Forty-nine Sermons upon Colossians, Part 3 · Sermon 38
THE THIRTY EIGHTH SERMON ON COLOSSIANS,
CHAP. III. VER. IX, X, XI.
Verſe IX. Having put off the old man with his deeds.
X. And having put on the new man, which is renew'd in knowledge, after the image of Him who created him.
XI. Where there is neither Greek, nor Jew; neither circumciſion, nor uncircumciſion; neither Barbarian, nor Scythian; nor bond, nor free: but CHRIST is all, and in all.
DEAR Brethren; I know, and freely confeſs, that being called this day, through the goodneſs of GOD, to celebrate the memory of the death and paſſion of our LORD JESUS CHRIST; this ſacred chair is obliged, for the fitting you to ſo important an action, to entertain you with things that relate to this great and divine myſterie. But as I acknowledge, that this is properly the ſervice in which I ſhould employ this hour; ſo I conceive, that theſe words of the Apoſtle S. Paul, which you have heard, and which occur in the chain of our ordinary Text, are very ſutable to that principal ſubject of our exhortation. For this putting off of the old man, and this putting on of the new, of which they tell us, are both the one, and the other, the true effect of this death of our LORD, the remembrance whereof we ſolemnize. If JESUS had not dyed, we ſhould never have put off the old man, nor put on the new; ſince that without His death, we could not have had the pardon of our ſins, nor the grace of the Holy Spirit, nor the hope of immortality; all which are things abſolutely neceſſary to the deveſting us of the old man, and to the reveſting us with the new. Whereas now JESUS CHRIST dying on the Croſs, hath there pierced through, and faſtned up our old man; and by the vertue of His ſufferings, created and formed in us another new man, as different from the old, as Heaven from the Earth, and Life from Death. Therefore the Apoſtle doth elſewhere conclude, from the death of JESUS CHRIST, the death of the old man in us, and the life of the new. 2. Cor. 5.15.17.If one died for all, (ſaith he) then are all dead, and He died for them, that they might live henceforth in Him, and no more unto themſelves. If any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature. And in another place he ſaith expreſly, Rom. 6.6, 11.that our old man was crucified with CHRIST, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, and that we being dead with Him, might live to GOD in Him. Thus the death of CHRIST is at once, the deſtruction of the old man, and the production of the new; the one was aboliſh'd by it, and the other created. This fleſh of the myſtical Lamb, which GOD to day preſents us, hath ſlain our fleſh, and enlivened our ſpirit; and from that Divine blood of His, wherein the old man is drown'd, is iſſu'd forth the new, created in righteouſneſs, and holineſs: like as heretofore, the Iſraelite was ſeen to come, alive, and glorious, out of that very gulf of the Red-ſea, wherein the Egyptian lay ſunk, and overwhelm'd.
But oh new wonder! as our LORD's fleſh and blood is the principle, that gives being to our new man; ſo is it his nutriment. And as in nature, things are ſuſtained by the ſame means that they were ſet up; ſo in grace, the new man is conſerved, and increaſed, and ſtrengthened by the ſame blood of JESUS CHRIST, out of which he was formed. And that heavenly meat, and divine drink, which you ſhall anon receive from the hand of GOD, are not given you, but for the feeding, and perfecting of your new man. I go yet further, and durſt ſay, that this new man, whom the Apoſtle would at this time veſt you with, is none other, rightly conſidered, than the ſame JESUS CHRIST, whom we have put on at Baptiſm, and whom we receive in the Supper, propagated (if I may ſo ſpeak) and pourtrayed in us by His own vertue; who transformeth us into the likeneſs of His death and reſurrection by reaſon, that entring into, and dwelling in us, He formeth in us a man like Himſelf; that as He did, dyeth unto the fleſh; and with him, leaveth in his ſepulchre all his old life, as an infirm, and uſeleſs offal; and being enlivened with Him, and adorned with His light, and endowed with an heavenly nature leads thenceforth a ſpiritual, and glorious life. Thus you ſee, that the body of CHRIST was crucified, and His blood ſhed; and that the one and the other are given us in the Supper, to deveſt us of the old man, and veſt us with the new. This is the end and fruit of all that myſterie, unto the participation whereof you are this day called. Make account then, that the beſt preparation you can bring unto it, is a ſerious meditating of what the Apoſtle doth here inform us. He exhorted the Coloſſians afore, to mortifie the vices of their fleſh, and all the infamous paſſions of that Pagan life, they had ſometime led in the darkneſs of their ignorance; as fornication, covetouſneſs, anger, evil ſpeaking, impurity of language, and lying. Now to cut up theſe and other like vices by the root, and to compriſe all the parts of ſanctification in few words, he commandeth us to put off the old man with his deeds, &c.
