Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 1 · Verse 25
VER. 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.
Theſe words are a further amplification of the Apoſtles ſecond argument, and containe in them, firſt a reaſon of the Apoſtles ſuffering for the Church, becauſe hee was a Miniſter of the Church (Whereof I am a Miniſter.)
Then ſecondly, a limitation of his Miniſtry, in reſpect of his Miniſteriall charge, that he was appoynted a Miniſter of the Iewes, but of the Coloſſians and the reſt of the Gentiles in theſe words, according to the diſpenſation of God which is giuen me vntounto you ward, wherein we hauehave three materials to be conſidered.
Firſt, his Miniſtry which hee calles a diſpenſation of God.
Secondly, how that was conferred vponupon him that it was giuen him.
Thirdly, the ſpeciall reference and relation of it, vntounto you-ward.
Then followes the end of this diſpenſation thus giuen vntounto him in the laſt words (to fulfill the will of God)
Come we to the words as they are layd downe by the Apoſtle, Whereof I am a Miniſter (that is) of which Church I am a Miniſter: I might heere vrge it againſt the Papiſts, that the Apoſtle explaines himſelfe how hee ſuffered for the Church, not as a Mediatour betweene God and the Church, but as a Miniſter of the Church, not to ſatisfie for others, but to miniſter to their faith by confirmation and ſtrengthening of it, by his example and patience, but of this we ſpoke before in the former verſe.
Obſerue we, that the Apoſtle ſaith, hee was a Miniſter of the Church, the body of Chriſt; hee ſayth not that hee was a Miniſter at large, the word Miniſter being a word of relation, but hee ſets it downe with this correlatiue the Church, that his miniſtery had ſpeciall reference to the Church of Chriſt, and to the true members of Chriſt, and not to any other; Hence ariſeth this poynt of inſtruction.
That the outward miniſtery of the Word and Goſpell is Doctr. 1 ordained of the Lord properly for the good of the ChurchThe outward Miniſtry of the word is ordained properly for the good of Gods Church. and with ſpeciall reſpect to the true members of Chriſt, either actuall or in Gods election, all miniſteriall actions, as preaching the Word, adminiſtring the Sacraments and the like, hauehave ſpeciall relation to the good of Gods choſen, and this poynt is plainely propounded and layd before vsus by the Apoſtle,Epheſ. 4.12. together with a reaſon of it in the verſe before, that to this end Chriſt aſcending gaue gifts vntounto men, ſome to be Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Euangeliſts, and ſome Paſtours and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the miniſtry and for the edification of the body of Chriſt.
The ground of this is the order which the Lord hath made knowen that he holds in bringing of his choſen to life & ſaluation, that whom he hath predeſtinate, them he doth in time effectually call, & the miniſtry of the Goſpell is by him appointed an inſtrument and meanes of effectuall calling, by the preaching of the Goſpell, men are called: Now effectuall calling properly belongs to the choſen of God, and therfore the miniſtry and meanes of ſaluation hath proper reference to the good of Gods choſen.
Ob.But will ſome ſay, the word is to be preached to all, the commiſſion was generall, goe teach all nations, Mat. 28.19. and preaching is not limitted in reſpect of the flocke committed to any mans charge?
Anſwer. Anſw. It is true, the Miniſter of the Word is to preach to all to whom hee is ſent preſuming in the iudgement of charity that all his hearers bee the Elect of God leauing ſecret iudgement to God, but yet the outward miniſtry and preaching of the word ſerues properly for the calling, and conuerſion, and confirmation of Gods choſen & the reprobate are made partakers of externall vocation only accidentally, becauſe as tares and chaffe are mingled with good corne, ſo they are among Gods choſen, it ſerues as an occaſion (by reaſon of their corruption) of their hardening and to leaue them without all excuſe, it is to the choſen of God the ſauour of life to life euerlaſting, but to others the ſauour of death to their deeper condemnation.
