An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 2
Vers. 2.
Set your affections on things which are aboue, and not on things which are on the earth.
The exhortation in the former verse propounded, is in this verse illustrated, and expounded, first, by repetition, secondly, by the contrary. The repetition is in these words; Set your affections on things which are aboue. The contrary from which he doth dehort, is in these words, and not on things which are on earth.
Repetitions in scripture are not without their vse.The vse of repetitions in Scripture. For thereby the holy ghost vsually imports our slownesse and dulnesse of capacity in conceiuing and backwardnesse in practise, and besides thereby inforceth both the necessity and the excellency of the matter so repeated. And surely, all three may be applied to this repetition. For the contemplation and desire after heauenly things is a most gratious ornament to a religious life, and without some measure of holy affections, it is vnpossible to get rid of the power of sinne, or to practise with any successe or acceptation, the duty of a renued life: and if in any thing we are backward, or wanting, or decaying, or languishing, it is in this rule here giuen by the Apostle.
Set your affections. foreign.The originall word, varieth in signification. Sometimes it is rendered, to studie: and it is out of question, our dutie to study and contemplate of heauenly things. Sometimes it signifieth, to trie by tasting and it is sure that if carnall people had but once tasted of the sweetnesse of godlinesse, and religious duties, they would not so securely neglect the prouision for eternity: but especially they would see, that they hauehave spoken euill of what they knew not. Sometimes it is translated, to be wise about a thing, and certainly, a Christian should be wise in the matters of his religion and profession, and shew it, by forecast and diligence to compasse what may be gotten of this true treasure, and by serpentine discretion in the manner and circumstances of weldoing, and by staydnesse in a Christian course, voyd of passion rash zeale and fickle inconstancie, growing more and more skilfull and cunning in the soundnesse of knowledge, how with more power and spirituall aduantage to practise eueryevery duty, or exercise eueryevery grace. Sometimes it signifieth, to sauour of a thing, and it is true that all the cariage and dealings of Christians should sauour of the things aboue; but I take it as it is heere rendered. Set your affections] and so it manifestly teacheth vsus that wee must get not mindes or thoughts onelyonly,Vses. but sound affections to heauenly things, which may both serue for reproofe and comfort: for reproofe I say both of the loathsome lukewarmenesse of the most kReu. 3.19., and of the dangerous losse of first louelove in the better sortlR…uel. 2.. For comfort, for it is certaine if thou canst finde thy heart vpright in affections and constant desire after heauenly things,Three benefits of tender affections. thou mayst be assured of three things. 1 That God will accept thy will for the deed. He will beare with many wants and weakenesses where he sees a man or woman come to his seruice with hearts desirous to doe their best, and tenderly affected. 2 That thou art not in danger of falling away: for Apostasie neuer discouers it selfe to hurt vsus, or endanger vsus, till it hath stollen away our hearts and the care of affections in holy duties. 3 That to that thou hast, Matth. 13.more is and shall be giuen: as thy affections grow and continue, so doth true knowledge grace and godlinesse grow also. And thus of the repetition.
And not on the things that are on earth] from the coherence and generall consideration of these words three things may be obserued.
Obs. 1.1 That a man cannot both at once seeke and affect earth and heauen. for they are here disioyned and opposed,Matth. 6. a man cannot serue God and mammon, the louelove of the world is the enmitie of God. but this is thus to be vnderstood, if the world be sought in the first place and with cheefe affection and care.Iam. 4.4.
Obs. 2.2 Nay more this dehortation implies, that it is hard for a man to deale with the world, but a mans affection will too much runne after it: it is hard to be much employed about profits and recreations,Note but a man shall louelove them too much. Not that it is simply vnlawfull to vse the world, but that we should be very iealous of our selues to watch our owne hearts, that our affections be not set on the world.
Obs. 3.3 To be crucified vntounto the world, able to neglect and contemne the glory and pleasure of it, is a notable signe, that one is risen with Christ. Thus in generall.