There are others, that take theſe words for a reaſon of his precedent exhortation, drawn from that eſtate which JESUS CHRIST had put them into by Baptiſm; as if his meaning were, that they are obliged to renounce the vices he had been forbidding them; ſince in their Baptiſm, they did put off the old man, on which theſe vices depend, and of which they make up a part; and put on the new, which is contrary to them, and incompatible with them. Whether you underſtand it thus, or take the text ſimply for a proſecution of the precedent command, ſhewing us, that for the due execution of it, we muſt perform what is here added, all amounteth to well-nigh the ſame ſenſe. And for the right comprehending of it, we will treat, if GOD permit, of the three points, which offer themſelves in the Apoſtle's words; firſt, of the old man, which we muſt put off; ſecondly, of the new, which we muſt put on, and the form it conſiſteth in, to wit, a renewing in knowledge, after the image of Him who created it: and in fine, of that indifferency of nations, and ceremonies, and conditions, which the Apoſtle affirmeth in this matter, requiring nothing in reference to it, but CHRIST, who is the all of it, and in all. May it pleaſe GOD ſo to inlighten our underſtandings for the right diſcerning of this ſaving truth, and touch our hearts to love, and practiſe it, effectually ſanctifying us by the vertue of His word, and precious Sacrament, that we may all go out hence new men, conformed in purity, and charity, and every vertue, to that LORD JESUS, in whoſe name, and communion, we, by His grace, do glory.
The Scripture ſets before us the perſon of Adam, and of JESUS CHRIST, as two different ſtocks of mankind, or, as it were, two oppoſite heads, or principles of this nature, which we call humane. They have this in common, that both the one and the other hath a great number of children, which are iſſued from them, and do depend upon them; and that each of them doth communicate to his own, his being, his form, his life, and his condition, imprinting his image on them, which every of them beareth according to the quality of his extraction. They differ, or to ſay better, are oppoſite, in that the one is earthy, the other heavenly; the one hath a carnal, vicious, infirm nature, full of ignorance and error, and ſubject to death, and the curſe. The other hath a ſpiritual, holy nature, full of light, and wiſdom, acceptable unto GOD, immortal, and inheriting eternity. The one propagateth in his children, ſin, and death. The other communicates to his righteouſneſs, ſanctity, and life. The one tranſmits his nature by a carnal generation; the other imparteth his to his deſcendents, by a ſpiritual generation, and ſuch an one, as hath nothing in common with fleſh and blood. The nature of the one is deprav'd by the empoiſoned breath of the old Serpent, which creepeth on the ground, and liveth on the duſt thereof. That of the other hath been formed, and conſerved by the Eternal, and coeleſtial Spirit. It's for theſe reaſons, that the Scripture calleth ſimply, the one, and the other of theſe two perſons, man, becauſe of their advantage, and their holding the firſt and principal rank, each of them in his kind. For the ſame reaſon again, it gives the one and the other of theſe two perſons, the name Adam; becauſe they are each of them, the Adam, that is to ſay, the Father, and author of his order; the one of ſin, and death; the other of righteouſneſs, and life. But to diſtinguiſh them, it cals the one, 1 Cor. 15.47.the firſt man, and the firſt Adam; the other, the ſecond man, and the laſt Adam. The former, him, who having corrupted himſelf by his diſobedience, hath alſo infected us, leaving us vice, and the curſe for an inheritance. The latter, Him, who having repaired our ſault by His obedience, hath given us righteouſneſs, ſanctity, and immortality. Adam is ſtiled, the firſt man, and JESUS CHRIST the ſecond; for that the one's corrupting preceded the other's repairing, and reforming. Adam firſt defiled, and poiſoned his nature by ſin; and then JESUS CHRIST manifeſted His full of grace and truth. It's upon the ſame conſideration, that Adam is called the old man, and JESUS CHRIST then ne. Taking in withal, that the firſt Adam ſhall be deſtroyed; whereas the ſecond remains for ever. For its the cuſtome of Scripture, to call that old, which is ready to be done away; and that new, which is firm and laſting. But becauſe each of theſe two men doth communicate to thoſe that are his, the form and condition of his nature, according to that Scripture-principle, that what is born of the fleſh, is fleſh, and what is born of the Spirit, is Spirit; thence it comes, that St. Paul giving the effect the name of its cauſe, by a figure ordinary in all languages, calls that form, and condition of nature, which each of us receives from the firſt Adam by carnal birth, the old man; and likewiſe, that form and condition which the faithful receive from JESUS CHRIST, by ſpiritual regeneration, the new man. This is that he means here, when he ſpeaks of putting off the old man, and putting on the new; and elſe where, in a paſſage like to this, the truth (ſaith he) which we have learnt in JESƲS, is, that we put off the old man, concerning the former converſation who is corrupted by the luſts that ſeduce him; and that we put on the new man, created after GOD in righteouſneſs, and true holineſs.
