Commentary Upon Colossians, Sermon 12
The twelfth Sermon.
COLOSS. 1. V. 23 to the 26.
23 If ye continue grounded ad ſtabliſhed in the faith, and be not mooued away from the hope of the Goſpell, whereof yee hauehave heard, and which hath bene preached to eueryevery creature which is vnderunder heauen, whereof I Paule am a Miniſter.
24 Now reioyce I in my ſufferings for you, and fulfill the reſt of the afflictions of CHRIST in my fleſh, for his bodies ſake, which is the Church.
25 Whereof I am a Miniſter, according to the diſpenſation of God, which is giuen me vntounto you-ward; to fulfill the word of God.
26 Which is the miſtery hid ſince the world began, and from all ages, but now is made manifeſt to his Saints.
WE hauehave entred into a certaine purpoſe the Apoſtle hath to confirme the Coloſſians in the knowledge and profeſſion of the truth receiued, ſhewing that there was no true grace vnles a continuance in that they had receiued.
And the drift or end of the Apoſtle is to ſtrenghthen the Coloſſians, and in them all Chriſtians in the continuance in their profeſſion. Reaſons wee hauehave heard before: other follow.An other reaſon of perſeuerance in the true faith. As namely that the Goſpell, which they receiued by him, was the Goſpell of CHRIST, and therefore they ſhould continue.
And this Goſpell hee proueth to bee the true Goſpell, becauſe it was Preached by his Miniſtery, and of the other Apoſtles, which is confirmed by that of the Prophet, Eſay 2. That the ſound of them went through all the world.
And ſeeing this doctrine was Preached & receiued through al the world, therfore it was the true doctrin of God, for no doctrine but this, had euer, or ſhall hauehave this ſpreading, No not the wretched doctrine of the Arrians, which were onelyonly in the Eaſt countries: Nor the doctrine of Popery, which neuer went ouer the whole world, for it was not receiued in the moſt parts of the world, no not of the Grecians, which are neere, yet ſtood alwaies at ſpeares point with it, and therefore it cannot be the true doctrine.
And the excellency of the Goſpell of CHRIST is argued to be a wonderful & marueilous doctrine, as being Preached by poore ſilly fiſhermen, and that without any other ſword but of the word, and of the cenſure and diſcipline adminiſtred.
Againe, this ſheweth the wonderfulneſſe of thisNote. doctrine, which is able to pierce and ſting the hearts of men, and to ſubdue the hearts, which is more then all the Emperours of the world could do: And therefore muſt needes bee the true word of God, which muſt ſo breake into the hearts of men.
It is no maruell though the doctrine of PoperyNote. was ſo receiued, becauſe it was a doctrine of licentiouſneſſe of liuing, ſo many feaſts and holy-daies, ſo many indulgences for any wickedneſſe ſoeuer they would commit: beſides, in their ſeruice ſo many delights, ſinging, piping, ringing for the eares; gorgeous ſhews for the ſight, and eueryevery ſenſe hath his playfellow, and therefore it fitted the humors of men notably, and therefore no maruell though many follow it. But the doctrine of the Goſpell doth cleane contrary, it reproueth the euill corruption of nature, and ſubdueth it; And therefore they that hauehave found this effect by the Goſpell, that it hath ſubdued our natural affections, and conuerted ourformer life to a better, it is a notable argument to vsus of the truth of this Goſpell.
Obiection. After the Apoſtle ſetteth forth his fidelity, dilligence and painefulneſſe in his Miniſtery: But firſt he meeteth with an obiection, that this ſhould not bee the Goſpell, nor hee a Miniſter of God, becauſe he was in continuall affliction: and therefore no true Miniſter of the Goſpell, that God would ſuffer him ſo to be afflicted: And wee know it is the malice of men, becauſe they ſee any afflicted and diſtreſſed, they thinke them not to be the children of God: As Iobes friends, ſeeing all his goods taken away, his children and himſelfe ſo tormented, thought it was impoſſible he ſhould be an vpright man, but rather that hee was an hypocrite.
Dauid alſo though a valiant man, a Prophet and aPſal. 73. wiſe man, yet was much ſhaken & like to hauehave gone backe, becauſe hee ſaw the godly ſo afflicted and in miſery: So here theſe, ſeeing the Apoſtle, one of the chiefe of the Apoſtles to be ſo grieuouſly perſecuted and afflicted, as him (1. Cor. 11.) doth confeſſe, comparing himſelfe to the other Apoſtles, whom they vpbraded him withall, he doth rehearſe his labours, trauels, perſecutions, afflictions, dangers, watchings, nakedneſſe, cold, hunger, &c. And in the recitall of all theſe his troubles, he was now in bonds in priſon, & therefore they might thinke he was no true Miniſter of God, nor beloued, that God would ſuffer him thus to bee dealt withall.
