The preaching of the Goſpell the vnfolding of a mysterie.him out to the eye of the people, and let them ſee him glorified in the heauen, and that life flowing out of his bloud. If thou inuolue it when thou ſhouldeſt lay it abroad, woe is thee: hold thy tongue and ſpeake not of him. Alas, then Miniſters hauehave need to take heed to themſelues. This Goſpell would not be handled with vnwaſhen hands.
The laſt words are, As it becommeth me to ſpeake, or as it is in the owne language, as it behooueth me of neceſſitie, whereby he meanes, that there was a neceſſitie impoſed vponupon him: as in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinths, chap. 9. 16. and there hee ſaith, Woe is me if I preach not the Goſpell; in this place he means that ſame neceſsitie. Then briefly, the Apoſtle here acknowledgeth a neceſsitie impoſed vponupon him to vtter the Goſpell of Chriſt. The leſſon is eaſie, weigh the eſtate of Paſtors and Miniſters. In a word, there is not a Paſtor nor Miniſter, that takes in hand to vtter Chriſt, but there is a neceſsitie laid on his necke (as an oxe yoked in a plough, and all the Kings of the earth ſhall not take it off) to vtter the Goſpell with libertie: To hide nothing of the myſterie, not to impaire it a whit, what euer the Lord requires in the Goſpell, in paine of thy life ſee thou impaire it not. If the Emperors of ye world ſhould lay an other yoke on thee, ſay with Paul, Woe is me if I preach not. In deede thou, who wouldeſt cloſe the mouth of a Paſtor, if thou couldeſt free him of the neceſsitie and yoke that God hath laid on him, thou wouldeſt doe ſomething: but woe to thee that wouldſt lay on thy yoke with the yoke of God! Wilt thou the poore mans periſhing? Lay on him what thou wilt, thou ſhalt not relieue him of the yoke of god, and woe to that Miniſter that conceales ought of the truth of God, for the pleaſure of man! Will not men conſider this neceſsitie? No, al the world ſhall not (with Gods grace) make me caſt off this yoke; yea, if it come to practiſe, ye ſhall finde men, who will be content to die for this. Woe to thee, who will impaire a iot of the Goſpell! Thou diſhonoureſt God and his Goſpell. Therefore the Lord giuegive vsus grace to ſuffer all extremitie, and death it ſelfe, cre euer we impaire a iot of this Goſpell. The Lord work this for Chriſts ſake: for his yoke is ſweete and eaſie to be borne. Now to the Father, Sonne and holy Spirit be all praiſe, and honour,
Amen.