Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 1 · Verse 12
VER. 12. Giuing thankes vntounto the Father which hath made vsus meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.
The Apoſtle hauing finiſhed the proeme and entrance of his Epiſtle, ſtanding on a congratulation and comprecation from the third verſe to this twelfth, now hee enters vponupon a ſummarie declaration of the doctrine of ſaluation from this verſe to the 23.A ſummarie declaration of the doctrine of ſaluation from this 12. verſ. to the 23. The generall propoſition. The parts of it. the generall propoſition laid downe in theſe verſes, is this, that ſaluation comes vntounto vsus from God the Father, by his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, true God and man, and the head of his Church, whoſe merit is ſufficient to all perfection of eternall life. The parts of this propoſition are two: Firſt, a declaration of the fountaine and firſt Author of ſaluation, namely God the Father, together with the effect wrought by him, in verſ. 12.13.
2 Secondly, a manifeſtation of the worker of it, Ieſus Chriſt, and the worke wrought by him, namely redemption, verſ 14. to which is ſub-ioined in the verſes following a confirmation and proofe of his ſufficiencie to redeeme vsus; and that is prooued both by the dignitie of his perſon that he was true God, the image of the inuiſible God, the firſt borne of eueryevery creature, and by the eternall decree and good pleaſure of his father, together with the application both in generall, and in ſpeciall to the Coloſſians. The words of the 12. and 13. verſes, being the firſt part of the generall propoſition, containe in them two things; firſt, the effect wrought by God the Father, verſe 12. Secondly, the manner how it was wrought, verſe 13. In the twelfth verſe we finde more ſpecially a thankſgiuing to God (giuing thanke,) and the reaſon and ground of that in thoſe words (which hath made, &c.) and the place of that inheritance in the laſt words (in light.) Firſt, briefly examine we the words of the 12.Interpretation. verſe, the word (Father) is heere to be taken perſonally, for the firſt perſon in the Trinitie, becauſe one perſon is conferd with another, and it ſtandeth in relation to Chriſt (meet) that is, fit, ſufficient, ſo the word is rendred, and it is ſo there tranſlated by the Papiſts themſelues, yet heere they tranſlate it (worthie) labouring thereby to vphold their opinion of inherent worthineſſe and condignitie deſeruing ſaluation, which indeed cannot ſtand either with the proper ſignification of the word, or with the context, and with that in the verſe following, where it is ſhewed how we are made fit, namely by effectuall vocation, iuſtification, and a meaſure of ſanctification. (To be partakers) or to be a part (inheritance of the Saints) that is to ſay, life and glory, giuen as it were by lot (for the Apoſtle alludeth to the diuiſion of the land of Canaan) to them that are ſanctified by faith (in light) that is to ſay, in the glorious kingdome of heauen, for ſo we finde the word (light) taken,Act 26.23. ſhew light or preach light, that is to ſay, life eternall. Now come we to ſuch things as may be obſerued from this verſe.
Doct. 1 Firſt, we are to marke that the Apoſtle entring on the doctrine of ſaluation, and the conſideration of the grace of God in the worke of redemption, he begins with thankeſgiuing to God. Our leſſon hence is this, when wee either thinke or ſpeake of the grace of God in the worke of our redemption, then our hearts muſt bee enlarged,When wee either thinke or ſpeake of Gods grace in the worke of our redemption, wee are to magnifie the name of the Lord. 1 Peter 2.9. and our mouthes opened to magnifie the name of the Lord, for that is the end of all the mercies of God beſtowed vponupon vsus. It is the end of all the actions of God tending to ſaluation: yea of the chiefeſt of them, our glorification in heauen. The point of thankeſgiuing was handled before in the third verſe; and therefore in a word know we, that as many as hauehave any comfortable feeling of Gods grace in the worke of redemption, Ʋſe. are thus affected,Such as comfortably feele Gods grace in the worke of redemptiō are ſo affected they neuer thinke or ſpeake of it but with thanksgiuing, and it is a ſure note and marke that wee finde true comfort in the doctrine of grace, if when we thinke or ſpeak of it, our hearts be filled with ioy, and our mouthes opened to praiſe the Lord; for this beeing an exerciſe of the bleſſed Angels and Saints of God in heauen, who do continually ſing, thou art worthy to take the booke, and to open the ſeales thereof, becauſe thou waſt killed, and haſt redeemed vsus to God by thy bloud out of eueryevery, &c.Reuel. 5.9. It cannot chuſe but in ſome meaſure be begun in this life, and bee found in them who ſhall heereafter be glorified in heauen.