Now, as to that form of nature which we all receive from the firſt Adam by our carnal birth, every one well knoweth what it is, and in what it conſiſteth. For the Scripture declareth, and all mens experience alſo teacheth, that the nature of the children of Adam is extremely corrupt, and vicious; ſmitten in the underſtanding with an horrible ignorance, and blindneſs, and full of errors, and falſe and pernicious maxims; infected in the will with violent, and enraged love of a man's ſelf, of the fleſh, and of the earth, with bruitiſh affections and paſſions. This nature is nothing but pride, ambition, injuſtice, avarice, luxury, envy, hatred, malignity, imprudence, furiouſneſs, cruelty, and inhumanity. Such are all Adam's progeny, while without the communion of JESUS CHRIST. There are no others born upon the earth; and whatever difference is between men, in regard of climate, and colour, and external appearance of life, the blood they come of, imprinteth this wretched form upon them all in common; which ſeizing them at their birth, groweth up, and is augmented with age, and exerciſe, rooting its ſelf in them, and thruſting forth the habitudes of divers ſins, which in the end render them unſufferable unto GOD, and their neighbours. And if the providence of Heaven, for the conſervation of mankind, did not repreſſs the curſed ſecondity of this evil, the diſorder, and the waſte it makes, would be much greater than it is, and proceed to infinite. It is then this maſs of corruption, this Hydra of vices; that the Apoſtle calls the old man; becauſe it is the production of Adam, our old, and firſt ſtock, in every one of us.
Hence it is eaſie to underſtand on the other hand, what the new man is, that is to ſay, the form which JESUS CHRIST, the principle of the ſecond creation, doth put upon each of them that are His. For it's directly contrary to that of the firſt Adam, and comprehends in it all graces and vertues, in oppoſition to the other's vices, as faith, wiſdom, piety, charity, juſtice, ſweetneſs, honeſty, temperance; and in one word, a ſanctity like that of JESUS CHRIST, the image of which it is alſo called. It's this that St. Paul here ſtiles the new man; becauſe it is the work, and likewiſe the pourtraict of the LORD JESUS, our new Adam. And he deſcribes it thus himſelf in this place. For, as to the old man, he only names it, without ſaying any more of it. But as for the new, he occaſionally explains us the nature of it, ſaying, that it is renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him who created it. In which few words he teacheth us, firſt, that it is created in us; that is, produced by the operation of a Divine power; by reaſon whereof we are called, the workmanſhip, and the creatures of GOD; and the Apoſtle ſaith elſe-where, Eph. 2.….that we were created in JESƲS CHRIST; whereas the production of the old man in us, is not a creation, but a natural operation. For as it is indeed in our power to kill a man, but there is none, ſave GOD alone, that can raiſe him up again; ſo it was eaſie for Adam to deſtroy himſelf, and us all with him; but to recover, and re-eſtabliſh us, belongs to GOD alone. Adam could corrupt, and deform our nature. But neither he, nor any of his, … to repair, or reform it into a new man. This appertaineth to none but the Creator. It's the work of a Divine power. Then again, the Apoſtle ſhews us here, who it is that createth this new man in us, ſaying, that it's the ſame perſon, after whoſe image it is created. For it is clear, that the new man is after the image of JESUS CHRIST. It is then JESUS CHRIST that createth it in us. Vain man, give not the glory to your pretended free-will. It appertaineth wholly to the LORD. And we may truly ſay of this ſecond generation, what the Pſalmiſt ſingeth of the firſt: that it is the LORD, the eternal word of the Father, Pſal. 100.….who hath made us, and not we our ſelves. But the Apoſtle, in ſaying that this new man is renewed, doth teach us a further very conſiderable thing; to wit, that this piece of our regeneration, or the production of the new man, is poliſh'd, and perfected by little and little in us, the Spirit of CHRIST working upon it, during the whole courſe of our life on earth; and adorning this its own creature by divers reiterated operations, with the graces and ſpiritual beauties it ought to have, until it attain to the utmoſt and higheſt point of its perfection in the Heavens; when there ſhall be ſeen a compleat, and Angelical ſanctity, to ſhine forth in it, with glory, and bleſſed immortality.
