Commentary Upon Colossians, Sermon 23
The 23. Sermon.
COLOSS. 3. V. 5. 6. 7.
5 Mortifie therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, vncleanneſſe, the inordinate affection, euill concupiſcence, and couetouſneſſe, which is idolatry.
6 For the which things ſake the wrath of God commeth on the children of diſobedience.
7 Wherein ye alſo walked once, when yee liued in them.
WE hauehave entred vponupon the fifth verſe, which we are now to recontinue. The ſumme and drift is an exhortation to the mortification of ſinne, and eſpecially of ſuch ſinnes, as had greateſt ſway among the Coloſſians.
Conſider the
Exhortation in the. 5. verſe.
Reaſons whereon it is grounded, conteyned in the 6. and 7. verſe.
The exhortation is, mortifie your earthly members, or members vponupon the earth &c. One reaſon is drawne from the puniſhment: becauſe the wrath of God is againſt ſuch perſons, as offend in theſe, or any of them.
Another reaſon, becauſe they had bene ſuch perſons, and therefore muſt not be ſo hereafter. In the exhortation we hauehave heard that a man is a whole lumpe and body of ſinne, whereof eueryevery ſinne is a member. Againe, becauſe ſinne is ſo nerely ioyned and hardly tyed to vsus that they can hardly be draw from vsus.
They are called earthly, becauſe they drawe vsus from heauen and heauenly things. Which is ment not onelyonly of the body, but alſo of the ſoule, not in regard of the ſubſtance of it, for that is a ſpirit, but in regard it tendeth vntounto ſuch things.
Now we are to come to the perticularities. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh againſt certaine ſinnes againſt the ſeuenth commandement, of adultery. Which the Apoſtle nameth, viz. not thoſe, which all men hold to be ſinnes, & confeſſed to be ſo, as whoredome. &c. But he ſetteth againſt thoſe ſinnes which the world doth ſmally account of.
1. Fornication,
2. Vncleanneſſe.
3. Wantonneſſe.
4. Concupiſcence.
For the firſt, fornication. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh againſt it: for amongſt the gentils it was accounted to be no ſinne, or rather a ſmall ſinne, douting of it. And therefore acts. 15. In the generall councell the Apoſtles concluded that it ſhould be abſtayned from, as a moſt ſhamefull and horrible ſinne. So that paſſing by the groſſer ſinnes he beginneth with this.
This the Apoſtle proueth to be a ſhamefull and1. Cor. 6. 19. 20. vile ſinne. For hereby God is put out (1. Cor. 6.) of his poſſeſſion, for ſeing our body ſhould be conſecrated vntounto God, what a ſhame and horrible thing is it, when men ſhould make it a ſtewes to the Diuell?
Againe, an other reaſon: In that he that committeth fornication maketh his body the member of an 1. Cor. 6. 15.harlot, which ſhould be the member of CHRIST, ſo that as much as in him lyeth, hee maketh CHRIST alſo a member of that body.
Againe, an other reaſon: This ſinne is againſt the body, for other ſinnes are without the body, and the occaſiō, as is the ſin of drunkennes: But this is againſt1. Cor. 6. 18. the body it ſelfe, making it filthy and vncleane, and ſubiect vntounto diſeaſes.
This ſinne the Apoſtle ſtandeth ſo much vponupon, becauſe that they eſteemed ſo light of it: And is not the ſame thing now that men lightly eſteeme of it and count it a Tricke of youth, &c. and if the worſt come they can marry the party with whom they hauehave fornicated, but the Lord doth not ſo eſteeme of it.
2 Vncleaneſſe) Meant all manner of vncleane words and deeds, which do not reach vntounto the act of fornication, as all manner of vncleane kiſſings, and ſpeeches tending to vncleaneſſe, though they come not to the height of fornication; and therefore wee ſee how lightly men eſteeme of theſe alſo, yet they are horrible and vile in the ſight of God. And howſoeuer men ſay, they thinke no hurt, yet as where we ſee ſmoake, we ſay is fire: ſo where theſe are, there is a fire of concupiſcence.
3 Wantonneſſe:) The word ſignifieth paſſions: but as in other places where the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of this ſinne, ſo here it is taken for wantonneſſe, whereby is meant all lightneſſe of the eyes, apparell, gates or other behauiours, tending alſo to fornication and vncleaneſſe.
Laſtly concupiſence, which is the leaſt ſinne againſt the 7. Commandement, which is the deſire of vncleaneneſſe with conſent, Mat: 5. 28. for deſire without conſent, belongs to the laſt Commandement, which our Sauiour CHRIST noteth.
Another ſinne, which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh againſt is couetouſneſſe, comming neere to that vncleaneſſe.
Firſt, by couetouſneſſe is not onelyonly meant when any do wreſt and wring whatſoeuer they can lay hold on. As the Prophet (Ieremy 8.) ſaith, They get their goods falſely: But there is beſides an other thing, when they hauehave an earneſt deſire of the muck of the world, which cannot bee ſatisfied, as the Prophet Eſay ſaith, They deſire to ioyne houſe to houſe, &c. ſignifyingEſay 5. 8. an exceſſiue deſire of riches, which cannot bee ſatisfied.