2. Cor. 2.16.Now the application of this point might bee to teach the wicked, how much they are beholding to the choſen of God,Note. for whoſe ſakes they are partakers of the ſound of the Goſpell, which ſometimes worketh reſtraint in them from the outrage in ſin though no renouation, & ſo their iudgement ſhall be the eaſier in that reſpect, yea the continuance of the world is for the ſake of Gods choſen, when their number is full then ſhall the end be But let vsus rather thinke vppon this doctrine to this purpoſe, it is ſo that the miniſtery of the worde by man, is appointed properly for the good of the body of Chriſt, Vſe. this then may ſerue as a ground of examination and triall to eueryevery one of vsus, whether we be true members of the church of God or no,Triall of our ſelues whether we be true members of the Church or no. hereby we may know it, the Miniſtery of the word is ordained for the good of Gods choſen.
If then thou receiue good by it, it is a ſure ſigne of election to life and ſaluation; it is the mark Chriſt himſelfe hath ſet vponupon his ſheepe;Ioh. 10.27. they heare his voyce ſounding in the miniſtery of the Goſpell, and they follow it, they are bettered by it: but if thou eyther wilt not heare it, or hearing it careſt not to follow it; but a drunkard before, a drunkard ſtill, filthy before, and filthy ſtill, a worldling before, and ſtill deuoted to the things of this earth, and minding earthly things, to what fold thou doeſt belong, thy ſelfe and others may eaſily iudge, ſurely to the folde of goates, not of ſheepe.
To driue this a little deeper, that this may profit & moue thee hereafter to a further profiting by the miniſtry of the Word, conſider theſe two things.
Firſt, if the Miniſter would gain & gather thee to God and thou refuſe, thou muſt know that thy wilfull refuſall to be gained and gathered, is the immediare forerunner of iudgement, and of thine owne deſtruction, and there is reaſon for it, God hath ſo threatned, Prou: 1.27. Zach. 7. From ver. 11. to the end, and it is a reſiſtance of the ſpirite of God,Acts 7.51. and it is the ripeneſſe and full growth of ſinne to hate to be reformed:Mat. 23.37. Marke what Chriſt himſelfe ſayth, as hee was a Miniſter of Circumciſion, hee would hauehave gathered them together, but they would not, therefore their habitation ſhould bee left vntounto them deſolate.
Againe, hee that will not now heare the miniſter of the worde, ſpeaking in the name of the Lord, or heares him without regard to take good by him, as thoſe the Prophet Ezekiel ſpeakes of chap: 33.31. let him know the day ſhall come when his eares ſhal heare, (wil he, nill he) that which ſhall make his heart ake, goe thou curſed into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the Deuil and his Angels, let theſe things ſtirre thee vp to thinke vponupon it, how thou doſt profit by the miniſtery of the word, and aſſure thy ſelfe Gods purpoſe cannot be fruſtrate, if thou belong to him, his miniſter is ſent for thy good, and thou ſhalt receiue good by him, if not thou ſhalt be hardened in thy ſinne and heape vp wrath againſt the day of wrath.
Come wee to the Apoſtles limitation of his miniſtery in regard of his miniſteriall charge in theſe words (according to the diſpenſation of God. Which is giuen mee vntounto you-ward) the words heere tranſlated (Diſpenſation of God) are not to bee taken as ſometimes they are vſed,Interpretation. for the prouidence of God as we vſe to ſay, by the mercifull diſpenſation of God (that is) by his good prouidence, becauſe the prouidence of God cannot be giuen, as the Apoſtle ſaith, that this diſpenſation was, but they are to bee conceaued as the originall wordes doe ſignifie, according to Gods ſtewardſhip, (to you-ward) (that is) in reſpect of you Coloſſians and the reſt of the Gentiles as wee hauehave it, Galathians 2.7.
The firſt thing we hauehave heere to marke is, that the Apoſtle calls his miniſtery a ſtewa…dſhip giuen of God.