I come to the matter of the Apoſtles thankeſgiuing Doct. 2 (which hath made vsus meete) comprehending vnderunder that generall (of making meet) as one ſpeciall branch of it,God the father doth truly and really impute the righteouſnes of Chriſt to them whom he doth iuſtifie by his grace in Chriſt. the iuſtification of a ſinner, wee may conclude that whome it pleaſeth the Father to iuſtifie by his grace in Chriſt, to him he doth truly and really impute the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and by his righteouſneſſe make him truely and really meet and fit to bee partaker of glory in heauen, it is not an imaginary or a ſuppoſed imputation of Chriſt his righteouſnes, by which wee ſtand iuſt and righteous in the ſight of God; the Papiſts doe ſcornfully terme it imputatiue iuſtice and tell vsus that we are to tremble at that which follows vponupon it, Vſe. that as we hauehave no righteouſneſſe nor merit of heauen but (as they call it) by a ſuppoſed imputation,Confutation of the Papiſts. ſo muſt we look for no heauen, but by imputation, we are from hence to take notice of it, that it is not (as they falſly cauill) a ſuppoſed, but a reall imputation of righteouſneſſe, whereby we ſtand moſt in Gods ſight, we are not in conceipt made meet for the kingdome of Heauen, but truly and really, and to this agreeth that of the Apoſtle, that we are made the righteouſneſſe of God in Chriſt,2. Cor. 5.21. that as our ſinne was truely and really, not in conceipt; but indeed truly imputed vntounto him, and hee made ſinne for vsus: ſo are we made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. It is but a fond cauil to ſhift off the plaine euidence of that place in that they ſay Chriſt was made ſinne, that is to ſay a ſacrifice for ſinne, thereby thinking to elude the people of God and to perſwade that we miſconſter the place, for wee confeſſe it, that he was a ſacrifice for ſin, but he was therefore a ſacrifice for ſin, becauſe our ſin was imputed vntounto him and puniſhed in him, and therfore it is ſaid that he was made a curſe for vsus,Gal, 3.13. becauſe the curſe wee had deſerued was imputed vntounto him that the bleſſing of Abraham might come vponupon vsus, through Chriſt Ieſus, that wee might receiue the promiſe of the ſpirit through faith. Let vsus not then bee driuen from this truth, by any cauill or ſcorne of the Papiſts, but learne to hold it as a certaine trueth, that it is a true reall imputation of righteouſneſſe, by which we ſtand iuſt in Gods ſight, and this is further cleare by our reall vnion with Chriſt by the bond of his ſpirit; for by the ſpirit and faith wee are really members of Chriſt his miſticall body and ſo his righteouſnes and merits are truely and really communicated vntounto vsus, and we hauehave intereſt in them Doct. 3 as the members of his body. The ſecond point that may be gathred for our inſtruction is this, that none euer come to be partakers of life and glory in heauen,Such as come to bee partakers of Chriſts glory in Heauen are made fit for it in this life. but ſuch as are before made meet and fit for it, not onelyonly by a reall imputation of righteouſneſſe, but by a meaſure of inherent holineſſe and ſanctification, and to proue this further, we are to know, that howſoeuer it bee true, that no goodneſſe or holineſſe in vsus is proportionable in merit and deſert to the leaſt degree of glory that ſhall be reuealed becauſe our beſt holines is imperfect, and life & glory is not giuen for the worthines of it, yet this is as true againe, that life and glory ſhall be giuen in mercy according to the meaſure of holines, and where there is a greater meaſure of holines, there ſhall be a greater degree of glory, and conſequently where there is no holineſſe, no glory, nor the leaſt degree of glory can be looked for;Rom. 2.6. The Apoſtle hauing deliuered it in the generall, that the Lord will reward eueryevery man according to his workes, he preſently ſubioynes a particular explication that vntounto all them that continue in well dooing, the Lord will giuegive glory, honour, and immortality, and eternall life, but on the contrary, ſuch as are contentious & diſobey the truth, & obey vnrighteouſneſſe, they can look for no ſuch reward from the Lord, vppon them ſhall bee indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh, and vponupon the ſoule of eueryevery one that doth euill. Wee may obſerue that though the kingdom of heauen be prepared for them that are bleſſed of God the Father, verſe 34.Math. 25. yet they are not ſent into the poſſeſſion of it. By the ſentence of our Sauior before he makes it known, both to themſelues and to all the worlde that they are fitted for it in meaſure of ſanctification, and that they teſtified the ſame by their workes of mercy towards his members, that they fed the hungry, cloathed the naked, viſited the ſicke, &c. whence it is moſt cleare, that none euer come to bee partakers of life and glory in heauen, but ſuch as are before made fit for it by a meaſure of holineſſe.
