An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 9
VERS. 9.
For in him dwelleth all the fullnes of the Godhead bodily.
These words conteine the second reason: and it stands thus; If in Christ there be all diuine fullnes and sufficiencie, then there needs no supply from humane inuentions, either for doctrine, or worship, or manners: but in Christ there dwells all fullnes euen from the ocean of all perfection, and therefore let no man spoile you through philosophie, traditions or ceremonies, &c.
For the explication of the Minor, we may conceiue of the words of the text thus; There is in Christ all fullnes of wisdome as the Prophet of the Church, therefore there needs no philosophie. 2. There is all fullnes of merit in Christs satisfaction as Priest of the Church, therefore there needs no expiating ceremonies. 3. There is all fullnes of power and efficacie in Christ as king of the Church, therefore there is no need that we should help him with inuenting traditions to vphold the liues or godlinesse of Christians, or any way to further the ordinances of Christ.
This verse conteines in it selfe an excellent proposition concerning Christ, viz. That the Godhead is in the bodie, that is, in the humane nature of Christ; And this is amplified, 1. by the manner of presence, he dwelleth there. 2. by the measure, in all fullnes.
The word Corporally hath been diuersly interpreted. Corporally, that is, truly and indeed. Corporally, that is, not in shew or shadow only, but compleatly, in comparison of the shadowes of the law, or prefiguring signes. He dwelleth not in Christ as he did in the Temple. Corporally, that is, according to the flesh. Corporally, in respect of the manner of his presence, not as he is in all creatures by efficacie or power, nor as he is in the Saints by his grace, nor as he is in the blessed by glory, but corporally, that is, by vnion with the person of the word; but I thinke it is safest and plainest, to take it in the third sense, viz. corporally, that is, in his humane nature.
Christ is commended in the praise of his relation 1. to the Godhead in this verse. 2. to Saints and Angels, v 10.
In him, notes his person, Godhead, expresseth his diuine nature, corporally, import… his humane nature, and dwells, tells vsus of the vnion of the natures.
The summe of all is, that in as much as the Lord hath saued vsus by so wonderfull saluation in Christ, and in that our Sauiour was true God as well as man,Why our Sauiour was the second person in the Trinitie and no other. as being the second person in Trinitie, therefore we should wholy rest vponupon him, and not distract our thoughts, or faith, or seruices, with either philosophie, or traditions, or ceremonies, as supposing that our saluation should be any waies furthered by those. Now in that the holy Ghost is so carefull to teach the diuinitie of Christ, we should also learne to be affected with the wisdome of God, that hath designed the second person in Trinitie to be our mediator: Thinke of it often, and weigh with your selfe the glory of Gods wisdome herein; who is fitter to restore the world then he that made it aIoh. 1.1. Col. 1 15.? Incarnation is a mission; now it was not fit he should be sent by another, that was not of another, as the Father was not. It is wonderfull sutable that the naturall sonne should make sonnes by adoption bIoh. 1.12.. Who fitter to restore the image of the Father lost in vsus, then he that was the eternal image of the Father cCol. 1 15. Heb. 1.3.? who who fitter to breake open the fountaine of Gods louelove, then the that was the sonne of his louelove dCol. 1.13.? The personall word became the enunciatiue word, to declare vntounto vsus his Fathers nature and will: he that is the middle person in the Trinitie, is fittest to be the middle man, or mediatour between God and man.
Is our Sauiour God then? then he is eternall eReuel. 1 7., omnipraesent fMat. 28.21., omniscient gReuel. 2.23., and omnipotent hPhil. 3.21..