In fine, the Apoſtle doth alſo briefly touch at, both the manner after which, and the pattern by which this renovation is wrought in us. For the manner of it, he ſaith, That this new man is renewed in knowledge, thereby ſhewing, that JESUS CHRIST, for the communicating of this new Nature, which is in Him, as in its ſource, unto us, doth give us, and day by day augment the knowledge of his truth in us; for as ignorance and error is the firſt and principal deformity of the old Man, and the cauſe of all the reſt; ſo on the contrary, Wiſdom and Knowledge is the firſt and principal lineament of the new Man, whereby are formed in us all the other vertues, in which it doth conſiſt, as Love of GOD, and Charity towards men, and all the other holy habitudes, which depend upon them; it being manifeſt, that we love none but the things we know, and proportionably to the knowledge we have of them. Wherefore the LORD begins the admirable work of his grace, hereat. And we have an excellent image of this method of his, in the firſt Creation of the World; where Moſes expreſly obſerves, that the firſt thing GOD created by his Word, was Light, which is the ſymbol of Knowledge, as darkneſs is of Ignorance. This the Apoſtle plainly pointeth at elſewhere; GOD (ſaith he) who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, 2 Cor. 4 6.hath ſhined into our hearts. This light of Knowledge once lighted up in our ſouls, by the Spirit of the LORD, doth preſently expel Vices out of them; and ſhewing us the holy and glorious face of GOD in JESUS CHRIST, transforms us into his likeneſs, as ſaith the ſame Apoſtle; 1 Cor. 3.18.We all beholding as in a glaſs, the glory of the LORD with open face, are transformed into the ſame image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the LORD. It's this he meaneth in the Text, when he ſaith of the new Man, that it is renewed after the image of him who created it, that is, of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. For he properly is the Pattern, by which that new Nature we are made partakers of, is formed. He is both the Author and Exemplar of it; and 'tis for this, that it is called by his Name, to wit, the new Man. Therefore the Apoſtle elſewhere, to expreſs the end and effect of his Miniſtry toward the Galatians, Gal. 4.19.ſaith, That he travelleth in birth, until CHRIST be formed in them. He had no other deſign, but to reveſt them with the new Man: Certainly then, the new Man is nothing elſe but JESUS CHRIST formed in us; that is, nothing elſe but the form of this holy and bleſſed LORD, engraven and imprinted on us by the ſeal of his Word and Spirit; which is preciſely the thing he here calls his Image. If you know JESUS CHRIST, you cannot be ignorant what this his form and image is. JESUS CHRIST is the Saint of Saints; a man full of all purity, righteouſneſs, charity, patience, conſtancy and truth; and in ſum of all the lights of holineſs. Sure then his form and image can be no other, than a genuine repreſentation of theſe Divine qualities; a ſoul in which appears a goodneſs, an humility, an honeſty, I ſay not, equal, (for it is not poſſible to arrive unto ſo high a perfection) but at leaſt ſemblable and proportionate to his. And this is that which S. Paul elſewhere compriſeth expreſly in two words, ſaying, That the new man is created after GOD, in righteouſneſs and true holineſs.
Thus you ſee, Brethren, what that Old, and what this new Man is which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of in this place: The one is the image of the firſt Adam, and the other of the ſecond. He commandeth us to put off the old Man with his Deeds, and to put on the New; a manner of ſpeaking, no leſs elegant, than familiar in Scripture, which is wont to ſay of all the things that are found in this or that ſubject, that it is clothed with them. As when the Prophets ſay, that GOD is clothed with ſtrength, with Glory, and with Magnificence; that he is cloathed with Juſtice; that he will cloath his Prieſts with ſalvation, and their enemies with ſhame; that he will cloath the Heavens with darkneſs, and ſo in a multitude of other places; where it is evident, that the term, Cloathing, is taken figuratively, to expreſs ſimply, the putting of any thing in ſuch or ſuch a Subject, whether it be internally or externally. Whence it follows, that, to put off, on the contrary, is ſimply to quit a thing which one had, and rid himſelf of it. Thus to put off the old Man, is nothing elſe but to rid our ſelves of his Vices, and of his corruptneſs; to pluck up, for inſtance, out of our hearts, his covetouſneſs, and his ambition, and the habitudes of his other ſins. But the Apoſtle expreſly addeth, that we put him off with his deeds; that is to ſay, that we not only pluck up out of our hearts, the habits of Vices, which are, as it were, the roots and ſtocks of it; but that alſo we cut off from our lives, all the actions, whether interior, as deſires and luſtings; or exterior, as other ſins, which proceed from the ſame, and are as ſo many fruits of this accurſed plant. For, to ſpeak properly, the old man is one thing; and the act of ſin, that iſſues from it, another. The one is the corruptneſs it ſelf of our nature; the other is the effect it produceth: The one is as the Plant, and the other as its Fruit. For example, cruelty or covetouſneſs is one of the very members of the old Man; murder or ſtealing ing are acts of it. The Apoſtle would have us put off the one, and the other; that neither Vice, nor its acts might have any place in us. In like manner, to put on the new Man, is on the other hand, to deck and adorn our underſtanding, our will, our affections, and all the parts of our life, with thoſe excellent vertues, in which the new man conſiſteth, as we have ſaid afore; to endeavour it ſtudiouſly, and take no reſt, till we have them formed in us, and our whole nature be covered, and enriched with them.
