An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 22
Verse 22.
In that Body of his Flesh, to present (or make) you holy, and vnblameable, and without fault in his sight.
IN this Verse the remedy of their miserie is set downe: where obserue: first, the Meanes: secondly, the End. The Meanes is by that body of his flesh through death: the End is to present vsus, &c.
In that body of his flesh, through death.] Here are two things: 1. the Nature of Christ: 2. the Sufferings of Christ. But first in the generall, I obserue two Doctrines.
First, there is no remedy for the sinner, but the death of his Sauiour: how foolish mankinde hath beene distracted about the cure for their miserie, is lamentable to consider: Adam gets Figge-leaues, and Israell a foolish Couer aEsa 30.. As for Death and Hell, men are at a point, they hauehave made a couenant with them. Or they thinke they are helped of their misery, if they can forget it: they can blesse their hearts, that they will not feele the smart of any curses bPsal. 36.2. Deut. …9.19.; or they will make satisfaction, the sonnes of their body shall serue for the sinnes of their soules cMich. 6.; or else the Temple of the Lord: their going to Church must make God amends dIer. 7.. Others couer all, with the garments of their owne ciuill righteousnesse: others put their trust in the wedge of gold, and say to it, thou art my confidence. But vntounto vsus, there is no name by which we can be safe, but the name of Iesus Christ. He must rescue vsus, that first created vsus: hee makes vsus partakers of louelove, that was the Sonne of Gods louelove: hee makes vsus adopted sonnes, who himselfe is Gods naturall Sonne.
Secondly, It is profitable to be much in the meditation of Christs sufferings, that it might sincke into our minds, that we must goe out of our selues for happinesse; and such meditations open a way to godly sorrow eEzec. 12.12.. They tend to the mortification of sinne, and they incline the heart of a Christian to be willing to suffer with him: for hee suffered as the Master, wee are but Seruants: hee suffered for others sinnes;The good that comes by meditating of Christs sufferings. wee deserue more then wee can suffer by our owne sinne. Hee suffered all sorts of crosses, and infinite much: we suffer butlight affliction. And the thought of his sufferings, may make vsus willing to contemne the world, seeing hereby wee discerne that his kingdome is not of this world. Yea, we owe vntounto Christ the remembrance of his sufferings. It is a small thing he requires of vsus, when he wils vsus to thinke on him often, what he hath endured for vsus.
In that body of his flesh.] These words note Christs Nature: yet wee must consider which Nature: in Christ there were two Natures in one person, personally vnited: his diuine and humane Nature. His diuine Nature was from Eternitie, Immutable, Immortall, Impassible. His humane Nature, was conceiued, and borne in time; Mutable, Mortall, Passible; one and the same: without time begotten of the Father, the Sonne of God: without Mother; and in time borne of the Virgin, the Sonne of Man without Father: Sonne to both, Naturall & Consubstantiall. These Natures are in one person, for that God and Man might become one in Couenant: one is become God, & man in person. These Natures are personally vnited: this vnion is personall, but not of persons; and it is a vnion of Natures, not naturall.
In these words the Apostle speakes of the Nature assumed, viz. his Humane Nature. And there are two things to be noted in these words. First, that hee saith, that body, not the body. Secondly, that he saith not simply, his body, but that body of his flesh.
That body. Christs body more excellent then all other bodies.] Heere hee points out a speciall excellency in the body of Christ, aboue all other bodies in Heauen and Earth: for his body was without sinne, formed by the ouershadowing power of the holy Ghost; so is no mans else. 2. It is assumed into personall vnion with the diuine Nature. 3. It was honoured with speciall Prophecies, Types, and Sacrifices. 4. This body was offered vp as a full expiatory Sacrifice. 5. It is to be remembred to the end of the word, in the Sacrament.
Christs body not like ours in two things.Body of his flesh.] To note, that it was a true Body, like vntounto ours; and to distinguish it from his Sacramentall and misticall body. In two things Christ body was not like ours, and in three things it was like. It was not like: first, in the manner of subsisting: it was not independent, or a person of it selfe. 2. In the vitious actions of the substance of it, no sinne, eyther could or ought to infect it: Could not; because originall sinne was restrained by the Holy Ghost: Ought not, because in it a purgation for our sinnes must be made. In three things it was like ours: first, in substance, he tooke our whole Nature; he was the seed of the Woman, of Abraham, of Dauid, In three things it was like.the Sonne of man, &c. And hee tooke the parts of our Nature, both soule and body. 2. In properties, and thus hee assumed both the properties of the whole Nature, in that hee was finite, and create. And in the parts, as in the soule, hee assumed, Vnderstanding, Will, Memory: and in the Body, Figure, Quantitie, and Circumscription, &c. 3. In infirmities, for hee assumed not onelyonly our Nature, but the infirmities of Nature. But wee must know that hee tooke the defects, or infirmities, they call miserable: not those they call damnable.