Three sorts of things on earth.The things on earth] The things on earth here meant by the Apostle, are either traditions, mentioned in the former Chapter, or worldly things in themselues lawfull, or the workes of the flesh, simply in themselues vnlawfull.
Traditions …e for three reasons called things on earth.Traditions & mans inuentions which the Apostle hath before taxed, may well be called things on earth. 1 Because they spring from the earth and earthly minded men, they were neuer inspired from God, nor deuised by heauenly minded men. 2 Because they hinder them that are deuoted to them, from looking vp, or attaining any insight in things that are aboue. 3 Because these by effect make men more earthly and sensuall: but of these in the former chapter.
The workes of the flesh, and the corruptions of life to bee auoyded, and not affected, are the third sort of things on earth: but of that also afterwards in the second part of the generall duties; especially in the fifth verse. So that the second sort of things on earth remaineth to be more largely considered, those are profits, honours, pleasures, friends, health, and long life.
There be eight reasons to perswade not to affect earthly things.Eight generall reasons to dis…wade from affecting things on earth.
The first may be taken from the condition of man on earth. For we are heere but pilgrims and strangers mHeb. 11.13.. and therefore being but in a strange place to what purpose, should we trouble our selues with more then what will serue our present need, and the rather knowing that when we come into our own country these things will serue vsus for no vse. Besides our present lot lieth not in those things: but the Kingdome of God and righteousnesse is our portion euen in this life, all other things are but cast vppon vsus, as additaments.
The second may be taken from the disability of earthly things. For first they cannot so much as fill or satisfie a mans heart. 2 They cannot fence a man against any of the trials of God, when the houre of tentation comes nReu. 3.10.. 3 they cannot all of them redeeme on soule oPsal. 49..
The third reason may be taken from the inconueniences that follow the louelove of earthly things. For, first the cares of the world choake the word, that it can neuer prosper pMath. 13.. 2 They breede excuses and shifts in mans mindes and alienate by degrees a mans heart from the vse of the meanes qLuk. 14 17.. 3 To seeke after the world is to sorrow after the world: for to the most the world is a cause of much sorrow and vexation. 4 The amity of the world, as the Apostle sayth, is the enmity of God rIam. 4.4. 1 Ioh. 2 15., and that both actiuely and passiuely: for it both makes vsus hate God, and it makes God hate vsus. Fiftly, the lust after worldly things fills the world with corruptions and sinnes s2. Pet. 1 4., Sixtly, these earthly things thus sinisterly affected, may one day witnesse against vsus tIam. 5.1. &c.. Seuenthly many a man is damned and gone to hell, for minding earthly things uPhil. 3.18..
The fourth reason may be taken from the soueraignty that God hath ouer all earthly things: and the power hee hath giuen to Christ ouer them *Psal. 24.1. Mat. 28.18., now why should we turmoile our selues with care about these, seeing they are in Gods hand in Christ, to hauehave them and dispose of them as may be for his glory and our good.
The fifth reason may be taken from the basenes of the nature of all these things: for they are not onelyonly on the earth, but of the earth: and if they bee compared vntounto the soule of man, for which wee ought chiefly to prouide, the whole world is not worth one soule: which may appeare both by the price of a soule, and the disproportion between the gaines of the world and the losse of one soule:Matth. 16. it is no profit to winne the whole world and lose a mans own soule: and besides if the whole world layd on one heape would hauehave beene a sufficient sacrifice for the redemption of the soule, the Lord Iesus would neuer hauehave abased himselfe to such a suretiship. But because there could not be found neither in heauen nor earth any other name or nature by which wee could be saued, Phil. 2.therefore he humbled himselfe, and tooke vponupon him the forme of a seruant, and was obedient vntounto the death euen the death of the crosse.