But though theſe two words, to put off, and to put on, be in this paſſage figuratively taken, yet do they ſhew us notwithſtanding, againſt the groſs and ſenſleſs error of ſome, that as well the old Man, as the New, do both of them ſignifie the form and diſpoſition, not the ſubſtance and very eſſence of our nature: For when a thing is utterly deſtroyed, we do not ſay, it puts off what it had, but that it is periſheth. And when the ſubſtance of a thing is produced altogether of new, we ſay not, that it's cloathed, but created; ſo as the Apoſtle here commanding us to put off the old man, and put on the new; it is evident, that in this renovation of our nature, we do not loſe the very ſubſtance of it, nor acquire another new one; but only quit that unworthy and wretched form, which ſin gave it; and aſſume another, which reſembles that of JESUS CHRIST. I acknowledge, that that old form which we put off, had ſeized on, and blaſted, and disfigured all the parts of our nature, both internal and external; as alſo, that the new one, which we receive in JESUS CHRIST, doth extend its ſelf likewiſe to them all; in which reſpect the one and the other differeth from a garment, which covers but the outſide, and reaches not further in: yet they both are notwithſtanding, another thing than the Subject it ſelf, which is uncloth'd or cloath'd with them, as an habit is another kind of thing than the body it covereth. The one is at it were the ruſt, as it were the poyſon, the malady, the loathſomneſs and deformity of our nature: The other is the beauty, the health, the perfection, the ornament, and honour of it; and as it were the jewel, that gives it all it hath of worth and value. Neither let the terms of Old and new Man trouble you: For they are often made uſe or in all languages, to ſignifie the qualities, and not the very eſſentials of our nature; as when we ſay of a perſon, who was once vicious and debauched, but is now become honeſt and vertuous, that he is another man, a new Man; though, to ſpeak properly, he have the ſame ſubſtance, the ſame ſoul, and the ſame body, he had before; and hath quitted nothing of his former nature, but the bad habitudes it was veſted with, not the ſubſtance of his Being. Thus it is in regard of the Old and new Man: The ſubſtance of the ſubject remains the ſame, under the one and the other. There is nothing changed but its form… and quality. And it's thus alſo, that we are to underſtand what, after the Prophets, S. Peter hath ſaid, namely, 2 Pet. 3.13.That at the laſt manifeſtation of the Son of GOD, there ſhall be new Heavens and a new Earth: For theſe creatures which now ſubſiſt, ſhall not be annihilated. On the contrary, S Paul ſaith, Rom. 8.20.That they ſhall have part in the deliverance of the ſons of GOD; but becauſe they ſhall be purged from all vanity, and put into an eſtate much more excellent, than that wherein they now ſigh and languiſh, therefore they are called, new Heavens and a new Earth.
As for what remains, The Apoſtle injoyns us expreſly, both here and elſewhere, to put off the old Man, and to put on the New; becauſe in truth theſe are two different things, even as to depart from evil, and to do good. It is very true, that in the eſtate men are, no one puts off the old Man, but puts on the New; and ſo on the contrary; and again as true it is, that the ſame Spirit of JESUS CHRIST, which effecteth the one, doth alſo effect the other; even as the Sun, by one and the ſame action, diſpelleth the darkneſs of our Air, and diffuſeth into it light: yet this hin…ers not, but that, conſidering the matter ſimply, and abſolutely in its ſelf; the putting off of the old Man is one thing, and the putting on of the New another. For the corruption of the old Man is not a meer abſence and privation of the ſanctity of the New, neither is vertue a meer privation of vice, as darkneſs is nothing at all, but a ſimple privation of light: Otherwiſe, it were to be ſaid, that the new man is everywhere, where the Old is not; and ſo on the contrary, as where there is no light, darknes doth of neceſſity take place, and ſo on the contrary. But though theſe two actions of putting off the old Man, and putting on the New, be different in themſelves, yet are they inſeparably joyned with one another; and in the ſtate we now are, it is not poſſible that any perſon ſhould deveſt himſelf of ſin, and of the miſery of his old Man, without veſting himſelf with the New; becauſe there is no other way of ſalvation, but the Communion of CHRIST, into which no one ever enters, without putting on the new Man. It's in this, that all our ſalvation conſiſteth.