Thus of the Doctrine of his Nature: his Sufferings follow.
Through death.] The death of Christ doth reconcile vsus, in as much as it ratifies the couenant, and takes away the guilt of the sinnes of the former Testament, and the vertue of it eats downe the power of present sinnes, and destroyes the power of our naturall death.
Christs death differs from ours, in three things.Christs death differs from the death of all the Elect, in three things. First, in that in death he sustained not his owne person, but dyes as our suretie, and so is a sacrifice for sinne. Secondly, he was in death a whole burnt offering; for as hee died in body, so his soule was an offering for sinne, in as much as he sustained the sence of the infinite wrath of God in his Agonies. Thirdly, in that his death was the death of him that was the Sonne of God. Hitherto of the doctrine, of the Nature and sufferings of CHRIST, the Vses follow.
First, for Instruction. The consideration of all this should teach vsus, 1. to vallew reconciliation,Vses of Christs death. with all the graces that flow from it, according to the worth of the meanes by which they are procured. If there were no other way to know the worth of Gods Fauour, Knowledge, Spirituall refreshings, and Graces, yet by the price, paid for the purchase of them, we may discerne they are worth more then all the world. 2. It is not possible for vsus to hate sinne, vponupon the consideration of so pregnant an example of the odiousnesse of it, when the imputation of sinne brought the Sonne of God on his knees, to his death. O the soule Lethargie, that hath ouergrowen vsus! 3. That wee may hauehave the profit of the Incarnation, and Passion of CHRIST, in his naturall body, wee must be carefull to get into his misticall body. 4. The Apostle vseth the Meditation of Christs humiliation to the death, as an argument to perswade vsus to Compassion, Mercy, Fellowship in the Spirit; Vnitie, Humilitie, Clemency, and meekenesse of minde, Phil. 2.1. to 9.
Secondly, wicked men may here see what smart they are like to feele from the vnpartiall iustice of God. Doth hee not spare the body, the flesh, the bloud, the life, of his owne Sonne, when he became but a suretie for sinne? How shall vngodly men, euer enemies, and neuer sonnes, that themselues hauehave committed sinne, escape, when the day of wrath shall come?
Thirdly, godly men may heere see great reason of comfort, not onelyonly by considering the great louelove of Christ, and the great benefits must needes flow from his death; but if but two things be weighed: 1. the honour done to our Nature, in that in the humanitie of Christ it is ioyned to the diuine Nature. This makes amends for that breach that is made by the damnation of millians,1 Tim. 3.16. Phil. 2.6 7, in our nature. 2. The great certainty of Gods couenant, of Grace and Mercy. For a mans couenant, if it be once confirmed, no man abrogates it, Gal. 3 9.or addeth, or taketh from it: therefore, much more Gods Couenant shall stand vnchangeable, being ratified and confirmed by the death of Christ.
Thus of the Meanes.
The end followes, in these words: To present you holy, and without spot, and vnblameable in his sight. And in these words, is both the presentation, and the sanctification of Christians to be considered.
To present you.] The originall word is very significant, and diuersly accepted: it signifies to restore: so Asts 9.41. to assemble, Acts 2.26. to make present: so Acts 23▪33. to make ready, furnish, purge, or make cleane, Acts 23.24. to make acceptable, 1 Cor. 8.8. to make manifest, 2 Tim. 2.15. to proue euidently, Acts 24.13. to assist, and stand too, Rom. 16.2. 2 Tim. 4▪16. to offer by way of dedication, or gift to God, 2 Cor. 11.2. Luke 2.22. Col. 1.28.
It is true that Christ restores vsus,Ephes. 5.27. Ephes. 1.6. collects vsus, brings vsus into Gods presence, clenseth vsus, makes vsus acceptable, assists, and defends vsus, and manifests vsus to be holy. But I take it principally in the last sence, he presents vsus by dedication to God. Thus Christ shall present vsus wholy, both at the day of iudgement aRom. 14.10., and in the day of death, when he shall deliuer the soule to God. Thus also Christ doth present vsus in this life: 1. When by the preaching of the Gospell, he seuers and segregates vsus from the world, and brings vsus into Gods household. 2. In Iustification, when clothing vsus with his owne righteousnesse, hee becomes our Iustification. 3. in new obedience: and that two wayes: first, when hee presents our workes, couered with his intercession. Secondly, when hee causeth vsus to present our selues to GOD, both by Prayer & consecration of our selues to Gods Seruice, and holines of life. It must be eueryevery mans care then to seeke, his presentation from Christ, and to that end, by Couenant, Prayer, and practise, deuote himselfe to a subiection, to all the ordinances of CHRIST.