But further, another coueteouſneſſe, which here is to bee abhorred, when a man reioyſeth in his riches, and takes them to be his credit or honour, as in Iob 31. where hee purgeth himſelfe, as of truſting in his ricches, ſo alſo of his reioyſing in his riches, though he was the richeſt man in all that country.
Thus hee that is not content with his eſtate, but thruſting himſelfe into diuers Trades and Occupations to enlarge himſelfe, is a couetous perſon. And this is a notable ſinne, and ſo much the more feareful in that it is not called in queſtion by men, by the Church, nor puniſhed.
This the Scripture ſpeaketh againſt, as that it is a vaine and vnprofitable thing, for whatſoeuer they ſcratch they ſhall carry nothing out.
Againe, 1. Tim. 6. 9. It caſteth a man into diuers euils and noyſome luſts, for it maketh him to hauehave a ſhipwracke of conſcience, and ſo is that which depriues him of all good arguments of comfort.
But of all places none more notable againſt thisNote. ſinne then this place heere, that it is idolatry. Now idolatry is ſtrictly and largely taken.
Strictly, when a man doth fall downe and worſhip idols and images in ſteed of God.
It is alſo taken more largely: for that when a mans heart is drawne and ſtolne from God, and is ſet vponupon any thing whatſoeuer, as vponupon meate and drinke: the glutton maketh it his God, &c. ſo of vncleaneſſe, &c. But yet more notably couetouſneſſe is calledNote. idolatry, becauſe firſt it maketh him that is couetous to be proud, and lift himſelfe aboue others. Againe, it makes him to truſt in his riches, which adultery, and fornication, & other ſins do not worke in a man. For none is proud and confident in their filthineſſe, &c. And therefore it is that the Apoſtle both to the Epheſians and heere, calleth this idolatry. And thereforeEphe. 5. idolatry is not onelyonly among the Papiſts, but euen to bee found amongſt vsus that hauehave renounced Popery. And would they could not charge vsus of this idolatry, when they ſay there is ſo little almes to the poore, &c.
And the Apoſtle nameth this idolatry to the Coloſſians, from whom Idolatry was abandoned, and therefore noteth that it is a ſhame for them hauing abandoned idolatry to maintaine this. Thus much of the exhortation from ſinne.
The reaſons follow: The firſt is drawne from the puniſhment of God, that the wrath of God commeth vpō the childrē of diſobedience in theſe things.
This is a great and fearefull thing to hauehave the wrath of God againſt a man. The louing countenance of God is a great and excellent thing: And therefore Dauid ſaith, thy louing countenance I deſirePſalme 4 aboue gold, corne or oile.
Pſal. 31. In the louing countenance of God is life and ioy: ſo on the contrary, in his wrath is death and ſorrow.
Saloman ſaith that the anger of a Prince is likeProu. 16. 12. the roaring of a Lyon after his prey: what is then the anger of the eternall God?
By the wrath of God is noted the effect of the wrath of God, that puniſhment, death, condemnation, which is the reward of the wickedneſſe, ſpoken of before, proceeding from the anger of God, as the cauſe.
Obiection. Why doth hee ſay the wrath and not the puniſhment?
I anſwere, to the end that wee ſhould as louingSolution. children, more feare and bee grieued at the wrath of God, then at the puniſhment.
Another reaſon becauſe where the wrath is, there will come puniſhment: if God be angry hee will certainely puniſh.
And howſoeuer men do not regard this, becauſe the Magiſtrate doth not puniſh, yet if he neglect, yet the Lords ſword is ready drawne, and fearefully will reuenge. And it is a feareful thing to fal into the hand of the liuing God. Heb. 10. 31.
In that he ſaith (is vponupon) in the Preſent Tenſe, it notethVerſe 6. a continuance of the puniſhment of God, ſo that euen the very ſin it ſelfe is a puniſhment of God. And therefore Rom. 1. when men would not hearken to the word, the wrath of God from heauen is powred vponupon the ſonnes of diſobedience, by all that rabble of ſinnes there recited in the moſt of that Chapter, which are iudgements of God.
So that howſoeuer men feeling no ſmart vponupon their bodies, yet if they could feele indeed the wrath of God in theſe, they ſhould ſee how fearefull a puniſhment it is to be giuen ouer to drunkenneſſe, fornication, and the like. We ſee the effects of Gods wrath on this ſinne. In Numbers we reade of twenty and foure thouſand ſlaine for this ſinne: And for the defiling of Dinah a whole Citty was deſtroyed.Gen 34. 27.
And therefore ſeeing ſinnes vnpuniſhed vponupon the whole land, therefore it behoueth the Magiſtrate to looke narrowly ſo farre as the law will reach, to puniſh this ſinne ſharply. The not puniſhing of the rauiſhingIudg. 19. & 20. 46. 48. of the Leuits wife, coſt the Beniamites much bloud and loſſe.