By this doctrine you ſhut out infants dying in infancy from the participation of life and glory in heauen, Anſw. becauſe they cannot be ſo fitted.
The doctrine muſt not be extended to them, Object. but vnderſtood of ſuch as bee of diſcretion, for infants within the couenant, and in Gods euerlaſting election, dying in their infancy are ſaued, nor by actuall faith, which they cannot hauehave, wanting actuall knowledge, but by ſome other ſpeciall worke of Gods ſpirit, not knowne to vsus, and ſo not any actuall ſanctification is required of them.
Vſe. Is it ſo that where no holineſſe is, there can be no expectation of life and glory in heauen,Vngodly and prophane perſons in vaine look to come to heauen cō tinuing in their ſinnes. Heb. 12.14. Iſay. 3 9. no comfortable ſight of God hoped for, then let no vngodly prophane man or woman, ſuch as declare their ſinnes as Sodom, ſooth and flatter themſelues, and thinke they ſhall get to heauen wel enough for all their abhominable ſilthineſſe, (if they ſo thinke) they are much deceaued, and let them heare it from the mouth of the Lord as a terrible ſentence to all vnrepentant ſinners, that no vncleane thing, neither whatſoeuer worketh abhomination or lies, ſhall enter therein, but they which are written in the lambs booke of life. It is therefore the exhortation of the Apoſtle,Reu. 21.27. let no man deceiue you with vaine words, and I may ſay, let no man deceiue himſelfe with ſuch vaine words or perſwaſions: this ye know (ſaith the Apoſtle,Ephe. 5 6. verſ. 5. that no whoremonger, neither vncleane perſon, nor couetous perſon, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Chriſt and of God, but becauſe many pleaſe themſelues in their filthineſſe and ſinnes, in hope heereafter to finde mercy, though they hauehave heard that late repentance is ſeldome true repentance, and they may happily feeke it and not find it. I would entreat him that wee may a little further reaſon together vponupon the doctrine now deliuered, they hauehave heard it proued that none can come to bee partakers of life and glory in heauen; but ſuch as are before made fit and meete for it, and can they thinke that they are fit for heauen who without remorſe of conſcience do again crucifie Chriſt, and make his wounds to bleed a freſh; thus do all hard hearted and vnrepentant ſinners by their ſins, if therfore they rightly conſider it they moſt of force confeſſe, that they fooliſhly perſwade themſelues they ſhall get to heauen. Oh, but Gods mercy is great? it is true, hee is a God of infinite merciemercy, but yet a iuſt God, and it is ſtrange that wicked prophane wretches ſhold dare to preſume of Gods merciemercy vnderunder many ſinnes, and yet they may finde, that God hath ſhewed his iuſtice to the deareſt of his children: to Moſes, to Aaron, to Dauid, and others, for committing ſome one ſinne; yea, which is more, Chriſt himſelfe, the glory and image of his Father, could not eſcape the bitter death of the croſſe, becauſe he became ſin for vsus. How then can bold and preſumptuous ſinners perſwade themſelues they ſhall eſcape the puniſhing hand of God, they adding ſin to ſin, and wallowing in their ſinnes till death, without repentance? Let them duely conſider this, and for concluſion of this point, let vsus know, that there is no comfort to be had in our hearts, touching life and glory in the world to come, but onelyonly by a true eſpiall of ſanctification of life in our ſelues: and let it mooue vsus to labour by all appointed good meanes to come to a meaſure of ſanctification, that ſo we may glorifie our heauenly Father in this life, and may ſeale vp aſſurance of our happy eſtate in his glorious kingdome in heauen (to be partakers) or to a part.