Thus of Presentation: Sanctification followes.
Holy, How the words are to be vnderstood.vnblameable, and vnreproueable in his sight.] At the first sight I should encline to vnderstand these words, eyther of Iustification, or our consumate holinesse at the day of iudgement; but that the sway of interpreters force me to expound them of Sanctification. It is greatly to be weighed, that a man in this life should be heresaid to be holy, vnblameable, and vnreproueable, or as the other Translation hath it, without fault in his sight. For the better conceiuing of it, wee must compare with these words, other Scripture, wherein is giuen vntounto the godly, that they hauehave cleane hands, and a pure heart, Psal. 24.4. that they are pure, Prou. 21.8. vpright in heart, Psal. 97.11. sanctified throughout,1 King. 8.61. 1 Thes. 5.23. perfect, or vndefiled in their way, Psal. 119.1. perfect, 2 Cor. 13.11. Phil. 3.15. Matth. 5.48. faultlesse, Iud. 24. without spot, and blamelesse, 1 Pet. 3.14. walking in all Gods wayes, 1 King. 8.58. and that they keepe Gods couenant, Psal. 25.10. & 78.8.10. & 132.22. Thus Noah is said to be perfect, Gen. 6.9. Ezekiah walked before God, with a perfect heart, Esa. 38. Dauids heart was perfect, 1 King. 11.4. Zachariah, and Elizabeth, were both righteous before God, and walking in all the commandements of the Lord blamelesse, Luke 1.6.
The question is, how those sayings should be true, and in what sence they are ment: And for the clearing of the doubt, the way is not simply to reiect the propositions, as impious, and vntrue, and hereticall, as some ignorant and malicious persons doe: but seeing they are the sacred words of Scripture, to consider what it is may be attained, and what God requires of vsus. To thinke with the Papists, or Anabaptists, that any mortall man can performe the obedience required in the morall Law, perfectly; so as neuer to commit sinne against the Law, is a most blasphemous, detestable, and cursed opinion, for there is no man that sinneth not: the best of the Saints hauehave had their thousands of sinnes. But those places are to be vnderstood of the righteousnesse of the Christian, as hee is considered to be vnderunder the couenant of grace, and the Gospell, not of legall perfection, but of an Euangelicall innocency, and vprightnesse. Not as their workes are in themselues, but comparatiuely, eyther with the workes of wicked men, or as they are in their desire and endeauour, and as they are presented in the intercession of Christ, who couers the imperfect…ons that cleaue to the workes of the faithfull. Sometimes the faithfull are said to be perfect, that is, strong men in CHRIST; compared with the weake Christian, and Infant in grace: so that we… see what a Christian in this life may attaine vntounto; the rigour of the Law being taken away, in the couenant of grace, and the imperfections of his workes, and fra…ltie, being couered in Christs intercession.
Holy.] This word Holy, is the generall; and comprehends the other two. For holinesse is eyther internall, and that is expressed by the word foreign, vnblameable, or externall, and so it is exprest in the word foreign, vnreproueable. Holinesse is giuen to God, and so essentially dLuke 1.49.; to the spirit of God, and so effectiuely, because it workes it in others, to Christ, as hee deriues it by influence to his members eAct 3.14. Luke 1.35.; To Angels, Matth. 25. to sacrifices, by way of type; to the Couenant of GOD, as it promiseth holinesse to the faithfull fLuke 1.71.; to the Prophets, as Teachers of holinesse gAct. 3.21.; to the Scriptures, as the rule of holinesse hRom. 1.2.; to places, for the holinesse of the subiect: but heere it is a glorious adiunct, conferred vponupon the faithfull by Christ.
Concerning holinesse of heart, and life, in generall, there are here foure things to be noted.Foure things ob…erued about holinesse. 1. The necessitie of it; we can neuer be reconciled or glorified without it, Tit. 2.12.13. 2. The difficultie of it; lesse then the power of Christ crucified, cannot make men lead a holy life. 3. the meritorious cause of it: holinesse is merited by Christ, as well as saluation. 4. The order: men must first be reconciled to God, before they can get holy grace, or lead a holy life.
