Exposition of Colossians, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE of St Paule to the Coloſſians, deliuered in ſundry Sermons, Preached by EDVVARD ELTON Miniſter of Gods word at St Mary Magdalens Bermondſey neare London.
And now by him publiſhed intending the further good of his charge, and the profit of as many as ſhall pleaſe to reade it.
1. Cor. 12.4.
There are diuerſityes of gifts, but the ſame ſpirit.
1 Cor. 12.7.
The manifeſtation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man to profit withall.
LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Ralph Mab and are to be ſold at his ſhop, at the ſigne of the Grey-hound, in Pauls-Church-yard. 1615.
TO THE RIGHT VVorſhipfull his very good Patrone, ROVVLAND TRAPS Eſquire, the Author, wiſheth all true happineſſe, both temporall and eternall in the Lord Ieſus.
COnſidering with my ſelfe (Right worſhipfull) how much I am bound to glorifie GOD, to whom I owe my ſelfe, and al whatſoeuer I am, and that in ſpeciall ſort I am bound to ſeeke the aduancement of his name in that holy calling and ſeruice, wherewith he hath honoured me, (the vnworthieſt of all other) in doing good to his Church, and eſpecially to thoſe ouer whom he hath ſet me, as a guide to direct and conduct in the way that leades to eternall bliſſe and glory; and conſidering withall mine owne weakeneſſe and inability (more then ordinary in other men) to anſwer that duty incumbent and lying vponupon me; I hauehave beene moued, (being thereunto often and earneſtly importuned by many, by whoſe motion, the Lord ſeemes to require it at my hands) to ſend foorth this part of my poore labours, to the view of all that ſhall pleaſe to looke vponupon it, and ſo to imploy that talent the Lord hath truſted me withall, to the greateſt aduantage that I can, and to vſe the beſt meanes I am able, of furthering the good of Gods Church, and heereby in ſome meaſure, to make ſupply of that, which (through my knowne debilitie of body) is wanting in the diſcharge of my Paſtorall function. And howſoeuer theſe my poore labours bee not worthy the veiw of the learned and iudicious, being ſimple, plaine, and popular, both for matter and manner, yet (I hope) they are ſound, and without corruption, and will not bee vnprofitable to the ſimple, and honeſt hearted, who want thoſe ſpeciall endowments of learning, and depth of iudgement, and yet are deſirous to bee informed in the myſtery of godlineſſe, to their ſauing comfort, and eſpecially to thoſe that are of my charge, whoſe profit in holy things, I chiefely tender, and to whom my labours are moſt familiar, and principally due. It grieues not mee now againe, to recommend to their eies the things which heeretofore hauehave beene ſent by their eares to their mindes, and (I hope) to their hearts; and though I cannot preciſely ſay as the Apoſtle Peter did, I know that the time is at hand that I muſt lay downe mine earthly tabernacle; yet that time beeing vncertaine, and hauing had many times warning to bethinke my ſelfe of my vncertaine continuance in this life, hauing ſometimes receiued the ſentence of death in my ſelfe, that I ſhould not truſt in my ſelfe, but in God,2 Cor. 1.9. who raiſeth the dead; I thinke it meete, as long as I am in this tabernacle to ſtirre them vp by putting them in remembrance, and to endeauour that they may bee able to hauehave remembrance of theſe things after my departing.2 Pet. 1.13.15
In the Epiſtles of the bleſſed Apoſtle Paul, and in this, written to the Coloſsians, moſt clearely and plainely men may ſee, and heare what the Lord ſaith to his Church, and what he requireth at the hands of all Chriſtians, both for matter of faith, and of practiſe, and that both in generall, and in particular duties: yet in reading this and other Scriptures, it is not ſafe to goe alone, (vnlearned and vnſtable ſoules peruert ſomethings in them to their owne deſtruction) a guide (as the Eunuch confeſſed) is of neceſſarie vſe.2 Pet. 3.16. Act. 8.31.I hauehave therefore by theſe my poore labours, ſhewed my ſelfe willing to be helpefull vntounto ſuch as ſtand in neede of direction, and want better guides; and I hauehave endeauoured to point out the way, whereby they may come to ſome meaſure of right vnderſtanding and ſauing knowledge of that holy and heauenly truth that is reuealed in this diuine Epiſtle, and my earneſt deſire is, that the readers whoſoeuer, would bring to the reading of theſe my ſlender paines, humble and teachable hearts, and ſuch as are plyable to the truth, and that they would lay aſide all preiudicate and foreſtalled thoughts, and partiall affections,E…heſ. 4.15. and ſet themſelues both to ſeeke and to follow the truth in louelove.
My method is not curious or hidden, but plaine and open, and for the moſt part one and the ſame, the ſimpleſt reader endued with any diſcretion, may obſerue that the coherence, and parts of the Text being laid forth, the ſenſe and meaning of it is giuen (wherein I hope the Lord hath directed me, according to my deſire, to finde the right) and then doctrines are thence raiſed, which being cleared and confirmed, and occurrent doubts remooued, ſuch vſe and application is made, as my ſhallow braine conceiued moſt properly, ſorting and ſuiting to the ſubiect matter in hand, the heads of doctrines and vſes, are thorow out in the margent. Such as thinke my labours for their vſe, may pleaſe to vſe them, and finding good by them, let them bleſſe God for it, and yeeld all praiſe and glorie to him, to whom onelyonly of right it belongs; and ſuch as are otherwiſe conceited, I intreat to take my good meaning in good part, and to leaue them to others, who like better of them, and my ſelfe to ſtand or fall to mine owne Maſter,Rom. 14.4.10 before whoſe iudgement ſeat we muſt all one day appeare.
And now (right worſhipfull) ſince it pleaſed the Lord to make you the meanes of giuing me a comfortable acceſſe to my charge, (wherein I hauehave exerciſed my Miniſtry this tenne yeeres, and vpwards) howſoeuer in much weakeneſſe, yet the Lord vouchſafing ſtrength, aboue, and beyond mine owne expectation, and the conceit of others, for which (as I am euer bound to praiſe the name of the Lord) I doe freely, and thankfully acknowledge your vndeſerued louelove and fauour towards me therein, and reſting aſſuredly vponupon the continuance of your wonted louelove and kindeneſſe to me ward, I make bold to ſhelter theſe my poore labours (beeing part of my paines taken in my charge) vnderunder your name and Patronage; I doubt not but as my ſelfe hauehave found you a kinde and friendly Patrone, ſo theſe my labours comming vntounto you ſubmiſſiuely (as they doe) ſhall finde your fauourable countenance towards them, and you will bee pleaſed to vouchſafe them your beſt protection. Accept (I pray you) this poore mite I now tender vntounto you, in ſtead of ſome rich pledge of my vnfained louelove and thankfulneſſe. I doe heartily wiſh, and earneſtly deſire of the Lord, that as you hauehave beene the meanes (in ſome ſort) of the being of theſe labours of mine, ſo they may returne vntounto you in way of thankefulneſſe, ſome ſpirituall good, which I hope, they ſhall, the Lord bleſſing your carefull and frequent peruſall of them.
Thus being loath to be tedious and troubleſome vntounto you, I commend this ſilly preſent to your fauourable acceptation, and your ſelfe, to the gracious protection of the Lord,1 Tim. 4.8. who grant you euer that grace that hath the promiſe, both of this life, and of that which is to come. So I pray, and will (God willing) not ceaſe to pray for you.
From Barmondſey neare London, March the 6th. 1614. Your Worſhips to command in the Lord. EDVVARD ELTON.