Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 1 · Verse 28
VER. 28. Whom we preach, admoniſhing eueryevery man, and teaching eueryevery man in all wiſedome▪ that we may preſent eueryevery man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus.
The Apoſtle in this verſe doth firſt affirme that the ſubiect of his and of the other Apoſtles preaching was Chriſt (whome wee preach) then hee doth further branch and and deuide his preaching into two heads, videlicet:
Admonition
and Inſtruction.
Admoniſhing and teaching, and hee doth amplifie both theſe by the common obiect of them, (eueryevery man) and againe his inſtructing of eueryevery man by the matter of it (namely) (wiſedome) and that true and perfect wiſedome, (in all wiſedom) then he ſubioynes the end of his preaching, and admoniſhing in the laſt words, that we may preſent eueryevery man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus: theſe are the generall things propounded in this verſe.
Whom we preach] that is, which Chriſt we preach; wheras as the Apoſtle ſaith, the ſubiect of his preaching was Chriſt I will onelyonly note this one thing briefly.
Doct. 1 That the matter of true preaching is Chriſt Ieſus,The matter of true preaching, is Chriſt Ieſus. and one ſpeciall note by which we may know doctrine deliuered to bee ſound and good, is this, that it ſets out vntounto vsus Chriſt Ieſus with all due reſpect of his glory in the worke of redemption, and with due regard of the honour of his name, as the only King, Prieſt and Prophet of his Church. Hence it is that the Apoſtle, Galat. 3.1. calls the truth of the Goſpell preached among the Galathians, a liuely deſcription of Chriſt, as if hee had beene crucified among them, and S. Iohn, 1. Ioh. 4.1. teaching vsus not to beleeue eueryevery ſpirit, but to trye the ſpirits and doctrines of men whether they be of God or no. Among other notes ſet downe by him, whereby wee may bee able to diſcerne the ſpirit of truth, and the ſpirit of errour, this is the firſt note of difference, that the doctrine is good, and of God, that is founded on Ieſus Chriſt incarnate.
And by this I might ſhew the error of many points of popiſh doctrine,Confutation of many po…nts of Popiſh doctrine. as their making Chriſt a Sauiour in vsus by communicating merit to our workes, their mingling of his bloud with the bloud of the martyrs, in way of ſatisfaction for ſinne, their ioyning with him interceſſion of Angells and Saints, and many other of like ſort, wherin they exceed…ngly detract and derrogate from the honor of the kingly, Prieſtly, and Propheticall office of Chriſt, and ſo teach not ſound doctrine, but I paſſe from them to the next wordes (admoniſhing) the originall worde (admoniſhing) doth ſignifie propounding ſome thing that is amiſſe to the mind to be thought on,Interpretation. and to be corrected and aamended, and reprouing for the ſame, and teaching (that is) inſtructing eueryevery one in the truth, what hee is to hould and beleeue (in all wiſedome) that is, in true and perfect wiſedome, it is vſuall in Scripture to put the note of vniuerſality (all) to note excellency and perfection, thus then we are to conceiue theſe words, admoniſhing eueryevery man (that is) ſetting before the minde of eueryevery one what is amiſſe to be amended, and reprouing for the ſame, and inſtructing him in the truth what hee is to hold and beleeue euen in true and perfect wiſedome.
Heere firſt we are to mark the order of the words of the Apoſtle, hee ſets admonition before teaching, admoniſhing eueryevery man teaching, hence ariſeth this concluſion.
That by the preaching of the word wee muſt firſt bee Doct. 2 brought to a ſight of our ſinnes, and then taught what to hold and beleeue.We muſt firſt be brought to a ſight of our ſinne by the preaching of the word, and then be taught how to come out of them.