Vnblameable.] Christian perfection hath two things in it. First, vprightnesse of heart, noted by this word. Secondly, vprightnesse of life, noted by the word following.Internall holinesse hath seauen things … Internall perfection or holinesse, must hauehave these things in it. First, the staine of former sinnes must be washed away with the teares of repentance iIer. 4.4.. Secondly, the inward worship of God must be set vp in the heart: some impressions men hauehave of an externall worship, but of the inward worship, men are naturally almost wholy ignorant. God is inwardly worshipped, by the constant exercise of grace from aboue, as LoueLove, Feare, Trust, Delight, Desire, &c. 3. There must be in vsus an assurance of Gods fauor kHeb. 10.22. Act. 15.9. 4. There must be a freedome from preuailing euils in the mind or affections, as ignorance, wicked thoughts, errours in the affections, or impatiencie, lust, seruile feare of men, malice lProu. 19.2. Psal 41 6. Iam. 1.4., &c. 5. Hypocrisie must not raigne, our desire must be more to be good, then to seeme so mPsal. 125.4.. 6. Our whole heart must be set vponupon Gods whole Lawe, to hauehave respect vntounto all Gods Commandements. God abhorres a diuided heart nHos. 10.2., & a double heart oIam 4.8.. 7. The minde must be set vponupon heauenly things, and conuerse in heauen pCol. 3.1.. Where these things, are happily attained vntounto, there the heart is vpright, whatsoeuer defects, or infirmities be in it: these things are different in Christians, in the degrees; for there is an infancy, and weaknesse, in sanctification, as well as Faith.
The signes of an vpright heart are these:Signes of an vpright heart. first, it desires perfection oPhil 3.: secondly, it will not cease well-doing for crosses pIob 2.3.: thirdly, it will serue God, though alone qIosh. 24.15.: fourthly, it will not follow the eye, it is not sensuall rIob 31.7.: fiftly, it reioyceth in the louelove of CHRIST, aboue all things sCant. 1.3.: sixtly, It will smite for lesser sinnes, as Dauids did, 2 Sam. 24. seauenthly, it is constant tPsal. 78.37. Rules..
That we may attaine an vpright, and vnblameable heart, in generall; wee must get a new heart vEzek. 36.27., in particular, 1. wee must by mortification circumcise our hearts xDeut. 3.6.: 2. we must get Gods Law written in our hearts yIer 31.33.: 3. we must seeke and louelove puritie of heart zProu. 22.11.: 4. we must keepe our hearts with all diligence aProu 4.17.: lastly, wee must walke before God bGen. 17.2. Motiues..
Motiues to inward holinesse. First, wee shall neuer see the righteousnesse of God imputed, till we be vpright in heart cPsal 36.10.. Secondly, a pure heart is one of the clearest signes of a blessed man dMatth. 5 6.. Thirdly, God searcheth to finde what mens hearts are, as well as what their liues are e2 Chron. 28.9. Fourthly, the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, to shew himselfe strong, with all them that are of a perfect heart f2 Chron. 16.9.. Fiftly, light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart gPsal. 97.10. What external holinesse must hauehave in it.. Lastly, the whole 125. Psalme incites hereunto.
Vnreproueable.] This word notes the externall vprightnesse, or Christian perfection of life. Externall innocency must hauehave in it diuers things. 1. we must be free from the grose sinnes of eueryevery Commandement. 2. we must cease from our owne workes hHeb. 4.10., keepe vsus from our wickednesse i2 Sam. 22.23.: and not turne after the wayes of our owne heart kEsa. 57.17.: that is, wee must be sure to cease from our particular beloued sinnes: 3. our families must be well ordered, both for peace, labour, and pietie lTit. 1.6.7.: 4. we must be free from Idolatry mDeut. 18.3.: from the customary sinnes of the tongue nIam 3.3.: from the raigne of hardnesse of heart oProu. 21.29.: from hasting to be rich; for he that hasteth to be rich cannot be innocent, as the Prouerbe is. Lastly, we must louelove our enemies, Matth. 5. vlt. That we may attaine heereunto, we must walke in the way of good men, Prou. 2.20. wee must set good Lawes, euer before vsus, and let them be our warrant, 2 Sam. 22. 23. wee must not be destitute of heauenly gifts, 1 Cor. 1.6.8.
In his sight.] These words may be referred, eyther to our presentation, or to our sanctification. And whereas some would thinke that they ouerthrow the former sence of the words, and proue, that he entreates heere of our holinesse in Gods sight by iustification, they are deceiued; for they may find these words giuen to sanctification, ordinarily in Scripture, as Luke 1.6.7. Hebr. 13▪ 21. 1 Iohn 3.22. Reuel. 14.5.
The words being referred to Sanctification, import foure things.
First, that what we are, or doe, is in his presence: so the words vsed, Luke 2.18. & 13.26. Acts 10.33.
Secondly, that God is a witnesse of all we doe: so the words vsed, Luke 8.47. 2 Cor. 7.12. Gal. 1.20..
Thirdly, that God accepts of what is truely good, in any measure, Luke 1.75.
Fourthly, that God highly priseth all that is good in the good, Luke 1.25. 2 Tim. 2.3. & 5.4. As the words there vsed shew.