An Exposition Upon Colossians, Metaphrase 1
A METAPHRASE vponupon the first Chapter of the Epistle to the COLOSSIANS.
PAVL, Verse 1 PAVL, an Apostle of Iesus Christ, by the will of God, and Tim…theus our Brother.the Messenger or Embassadour-generall for all the Churches of the Gentiles, by Commission from the promised MESSIAH, now come in the Flesh, the Lord annoynted, seperated hereunto, not for his owne worthinesse, or by any priuate motion of his owne, or by commandement of any man, but by the expresse will of God, according to his euerlasting counsell; as also Timotheus, a reuerend Brother, an Euangelist of Christ, with full and free testimonie approueth this Epistle written
To the Citizens and Inhabitants of the Citie of Colosse, Verse 2. To them which are at Colosse, Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ: Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord IESVS CHRIST.that are seperate from the world, and sanctified with true Grace, and faithfully walke in that holy Calling, in brotherly communion one with another, and indissoluable vnion with CHRIST your Sauiour: Grace be with you, and Peace, euen the free fauour of GOD, with all internall, eternall, and needfull externall blessings, from him that both will and can, euen God our Father, through the merits of the Lord our annoynted Sauiour.
We giuegive thankes vntounto God,Verse 3. Wee giuegive thankes to God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, alwayes praying for you. euen that God that by an eternall and vnexpressable generation is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, remembring you earnestly and constantly in our daily Prayers, being exceedingly fired and inflamed, since wee heard by continuall and true report of your precious Faith; by which you hauehave with firmenesse and stedfastnesse of assurance laid hold vponupon IESVS CHRIST, Verse 4. Since wee heard of your faith in Christ Iesus, and of your louelove toward all Saints.for life and righteousnesse: and the rather, because wee likewise heard of your holy affection to such as hauehave seperated themselues from the prophanenesse of the world, to the seruice of God, especially considering that you hauehave not the glorious Faith of Christ in respect of persons, but louelove all the Saints as well as any.
And (as a People not destitute of any sauing Grace,Verse 5. For the hopes sake which is laid vp for you in heauen, whereof ye hauehave heard before by the word of truth, which is the Gospell.) we reioyce to heare of that liuely hope, by which you hauehave laid hold on the Promise of eternall glory, which God the Father hath prepared and laid vp in Heauen. And the more are wee confirmed in this resolution, constantly, to prayse GOD for these excellent Graces, because they are not sodaine Fancies, or presumptuous Conceits, raised out of the Forge of your owne braine, or conceiued for some corrupt or carnall ends, but were indeede begotten in you by the mighty working of the most sweet Doctrine of Reconciliation, proued in it selfe, and by effect, to be a Word of Truth: euen that word of the LORD, long foretolde, now truely reuealed and accomplished also, begetting the true forme of pietie in you, with constancie and true vprightnesse, both of heart and life.
Verse 6. Which is come vntounto you, euen as it is vntounto all the world, and is fruitfull, as it is also among you, from the day that yee heard and t…uely knew the grace of God.This is the word of Reconciliation which is come vntounto you, as by incredible power and swiftnesse, it is now to the greatest part of the world, euen to people of all sorts and Nations, causing them to shew the soundnesse of their Co…uersion, by the daily fru…s of amen…ment of life: and this increaseth continually in all places, as it doth, and hath done with you, since the very first day that you truely heard and effectually beleeued this rich Doctrine of the grace of GOD.
Verse 7. As yee also learned of Epaphras our deare fellow seruant, which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ.And this very Doctrine, which you hauehave heard of Epaphras, is the selfe same diuine truth that is gone all abroad the world: of Epaphras I say, whom wee all reuerence as our deare fellow-Seruant, being assured that hee is for your best good, a faithfull and most humble Minister of Iesus Christ.