The sixt reason may be taken from the example of the Lords worthies, who in all ages hauehave beene tried with all kinde of trials: Heb. 11.and wandered vp and downe, in sheepeskinnes and goatskinnes, being destitute, afflicted and tormented, wandering vp and downe in wildernesses, mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth, whom the world was not worthy of: all these seeking another country, and willingly professing, that they expected no abiding place heere.
Seuenthly it is somewhat to perswade vsus, that our Sauour Christ professeth, of purpose to hinder and interrupt, our rest and ease in the vse of those …hings: when he sayth that he came not to send peace: as knowing that much peace and liking of earthly things was vnprofitable for vsus.
Lastly we may be mooued by the consideration of the fleeting condition of all earthly things: riches hauehave wings xProu., and the fashion of this world passeth away y1 Cor. 7.31. 1 Ioh. 2.17., yea heauen and earth shall passe, the earth with the workes therof shall be burnt vp z2. Pet. 3.10..
But that we may be the more deepely affected, with the contempt of the world, I will further adde these reasons
1 Of Solomon, the wisest of all sinfull men.
2 Of Christ the wisest of all men.
Solomon in his booke of Ecclesiastes is exceeding plentifull, and indeed not without cause:Solomon… rea…ons against …e louelove of earthly things for such is the strength of the rooted louelove of earthly things in many men, that they had neede to be incountred with an armie of reasons and if I single out some of the cheefest out of diuerse chapters, I hope it wil appeare tedious to none, but such as will heare no reason.
In the first chapter, among other things, these may be noted. 1 That after a man hath trauailed to get what he can, how small a portion in comparison of the whole, hath he atchiued? so as he may say to himselfe when he hath done, What now remaineth to me of all my trauell which I hauehave suffered vnderunder the sunne? 2 If a man could get neuer so much, yet he cannot liue to enioy it long.aEcel. 1.3. For the elements of which man was made, are more durable then man himselfe: for, one generation passeth and another commeth, but the earth remaineth still bv. 4.5.6.. The like may be shewed of the aire and water. 3 All things are full of labor no man can vtter it cv. 8.. And certainly many times earthly things gained, answer not the labor spent about them. 4 Earthly things possessed, will not satisfie, The eye will not be satisfied with seeing, nor the eare with hearing dv. 8.. 5 A man can compasse nothing that is new, for there is nothing new vnderunder the sunne ev. 9.10.. Is there any thing of which one may say behold this is new, and neuer was before? they hauehave beene already in the old time that was before vsus. 6 The Lord in wonderfull wisdome and righteousnes, permits in the nature of man, those cares that they may be trauels to humble and breake the heart of man fv. 13.. 7 The best of these, will not make a crooked thing straight gv. 15.: they will not mend the peruerse manners of men, a man may be and continue vitious for all these things, or for ought they will doe vntounto him.
In the second chapter we may obserue these reasons. First, let a man procure vntounto himselfe the fullest and fairest vse of all sorts of earthly things: pleasure,Ch. 2.1. & 12. laughter, great houses, gardens, orchards, waters, fruit-trees, woods, seruants, cattell, siluer and gold, treasures and musicke, yet all these will not deliuer a man from s…tiety, loathing and vexation of spirit. So as he may truely say, there is no profit in them. 2 In these things there is one condition to all: it befalleth to the w…se man as it doth to the foole hv. 14.15.. 3 Let a man excell neuer so much, yet within a short time all will be forgotten. For all that, that now is, in the dayes to come shall all be forgotten iv. 16.. Fourthly, when thou hast gotten all thou canst together, thou knowest not whether he shall be a wise man or a foole, that shall enioy them after thee kv. 19.. Fiftly to attaine those things men vsually spend their dayes in sorrow, trauaile and griefe, and their hearts take no rest in the night lv. 23..
