An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 9
Vers. 9.
Lie not one to another, seeing that yee hauehave put of the old man with his workes.
Lie not one to another] This is the last vice in the Catalogue, lying is giuen oftentimes to the dumbe creatures: and so Images lie, and teach lies, and so the wonders of Antichrist are lying wonders a2 Thes: 2:11.. But it is most vsually and properly ascribed to man, and so he lies either in nature, or in worke, or in worde. In nature, and so the Prophet Dauid saith men of high degree are a lie bPsalm: 62:9. In worke, and so men lie either through hipocrisie, or deceite. Hipocrisie is lying, whether it be in worship to God cEsay 59.13., or carriage towardes men dReuel. 2.9.. Deceit is lying, and therefore the bread of deceit is called bread of lying, Prouerb. 20.17. But most properly a lie is in word, and so there is a lie in doctrine when men teach falshood, or applie truthes to wrong persons or for wrong ends. The Diuell is a lying spirit in the mouth of many Teachers. Men lie also in false witnesse bearing, so do they in slaundering and flattering. But most strictly, lying is in the report of thinges vntrue in conuersing with men whether at home or abroade.
There are many reasons why a Christian should take heede of lying.Reasons against lying. First if we consider the cause of lying it is the Diuell, he is the father of lies eIoh 8.44.. Secondly if we consider the nature of a lie, it is most shamefull and hatefull: and therefore the liar denies his lie, because he is a shamed to be taken with it.
And our Swaggerers hold the lie so disgraceful that they will reuenge it many times with blood. Riches cannot adde so much grace to a man as lying will bring him disgrace, and therefore Salomon saith: A poore man walking in his integrity, is better then a rich man which is a liarf. And the Lord vseth to recken lying with the most monstruous sinnes, to make vsus the more to hate it: as we may see in the Catalogues of the Reuelation,gReu. 21.8.22.15. and in other places of Scripture. Thirdly on the contrarie to speake the truth is to shew righteousnesse hProu. 12.17.. A mouth without guile is a marke of Gods redeemed iReuel. 14.5., and the remnant of Israell, as ingenerall they will do no iniquitie, so in speciall they will not speake lies kZeph 3 13.. Fourthly in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle reasons thus, Put away lying; speake eueryevery man truth to his neighbour for we are members one of an other lEph 4 25.. It were most vnnaturall for the head to lie to the hand, or one member to be false to an other: so vnnaturall is it for Christians to lie one to an other. For they are (or professe to be) members one of an other. Fiftly, if we consider the effects or consequents of lying, for it makes vsus abhominable to God, as they that do truly are Gods delight, so lying lippes are abhomination to the Lord mPr…. 12.22., and a liars tongue is one of the 7. abhominable thinges which Salomon reckoneth vp nPro. 6.17.. The law also is giuen to liars among the rest, as the Apostle to Timothie affirmes o1. Tim. 1.10.. It is one of the sinnes that bringes vponupon a mans soule and bodie, the forfeiture of the law. If lying be not restrained in time thou maiest get such a habit of lying that thou canst hardly tell any thing but thou wilt mixe some falshood with it, and that will both increase thy sinne and the guilt of it. Besides thou wilt loose thy credit, so that thou wilt hardly be beleeued if thou speake the truth. Sixthly, know that God will enter into iudgement with all liars pHosea 4, 2., sometimes by ordinarie iudgements, sometimes by extraordinary, as he did with Ananiah and Saphirah qActs 5.. Now the holy Ghost saith: he that speaketh lies shall not escape rProu. 19.5., but God will destroy them that speake leasings sPsalm. 5.6., or if we could escape in this world, yet the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone is prepared for them that speake or louelove lies.tReuel. 22.15.