Firſt we muſt be admoniſhed and ſhewed our error and ſtate of ſinne, and made to ſee our ſinne, and then inſtructed how to come out of it, and in this order of teaching hath Chriſt himſelfe gone before vsus, Iohn 4. hee firſt ſhewed the woman of Samaria her ſinne, that ſhe liued in adultery before he taught her that he was the Meſſiah, & what ſhe was to hold and beleeue touching him, we may obſerue it in the ſermon of Peter, Acts. 2. hee firſt laide before the Iewes their ſinne, that they had ſlaine the Lord Ieſus, and then vponupon their touch and remorſe of conſcience, he ſaid vntounto them verſe 38. amend your liues, and be baptized eueryevery one of you in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, & ye ſhall receiue the gift of the holy ghoſt: if we looke into the booke of God, wee ſhall find that this hath bin the order of all true Prophets, Apoſtles and teachers from time to time, and the reaſon is that which is giuen by the Apoſtle, Reaſon. the Law is our Schoolemaſter to bring vsus to Chriſt, we muſt firſt be made to ſee our ſinnes, & the danger of them without remedy, and ſo driuen from the law out of our ſelues to ſeeke remedy in the Goſpell, and therfore we muſt be admoniſhed, and then inſtructed.
Vſe. The vſe of this doctrine (beſides the method that concernes teachers) is this, it may ſerue as a rule of triall, wherby hearers of the word may try whether they hauehave truely profited by the preaching of the worde or no,Triall whether wee hauehave truly profited by the preaching of the word or no. they may know by this, if they hauehave firſt beene brought to a ſight of their ſinnes, and truly humbled and caſt downe, and after that brought to beleeue in Chriſt, for the pardon of their ſins, then they hauehave truly profited by preaching, for as it is the right order of teaching, firſt to admoniſh and to ſhew ſinne, and then to inſtruct, ſo it is the right order of receauing the worde taught, and profiting by it, and neuer any of Gods children were thoroughly comforted by the word, but they were firſt truly humbled by it, it is a prepoſterous and diſordered courſe of learning to learne as ſome doe, that mercy and ſaluation comes by Chriſt, and with that to content themſelues, not ſuffering themſelues firſt to bee ſchooled by the law, till they diſpaire in reſpect of themſelues, & ſo come to Chriſt, and find comfort in him, and that we may be reſolued of it, that it is (indeed) a prepoſterous courſe of learning: we muſt know that the very gate to true repentance, it is a true contrition and compunction of heart, a godly ſorrow for ſinne, for though it cannot bee denied, but that Gods free grace and mercy is the foundation of true repentance,Note. repentance following Faith, not onelyonly in time, but in the order of nature, yet firſt muſt the heart bee mollified, and by godly ſorrow made pliable and fitte to receiue Gods grace, otherwiſe it will not enter, the fallow ground of the heart, muſt firſt be plowed, and then the ſeed of Gods grace caſt into it, as ſayth the Prophet Ierem. 4.4. breake vp your fallow ground and ſow not among thornes: therefore they are deceiued, who will needs be held truely repentant for their ſinnes, and yet neuer felt in their hearts any meaſure of godly ſorrow; happily they hauehave had by a generall ſight and ſence of ſinne, wrought by the word or iudgements of God, ſome light and vaniſhing touch of conſcience, cauſing them to ſend foorth a naturall ſigh or ſob, but their hearts were neuer truely preſſed downe with the waight of any one ſinne, they skip ouer the firſt degree, and will needes bee graced with the higheſt degree of repentance, at the firſt, euen true conuerſion and turning from ſinne to God, which is a thing impoſſible, if we will be ſaued, we muſt know that godly ſorrow for ſinne is neceſſary, wee muſt eueryevery one drinke his meaſure of that cup, we muſt firſt bee ſchooled by the Law, and feele the ſharpe rod of that ſchoole maſter, before we can come to be good ſchollers in the ſchool of Chriſt, let eueryevery one by this examine how he hath profited by the hearing of the word.
We are in the place to marke, the Apoſtle ſayth admoniſhing Doct. 3 eueryevery man &c. that which hence followeth is this, That the word preached admoniſhing and inſtructing teacheth all and eueryevery one, of what calling, ſexe, ſtate or condition ſoeuer they be, and ſo ought to be heardThe word preached reacheth all and eueryevery one, and ſo ought to be heard. and receiued, whether it promiſe mercy, or threaten iudgement, we are to make vſe of it to our ſelues particularly, it is commonly ſeene, if a priuiledge immunity or common benefit, bee granted to any place, eueryevery man will hauehave part in that; but if it bee a matter of charge, then they poſt it off to others; ſo if the word promiſe any mercy, eueryevery man euen with vncleane hands will lay hold on that, but if the word be drawen out againſt any ſin, the guilty perſon will commonly poſt that off to others; as if drunkenneſſe bee ſpoken againſt, hee that is guilty will ſee if hee can ſpy any other in the congregation tainted with that fault, Ʋſe. and if he doe,Its a fault to poſt oft the reproofe of the word from our ſelues to others. then he thinkes the Preacher ſpeakes to that other, and not himſelfe. This is a ſinne as ancient as Adams fall. Adam hee poſted of his ſinne to Eue, and Eue to the Serpent.