But becauſe thoſe falſe Teachers, which troubled the Church at that time, did pretend to the prejudice of this Doctrine, that Circumciſion and divers other external things were neceſſary in Religion, as if they were ſufficient to ſave us without the new Man; or at leaſt the new Man were not ſufficient to ſave us without them; the Apoſtle doth reject this error of theirs here, which he refuted afore; and to this purpoſe, in ſpeaking of the new Man, addeth, Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, neither circumciſion nor uncircumciſion, neither Barbarian nor Scythian, nor bond, nor free; but CHRIST is all, and in all. His meaning is not, that among thoſe whom JESUS CHRIST converteth to new men, by vertue of his Goſpel, there are none that be by extraction, Jews or Greeks, Barbarians or Scythians; and for condition, bond or free, circumciſed or uncircumciſed; nor likewiſe, that theſe differences are in themſelves none, or ought not to be conſidered at all, either in nature, or in the ſtate and politick order. On the contrary, he himſelf will hereafter eſtabliſh the difference of bond-men, and free, and command us to obſerve it in civil life. But what he ſaith, muſt be reſtrained, and appropriated preciſely to his intention and deſign, without extending it any further, He ſpeaks of the new man, and ſaith, that no one of theſe differences doth take place in him. He meaneth therefore ſimply, that in this reſpect (that is, in what concerns the nature of the new man) all theſe different qualities and conditions are no way conſiderable; that, as to it, they have no force nor vertue; that neither the nobleneſs of the Jew, nor the advantage of circumciſion, nor the liberty of the free, doth ſerve at all, to bring us neer the new man, and communicate him to us; that the knowledge of the Greek, and the rudeneſs of the Barbarian, and the uncircumſion of the Gentile, and the meanneſs of the ſlave, doth not remove us further off from him. That a man, both may not participate of him with the firſt of theſe qualities, and may with the laſt. It's the ſame thing that he ſaith elſe-where; Gal. 6.15.even that in JESƲS CHRIST, neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but a new creature; and again, That in CHRIST, & 3.28.there is neither Jew nor Greek, nor bond nor free, nor male nor female, becauſe they are all one in JESƲS CHRIST.
He excludes hereby, firſt, the pretended advantage of the Jew above the Greek. For the Jews ſo fooliſhly preſum'd upon their birth, that they imagin'd it ſufficient to render them acceptable unto GOD, and they haughtily diſdained the Greeks as accurſed and abominable, by the ſole infelicity of their extraction. The men of Rome are at this day no wiſer; as who do not define Chriſtianity, but by an adherence to the See of their City. The Apoſtle here doth thunder-ſtrike the vanity of the one and the others, proclaiming that neither the Jew nor the Greek, and by conſequent, not the Roman or Italian, are of any conſideration in godlineſs, ſo as to confer upon us, or deprive us of the new Man. And S. John Baptiſt had aforehand advertis'd the Jews of it. Mat. 3.9.Preſume not ſo ſay within your ſelves, We have Abraham to our Father. And it's this our Saviour meant, when he told Nicodemus, That to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Joh. 3.3.he muſt be born again; ſignifying, that all that dignity of this carnal birth, which did ſo mightily puff up the hearts of the Phariſees and Jews, was but a thing of nought, and contributed not at all to the entring them in his Communion. Joh. 8.39.And elſewhere the Jews crying out, that Abraham was their Father, he anſwers them, That if they were the children of Abraham, they would do his works; an evident ſign, that the children of the Saints are they that do their works, as ſaid one of the Ancients *Hierome. Act. 10 35., and not they that take up their place; and that, as S. Peter ſaid, Of whatſoever Nation you be, you ſhall be accepted of GOD, if you fear him, and work righteouſneſs.
That which the Apoſtle adds a little after, of Barbarians and Scythians, tendeth alſo to take away all difference of people, in matter of godlineſs, againſt the vanity of the Greeks, who deſpiſed all other Nations, and called them Barbarians; making no account but of their own, becauſe of the great politeneſs of their language, and the civility of their manners, and the ſtudy of Philoſophy and Eloquence, which flouriſhed among them. S. Paul denounceth them, that this vain excellency is of no value in Chriſtianity; and that the illiteratneſs, and political defects of Barbarians, do not alienate them from GOD, provided that putting off the old Man, they put on the New. The Scythians are thoſe whom we call Tartarians, and he makes particular mention of them, either becauſe of the ferity and extream rudeneſs, in as much as they were accounted the moſt groſs and leaſt polite of all Barbarians; or becauſe of their probity, juſtice and moral innocency, as ſome think.