Vse.The Vse may be for reproofe and humiliation to such as finde themselues ouertaken with this sinne, especially if it raigne in them, but more especially they are in a cursed condition that seeke lies uPsalm. 4.4., and teach their tongues to lie *Ieremy 9, 5., neither let men please themselues that they can do it couertly. For liars are for the most part easily found out, there is among the rest. 3. signes of a liar and in one of the three he vsually discouers himselfe.Three signes of a lyar. 1. To vary incontinently xProu, 12:19. 2. To hearken to a false tongue yProu. 17.4.. 3. To louelove lies zReuel. 22.15. But let eueryevery one that feareth God obey this counsell of the Apostle, to put lying in the Catalogue of sinnes he would daily watch against. And because by nature wee are all prone vntounto this sinne, we should remember it euen in our praiers to God, that he would remoue far from vsus vanitie and lies aProu. 3.8.. Before I passe from this vice, there are certaine questions to be answered,Quest. as first whether all lying be sinne or no.Answ. That this may be vnderstood men vse to deuide lies into three sortes. There is an ossicious, and a pernicious, and a iesting lie. All men condemne the pernicious lie, many excuse the lie in iest, and some commend the officious lie, but the truth is, all are naught. And therefore the Apostle saith, lie not at all, for he speaketh indefinitely. But it will bee obiected that the midwiues and Rahab and Micholl did lie, but it must be answered, that their zeale and pietie was to be praised,Obiect. but the meanes they vsed was not to be imitated. If any obiect that the Patriarches vsed lying, they must know that diuers speeches of theirs, which to some seeme to be lies, indeed were not. For Sarah was Abrahams sister, and Iacob was Isacks first borne by diuine dispensation and prophetically, & so Paules speech about the high Priest may be excused, when he saith he knew not that he was the high Priest. For from the death of Christ the right of the Priesthood ceased. If it be further obiected that of two euils the lesse is to be chosen.Obiect. I answere, that, that rule is to be vnderstood of euils of inconuenience,Answ. not of euils of sinne. Now that it may further appeare that it is not lawfull to lie, no though it were to saue others from great danger. These reasons may be weied. First we may not doe euill that good may come of it bRom: 3.. 2ly Peter was rebuked for dissembling, though it were, as hee conceiued, to a good end, euen to auoyd offence and scandall cGal: 2.. 3ly nay it is not lawfull to him, though it were to defend Gods cause, or to preuent his dishonour: therefore Iob saith earnestly and in great heat, will ye speake wickedly for God, and talke deceitfully for him, will yee accept his person dIob 13.7.8.9.&c. 4ly If wee might lye to saue others out of danger, then wee might lye to saue our selues also: for we are not more bound to care for the safetie of others, then our owne: but we may not lye to saue our selues, for then Peter had not sinned by denying his Master, keeping his faith and his heart, seeing it was to saue his owne life. Lastly, we might as well commit fornication with the Moabite; to draw them to our religion, or steale from rich men to giuegive to the poore, as to lye to profit.
Quest. But is it not lawfull to suppresse the truth sometimes?Quest:
Answ. Truth is either religious or politicall.Ans: For religious truth, being asked of our faith, wee are ingenuously to professe it. Now politicall truth is to be considered, either as it is required in iudgment, or as it is to be vsed in cases out of iudgment. As for the truth before a Iudge, it may not bee concealed, when thou art called to answer the truth; but in priuate conuersing, wee are not alwaies bound to reueale all the truth: for the precept, Speake eueryevery man the truth eEph: 4.15., is an affirmatiue precept, and so doth not binde alwaies, and at all times, and in all places Besides charitie bindes vsus to conceale and couer many infirmities, and a wise man keeps in, some part till afterwards; and besides it is apparant, men are not bound to discouer their secret sinnes to all men. Samuel also is taught to conceale a part of the truth, when he went to anoint Dauid. And thus of the catologue of Iniuries.
Seeing you hauehave put off the old man with his workes.] In these words with the verses that follow to the 12th is conteined three reasons to inforce the mortification of iniuries.
I. They are the works of the old man:vers: 10. and they hauehave by profession put off the old man, and so they should do his works.
II. They are now in the state of grace,vers: 11. they are new men, and therefore hauehave new manners: they are by the meanes renued in knowledge, and therefore ought to grow in practise, euen in the mortification of what remaines of corruption, they are renewed after the image of Christ, and Christs image is the patterne of all holinesse, and they must therefore leaue those sinnes, because how like soeuer they bee to the humors and dispositions of the most men, yet they are not found in the Image of Christ.
III. God is vnpartially righteous and iust: if men minde not mortification, he cares not for them, though they were Iewes, circumcised, freemen ▪ and contrariwise, if they do conscionably striue after the holinesse of Christ, and the mortification of sinnes, he will accept them, though they were Graecians, Scythians, bond, &c.
In these words is heedfully to be noted, the matter to bee auoyded: both the old man and his works. 2. the maner imployed in the metaphor (put off) with the time, hauehave, and the persons, yee.
The old man is by some taken to be their old condition of life in the time of Idolatry;What the old man signifieth by others, to be their custome and habit in sinne: but it is generally by the most taken to be the corruption of nature, and inborne prauitie, that vicious humor and ill disposition that naturally is in eueryevery one of vsus, it is the image of the first Adam in our hearts.
This corruption is here said to be, the man:Why corruption is called the man. because it is seated in eueryevery part of man, and because it rules and frames a man, and because it liues in man, so as sinne onelyonly seemes to be aliue and the man dead, and because God will take notice of nothing in the sinner, but his sinne.
2 The old man. partly in respect of the first Adam, whose sinne is ours by propagation,…nd why it is called the old man. and who is called ould, to distinguish him from the second Adam a1 Cor: 15.4.5.: and partly in respect of our state of corruption, which in the renewed estate we change so, that our condition after calling is said to be new, and our disposition before calling said to be old. This corruption may be said to be ould also by the effects, for in godly men it waxeth old and withereth more and more daily by the power of Christ in them: and in wicked men, it spends the strength and vigor and power of the faculties of the soule, and makes him more and more withered and deformed in Gods sight, and withall it hasten… old age, and death vponupon their bodies. also in some men, sinne may be said to be old in repect of continuance, this is most fearefull; age in any corruption is a most grieuous circumstance of aggrauation; it is best not to sinne at all, and the next, to get quickly out of it.