Verse 8. Who hath also declared vntounto vsus your louelove, which yee hauehave by the Spirit.Hee hath with great contentment boasted of you, in reporting to vsus your spirituall and heauenly affection to God, and godlinesse, and one towards another: and for the same cause since the first time we heard of your prayses in the Gospell,Verse 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 be fulfi…led with knowledge of his wi… in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding. wee hauehave beene importunate without ceasing, praying for you, and beseeching God to increase in you, and make compleate your knowledge of his reuealed will, not onelyonly for contemplation, but for practise also, with a gracious experience of the working of the Spirit.
That yee might carry your selues in a holy eminency of godly conuersation, striuing to proportion your Obedience in a greater degree then ordinary, as might become the great measure of Gods Mercies of all sorts towards you,Verse 10. That yee might walke worthy of the Lord, & please hi… in all things, being fruitfull in all good workes, and increasing in the knowledge of God. expressing a liuely kinde of pleasingnesse, both in carriage towards God and man, being refreshed with the sweetnesse of acceptation in your seruices, and that you might extend your carefulnesse to beare fruit, not in one kinde or some few, but in all kindes and sorts of good workes, daily increasing in a holy acquaintance with the sacred nature of God, which is both the effect and cause of all comfortable progresse in holy life.
Verse 11. Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vntounto all patience, and long suffering with ioyfulnesse.That so growing vp to a ripe age in CHRIST, in the sanctification both of soule and body and spirit, in all the Graces and Duties of CHRIST and Christian life, through the assis…ance of the glorious power of GOD, in the vse of all meanes and helpes appoynted of GOD, yee might accomplish your most holy profession, with singular comfort and contentment, being able chearefully and with all patience and Long-suffering to beare the Crosses, Tentations, Infirmities, Persecutions, and whatsoeuer Wrongs or Indignities might befall you wayting for the Promise of GOD, being neuer weary of well-doing.
And as wee hauehave thought good thus to let you vnderstand our louelove towards you,Verse 12. Giuing thankes vntounto the Father, which hath made vsus meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. and our reioycing for the prosperitie of your soules; so wee thought good to write vntounto you, both to put you in minde of the most holy Doctrine of CHRIST, as also to exhort and beseech you to be constant in the Faith and Hope you hauehave receiued, without listening to the entising speeches of false Teachers, which as wicked Seducers would beguile your soules of that high prise of your most holy Calling.
What thankes can wee euer sufficiently giuegive vntounto GOD the Father of CHRIST and Christians, that of his meere Grace and free LoueLove, hath by a holy Calling, made vsus, in his account, meete to hauehave a Lot in that heauenly Canaan, in that sweet and eternall fellowship with the Spirits of the iust, not onelyonly reuealed vntounto vsus in this light of the Gospell, but to be inioyed by vsus in the light of Heauen?
And hath also already deliuered vsus from that wofull estate,Verse 13. Who hath deliuered vsus from the power of darkenesse, and hath translated vsus into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne. in which the darkenesse of Gentilisme, and Sinne, and Ignorance, and Aduersitie, and Death, and Damnation, had power ouer vsus, and hath translated vsus into the Kingdome of Iesus Christ, the Sonne of his louelove, inrolling our names among the liuing, and accounting vsus as Subiects of this Kingdome of Grace, and Heyres, euen Coheyres with Christ, of the glory to be reuealed.
And howsoeuer our Sanctification be as yet vnperfect,Verse 14. In whom wee hauehave redemption through his bloud, that is, the forgiuenes of sinnes. yet are wee not onelyonly bought with a price, but effectually and truely redeemed, and in some sort fully to: for in our Iustification wee are perfectly reconciled, and all our sinnes absolutely forgiuen vsus, as if they had neuer beene committed, through his merits that shed his bloud for vsus.