After nations, he ſpeaks alſo of the difference of ceremonies, and conditions. To the former referrs his ſaying, that in Chriſtianity, there is neither circumciſion, nor uncircumciſion; compriſing under this one ſpecies, all other ſemblable obſervations of things external, and not commanded of GOD in religion; ſignifying, that men are neither furthered towards the kingdom of Heaven by being circumciſed, nor ſet back by wanting of it: and likewiſe, that (as he faith elſe-where) if we eat, we have not the more; and if we eat not, we have not the leſs. Whence appears, how ill founded the ridiculous opinion of thoſe is, who put an higher e…mate upon themſelves by far, than upon others, in point of holineſs, by reaſon of th…ſe external and voluntary devotions; as for inſtance, becauſe they were a cowl, or a certain particular habit; becauſe they abſtain from fleſh, either alwaies, or ſo a certain daies, and do other like things, in which they are not aſhamed, even to place Chriſtianity. What the Apoſtle addeth in the laſt place, concerning the bond, and the free, doth alſo comprehend nobility, and peaſantry, riches, and poverty, dignity, and inferiority; and in fine, all that diverſity of conditions which divideth men in the preſent world. Though theſe qualities put a difference between them on earth, they put none between them in Heaven, nor in the myſtical body of our LORD and Saviour, into which GOD receiveth us all indifferently, if He ſee the new man in us, and doth equally exclude thoſe in whom He finds it not. The pomp of riches, and honours, and the glory of great birth, doth recommend no one unto Him: lo… neſs of extraction, or of condition, and the miſery of poverty, doth not …. Him to reject any. He ſtrips all men of that habit that makes up no part of them; and judgeth of them only by that form of the old, or new man, which they bear within them.
Now having excluded all theſe things from the true conſtitution of piety, he informs us, for a concluſion, wherein its whole force and vertue doth conſiſt. In this renovation of man, there is (ſaith he) neither Greek nor Jew, neither Circumciſion nor Ʋncircumciſion, neither Borbarian nor Seythian, nor bond nor free; but CHRIST is all, and in all. That which the Jews promiſe themſelves in vain from their birth, and they that Judaize from their circumciſion, and the Greeks from their Philoſophy, and Great ones from their dignity, JESUS CHRIST alone doth give abundantly to all that are in Him. He is all to them. For in Him the Gentile finds Judaiſm, and the nobility of Iſrael; all they that are of faith, Gal. ….being children of Abraham. In Him the uncircumciſed have the true circumciſion, which is not made with hands; Barbarians, Divine Philoſophy, and the Bourgeſhip of Heaven; bond-men, freedom of ſpirit; poor men, the treaſures of eternity; abject perſons, the glory of GOD, and the excellency of His Kingdom. And as He hath in Him an abundance of all ſacred and ſalutiferous things; ſo hath He them for all: ſhutting not up the boſome of His grace againſt any, who ever he be, and conferring on all thoſe of His communion univerſally, righteouſneſs, wiſdom, ſanctification, and redemption; and in a word; all graces requiſite for conducting them unto, and putting them in the eternal poſſeſſion of ſupreme beatitude.
Dear Brethren, It's this ſame bleſſed LORD, the fountain, and the fulneſs of all good, that GOD preſenteth to you at this time, in His word, and in His Sacrament. Come ye all to Him, ſeeing He is ſo bountifully offered unto you. Let no one imagine either that he may do well enough without Him, or that He may not enjoy Him. He is both neceſſary for the greateſt, and acceſſible unto the leaſt. The dignity of Maſters, the abundance of riches, the extraction of the noble, the obſervances of the devout, and ſuch other advantages will be of no uſe at all to ſave thoſe that have them; ſo that JESUS CHRIST is no leſs neceſſary for them, than if they had them not. The low eſtate of ſervants, the diſtreſſedneſs of the poor, and the like other diſadvantages, do hinder no one from approaching, and receiving of Him. And as the brazen Serpent, which ſometime figured him in the deſert, was communicated indifferently unto all, great and ſmall, poor and rich, noble and ignoble; and equally cured all thoſe that looked on it: and again, as there was no remedy to be had againſt the biting of the fiery Serpents, but that alone: neither riches, nor nobility, nor ſcience, nor any other quality could cure any of them. So is it with our LORD JESUS. He is equally both neceſſary, and approachable for all. He offers Himſelf to the great; He diſdaineth not the leaſt. He gives Himſelf to the one, and to the others, and ſaves them all indifferently. Come ye th…n all unto Him, what-ever in other reſpects your condition or extraction be. Lift up your eyes on Him, and behold Him ſtretched out for you upon Moſes's pole; crucified for your ſins, and wounded for your iniquities, His fleſh pierced with nails, His blood ſpilt on the ground: preſenting to you in this ſcandalous, but ſalutiferous infirmity; the treaſure of life and happineſs. Bring unto Him ſouls full of faith, reſpect, and love; and prepare for the receiving of Him, not your bodily mouth, or ſtomach, (places, what-ever ſuperſtition ſay, unworthy to lodge Him) but your hearts, your minds, your underſtandings and affections; that is, the nobler part of your being. There it is that He takes pleaſure, there it is that He would dwell. Accordingly it's there that He ſhould operate, and diſplay His vertue, unto the extinguiſhing of the old man, and the engraving of His own image. As the body is not the object of this operation of His; ſo neither is it the ſeat of His preſence, nor the throne of His Majeſty.