Hence a queſtion is occaſioned. Some may ſay, Queſt: ſhall we hauehave diſtinct parts of glory in heauen, becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith, made meet to a part, it may ſeeme ſome ſhall hauehave one part of glory, and ſome another.
No, the very word vſed by the Apoſtle is againſt it, Anſw. it being a word of the ſingular number, cannot imply multiplicitie of parts. But for ful anſwer, know that al the Saints ſhall hauehave the ſame happineſſe and glory in ſubſtance, namely, perfect vnion and coniunction with God, and participation of all eternall good things from him; but all ſhall not hauehave the ſame degree of glory, but ſome greater, ſome leſſe, anſwerable to the degrees of goodnes in them
The Prophet doth inferre vponupon the generall reſurrection,Dan 12.3. that they that be wiſe, ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteouſneſſe, ſhall ſhine as the ſtarres for euer and euer. And the Apoſtle plainely teacheth this point,1. Cor. 15.41. there is one glory of the Sunne, and another glory of the Moone, and another glory of the Starres: for one Starre differeth from another Starre in glory. And howſoeuer that in the parable, that all the labourers in the vineyard receiued eueryevery one a penie,Mat. 20.12. may ſeeme contrary to this; yet wee muſt vnderſtand it, as lying vnderunder this diſtinction that in reſpect of eſſentiall glorie, all the elect ſhall hauehave the ſame; but in regard of accidentall glorie, and the degrees of glory, therein they ſhall not be equall.Vſe of the anſw…r to the queſtion. And let not this be a point of ſpeculation, onelyonly ſeruing to make vsus able to talke of it: if we reſt in that, the very Deuill ſhall reape as much profit by it as we. But let vsus labour to make it comfortable to our ſelues, let it be laid as a ground in our hearts of comfort, and of godly emulation, euen to make vsus ſtriue to excell one another in holineſſe, that ſo wee may finde ſtrong conſolation and comfort of conſcience in this life, and increaſe of our glory in the life to come (inheritance) in that the Apoſtle cals life and glory in heauen, an inheritance, it is moſt Doct. 4 cleare to any that will rightly conſider it, that it is giuen to Gods elect,Life and glory in heauen is giuen to Gods elect freely. whom it pleaſeth the Father to make meer for it, not vponupon any deſert of theirs, but freely: for why? we know that an inheritance is giuen to the childe, of the meere louelove of the father; it may bee, it was prouided for him before hee was borne, and before hee could doe any thing for the deſeruing of it. And thus our Sauiour ſpeakes of the heauenly inheritance,Mat. 25.34. Inherit you the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world. It is a thing commonly knowen, that amongſt men, an inheritance is not giuen to the ſeruant, who peraduenture hath done ſomething either in the getting or keeping of it, but it is giuen to the childe, who happily is ſo farre from doing any thing, either to the getting or keeping of it, as yet hee lies crying in the cradle; ſo that by this word (inheritance) the Holy Ghoſt would hauehave vsus to vnderſtand, that life and glory in heauen is freely giuen, and not vponupon deſert. Againe, if the word be taken in the other ſignification, it doth demonſtrate and prooue the ſame thing, that life and glory is freely giuen: for ſhall we ſay that a man doth purchaſe by merit, that which comes vntounto him by lot? That were not only to go againſt the common receiued opinion, that lot ſtands on meere chance, but to giuegive the lie to the plaine text, The lot is caſt into the lap, Prou. 16.33.but the whole diſpoſition thereof is of the Lord: ſo life and glory being called a lot, it doth plainly euince, that it is at the free diſpoſition of the Lord, and giuen of his free grace. And the reaſon is giuen by the Apoſtle: by grace are we ſaued,Eph. 2.9. leſt any man ſhould boaſt himſelfe, leſt any ſhould glory, that he brings any thing to the procurement of his owne ſaluation, therefore it is, that we obtaine life and ſaluation freely. And with this agrees that, where the Apoſtle hauing prooued that wee are iuſtified freely, hee ſaith,Rom. 3.27. where is then the reioicing?