Let vsus take heed of this, it is a dangerous corruption, when a man is touched by the word, and his owne conſcience tels him his ſinne is ſpoken againſt: then as wee vſe to ſay, to ſet a good face on the matter, and to bite in all tokens of repentance, becauſe hee would not hauehave it thought, that the word came ſo neere him, who ſo thus hardeneth his heart, may iuſtly feare, that heereafter hee cannot repent, they goe together, Rom. 2.5. after thine hardneſſe and heart that cannot repent, and ſo hee ſhall heape vp wrath againſt the day of wrath. (In all wiſdome) in that the Apoſtle ſaith, the matter of his teaching was true and perfect wiſedome, he preaching Chriſt, and teaching the Goſpell of Chriſt; I might ſtand to ſhew the perfection and ſufficiency of the word of the Goſpell, that it is ſufficient, and alone ſufficient to make men truly wiſe vntounto ſaluation, but I paſſe by that.
In that the Apoſtle makes true and perfect wiſedome, the particular matter of his teaching and inſtructing of eueryevery man, we may conclude that eueryevery man truely wiſe, Doct. 4 hath his wiſedome from the teaching of the word of God,EueryEvery one truly wiſe hath his wiſedome from the teaching of the word of God. no man is truely wiſe, but ſo farr foorth as he is taught by the word, and doth follow the teaching of the word, for why? the word is indeed true wiſedome, the wiſedome of God reuealed, manifeſting ſuch things as fleſh and bloud was neuer able to reach vntounto, therefore it muſt needes bee that no man is truely wiſe, Reaſon. but as he is taught by the word, and doth follow the teaching of the word, and hath his wiſdome as a ſtreame flowing and deriued from the word; Hence it is that Moſes ſayd to the people,Deut. 4.5. I hauehave taught you ordinances and lawes, as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye ſhould doe euen ſo within the land, whither ye go to poſſeſſe it, then verſe 6. keepe them therfore and doe them, learne and follow them, for that is your wiſedome, and Ieremy the Prophet, ſpeaking of ſuch as made no conſcience to follow the teaching of the word,Ier. 8.9. ſaith, Lo, they hauehave reiected the word of the Lord, and what wiſedome is in them; as if he had ſayd none at all.
Would we then be truely wiſe, Vſe. no doubt eueryevery one deſires it,If we would be truely wiſe our wiſedome muſt come by the teaching of the word of God. Exod. 1.10. the moſt ſimple witted are loth to be counted fooliſh, yea, the moſt wicked affect wiſedome, Pharaoh and his counſell, though their curſed meeting ſauoured of nothing but cruelty and bloud, yet they would ſhrowd it vnderunder the couert of wiſedome; come let vsus worke wiſely with them, &c. but would we indeed be wiſe, let vsus then looke that our wiſdome come by the teaching of the word, that it be a ſtreame iſſuing out of that fountaine, true wiſdome comes not by the teaching of nature, by the rules of Art, or worldly pollicy, by obſeruation of outward things, or common experience, a man may be exceeding wiſe according to theſe grounds, and yet hauehave not any dramme of true wiſedome, but in the account of God himſelfe, be a very foole, Luk. 12.20. the rich man there ſpoken of, was worldly wiſe, hee could get, ſaue, keepe, and thinke of laying vp his goods againſt time to come, and yet God ſayd vntounto him, thou foole, this night will they fetch away thy ſoule from thee, true wiſedome is deriued only from the word, and eueryevery man is ſo farre foorth wiſe, as he is taught by the word, and doth follow the teaching of the word.