But you plainly ſee, My Brethren, that this incomparable favour He placeth on you, in being willing to come, and dwell in your hearts, doth oblige you to put off His enemie the old man, and clear your ſelves of all His pollutions; eradicate the habitudes of all his vices; ſmother all his deſires, and cleanſe your whole life from all his deeds. This old man is the diſgrace of your nature, the poiſon of your ſoul, the death of your life, the cauſe of your unhappineſs. It's he that deſtroyed you, that baniſh'd you out of Paradiſe, that bereav'd you of your true delights, that made you ſubject unto vanity, and the wrath of GOD, and the hatred of His Angels, and the tyrannie of Devils. Deveſt your ſelves of this accurſed and funeſtous habit. Give your ſelves no reſt till you be rid of it. Tell me not that he holds too faſt; that you feel him ſticking in your inward parts, and in your marrow. Where eternal ſalvation is concerned, there … is to be taken. If you cannot rid your ſelves of him other… better to pluck out your very bowels, than ſpare them, and pe… the truth is, we ſlatter our ſelves; and that to keep this pleaſing enemie with us we makes our ſelves believe, he is part of us; as if we could not be m…n, without fouling our ſelves in the dung of his vices. Be not afraid of hurting, o… outraging your ſelves, by driving him from you. It's but the p…ſt and poiſon of your nature, as we ſaid afore. Your life will be not (as you imagine, incommodated, but diſcharged, more free, and more happy by it, th…n it was. Beſides, after the victory over him, which CHRIST hath won upon the Croſs, it ill becomes us to complain of the ſtrength of this enemie. All his ſtrength conſiſteth only in our cowardice; in our feebleneſs, and effeminacy. JESUS CHRIST hath taken from him all the true ſtrength he had. He hath crucified him, and overthrown all the foundations of his tyrannie, and of his life, diſcovering to us the horridneſs thereof, and opening us the way to liberty, and the gate of the houſe of GOD. Inſtead of this wretched, and fordid, and ſhameful form of life, let us put on that new man, who now preſents, and gives Himſelf unto us. Let us have Him night and day before our eyes, as the only exemplar of our true nature. Let us copy Him all out, and faithfully engrave upon our ſouls all the features of His Divine, and glorious form. Let the image of this new Adam ſhine forth in our whole life, in our ſouls, and in our carriages.
Dear Brethren, it muſt be acknowledged, that hitherto we have greatly failed in this duty. For what is more unlike, than we, and this JESUS CHRIST, to whoſe image we ſhould be conformed? He is humble, and meek, and p… tient, as a lamb; We are fierce, and proud, and cholerick, as Lions. He did good to His enemies; and we hardly ſpare our friends. He lov'd the greateſt ſtrangers, and we hate our neereſt neighbours. He was moſt pure, and holy; and we are polluted with the ordures of intemperance. He ſought only His Father's glory, and the ſalvation of men. We muſe upon nothing but earth, and conſider only our own intereſts; With this diſſimilitude, or to ſay better, contrariety, how can we pretend to have put on the new man, which is created after the image of JESUS CHRIST? And how can it be thought, but that we rather bear the image of His enemie? Yet you are not ignorant what depends upon it; and do well know, that it is not poſſible to have part on high in the glory of the new man, except we put him on here below. In the name of GOD, Beloved Brethren, and as your own ſalvation is dear to you, travel on this great and neceſſary deſign. Repair the negligences of the time paſs'd; and diſcharging for the future, with good fidelity, what the Apoſtle's word, and the Sacrament of this myſtical table, do equally require of you; put off the old man, who hath deſtroyed you; Put on the new man, who hath ſav'd you, renewing you in the knowledge, and unto the likeneſs of this ſweet, and merciful LORD, who died, and is riſen again for you; that after you have born on earth the image of His holineſs, and charity, you may bear it eternally in the Heavens, together with that of His glory, and immortality. Amen.