Hence we ſee that the miniſter of the Goſpell, lawfully Doct. called to that office is Gods ſteward,The miniſter of the Goſpell lawfully called to that office is Gods Steward. he is ſet ouer the houſhold of God, his Church as a ſteward ouer ſome great family, hence it is that Paul ſaith to Timothy: theſe things write I vntounto thee, that thou maiſt yet know how thou oughteſt to behaue thy ſelfe in the houſe of God, and in his Epiſtle to Titus 1.7. in expreſſe wordes, a Biſhoppe or Miniſter is Gods Steward, 1. Epiſt. 3.14.yea hee would hauehave all men ſo to eſteeme of them, let a man ſo thinke of vsus as of the ministers of Chriſt, and diſpoſers of the ſecrets of God. 1. Cor. 4.1.Where the Apoſtle alſo ſo makes knowne what bee the things committed to the Miniſters of the Goſpell to diſpenſe and diſpoſe of (namely) the ſecrets of God (that is) the doctrine of the Goſpell, which is a ſecret and a miſtery hid from the eyes of the world, (ſo called by the Apoſtle in the next verſe of this chapter) and the doctrine of the Goſpell being the word of reconciliation publiſhing remiſſion of ſins to all that truly beleeue it, & repent of their ſinnes, hence it is that the miniſters of the word are ſaid to hauehave the miniſtery of reconciliation committed vntounto them, and as ſtewards to hauehave the keyes of the kingdome of heauen,2. Cor. 5.18. to open or to ſhut heauen according to the condition propounded in the Goſpell (that is) to declare and pronounce remiſſion of Vſe. 1 ſins, to them that beleeue and truly repent,Mat. 16.19. and that Gods mercy is ſhut vp from them that are vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant, thus are the miniſters of the word, Gods Stewards to diſpoſe of his ſecrets after his will, and good reaſon that his will onelyonly ſhould rule in his owne houſe.
And therefore for the vſe of this in the firſt place the miniſters of the word muſt take notice of it, that they hauehave onelyonly as the ſtewards of God, the miniſtery of reconciliation to declare to the penitent remiſſion of their ſinnes, and not power to forgiue ſinnes,Miniſters of the Goſpell hauehave only as ſtewards the miniſtry of reconciliation to declare to the penitent remiſſion of ſinnes, and power to forgiue ſinnes. as that man of ſinne the Pope doth challenge to himſelfe, who in his blaſphemous Vſe. 2 pardons takes vponupon him to forgiue both poenam & culpam puniſhment and ſinne,When the miniſter of God pronounceth remiſſion of ſinnes to the penitent and ſhuts vp Gods kingdome againſt the impenitent, it is as if God himſelfe ſhould doe it. and the miniſters of the word hauehave onelyonly the keyes of miniſtery in reſpect of Chriſt whoſe ſtewards they are to open and ſhut according to the wil of their maſter reuealed, & not at their owne will & pleaſure.
A ſecond vſe of the doctrine now deliuered may be this is the miniſter of God, Gods Steward to diſpoſe of his ſecrets according to his will, ſurely then when the Miniſter doth ſo, when hee doth pronounce remiſſion of ſins to the penitent, and ſhut vp the kingdome of heauen and Gods mercy from the impenitent, let vsus learne to account it, as if God himſelfe ſhould doe it; for hence it is, that the Miniſters of the Word are ſaid to remit or retain ſins, becauſe they declaring by the Word remiſſion of ſinnes to the penitent,Ioh. 23.23. and retaining of ſinnes to the impenitent, it is as certaine, as if God himſelfe ſhould pronounce it from heauen: it is ſaid Exod, 14.31. the people beleeued the Lord and his ſeruant Moſes, giuing vsus to vnderſtand, that though faith reſpect God onelyonly, yet is there ſuch an Vnion betwixt him and his Miniſters, as indeed and truth we cannot beleeue him vnleſſe we alſo beleeue his Miniſters, ſpeaking from him, let vsus therefore thinke vponupon it, and eſpecially when they ſhut vp the kingdom of heauen, when they denounce the iudgements of God againſt vsus for any ſinne, eueryevery man will bee ready to take holde of the Word of mercy, and eſteeme that as the Word of God himſelfe, but in the word of threatning and denouncing of iudgement, men make a diuiſion between God and his Miniſter: let vsus take heed of this, and know for a concluſion of this point,Note. that if we diuide between God and his Miniſter in the word of threatning, the Lord will puniſh vsus in the ſame kind, hee will diuide betweene him and his Miniſter in reſpect of vsus in the word of mercy, and in his iuſt iudgement he will make his word of mercy, but as the word of man vntounto vsus, it ſhall bee vnprofitable vntounto vsus, wee ſhall finde no true comfort by it; remember the example of Herod, he deuided between God and Iohn in the word of threatning for his ſinne, and the Lord made all that he heard from Iohn, euen the thinges that he heard gladly to be vnprofitable vntounto him hee liued and died in his ſins.