Who is a most liuely and perfect Image of the inuisible God,Verse 15. Who is the Image of the inuisible God, the first borne of eueryevery creature. not onelyonly as hee workes Gods Image in man, or because hee appeared for God the Father, to the Fathers in the old Law; or because as man hee had in him the likenesse of God in perfect holinesse and righteousnesse; or because hee did by his Miracles, as it were, make God visible in his flesh; but as he was from euerlasting the very essentiall naturall Image of God, most absolutely in his diuine person resembling infinitely the whole nature of his Father: and therefore is to be acknowledged as the begotten of God by an eternall generation: so the first begotten of eueryevery Creature, as he was before them; so is he therefore the principall heyre of all things, by whom, and in whose right, all the Saints doe inherite what they hauehave or looke for.Verse 16. For by him were all things created, which are in heauen, and which are in earth, things visible and inuisible; whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers, all things were created by him and for him.
For by him all things in heauen or earth, whether visible or inuisible were created; yea, the very Angels themselues, of what Order or Office soeuer, whether Thrones or Dominions, Principalities or Powers, were all made by him of nothing; and therefore hee, and not they, are to be worshipped: in short, all things were created by him; yea, and for him to.
Verse 17. And he is before all things, and in him all things consist.And hee was from euerlasting with GOD the Father, before all Angels or other Creature was made, and still all things are preserued and continued as consisting in him; yea, the very Angels hauehave their confirmation from him.
Verse 18. And hee is the head of the body of the Church: hee is the beginning, and the first borne of the dead, that in all things he might hauehave the preeminence.And hee is that glorious and alone Mysticall head of the Church, which in an holy order and relation, by the admirable worke of the Spirit, as a bond vniting together, is a true body vntounto CHRIST: and worthily is hee to be acknowledged a head vntounto the Church, for three great Reasons: first, in respect of Dignitie: for hee alone hath the primacy: and ought to be acknowledged to hauehave preheminence in all things: for if we respect the estate of Grace, hee is the beginning of all goodnesse, and if wee respect the estate of Glory, hee is the first borne of the dead; not onelyonly because hee is risen himselfe in his body, from the graue, but also because by his onelyonly power all his members shall rise at the last day: and also, because that in the death of all the righteous, hee doth still continue to, and in, the very last gaspe, his assistance and holy presence,
Verse 19. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnes dwell.Secondly, hee is fittest; yea, onelyonly fit, to be the head of the Church, because it hath pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse onelyonly dwell, so that hee is a head in respect of pl…nitude, for the behoofe of the members.
Verse 20. And by him to reconcile all things vntounto himselfe, and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth, and the things in heauen.And thirdly, hee is a head in respect of influence; for from him onelyonly comes downe to the members, all peace with God, and all the fruits of that reconciliation: for it is hee that made peace, by the bloud of his Crosse, and that hath estated happinesse vponupon all the Saints, reconciling them to God: I say, all the Saints, both those that are in heauen already, and those that being yet on earth, hope for that glory in heauen hereafter.Verse 21. And you which were in times past strangers & enemies, because your mindes were set in euill workes, hath he now also reconciled. And that this is so, you are able out of your owne experience to auouch: for whereas by nature you were strangers from GOD and the life of God, you were very enemies to God and all goodnesse: and this alienation and enmitie was apparantly seated in your very mindes, through the euill workes of all sorts which abounded in your liues; yet you know that CHRIST taking our Nature vponupon him, and in that nature suffering death for you,Verse 22. In the body of his flesh, through death, to make you holy, and vnblameable, and without fault in his sight. hath reconciled you to GOD, and by thee Gospell a-new created you, that he might present you to God, as holy and vnblameable, and without fault in his sight, couering your wants and hiding the euill of your workes, through his owne Intercession, and allowing you the benefit of the Couenant of Grace, through which vprightnesse will be in him accepted in stead of perfection.