The consideration of the diuinitie of Christ, may and ought wonderfully to comfort vsus against the greatnesse of our sinnes and Gods wrath, remembring that the Lord Iehouah is he that is our righteousne… iIerem. 23.6., and iustification from all our sinnes: as also against the greatnes of the enemies and aduersaries of our soules, and the truth or true grace of Christ in vsus; Our Sauiour is the mightie God kEsay. 9.6.7., and therefore can & will easily subdue all our enemies vnderunder our feet: besides hereby wee are assured of the supply of all our wants, seeing he that hath all the fullnes of God in him, hath vndertaken to fill all things in the Church lEphes. 1 vlt.. And as this may comfort, so it should instruct: why should we not come willingly at the time of assemblie mPsal. 110.3, seeing we serue the God of heauen, and hauehave all our seruice done in the name of the Son of God, and presented by his mediation to the Father? And further shall we not accompt vnbeliefe to be a monstrous sinne, considering how little cause wee hauehave to feare or doubt? but especially shall we not learne humility of him, that being in the forme of God humbled himselfe for our sakes to take vponupon him the forme of a man, and to be subiect to the very death nPsal. 2. Math. 11.29.? Lastly, shall wee not learne hence the hatefulnesse of sinne, and the odious filth of it? we may commit sinne, but God must remit it, and become a sufficient propitiation for sinne.
Corporally]
How the deuine nature can be in the humane.Quest. How can the whole diuine nature be said to be in the humane, seeing the one is infinite, the other finite?
Answ. 1. It is no more then to affirme, that the humane nature is vnited to the deuine in the fulnesse of it. Or 2. That it is incorporate, or made flesh incarnate, or hath a body ioyned to it. Or else 3. Let it be granted of the inhabitation in the flesh of Christ: yet it followeth not that therefore it is there included. For it is so in the flesh whole, that without the flesh it is eueryevery where. For the diuinitie is not only immense that it can be eueryevery where, but also most simple, that it can be and be eueryevery where whole, as the soule in the bodie and the light is in the sunne, and yet not included there, yet trulie and whole there.
Quest. But since this text plainely affirmes that Christ had a body, and so by Synecdoche, a true humane nature, it may be heere inquired whether his humane nature was like ours, and the rather since the godhead did dwell in him bodily.
How Christ was like vsus, & how vnlike.Answ. That this may be cleerely resolued, we must know that what is said in this verse notwithstanding, Christ in his humane nature was like vntounto vsus. But for euidence, I shew briefly in what he was like, and then in what he was not like. He was like 1. in that he tooke a true body, not fantasticall. 2. He tooke a true humane body, and not a caelestiall body, and he was indued with a reasonable soule. 3. He had the essentiall faculties of both. 4. He had the very infirmities of our nature, I meane such as were not sinful. Now Christ was vnlike vsus in bodie, in soule, in both: In body, 1. In his conception there was a difference, for we are of Adam and by Adam: but he was of Adam and not by Adam, for he was not begotten but made: and so originall sinne was auoided, and some thinke his very body had all the parts at the first conception formed. 2. His body was not corruptible, it saw no corruption. In soule he differed two waies. 1. In that it was without sinne. 2. In that it was indued with gifts aboue men and Angels. In both there was difference. For 1. They subsisted from the beginning in the diuine nature, and did not make a person of themselues. 2. They are admitted vntounto the grace of adoration, so as now Christ-man is worshipped though not properlie as he is man.
Thus of the natures of Christ: the vnion of them followes, in a double consideration. 1. Of the manner, in the word dwell. 2. Of the measure in all fulnesse.
Dwell] There are two kindes of vnions in Christ. 1. Of the soule and body. 2. Of both those with the person of the word, the later is heere meant.
There are 2. questions about vnion in Theologie,Distinctions of vnions. that are wonderfull full of difficultie. 1. The vnion of three persons in one nature. 2. The vnion of two natures in one person. This latter is in Christ, hee is begotten as God, created in respect of his soule, and borne in respect of his body.
There are diuers vnions. 1. Substantiall in the Trinitie. 2. Naturall in soule and body. 3. Carnall in man and wife. 4. Misticall in Christ and the Church. 5. Personall in Christ, for in him as soule and body are one man, so God and man are one Christ.
It is much easier to tell how this vnion in Christ is not then to tell how it is. Negatiuely thus.