Firſt, this ſerues to confute and ouerthrow that opinion Ʋſe. 1 of the Papiſts,Confutation of the Papiſts. who hold and teach that life eternall is giuen to them that are firſt iuſtified by Chriſt, vponupon their deſert for the merit of their owne good workes, and wages due to them by debt. Beſide the errour of this opinion, ſuppoſing a twofold iuſtification in the ſight of God, which can neuer be prooued by the word, it cannot ſtand with the truth now deliuered: for if eternall life bee freely giuen of grace, then not vponupon deſert for dignitie of good workes. Free gift and due debt cannot ſtand together. Oh but (ſay they) life eternall is called a reward: it is true, Object. but we muſt learne to diſtinguiſh with the Apoſtle, Anſw. reward or wages is twofold, of fauour, or debt:Rom. 4.4. Note. life eternal is a reward of fauor, not of debt: it is giuen of the meere grace of God, without any deſert of ours. We are to obſerue it, it is worthy obſeruation, that whereſoeuer in any place of Scripture mention is made of reward, wee ſhall finde that it is promiſed to the worker, and not to the worke it ſelfe, as ſhall reward thee openly,Mat. 6. whereby the holy Ghoſt would hauehave vsus to vnderſtand, that though reward be giuen in reſpect of the worke, yet it is not giuen for the worth and dignitie of it, but it is giuen for Gods gracious acceptance of the perſon, and conſequently of his worke in Ieſus Chriſt; its giuen of fauour, not of debt, as deſerued by the good worke done by any beleeuer. But the Papiſts further replie, that Chriſt hath merited, that the workes of his members ſhould be meritorious of life euerlaſting: a meere deuice of their owne. This propoſition is no where to be found in the Scripture Wee finde in many places, that Chriſt died for our ſinnes, but no where for our good workes, to make them able to merit, and to purchaſe fauour at Gods hands; and indeed it is not poſſible that our beſt works being imperfect and ſtained with ſinne, ſhould hauehave the true and whole nature of merit. It is a manifeſt contradiction, that any worke ſhould hauehave need of pardon from God (as all ours hauehave) and yet fully ſatisfie the iuſtice of God, and deſerue at his hands. Yea more than that, if Chriſt his obedience had beene imperfect, and any way defectiue, though he were God and man, yet it had not beene meritorious of life and ſaluation; for that were to make contradictories true together, which all Diuines, yea Schoole-diuines (from whom the Papiſts fetch the bodie of their diuinitie) hold impoſſible to God himſelfe, becauſe it is an argument of impotencie, not of power.
Ʋſe. 2 Againe, for the ſecond vſe, is eternall life giuen as an inheritance freely?We are to expreſſe our thankfulneſſe to God for his free gift of life eternall. ſurely then, though wee cannot deſerue the leaſt degree of it, yet it is the pleaſure of God our Father, that wee ſhould labour to expreſſe our thankfulneſſe by all holy obedience vntounto him; for it holds by proportion, that if wee are to be thankfull to God for the bread we hauehave to put into our mouths, and for other temporall bleſſings, as it is our dutie, becauſe they are the free gifts of God, and the vſe and comfort we finde by them, comes from the Lord, then much more are wee bound to bee thankfull vntounto him, for making vsus his owne children, we that are not ſonnes by nature, making vsus his Children by adoption, yea, ſonnes and heires, euen ioynt-heires with Chriſt his naturall Sonne, and by him, giuing vsus ſufficient and certaine title, to an euelaſting inheritance in his owne Kingdome. This is to bee thought on,Rom. 8.17. and becauſe eueryevery one will be ready to ſpeake peace to his owne heart in this caſe, and perſwade himſelfe, that he is thankfull to God for his grace and adoption, let vsus learne to examine our ſelues whether we be ſo or no.