Now becauſe eueryevery one will bee ready to take this to himſelfe, that his wiſdome is deriued from the word, and that he according to the meaſure of his knowledge and grace, doth follow the teaching of the word. I hold it fit to lay downe ſome ſpeciall notes and marke,Speciall note of true wiſedome. by which we may know that our wiſedome is (indeed) deriued from the word, and that our wiſedome is taught by the holy Ghoſt, and to this purpoſe read Iam. 3. from ver. 13. to the end of the chapter. It is there ſaid that the wiſedome that is from aboue, true and heauenly wiſedome, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without iudging, and without hypocriſie, theſe are the fruits that be in true wiſedome, and iſſue out from it, heereby then we may trie whether we be wiſe by the teaching of the word and ſpirit or no, if our wiſedome bring foorth purity, gentleneſſe, eaſineſſe to be entreated being offended &c. then is our wiſedome true and heauenly: but on the contrary, if we be full of enuying and ſtrife, and implacable, as many are that would bee reputed iolly wiſe men and women, they are full of enuy, yea, ſuch as can neuer be appeaſed, being once (it may be without cauſe) offended, ready to beleeue eueryevery flying tale, and to iudge amiſſe, certainely, then our wiſedome is not from the teaching of the word, and deſcended from aboue, but earthly and fetcht from the pit of hell, yea, the more cunning we are to hide our malice, or to worke the hurt of our brethren by word or deed, the more fooliſh are wee, hath not Satan more ſubtilty and cunning to worke miſchiefe, then all the men in the world, yet (indeed) he is the moſt fooliſh creature that is, for he doth nothing but worke his owne woe. Let vsus therefore labour to bee wiſe by the teaching of the word, and that we be not deceiued, often remember wee the words of the Apoſtle, that true wiſedome is pure, peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, &c.
The laſt words of this verſe containe the end of the Apoſtles preaching (that we may preſent eueryevery man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus) the originall word tranſlated (preſ…nt) is iudiciall borrowed from open courts and places of Iudgement,Interpretation. where men are brought and ſet before a Iudge to be tried and examined, and the Apoſtles meaning is, that we may ſet eueryevery man at the great day of the Lord before his tribunall and iudgement ſeat, (perfect) (that is) perfectly iuſt and holy, not onelyonly in regard of iuſtice and righteouſneſſe imputed (for ſo all true beleeuers are perfectly iuſt, in this life, he that truely beleeues in Chriſt, hath the perfection of the Law, and is as iuſt as if he had fulfilled the whole Law) but perfectly iuſt and holy in regard of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe inherent, and that perfect in degree (in Chriſt Ieſus) (that is) as a member of Chriſt, thus then the words are to be conceiued, that we may ſet eueryevery man before the iudgment ſeat of God at the day of iudgement, perfectly iuſt and and holy, not onelyonly in regard of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe imputed, but in regard of inherent holineſſe and righteouſneſſe wrought in him by the Spirit of God as a member of Chriſt Ieſus.
Now heere we are firſt to marke that the Apoſtle ſaith, he and other Apoſtles preached Chriſt, admoniſhed and taught men, not to make them perfect in regard of holineſſe inherent in this life, but to preſent them holy at the barre of Gods iudgement in the life to come, the point of inſtruction from hence is this,
That we may in this life proceed from one meaſure of Doct. 5 faith as it is a quality, to another, and from one meaſure of holineſſe to another, but wee cannot come to abſolute perfectionWe may in this life proceed from one meaſure of faith and holineſſe to another, but we cannot come to abſolute perfectiō. till this life bee ended Epheſ. 4.13. the Apoſtle ſaith plainely, that it cannot bee till wee all meet together (in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the ſonne of God) vntounto a perfect man, and vntounto the meaſure of the age of the fulnes of Chriſt, he there teacheth that the miniſtry of the word ſhall endure till we meet together, &c. giuing vsus to vnderſtand, that then it ſhall ceaſe, now the Miniſtery of the worde ſhall not ceaſe,1. Cor. 15.24. but continue as the ſame Apoſtle teacheth, till the end of the world, and therefore before the end of the world there ſhall bee no meeting together in the vnity of faith, nor any abſolute perfection to bee hoped for, and the reaſon Reaſon. of it is, that wee finde in 1. Cor. 13.9. wee know in part, therefore wee beleeue in part, and are ſanctified but in part.
The Apoſtle ſaith, Ph. 3.15. let as many as be perfect &c. Object. therefore perfection is to be had in this life?