Verse 23. If ye continue, grounded and stablished in the faith, and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell, whereof yee hauehave heard, and which hath bin preached vntounto eueryevery creature which is vnderunder heauen, whereof I Paul am a M…nister.Now what remaines, but that seeing wee hauehave such precious Doctrine, you should be exhorted to hold out with all Christian perseuerance▪ setling and establishing your hearts in the beliefe of the truth, suffering your selues not to be caryed away with any contrary winde of Doctrine, from the confidence of that hope of your reconciliation with GOD, which hath beene propounded and wrought in you, by the preaching of the Gospell; and the rather, because vnlesse you doe so perseuere, you cannot hauehave sound comfort in your right to the benefits before named. Besides, there are many reasons may induce you to the resolutenesse of perseuerance in the Doctrine you hauehave already beleeued and hoped in. First, it is the Doctrine which all God… Elect, with one consent, hauehave receiued, throughout the world; and vponupon it hauehave founded their Faith and Hope. Secondly, the consideration of what yee see in mee may somewhat moue you, and that, if you eyther consider my Ministery or Sufferings: for my Ministery, I hauehave so throughly informed my selfe concerning the Doctrine which Epaphras hath taught you, that I see it in all things, for the substance of it, to be the same which I my selfe hauehave taught in eueryevery place.
Now for my Sufferings,Verse 24. Now I reioyce in my sufferings for you, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my …lesh, for his bodies sake which is the Church. it is apparant to all sorts of men, that I hauehave endured my part of all kindes of Troubles for the Gospell, which I would not hauehave done, if I had not had full assurance of the truth of it, neyther doe I repent mee of my afflictions, but reioyce in them rather, and that for diuers Reasons. First, because they are the Afflictions of CHRIST, that is, such as he accounts to be his. Secondly, because I know that in Gods Decree I hauehave my part of troubles assigned mee; and it is my ioy, to thinke that in so good a cause I hauehave almost fulfilled them. Thirdly, because these Afflictions extend but to my flesh and outward man. And lastly, because it is for your good I suffer, euen for the confirmation of your Faith, and for the good of the whole body of Christ, which is the Church.
Thirdly,Verse 25. Whereof I am a Minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen mee vntounto you ward, to fulfill the word of God. I hauehave receiued this Commission concerning the Gospell immediately from GOD himselfe, with strict charge, that for your good I should pursue the execution of it, till not onelyonly Faith and Hope were wrought, but till we saw the worke and word of God, euen accomplished and fulfilled.
Fourthly,Verse 26. Which is the mystery hid since the world beganne, and from all ages, but now is made manifest to his Saints. what can there be more excellent and worthy to be beleeued and trusted in, then this Gospell of IESVS CHRIST, and our reconciliation in him, seeing it is that dreadfull Mysterie, which worlds of men hauehave wanted, as being hid from whole Ages and Generations hitherto, and now by the vnspeakeable mercy of GOD is reuealed by preaching vntounto the Saints, as a peculiar treasure entrusted to them.
And fiftly,Verse 27. To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mystery among the Gentiles, which riches is Christ in you, the hope of glory. the rather should you hereupon settle, considering the admirable subiect of the Gospell: for it is the good pleasure of GOD in this rich and glorious Mystery of the Gospell, to make knowne to the poore Gentiles, Christ Iesus himselfe, and that by giuing him therein to dwell in your hearts by Faith, and as your assured and onelyonly hope of immortall glory.
Sixtly,Verse 28. Whom we preach, admonishing eueryevery man, and teaching eueryevery man in all wisedome, that we may present eueryevery man perfect in Christ Iesus. neyther should you euer cast away the confidence of your assurance and hope, or grow weary herein, seeing it is the drift and end of all our preaching, wherein wee eyther admonish or instruct you, leading you through all sorts of wisedome in the word of GOD. I say, the end of all is to present you, at the length, perfect and compleate eueryevery one of you, in CHRIST IESVS, in some acceptable measure of Sinceritie and Knowledge in him.
Verse 29. Whereunto I also labour and striue, according to his working which worketh in me mightily.And seauenthly, being incouraged with that successe which the LORD hath giuen to my ministery, I will labour, as I hauehave laboured, and still striue with all possible diligence and endeauour in this glorious worke: hoping that this also may proue a motiue, among the rest, to perswade with you, to keepe Faith and Hope to the end, with all Constancie and holy Perseuerance.