Solution. But the Apoſtle anſweres, that he hath great cauſe of reioycing by his afflictions, addeth two reaſons: 1 One he maketh ſupply of the afflictions of Chriſt, that which was wanting in CHRIST, he doth fulfill: Secondly, it is for the Churches good, that he doth it for the body of CHRIST, which is his Church. For the firſt, here ariſe ſtrong arguments of the Papiſts for their doctrine of iuſtification by workes: Obiection. And one is, they ſay that Saint Paul ſupplyed the paſſions of CHRIST, and therefore his paſſions are not ſufficient, but muſt bee peeced and patched with good workes: Secondly, they ſay, the Apoſtle ſuffered for the Church, and therefore the martirdome or merits of Martyrs are to be giuen to Saints for their good.
Solution. For the anſwere of theſe, we are to know that the mēbers of CHRIST, being ioyned with CHRIST, make but one CHRIST, they being diuers members of one body, which is CHRIST the Head, 1. Cor. 12. And as the wife taketh the name of the huſband, ſo do we of CHRIST being Chriſtians. Now then as our Sauiour CHRIST went before in afflictions, ſo we are to fulfill his afflictions and to follow him. Heb. 2. CHRIST abaſed himſelfe that he might make himſelfe like vsus in ſuffering, and therefore we muſt bee like vntounto him in ſufferings. So that we ſee what an argument they make, that becauſe wee muſt be like him in afflictions, therfore our afflictions muſt merite, nothing leſſe. Another reaſon in that he ſaith: that which wanted in his afflictions, is ſupplied. It is ment in regard of his feeling & ſuffering with thē, in their afflictions he ſuffereth as before in his owne body, ſo now in the perſon of his Church, and therefore ſaith to Paul, Acts 9. Saul why perſecuteſt thou me?
Obiection. The other reaſon, they vſe, is in that he ſaith; Hee ſuffered for the Church.
Solution. We are to vnderſtand indeed that the Miniſters of God, and the children of God, when they ſuffer, ſuffer for the Church, not for the redemption, but forNote. the confirmation, comfort, and example of the Church, as the Apoſtle ſheweth, 2. Cor. 1. 6. If wee be afflicted it is for our conſolatiō, &c. As if he had ſaid, I ſuffer for your cauſe, that yee ſeeing my afflictions and patience in my trouble might take example to follow mee, and ſeeing my conſtancy through God that doth ſuſtaine mee, yee might receiue comfort and example in continuing conſtant your ſelues, & might wade through the afflictions that come vntounto you. And therefore we ſee what is the cauſe why the children of God ſuffer, viz: for the Churches ſake, by ſtanding conſtantly in the defence of the truth, which Satan eſpecially aymeth at, to make them depart from it, and his inſtrumēts alſo not ſo much look for their life, as the defaming of the truth: & therfore we continuing cōſtant in the truth, we are cōquerers, how hardly ſoeuer we be delt withall. And therefore wee ſee what ſlender grounds they hauehave of the doctrin of merits, & indulgēces which they giuegive, attributing ſaluatiō to merits of Saints and Martyrs: Where they alſo deale moſt wretchedly and blaſphemouſly againſt the God ofNote. heauen, & the Son of God, which ſpeake againſt the imputation of the rightouſneſſe of CHRIST to vsus, and yet giuegive that honour to Saints in that they will hauehave their righteouſneſſe imputed vntounto others.
Doct. 1 This we are taught that if we will indeed raigne with CHRIST wee muſt bee content to ſuffer with Chriſt, be content to vndergo perſecutions, frownes & ſcornings of our friends and others, we muſt take part with CHRIST in his afflictions. He that would weare Chriſts Crowne, muſt beare CHRISTS, Croſſe.
Doct. 2 Another thing that we are here to take comfort in our afflictions, in that CHRIST ſeeth their afflictions and is as tenderly affected, as if he himſelfe were in trouble, in priſon, fire &c.