Now to the ſecond Materiall2 Materiall. in the Apoſtles limitation how this diſpenſatiō was conferd vponupon him in theſe words (which is giuen me) the words are plain, & are to be taken in their proper ſignification which is freely or of Gods grace beſtowed vponupon mee, in that the Apoſtle ſayth his miniſtery and diſpenſation in the Church of Chriſt was giuen him, it pointeth out firſt this generall inſtruction, Doctr. 3 that no man is to vndertake that office & function to be a miniſter of the word & publike diſpencer of Gods ſecrets,No man ought to vndertake the office of a Miniſter of the word vnleſſe it be giuen him of God. but he to whom it is giuen of God, (that is) hee that is inwardly called of God, furniſhed with competent meaſure of gifts, both of mind & wil for the diſcharge of that office and hath alſo outward approbation of the Church, and for this there be many reaſons. Reaſons.
Firſt, becauſe it is Gods order appointed in his Church, that hee that is to teach ſhould by him be called, and ſent, Rom. 10.15.
Secondly, the miniſtery is Gods, and not mans, & therfore miniſters muſt be ſent and deputed of the Lord.
Thirdly, vnleſſe they be ſent of God they cannot gather aſſurance of Gods ſpeciall protection and aſſiſtance in their calling which is neceſſary for them.
The vſe Ʋſe. of this may bee to diſcouer the error and fancy of the Anabaptiſts and their followers,Confutation of an Anabaptiſticall fancy. who thinke that any man vponupon a priuate motion may ſtep forth and vndertake the duety of a publike teacher, and may preach and expound the Scriptures, and they alleadge for themſelues that ſuch motion is from the ſpirit of God, but (indeed) it is rather from another ſpirit euen from Satan & from their owne pride and vanity, & it is an opinion fooliſh and fantaſticall, I will ſpend no more time in confutation of it.
We are to marke that the Apoſtle ſpeaking of his miniſtry and ſtewardſhip in Gods houſe, an eminent office, & of excellent dignity, hath an eye to the firſt cauſe and fountaine of it, that it was giuen and beſtowed vponupon him, Doct. 4 that it deſcended vponupon him from the meere grace & mercy of God.
Hence wee are taught, that in all the good things of this life we enioy,In all the good things of this l fe we doe eni…y, we are to look vp to the giuer of them. be it dignity, office in the Church, or in the common-wealth, be it health, wealth, liberty, credit, ſtocke or ſtore, wee are to lift vp our eyes to the hills from whence any of theſe good things come downe, we are to looke to the fountaine whence our ſtreame hath iſſued, euen to the meere grace and mercy of God, wee find it was common and frequent with our Apoſtle thus to look vpward to the author and giuer of eueryevery good gift, 1. Cor. 15.10. by the grace of God, I am that I am. Epheſ. 3.7.8. hee ſayth hee was made a miniſter of the Goſpell by the gift of the grace of God, euen to me the leaſt of all Saints is this grace giuen that I ſhould preach among the Gentiles the vnſearcheable riches of Chriſt,Gal. 1.15. that he was called by the grace of God, this was commendable in the Apoſtle, and is woorthy our imitation, and it is a duety of great good conſequence.