What are the works of the old man.Thus of his nature: now of his workes. The works of the old man are in generall, workes of darknesse, of iniquitie, of the flesh, vaine, vnfruitfull, corrupt, abhominable, deceiueable, shamefull, and tend to death. And now particularly, if we would know what he doth, and how he is imployed, we must vnderstand, that he giues lawes to the members against the law of God and the minde; that he frames obiections and lets against all holy duties; that he striues to br…ng the soule into bondage and captiuitie vnderunder imperious lusts; that he inflames the desires of the heart against the spirit: that he infects our vaine generation, and works both sinne and wrath for our posteritie; but more especially, his workes are either inward or outward: inwardly he workes Atheisme, impatience, contempt, carnall considence, hypocrisie: he forges and frames continually, and multiplies euill thoughts: he works lusts of all sorts, he works anger, rage, malice, griefe, euill suspitions, and the like. Outwardly, he works all sorts of disorders, impieties, vnrighteousnesse, and intemperance. A catalogue of his outward works are set downe, in the Epistle to the Galathian bGal: 5.22.23. he is heere in the coherence, described to be couetous, filthy, wrathfull, cursed and lying: and all these are well called his works, because he rests not in euill dispositions, but will burst out into action: besides, it is his trade …o sinne, and they are well called his works, because they are properly a mans owne, for till a man repent, he hath nothing his owne but his sinne, and it is to be obserued, that his works indefinitely must be put away: as if the holy ghost would imply, that all his works were nought: for his best works are infected with the viciousnesse of his person, or else they are not warranted in the word, or they are not finished, or the end was not good, or the manner not good, or they were wrought too late, or being out of Christ, they were not presented by Christ vntounto God, in whom only they can be accepted.
Thus of the matter to bee reformed, the manner followes. Put off] The faithfull are said to put of the old man six waies. 1 In signification, or sacramentally, and so in baptisme. 2 In profession, or outward acknowledgment: and so we professe to leaue off the practise of sin. 3ly by Iustification, and so the guilt of sinne is put off. 4ly by relation, and so in our head Christ Iesus he is eueryevery way already perfitly put off. 5ly by Hope, and so we beleeue he shall be wholy remooued at the last day. 6ly by Sanctification, and so he is put off but in part, and inchoatiuely: the last way is heere principally ment.
Now in respect of Sanctification, the old man and his works are put away, first, in the word, for so Christians are said to be cleane by the word cIoh: 15.3., and to be sanctified by the word dIoh: 17.17.. The word, first, begins the worke of reformation, it informes, renewes, chaseth away the affections and lusts of sinne, &c. and then secondly, the Christian at home puts him away by confession, and godly sorrow, and the diuorce of daily practise of reformation▪ this is in effect that which is signified in the other metaphor, of crucifying the old man eRom: 6.6.: for to crucifie him, is to lift him vp on the crosse of Christ, and to naile him with the application of Gods threatnings, which causeth the paines of godly sorrow.
HaueHave] Q. Can men put of the old man in this life. Ans. They may by inchoation not perfectly. Q. But when may wee hauehave the comfort of it, that the old man is put of and crucified in vsus. Ans: When he is so subdued that he raignes not, for (to take the benefit of the word, crucified) to crucifie is not absolutely and outright to kill: and therefore it is said in the Creed, Christ was dead, after he had said, he was crucified, to note a further degree. Now then, (as I conceiue of it) sin is crucified, when wee make our natures smart for it, so repenting of our sinne, as we allow no sinne: for to crucifie a man, is to leaue no member free: prouided that we be sure, that the ould man be so pierced, that he will dye of it, though he be not presently dead.
Yee] The persons are indefinitely set downe, to note that it is a duty required of all sorts of men, to put of the old man, and this worke it is required of great men, of learned men, of wise men, of young men, in a word, of all men without exception. The vses follow.
And first we may here informe our selues concerning the necessitie of mortification,Vse. there is in vsus such corruption of nature, and such works of corruption, as if they be not mortified, they will certainly mortifie vsus. Secondly, heere may be collected, matter of confutation, and that of Popish antiquitie: for eueryevery man carries that about with him, that may prooue that a thing may be ancient and yet vile. Thirdly, how can the most of vsus escape, but the reproofes of God, must needs fall vponupon vsus, for eueryevery man lookes to the mending of his house, and his lands, and his apparell, &c. but who lookes to the mending of his nature? eueryevery man hath courage to put away an euill seruant, and …n adulterous wife, but where are the people that will resolutely set vponupon the diuorce of sinne? men may be deceiued, but the truth of God will remaine vnchangeable, if we hauehave not put of the old man with his deceiueable affections and works, we hauehave not after all this hearing learned Christ as the truth is in him fEph: 4 22.23.: but when I speake of putting of, I meane not that sinne should be put of, as men put of their garments, with a purpose to put them on againe, after a certaine time.