In the third chapter these further reasons may be noted. First, all things are swayed with the swinge of their seasons and times.Ch. 3. v. 1 & 9. So as nothing is steady, though be borne, and now plant and build, and laugh and daunce, and embrace and sowe and louelove and liue in peace: yet there will bee a time to plucke vp, and breake downe, and weepe, and mourne, and cast away, and hate; and mourne, and die to. Secondly, though the Lord should set the world in a mans heart, yet he might spend all his daies and neuer know the full nature of these thingsmv. 11.. Thirdly, all things are subiect to Gods vnauoidable disposing. Let man get what he can, yet God will hauehave the disposing of it: and whatsoeuer God shall doe, it shall abide, to it can no man adde, and from it can none diminish. And this God will doe that man may feare him nv. 14.. Fourthly, such is the state of the children of men, that they may loose all they hauehave at the very place of iudgement ov. 16.. Fiftly, yea the very state of mortified men, in the reason of carnall men, because of these oppressions and vncertainties, seems little better, then the state of beastspv. 18..
In the fourth Chapter note,Ch. 4.1.2.3 first that when a man hath set his heart vponupon these earthly things, if euer he loose them, he is filled almost with vnmedicinable teares and sorrow, so as he would praise the dead aboue the liuing, and wish he had neuer been borne. Secondly, they are occasions of a mans enuieqv. 4.. Thirdly, the eying of these things, infatuats many a mans heart: so as we may see many a man that hath neither sonne nor daughter, nor brother, and yet there is no end of his trauell, and he hath not the iudgement, to say with himselfe, for whom doe I trauaile, and defraud my selfe of pleasure. rv. 8.Fourthly, a man may get much with sore trauaile, and liue to see himselfe despised of him for whom he prouideth them: so as they that shall come after him will not reioice in him.sv 15.16.
In the fift chapter there are also seauen other reasons. First, these earthlie things lead the greatest men into bondage, by dependance. For the King cannot consist without the tilling of the field. Secondly, he that loueth siluer shall not be satssified with siluer, Chap. 5.8.and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof tv. 9.. Thirdly, when goods increase, they are increased also that eate them, and what good commeth to the owners thereof, but the beholding of them with their eies.uv. 10. Fourthly, many times the seruant sleepeth, when the master can get no sleepexv. 11.. Fiftly, there is an euill sicknesse often seene vnderunder the sunne, that riches are kept for the owners ruineyv. 12.. Sixtly, or else they will perish while the master looketh onzv. 13. v. 13.14.15.. Seuenthly, but certaine it is, he can carrie nothing out of the world when he goeth, but must leaue them where he found them.
In the sixt Chapter there are these reasons.Chap. 6.1. to 7. First, a man may hauehave all abundance and yet not hauehave a heart to vse them and so be worse then an vntimely fruit. Secondly, what needs all this adoe: for all is but for the mouth and nature is content with a little. And therefore to hauehave a soule so vnsatiably greedy of hauing, is a prodigious madnesseav. 7.. Thirdly, the hauing of all these things makes not a wise man bet…er then a foole: & what wants a poore man,bv. 8. if he know how to carrie himselfe with the wise. Fourthly, all cannot make thee cease to be mortall. For it is knowen man cannot striue with him that is stronger than he cv. vlt..
In the seauenth Chapter there is this reason. A man may spend all his daies before he can come soundly to know (after many trialls) what is the best vse to put these earthly things to.
And for honor, in the eighth Chapter three things are worthie noting. First, a man is not Lord of his owne spirit, to keepe himselfe aliue in his honordChap. 8.8.. Secondly, many men rule to their owne ruineev. 9.. Thirdly, men after death are quickly forgotten. They that come backe from the holy place remembreth them not long. Yea a man may be quickly forgotten in the City where he hath done right fv. 10..
And in the ninth Chapter,Chap. 9.1. two reasons more are added. First, no man can know the louelove or hatred of God by these things. Secondly, they are not gotten alwaies, by helpe of meanes. For the race is not alwaies to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor riches to men of vnderstanding, nor fauor to the wise: which makes the Atheist and Epicure conclude, that time and chance commeth to all things.