How is that to be done? Quest. (may ſome ſay)
Euen by our thankefulneſſe to God for his gifts of a lower nature, for things of leſſe waight, Anſw. then is the Kingdome of Heauen, euen for the good things of this life, if we finde that we are truely thankefull for them, and moued by them to walke humbly before the Lord, and the more the Lord doth open his hand in bleſſing vsus in theſe things, the more our hearts are enlarged in duety and thankefulneſſe towards him, then we may conclude, that we in ſome meaſure are thankefull for the grace of adoption heere, for the Spirit worketh in vsus, as in Dauid, 2. Sam. 7.18.vponupon the conſideration of Gods fauour in outward things, to ſay, who am I, O Lord God and what is mine houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? and the ſame ſpirit will be powerfull in vsus, vponupon conſideration of our title by grace, to the inheritance of the Saints in Heauen, to ſay, Lord who am I that thou ſhouldeſt thinke of me, chuſe me, and make me thy childe and heire of Heauen, on the contrary, if we be not thankefull to God, for the good things of this life, but after the manner of the wicked, the more the Lord doth encreaſe and multiply his gifts, the more we encreaſe in pride and vanity, in ſcorne, contempt and diſdaine of Doct. 5 others; let vsus then ſay and pretend what we will,Such as looke for life and glory in Heauen, muſt bee of the number of Saints. we ſhall neuer bee able to prooue it, and to make it good, to the comfort of our owne ſoules, that we are thankfull to God, for our title to his free gift of life and glory in Heauen.
(Saints) This word pointeth out the ſame thing, that was before deliuered, that ſuch as looke to come to be partakers of life and glory in Heauen, muſt in ſome meaſure be ſanctified, they muſt be of the number of Saints.
For further vſe Vſe. of it, let ſuch perſons, as do many times wilfully abſent themſelues, from the hearing of the word,Reproofe of thoſe, who will fully neglect the vſe of the Word & Sacraments. and participation of the Sacraments at times appointed, thinke vponupon this one poynt, ſhall none come to be partakers of life and glory in heauen, who are not of the number of Saints. How then can they looke for it, who wittingly and wilfully breake off holy Communion and fellowſhip with the Saints, and doe openly deuide and ſeparate themſelues, from the Society of them that ſhall bee glorified in heauen? know it for truth, thou muſt either hold Communion with thy brethren in this life, in good things or elſe neuer looke to hauehave Communion with them, in the life to come. If thou doe excommunicate thy ſelfe (ſo I may iuſtly ſpeake) and by a wicked and waiward ſeparation deuide thy ſelfe from the ſociety of the Saints vponupon earth, certainely without repentance, thou ſhalt for euer be excommunicate, and ſhut out of heauen.
Doct. 6 (In light) That is to ſay (as ye heard) in heauen, now heauen is ſet out vnderunder the name of light,Heauen is ſet out vnderunder the name of light to ſhadow out the comfort there to be found. to ſhadow out the excellent comfort that is there to bee found, for wee know how comfortable a thing light is. As hell is reſembled to vtter darkeneſſe, to teach vsus the horrour of it; the vſe of this, as of other reſemblances, ſetting out the ioy, comfort and glory of heauen, is to worke in vsus Saint Pauls affection, Vſe. and longing deſire of heauen, and a labouring by all good meanes to attaine vntounto it,We are therfore to hauehave a longing deſire of Heauen, & to vſe all good meanes to attaine it. Pſal. 4.6. and to this end, let vsus a little meditate vponupon this one ſimilitude, as many as are the children of God, doe know, that there is no ſuch comfort to be found in any thing vnderunder heauen, as in the light of the Lords countenance ſhining vponupon them, Dauid preferred it before wheat and wine. Now in heauen, that light of the Lords countenance, ſhall be the light that ſhall ſhine vponupon vsus in full brightneſſe,Reu. 21.23. the glory of God doth light the heauenly Ieruſalem, how then ought this to affect vsus, and to ſtirre vsus vp in a longing deſire after it, euen earneſtly to ſtriue to come to walke in that vnſpeakable brightneſſe of the glory of God, the glory and light of the lambe Ieſus Chriſt a light that neuer ſhall be obſcured with any darkeneſſe.