Things are vnited three waies; Some things are compounded and made one, yet the things vnited are not changed, mingled, or confounded, but remaine perfect: as many stones vnited in one building. 2. Some things vnited are perfect, but yet changed and not what they were: as the body of a man made of the vnion of the foure elements. 3. Some thinges remaine whole and not changed but vnperfect of themselues, as the soule and body of themselues apart. Now this vnion of Christ is not after any of these waies. Againe this vnion in Christ is. 1. Not by bare assistance or presence oforeign.. 2. Not by habituall vnion pforeign., either by affection, as friends are one, or by grace qforeign., as the Saints are one with God. 3. Not by worthinesse rforeign., or authoritie. 4. Not by harmonie or consent of will sforeign.or opinion: as the Angels are one with God, and as the Saints shall. 5. Not by ioint authoritie tforeign.as two Consuls are one. 6. Not by homonumie or giuing of the same name to each nature. 7. Not of pleasure only uforeign., as if it were so only because God would hauehave it so. Lastly, Not by bare inhabitation, for the word is made flesh. And therefore though the holy Ghost vse the similitude of dwelling heere, to note the continuall residence of the diuine nature in the humane, yet that similitude doth not expresse this vnion cleerely. For the housholder and the house cannot be fitly called one.
The effects of this vnion may be considered either as they are in Christ or to vsus ward.
In Christ, from this vnion flowes,
1. The predication of the things of each nature, to the person and that truly and really, as when his bloud is said to be the bloud of the Sonne of God *Act. 20., &c.
2. The inriching of the humane nature with admirable gifts, as great as could possiblie be in a created nature; In respect of which he came the neerest vntounto God of any that euer was or could be. Nay if all the goodnesse of man and Angels were conferred on one creature, yet it were not comparable to that that is in one Christ.
These gifts in Christ they were either naturall or supernaturall,Gifts naturall and supernaturall in Christ. by naturall gifts I meane such as these; in the minde, the best wit or memorie and such like faculties, better then euer were in any man, I except not Adam himselfe. in the body, most faire forme and a diuine face: his very countenance did expresse a diuinitie in him. The verie temperament also of his body was such as nothing could be better tempered or more exce…lent as being formed by the holy Ghost.
His supernaturall gifts were either in body or minde: in body, as that hee could with his eye pierce the heauens and see there what he would, for Stephen could see into heauen as is recorded Act. 7. much more must we belieue of our Sauiour, for in Stephen there was but a small parcell of diuine light. Now I say, those gifts were aboue nature in Christ, but yet not against nature xforeign non foreign., In minde there was in him exceeding holines, goodnesse, wisedome, and all the gifts of the spirit.
But all these supernaturall gifts both in soule and body must be considered in Christ two waies. 1. In the state of humiliation. 2. In the state of exaltation. Such gifts as he receiued in the state of humiliation, were properly the effects of this vnion, the other were giuen in respect of his obedience vntounto death.
Of the first sort I propound these, 1. In the whole soule so great holinesse as can be imagined to be fall a creature. 2. In the minde, most exquisite wisedome. 3. In the heart, such bowels of charitie, louelove and compassion, as was neuer in any man or Angell; in the whole man, wonderfull power.
Now amongst all these I only consider of his wisedome and power.
A twofold wisedome in Christ. A threefold created wisedome in ChristThere was a twofold wisedome in Christ. Increate, and that was only in his diuine nature; and create, and that was in his humane. This created wisedome in Christ was threefold. 1. Knowledge by immediate visionyMat. 11.27. 2. Knowledge by heauenly habites infused zEsay. 11. 3. Knowledge gotten by experience aLuk 2.…2.. By the first knowledge he knoweth immediately the word or God, to which his humane nature is vnited, and in God as in a glasse hee sees all other things. Thus he sees God face to face, and this is a certaine created light in the soule by participation of diuine light.
Concerning this first sort of knowledge in Christ, strange things are said by Diuines, but the summe of all is this. 1. That the soule of Christ by this …reated light and vision sees God, and that first, Whole: secondly, Perfectly. 2. That in this vision he sees all things.
Obiect. Then might some one say the knowledge of Christ in his humane nature is made equall to his diuine.
Solut. Not so. For first, though he see God whole yet he seeth him not wholy bforeign, not foreign., that is, not so much a… can be seene by God himselfe, though more then any Creature can attaine vntounto. 2. Though he know the thinges that are and shall be, yet, he knowes not such things as shall not be, and yet God can do them. 3. What he doth know by this finite light he knowes not so plainely as the word doth. 4. It seeth not things at one view or altogether, but one thing after another. Thus of his immediate or blessed knowledge.