The summe of all that Salomon can say is, vanity of vanities all is vanity. And now that we hauehave heard Solomon, let vsus in the next place heare a greater than Salomon.
Our Sauiour Christ in the sixt of Mathew, diuides the care of earthlie things into two sorts.Our Sauiours reasons. For either men are greedily transported with the desire of getting treasures, that is abundance and superfluities: or else they toile their hearts with distrustfull and distracting cares, about necessaries, as what they shall eat, and what they shall put on. From the first kind of care, he disswades with foure reasons. First, all treasures are subiect either to vanity or violence.Foure reasons against the care for superfluities. Either the moth will eat them, or the theefe will steale themgMat. 6.19.20. Secondly, these things bewitch and steale away mens hearts hv. 21.. Thirdly, the minding of these things, darkneth the eie of the soule, with greater darknesse then can be exprestiv 22.23.. Fourthly, a man cannot serue God and riches kv. 24..
From the second kind of care he dehorts with eight reasons. First, the life is more worth then meat, and the body than raimentlv. 25.. And if the lord hauehave giuen the greater why should he not be trusted for the lesse?Eight reasons against distracting cares for necessaries Secondly, God prouideth for the very foules that hauehave not such meanes as man hath: and will he not prouide for man mv. 26.? Thirdly, all thy care will not adde one cubit to thy staturenv. 27., but if thou wouldst swelt thy heart out, tis God only must increase thy strength or health. Fourthly, this care is a signe of little faithov. 30.. Fiftly, tis for Gentiles that know not God nor the couenant of his grace and mercy in Christ, to seeke after these things pv. 32.. Tis a grosse shame for any Christian to be so heathenish. Sixtly, doth not your heauenly father know all that you need qv. 32.. If he be a father, hath he not will? and if he be in heauen, hath he not power to helpe? Seuenthly, you hauehave a flat promise that if you seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof (which should take vp your chiefest care) all these things without such carking, so farre as is needfull shall be cast vponupon you rv. 33.. Lastly, hath not eueryevery day his euill? and is not the griefe of the day great enough? why then dost thou distract thy selfe for to morrow assure thy selfe the time to come,sv. vlt. will afford thee matter of griefe and trouble enough, thou needst not disquiet thy selfe before hand.
Vse.The consideration of all this, as it may be a comfort against all wants and crosses about these base earthly things: so it may greatly reproue those that burie their talents in this earth, that is, spend al their gifts about earthly maters. But especially we may hence learne diuerse lessons. And first since we hauehave heard Salomons opinion after long discourse, that all is vanity, we should learne of the same Salomon therefore, to feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole of man: and the end of all tEccles. 12.13.: Secondly, let the place of the sanctuarie uIer. 17.11.12(where we may get the best things for our soules) be as glorious throne exalted. Thirdly, let vsus vse this world as if we vsed it not. Let them that reioice be as if they reioiced not, and they that weepe as if they wept not, and they that buy as though they possessed not x1. Cor. 7.30.31.. Fourthly, if the lord giuegive vsus but a little portion in these things, let vsus esteem his mercy and liue with contentednesse, resoluing that better is a handfull with quietnesse, then two handfulls with labour and vexation of spirit yEccles. 4.6.. And fiftly, we may hence be confirmed to take the more liberty to vse these earthly things for our owne ioy and refreshing, they are none of the things the Lord would hauehave vsus with such a doe keepe: but he allowes vsus To eat and drinke and delight our selues with the profit of our labours zEccles. 1.24. Eccles. 3.12.. Lastly, we should improue them, and vse them as meanes to doe what good we can with them in this life. I know (saith the wise man) there is nothing good in them but to reioice and do good in his life. And to this end we shold cast our bread euen vponupon the waters for after many daies we may find it: and giuegive our portion to seauen and also to eight. E…cles. 11.1.2.The best vse of these riches, is to be rich in doing good with them.
Thus of the illustration. The confirmation followes.