Vſe. Firſt, it worketh true thankfulneſſe,This duty practiſed worketh in vsus firſt thankfulneſſe. Secondly humility. 1. Cor. 4.7. nothing is more effectuall to draw out thanks for good things receaued of men then to know the things giuen to bee meere gratuities aboue deſert, and meerely from the bounty of the giuer.
Againe it is a notable meanes to humble vsus, ſhall wee know the good things wee hauehave are receaued from the meere grace of God, and ſhall we then be proud of them? it is the Apoſtles concluſion, what haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued, and if thou haſt receiued it, why reioyceſt thou, as though thou hadſt not receiued it? let vsus remember this duty,Note. and the rather becauſe it is the corruption of our nature to reſt in the things giuen and to forget God the Author and giuer, to eat the bread, and not to ſee God in the bread as ſaith Luther. Moſes knowing this inborne corruption,Deut. 6.12. giues this caueat, beware leaſt, &c. and this corruption was growne to full ripeneſſe in Nebuchadnezar Dan 4.27. is not this great Babell that I hauehave built for the houſe of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maieſty? Motiues ſtirring vsus vp to the practiſe of this duty.and wee know what followed he was driuen out from men to liue with beaſts. Let vsus take heed God deale not with as he dealt with him, wee may iuſtly feare it, if we hauehave not hearts to ſee and conſider the mercy and free grace of God in the good things vouchſafed vntounto vsus, that hee will driue vsus out among beaſts (that is) in his iuſt iudgement giuegive vsus the hearts of beaſts, hearts taking ſenſuall delight in thoſe things we enioy, euer groueling vponupon them, and not able to lift vp themſelues, towards which is an heauy iudgement.
And conſider we further whence it is that men ſee not Gods mercy in outward good things, ſurely becauſe they ſee not his fauour towards them in Chriſt, in whom right to all the creatures is reſtored, and by whom only ſweetneſſe is found in bleſſings,1. Cor. 3.21.22 23. and out of them they are but curſes, it is not poſſible that a wicked man who finds not Gods grace in Chriſt, ſhould ſee his mercy in outward things, for (indeed) they are not giuen to him in mercy, but in iudgment, as his portion, and as witneſſes of his vnthankfulneſſe, as it is ſaid, God left not himſelfe without witnes in doing good, giuing raine and fruitful ſeaſons, filling our hearts with food and gladnes, and to leaue him without excuſe.
If then we would not (by the iuſt hand of God) be giuen ouer to liue as bruit beaſts amongſt men, feeding and fatting our ſelues with Gods bleſſings, and wanting eyes and harts to ſee and conſider his mercy in them, if wee would not proue to our ſelues & againſt our ſelues that we ſee not Gods grace in Chriſt, let vsus learne to raiſe vp our thoughts to ſee Gods grace and mercy in the outward good things of this life giuen, and beſtowed vponupon vsus that ſo wee may be thankfull to him for them, and vſe them not to riot exceſſe, brauery, and to ſet out, and to magnifie our ſelues aboue others, but to the glory of him that gaue them, and to the good of our ſelues and others.
It followeth (vntounto you-ward) in theſe words we hauehave the third materiall in the Apoſtles limitation (namely) the ſpeſpeciall Doct. 5 reference of his miniſtery, and the meaning is,Pauls Apoſtleſhip had ſpeciall relate to the Gentiles. in reſpect of you Coloſſians, and the reſt of the Gentiles, that which I will hence obſerue ſhall be this.