The second kinde of knowledge is habituall or infused knowledge. By this knowledge, he knowes all that can be knowne of man or Angels, yea of all of them together, of this hee speakes Esay. 11.3. There are foure wordes to expresse it, wisedome, vnderstanding, knowledge, and counsell; by the first hee vnderstandeth celestiall and diuine things; by the second things seperate from matter, as the Angels; by the third things naturall; and by the last things to be done. But this knowledge is much inferior to the former, for thus hee knowes not the diuine essence. Of experimentall knowledge the holy Ghost spake Luk. 2.52. when he said Iesus increased in wisdome, and that must needes bee in such knowledge as hee got by obseruation by degrees in the world. Thus of the wisedome of Christ.
Of the power of Christ.Concerning the power of Christ many things are controuerted in other Churches: and I hauehave spoken of it before, more then men of wrangling natures and corrupt and enuious mindes did well take, though no more then what is ordinarie in the writings of learned men: I shall not need therefore to say much of it in this place. The power of Christ is twofold, increate and create. Increated power, is the power of his diuine nature, and so he is omnipotent. Created power is an admirable force in the humane nature of Christ, aboue man or angells, to accomplish that vntounto which it is directed. By his diuine power, Christ worketh diuine things, and by his humane power, he worketh humane things▪ thus is he powerfull aboue all creatures, in vnderstanding, memorie, will, and in acting whatsoeuer the law of God can will.
Hitherto of the power of Christ: and so of the gifts in the state of humiliation.
In the state of exaltation; there befell Christ 4. things. 1. a wonderfull excellencie of glory. 2. the grace of adoration with the diuine nature. 3. the power of administration of all things in heauen and earth dMatth. 28.. 4. a iudiciarie power, viz. to be the Iudge of the whole world eActs 17.30..
Thus of the second effect.
The third effect of this vnion in Christ, was his mediatorship, as remaining perfect God he became man; so without any mutation of himselfe, he is by this vnion become perfect mediator between God and man, the true high priest, and the only head of the Church.
The fourth and last effect of this vnion, is the communion of the effects: there are diuers operations of both natures, yet they meet in one worke done f: the worker is the person; the fountaines of operation, are the two natures according to their properties: the actions are some proper to the diuine nature, some to the humane, yet the outward fact or thing effected is the worke of both natures. Thus of the effects of this vnion in Christ.
Now the effects that flow to vsus from hence, are either in Christ for vsus, or in vsus by Christ. In Christ for vsus, there are two effects, expiation and reconciliation to the father. In vsus by Christ are three effects, iustification, sanctification and glorification.
In all fullnes]
The vbiquitaries doe abuse this place, for they alleage that this place proues, that the essentiall proprieties of the diuine nature are communicated really to the humane, and so they say Christ is in his humane nature omnipotent, eueryevery where present and omniscient: this they fall vponupon to establish his reall presence in the sacrament. But that this place cannot fit their turnes, may appeare by these reasons, 1. He saith, in whom, that is, in which person the Godhead dwells &c. now it is not doubted by any, but that the person of Christ i… omnipotent, eueryevery where present &c. 2. Be it, in which bodie the Godhead dwells &c. yet this proues nothing for them, for so hee dwells in the Saints, and yet they doe not say, they are eueryevery where present. 3. When he saith, all fullnes, this fullnes notes the essence as well as the proprieties: now I hope they will not say the essence is wholy communicated to the bodie of Christ. 4. All fullnes imports all attributes as well as some, now all attributes are not communicated: as for example, the bodie of Christ was not eternall. Lastly, the same was cleared before, the fullnes of the Godhead is there as the light is in the sunne.
From the consideration of all which doctrine,Vses. we may see cause to be abased and confounded in our selues, that we should not more admire the wonderfull glory of the person of Christ: and for the time to come, wee should heartily striue with God by prayer, and the vse of all good meanes, that hee would be pleased to reueale his sonne in vsus, and shew this rich mysterie of God manifested in the fl…sh. Lastly, this should confirme vsus in the faith of all the good things promised in the Messiah, seeing hence we know how infinitel… compleat he is in himselfe. Thus of the 9. verse.