And howſoeuer we renounce the errour of the Maniches, yet wee in practiſe affirme their aſſertion, that God was a fierce and ſharpe God vnderunder the Law, but a mercifull God vnderunder the Goſpell: But God is the ſame, and will the rather puniſhPſal. 102. 27. this ſinne, becauſe wee hauehave receiued more graces then they vnderunder the law, and perforce we are to look for greater and heauier iudgements if wee doe prouoke him.
And this belongs to ruſſians, & to them which ſay, ſo that I be ſpared vntounto the end, I care not, God is mercifull. yet let them know, that if they deferre theirNote. repentance till the end, and liue in their pleaſure, yet though they liue the life of Methuſhelah in their pleaſures, one moment in hell ſhal exceed in torment all thoſe pleaſures.
VponUpon the children of diſobedience.) Where we ſee thatƲerſe. 6. the Lords iudgments are executed vponupon the vnfaithfull and wicked; which the Lord doth (as the Lacedomonians)Note. who to make their ſonnes hate drunkenneſſe, would make the ſeruants (which they loued worſt) drunken. So doth God after a ſort, who to make his children hate their ſinnes, doth puniſh the wicked, but his children are not puniſhed; and yet they ſcape not free: for we ſee Dauid for his adultery2. Sam. 13. & 15. & 16. 22. and murder what iudgements followed, his owne Concubines were defiled by his ſonnes, hee was almoſt driuen from his kingdome, and one ſonne ſlue another; yea after his death bloud ceaſed not from his poſterity, as in the beginning of Salomons reigne; yet this is not a puniſhment: for a puniſhmēt is death, which onelyonly is to the wicked, but to Gods children a Correction.
Another reaſon which the Apoſtle rendreth, is becauſeVerſe 7. ſuch they had been in times paſt: and yet were receiued to fauour and mercy by the Lord. And therefore it behoued them to beware of their former ſinnes, to walke like new men, being receiued into a new ſtate.
For what a mercy of God is this to receiue vsus, when we hauehave euen ſpent our ſelues in ſinne? What maiſter, when a man hath ſpent himſelfe and hisNote. ſtrength in another mans ſeruice, will take this man to himſelfe, and make him his ſeruant? But the Lord doth ſo, hee taketh vsus, though we hauehave beene groſſe ſinners, and hee doth account vsus as if wee had not ſinned: As in Ezechiel he ſaith: If the righteous Ezek. 18. 21.man forſake his righteous wayes, I will forget his righteous deeds. Contrary: If a wicked man repent, and do the thing that is good, he ſhall not dye, but liue.
Doctrine This teacheth vsus not to continue in our ſinnes: for if we be fallen, let vsus riſe. Is it not a ſhame to take a fall and lye by it? But ſinne is a fall. It is ſufficient 1. Pet. 4. 4. 3.(ſaith S. Peter) that we hauehave ſpent the time paſt, as do the Gentiles.
Againe, wee are wounded by ſinne, and thereforeNote. we ought to returne to be healed: for what wounded man would not deſire to bee healed? and therefore we are to returne betimes to the Lord, to forſake our euill wayes, how long ſoeuer we hauehave liued in them before.
Walked.) Here the Apoſtle maketh a difference betweene the wicked man, that goeth forward in ſinne, and the children of God, that fall by infirmity: as DAVID, that hauing falled, yet continued not in it.
When yee liued in them.) This is the cauſe that theyVerſe. 7. walked in ſinne, becauſe ſinne was ſtrong in them: it was ſo powerfull with them, as that they liued in it. And therefore we are to mortifie ſinne in vsus, that it may decay: for the life of ſinne is the death of a ſinner, and while a man liues in ſinne, hee is in the ſtate of death.
And therefore let vsus examine our ſelues whether ſinne hauehave that force, that it makes vsus come at a call; let us ſearch if wee liue in it: for if we doe, then ſhall we walke and run after it, and performe the deſires of it; Therefore hee ſaith: Wherein ye walked, when ye liued in them.Ʋerſe 8. This Metaphraſe ſhould hauehave beene placed in the beginning of the Sermon.
Wherefore being aſſured of another life, mortifie your members that are earthly and carnall. If you aske what? I cannot reckon vp all, but I will touch ſome, thoſe ſpecially that you are infected with, whereby you may eaſily conceiue of the reſt, ſuch as are fornication, vncleane behauiour, wantonneſſe, euill concupiſcence, and couetouſneſſe, which (beſides the exceſſiue deſire of goods) is a kinde of idolatry, for that men do put their truſt in riches, that are couetous.
For eueryevery one of the which, the wrath of God commeth on thoſe that remaine in them.
And the rather mortifie theſe ſinnes, as in times paſt you hauehave practiſed them, when beeing giuen vntounto them, your naturall corruption, as a kinde of life, gaue power and moouing for the practiſe of them.
The end of the 23. Sermon.