That the miniſtery and Apoſtleſhip giuen to Paul had ſpeciall relation to the Gentiles, yea hee was appointed by ſpeciall vocation the chiefe Apoſtle of the Gentiles, as Peter was of the Iewes; it appeares plainely Gal. 2.7. and wee find it in many places of the acts, that Pauls commiſſion was ſpecially to preach to the Gentiles, Anſw. as Acts 4.9. If any ſay the commiſſion of the Apoſtles was generall, Object. it is true,Acts 13.2. Acts 26.17. this power and liberty was giuen, yet afterwards it pleaſed the Lord in wiſedome for good cauſes to order it by a ſecond decree, that Paul ſhould ſpecially hauehave care of the Gentlies, I ſay ſpecially, for though Paule (occaſion being offered) preached to the Iewes, they being diſperſed among the Gentiles, yet was he ſtill the chiefe Apoſtle of Vſe. 1 the Gentiles. How then can the Papiſts deriue the primacy and ſupremacy of their PopeAgainſt the ſupremacy of the Pope. from Peter, the Scripture is plaine that Peter was not chiefe Apoſtle of the Gentiles, therfore admit the Pope to be his ſucceſſor, and to hauehave his authority (which no wiſe man wil grant being Apoſtolical) yet cannot be thence deriue his authority and power ouer the Gentiles, they might more probably conuey his title of ſupremacy from Paul, then from Peter, and indeed beeing driuen from this by plaine euidence of Scripture, they would craftily ſeeme to deriue their Popes authority from both Peter and Paul which is but a meere ſhift, if they hold their owne principles it is impoſſible.
In the laſt words of this verſe (to fulfill the word of God) we hauehave the end of the Apoſtles miniſtery, that hee was a miniſter of the Church to fulfill the word of God, by the word of God we are heere to vnderſtand the Goſpell as appeares in the next verſe,Interpretation. and to fulfill it is to publiſh and to preach it and the preaching of the Goſpell by the Apoſtle is called a fulfilling of it, becauſe by it the Gentiles were called as was foretold by the Prophets, and that worke being wrought & fulfilled on them by the preaching of the Goſpell, the preaching of it is called a fulfilling of it.
That which hence is offred to our conſideration is from the forme of ſpeech heere vſed, the Apoſtle ſaith not to preach the Goſpell but to fulfill it hence followes this concluſion.
That the Goſpell truely preached is not an empty word, Doct. 6 The Goſpell truely preached is not an empty word. 2. Cor. 3.8. Gal. 3.2.but a word filling thoſe that belong to God with grace and goodneſſe, and the true preaching of it is powerfull to that purpoſe.
Hence it is that the Apoſtle calles his preaching of the Goſpell, the miniſtration of the ſpirit, hee ſayth the Galathians receiued the ſpirit by the preaching of the Goſpell and heerein lies a principall difference betweene the Law and the Goſpell. The Law doth not miniſter the ſpirit, but by the preaching of the Goſpell the ſpirit is giuen.
This muſt teach vsus to make a precious account of the preaching of the Goſpell, Vſe. We are to make precious account of the preaching of the Goſpell. 2. Tim. 3.15.which hath with it (in them that belong to God) the operation of his ſpirit, and is powerfull to bring them from ignorance to knowledge, from darkneſſe to light, from the power of Satan to the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God, and to make them wiſe to ſaluation, and let vsus looke on our ſelues in our naturall condition before the preaching of the Goſpell hath wrought vponupon vsus, what are we? ſurely, blinde and ignorant of the wayes of God, walking in the darkneſſe and vanity of our mindes, ruſhing into errours, breaking out into blaſphemies, running into all ſorts of ſinne, yedding to the ſuggeſtions of Satan, embracing the vanities of the world, following the ſwindge and corruptions of our owne hearts, and lying open to the wrath and and iudgements of God, theſe things ought to mooue vsus to make ſpeciall account of the Goſpell preached, which doth in as many as it is powerfull, informe the iudgement, reforme the will, order and ſanctifie the affections, and bring into captiuity eueryevery thought to the obedience of Chriſt.
The Goſpell preached giues the Spirit,Note. the Spirit begets Faith, Faith apprehends Chriſt, and Chriſt brings ſaluation, therefore make precious accompt of the preaching of the Goſpell.