And therefore in the Epiſtle to the HebrewesHeb. 2 17. 18. the Apoſtle ſaith, he himſelfe was afflicted, as that we might be redeemed, ſo alſo that he might hauehave experience of our troubles, that ſo he might the more tender vsus in our afflictions. As the woman that hath felt the paines of child-birth can tell beſt what it is. So CHRIST himſelfe knoweth our troubles, who hath had the ſenſe of troubles in himſelfe.
The Apoſtle after calleth himſelfe, the Miniſter Verſe. 25.of the Church, as before of the Goſpell, both are one. He meanes that he was Gods Miniſter for the edification and comfort of his Church. The end of his Miniſtery of the Church: is to fulfill the word of God,How the word of God is fulfilled. by calling thoſe that are to be called to the knowledge of the truth wherein the word is fulfilled, or els fulfilled in hardning the hart of thoſe, that are not to be ſaued: for to them the Miniſtery of the word is to further iudgement, to them, that contemne it, and profit not by it. In the next words he ſets downe the dignities of Gods word 1. it is a miſtery, Verſe. 25.a ſecret; ſecondly a miſtery hid from all ages, thirdly reueiled onelyonly to the faithfull or Saints. A Miſtery. A word taken from the heathen from their ſuperſtitious vſage in their diuiliſh religion▪ eſpecially amongDignity 1. the Egiptians, their religion being called a miſtery, and their miniſtry miſticall, or miſteriall men, their religion being hid to the Prieſts alone, who by pictures of birds and beaſts had all their religion expreſſed that others might not know it. And therefore we ſee how fitly this ſuperſtition of the Gentils may agreeNote. with the Doctrine of Popery, which will hauehave the word hidden from the lay people as they called them. Whereas God would hauehave his will deliuered vntounto his ſeruants and people.
The commendation of the Goſpell then is ſet forth by this word Miſtery, In that it is ſuch an excellent thing as that it can not be attayned vntounto by any wit of men and Angels. And therefore the Angels are ſaid to ſtoup to looke into this maruelous worke of ſaluation,1. Pet. 1. 12. by the Doctrine of ſaluation.
Men vſually of fine wits will be looking into things, that are hard, and darke, and high, and therefore Salomon ſaith harken my ſonne, and I will tell the darke parables.
And in another place I will teach thee things of high account wherein the wiſeſt head may be occupied. So that we ſee the excellency of the Goſpell.
Obiection. Againe this is a miſtery hid from the beginning ſoDignity. 2. many thouſand yeares. But this may ſeeme to confirme an errour in Popery, that this being hid from ſo many generations, was hid from Abraham and the reſt of the Patriarks, and therefore they could not be ſaued. But if we be the children of Abraham and muſt reſt in his boſome, then he was ſaued. Anſwer. But for anſwer, it is to be ment that the promiſe of this miſtery was giuen to Abraham, but it came not till now, and therefore in regard of that it was hidden. And againe though it was knowne, yet it was but darkly knowne in clouds and figures, and therefore they could not ſee it ſo plainly as we doe. For the fathers did not ſee the ſuffrings of CHRIST, as we doe, and therefore in that regard it was hidden.
And this the Apoſtle to the Epheſians ſheweth,Eph. 3. 5. when he ſaith, this miſtery was not opened in other ages vntounto the ſons of men, as it is now reuealed vntounto Inſtruction.his holy Apoſtle & Prophets. &c. As we go before them in knowledge, ſo alſo in obedience, els it is to our greater condemnation.
Reueiled to his Saints, viz. to thoſe onelyonly, that areDignity 3. the children of God, not to all men and therfore it isIt is rare. that CHRIST praiſeth his father for hiding thisMath. 11. 25. from the world, yea from the wiſeſt of the world, and for opening the ſame to Babes, and he hath choſen the fooliſh, ſaith S. Paule, to confound the wiſe. 1. Cor. 1. 27.
Obiection. Obiect. But the wicked know the Goſpell, the truth of it, which is by the working of Gods ſpirit onelyonly, and beleeue it, and can defend and diſpute of it, and yet hauehave no part in it. How then? is it not reueiled to them?
Anſwer. That vnderſtanding is no true vnderſtanding,Solution. becauſe it is not ioyned with an alteration, in that the Goſpell hath not conuerted them to it: they do (it may be) know the Goſpell, but they do notNote. obey it, they do not reſt in the ſhadow of it, the Goſpell cannot perſwade them to ſubmit themſelues to the kingdome of CHRIST, & to obey his laws. The vertue therefore and efficacy of this miſtery is hidden to them, and not imparted.
The end of the twelfth Sermon.