Anſ. The Apoſtle there ſpeakes not of abſolute perfection, ſuch as ſhall be in the life to come, of that he ſayd ver. 12. that he had not yet attained to it, but hee ſpeakes of a perfection in compariſon, as perfection is oppoſed to weakeneſſe in knowledge or faith, and compared with it, & his meaning is, let as many as be ſtrong in knowledge or faith be thus minded. The Authour to the Heb. cap. 5.14. ſaith, ſtrong meat belongeth to them that are of age, Vſe. the word is (perfect) his meaning is of ſome maturity,Our duty is ſo long as we are in this life to goe on from one meaſure of grace to another. and ripenes in knowledge; and through long cuſtome had their wits exerciſed to diſcerne both good and euill; and therefore notwithſtanding this, it remaines a truth, that we may in this life proceed from one meaſure of faith and holineſſe to another, but we can neuer come to an abſolute perfection. The Anabaptiſts dreame of an abſolute perfection of holineſſe in this life, but to paſſe by them, our duty following from hence is this, it behoues eueryevery one of vsus in this regard, neuer to ſet downe our reſt in any grace, but euer to be ſtriuing forward, and to goe on from one meaſure of faith and grace to another, and to this purpoſe, wee are to propound vntounto our ſelues, and to ſet before vsus the beſt examples for our imitation,1. Cor. 11.1. as the Apoſtle ſaith, be ye followers of me▪ euen as I am of Chriſt; this is that which deceiues many of vsus, we looke downeward and compare our ſelues, with ſuch as are of meaner gifts and graces then our ſelues, and we thinke all is well, becauſe we are not as the worſt, though we neuer ſtriue to come neere the beſt. Happily ſome of vsus hauehave a meaſure of knowledge, and we reſt in that knowledge, we know the Sacraments to be holy ſeales of Gods couenant of grace, but wee hauehave little or no care to vſe them; we know prayer to be excellent, but we make no conſcience to vſe it, onelyonly for faſhion publiquely, but very ſeldome priuately with our families, this is to ſet downe our reſt in knowledge & not to ſtriue to go on, and let vsus take heed of it, if wee finde the louelove of the word and ſacraments, the liking of praier, &c. that ſhould be ioyned to our knowlege, ſtolne out of our hearts, wee hauehave cauſe to feare that ſinne will deceiue vsus, and creepe on to a further degree, euen to the hardning of our hearts, that wee ſhall not perceiue it, and to the blinding of our mindes that we ſhall not ſee it. We may not thinke that Sodome, Saul, Iudas and ſuch like were at the height of their ſinne at the firſt, but they went on by degrees, from one degree of ſinne to another; and certainly, if wee goe not forward in grace we goe backeward, and we grow in ſinne; and going on in ſinne, we ſhall come at length to be hardned, and to the height of ſinne, and ſo pull downe the wrath of God vponupon vsus.
Let this therefore ſtirre vsus vppe, not to ſet downe our reſt in any grace, but let vsus ſtriue to goe on from knowledge to practiſe, and from one meaſure of grace to another.
Note we one thing more in a word, in that the Apoſtle ſaith, preſent eueryevery man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus &c. wee Doct. 6 may gather that the ſtate of perfection is not proper to ſome ſorts and orders of men,The ſtate of perfection is not proper to ſome ſorts & orders of men. as the Papiſts teach, but eueryevery member of Chriſt is perfect, in reſpect of righteouſnes imputed in this life, and ſhall be perfect in regard of holineſſe inherent in the life to come.
But the Papiſts diſtinguiſh and ſay there be two kindes of perfection, a leſſe, conſiſting in keeping the Law neceſſary to ſaluation; a greater, in obſeruing the counſels of Chriſt, not ſimply neceſſary to ſaluation,Confutation of popiſh diſtinctions touching perfect…on. but to obtaine a greater degree of glory, this diſtinction is moſt abſurd.
For firſt counſels be commandements, and againe, can there be a greater perfection, then an abſolute fulfilling of the Law? it is not poſſible.
If any man be able to fulfill the Law of God, he is moſt perfect, he is in that reſpect perfect according to the example of Chriſt: therefore there can bee no greater perfection, it is abſurd to ſay there can be no greater perfection.